They were thrown in prison and were now on trial for their faith – facing jail time, a beating or even death for blasphemy. The prosecutors were “astonished” at their courage because, as the court record put it, they were both “unschooled, ordinary men”. But here they stood being grilled by a room full of religious clerics boldly standing their ground. The record of the proceedings tells us how this was possible. The religious leaders “took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

They had been with Jesus. They were “unschooled, ordinary men” but they were giants in spiritual matters because they had been with Jesus. Their courage impressed their interrogators – not their profound answers or clever speaking abilities. They had been with Jesus.

The Bible clearly encourages education comparing it to cutting down a tree with a dull ax or a sharp ax (education sharpens the ax). The two men God used to compose most of the New Testament were highly educated – Paul and Luke. So, do not avoid study thinking God can use you more if you are ignorant. However … these men were courageous and “astonishing” because they had been with Jesus.

For those of us with the ed-jee-cayshun we must never think that is enough. We must spend time with Jesus. The courage, the boldness, the apt answers when interrogated by those seeking answers must not just come from our head, they must originate in our heart, from our spirit. “Study to show yourself approved” but I must never neglect spending time “with Jesus”.

An answer coming from the mind can reach the mind but an answer coming from the spirit can reach the spirit.
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Acts 4:13
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