Teaching Mothers

It is not well known in Jesus’ church that mothers stand on equal footing with fathers in teaching sons and daughters.[1] In today’s divided church over the role of women, the topic is easy to bypass, dismiss, or overlook. But carefully observe the explicit words of Scripture: “Her mouth she opens with wisdom, and loving teaching[2] is on her tongue” (Prov 31:26).

Such words also seem so vanilla, so unexceptional, even ho-hum to our western ears. But these words are revolutionary when we understand the culture of the day. Nowhere in all of the wisdom literature of the Ancient Near East—from the Nile River in Egypt to the Euphrates River in Babylon—is a mother ever mentioned as a teacher. Not even once.

A woman, a mother’s teaching, was not deemed important enough to be even mentioned once. Imagine the underlying attitude toward women: they have nothing to say worth listening to.

So, how very radical and counter cultural are a Jewish father’s command to his son: “Do not forsake your MOTHER’S teaching” (Prov 1:8). The Hebrew word “forsake” has the idea of “leaving something or someone unattended and uncared for.” Children, sons and daughters, are being exhorted to not let their mother’s teaching go unattended. It presupposes a relationship between the teacher who possesses authority over the pupil.

And, did you observe the placement of these two verses? One is placed at the beginning of Proverbs (1:8) and the other is placed at the end of the book (31:26). In biblical studies, it is called an inclusio. It’s a literary way of framing a piece of literature, drawing attention to something important—the teaching of mothers. It’s important and it is counter-cultural. A woman teaching went against the grain of its times.

In God’s Word, mothers stand on equal ground with fathers in the authoritative Torah[3] instruction of their children. And, what is more, in order for a mother to be able to teach her children the wisdom of the Torah, she herself had to be taught. Women needed to learn the Torah. This suggests, of course, that “sons” in Proverbs is inclusivistic, rather than gender specific.

All these observations suggest that aspiring mothers or young mothers today should consider learning the three steps of Inductive Bible Study, the original languages of the Old and New Testaments in college or seminary or by other means, and the unifying themes of Scripture.

In addition, they might consider acquiring the timeless methods of teaching and discipleship that Jesus illustrated in the Gospels. After all, in order to teach and disciple, we first must be taught and be discipled. Paul taught Scripture to Priscilla and Aquila. They were thus equipped and prepared to teach and disciple Apollos, who then became a blessing to the believers in Achaia (Acts 18:1-28). A chain of teaching and discipleship. It started in Corinth (Europe), continued on in Ephesus (Asia), and then reached Achaia (Europe). You might begin teaching in your own home. But who knows where the chain will eventually reach: another city, another state, another nation, or another continent. Start the chain. See where God takes it.

Thank you, mothers, for teaching us wisdom. We value your teaching as God does. Your children need your teaching. We need you. The church needs you. The world needs you. You matter to God. Keep teaching and we will keep learning. May the God of Israel abundantly bless every mother of every race, color, creed, or nationality. Happy Mother’s Day.

[1] See also Ex. 20:12; 21:15; Lev 19:3; Deut 21:18-21; 31:12)

[2] The Hebrew text has torat hesed, the hesed being in the genitive case. Thus, I translate it as an attributive genitive: “loving teaching” or possibly, “faithful instruction.” But it might be an objective genitive, rendered as, “instruction about lovingkindness.”

[3] The Pentateuch, the Book of Moses, the Book of the Law.