I am trying to find when children were no longer living with their parents in the first century. I cannot find any resources that address this issue. Any suggestions? Thanks
The Dictionary of New Testament Background has a good section on CHILDREN IN LATE ANTIQUITY, but nothing that says specifically when children moved out of their parent's home.
nothing that says specifically when children moved out of their parent's home.
The point could be: did they? I think I understand some of the ANE background material I read that in many ANE cultures "family" was a much larger group, encompassing not only small children but married children and family servants as well. I would expect them to leave upon marrying into another family (if so).
Lexham BD has a lengthy discussion, but seems to confirm NB’s point.
’Leaving’ a family (eg Jesus, believers, toilers) seems to be by necessity.
But interesting one could avoid supporting parents (giving to God), implying ‘moved out’.
The only thing that comes to mind on this point is Gen 2:24
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ge2.24
Short of leaving and cleaving, I suspect they stayed with their families. Its much the same now in the communities of easterners living here in the west. Certainly in the ones that I'm familiar with. When I was in the UK, I had a friend of a certain religious background who had moved to UK in advance of her husband who was concluding some business he had with his father. Prior to the UK move she had only ever lived with her parents. Now she was living with her "aunty" (which doesn't necessarily imply biological relation either) and "Uncle", from whom I was renting a room. Likewise my landlords daughter had lived with them until she married. Their son had lived with them until he married. They were still quite close - only living a few miles away. But had left none the less. These were not jewish people, but were from a place near the east if you follow what I'm saying.
The composition of "household" in the first century is interesting. This may be loosely connected, but I have always found it interesting that Joseph and Mary did not realize until later that Jesus had stayed behind in Jerusalem. Instead they thought he was traveling with "relatives and acquaintances" (ESV).
A Cultural Handbook to the Bible has a nice article on Family.
I am trying to find when children were no longer living with their parents in the first century. I cannot find any resources that address this issue. Any suggestions? Thanks A Cultural Handbook to the Bible has a nice article on Family.
defiantly a most in-depth look. One of the most useful articles you’re going to find. Thanks for pointing it out...
-dan
nothing that says specifically when children moved out of their parent's home. The point could be: did they? I think I understand some of the ANE background material I read that in many ANE cultures "family" was a much larger group, encompassing not only small children but married children and family servants as well. I would expect them to leave upon marrying into another family (if so).
in ANE, there were no schools, hospitals, and other publ services. Everything was in the family. But, in the first century, we see kids going to synagogue. Some things changed dramatically.
