In Acts 4, Peter and the other Apostles are threatened by the high priest and the Sadducees as well as the rulers and elders of the people for healing a lame man and daring to preach that his healing came through faith in the name of Jesus. As the Apostles answered the charges against them, their accusers “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). What does this mean “that they had been with Jesus”?
It was evident to the rulers of the people that Peter and John were not formally educated and trained in any rabbinical school, yet their command of the Scriptures and the boldness of their assertions required some kind of explanation. They concluded that it necessarily resulted from being with Jesus. In essence, they saw Jesus in them. The disciples sat under the teaching and training of Jesus Christ for three years prior to his passion. They had learned the truths rooted in God’s word from the very Son of God. It was evident that Jesus likewise was not formally educated like the priests, yet it was said of him that “he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:29). No doubt, the Apostles’ boldness brought painful memories to them of their own encounters with Christ.
The Apostles encountered much opposition in their proclamation of the gospel and church-planting endeavors. All of them, with the exception of John, died as martyrs for their faith. Their preparation and training was essential in leading them down a path from which they could not and would not turn back. There is no substitute for proper training. The work of the gospel demands preparation. Paul wrote to Timothy “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers “as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more” (I Thessalonians 4:1; emphasis added). We cannot abound in pleasing him if our knowledge of what pleases him is not growing. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews lamented the lack of growth in his readers. “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).
There is no substitute for training and preparation. Every profession requires that of those who would excel in their discipline. The walk of the believer requires no less.
From the Chaplain 