Home Schooling as a Biblical Principle
Home schooling, as a principle of education for children, is frequently found in the Word of God. The children of the patriarchs (and many other Old and New Testament saints) did not go to public schools but learned in their homes and from their parents those skills necessary for living in their world.
In Genesis 14, Abram fought and won a battle to deliver his captive nephew Lot, using “trained servants” that were “born in his house.”
Ishmael had to learn to survive in the wilderness, after he and his mother were cast out by Abraham (Gen. 21:14-2114And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. 15And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. 16And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. 17And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. 19And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. 20And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt. (Genesis 21:14‑21)). That was not a place where crops or cattle could thrive, and so Ishmael learned to be an “archer” in order that he could survive by means of his hunting skills.
In 1 Chronicles 25:57 we have another example of home schooling. Heman, a Levite, was one who had been appointed to the service of music during the days of David. We read that God “gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king’s order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the Lord.”
As these children learned to play musical instruments in their father’s house, Heman no doubt would remind them of the privilege, responsibility and joy of praising Jehovah and serving the children of Israel through their music.
In Matthew 4:2121And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. (Matthew 4:21) we have yet another example of home schooling where James and John worked as fishermen with their father, Zebedee. They learned this trade in their father’s house as they grew and until called by the Lord Jesus to a far higher work that was their occupation as men.
Though home schooling today is different in its scope, the fundamental principle of parents teaching children “necessary things” within the sphere of the home is the same as it was in Biblical times.
Examples of home schooling need not be multiplied. But we would impress upon parents the seriousness of making this decision and the solemn responsibilities connected with such a decision.
Home Schooling Is Hard Work
Home schooling requires a tremendous amount of energy, planning and work on the part of parents if it is to benefit children. Any effort less than this is not worthy of Christians, for “whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord” (Col. 3:2323And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; (Colossians 3:23)).
Beloved parents, God has “loaned” you those precious children, and He desires that you oversee their education as “wise stewards.” In home schooling, parents (not the public school system) accept the responsibility of educating their children and in a way which is pleasing to the Lord.
We read in Proverbs 18:99He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. (Proverbs 18:9), “He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.” What a sad waste of children’s abilities and talents home schooling becomes, if parents are slothful in the part they must play in this undertaking. Without intensive parental involvement and oversight, home-schooled children, left without direction, guidance or structure for their studies, run the danger of becoming slothful and unsettled in their habits of life. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:66Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)).
Romans 12:1111Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; (Romans 12:11) teaches that believers are not to be “slothful in business,” but “fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” Is not the “business” of our children’s education a most important one?
Finally, parents who home school their children are truly “serving the Lord,” as much as missionaries preaching the gospel in foreign lands. May they faithfully fulfill this critical service!
Home Schooling Needs Careful Planning
May beloved parents seek grace from the Lord to be very diligent in planning a learning experience and educational curriculum that will be of real value for their children.
Home Schooling Should Be Orderly
“God is not the author of confusion” (1 Cor. 14:3333For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. (1 Corinthians 14:33)). How important that children who are schooled at home receive their education in an orderly manner and in an orderly environment! In the more than thirty years that I have been involved in various levels of public education, I have found that the single greatest failing of this vast system has been the loss of firm, fair discipline and allowance of a spirit of irresponsibility and disorder.
In both Mark 6 and Luke 9, where we have accounts of the Lord’s feeding the multitude, He commands them to make the people sit down on the grass in an orderly arrangement, before they were fed.
As to the actual methods of instruction, there is a beautiful principle found in Isaiah 28:1010For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: (Isaiah 28:10): “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” May God grant parents who decide to home school their children purpose of heart to undertake this task faithfully as before the Lord.
Ed.
Note: Those who may be interested in home schooling curricula or other information are welcome to contact the editor by email or U.S. mail to receive a list of home schooling resources.