Hebrews 12:3-13 has been a difficult chapter to fully enter into mainly due to a combination of words that create a complex set of emotions. The author is encouraging his readers that we have a child and father relationship with God. At the same time he uses words like chastening, discipline and scourging to further convince us that God is treating us like children.

Hebrews 12:5-8 (NKJV) And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

These combination of words conjure up negative emotions and maybe even trigger trauma among those who have lived in homes where domestic violence was present. At face value, it seems to suggest that God uses pain and suffering as tools to educate his children. We end up placing this passage along other difficult Bible verses in the too hard basket.

Understanding the context

The context of this passage goes right back to chapter ten. The apostle is seeking to build faith and endurance in the lives of the believers because of the current circumstances they were experiencing.

Christians were being persecuted for their faith (Hebrews 10:32-34)

Hebrews 10:32-34 (NLT) Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

Before any suggestion about chastening that we see in chapter twelve occurs, the apostle recognises the terrible suffering the readers have endured for their faith in Jesus Christ. The list includes public ridicule, being beaten, sharing in others who were suffering similar fate including those thrown in jail. He seems to suggest a common experience among is readers who have had all their possessions confiscated by the state, based solely on their decision to become christians.

Not only does he acknowledge their suffering, he commends them for the way they have responded to the suffering.

“…you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.”

They were able to look beyond their suffering and accepted it with joy – why? They knew there were “better things waiting”. They were able to see that the suffering they were enduring was only temporal, but the choice to believe in Jesus was having eternal consequences.

They had grown discouraged and were ready to give up ( Hebrews 10:35-39)

Hebrews 10:35-39 (NLT) So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.

These wonderful christians were doing pretty well but prolonged suffering can take a toll on you. The apostle is sensing their weariness and discouragement and exhorts them not to throw away “this confident trust in the Lord”. He reminds them of the need for patient endurance and reminds them of the temporal nature of suffering. The early church had such an imminent view of Christ’s second coming that the thought of his return was a source of hope. “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come”.

Examples of the giants of faith who suffered (chapter 11)

Having encouraged them to persevere, he goes on to further encourage by associating their suffering with all the giants of faith in the Old Testament who suffered for their obedience to God. He first talks about the mighty deeds they accomplished for God and proceeds to say these words:

Hebrews 11:35-38 (NLT) But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

Jesus the perfect role model of one who suffered (12:1-3)

After he rolls out the who’s who in the hall of faith, he brings out the big gun – Jesus the perfect example.

Hebrews 12:1-4 (NLT) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

Fix your eyes on the champion, the role model – Keep your eyes on Jesus. That’s how you endure prolonged suffering. Christ’s fate will be our fate. How do we know that? Cause he is the one who initiates and perfects our faith.

HE ACKNOWLEDGES THEIR SUFFERING. HE ENCOURAGES THEM TO PATIENTLY ENDURE. HE INVITES THEM TO THINK OF THE GIANTS OF THE FAITH. THEN HE FINALLY CHALLENGES THEM TO FOCUS ON JESUS – THEN YOU WON’T BECOME WEARY AND GIVE UP.

Once he has encouraged them not to give up, he now gives them another perspective when facing prolonged suffering – think of yourself as a child of God. AS YOU ENDURE…REMEMBER – God is treating you as his own children.

PLEASE NOTE – A VERY IMPORTANT CAVIET

God was not the source of their suffering. They were being persecuted for their faith. I have heard people use this Scripture to suggest that God uses suffering to discipline his children. That’s not what this text is saying. The context is very clear – it’s talking about persecution. Sickness and tragedy can never be seen as coming from God. To attribute God as the source of suffering is to misrepresent the Father of lights in whom there is no variation and no shadow of turning. God is only good, God is always good.

I believe what the author of Hebrews is highlighting is that prolonged suffering has caused them to lose their confident trust in God. You get discouraged, you start questioning the goodness of God and forget the most important thing Christ has done for us – given us the right to become children of God. Prolonged suffering, discouragement, despair, can make an orphan out of us. So I want to go through this passage I we quoted at the beginning and go through it as a checklist to search our hearts to see if we are living as a child of God or have we slipped into an orphan mindset.

√ VERSE 7: An orphan doesn’t recognise fatherly training. A child embraces the experience.

Hebrews 12:7 (NLT) As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children.

The word translated “discipline” in NLT, is translated as “chastening” in NKJV. The greek word used is paideia– tutorage, education or training. It implies correcting as part of the training process but to translate it as chastening or discipline is unfortunate. Both these words carry a negative connotation and in my opinion misrepresents the intention of the author to show a loving and caring relationship of a father and child as opposed to an orphan who is left to their own devices. He is suggesting that in the midst of suffering – take time to sit on daddy’s knees and glean from Him. Let him teach you as he did all the heroes of the faith in chapter 11 who suffered well for what they believed in. Let Abba Father spend time with you in the midst of your suffering to teach you how the Son of God exemplified the powerful life of suffering for the sake of the Kingdom.

√ VERSE 8: An orphan doesn’t realise their legal entitlement. A child knows he or she is family and belongs.

Hebrews 12:8 (NLT) If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.

Once again we need to go to the greek. The word translated illegitimate is the greek word nothos. It carries the thought of being illegitimate in the sense of legal standing. “unable to make an accredited claim” to sonship of God (TDNT). The word is used in ancient Greece to describe someone who didn’t have legitimate rights to be a citizen because one of their parents were not greeks. The apostle is saying that one who doesn’t experience the intimate fatherly training or tutorage is one who is not experiencing their right as a child. An orphan doesn’t realise their legal entitlement. A child knows he or she is family and belongs. When your father is king, it means you are a prince.

√ VERSE 9: An orphan sees submission as life threatening. A child sees submission as life-giving.

Hebrews 12:9 (NLT) Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?

When I was doing clinical counselling, I used to see blended families who were seeking therapeutic intervention for their teenage children presenting challenging behaviour. It was common for me to hear an exasperated teenager yell out to his or her step-father, “you’re not my father. You can’t tell me what to do.” The child was not able to see the man their mother married as their father and gave him no legitimate right to guide them as their parent.

Submission is a relational problem. When we struggle to submit to the guidance of the Lord, we are really struggling with Him being our Father. Note how the passage calls God the Father of our spirits – he does a deep work, deep calling to deep and His work causes us to live, truly live. An orphan spirit will always struggle with submitting to God but a child will always see submission as a life-giving experience.

√ VERSE 10: An orphan sees God’s intentions as self-serving. A child sees God as always acting on their best interest.

Hebrews 12:10 (NLT) For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness.

The author to the Hebrews speaks fondly of the training received from an earthly father. He sees the short time earthly fathers had to pass on life lessons were done to the best of their abilities and was based on what they felt was best for us. God on the other hand does know us best and does know what is best for us. His training is always good for us, leading us closer to sharing a life like He has. A child will have a positive view of God’s dealings in their lives. An orphan spirit is always suspicious about God’s intentions. An orphan sees God’s intentions as self-serving. A child sees God as always acting on their best interest.

√ FINALLY VERSE 11: An orphan seeks short term pleasure. A child endures, trusting for a certain harvest in the future.

Hebrews 12:11 (NLT) No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

A child who embraces the tutorage and training of the Lord, will develop the ability to see beyond the present suffering and envision the future harvest of all the promises of God. An orphan acquires no skill in seeing beyond the present hardship, seeking short term pleasure.

SO BE A CHILD NOT AN ORPHAN

– Your Heavenly Father wants to train you

– Your Heavenly Father wants you to know that you are part of His family

– Your Heavenly Father wants you to submit to His parenting so you can truly enjoy the life He has for you

– Your Heavenly Father has only your best interest at heart

– Your Heavenly Father has a long term plan for you to bear much fruit and prosper in Him

This passage closes with some wonderful practical advice.

Hebrews 12:12-13 (NLT) So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

I know the context is suffering under persecution – but I would like to see these two verses as a template for all kinds of suffering.

A CHILD’S TEMPLATE WHEN SUFFERING

When going through suffering, this is how we should posture ourselves:

• raise those hands in thanksgiving

• strengthen the knees in prayer

• clear the path so you don’t trip – clear from faulty thinking, faulty ideas about God

• and keep walking till you are whole again