FATHERS:

In the everyday affairs of a Hebrew household, it was the father’s responsibility to maintain the family fortune and to be the provider. He might work in the fields, most probably with crops of flax, barley, or wheat. Or he would work at a trade, possibly as a weaver, builder, potter, dyer, fuller, or a worker in copper or bronze. If he lived near the shore, he might be a fisherman.

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The father was also responsible for the religious well-being of the family. It was his duty to take over his sons’ education from the mother at an early age, teaching them the tenets of the Hebrew religion (Exodus 10:2; Exodus 12:26; Deuteronomy 4:9; Deuteronomy 6:7). He also explained all the facets of the law and the history of the Jewish people.

The father was the disciplinarian of the family.

The "rod" was the method of choice to drive home the lessons (Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 22:15 ; Proverbs 29:15-17), though it is not completely clear what is meant by these references. Though children were loved and valued, they were not pampered (Sirach 30:9-12). After the exile to Babylon, the synagogue became the center for education. Shortly before the time of Christ, a general elementary education was introduced. Fathers, however, still had to teach their sons a trade. They usually passed on their own craft. A man without a trade either starved or became a thief. Another important paternal responsibility was that of a matchmaker-providing wives for male offspring in the household.

MOTHERS

The mother was responsible for her sons’ and daughters’ early education (Proverbs 1:8; Proverbs 6:20), teaching them religious songs and prayers as soon as they could talk. A father took over the education of his sons, but the mother continued with the daughters, training them to spin, weave, cook, clean, trim the lamps, and become competent in all the household duties (Proverbs 31:13-31).

With little furniture, keeping a house clean meant sweeping the floors to keep them free from dust and dirt. Cooking was at once simple and difficult. It was simple in that they cooked much of the food in the form of a soup or stew, or else made it into a cake and cooked it on a griddle. It was difficult in that the corn had to be ground by hand and bread was baked daily.

A mother was expected to take wool, card it, spin it, and often weave and make clothes for her family. In addition, she would help her husband in the fields at the time of harvest. Because many families had one or more olive trees, a few grapevines, and fig trees, the mother would also assist in picking the fruit. She would sometimes work at the press when the olives or grapes were being processed. The husband and wife would frequently tread the grapes together in the family vat. Drawing water from the well was considered a menial task and was generally the wife’s responsibility, although sometimes it was given to the children (Genesis 24:15-16).

CHILDREN

As in all societies, children laughed and played together (Zechariah 8:5; Matthew 11:16), although childhood and adolescence were not seen as specific stages of development. Children were considered sucklings if they were under three, but they were regarded as boys or girls when they were able to take care of themselves. Mothers played with their children and enjoyed family time together (Isaiah 66:12). There is no evidence of organized sports for children. Toys, including whistles, rattles, dolls, and miniature cooking utensils, have been excavated at Palestinian sites.

As soon as a boy was old enough, he took his place in the family and accepted his appointed task. Among other things, children were expected to gather wood (Jeremiah 7:18). Young boys and girls tended the flocks. The sheep had to be protected from marauding wild beasts, guarded against their own folly when they wandered near crevices, steered toward good pasture and water, and carried home when sick or injured (Genesis 29:6; Exodus 2:16). Children also cared for the cattle (1 Samuel 16:11). Of necessity, boys were trained in the various arts of war.

Children sometimes joined their fathers in the fields, and their presence was always welcome. From earliest times, boys in particular would watch their fathers until they too picked up a tool or implement to try their skill; girls watched and learned from their mothers. Young children frequently listened to the talk of the elders at the city gates or in the villages. A visit to a sanctuary at festival time was a family affair, furnishing an ideal learning experience. As a child, Jesus accompanied Mary and Joseph to the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:42-47).

Young girls were surprisingly free to go about their appointed tasks. They were not secluded or veiled and could visit uninhibited with friends and neighbors (Genesis 34:1). They were also able to converse with men without embarrassment (Genesis 24:15-25; Genesis 29:11-12 ; 1 Samuel 9:11-13).

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Mealtimes were strictly family times. It is doubtful whether a meal comparable to a breakfast was eaten, and a farmer would probably have a light lunch in the fields. The mother prepared the main meal of the day, and it would be eaten in the early evening. Although the variety of food available was limited, its preparation was time-consuming.

Feast times were periods of great religious significance and were also the days when family members participated in the symbolic rituals of their faith. Among the Israelites, several kinds of food were fundamental to their religious ritual. Special meals molded together the sense of family unity and the national religion. God designed the family for unity-a place where all its members could draw strength from one another. Daylight played an important part in daily habits. Although oil lamps were readily available in later periods, it was customary to rise with the sun and go to bed relatively soon after dark. The wife would probably be up before sunrise and might continue her labor after dark.

IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES

By New Testament times, those who followed the sophisticated styles of Greece and Rome inherited an easier life and a more elegant one, too. Despite that, the status of many family members did not necessarily change. Wealthier families had more slaves, and the children were more likely to have a formal education. Therefore, they did not have as many family chores. Even in Roman times, however, the father still had a legal right to accept or reject his child.

The status of women improved in the New Testament period. People respected a Roman matron, and she exerted a strong influence over her husband. Greek women were sequestered in a particular section of the house. In contrast, a Roman woman managed and supervised tasks in any part of her home. She helped her husband in business, had her own place in theaters, games, and religious festivals, and sometimes managed her own property. Jesus’ attitude toward women helped them to enjoy new status and influence in the early Christian church.