House Church Talk - home education with respect to "ruling one's house well"
Keith Smith
castillofuerte at msn.com
Wed Jun 16 08:08:37 EDT 2004
So are we going to take our teaching from the traditions of the Rabbi's now? The Jewish education system was very good. But was essentially communal, and not just in a home setting. Therefore is a poor example of home-schooling.
Elaine and I home schooled Clare and Simeon. They both did well. Clare has just finished University, and Simeon finishes next year. BUT... if I knew then what I know now, we would never have done it! Whilst gaining so much, they lost a lot of early lessons. I have been ammazed at the ghettoism that I have seen, especially among many house churches in the US. Yes we need to protect our children, give them a Godly education etc. But insulate them from the real world, never. We must teach them to be in the world, but not of it! How can we do that while keeping them wrapped in cotton wool at home. Don't get me wrong, the home-schooled Kids i've met are wonderful, but oh so many, lack knowledge of the world at their doorstep. How can one so educated truly reach out with understanding to a junkie on a project. I thank God that my kids always come with me into the dark places and are now reaching out to the poor and needy. I have seen successes, but I have also seen "Stepford Wives". Is it not time that we reassessed what it means to be in the World but not of it in the area of education.
Blessings
Keith Smith
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To: House Church Talk at housechurch.org<mailto:House Church Talk at housechurch.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2004 10:00 AM
Subject: House Church Talk Digest, Vol 3, Issue 176
1. home education with respect to "ruling one's house well"
(David Anderson)
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Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2004 11:44:05 -0400
From: David Anderson <david at housechurch.org<mailto:david at housechurch.org>>
Subject: House Church Talk - home education with respect to "ruling one's house
well"
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Greetings,
You know, one could almost make the case that little or no formal
education (rather than a home school education requirement, per Jonathan
Lindvall) might more than suffice for "church leaders." Likewise, for
those able to make sound judgments in order to settle disputes among the
saints.
Wisdom to all is the promise of God. The Spirit of Truth indwells all.
Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived
that they were UNLEARNED AND IGNORANT men, they marveled; and they took
knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
1 Cor. 6:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life,
set them to judge who are LEAST ESTEEMED IN THE CHURCH.
I have several pieces of documentation about the early education of
Christians in the apostolic age. The first Christians were predominantly
Jewish, as you are likely aware. They were pretty good historians and
record keepers, too.
If you have evidence to the contrary, please submit it for review. Thanks!
David Anderson
Alfred Edersheim, Sketches of Jewish Social Life
Chapter 8 Subjects of Study, Home Education in Israel, Female
Education, Elementary Schools, Schoolmasters, and School Arrangements.
Before passing to an account of elementary schools, it may be well, once
and for all, to say that the Rabbis did not approve of the same amount of
instruction being given to girls as to boys. More particularly they
disapproved of their engaging in legal studies - partly because they
considered woman's mission and duties as lying in other directions,
partly because the subjects were necessarily not always suitable for the
other sex, partly because of the familiar intercourse between the sexes
to which such occupations would have necessarily led, and finally - shall
we say it? - because the Rabbis regarded woman's mind as not adapted for
such investigations. The unkindest thing, perhaps, which they said on
this score was, "Women are of a light mind"; though in its oft repetition
the saying almost reads like a semi-jocular way of cutting short a
subject on which discussion is disagreeable. However, instances of
Rabbinically learned women do occur. What their Biblical knowledge and
what their religious influence was, we learn not only from the Rabbis,
but from the New Testament. Their attendance at all public and domestic
festivals, and in the synagogues, and the circumstance that certain
injunctions and observances of Rabbinic origin devolved upon them also,
prove that, though not learned in the law, there must have been among
them not a few who, like Lois and Eunice, could train a child in the
knowledge of the Scripture, or, like Priscilla, be qualified to explain
even to an Apollos the way of God more perfectly.
Supposing, then, a child to be so far educated at home; suppose him,
also, to be there continually taught the commandments and observances,
and, as the Talmud expressly states, to be encouraged to repeat the
prayers aloud, so as to accustom him to it. At six years of age he would
be sent to school; not to an academy, or "beth hammedrash," which he
would only attend if he proved apt and promising; far less to the
class-room of a great Rabbi, or the discussions of the Sanhedrim, which
marked a very advanced stage of study. We are here speaking only of
primary or elementary schools, such as even in the time of our Lord were
attached to every synagogue in the land. Passing over the supposed or
real Biblical notices of schools, and confining our attention strictly to
the period ending with the destruction of the Temple, we have first a
notice in the Talmud (Bab. B. 21 b), ascribing to Ezra an ordinance, that
as many schoolmasters as chose should be allowed to establish themselves
in any place, and that those who had formerly been settled there might
not interfere with them. In all likelihood this notice should not be
taken in its literal sense, but as an indication that the encouragement
of schools and of education engaged the attention of Ezra and of his
successors. Of the Grecianised academies which the wicked high-priest
Jason tried to introduce in Jerusalem (2 Macc iv. 12,13) we do not speak,
because they were anti-Jewish in their spirit, and that to such extent,
that the Rabbis, in order to "make a hedge," forbade all gymnastic
exercises. The farther history and progress of Jewish schools are traced
in the following passage of the Talmud (Bab. B. 21 a): "If any one has
merit, and deserves that his name should be kept in remembrance, it is
Joshua, the son of Gamaliel. Without him the law would have fallen into
oblivion in Israel. For they used to rest on this saying of the law (Deu
11:19), 'Ye shall teach them.' Afterwards it was ordained that masters be
appointed at Jerusalem for the instruction of youth, as it is written
(Isa 2:3), 'Out of Zion shall go forth the law.' But even so the remedy
was not effectual, only those who had fathers being sent to school, and
the rest being neglected. Hence it was arranged that Rabbis should be
appointed in every district, and that lads of sixteen or seventeen years
should be sent to their academies. But this institution failed, since
every lad ran away if he was chastised by his master. At last Joshua the
son of Gamaliel arranged, that in every province and in every town
schoolmasters be appointed, who should take charge of all boys from six
or seven years of age." We may add at once, that the Joshua here spoken
of was probably the high-priest of that name who flourished before the
destruction of the Temple, and that unquestionably this farther
organisation implied at least the existence of elementary schools at an
earlier period.
Every place, then, which numbered twenty-five boys of a suitable age, or,
according to Maimonides, one hundred and twenty families, was bound to
appoint a schoolmaster. More than twenty-five pupils or thereabouts he
was not allowed to teach in a class. If there were forty, he had to
employ an assistant; if fifty, the synagogue authorities appointed two
teachers. This will enable us to understand the statement, no doubt
greatly exaggerated, that at the destruction of Jerusalem there were no
fewer than four hundred and eighty schools in the metropolis. From
another passage, which ascribes the fall of the Jewish state to the
neglect of the education of children, we may infer what importance
popular opinion attached to it. But indeed, to the Jew, child-life was
something peculiarly holy, and the duty of filling it with thoughts of
God specially sacred. It almost seems as if the people generally had
retained among them the echo of our Lord's saying, that their angels
continually behold the face of our Father which is in heaven. Hence the
religious care connected with education. The grand object of the teacher
was moral as well as intellectual training. To keep children from all
intercourse with the vicious; to suppress all feelings of bitterness,
even though wrong had been done to one's parents; to punish all real
wrong-doing; not to prefer one child to another; rather to show sin in
its repulsiveness than to predict what punishment would follow, either in
this or the next world, so as not to "discourage" the child - such are
some of the rules laid down. A teacher was not even to promise a child
anything which he did not mean to perform, lest its mind be familiarised
with falsehood. Everything that might call up disagreeable or indelicate
thoughts was to be carefully avoided. The teacher must not lose patience
if his pupil understood not readily, but rather make the lesson more
plain. He might, indeed, and he should, punish when necessary, and, as
one of the Rabbis put it, treat the child like a young heifer whose
burden was daily increased. But excessive severity was to be avoided; and
we are told of one teacher who was actually dismissed from office for
this reason. Where possible, try kindness; and if punishment was to be
administered, let the child be beaten with a strap, but never with a rod.
At ten the child began to study the Mishnah; at fifteen he must be ready
for the Talmud, which would be explained to him in a more advanced
academy. If after three, or at most five, years of tuition the child had
not made decided progress, there was little hope of his attaining to
eminence. In the study of the bible the pupil was to proceed from the
book of Leviticus to the rest of the Pentateuch, thence to the Prophets,
and lastly to the Hagiographa. This regulation was in accordance with the
degree of value which the Rabbis attached to these divisions of the
Bible. In the case of advanced pupils the day was portioned out - one
part being devoted to the Bible, the other two to the Mishnah and the
Talmud. Every parent was also advised to have his child taught swimming.
It has already been stated that in general the school was held in the
synagogue. Commonly its teacher was the "chazan," or "minister" (Luke
4:20); by which expression we are to understand not a spiritual office,
but something like that of a beadle. This officer was salaried by the
congregation; nor was he allowed to receive fees from his pupils, lest he
should show favour to the rich. The expenses were met by voluntary and
charitable contributions; and in case of deficiency the most
distinguished Rabbis did not hesitate to go about and collect aid from
the wealthy. The number of hours during which the junior classes were
kept in school was limited. As the close air of the school-room might
prove injurious during the heat of the day, lessons were intermitted
between ten a.m. and three p.m. For similar reasons, only four hours were
allowed for instruction between the seventeenth of Thamuz and the ninth
of Ab (about July and August), and teachers were forbidden to chastise
their pupils during these months. The highest honour and distinction
attached to the office of a teacher, if worthily discharged. Want of
knowledge or of method was regarded as sufficient cause for removing a
teacher; but experience was always deemed a better qualification than
mere acquirements. No teacher was employed who was not a married man. To
discourage unwholesome rivalry, and to raise the general educational
standard, parents were prohibited from sending their children to other
than the schools of their own towns.
A very beautiful trait was the care bestowed on the children of the poor
and on orphans. In the Temple there was a special receptacle - that "of
the secret" - for contributions, which were privately applied for the
education of the children of the pious poor. To adopt and bring up an
orphan was regarded as specially a "good work." This reminds us of the
apostolic description of a "widow indeed," as one "well reported for good
works"; who "had brought up children, lodged strangers, washed the
saints' feet, relieved the afflicted, diligently followed every good
work" (1 Tim 5:10). Indeed, orphans were the special charge of the whole
congregation - not thrust into poor-houses, - and the parochial
authorities were even bound to provide a fixed dowry for female orphans.
Such were the surroundings, and such the atmosphere, in which Jesus of
Nazareth moved while tabernacling among men.
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