Redefining child abuse: Why child abuse definitions need to be expanded

Many parents believe that the ancient world did not have a concept of childhood. This is a common belief in parents. However, the Early Christian context did have a definition of child abuse, and it was radically different than today, meaning more inclusive than today.

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and is defined as, officially speaking, wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. A common want to impose on children is for them to "listen". Any parent anger towards a child is parental entitlement. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. This commandment was intended as a moral statute prohibiting all punitive parenting, including, but not limited to, any punishments, reprimands, or other controlling demeanor towards children. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. Parents who punished their children were charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen in biblical times as holding your child hostage merely for things that they did wrong, thereby treating them as a quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up the Law in order to convict a group of Greek Christians who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child in his secular writings. Paul may not have gotten along with the women of the church, but he sure loved children, and even took in a few orphaned children during their time as deacon. 

Sweden was the first country in modern times to ban punitive parenting, with the legal ban on punitive parenting coming in 1979. However, punitive parenting bans date at least as far back as the Ancient Israelite context. The Ancient Israelite context prohibits all forms of punishment or force in parenting, and so does the Early Christian context.

In the year 2000, modern Israel was the first country in the Middle East to ban all punitive parenting of children. Jewish courts, however, banned striking or punishing a child much earlier. However, Christian and Muslim courts protected the abusers. Israel has a sectarian judicial system where family courts are connected to a specific religious denomination or sect. The ban consisted of a Supreme Court ruling allowing the police to unilaterally collect the children. 

When children are punished in Israel, the police investigating file the appropriate charges to the offense committed against children. If the child was grounded or put in time-out, the parents were charged with false imprisonment. If the parents yelled at the child, they were charged with harassment. If the parents struck the child, they were charged with battery. Punishing your child is a criminal matter in Israel.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoked their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be forever cast into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!