A couple of weeks ago I wrote about whole house baptism in the New Testament. I determined to study the word house (οικος) in the Old Testament (especially the Septuagint) to see how it is used and to answer the question, Does the use of house (οικος) include children? I finished and boy did I learn a lot!
It occurs quite often and is used in a variety of ways. The meaning of the word house (οικος) is a building and this is the primary use. I noticed a trend as I went through every occurrence of this word in the Old Testament - from 1 Chronicles on it is primarily used to refer to the temple, the house of God. The house of God is a very important concept in the Old Testament. House (οικος) is also used idiomatically. One of the most interesting is “house of bondage”, referring to Israel’s time in Egypt.
Let’s get back to my question, Does the use of house (οικος) include children? The simple answer is, Yes. “House” is similar to “family” - sometimes it obviously includes children, but not always. This is interesting. Many times it is used to refer to the adults only, and often to adult males only. But, it is routinely used to refer to the entire family, men, women, and children.
Ezekiel 34.30 Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD. This is a particularly tender passage and clearly refers to men, women, and children.
Psalm 114:1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language… Again, clearly men, women, children
House of Israel occurs frequently, but there are other times house includes children
Genesis 12:17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
Genesis 46:31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;
Then there are times when there is emphasis added to make it clear that everyone is included
Joshua 2:13 and save alive the house of my father, my mother, and my brethren, and all my house, and all that they have, and ye shall rescue my soul from death. (Septuagint)
This is Rahab asking the spies to deliver her entire family.
1 Samuel 1:21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. Elkanah had two wives, one had no children (yet) and one had children.
Then there are some really wonderful passages dealing with atonement
Exodus 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
When they put the blood on the door posts and lintel, everyone in the house was covered. Amen!
Leviticus 16:6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.
Leviticus 16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
Isn’t this amazing? Aaron offered a sacrifice and made atonement for himself, for his house, and for all the congregation of Israel!
I also learned that house is generational. That is, I am part of my father’s house, along with my brothers and sisters, but they are not part of my house. My house is my wife and children. My father’s house is his wife and children (me). It always looks forward, never backward.
This brings us back to the New Testament. Paul wrote, And I baptized also the household (οικος) of Stephanas . . . Does this (and other occasions of whole house baptism) ipso facto mean children were included? As I learned from the use of house (οικος) in the Old Testament, the answer is, No, it does not necessarily mean children were included. But, it does not necessarily exclude children, either.
Ha! I seem to have gone nowhere! Well, that’s not completely true. My study did not settle the matter, but it did open the door a little. Baptism is primarily a response to the gospel, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” this is me coming into covenant with God. But there is a powerful truth I learned from the Old Testament, when Israel entered into covenant with God, the children were included: Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house. Is this not what Paul meant when he told the jailer, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house?
I am still persuaded that believer’s baptism should be primary, but I’m beginning to think that including the children of said believers may have a more biblical foundation than I previously thought.
Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me:
for of such is the kingdom of heaven
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