:Almost all translations give the generic reading of "letters" or "learning" or "educated" for the Greek word '''γράμματα''' ''grammata'' in this text (literally, "writings"). Without explanation, such interpretive readings can mislead the reader into concluding that Jesus was thought by the people to be an illiterate and uneducated peasant-worker. However, Luke 4:16-21 contradicts this. Given the fact that the Gospels consistently show the Lord opening the meaning of the scriptures to the people, the "writings" and "letters" that he evidently "knoweth" are certainly the Sacred Scriptures, and the learned commentaries of the sages and scribes of Israel,
::literally "'''''The''''' (Sacred) Writings".
:From the context of John 7:15 here, the Jews know that Jesus has not been known to have been a pupil of any of the [[Tannaim]] nor of any of the renowned rabbinical schools (''Yeshiva''), and therefore that he has never apparently engaged in advanced formal studies of the heart of the [[Tanakh]]: the [[Torah]], the [[Psalms|Tehillim]], the [[Prophet#Prophets in Scripture|Nevi'im]]. His clearly evident understanding of "the writings" of Israel shows beyond any doubt that he certainly knows them, and yet he was never known to have formally studied under any of the masters of Israel. The people wonder how such evident knowledge of the "writings" is possible without an expensive, formal higher education, which the poor could not afford. <br> The Hebrew Old Testament predicted the Messiah would preach good tidings to "the meek", Isaiah 61:1. In the New Testament, Luke 4:18 reads this passage from the Greek [[Septuagint]], "He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor." The "poor" have always been overlooked by Pharisees and philosophers. Before Christ no sect of philosophers had condescended to notice them, and no system of religion, Jewish or Pagan, had attempted to instruct them before the Christian religion. In all other schemes the poor have been passed by as unworthy of notice, and have been implicitly rejected as possible candidates for advanced studies, their lack of income being taken as an indicator of a lack of intelligence. <br> Compare Matthew 7:28-29; 13:54; Mark 1:22; 6:2. <br> See [[Sunday School]].
:See multiple commentaries on— <br> [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/john/7-15.htm John 7:15 "'' How knows this man letters, having never learned?''"], <br> [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/10-8.htm Matthew 10:8 "'''''freely''' you have received''"], <br> [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/11-5.htm Matthew 11:5 "''the '''poor''' have the gospel preached to them''"].