8 Bible proverbs about education

What are the bible proverbs about education? Find out in this article with commentary on each verse.

Introduction

The book of Proverbs equates searching for wisdom and understanding and following instructions from parents as education. Religion and moral values were the focus of the ancient Israeli education system. Having the right relationship with God was the central theme. The home was where children learnt from their parents. The school where boys were trained taught the Pentateuch mainly and was an extension of home schooling. Education was the responsibility of parents. That is why families had certain trades. They passed knowledge from generation to generation. You would have a family that had fishermen, another would be tent makers and others, carpenters.

8 Bible proverbs about education

Proverbs 1:8

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. 

Listening to the father’s instructions means absorbing the information and showing that you are listening by practicing what you are taught. You can listen and soon forget what you were taught. This proverb is a call for effective listening. To forsake is to abandon, quit, or leave entirely. The mother’s education is so important that the father instructs his son never to stop doing what his mother taught him.

Proverbs 3:13

A find is usually something interesting, something of high value, a discovery. If it is an archaeological find, it involves digging. You have to actively look for and search for wisdom. It does not just come to you. It is a precious find. The result of finding wisdom is gaining an understanding of life. Keep researching, studying and learning until you gain understanding.

Proverbs 4:13

The ‌instruction that this verse is referring to is teaching specific knowledge and skills. Holding on to the teaching and what you learn means maintaining the teachings by putting them to practice. Guarding the teachings implies protecting what you learned. That means you can not be corrupted. You are deeply rooted and believe in what you learnt. The instructions are your life. God’s word and wisdom are life, and they should be guarded.

Proverbs 9:9

This is probably one of the best proverbs about education. It clearly points out how the educated yearn for more education and how they are easily teachable. They gladly add more to their learning. They respond positively to instruction. As Christians, let us always be willing to learn. The Christian life is always developing, it is not static. We should continue growing in the knowledge of God, understanding and following his instructions.

Proverbs 13:10

Those who are willing to learn are wise. They take and accept good counsel. Being wise is not about having pride and showing everyone how knowledgeable you are. Actually, the wise are on a never-ending quest for more knowledge and they are always learning new ideas and analyzing them. The wise never stop learning.

Proverb 15:33

This proverb is about practical learning. By showing God respect (fearing God) you will put into practice the instruction or teaching on how to serve God. You serve God by following His instructions, and we are taught to fear God. Learning has to produce results. We learn how profound God is through wisdom’s teachings. 

Proverbs 16:16

You get wisdom through learning. This proverb best describes the importance of learning. It is more valuable than material things. We are so busy chasing after certain lifestyles. We want expensive cars and mansions. Here, we are explicitly told that all these things are worthless. Only wisdom has true value. Our greatest desire should be to seek wisdom and learn more about God and His purpose for us in the world.

Proverbs 18:15

Being always ready to learn is when someone engages in life-long learning. Knowing God is a life-long process. God encourages people to learn and get as much information as possible. There is no benefit in ignorance. It is the educated, wise people who are honored and respected. We appreciate the input of the wise. We have no excuse for not studying hard. The Bible instructs Christians to seek knowledge. 

Conclusion

The book of Proverbs encourages learning. Christians should educate themselves on the true doctrines of the Bible. They should guard God’s truth and not waver. Parents in this present day can learn from the Old Testament Jews who took on the responsibility of educating their children in the ways of the Lord.