We may think the people in Jesus’ time were unsophisticated, but they were part of a culture in which the spoken word was an art form. Among the Greeks, the spoken word was celebrated by philosophers whose works are still a standard for excellence. Among the Jews, the spoken word was celebrated by rabbis who were the most honored men in their communities. People in Jesus’ world loved learning but did not have easy access to books. Therefore, oral communicators were important. The average person quickly became a connoisseur of oral communication.
When tough-minded Temple police were sent to arrest Jesus, they explained to their superiors why they were not able to do so: “Never has anyone spoken like this!” (John 7:46). Matthew’s Gospel concludes the report on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount by saying that “the crowds were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29). They were sophisticated listeners, but they had never heard anyone like Jesus.
I wish we might hear Jesus’ words as if we had never heard them before. Perhaps then we would be as astounded as those people were.