By Andrew McColl, 10/1/2023
One of the monumental and as yet unsolved problems of modern society is that women teach boys: either mothers or female school teachers. The context of teaching today is the classroom or home, not the work place. This means that education for males has moved away from the father-son apprenticeship model, which was clearly the Mosaic norm, to the classroom, where education is bureaucratic, impersonal, and abstract—separated from a father’s discipline and his occupation. This is also generally true of home schooling. Education in the modern world is almost completely feminized until the high school level.[1]
Partially as a result of the modern obsession with equality between the sexes, it’s become commonplace to think that when it comes to education, gender doesn’t matter. But gender does matter, because men and women, along with boys and girls, are radically different.
I’m not merely referring to their sex organs. Ask a boy between 10 and 17: would he prefer a male, or female teacher? I submit to you that over 80% would prefer a male. They are going to become men, and they want to be led by one. And if they find themselves with a viable male role, that percentage of boys preferring a male teacher will jump.
Why? They much prefer to be led by someone they can emulate, and that’s not a lady.
Men do things differently to ladies; it’s a fact of life. Disputing this won’t change it. We may as well go with the flow, and accept the natural order of things.
After the Exodus, when Jethro visited Moses, he saw something that clearly disturbed him. The way he was going, Moses was going to wear himself out at this task, and he clearly needed to change things, and delegate responsibility to others. He encouraged Moses to
…select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. Let them judge the people at all times… (Ex.18:21-22).
Jethro’s advice was good, and Moses accepted it. Leadership, when it comes to the family and the church, should be with men. People are trying to contest it, but nothing can change God’s order.
In the New Testament, Jesus clearly was a man, and He chose 12 disciples, who were also male. Is there a pattern here? Of course. Paul’s epistles continue with this pattern. When he came to explaining the life of the overseer, Paul identifies that he was to be
…above reproach, the husband of one wife…
He also explains that
He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his own children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?) (I Tim.3:2, 4, 5).
Fathers should teach their children, accepting the overrall responsibility for their education. They may delegate some or even much of this to their wife, but the overall task or responsibility still should lie with them. They are primarily responsible, as Adam was in the garden.
This is what discipleship is all about. Adam, in relation to the garden, was to “…cultivate and keep it” (Gen.2:15). He was to guard Eve and the garden, looking out for any intruders, which he failed to do. Should the hearts and minds of our children, be any different?
Paul’s reminder to the Corinthians of this, plainly has an educational component:
For I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ (II Cor.11:3).
Men rebel against God, but women get deceived. That’s what happened in the Garden, and Paul warns about this propensity in the scriptures, in the prohibition of women teaching in the church (I Tim.2:11-15). They do have a teaching role, but this is in relation to the instruction and encouragement of young women (see Titus 2:3-5).
Conclusion:
Fathers, if you want the education of your children to be successful and God-honouring, take responsibility for it, but delegate (some or most) of the day to day tasks to your wife, while daily checking on progress, backing her up and encouraging her, and the children.
She’ll need this, and the children will know you are vitally interested in their success and progress, and they will appreciate your overall sense of responsibility.
Don’t let any absenteeism on your part to creep in, but ensure that the buck stops with you. It’s your responsibility!
…a father tells his sons about Your faithfulness (Isa.38:19).
[1]Gary North, “Inheritance and Dominion,” 1999, Vol 1, p.153.
Hebron Homeschoolers 