by Robin Sampson
What would Jesus do? is a popular question today. We should also ask questions like, How did Jesus teach? What kind of education did Jesus receive? What were Abraham and Sarah’s educational goals for their children? What about Isaac and Rebekah’s educational goals for their children? What were Mary and Joseph’s educational goals for Jesus? Would Jesus have been at the head of His class if He had attended the Academy of Plato? How was Paul taught?
Education has always been of primary importance to God’s people. The Bible does not specifically describe the type of education Jesus received, but we do have evidence from history that demonstrates what the education of the Hebrews was like during Christ’s time here on earth. Jesus was a Jew living in Israel. He grew up in a Jewish home with Jewish parents, whom we assume were like all good Jewish parents, and that they taught Him from the Torah.
Jesus’ parents obeyed the Law first by having Him circumcised when He was eight days old (Luke 2:30). We know that Jesus appeared in the Temple at the age of twelve, discussing the Torah and its application to daily life with the Jewish elders. From the Mishnah we learn that a typical boy in Jesus’ day would have been studying the Torah from the age of five:
At five years of age, one is ready for the written Torah, at ten years of age for the study of the oral Torah, at thirteen for bar mitzvah [coming of age], at fifteen for the study of halachot [rabbinic legal decisions]…at twenty for pursuing a vocation, at thirty for entering one’s full vigour.”1
The Jewish philosopher Philo wrote that the Jews…were from their swaddling clothes, even before being taught either the sacred laws or the unwritten customs, trained by their parents, teachers, and instructors to recognize God as Father and as the Maker of the world.2
We also know from the writings of Josephus that: From their earliest consciousness, [the Jews] learned the laws, so as to have them, as it were, engraven upon the soul.3
The book of Deuteronomy mandates who, what, when and where the Hebrews were to teach their children. The purpose of the book of Deuteronomy is to inspire loyalty to God through a review of His guidance and protection in times past, and through a description of His holy precepts. When Jesus was called upon to summarize the divine requirements, He cited as the first and great commandment a passage from Deuteronomy (6:5). When tempted by Satan in His own wilderness (Matthew 4), Jesus quoted from this great book three times. The dominant themes in Deuteronomy are love toward God and toward fellow men.
Deuteronomy consists largely of words spoken by Moses on the east of the Jordan River, just before the people of Israel entered the land God was giving them. Deuteronomy was written by Moses and given to Israel with a command to read it publicly and entirely every seven years (31:10–13). Moses commanded the Hebrews to discipline themselves and their children by diligence in learning and teaching the words of God.
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. ––Deuteronomy 4:9–10.
On four separate occasions, God commanded parents how to answer the questions of their sons and daughters, in Exodus 13:14, Deuteronomy 6:20, and Joshua 4:6, 21. Let’s look at the first two passages now, and later we will look at the two passages in Joshua.
In days to come, when your son asks you, “What does this mean?”, say to him, “With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” ––Exodus 13:14.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 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. —Deuteronomy 6:4–8.
From these passages we know the following about Hebrew education:
• Who—Parents are to teach their children
• Where—In the home
• What—The commands of God
• When—Sitting, walking, rising up and lying down, i.e., all throughout the day
• How—Diligently (asking and answering questions, and using object lessons)
Meandering through marriage, motherhood and mess as a child of God. Married to Beloved for over 20 years. Five children later and I”m still having a ball!
My greatest passion and desire in life is to share the love and grace of God. I enjoy blogging, web design with wordpress, social media, technology, chocolate, coffee, good movies and being with family and friends.
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