Peter Balla Libros

Exploring the dynamics of family life in the early church, this book delves into the treatment of parents by early Christians and the societal perceptions of Christian families. It examines whether these families were admired or scorned by their neighbors and how the relationships between children and parents reflected broader societal norms. Additionally, the text highlights the defining characteristics of the first generations of Jesus' followers, providing insights into their unique familial structures and values.

Within the New Testament, tensions have been traced with regard to the expectation that parents should be revered. There is an alleged difference between reverence towards parents among the first followers of Christ and in the settled congregations. For example, the Household Codes in the epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians, where children are addressed together with their fathers, do not mention the possibility of a justified breach between children and their parents. In contrast, there are passages in the Gospels that narrate that the first disciples of Jesus left their family homes when they followed their master. Peter Balla shows that there is no real conflict, and that Jesus' views correspond to non-biblical family ethics where, too, God takes precedence over parents. Jesus and his disciples adhered to the Fifth Commandment.