What percent of Jews could read during Jesus's time on earth?

[tacdon]

Were most of Jesus' apostles illiterate. Also, Jesus could read was it unusual that the son of a carpenter could read?

 

[miamited]

Were most of Jesus' apostles illiterate. Also, Jesus could read was it unusual that the son of a carpenter could read?

Hi tacdon,

I imagine that among the Jewish population literacy was probably near 100%. Among the rest of the nations, maybe not quite so high. We really don't have much factual information on the subject. Most of our understanding about literacy is derived from what is called logical conclusion. Just as you yourself have made the 'logical' connection that because Jesus was only a carpenter, he may not have held reading skills. Why, I ask, would a carpenter not have any more desire to read written words than anyone else? Why would a carpenter's parents not have the desire to teach their son, as a child, to read.

We believe that we evolved from some 'ignorant' animal, therefore reading skills would also have been an evolved trait of mankind.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[tacdon]

Hi tacdon,

I imagine that among the Jewish population literacy was probably near 100%. Among the rest of the nations, maybe not quite so high. We really don't have much factual information on the subject. Most of our understanding about literacy is derived from what is called logical conclusion. Just as you yourself have made the 'logical' connection that because Jesus was only a carpenter, he may not have held reading skills. Why, I ask, would a carpenter not have any more desire to read written words than anyone else? Why would a carpenter's parents not have the desire to teach their son, as a child, to read.

We believe that we evolved from some 'ignorant' animal, therefore reading skills would also have been an evolved trait of mankind.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

I think you have a misunderstanding of my motives.

I believe Jesus read, because the bible mentions him reading from the torah.

I just wonder if anyone knows what literacy rates were like back then for Jews. Much of the world was illiterate at one time.

 

[miamited]

I think you have a misunderstanding of my motives.

I believe Jesus read, because the bible mentions him reading from the torah.

I just wonder if anyone knows what literacy rates were like back then for Jews. Much of the world was illiterate at one time.

Hi tacdon,

You wrote that much of the world was illiterate at one time. I'm not in agreement with that. I believe that man has always had a desire to communicate through some sort of written medium. I believe that the general population of any culture has always been fairly literate in understanding whatever the written medium of that culture was.

However, I would be interested in what answers you get to your question as to specific literacy rates of any particular culture and what those rates may be based on. I've heard many people make this claim that literacy within a culture was very low at some point, but I've never been able to find any substantive evidence that backs that claim up. It seems to be a part of the 'evolutionary' theory. That man was once ignorant cave dwellers who couldn't read or write, and, therefore, this ability 'grew', but the Scriptures certainly don't support such a theory.

As far as I can tell, every culture mentioned in the Scriptures had a system of communicating through a written medium and this 'fact' that only a few could read and understand that particular medium seems to be based on pure speculation.

However, as regards the Jewish culture, they have been, as far as I can tell, and still are a people who place a fairly high value on educating their children. God very early on gave them the command to raise up their children in the knowledge and wisdom of Him. To post His words on their doorposts; to talk about them when they rise up and when they lie down.

God bless you,
In Christ, Ted

 

[dayhiker]

This is a topic that I've had some interest in for quite a while and haven't come across much info.

Clearly there wasn't as much reading material in home in ancient time we are use to. Its only after the printing press that reading material starts to multiply.

Some things I have come across.
Approximately half of the people in Rome were slaves. Usually slaves don't get much education, but we know slaves often also over saw business for their master and so would have had to keep some form of records. So a portion of even slaves learned to read and write.
I agree that Jews probably had a pretty high literacy rate for the time. Probably more men could read that women. Many jobs would have taken some form of writing as even carpentry and masonry would to to draw up some form of plans even if it was a drawing in the sand to give clear instructions.
Larger town/cities probably had more people that could read and write than country folks.
Later as the Germanic tribes from the north started to invade Rome the literacy rate started to fall. They appear to have no to little appreciation for literacy. The literacy rate falls into the Middle Ages. I've heard only half the priests could read in the Middle Ages.

That's about all I've been able to come up with.

 

[pescador]

Hi tacdon,

I imagine that among the Jewish population literacy was probably near 100%. Among the rest of the nations, maybe not quite so high. We really don't have much factual information on the subject. Most of our understanding about literacy is derived from what is called logical conclusion. Just as you yourself have made the 'logical' connection that because Jesus was only a carpenter, he may not have held reading skills. Why, I ask, would a carpenter not have any more desire to read written words than anyone else? Why would a carpenter's parents not have the desire to teach their son, as a child, to read.

We believe that we evolved from some 'ignorant' animal, therefore reading skills would also have been an evolved trait of mankind.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

This is not correct. Only a very small percentage of the population could read or write beyond a primitive level. Advanced literacy was found only among a small population, those referred to in the bible as "scribes". That was their profession; they read and interpreted the law, authored documents, and kept official records. The great majority of the population could read only on a very basic level: signs, simple business records, etc.


Up until modern times the vast majority of people were barely literate.

 

[miamited]

This is not correct. Only a very small percentage of the population could read or write beyond a primitive level. Advanced literacy was found only among a small population, those referred to in the bible as "scribes". That was their profession; they read and interpreted the law, authored documents, and kept official records. The great majority of the population could read only on a very basic level: signs, simple business records, etc.


Up until modern times the vast majority of people were barely literate.

Hi pescador,

Right! I've heard that a lot but other than anecdotal evidence I haven't had anyone provide any hard facts that might give proof of such a claim.

For example, one has posted here that many Romans were slaves and slaves don't learn to read or write. Says who? Is that understanding merely 'derived' from what we know of slave culture in America in the 1800's? I think that what we know today about the real life of a slave in the days of early Israel, Egypt or Rome may actually have been quite different from our personal observations of slavery in the 1800's in America.

So, I'm perfectly willing to investigate your claim, but unfortunately a thorough investigation would require more than just your say so. What evidence, real hard 'here's proof from those days' that slaves generally weren't given a basic education of the written medium used in that culture in that day, proof?

Now, you do mention 'levels' of literacy. Yea, I can imagine that they all couldn't read and write the prose of Socrates or some few very learned men, but I happen to know a lot of people now who didn't complete high school and can handle basic reading.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[tacdon]

Hi pescador,

Right! I've heard that a lot but other than anecdotal evidence I haven't had anyone provide any hard facts that might give proof of such a claim.

For example, one has posted here that many Romans were slaves and slaves don't learn to read or write. Says who? Is that understanding merely 'derived' from what we know of slave culture in America in the 1800's? I think that what we know today about the real life of a slave in the days of early Israel, Egypt or Rome may actually have been quite different from our personal observations of slavery in the 1800's in America.

So, I'm perfectly willing to investigate your claim, but unfortunately a thorough investigation would require more than just your say so. What evidence, real hard 'here's proof from those days' that slaves generally weren't given a basic education of the written medium used in that culture in that day, proof?

Now, you do mention 'levels' of literacy. Yea, I can imagine that they all couldn't read and write the prose of Socrates or some few very learned men, but I happen to know a lot of people now who didn't complete high school and can handle basic reading.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

They should know how to handle basic reading long before high school.

There is plenty of information that is not anecdotal on literacy rates in America in the past, but I haven't seen much for the time of Jesus.

We I write about illiteracy rates it has nothing to do with evolution. I don't believe in evolution and don't care if evolutionist have used illiteracy rates to support evolution.