What is a Family?
Society declares a family to be in categories like Nuclear family, Extended family, or Blended family. Throughout the New Testament, the church is identified as a family. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus defines whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Matthew 12:46–50). Obeying the calling of the Will of the LORD is crucial to the formation and functioning of the family. The purpose of the family is to give witness to the love of the LORD God and bring people to a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ, thus creating the larger family of LORD God.
It depends on who you speak to today on the definition of family. Families strengthens us and reinforces us to receive and recognize love. It is my belief that it is a common shared belief, a common bond, a common goal and a common journey. It is a group of people under one roof that loves one another having mutual respect for one another. It is the sharing of one faith, one LORD and striving to be faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ. A Christian family calls for a commitment which is based on openness and compassion, forgiveness, understanding and love for each other and for the LORD God. Obeying the calling of the Will of the LORD is crucial to the formation and functioning of the family. The purpose of the family is to give witness to the love of the LORD God and bring people to a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ, thus creating the larger family of LORD God.
Family is difficult to define. Family is defined as people who consider themselves related by blood, marriage, or adoption, and lives together. A household, in contrast to a family, is all the people occupying the same housing unit. (Henslin. 2008. Pg 462).
Jesus has helped to define what constitutes a family. It was told to Jesus that his mother and brothers were standing outside and desired to see him. Jesus answered and said unto them, my mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and does it. (Luke 8: 20-21).
John Paul II declared the Church perceives in a more urgent and compelling way her mission of proclaiming to all people the plan of God for marriage and the family, ensuring their full vitality and human and Christian development, and thus contributing to the renewal of society and of the People of God. Marriage and families are willed by the LORD God. (John Paul II. 1981).
A family can have a variety of structures; parents and children, a married couple without children, a single parent and children, among others. Family is not simply people but a spirit of oneness. It is a spirit produced through loving and longing, laughter and tears, shared joy and sorrow, mutual struggle and respect, faith and joy and sorrow, mutual struggle and respect, faith and faithfulness, and a common pursuit of worthy goals. (Hobbs. 1990. Pg. 98).
Sociologists of today suggests the family unit supplies the basic survival needs of every society. The economic needs of the family, socialization and discipline of the children, caring for the aged and sick in the family, and the emotional needs that are ever present with the family. There are different types of family units:
Nuclear family is classified as a husband, wife, and their children. Because there are fewer number of people in this family unit it is less likely that all the needs can be met. The material and emotional support for the nuclear family are vulnerable to emotional overload.
Extended family is a nuclear family plus other relatives who live together. This could be grandparents on either side or even both sides, the parent’s sister or brothers, nieces or nephews. (Henslin. 2008. Pg. 477).
Blended family: a family whose members were once part of other families. The blended family has two divorced people who has remarried and bring their children into a new family unit. These blended families are increasing in number and often experience complicated family relationships; but are very much a family. (Henslin. 2008. Pg. 480).
The Old Testament Nuclear Family: was the smallest family unit which usually occupied its own dwelling. The nuclear family normally consisted of parents and their unmarried children, although occasionally non-kin such as slaves or long-term visitors also shared the family’s living quarters. (Achtemeier. 1985. Pg. 302). Children of the nuclear family were socialized by being taught their customs and tradition of their people Sons heard instruction from their father and mother. (Proverbs 1:8). The LORD God instructed to keep their soul diligently so they did not forget the things they had seen with their eyes and they remember all their days and teach them their sons and their son’s sons. (Deuteronomy 4:9).
Being part of a family is to be part of the covenant community with a share of the land inheritance and with a commitment to pass on to the next generation the knowledge and worship of God. The usual family pattern is the extended family of three generations. Genesis 2:24 mentions that a man leaves father and mother to cleave to his wife, the new family unit was geographically formed. The Old Testament family is part of a religious, moral, social and economic context which gives it its point, its values and its resources. (Atkinson. 1994. Pgs. 59-61).
The father of the nuclear family had all the authority and had control over the children, his wife, and his servants. The father could sell his daughter to be a maidservant, and decide who his daughter could marry, he can take another wife. (Exodus 21:7-11). There were rules regarding a man having two wives, one loved, the other one hated, and both giving children. Then if the first born son belongs to the wife that was hated then that son shall be made to inherit and the man may not make the firstborn of the one he loves. When there is a stubborn and rebellious son that does not obey the father or the mother then that son hall be taken to the elders of his city and into the gate of his place. All the men of his city shall store him with stones. (Deuteronomy 21:15-21). Children were expected to honor and obey their parents, that their days may be long upon the land which the LORD their God given them. (Exodus 20:12). If a son strikes or kills his father, or his mother, he shall be put to death. (Exodus 21:15).The child that ridicules his father and despises to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat their eyes. (Proverbs 30:17). The Children remained under their father’s control until they were married, when they left home to start a new family unit. Marriages were carefully controlled. There were laws regarding uncovering the indecency, improper behavior of their father or their mother. (Leviticus 18: 6-18).
The Old Testament Extended Family: consists two or more families that have some claim or descends from the same ancestry line. Old Testament families are made up of parents, children, unmarried sisters, widows, concubines, servants, travelers, strangers and the cattle all falls under the protection of the head of the family. (Exodus 20:10).The members of the extended family not only lived together they also shared the same trade of profession such as craftsmen, labored in linen, or potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges.(1 Chronicles 4:14, 21- 23). The extended family had certain legal rights. If a brother grew poor, and sold away some of his possessions, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold. When one of the nuclear families was forced to sell property, the extended family had the right to redeem the property in order to keep it from leaving the family. (Leviticus 25:25). Equally when a family member was threatened to be sold into slavery a member of the extended family could redeem him. Either his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or any that is blood relative unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself. (Leviticus 25:47-49).
The authority of the extended family rest upon the ancestor from whom the nuclear families were descended. Several extended families joined together to form a tribe. Like the tribe of Israel. (Genesis 46:8-27). The LORD God changed the name of Jacob to: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. (Genesis 32:28). Noah’s family includes his wife and sons and sons’ wives (Genesis 7:1, 7); Jacob’s family runs to three generations (Genesis 46:8–9). The family in ancient Israel included the servants, resident aliens, widows, orphans and all who lived under the protection of the head of the family who was male. The members of the family had an obligation to help and to protect each other.
New Testament Blended Families: Throughout the New Testament, the church is identified as a family. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus defines whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Matthew 12:46–50; Mark 3:31–35; Luke 8:19–21).
Jesus reminds us He did not come to send peace on earth; but a sword. He came to set6 a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. Those that loves father or mother more than Jesus is not worthy of Jesus: and he that loves son or daughter more than Jesus is not worthy of Jesus. Those that do not take up His cross, and follow after Jesus is not worthy of Jesus. Those who find their life shall lose it; and those that lose their life for the sake of Jesus shall find it. Those that receives us also receives Jesus, receives the LORD God who sent Jesus. (Matthew 10:34-40). Jesus encouraged us to not only to follow the commandment to honor your father and your mother but also to love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 19:19). We are instructed to provide for our own especially for those in our own house. Those who have denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. A widow should be at least sixty years old, having been the wife of one man and have good reports for good works. If she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the feet of saints, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work. (1 Timothy 5:8-10).
The traditional view of family was changed by seeing the Christian community as a new family. Paul told the Galatians they had the opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10). Paul said to the Ephesians they were no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. (Ephesians 2:19-20). Paul also tells how all that believed were together, and had all things in common. They sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. They continued daily with one accord I the temple, and broke bread from house to house, they ate meat together with gladness and singleness of heart. Praising the LORD, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:44–47). The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. They shared all their possessions. The apostles witness of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power. Great grace was upon them all. There was none among them that lacked; for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the feet of the apostles and distributed them unto every man according to their need. (Acts 4:32–37).
Jesus provided a new understanding of family. It is the family of God and the family of faith. According to Jesus, neither the nuclear family nor the household was the primary unit of the creation of the LORD God. More exactly a person’s faith and the commitment to the family of faith are central to the purpose of the LORD God. Where does that leave us in defining what a family is? It is my belief that it is a common shared belief, a common bond, a common goal and a common journey. It is a group of people under one roof that loves one another having mutual respect for one another. It is the sharing of one faith, one LORD and striving to be faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ. A Christian family calls for a commitment which is based on openness and compassion, forgiveness, understanding and love for each other and for the LORD God. Obeying the calling of the Will of the LORD is crucial to the formation and functioning of the family. The purpose of the family is to give witness to the love of the LORD God and bring people to a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ, thus creating the larger family of LORD God.
References:
Achtemeier, Paul J. (1985). Harper & Row and Society of Biblical Literature, Harper’s Bible Dictionary. San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Atkinson, David John. (1994). Pastoral Ethics. London: Lynx Communications.
Henslin, J. (2008). Sociology: A down-to-earth approach (9th ed.) Boston, Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon. ISBN-10: 0-205-57023-2.
Hobbs, Herschel H. (1990). My Favorite Illustrations. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
John Paul II. (1981). Familiaris Consortio, Apostolic Exhortations. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
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MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “What is a Family?.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2109,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, January) “What is a Family?.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2109,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “What is a Family?.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2109, (accessed).
