Teaching His Story & the Art of Biblical Learning 

Education with America’s Providential History

The definition of Education from the Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary captures our Biblical Philosophical Heritage at the height of when America, as a culture, reasoned from the Word of God:

The Nature of Education

Notice that this “immense responsibility” rests on parents and guardians. This concept of Hebrew culture or “paideia” is illustrated in Ephesians 6:4. Here is the scripture and word study from the KJV,

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition (3559) of the Lord.” In the Key Word Bible “nurture and admonition” is from the Hebrew word:

#3559 Nouthesia; to put. To put into the mind. An admonition (1 Cor. 10:11; Eph. 6:4; Titus 3:10). Nouthesia is the training by a word of encouragement when it proves sufficient, but also by a word of remonstrance, reproof, blame, as required. Paideia (3809) is instruction, training by act and discipline. Nouthesia is the milder term without which paideia would be incomplete. Nouthesia involves correction by deed as needed. In both words there is the appeal to the reasonable faculties.

#3809 Paideia; originally instruction of children. It evolved to mean chastening because all effectual instruction for the sinful children of men includes and implies chastening, correction. Paideia occurs with… rectification, in 2 Timothy 3:16. In paideia there is discipline. See nouthesia (3559), instruction mainly by word, while paideia is by deed.

From the 1828 Dictionary definition of Education, the Nature of Education:

“comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline.”

Instruction and discipline are included in Ephesians 6:4 ESV:

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

How might fathers provoke their children to anger? How do we bring our children “up  in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”? These are the questions that parents should be asking ourselves. But nothing in our culture tells us parents that these are the questions we will be expected to answer when each of us faces the Lord Jesus Christ to give an account of how we stewarded the responsibility to “train up a child in the way that he should go.”

My favorite version of this scripture is in the KJV, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

Nurture, from the 1828 says, “That which promotes growth; education; instruction.” It sites Ephesians 6:4 as a scriptural reference.

Admonition, from the 1828 says, “Gentle reproof; counseling against a fault; instruction in duties; caution; direction.”

Realizing that we are responsible for more than academics in discipling our children, encourages us to take advantage of the teachable moments when our children are out of sorts. If we are only looking at academics, we see these opportunities as distractions to education. If we see the true nature of education, these “distractions” are valuable to help us see into our children’s hearts for very teachable moments to nurture and admonish at exactly the moment that their hearts are struggling and need an impartation of love, “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)

Help us, O Father God Almighty, to have Your heart and Your standards in raising our children. Help us let go of all the traditions and habits that we have adopted from the world. Grace us to “not provoke [our] children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

A3S1 Compensation

The Judges… shall at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.  ~ A3S1

Notice that the Constitution does not say that a judge’s salary could not increase. The framers realized that the cost-of-living might increase and they wanted the judges to be well paid. However they had watched kings in England threatened to reduce judges’ salaries if the judges did not adjudicate according to the king’s will.

Alexander Hamilton said, “In the general course of human nature, a power over a man’s subsistence amounts to a power over his will. And we can never hope to see realized in practice the complete separation of the judicial from the legislative power, in any system which leaves the former dependent for pecuniary resources on the occasional grants of the latter… (1)

Gouverneur Morris “… thought the legislature ought to be at liberty to increase salaries as circumstances might require; and that this would not create any improper dependence in the judges.” (2)

McKean explained that, “An objection is made that the compensation for the services of the judges shall not be diminished during their continuance in office; and this is contrasted with the compensation of the President, which is to be neither increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall be elected. But that of the judges may be increased.

“Do gentlemen, not see the reason why this difference is made? Do they not see that the president is appointed but for four years, while the judges may continue for life, if they shall so long behave themselves well… A security that their compensation shall not be lessened, nor they have to look up to every session for salary, will certainly tend to make those officers more easy and independent.”(3)

O Father, we pray that You restore to our civic policy setting the Biblical wisdom of the Framers. We know that they sought You for wisdom. Forgive us for turning from You, God. Grant us repentance that we may honor and glorify You once again, in Jesus’ Name, Amen!

1. Federalist 79.
2. Madison, p.277.
3. Elliot, 2:539.

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I have learned many of these quotes from The Making of America by Cleon Skousen.    You may purchase it here.

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“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 NIV

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