Early Christian Views on Children
Early Christian writings treat children as worth teaching, honoring, and protecting. Ignatius, Polycarp, Clement of Rome, and the Didache call parents to train children in the Lord, while Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Methodius use children as a picture of innocence and humility. Bible passages like Deuteronomy 6:7 and Mark 10:14 help explain why this theme mattered so much.
141 early-church witnesses · 237 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about children?
Early Christian writings treat children as worthy of care, teaching, and honor, and they often use children as a picture for innocence, simplicity, and trust in God. Ignatius, Polycarp, Clement of Rome, and the Didache all tell parents to teach children the Lord’s ways, while Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Methodius use children to speak about humility, praise, and spiritual growth.
The Bible passages most often tied to this theme are the calls to teach children diligently and Jesus’ words to let the little children come to him. The evidence is broad and steady on training and honoring children, but thinner and more indirect on some later questions, like baptism and exact age-related meaning. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Early Christians told parents to teach children the fear of God and the Lord’s instruction.
- Children were often used as an example of innocence, humility, and simple faith.
- Jesus’ welcome of little children was a key passage for this topic.
- The evidence is strong for child training and respect, but less direct on later debates.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians say parents should teach children the faith?
The sources consistently say parents should train children in godly instruction, the fear of God, and the Lord’s teaching. This is one of the clearest themes in the set, with early Christian writers urging deliberate religious formation in the home.
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Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Direct teaching
Ye children, reverence your parents. Ye parents, “bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Honour those [who continue] in virginity, as the priestesses of Christ;
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Ignatius, Epistle to the Philadelphians (Long Version) Direct teaching
Fathers, “bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord;” and teach them the holy Scriptures, and also trades, that they may not indulge in idleness.
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Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Direct teaching
Let your children be partakers of true Christian training;
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Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians Direct teaching
and to train up their children in the knowledge and fear of God.
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Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Direct teaching
You shall not remove your hand from your son or from your daughter, but from their youth shall teach them the fear of God.
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Barnabas, The Epistle of Barnabas Supporting witness
Thou shalt not withdraw thy hand from thy son, or from thy daughter, but from their infancy thou shalt teach them the fear of the Lord.
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Deuteronomy 6:7 Direct teaching
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
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Deuteronomy 11:19 Supporting witness
You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
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Genesis 18:19 Supporting witness
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
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1 Timothy 3:4 Supporting witness
one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
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Ephesians 6:1 Direct teaching
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
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Jeremiah 33:12 Supporting witness
Come, ye children, hear me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
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Deuteronomy 31:13 Supporting witness
And their sons who have not known shall hear, and shall learn to fear the Lord thy God all the days that they live upon the land, into which ye go over Jordan to inherit it.
What did early Christians think Jesus meant about little children?
Early Christian writers repeatedly connect Jesus’ words about little children with humility, receiving the kingdom, and the honor due to the childlike. They also cite Jesus’ rebuke of those who would hinder children from coming to him.
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Papias, Fragments Supporting witness
[The early Christians] called those who practised a godly guilelessness, children, [as is stated by Papias in the first book of the Lord’s Expositions, and by Clemens Alexandrinus in his Pædagogue.]
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Hermas, Connection to Matthew 19:14 Direct teaching
I deem you happy, I, who am the messenger of repentance, whoever of you are innocent as children,
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Hermas, Connection to Matthew 18:3 Direct teaching
but they remained like children all the days of their life in the same mind. All of you, then, who shall remain stedfast, and be as children,
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Hermas, Connection to Matthew 18:3 Direct teaching
Be simple and guileless, and you will be as the children who know not the wickedness that ruins the life of men.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Direct teaching
...e came to help all through Himself—all, I say, who through Him are reborn to God—including infants, children, boys, youths, and old men. He went through every age, becoming an infant for infants, thereby sanctifying them; a child for children, sanctifying those who are of this age and becoming an example of piety, righteousness, and submission; a youth for youths, exemplifying and sanctifying them for the Lord. Likewise, He was an old man for old men, so He could be a perfect Master for everyone, not just through truth but also through age, sanctifying the elderly and becoming an example for them too. Finally, He faced death itself, that He might be "the first-born from the dead, that in all things He might have the pre-eminence," the Prince of life, existing before all and leading all.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Direct teaching
a child for children, thus sanctifying those who are of this age, being at the same time made to them an example of piety, righteousness, and submission;
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching
The prophetic Spirit also marks us out as children. It is said that the children went out to meet the Lord, carrying branches of olive trees or palm trees, and crying out, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," Matthew 21:9. This means light, glory, and praise, along with a prayer to the Lord. For that is the meaning of the expression "Hosanna" when it is translated into Greek. And it seems to me that Scripture, referring to the prophecy just mentioned, sharply rebukes the thoughtless by saying, "Have you never read, 'Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise?'" In this way, the Lord in the Gospels also stirs up His disciples and urges them to pay attention to Him, since He was hurrying to the Father. By hinting that He would leave soon, He made His hearers more eager. He showed them that they needed to make fuller and more determined use of the truth than ever before, since the Word was about to ascend into heaven. So again He calls them children, for He says, "Children, a little while I am with you," John 13:33. And again, He compares the kingdom of heaven to children sitting in the marketplaces and saying, "
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Methodius, Oration on the Psalms Direct teaching
Today holy David rejoices with great joy. He has been robbed of his lyre by little children, and with them also, in the Spirit, he leads the dance and rejoices together, as he did long ago before the ark of God, 2 Samuel 6:14. He mingles musical harmony with them, and sweetly lisps in a stammering voice, "Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord." About whom shall we ask? Tell us, O prophet, who is this that comes in the name of the Lord? He will say, "It is not my part today to teach you, for He who has out of the mouth of babes and sucklings perfected praise to destroy the enemy and the avenger has consecrated the school to infants, so that by their miracle the hearts of the fathers might be turned to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just," Malachi 4:6; Luke 1:17. Tell us then, O children, from where comes this beautiful and graceful contest of song? Who taught you? Who instructed you? Who brought you together? What were your tablets? Who were your teachers? "Only join us," they say, "as our companions in this song and feast, and you will learn the things spoken through Moses and the prophet, long desired," Luke 10:24. Since the children have invited
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Methodius, Oration on the Psalms Direct teaching
O you who are disobedient concerning the wisdom of the righteous, "turn your hearts to your children," Luke 1:17. Learn the mysteries of God. The very thing that is happening bears witness that it is God who is being praised in this way by untaught tongues. "Search the Scriptures," as you have heard from the Lord in John 5:39, "for they are the ones that testify of Him," and do not be ignorant of this miracle. Hear, you men without grace and without thankfulness, what good news the prophet Zechariah brings to you. He says, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; behold, your King comes to you: just and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon the foal of an ass," Zechariah 9:9. Why do you push away joy? Why, when the sun is shining, do you love darkness? Why do you plan war against unconquerable peace? If, therefore, you are the sons of Zion, join in the dance together with your children. Let the worship of your children be a reason for joy to you. Learn from them who their Teacher was, who called them together, from where the teaching came, and what this new theology and old prophecy mean. And if no man has taught them this, but they raise the hymn of praise on their own, then recog
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching
We have ample means of answering those who are given to carping. For we are not called children and infants because our training is childish and contemptible, as those who are puffed up because of knowledge have slanderously claimed. At once, when we were regenerated, we attained that perfection for which we longed. For we were illuminated, and this is to know God. He, then, is not imperfect who knows what is perfect. And do not rebuke me when I profess to know God. For so it was considered right to speak to the Word, and He is free. For at the moment of the Lord's baptism, a voice sounded from heaven as a testimony to the Beloved: "You are My beloved Son, today have I begotten You." Let us then ask the wise, Is Christ, begotten today, already perfect, or, what would be most monstrous, imperfect? If the latter, then there is still something He needs to add. But for Him to add anything to His knowledge is absurd, since He is God. For no one can be superior to the Word, or the teacher of the only Teacher. Will they not then admit, though unwilling, that the perfect Word, born of the perfect Father, was begotten in perfection, according to divine arrangement fore-ordination? And if He
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
and those of them, who are converted that they may become as the little children, but fall far short of having truly become as the little children, are capable of being caused to stumble;
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Tertullian, De Anima (On the Soul) Supporting witness
Else, says he, were the children unclean by birth: 1 Corinthians 7:14 as if he meant us to understand that the children of believers were designed for holiness, and thereby for salvation;
More related quotations from this section 12 shown
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Matthew 18:3 Direct teaching
and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
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Luke 18:17 Direct teaching
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
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Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? Supporting witness
XXXI. Such He names children, and sons, and little children, and friends, and little ones here, in reference to their future greatness above.
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
which little children God gave to the Saviour, according to what is said in Isaiah, Behold, I and the little children which God has given to me.
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Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness
...l in babies magnifies Him. And because of this, he says, David also declared, "Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise." And again, "The heavens declare the glory of God." But when the soul is caught in hardships, it cries out with no other sound than Omega, since it is afflicted, so that the soul above, becoming aware of what is akin to herself below, may send down one to help this earthly soul.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Supporting witness
... glorify the Word, so does the crying soul of infants. This is why David said: “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings You have perfected praise;” and also: “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Thus, it happens that when the soul is beset by difficulties and distress, it cries out “Oh,” in connection with the letter in question, so that its related soul above may recognize its distress and send down relief.
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
25. And now some among us claim that the baptism of heretics has the same standing. As if out of a certain dislike of baptizing again, they consider it unlawful to baptize after God's enemies. Yet we find that those whom John had baptized were baptized again. John was considered the greatest among the prophets. John was filled with divine grace even in his mother's womb. He was upheld with the spirit and power of Elijah. He was not an enemy of the Lord, but His forerunner and announcer. He not only foretold our Lord in words, but even showed Him to people's eyes. He even baptized Christ Himself, by whom others are baptized. But if a heretic could for that reason obtain the right of baptism, because he baptized first, then baptism would belong not to the one who possesses it, but to the one who seizes it. And since baptism and the Church cannot in any way be separated or divided from one another, whoever has first been able to seize baptism has equally seized the Church also. Then you begin to seem to him to be a heretic, because he got there before you, and you, having come later, have by yielding and giving way given up the right that you had received. But Holy Scripture declares
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Tertullian, De Anima (On the Soul) Supporting witness
But (we hold the contrary): for Christ, by accepting praise out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, has declared that neither childhood nor infancy is without sensibility, — the former of which states, when meeting Him with approving shouts, proved its ability to offer Him testimony;
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Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness
But, behold, Christ takes infants, and teaches how all ought to be like them, if they ever wish to be greater.
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Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Background
for all infants are honourable before God, and are the first persons with Him.
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Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Background
the infant swaddling-bands; the human registration; the nourishing by means of milk;
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1 Peter 2:2 Background
as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
Did early Christians see children as an example of praise or innocence?
These sources say children can serve as an example of simplicity, innocence, guilelessness, and praise. Several writers use the “babes and sucklings” passages to show that God’s praise can come from the mouths of children.
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Methodius, Oration on the Psalms Direct teaching
...d He healed them. And when the chief priests and Pharisees saw the wonderful things He did, and the children crying out and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," in Matthew 21:14-16, they could not bear this honor paid to Him. So they came to Him and said, "Do You not hear what these are saying?" It was as if they were saying, "Are You not troubled to hear from these innocent children things that are fitting for God, and for God alone? Did not God long ago make it clear through the prophet, 'My glory I will not give to another,' in Isaiah 42:8? So how do You, being a man, make Yourself God?" in John 10:33. But what does the long-suffering One answer to this, He who is rich in mercy, as Joel 2:13 says, and slow to wrath, as James 1:18 says? He bears with these frenzied men. With a gentle reply He holds back their anger. In return, He reminds them of the Scriptures. He brings forward testimony for what was happening, and does not shrink from their question. Therefore He says, "Have you never heard Me saying through the prophet, 'Then you shall know that I am He who speaks,'" in Isaiah 52:6, "and again, 'Out of the mouth of babes an
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness
...ighest.” But to the envious wicked stewards, who deceived those under them, and ruled over those of little understanding, and for this reason did not want the king to come, and who said to Him, “Do you hear what these say?” the Lord replied, “Have you never read, Out of the mouths of babes and infants You have perfected praise?”—showing that what David said about the Son of God was fulfilled in Him; and indicating that they were ignorant of the Scripture and God’s plan; but declaring that He was the one announced by the prophets as Christ, whose name is praised in all the earth, and who perfects praise to His Father from the mouths of babes and infants; therefore, His glory has been raised above the heavens.
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Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness
...or He says, "I thank You, Father, and acknowledge You, Lord of heaven, because You have revealed to babes those things that had been hidden from the wise and prudent." Luke 10:21 What are these things? Whose are they? By whom were they hidden? And by whom were they revealed? If they were hidden and revealed by Marcion's god, that was an extremely unjust proceeding. For he had produced absolutely nothing in which anything could have been hidden. He had no prophecies, no parables, no visions, no evidences of things, or words, or names, made obscure by allegories and figures, or by dark enigmas. Instead, he had concealed even his own greatness, though he was with all his might revealing it by his Christ. Now in what way had the wise and prudent done wrong, so that God should be hidden from them, when their wisdom and prudence had not been enough to come to the knowledge of Him? He himself had provided no way, by any declaration of his works, or any traces, by which they might become wise and prudent. However, even if they had failed in some duty toward a god they did not know, suppose that now at last he becomes known. Even then, they ought not to have found in him a jealous god, s
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Irenaeus, Connection to Matthew 21:16 Supporting witness
and who said to Him, "Hearest thou what these say? "did the Lord reply, "Have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou perfected praise? "
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness
but declaring that it was Himself who was announced by the prophets as Christ, whose name is praised in all the earth, and who perfects praise to His Father from the mouth of babes and sucklings;
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Background
Matthew 18:10 See that you despise not one of these little ones that believe in me.
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Mark 10:14 Direct teaching
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
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Matthew 19:13 Direct teaching
Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.
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Matthew 19:14 Direct teaching
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
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Luke 18:16 Direct teaching
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
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Matthew 18:10 Supporting witness
“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
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Psalms 8:2 Supporting witness
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
More related quotations from this section 2 shown
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Jeremiah 8:3 Supporting witness
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise, Because of thine enemies; That thou mightest put down the enemy and avenger.
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Matthew 18:5 Supporting witness
Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
Common Questions
Did early Christians think children should be taught the faith?
Yes. Ignatius, Polycarp, Clement of Rome, and the Didache all tell parents to teach children the Lord’s ways and fear of God.
Did early Christians see children as important to Jesus?
Yes. Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Methodius point to Jesus’ welcome of little children and use them as examples of innocence and praise.
Did early Christians quote the Bible about children often?
Yes. They often used passages like Deuteronomy 6:7, Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14, and Matthew 18:3 when talking about children.
Source Index for Children
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 237 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 141
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
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Unknown, Unknown Work
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Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?
Bible Passages 80 shown of 96
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
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