In olden times (and by olden, I mean time over about 100 years ago), it was not uncommon for multiple generations to be living in one house, under the same roof. People would add on to their houses when children began their married life together, and then, as they had children who got married, the house might be added on to for a little more room. You might actually have households with four generations all living under the same roof, and that was normal. It was common. In fact, in some places and times, it was even seen as odd if a child were to leave home and go live somewhere else, even if it was only over on the next street.
In recent years, I have started to see a return to this multi-generational household. I know of quite a few families that have up to three generations living under one roof. Now, these have come about for a variety of reasons, but the main point I want to start off with is that this is becoming more and more common. It used to be looked down upon highly when the children didn't go off and establish their own households. They were strange if they continued to live at home beyond the college years (an arbitrary number that we arrived at for some reason).
One thing that I think we forget at times is that the Bible times were times that were used to the multi-generational household. Children cared for their parents, and more often than not, people would die in the same house in which they were born. (Yes, birth and death often took place at home, which meant that it wasn't as taboo to talk about or think about as it is in our circles these days.) Life was truly lived together in that context.
I truly believe that this impacts our understanding of some of the things we encounter in the Bible from time to time. I actually want to spend a little time reflecting on this over the next few blog posts, since it cannot but help us to better grasp the world in which God's Word came to us, and then to see how that same Word powerfully affects and influences our understanding in our day and age.
In recent years, I have started to see a return to this multi-generational household. I know of quite a few families that have up to three generations living under one roof. Now, these have come about for a variety of reasons, but the main point I want to start off with is that this is becoming more and more common. It used to be looked down upon highly when the children didn't go off and establish their own households. They were strange if they continued to live at home beyond the college years (an arbitrary number that we arrived at for some reason).
One thing that I think we forget at times is that the Bible times were times that were used to the multi-generational household. Children cared for their parents, and more often than not, people would die in the same house in which they were born. (Yes, birth and death often took place at home, which meant that it wasn't as taboo to talk about or think about as it is in our circles these days.) Life was truly lived together in that context.
I truly believe that this impacts our understanding of some of the things we encounter in the Bible from time to time. I actually want to spend a little time reflecting on this over the next few blog posts, since it cannot but help us to better grasp the world in which God's Word came to us, and then to see how that same Word powerfully affects and influences our understanding in our day and age.
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