Each Jewish Temple had Scripture - labouriously handwritten and preserved. The Torah couldn’t even be touched directly without a gloved hand - maybe somebody could confirm it, but that was partly so that they would not be worn out as quickly.
The Christians may have had some copies of the Torah, but to think that the NT writings would have been widely distributed even after they were first written down doesn’t really seem likely.
I believe in my last post I clarified I was speaking of the OT. I realize they did not have the NT.
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mnd, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those thngs were so.
What scripture were they studying? Was it just the Jewish “leaders” that were allowed to study them?
Why would Paul say to study the scripture’s to show thy self approved unto God if people did not have access to them?
Becky