How smart were people in Jesus' time?

Question

I mean people today believe some stupid stuff. I don't just mean religion either, but don't get me started. I mean people today will buy into anything, heck America elected G. W. Bush twice (well once), and bought into the Iraqi war from leftover 9/11 anger.

It's the 2000's, 2000 years have passed since Jesus walked the Earth. Imagine how dumb people in Jesus' time were. Think of the stuff you could get these illiterate dummies to believe. I mean they couldn't Wikipedia your claims, they didn't get their news from the tele. It was all word of mouth, and when you mix the stupitdity of people in the 1st century with word of mouth you get the Som of God walking on water.

Answer 1

Well you could deal with Solomon in his time, but he might have been to smart for ya

Answer 2

Well, if you have that attitude towards people that lived 2000 years ago, you can't see doctors anymore, because they take the Hippocratic Oath. Who is the Hippocratic Oath named after? Oh yeah, Hippocrates. Who lived between 460 BC and 370 BC.

And philosophy? Throw that out too, because many of the newest philosophical arguments are based on what Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates taught.

And you can definitely forget about poetry, because some of the first poets lived in the years before Christ (Ovid, Homer...).

Shall I go on?

No, people were NOT dumb back then. Their ways may seem "primitive" but they had the same potential and capacity for intelligence that we do. And they couldn't have been too dumb...they knew that the earth wasn't flat, that the stars were innumerable, and that it could be day on one side of the world and night on the other. I would say that's pretty advanced.

And perhaps you ought to study the New Testament a little bit more closely. It dates back to within thirty to sixty years of Jesus's death and resurrection, and it was written by people who claimed to be eyewitnesses, who died horrible, violent deaths for their beliefs.

Also, keep in mind that no one tried to argue that those "miracles" never happened.

Answer 3

You just have an axe to grind.

It was not all word of mouth. There were many scholars and other literate people who kept written accounts. Luke was an historian. Then, all be he was a Jew who did not follow Jesus, Josephus was a respected historian.

Much of what we read was written less than fifty years after the resurrection of Jesus - long before the time it takes for legend to grab hold.

Side note - first election was won - everytime they counted over again, the spread got wider in Mr. Bush's favor. I would not be surprised if another count widened the gap further. I do not agree with all he does as of late, but our alternatives for leadership would have done worse in some cases, I am sure.

Answer 4

I think it would be ignorant for people TODAY to say we are smarter than people 2000 years ago. I mean think about it. They didn't have computers. They didn't have telephones or televison or radios. They didn't have automobiles, airplanes, trains or busses. They didn't have electricity. Most places didn't have running water. Those people still got along just fine. They were smart enough to survive with out all the junk we have today. I would say they were pretty smart.

Answer 5

Every Era without exception has its Idiots as well as smart people. When it comes to people being Religious in the 1st Century....well check this out.
The majority of Jesus’ Jewish followers were stumbled and said: “This speech is shocking; who can listen to it?” What happened then? “Owing to this many of his disciples went off to the things behind and would no longer walk with him.”—John 6:50-66.
.. and this??
What was the religious condition of the Israelites in Jesus’ time? The hypocritical religious leaders were “blind guides” teaching “commands of men as doctrines.” ‘They were overstepping the commandment of God because of their tradition.’ The people honored God “with their lips,” but their heart was far removed from him. (Matthew 15:3, 4, 8, 9, 14)
Their error was too great. They rejected Jesus as Messiah and had him put to death, choosing the oppressive Roman Caesar as their king.—Matthew 27:25; John 19:15.

Answer 6

On the fifth planet out orbiting Betelgeuse in the Orion Nebula, there is a sentient race of brightly colored multipods, with IQs well above 200.

Answer 7

If you are finished with your rant, you might want to "wikipedia" your question. The people of that area invented writing, mathematics, science, and many other concepts that we depend on today. They were hardly ignorant people.

Pastor John

Addendum: To the person who suggested they didn't have law, please remember that Hammurabi's Code of Law was brilliant and the Hebrew Law is still at the center of much modern law. Their literature and culture were magnificent. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the pyramids were two of the Wonders of the World. We haven't created any such wonders.

Answer 8

Maybe they were smarter in some ways than we were.
There was not nearly as much knowledge as there is now. People had not discovered so much that we now know.

I think they were really smart considering what was available.

In the year 5000, people will say the same things about US that you say about these people.

Answer 9

I think a better word would be ignorant. They may have had the mental capacity, they didn't have the educational base nor the knowledge we have today. Of course, I guess malnutrition could have caused some serious issues with intelligence as well.

But agreed, they were ripe for the picking as it were, and could probably be convinced of most anything.

Answer 10

Well, there weren't public schools in every community. They probably only had kids to put to work to keep the family in food and shelter. They probably weren't much smarter than a kindergartener. But they sure knew goats!
.

Answer 11

smart enough to believe a Jewish carpenter from a "hick" town in Galilee when he said...

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NIV)