justinian5732 wrote:
\"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men...\" Book of Acts, Chapter 4, verse 13
Here is my understanding of this verse. \\"Unlearned\\" is a translation of the word \\"agrammatoi.\\" I think this is the opposite of the similar Greek word, \\"grammateis,\\" meaning \\"scribes.\\" The word translated as \\"ignorant,\\" represents the Greek, \\"idioi,\\" meaning, \\"ordinary; individual.\\" (This same word appears in 1 Cor 14:23 and is translated as, \\"outsider.\\") This is the opposite of a chief or a priest. In other words, Peter and John are *not* scribes and priests, the main enemies of Jesus. Hence the people were able to recognized them as \\"companions of Jesus.\\"
Because of the nuances of the Greek, I would agree with the view that Peter and John knew plenty. Their ignorance is not being emphasized, but their distinction from the scribes and priests who rejected Jesus publicly.
I think this also shows how a close reading of the Greek can produce a different reading than reading the English translation alone. The roles of the translator and commentator are of utmost importance, as he or she has a duty to convey these nuances to those who do not know the original language(s).
