The Role of The Holy Family in the Education and Mission of Jesus: A Model for Christian Formation of the Youth

Abstract

The question regarding the source of the wisdom of Jesus was one that troubled his adversaries. This question could imply that Jesus did not attend any official Jewish rabbinic school. Moreover, the formulation of the question in Mk 6:1-6 makes a subtle link to the realization of the role of the Jewish family in the training of their children. This is true to fact. This essay, therefore, argues for the importance of the family in the training of children through an examination of the influence of the holy couple of Joseph and Mary on the formation and mission of Jesus. Although Jesus is presented as the wisdom of God (cf. I Cor. 1:24), there is ample evidence to show that his submission to his earthly parents went a long way to instilling some core principles that formed the crust of his teaching. This could serve as model for families and the society at large to take more seriously the role of the family in the formation of children.