Family Ties 1

For centuries, the standard unit of human existence has been the individual. Descartes'
"I think, therefore I am" was not only an epistemological argument, but also a statement concerning the sovereignty of the individual, "I think, therefore I am".

The case can be made that the Bible presents the standard unit of human existence as the family. In the Old Testament, the individual exists as an extension of the family, not the other way around. Understanding this concept gives depth of meaning to the strong emphasis in scripture placed upon both parenting and marriage. To be terse, my family is more important than I am.