Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

CHILDREN, CHILDHOOD

Children were an important part of ancient society. The vocabulary associated with childhood reflects an awareness of the child in its social setting, but that is not related to any understanding of the precise stages of a child’s development (e.g., Mark 5:42 links together two quite different life stages). Children were essentially valued for their economic potential (Matt. 22:23-28) and as prospective care for adults in old age (although infant mortality was quite high and the life span of the majority of people was considerably shorter than today).

The life of the child was formed and oriented within the household under the ultimate authority of the paterfamilias, who might (Luke 11:7) or might not (in the case of the children of slaves) be the father. Children were generally left to be reared up to the age of about seven by the mother and other women; thereafter, while daughters continued to learn a domestic role, sons were socialized into the adult male environment. The value of obedience was especially emphasized (cf. Deut. 21:18-21; Sir. 3:2-16; Matt. 21:28-31; Rom. 1:30; 1 Tim. 3:4; 5:8), and since that was not thought to arise naturally, parents were exhorted to watchful discipline (Prov. 3:11-12; Heb. 12:7-11). Such discipline could be severe (Sir. 30:1-13). Nevertheless, social practices in the rearing of children reflect parents’ sorrow at the death of children, and in both the Domestic Codes and the teaching of Jesus’ kindness to children is clearly advocated (Matt. 7:9-11; Col. 3:21; cf. 2 Cor. 12:14; 1 Thess. 2:7; Isa. 66:12b-13; 4 Macc. 15:4).

The metaphorical understanding of childhood as a perspective for discipleship reflects the role and status of children expressed negatively as childishness, the child as an object lesson in what to avoid (1 Cor. 13:11-12; Eph. 4:14; cf. m. ʾAbot 3:11). Given that children were viewed essentially as adults in the making, it was frequently the case that children were thought of as weak in mind, i.e., deficient in rationality. This may be further reinforced by imagery related to dietary distinctions (1 Cor. 3:1-2; Heb. 5:12-14; 1 Pet. 2:2).

Paul describes the Jewish teacher as “a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children” (Rom. 2:19-20). The corollary to this, where the image of the child has a positive meaning, lies in the praise of the schoolchild, one who can be emulated by adults as a learner. Indeed, the relationship between teacher and pupil can be defined in terms of parent and child (John 21:5; Gal. 4:19; 1 Thess. 2:11; 1 John 2:1), and discipleship may be described as filial obedience and trust (Ps. 131). While there is no emphasis on the innocence of the child (although the Gospel of Thomas establishes a link with sexual innocence), childhood may be associated with paradisal fulfillment (Isa. 11:6-9), and intuitive spontaneity may be thought to provide insight into the divine purpose (Matt. 21:15-16; cf. Ps. 8:1-2[MT 2-3]; Matt. 11:25-26 = Luke 10:21). In the ancient world the exposure of unwanted children was common (cf. Ezek. 16:5), but in Judaism children were considered to be under divine protection (Exod. 1:15–2:10; Matt. 18:10).

In the Synoptic Gospels especially, a particular significance attaches to Jesus’ teaching both in terms of his welcome to children and the metaphorical significance of childhood. Two passages relate to the reception of children: the incident of the child in the midst at Mark 9:36-37 (cf. Matt. 18:2, 4-5; Luke 9:47-48) and the blessing of children at Mark 10:13-16 (cf. Matt. 19:13-15; Luke 18:15-17). In the first story, set against the background of the low social status of children, the child is welcomed and serves as an object lesson for the disciples. Moreover, the child in its own right is also declared to be an envoy of the Kingdom since it is the nature of God to care for the least. In the second story Jesus gladly welcomes and blesses the children who are brought to him (echoing the blessing by Jacob at Gen. 48) and declares that they are fully part of God’s covenant. Both stories express Jesus’ understanding of God’s free grace bestowed on all without reference to status or merit (and thus they recall Israel’s own experience as a child: Deut. 7:7-8; Hos. 11:1-4; Ezek. 16:3-7, 22). But within the Markan story of the blessing of the children there is introduced another saying about receiving the Kingdom “as a child” (Mark 10:15 par.; cf. Matt. 18:3). This should probably be understood as receiving “in a childlike manner” (as in Mark 9:37). Childhood thus now becomes a metaphor for the believer’s own attitude of faith. For Mark and Luke this expresses itself as a glad and wholehearted acceptance of the Kingdom as a gift, while in Matthew (18:4) there is an emphasis on humility in the recognition of need and dependency.

Two further object lessons involving children are to be found at Matt. 11:16-19 par. (the parable of the children’s game in the marketplace) and Matt. 21:15-16 (the children’s voices in the temple). In the former it is not the case that Jesus is critical of the children since guesswork is part of the game. The game is a visual reference to the predicament of the present generation which has failed to understand the missions of John and Jesus. The other incident (cf. Ps. 8:2[3]) returns to a familiar theme that it is the children who are ranked with the marginal (Matt. 21:14) who display true wisdom (cf. 11:25).

In general Jesus’ welcome of children and his consistently nonpejorative metaphorical understanding of childhood are noteworthy. It would be remarkable enough for an adult to think that he had anything to learn from a child, other than the zeal of the schoolchild, but Jesus welcomes children in their own right. Moreover, in contrast to the prevailing imagery of childhood as immaturity he makes of childhood a metaphor for faith. Jesus’ teaching concerning children represents a sharp re-evaluation of the social value of honor. It advocates the requirement to adopt the way of a child both in ready trust and in identifying with the least and the dispossessed as the way of the Kingdom. It may be this call to a change of outlook (Matt. 18:3) which influences the Fourth Gospel to relate discipleship to new birth (John 3:3-6). Birthing imagery is also descriptive of the coming of the messianic age (John 16:21; Rom. 8:22; 1 Thess. 5:3; Rev. 12:2; cf. Isa. 26:17-18; 66:7-9).

The theme of childhood also helped to shape Christology in the Gospels. It undoubtedly contributes to the wider portrait of Jesus himself as child of God, obedient through the whole of his ministry to the will of his Father. It also informs the Infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke (cf. Luke 2:49-52). In the Fourth Gospel a distinction is made whereby Jesus alone is consistently referred to as the Son of God while the believers are the children of God.

The teaching of children was part of the mission of the early Church, perhaps though not exclusively associated with the influence of women in the household (e.g., 2 Tim. 1:5; cf. Acts 16:1; 1 Cor. 7:14). But Jesus’ own teaching about childhood, given within a domestic setting (Mark 9:33; 10:10), undoubtedly continued to influence the Church in its awareness of the care of children, and of all who might be described as “little ones” irrespective of age (Matt. 18:5; Luke 9:48; Barn. 19; cf. Luke 22:26).

Bibliography. W. Barclay, Educational Ideals in the Ancient World (1959, repr. Grand Rapids, 1974); E. Best, “Mark 10:13-16: The Child as Model Recipient,” in Disciples and Discipleship (Edinburgh, 1986), 80-97; J. Francis, “Children and Childhood in the New Testament,” in The Family in Theological Perspective, ed. S. C. Barton (Edinburgh, 1996), 65-85; H.-R. Weber, Jesus and the Children (Atlanta, 1979); T. Wiedemann, Adults and Children in the Roman Empire (New Haven, 1989).

James Francis

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

CHILDREN, CHILDHOOD

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)