Rule from beneath: Understanding the reverent rebellion of children in the Bible

Many parents think they have power over their children, to the point of silencing their children. Most parents in this country overpower their children with domestic violence and control. The idea is for children to shut up and listen to parents. Children in biblical times weren't like that - they ruled their parents from beneath. Biblical children were empowered while being in a submissive role.

It says in Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to trust in parents, just as an adult believer would trust in Christ. Replace "obey" with "trust" and you get a more accurate translation, with the Fifth Commandment written sideways for the parent to keep until the child reaches adulthood. This trust is one borne out of maternal closeness and warmth, meaning it is a trust that is sustaining in terms of origin with parents, leading to honor and cooperation later in the child's life. This is an open, honest sort of trust, meaning trust enough to tell parents whatever you want, trusting that parents will never punish or control you or your free speech, being able to be yourself in relation to your parents, with parents being your best friends from day one. Children in ancient Israelite culture and adjoining churches were brought up on maternal sustenance, meaning children were breastfed until age 3, and were treated like infants right up until then, with the "terrible twos" being seen as just a baby crying out for love. Children were seen as having a rebellious nature, but in the sense of appeasing said rebellion in children, thus allowing for reverent rebellion, and parents being trusted servants to heed the lawful and binding commands of children. It is a servile friendship for the parent, who is the always the responsible party. Children in biblical times went in the nude all of the time, and that was so mothers could easily be close to their child in a skin-to-skin fashion. Parents in biblical times practiced attachment parenting, which is based on children trusting parents based on a strong, secure parent-child bond, which is what the Bible prescribes for Christian families today.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers literally to "stirring up" upset and resentment in children, as in the Jewish idiom "stirring the pot" in terms of your child's emotions. This refers to provocations to anger inflicted upon your neighbor, namely a child. This means all offenses against a child, as defined as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, coming from parental entitlement. This was intended, by the Apostle Paul's inspired pen, to prohibit all corporal punishment as well as any other punishment or controlling attitudes in parenting, as such was considered kidnapping under the Law and deserving of death, even as Christ abolished the death penalty on the cross. Paul was rebuking Greek Christian parents on their tradition of spanking children, which was brought into the church from greater Greco-Roman culture, which legally and socially excused physical punishment of children. Paul would have none of it in the church communities he oversaw as a deacon. He gave the command, then issued attachment parenting manuals to each and every Christian parent in Colossae, instructing parents on being the Living Example of Christ for their children, modeling charitable and self-disciplined traits by being charitable to children and having self-discipline around them.

Parents feared and revered the wrath of their children, and were convicted in a quaking way to heed to the lawful and binding orders of their children, righteously giving up and surrendering to their every demand, with children ruling their parents from beneath. Children were a terror to their parents, and parents sought to appease the rebellion of their child. The goal of Marshal law was not to keep the rebellion down, but to keep rebellious children happy and content, so they don't take everything over. Rebellious traits in children were simply seen as a sign of their immaturity, usually with parents doting on the reverent rebellion of children, seeing such traits as adorable or endearing. Usually, mothers especially were exhausted, but they didn't complain, as nobody wanted to hear that sort of parental entitlement then. They learned to enjoy the chore of taking care of children. 

Fathers encouraged rebellion in a more academic sense, challenging boys especially to think for themselves, and have their own opinion, and then the father challenged his child to righteous debate, meaning based on the facts and with no argument taken personally. It wasn't a moral exchange, but a free academic exchange of ideas where children were allowed to have their own religious philosophy, with parents either agreeing or respectfully disagreeing. Fathers wanted their children to rebel against them, so that they could read the Law for themselves and come to their own religious conclusions.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger by demanding subservience of children will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them burn in the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!