Ordinary Men
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)
What must it have been like to have your writing in the Bible? How would someone even know where to begin? For most biblical authors, writing wasn't their primary intention. Yet often, our mental picture of them swings between two extremes: either they were "primitive" and stumbled into brilliance, or they were blank slates possessed by God's Spirit, mechanically writing divine dictation.
Modern skepticism sometimes dismisses them as uneducated "Flintstones" who accidentally produced great literature. On the other hand, many church creeds describe Scripture as "divinely inspired," "infallible," or "without error"—phrases that can make it sound like the writers themselves were irrelevant, little more than pens in God's hand. Both caricatures, however, oversimplify the complex reality of storytelling, culture, and personal experience.
“Unschooled, Ordinary Men”
Acts 4 provides us with a glimpse into this tension. Just after Peter and John heal a lame man in the Temple, they're hauled before the same religious leaders who condemned Jesus. They boldly testify that Jesus is the Messiah. Luke records the religious leader's reaction:
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13)
This verse is often used to argue that the Gospel messengers were simple men, unable to write or speak without supernatural assistance. And yes—God's Spirit was at work. Just days earlier, at Pentecost (Acts 2), the disciples experienced the Spirit's fire and power. But the transformation wasn't overnight.
Acts is Luke's sequel to his Gospel, and the two connect. In Luke 24, the risen Jesus spends 40 days with his disciples. Luke emphasizes that during this time, Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (v.27, 44-45). In other words, they were taught—directly by the Resurrected Christ—how to interpret Israel's story through him.
So, when Peter preaches at Pentecost, or when Peter and John testify in Acts 4, this isn't random inspiration. Yes, they are filled with the Spirit, but they've also been discipled, prepared, and shaped by time with Jesus. That's why Acts 4:13 notes, "they took note that these men had been with Jesus." The transformation was noticeable because of investment, relationship, and learning—not mere osmosis.
Society of Stories
It's essential to remember that ancient people were not stupid! They didn't have cars or cable, but they were deeply attuned to the art of storytelling. The ancient world was a society of stories. It is no coincidence that many of the New Testament writers assume the reader is familiar with the Old Testament, because those were the stories that informed everything in Hebrew culture. New Testament authors also drew from their cultural play chest of Greek plays and Roman myths to communicate their messages.
What we now call "Scripture" was written in various forms, including personal letters, historical records, journal-like reflections, and even legends performed at festivals. These writings weren't always intended as "sacred texts" in the moment. Still, they carried the lived experiences of real people wrestling with God. Rabbis and elders often debated interpretations and struggled with questions, eventually leading to the creation of traditions like the Midrash and Talmud.
God worked through each author's experience, personality, questions, and context. Some confessed their weaknesses. Others wrote out of deep pain. Yet all of it, through their humanity, was divinely inspired. Not because they were writing authoritatively outside of time—but because they faithfully bore witness to what God was doing in their time.
Unexpected Places
Luke, in particular, loves to show God using unexpected people. The image of Peter and John astonishing the Temple leaders in Acts 4 mirrors an earlier story in Luke 2:41-52. At twelve years old—still a child by cultural standards, as he hadn't yet had his Bar Mitzvah—Jesus amazes the teachers in the Temple with his questions and insights. Just as nobody expected wisdom from a boy, nobody expected courage and eloquence from fishermen. Yet God delights in working through the overlooked.
That's how I think of the Bible's authors—ordinary men and women, shaped by extraordinary encounters with God. If God wants the 21st-century church to hear Paul's letters, we will. Even if those letters weren't written to us directly, they provide a window into the struggles, hopes, and questions that God's people have always carried. If God wants us to wrestle with the laments of David's Psalms, we will. Even if Saul isn't chasing you, you've felt intense emotion before and wondered where the Lord is in it.
Scripture reminds us that Christ is still our hope. It provides us with a shared language to discuss faith, doubt, and transformation. And it invites us to do the same thing Peter and John did: to spend so much time with Jesus that people can't help but take note.
