Understanding Biblical Stewardship with Children and Youth
Scripture consistently presents children as recipients of God's covenant promises and objects of deliberate spiritual formation. The psalmist declares that "the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; who should arise and tell their children" [5], establishing a pattern of intergenerational transmission. Parents receive children as gifts from God [2, 4] and bear responsibility to "instruct them in God's word" [4] and "train them up for God" [4]. This training begins remarkably early—mothers in ancient Israel did not wean children until they were thirty months to three years old [3], yet instruction commenced even before weaning, as evidenced by Timothy, who knew "the holy scriptures" "from an infant" [11].
The Scope of Parental Instruction
Biblical stewardship with children encompasses far more than financial management. Parents are commanded to "tell them of God's judgments" [4] and "tell them of the miraculous works of God" [4], grounding instruction in God's character and historical acts. The child Samuel exemplifies this pattern: "The Lord is with" good children who "know the Scriptures" and "observe the law of God" [1]. Proverbs aims "to impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young" [8], indicating that wisdom literature itself targets youthful audiences. This instruction must be "judiciously trained" [2], suggesting pedagogical care rather than mere information transfer.
Christ's Affirmation of Children
Jesus' reception of children in Mark 10:13–16 demonstrates their place in the kingdom. When disciples "scolded the parents" for bringing children, Jesus rebuked them and taught "that the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children" [10]. His "love and concern for children" appears repeatedly in the Gospel narratives [10], and he served as "an example" to children through his own obedience to parents [2]. The incident encourages "little children to apply themselves to Christ when they are very young" [9], establishing childhood as a season for genuine faith formation rather than mere preparation for later belief.
Discipline as Covenant Faithfulness
Hebrews frames parental discipline within God's own fatherly care: "God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn't discipline?" [6]. This discipline aims at covenant continuity, as Psalm 132:12 promises: "If your children will keep my covenant, my testimony that I will teach them, their children also will sit on your throne forever more" [7].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children, Good — The Lord is with -- 1Sa 3:19. Know the Scriptures -- 2Ti 3:15. Observe the law of God -- Pr 28:7. Their obedience to parents is well pleasing to God -- Col 3:20. Partake of the promises of God -- Ac 2:39. Shall be blessed -- Pr 3:1-4; Eph 6:2,3. Show love to parents -- Ge 46:29. Obey parents -- Ge 28:7; 47:30. Attend to parental teaching -- Pr 13:1. Take care of parents -- Ge 45:9,11; 47:12. Make their parents' hearts glad -- Pr 10:1; 29:17. Honour the aged -- Job 32:6,7. Adduced as a motive for submission to God -- Heb 12:9. Spirit of, a requisite f”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children — Christ was an example to -- Lu 2:51; Joh 19:26,27. Are a gift from God -- Ge 33:5; Ps 127:3. Are capable of glorifying God -- Ps 8:2; 148:12,13; Mt 21:15,16. Should be Brought to Christ. -- Mr 10:13-16. Brought early to the house of God. -- 1Sa 1:24. Instructed in the ways of God. -- De 31:12,13; Pr 22:6. Judiciously trained. -- Pr 22:15; 29:17; Eph 6:4. Should Obey God. -- De 30:2. Fear God. -- Pr 24:21. Remember God. -- Ec 12:1. Attend to parental teaching. -- Pr 1:8,9. Honour parents. -- Ex 20:12; Heb 12:9. Fear parents. -- Le 19:3. Obey parents. -- Pr ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Child — This word has considerable latitude of meaning in Scripture. Thus Joseph is called a child at the time when he was probably about sixteen years of age (Gen. 37:3); and Benjamin is so called when he was above thirty years (44:20). Solomon called himself a little child when he came to the kingdom (1 Kings 3:7). The descendants of a man, however remote, are called his children; as, "the children of Edom," "the children of Moab," "the children of Israel." In the earliest times mothers did not wean their children till they were from thirty months to three years ol”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Parents — Receive their children from God -- Ge 33:5; 1Sa 1:27; Ps 127:3. Their duty to their children is To love them. -- Tit 2:4. To bring them to Christ. -- Mt 19:13,14. To train them up for God. -- Pr 22:6; Eph 6:4. To instruct them in God's word. -- De 4:9; 11:19; Isa 38:19. To tell them of God's judgments. -- Joe 1:3. To tell them of the miraculous works of God. -- Ex 10:2; Ps 78:4. To command them to obey God. -- De 32:46; 1Ch 28:9. To bless them. -- Ge 48:15; Heb 11:20. To pity them. -- Ps 103:13. To provide for them. -- Job 42:15; 2Co 12:14; 1Ti 5:8. To rule”
- Psalms “that the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; who should arise and tell their children, -- Psalms 78:6”
- Hebrews “It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline? -- Hebrews 12:7”
- Psalms “If your children will keep my covenant, my testimony that I will teach them, their children also will sit on your throne forever more.” -- Psalms 132:12”
- Proverbs “Proverbs 1:4 (BSB) — To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,”
- Mark (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Mark 10:13: It is looked upon as the indication of a kind and tender disposition to take notice of little children, and this was remarkable in our Lord Jesus, which is an encouragement not only to little children to apply themselves to Christ when they are very young, but to grown people, who are conscious to themselves of weakness and childishness, and of being, through manifold infirmities, helpless and useless, like little children. Here we have, I. Little children brought to Christ, Mar 10:13. Their parents, or whoever they were that had the nursing of them, brought them t”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 10:13: 10:13-16 Jesus’ love and concern for children has already been seen in 5:41-43; 9:36-37, 42. Jesus uses the incident to teach that the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 10:13 The ages of the children cannot be determined from this passage. The Greek word paidia can refer to a broad spectrum of ages, from a twelve-year-old child (5:41-42) down to an eight-day-old infant (Gen 17:12, Greek version). • the disciples scolded the parents: See study note on Luke 18:15-17.”
- 2 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Timothy 3:15: from a child--literally, "from an infant." The tender age of the first dawn of reason is that wherein the most lasting impressions of faith may be made. holy scriptures--The Old Testament taught by his Jewish mother. An undesigned coincidence with Ti2 1:5; Act 16:1-3. able--in themselves: though through men's own fault they often do not in fact make men savingly alive. wise unto salvation--that is, wise unto the attainment of salvation. Contrast "folly" (Ti2 3:9). Wise also in extending it to others. through faith--as the instrument of this ”