Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Perceptions can be deceiving. Peter and John were given utterances by the power of the Holy Spirit at this time. It was not as if they were speaking from any education of that day. They were common men.

This passage gave rise to my questioning the education status of the Jews of that day. If Peter and John were common among the men of that day, then education in the scriptures would have been minimal if not dismal.

They were uncommon in that they had been with Jesus for three years. They learned much in that time and there was a fringe group who followed Jesus and heard much of what He had to teach. If John 6:66 is to be believed many of those in the outer layer of followers stopped following Jesus.

The majority of 1^st century Christians fell into that group of common uneducated believers. In this they could relate to Peter and John, but how is it these uneducated men and women, some who did not read or speak Hebrew came to know the scriptures?

Some speak of oral traditions and this may have some validity, but Paul encouraged believers to read the scriptures. Even in that, what existed within the reading realm of the 1^st century Christians?

My imperfect understand of the times and scriptures available to the 1^st century Christian adds nothing to my present studies except for one thing. The Holy Spirit was moving in great power in the 1^st century church. Nothing significant was said about how Priscilla and Aquila instructed Apollos in righteousness, only that they did.

How they knew the Word of truth is exactly the same way you and I have access to the truth. The Holy Spirit is our source of truth. 

Psalm 59:12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.

Pride kills relationship. I know because I have been on both sides in the death of relationship.

Have you ever been around someone who is so arrogant that they have no tolerance for hearing the words of other people? They will cut you off, correct you, and treat you as insignificant. There is no value in relationship if you are not able to express yourself. There is no empathy, no tolerance, and no warmth in the countenance of the proud.

Sadly the hardest of all the things Jesus asks of us is to be humble. The proud run right over you and will not give credence to your witness. We are told to love all people but some make it very difficult. So what are we to do?

Mark 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Leave them to God. He will deal with them just as He dealt with me. If God cannot reach them, then this is their fate and it is not a sin on your part to give them to God.

Isaiah 38:2-3 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

Show God your heart through prayer in those moments.