Musing – What was God’s Plan for Our Children’s Education?

Hebraic Musing – What was God’s Plan for Our Children’s Education?

How many times do you hear someone wanting to know, or go back to, what the early church did to be so successful?  We find ourselves envious of their explosive growth.   The book of Acts provides the answer.  “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42 NIV   Is there a reason that ‘teaching’ is named first?

Growing as they did required a lot of ‘equipping of the Saints’ Eph 4:11-12 NKJV.  Home fellowships did not have “paid, professional leaders”.  Instead, everyone participated, learned, took turns teaching and eventually started another group in another home.  How did these Hebrew believers become so learned?   Three keys: 

1. It started in childhood.  Children at about the age of five start to learn and memorize the Torah, starting with Leviticus in order to learn what is righteous and holy before learning anything else.  Honey was fed in the initial reading session so the ‘Word became as sweet as honey’.  By the time the boy was twelve he was trying to memorize major portions of the Torah.  At 12 or 13 the boy celebrates his Bar Mitzvah and is accepted as a ‘man’ in the community; not surprising that Jesus was teaching at the temple at the age of twelve – His Bar Mitzvah.  At about age 15 the young man is chosen to either learn a trade or be accepted to study and to memorize the rest of the TaNaK.  Age of 30 was the typical ‘Rabbinical’ ordination; Jesus was ordained, commissioned, by baptism (or Mikvah) in the Jordan at about age 30.  The ‘learning culture’ for all men continues until their dying day.

2. Teaching was, and is, the father’s responsibility.  Mother helped but there was no ‘public school’.  And a child who did not learn the ‘Law’ and also a ‘trade’ was a disgrace to the father (and to His Father).  The center of education was the home.  They used text-people, not text-books.  As the father, and mother, worked around the house, the children would be taught object lessons.  Deut. 6:6-9 prescribes the curriculum.  “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” NIV   Home-schooling is not new; and observing diligent home-schooling parent/child interaction awakens one to the advantages of learning to capture ‘teaching-moments’ in daily life.

3. Education was supplemented by priests, prophets and wise-men.  Priests were the custodians and expounders of the Law.  Prophets championed moral righteousness and social justice.  And wise-men were to — “Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law.” Deut.31:12 NIV

Conclusion:  To this day their ‘superior’ education process, customs and culture produces an abundance of ‘Nobel Prize’ winners, doctors, lawyers and business owners; one example – the Rothschild family.

So, why the explosive growth of the early church?  The typical Hebrew/Jew in Bible times studied, LEARNED and knew God’s Word thoroughly.  Thus they were able to grasp the message of the Messiah – Yeshua HaMashiach.  Leading a newly spun-off bible study and living room fellowships were second nature to the typical Hebrew family.  Thus the Church had plenty of God-fearing, LEARNED ‘Bible scholars’ ready to lead new groups.  And Evangelism was second nature.  Would a more thorough reverence of God and LEARNING His Word directly from his/her parents provide the desire and ability for today’s church to explode?  

Points to Ponder

Does education only come from public Kindergarten through H.S./College curriculums?

Who is teaching today’s children (tomorrow’s leaders)?    What are they being taught?

If children are not to watch “Adult Only” entertainment, why is it okay for adults to watch?

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverb 22:6

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                             December19, 2023

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”    

Note – Re-edited from Dec.30,2009 – Hebraic Insight #44 – What were THEY devoted to?   Learning!