Birth Verse

Jesus and His parents went to Jerusalem every year for the Feast of the Passover (Luke 2:41-50). Luke tells us of the family’s experience when Jesus was twelve years old. After the Feast had ended, Mary and Joseph joined the caravan of people traveling back to their homes in Galilee. Typically, the women and children walked in the front, and the men walked in the back. Because Jesus was twelve years old, He was eligible to walk with the men, but He was also allowed to walk with the women and children if He chose.

This helps us understand how Mary could have thought Jesus was in the back of the caravan while Joseph thought He was in the front. At the end of the first day of travel, they discovered Jesus was missing. They returned to Jerusalem to look for Him and found Him at the Temple, sitting with the teachers, listening, and asking questions. All those who heard Jesus were astonished at His understanding and His answers.

This story is what we studied last week in the Junior High Sabbath School. In preparation for teaching, I learned a number of interesting practices that the Jews used to teach their children about God. I pray these will be helpful in your homes:

1. Scriptural Stories: Fathers and mothers would share stories from the Scriptures with their children. They told them about Creation, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, King David, and others, sharing the experiences they had. They also shared verses about faith, wisdom, heaven, and good behavior. The Scriptures were their guide to a well-ordered life.

2. Rituals and Traditions: There were rituals that reminded them of sacred history and their present reality. The Jews in Jesus' day were taught that if they were "unclean," they could not go to the synagogue or the Temple. Therefore, families sought to avoid anything that would make them ceremonially unclean.

3. Synagogue School: Children attended school at the synagogue, where they learned to read, write, and memorize Scripture, as well as how to live lives that were pleasing to God.

4. The Mezuzah: A Mezuzah was placed on the right side of the doorframe of a Jewish house. It was a small box containing Scripture. As people left the home, they would touch the Mezuzah and ask for God's help to glorify Him outside the home. As they entered, they would touch it again and ask for God's help to glorify Him within the home.

5. Bar Mitzvah: At age twelve or thirteen, boys had their Bar Mitzvah, marking their transition from childhood to becoming a "Son of the Law." From that time forward, they became responsible for their own spiritual response to God.

6. Birth Verses: Each Jewish child was given a "birth verse." This was a Scripture text beginning or ending with at least one of the letters of their Hebrew name. Sometimes a verse was chosen that included every letter of their name. This verse was memorized by the child and used in their daily prayers.

   
   

Just as Mary and Joseph eventually found Jesus in His Father’s house, may we lead our children and grandchildren to that same sense of belonging—knowing that no matter where life takes them, they always have a place in their Heavenly Father’s home.

I hope this is helpful to you. Last week, as my family gathered for our Christmas celebration, one of the gifts each of my children and grandchildren received was their own birth verse. If you would like to add this tradition to your own home as we move into this new year, here are some examples and methods to get you started:

Sample Birth Verses by Name

• B (Benjamin, Bethany): "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." — Ephesians 4:32

• D (David, Daniel, Deborah): "Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." — Psalm 34:14

• L (Lydia, Luke, Leah): "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." — Matthew 5:16

• M (Mary, Michael, Miriam): "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!" — Psalm 100:1

• S (Samuel, Sarah, Stephen): "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." — Matthew 6:33

  
  

How to Choose a Birth Verse

• Find the Meaning: Look up the meaning of the child’s name and find a verse that reflects that theme (e.g., "The Lord is my Shepherd" for someone named Shepherd).

• Use Initials: Find a verse where the first word starts with the same letter as the child's name.

• Search by Character: Choose a verse that mentions a biblical figure who shares their name.