"IDIOTS!"

Acts 4:13

As an American, and with our emphasis on education, this in not a verse that I would want written about me. That desire is rooted entirely in pride, but it is how I feel understanding what is recorded in this verse. Luke used no flattery in his description of Peter and John. After I explain, I am sure you will feel the same way.

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Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:13

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Two words that stick out in this text are "unlearned" and "ignorant". That choice of words sounds bad enough, but when you look at them in the Greek it gets worse. The word translated "unlearned" is "agrammatos". "A" mean "no" or "not" and "grammatos" is "writing" This means they could not write or read. They were illiterate. The word translated "ignorant" is the Greek word "idiotes". It means exactly what it looks like; "idiots".

While these words sound harsh to us, they actually describe the average person during this period of history. Most people did not go to school. They did not read or write. What Luke is pointing out is that Peter and John were "average Joe's".

The Apostle Paul wrote "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence" (I Corinthians 1:26-29).

That is the point. What God was doing through Peter and John was His work, not theirs. While He used them, they were merely tools in His hand. The tool can do nothing on its own, but in the hand of the Master it can be used to make a masterpiece.

Peter and John were nothing but blunt tools. However, God took these tools and changed lives. Yes, they performed miracles, but more importantly, people were saved. The fact that Peter and John were not equipped to do this work drove the religious leaders crazy. They could not understand how these men could preach the scriptures better and with more authority than they themselves could. After all, they were educated and students of the scriptures, while Peter and John were "idiots".

Just as Paul pointed out in I Corinthians, God uses us to bring Himself glory and so that the world is confused by us. When the religious leaders looked at Peter and John, the scriptures tell us that they "took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus". The leaders saw Jesus. They did not convert and become Christians, but they saw Jesus. It happened exactly the way Paul said it was. In the end, even if my pride gets wounded, people need to see me as a weak vessel so that they see Christ and no me.

Father, help me to not try to make ministry all about me. I am only a tool to be used by your hands. May the work that you do through me bring honor and glory to your name.