I read recently that cursive writing was no longer taught in elementary schools. That is rather sad because I do appreciate someone who has beautiful handwriting. My Teresa’s handwriting looks as good today as when we were in school. However, from looking at my writing now one would think I have never been taught, but such is not the case.
As a student in the sixties, I remember two things about lessons in cursive writing. We had weekly lessons on the television from the state public television station. Each week the program had a teacher showing us how to make each letter of the alphabet. I can still hear her talking us through the various strokes and watching her write so beautifully. My memory also reminds me of the days of black and white television.
The other memory I have is of the “tablet” we each were required to purchase. This practice book had several lines on the page. On the top line the letters were perfectly formed with arrows directing the proper way to make the letters. The rest of the page was for our practice. No matter how much one tried, the result didn’t look like the perfect example. But because we couldn’t make ours perfect, I don’t recall anyone after one or two attempts, ever giving up and saying I quit. It was obvious that that was why we were required to practice.
The New King James Version renders 1 Peter 2:21 as, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:”
The word example in this text leads to an interesting study. It really illustrates how much is lost in the translation from the Greek to English. It is a known fact that the Greek language of the New Testament is the most descriptive language known to man. I think we will agree as we look at the study of this word.
The word example is translated from the Greek word hupogrammos. This comes from two words. Hupo means ‘under’. Grammos has something to do with writing and is probably where we get our word grammar. Thus, we would guess the meaning to have something to do with writing under. Our guess would be very near correct because the definition of hupogrammos is actually a writing copy, including all the letters of the alphabet given to beginners as an aid in learning to draw them.
So hupogrammos is the equivalent of the writing “tablet” on which we learned cursive writing.
Note that Christ is our perfect example just like the perfect letters across the top of the page. We had to practice our writing and no matter how much we worked it would never be perfect. But we didn’t stop trying. Similarly, Christ is our perfect example and we live our lives trying to emulate Him. No matter how hard we try, we will never attain perfection; but that doesn’t mean we give up and say I quit.
When we read 1 Peter 2:21 let us be reminded of our lifelong pursuit to follow Christ. He is the One who left us a hupogrammos to follow.