Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 12:5

"and ye have forgotten the exhortation which reasoneth with you as with sons, My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art reproved of him;" — Hebrews 12:5 (ASV)

They had forgotten an important point: Scripture links suffering and sonship, as Pr 3:11–12 shows. The address “My son” is normal for a writer of proverbs who assumes a superior but caring position. This author, however, sees a fuller meaning in these words than that, for they are words from God to his people. When God speaks of discipline and rebuke, it is sons whom he addresses. This warning is called “that word of encouragement.” The certainty of suffering encourages believers rather than dismays them because they know that it is God’s discipline for them. It seems not improbable that the words should perhaps be taken as a question: “Have you forgotten?” The word for “discipline” (GK 4082) combines the thoughts of chastening and education. It points to sufferings that teach us something. In v.4 the striving was against sin, but somehow the hand of God was in it, too. No circumstances are beyond God’s control, and there are none he cannot use to carry out his purpose. So believers are not to belittle the significance of their sufferings nor lose heart in the face of God’s correction. God disciplines the people he loves, not those he is indifferent to. The readers should see the sufferings they were experiencing as a sign of God’s love, as Scripture already assured them.

In the ancient world it was universally accepted that bringing up children involved disciplining them. The Roman father possessed absolute authority. When a child was born, he decided whether to keep or discard it. Throughout its life he could punish it as he chose. He could even execute a child and, while this was rarely done, the right to do it was there. Discipline was to be expected.