You have heard that it was said.
—Matthew 5:21
Six times in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said . . .” followed by, “But I tell you . . .”
Most of those to whom Jesus spoke could not read, so they were dependent on what they heard.
The teaching of the Pharisees and Scribes consisted primarily of quoting those long dead.
Similarly, before Myles Coverdale and William Tyndale translated the Bible into English in the 16th century, most English-speaking people were dependent on what they heard from professional priests for their religious knowledge.
Our advantage is not “You have heard” but “You may read.” It’s a privilege that comes with a solemn responsibility. The person who cannot read is no worse off than the person who can but doesn’t.
Don’t let your Bible be unopened and unread.