Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13
Three observations and a bonus:
First, Peter and John were bold, and it showed. When we are born again, filled with the Spirit, convinced of the truth of the gospel, and of people’s dire need to hear the message of Christ, we can be bold. Granted, some are more temperamentally bold and some more timid. But the holy boldness we need to proclaim the gospel comes from the Spirit of God, not personality. Let us pray for holy boldness.
Second, Peter and John had been with Jesus, and it showed. The religious leaders marveled at how bold well-spoken the disciples were. This was especially unsettling to the religionists because they believed the disciples were “uneducated and untrained men.” They believed the only education and training that mattered was the kind they had received. And what did that kind of training yield? It produced self-righteous religious hypocrites!
Third, Peter and John had been educated and trained—by Jesus, and it showed. It is a serious mistake to say theological training is not important for those who serve in the ministry. A lack of training is the fountainhead from which false doctrine flows into the church. Strictly by God’s grace, as a young pastor in my 20s, I realized that I needed more theological training. It was a slow process because I was already a pastor and a father, raising three children. But I am convinced that the formal training I received, resulting in a Masters degree in Church History and a Doctorate in Theology, continues to be invaluable.
The religionists didn’t believe that “being with Jesus” for three-plus years was far more valuable than the training they received. But since no one before or since has had the unique opportunity to live with Jesus for three years, the Church needs to insist that pastors are trained adequately—which at least means Bible college and at best, seminary.
An important footnote: Sadly, there are more seminaries in America at which the training one receives is more detrimental than those at which the training is beneficial. This blog is not the forum to go into the difference, but believe me when I say, (a) pastors need training, and (b) from solidly biblical schools.