Thinking about scourging

[Heather Micaela]

Ok, sooooo..........

Whom the Lordloves he chastens and scourges every son he rececieves. (paraphrase)

Wansn't scourging a cat-of-nine-tails with pottery, glass, and bones attached? Didn't it peel away the skin and somtimes even kill people? Obviously just becuase the Bible uses this imagery doest mean we should do this to OUR kids. (We'd be sent to prision w/o possibility of parole)
Most likely it just illustrates how the correction of the Lord stings becuasue tears away our flesh (read sin nature)

So then maybe the rod is the same thing. An illustration familiar to the people of the time to expalin discipline

I'm so slow sometimes

So any thoughts?

edited becuase it seemed rather jumbled before

Well, I've been having a hard time with this one --- this is as far as I've gotten:

http://www.aolff.org/heb1246.htm



(maybe more later ?)

Crystal, help me out here. I could be dangerously close to blasphemy here. But, when I go to the original languages of Hebrews 12:6, the word “receiveth” means also, “to take upon one’s self”. So, does this verse mean that Christians are considered having been scourged also, with Christ, that His scourging included us (metaphorically), since Christians are (present tense) part of the body of Christ? Because, when he starts talking about fathers and sons, he does not use “scourge”, he uses “teaching/correcting with words”. Verse 6 is the only verse it’s (“scrouge”) is in. . .therefore, I was wondering if it could be making a reference to Christ in some kind of way, the One Who took our sins upon Himself.

4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye s, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after F42 their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Please be kind with me. . . .you know how hard it is for me to get my thoughts organized and clear, and these are very, very preliminary babblings!

[ArmsOfLove]

You are absolutely on to something! That was what I realized when I taught Hebrews in our adult education class and I have yet to update my article Jesus is God's Son--and Jesus was scourged--and because He was scourged we do not have to be scourged for our sins. BUT--the point that I believe the author is making--if Jesus, God's Son, was scourged for us, who are we to think that we won't endure suffering. Are we better than the Lord? Are we more worthy of being happy go lucky and never suffering? This was written *to encourage* people who were suffering and the point being made is that until you've suffered to death you are still learning and being matured in your faith. This is on line with James' teaching to consider it pure joy *when* you face trials of many kinds because it increases your faith.

To keep going, here, with these nebulous thoughts ----- when I read these verses, they have absolutely nothing to do with child-training?

(so, therefore, not applicable here )

[ArmsOfLove]

Right--they are not about child training *at all*. The parallel is being drawn between our earthly fathers who discipline us and that we can expect our heavenly father to discipline us. The scourging is only spoken of with regards to the Son in whom He is well pleased--and the Son who was scourged is Jesus. I like how the Complete Jewish Bible reads in verse 7, "Regard your endurance as discipline." The author is speaking to your attitude about your circumstances--not giving a lesson in parenting on earth the way God parents us :/

[Grover]

intersting

The author is speaking to your attitude about your circumstances--not giving a lesson in parenting on earth the way God parents us

I think it's also referring to the fact that we can learn from suffering...that it's not because God doesn't love us, but because He wants to teach us. This, I think, would fit in with other verses in Scripture:

“We glory also in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience trial, and trial hope (Romans 5:3-4).”

“My brethren, count it all joy when you shall fall into divers temptations, knowing that the trying of your faith works patience, and patience hath a perfect work: that you may perfect and entire, failing in nothing (James 1:2-4).”

(Douey-Rheims Version)