What the Bible Says About Education

Heather Erdmann
Aug 23
8 min read

“That their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3)

What Does the Bible Say About Education? Biblical Purpose of Education blog; hands writing on paper, desk with books, eyeglasses, and calculator

It’s almost that time again—back to school! Whether or not you have children in school, we can all feel the anticipation of a new season arriving soon, the slightly cooler mornings (in the northern hemisphere), the store aisles filled with notebooks, folders, book bags, markers, pens, and pencils, and the anticipation of new beginnings that can bring hope and excitement.

As both a child and a homeschooling mom, I’ve always loved this time of year—except for 10 years ago when I thought the best part of my life was literally over. Our only daughter was graduating from homeschooling, and I felt as if my purpose had been fulfilled, with nothing more to accomplish or look forward to for my remaining years on earth. (It was a sad state to be in at just 44 years old.) I sank into a depression that lasted for longer than I’d like to admit, until the Lord eventually pulled me from it and gave me renewed purpose and joy.

I realized that during those previous years, He had only been preparing me for the next season of my life. He had been growing me in faith and knowledge of His Word, so He could take all we had learned and use it for His purposes and glory. Not only did He give me a new career as a Registered Dental Hygienist, where I have the opportunity to meet and talk to people about Him every day, but He also made me a published author of three Christian books, a Biblical living website and blog, and social media channels that share the Gospel and point others to Him and His Word!

And now, He is stretching me even further as I’ve recently accepted a life-long dream position of teaching at the college level! Not only that, but He is opening doors for me to return to school and complete my Bachelor's degree in my 50s—long after I had figured “that ship had sailed!”

I do not write any of this to my own credit or to bring glory to myself, but rather to show that God is the one who continues to use us and open doors we thought were long past shut, if we are only open to His leading. What we may think is impossible, He can make happen in His own time and ways. (Remember Abraham and Sarah?)

God is not finished with you yet, either!

So, as many of us prepare for a new school year, whether for ourselves or our children, we can build on His sure foundation and turn to God’s Word as we focus on what the Bible says about education.

Why Do We Learn?

In our modern age, we have access to an abundance of information at our fingertips. If we want to know what year our favorite movie star was born, what makes mosquito bites itch, why flamingos are pink, or why dogs eat grass, a quick internet search gives us the answer in seconds. The time between not knowing something and knowing it has become dramatically shorter than in previous generations.

However, knowing facts and possessing true wisdom are two completely different concepts. Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. An Irish rugby player named Brian O’Driscoll once said, “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.”

The human mind’s ability to learn new information is astounding. Our Creator has given us complex brains with a huge capacity to process concepts, facts, and ideas because He, too, is a complex, creative, and infinitely intelligent being. He is the source of all wisdom and truth. One of the world’s greatest scientists, Johannes Kepler, stated that learning is merely “thinking God’s thoughts after Him.” Anything we as humans try to discover, God already knows. We are simply trying to figure out how He did what He did.

The world often cries out, “Trust the science!” and to some degree, that is true. However, man’s understanding of science continually changes as we learn new information and grow in our knowledge of how God designed this world. When we only trust human discoveries without going to God first, we are simply putting our faith in man’s word, and man is notoriously unreliable.

What Does the Bible Say About Education?

Bible Verses About Education...

I find it fascinating and highly ironic that so many unbelievers who do not trust the Bible often discredit it by claiming it is “just a book written by men,” even though we’ve seen that it was actually authored by God and merely penned by men. Yet, every science textbook we have, and even Charles Darwin’s book “On the Origin of Species,” upon which many build their entire worldview, was authored by mere humans.

By eating from the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” in the Garden of Eden, man sought to achieve the impossible feat of knowing everything that God knows, rather than just trusting the ultimate source of knowledge Himself. The Bible tells us this would still happen and gives us wise counsel about avoiding this situation:

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

True knowledge and wisdom can only reliably come from God, who knows all things, and from the solid foundation of the Word in which He has revealed Himself to us. The Bible tells us that when we put God first, that is where true learning and understanding begin:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)

Christian Perspective on Education

Much of God’s creation has the capacity to learn, including animals that can be trained. But only people can imagine, reason, and create because we have been made in the image of our infinitely creative God. Only humans can create beautiful pieces of music and art and fully appreciate beauty and design.

We are also the only part of His creation that can verbally communicate thoughts, ideas, and feelings in elaborate and complex ways. God created language, which in itself is a fascinating and sophisticated topic. Have you ever considered just how language came to be or how, when we say a word like “red,” another person knows exactly what we mean? How do the letters r-e-d even communicate a concept like color? It’s mind-boggling, yet God made us so intricately and amazingly that we could learn and process such complexities.

We are thinking beings because our God is the infinite “thinker.” When I was quite young, I remember imagining that if I spent time each day learning everything I could about every different subject in the world, I would eventually know all that was possible to know. (Even as a preschooler, you can see the vestiges of fallen man trying to “be like God” and know everything He does!)

But, as a naïve child, I had no idea of the infinite knowledge of God. We spend our entire lifetimes discovering how God accomplished just a fraction of everything He did!

From exploring the complexities of our DNA in biology to studying the speed of light in physics, calculating elaborate concepts in calculus, or defining difficult words in language studies, our quest for knowledge is a never-ending process. No matter how old we are or how long we live, we will only scratch the surface of attaining the vast expanse of available truth and learning that is even possible. When we have a Biblical worldview as our starting point, we build on a solid foundation of truth. Our Lord Jesus is that truth! (John 14:6)

True knowledge begins with reverence and humility before our Creator and Redeemer. That is why God and His Word need to be foundational to all we know and learn in every aspect of our lives, including our learning. And that is why we need to begin with what the Bible says about education!

God promises that when we sincerely seek Him and ask for wisdom, He will grant that request:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5)

A Biblical Purpose for Education

Even Jesus, who is fully God and fully man, submitted Himself to the limits of our human condition when He came to earth to live among us. The Bible tells us that He subjected Himself to the same learning process that we all experience:

“And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” (Luke 2:52)

“Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8)

If the Son of God in human flesh needed to learn, how much more do we? Jesus laid aside His divine privileges to experience all we as humans experience, so He can fully relate to us and empathize with us in our weaknesses.

Education and learning play a central role throughout our lives. God commands parents to train their children and teach them His ways. We go to school from our early years to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. Then, we pursue additional education to master trades and careers so we can be productive members of society and help our fellow man. Many universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, were founded by Christians. A Biblical view of education helps us make sense of the world in which we live while training us to make a living for ourselves and our families.

Yet, the purpose of learning and education is not merely to attain a job or career, or to make money and acquire possessions, because those temporal goods and achievements will eventually pass away. We learn so that we can best serve and glorify God in all we do. As we learn new things, we begin to grasp and marvel at the vastness of His wisdom, and we stand in awe of His power and magnificence. Ultimately, we learn so that we can know Him better and love Him more!

God’s Design for Education

To summarize, a Biblical view of education includes (but is not limited to) the following concepts:

We think and create because we are made in the image of an intelligent, creative Designer.
We learn to discover God’s vast knowledge and ways of doing all He has done, to “think God’s thoughts after Him.”
Learning helps us realize our need for God and rely on Him for knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.
We learn because Jesus learned.
We learn to teach and disciple others, including our children.
We study to learn a trade or career to provide for ourselves and our families.
Our education and learning can glorify God.
We learn to marvel at God’s vast knowledge and complexity, and ultimately to know Him better and love Him more.