(02) Ancient Literacy

Ancient Literacy

The earliest Christians treasured everything that Our Lord had said and done. Literacy was actually much more widespread than we might think, in the first two centuries A.D., and many boys (sorry, ladies, but you know how it was) throughout the Roman Empire would have had a basic training in reading and writing the universal language of Greek, not to mention Latin. Even in Rome, Mother of the Latin language, it was 'cool' to speak Greek.

At least some Jewish boys would have been taught to read the Hebrew Scriptures, even though their own language of Aramaic was as different from Hebrew as Italian is from French.

The Old Testament had long since been translated into Greek, and many of the later books were written from the first in that language: Jesus Himself and the Apostles quote mostly from the Greek version when they quote the Old Testament. In those days, popular books were written in batches of maybe fifty copies at a time, dictated to a roomfull of scribes by one reader. There was a strict code of honour: "Remember the maxim: Stick to what is written".

There was even a well-developed system of shorthand in widespread use. And memories were well trained in those days, when writing was still a highly skilled trade and writing materials expensive.

We have every reason to believe that the words and works of Our Lord were accurately recorded for us. Our Lord might even have spoken them in Greek from the beginning. If in Aramaic, they were translated for us by those who had actually been there, or who knew intimately those who had been. Never doubt that fact when you read the New Testament: As the Benedictine Prior Dom Gueránger wrote in the 19th century: "Before the Gospel, repeat these words from the Canticles of Solomon: 'Whilst my Beloved was speaking, my soul melted within me'. If you have not such love as this, repeat at least these words: "Speak, Lord, thy servant is listening: You have the Words of Eternal Life".