Jesus’ several accounts of his life are well explained in the bible, from where he was born, how he was left behind in the synagogue listening to the teachers, to how he became a carpenter, just like his father, Joseph. When he started his ministry, we see that Jesus knew how to read and even right. This has prompted many people to ask, “where did Jesus go to school?”
We cannot exactly know the specific place where Jesus went to school, as the bible does not reveal that. However, Jesus went to school, as he could perfectly read and write, something that he could have learned in school. Additionally, Jesus knew the Old Testament too well, indicating that he most likely went to the synagogues to learn.
So, did Jesus go to school as a child? What did Jesus’ education include? Did Jesus attend a formal school or training? Were there bible schools during Jesus’ time? What were the rules of education during Jesus’ time? At what age did Jesus likely go to school? Read to the end to know the answers to these questions and more.
Did Jesus go to school as a child?
Jesus most likely went to school as a child, just like any Jewish boy would do. In Luke 4:16, we see Jesus returning to Nazareth and reading a scroll he was given during one Sabbath day. This clearly shows that Jesus went to school as a child, as there is no way he could have known to read without attending school.
There is also another possibility that Jesus went to school as a child, as the book of John 8:6 records Jesus writing something on the ground. We cannot assume that Jesus did not know what he was doing when he bent down to write something, as he knew the message he wanted to pass to the crowd in the temple courts that day.
Jesus also went to school, as it was customary for boys to go to the synagogues to be taught. Most scholars reveal several Jewish schools during Jesus’ times where young boys were taken to for learning.
What did Jesus’ education include?
Jesus’ education mostly included reading, which some religious scholars suggest to have started at the age of three. Jesus’ education could have most likely started with the Hebrew ‘alef-bet,’ which could have progressed to reading bible verses. During this time, a child was required to memorize several bible verses and to be able to read all the letters when written in forwards and backward.
Jesus’ education also included the writing of the Jewish Alphabet, as it is from this that he could easily identify the words from the Torah and read them easily. As stated earlier, Jesus wrote on the ground in the book of John, proof that he was taught how to write.
Jesus’ education could also have included studying the Torah, the first five Old Testament books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The main purpose of education during Jesus’ time was to teach children the Laws of God and their obedience to him, which was very important to Jesus for his future ministry.
We also know that Jesus had to get a skill education at some point in his life, which saw him become a carpenter, just like his earthly father, Joseph.
Did Jesus attend a formal school or training?
Jesus is said to have attended the first phase of the formal school, in which he was taught how to read and write the Jewish alphabetical letters. The school Jesus attended is said to have been attached to the synagogue and mainly taught the Torah and other basic learnings. We can not say that Jesus was trained, as no one truly knew who he was while growing up, and he was treated like any normal child with general education.
Were there bible schools during Jesus’ time?
Several scholars speculate that there were no bible schools during Jesus’ time, as the bible had not been fully put together to be taught as a whole. During Jesus’ time, there were scrolls and the books of the law, which is the Torah, that every Jewish child was required to know how to read. Additionally, those who wanted to receive religious education were taught by either Levites or priests, as seen in Leviticus 10:10-11. Jesus mostly learned about the Old Testament from the synagogue and the wisdom that God had bestowed upon him.
What were the rules of education during Jesus’ time?
Several rules of education during Jesus’ time were required to be followed. For instance, every child was required to start learning to read the Jewish alphabetical letters in preparation for studying Torah.
However, girls were forbidden or were not required to study past the alphabetical stage of learning, as it was said their duties were somewhere else, which in this case was the kitchen or running the whole household as a future wife. It was also said that some subjects were unsuitable for female learning, as it could have led to too much mixing of girls with boys, which was considered taboo.
Additionally, boys were to start going to school from the age of six or seven, which was usually attached to their local synagogue. There were then taught how to read and draw letters on a board by their teacher, who was known as the Chazzan of the synagogue.
Moreover, the rule of education required a child to start his first reading from the book of Leviticus, as it contained most rules that were considered necessary to how one was required to live and interact with others daily. Apart from studying the Torah, the children were taught how to say the grace after meals and recite the Shema and other traditional blessings in their households.
At what age did Jesus likely go to school?
Jesus most likely went to school at age five or six, as these were years when a boy had enough knowledge to study the Torah. From zero to three, we know that Jesus used this time to grow from a toddler to a child. During these years, there is no way Jesus would have gone to school, as he was too young.
Additionally, Jesus is most likely to have started training in carpentry, just like his father Joseph, from the age of eleven and twelve, giving him no time to attend any school. From this, it is likely that he went to school from the age of five and spent eight more years in which he learned the Old Testament, how to read, and even write.
References
Life in the time of Jesus: Children and Education
The education of Jesus of Nazareth
Did Jesus go to school? What did his education likely include?
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
