Academics from the Bible

“Health, Mathematics, Music, Nature, History/Geography/Prophecy, Language, and Voice”

Reading Assignment:

 Luke 8:4-15

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Mark 4:1-9, 13-20

Christ’s Object Lessons 33-75

Education 104-112

 

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes, were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables…” (Matthew 1-3)

Our lesson begins with the parable of the sower and the seed. Jesus is dealing with a group of listeners who had longed for the Messiah and were eagerly waiting for His appearance. “Christ’s mission was not understood by the people of His time. The manner of His coming was not in accordance with their expectations. The Lord Jesus was the foundation of the whole Jewish economy. Its imposing services were of divine appointment. They were designed to teach the people that at the time appointed One would come to whom those ceremonies pointed. But the Jews had exalted the forms and ceremonies and had lost sight of their object.”

“The gospel of Christ was a stumbling block to them because they demanded signs instead of a Saviour. They expected the Messiah to prove His claims by mighty deeds of conquest, to establish His empire on the ruins of earthly kingdoms. This expectation Christ answered in the parable of the sower. Not by force of arms, not by violent interpositions, was the kingdom of God to prevail, but by the implanting of a new principle in the hearts of men.” (COL 34-35)

Just as the Jews lost sight of the true mission and purpose of Christ so today true education has been lost sight of having the ideas of men exalted above the principles of God. “The true purpose of education is buried deep in the rubbish of degrees, accreditation, registration, testing, etc.

Let us look more closely at the parable of the sower of the seed and how Christ used it to teach valuable principles of education.

“The teachers of Israel were not sowing the seed of the word of God. Christ’s work as a teacher of truth was in marked contrast to that of the rabbis of His time.”

The teachers lifted human thought and tradition above the word of God and as a result, their teaching did not have any power to convert the soul. On the other hand, when dealing with those who sought truth as well as enemies, Christ used the scriptures often asking “What saith the Scriptures” “How readest thou?”

“The teachers work is to plant seeds”

The seed is the word of God. The seed consists of three basic parts, the seed coat, storage tissue and the embryo. The seed coat is like the Holy Spirit in the sense that is “protects the seed and helps it develop in the right place at the right time.” The storage tissue is like all of the truths in the Bible. The embryo is like the character growing from the seed which is the Word of God.

As God sows seeds of truth, Satan sows seeds of error. The seeds that Satan sows are known as false education. This principle is important because “Every seed brings forth fruit after its kind. Sow the seed under right conditions, and it will develop its own life in the plant. Receive into the soul by faith the incorruptible seed of the word, and it will bring forth a character and a life after the similitude of the character and the life of God. (COL 38)

For this reason, in our home schools, the Word of God should be the central focus. When we sow to the Spirit, we will reap to the Spirit. “The work of every teacher should be to fasten the mind of the youth upon the grand truths of the word of Inspiration. This is the education essential for this life and for the life to come.”

“The education to be secured by searching the Scriptures is an experimental knowledge of the plan of salvation. Such an education will restore the image of God in the soul. It will strengthen and fortify the mind against temptation, and fit the learner to become a co-worker with Christ in His mission of mercy to the world. It will make him a member of the heavenly family, and prepare him to share the inheritance of the saints in light.” (COL 43)

“The garden of the heart must be cultivated. The soil must be broken up by deep repentance for sin. Poisonous, Satanic plants must be uprooted. The soil once overgrown by thorns can be reclaimed only by diligent labor. So the evil tendencies of the natural heart can be overgrown only by earnest effort in the name and strength of Jesus. The Lord bids us by His prophet, ‘Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.’ Sow to yourselves in righteousness; reap in mercy’ (Jeremiah 4:3; Hosea 10:12)

Remember Christ is the Sower, Christ is the Seed, Christ prepares the soil. Christ is the Sun. Christ sends the showers. Christ helps mature the leaves and stems. Christ will harvest the fruit or sons of God.