What is Education? A Word Study

 

If you’re unsure about what it means to do a word study, or why I do them, take a peek back at my study of the word, Attentive. I explain more there. 

 

 

According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary:

 

Education: n. the bringing up, as of a child; instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instructions and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and sciences, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties. 

 

• Bring: to attract or draw along.
• Instruction: the act of teaching or informing the understanding in that of which it was before ignorant; conveying knowledge
• Formation: the act of forming or making; the act of creating or causing to exist; shaping and giving form
• Discipline: education; instruction and government; correction
• Enlighten: to shed light on; to enable to see more clearly; to instruct; to enable to see or comprehend truth
• Correct: to make right; to bring to the standard of truth; to bring back to propriety in morals
• Form: to set; to fix; to fit; to shape; to adjust
• Habit: a condition of the mind or body acquired by frequent repetition of the same act
• Religious: godly; loving and reverencing the Supreme Being and obeying his precepts
• Responsibility: the state of being accountable or answerable
• Duty: that which a person owes to another; obedience; submission; act of reverence or respect

To educate is to draw a child along to the understanding of knowledge that was previously unknown, with the purpose of shaping manners, correcting the temper, and conditioning the mind, by providing instruction that will enable the child to clearly see truth and lead a life, with reverence for and obedience to God, useful for whatever God’s plan for his life may be. As a parent, I am accountable to God to teach His commandments to my child.

 

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Job 22:22 Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.

Proverbs 8:7 For my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe . . . 

Romans 16:19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress [teach] them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Philosophy of Education

Using the above definitions of education and the Scripture references, I have developed my very own philosophy of education —

The first goal of Christian Education is the development of a Biblical worldview (Romans 12:2). The Bible is the primary source of all learning and through it’s principles of truth, we may be thoroughly equipped for all good service (2 Timothy 3:16-17). As Ben’s parents, we are accountable, out of submission to God, to apply the instruction of these truths to Ben’s heart (Job 22:22) as we go through our day (Deuteronomy 6:6-7), so that he may be obedient to God, wise to what is good, innocent to what is evil (Romans 16:19) and prepared for whatever God has planned for his future (Jeremiah 29:11). For this reason, it is imperative that he be at home with us as his primary influence and that our influence be one that utters truth, not wickedness (Proverbs 8:7).

You might be surprised that my philosophy of education doesn’t mention reading, writing or math. While I believe that teaching subjects such as these are a part of equipping him, they are the secondary concern after a primary purpose has been established — the laying down of a foundation based on the Truths of Scripture. As Webster’s 1828 so eloquently states: 

To give children a good education in manners, arts and sciences, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.