The Meaning of Hebrews 12:6 Explained

Hebrews 12:6

KJV: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

YLT: for whom the Lord doth love He doth chasten, and He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth;'

Darby: for whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.

ASV: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  whom  the Lord  loveth  he chasteneth,  and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he receiveth. 

What does Hebrews 12:6 Mean?

Study Notes

Lord
Jehovah. Proverbs 3:12 .

Context Summary

Hebrews 12:1-8 - Persistently Press Forward
In one of Raphael's pictures the clouds, when looked at minutely, are seen to be composed of little cherub-faces; and those who have already witnessed and suffered for God gather around us as a great cloud, like the crowded amphitheaters in the old Olympian games. We are still in the arena; probably every blow and sigh are beheld and heard by the general assembly and church of the firstborn. What an incentive to lay aside all "cumbrances"; that is, whatever in your life may be a hindrance, though hardly a sin! But above all, we must put away the sin of unbelief, which we can best do by looking unto Jesus.
The word our should certainly be eliminated in Hebrews 12:2. Jesus began and finished His life-career by the same faith-"the faith of the Son of God"-which each of His children has to exercise. The light beyond the Cross beckoned to Him and so enamored Him that he counted no cost too dear, if only He might realize the possibilities that gleamed before His vision, of an elect church and a transformed world. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hebrews 12

1  An exhortation to constant faith, patience, and godliness by Christ's example
22  A commendation of the new covenant

Greek Commentary for Hebrews 12:6

Scourgeth [μαστιγοι]
Present active indicative of μαστιγοω — mastigoō old verb from μαστιχ — mastix (whip). This is a hard lesson for God‘s children to learn and to understand. See Hebrews 5:7 about Jesus. [source]
He chasteneth [παιδεύει]
See on Luke 23:16. [source]
Scourgeth [μαστιγοῖ]
Not very common, but found in all the four Gospels. Hebrews only here. Quite often in lxx. [source]
Receiveth [παραδέχεται]
Admits to filial privileges: acknowledges as his own. Of receiving the word of God, Mark 4:20; of receiving delegates from a body, Acts 15:4; of adopting or approving customs, Acts 16:21. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 12:6

Luke 23:16 Chastise [παιδεύσας]
Originally to bring up a child ( παῖς ). Hence, to instruct; so Acts 7:22, of Moses instructed in the wisdom of the Egyptians; and Acts 22:3, of Paul instructed in the law. To discipline orcorrect, as Hebrews 12:6, Hebrews 12:7. The word is not synonymous with punish, since it always implies an infliction which contemplates the subject's amendment; and hence answers to chastise or chasten. So Hebrews 12:10; Revelation 3:19. In popular speech chastise and punish are often confounded. Chasten is from the Latin castus, “pure,” “chaste;” and to chasten is, properly, to purify. This meaning underlies even the use of the word by Pilate, who was not likely to be nice in his choice of words. Instead of punishing him with death, he will chastise him, in order to teach him better. So Wyc., I shall deliver him amended. [source]
John 19:1 Scourged [ἐμαστίγωσεν]
Matthew and Mark use the Greek form of the Latin word flagellare, φραγελλόω , which occurs only in those two instances in the New Testament. John uses the more common Greek word, though he has φραγελλίον (flagellum ), scourge, at John 2:15. Matthew and Mark, however, both use μαστιγόω elsewhere (Matthew 10:17; Matthew 20:29; Mark 10:34). Its kindred noun, μάστιξ , occurs several times in the metaphorical sense of a plague. See on Mark 3:10, and compare Mark 5:29, Mark 5:34; Luke 7:21. The verb is used metaphorically only once, Hebrews 12:6. Scourging was the legal preliminary to crucifixion, but, in this case, was inflicted illegally before the sentence of crucifixion was pronounced, with a view of averting the extreme punishment, and of satisfying the Jews. (Luke 23:22). The punishment was horrible, the victim being bound to a low pillar or stake, and beaten, either with rods, or, in the case of slaves and provincials, with scourges, called scorpions, leather thongs tipped with leaden balls or sharp spikes. The severity of the infliction in Jesus' case is evident from His inability to bear His cross. [source]
Acts 22:3 Born [γεγεννημενος]
Perfect passive participle of γενναω — gennaō See above in Acts 21:39 for the claim of Tarsus as his birth-place. He was a Hellenistic Jew, not an Aramaean Jew (cf. Acts 6:1). Brought up (ανατετραμμενος — anatethrammenos). Perfect passive participle again of ανατρεπω — anatrephō to nurse up, to nourish up, common old verb, but in the N.T. only here, Acts 7:20., and MSS. in Luke 4:16. The implication is that Paul was sent to Jerusalem while still young, “from my youth” (Acts 26:4), how young we do not know, possibly thirteen or fourteen years old. He apparently had not seen Jesus in the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16). At the feet of Gamaliel The rabbis usually sat on a raised seat with the pupils in a circle around either on lower seats or on the ground. Paul was thus nourished in Pharisaic Judaism as interpreted by Gamaliel, one of the lights of Judaism. For remarks on Gamaliel see chapter Acts 5:34. He was one of the seven Rabbis to whom the Jews gave the highest title αββαν — Rabban (our Rabbi). αββι — Rabbi (my teacher) was next, the lowest being αβ — Rab (teacher). “As Aquinas among the schoolmen was called Doctor Angelicus, and Bonaventura Doctor Seraphicus, so Gamaliel was called the Beauty of the Law ” (Conybeare and Howson). Instructed (πεπαιδευμενος — pepaideumenos). Perfect passive participle again (each participle beginning a clause), this time of παιδευω — paideuō old verb to train a child (παις — pais) as in Acts 7:22 which see. In this sense also in 1 Timothy 1:20; Titus 2:12. Then to chastise as in Luke 23:16, Luke 23:22 (which see); 2 Timothy 2:25; Hebrews 12:6. According to the strict manner Old word, only here in N.T. Mathematical accuracy, minute exactness as seen in the adjective in Acts 26:5. See also Romans 10:2; Galatians 1:4; Philemon 3:4-7. Of our fathers (πατρωιου — patrōiou). Old adjective from πατερ — pater only here and Acts 24:14 in N.T. Means descending from father to son, especially property and other inherited privileges. Πατρικος — Patrikos (patrician) refers more to personal attributes and affiliations. Being zealous for God Not adjective, but substantive zealot (same word used by James of the thousands of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, Acts 21:20 which see) with objective genitive του τεου — tou theou (for God). See also Acts 21:14; Acts 28:17; 2 Timothy 1:3 where he makes a similar claim. So did Peter (Acts 3:13; Acts 5:30) and Stephen (Acts 7:32). Paul definitely claims, whatever freedom he demanded for Gentile Christians, to be personally “a zealot for God” “even as ye all are this day” In his conciliation he went to the limit and puts himself by the side of the mob in their zeal for the law, mistaken as they were about him. He was generous surely to interpret their fanatical frenzy as zeal for God. But Paul is sincere as he proceeds to show by appeal to his own conduct. [source]
Acts 22:3 Instructed [πεπαιδευμενος]
Perfect passive participle again (each participle beginning a clause), this time of παιδευω — paideuō old verb to train a child (παις — pais) as in Acts 7:22 which see. In this sense also in 1 Timothy 1:20; Titus 2:12. Then to chastise as in Luke 23:16, Luke 23:22 (which see); 2 Timothy 2:25; Hebrews 12:6. [source]
Acts 22:3 At the feet of Gamaliel [προς τους ποδας Γαμαλιηλ]
The rabbis usually sat on a raised seat with the pupils in a circle around either on lower seats or on the ground. Paul was thus nourished in Pharisaic Judaism as interpreted by Gamaliel, one of the lights of Judaism. For remarks on Gamaliel see chapter Acts 5:34. He was one of the seven Rabbis to whom the Jews gave the highest title αββαν — Rabban (our Rabbi). αββι — Rabbi (my teacher) was next, the lowest being αβ — Rab (teacher). “As Aquinas among the schoolmen was called Doctor Angelicus, and Bonaventura Doctor Seraphicus, so Gamaliel was called the Beauty of the Law ” (Conybeare and Howson). Instructed (πεπαιδευμενος — pepaideumenos). Perfect passive participle again (each participle beginning a clause), this time of παιδευω — paideuō old verb to train a child (παις — pais) as in Acts 7:22 which see. In this sense also in 1 Timothy 1:20; Titus 2:12. Then to chastise as in Luke 23:16, Luke 23:22 (which see); 2 Timothy 2:25; Hebrews 12:6. According to the strict manner Old word, only here in N.T. Mathematical accuracy, minute exactness as seen in the adjective in Acts 26:5. See also Romans 10:2; Galatians 1:4; Philemon 3:4-7. Of our fathers (πατρωιου — patrōiou). Old adjective from πατερ — pater only here and Acts 24:14 in N.T. Means descending from father to son, especially property and other inherited privileges. Πατρικος — Patrikos (patrician) refers more to personal attributes and affiliations. Being zealous for God Not adjective, but substantive zealot (same word used by James of the thousands of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, Acts 21:20 which see) with objective genitive του τεου — tou theou (for God). See also Acts 21:14; Acts 28:17; 2 Timothy 1:3 where he makes a similar claim. So did Peter (Acts 3:13; Acts 5:30) and Stephen (Acts 7:32). Paul definitely claims, whatever freedom he demanded for Gentile Christians, to be personally “a zealot for God” “even as ye all are this day” In his conciliation he went to the limit and puts himself by the side of the mob in their zeal for the law, mistaken as they were about him. He was generous surely to interpret their fanatical frenzy as zeal for God. But Paul is sincere as he proceeds to show by appeal to his own conduct. [source]
1 Corinthians 11:32 Ye are chastened of the Lord [υπο του Κυριου παιδευομετα]
On this sense of παιδευω — paideuō from παις — pais child, to train a child (Acts 7:22), to discipline with words (2 Timothy 2:25), to chastise with scourges see note on Luke 23:16 (Hebrews 12:7), and so by afflictions as here (Hebrews 12:6). υπο του Κυριου — Hupo tou Kuriou can be construed with κρινομενοι — krinomenoi instead of with παιδευομετα — paideuometha [source]

What do the individual words in Hebrews 12:6 mean?

Whom for He loves [the] Lord disciplines He scourges now every son He receives
ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος παιδεύει μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱὸν παραδέχεται

ὃν  Whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἀγαπᾷ  He  loves 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀγαπάω  
Sense: of persons.
Κύριος  [the]  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
παιδεύει  disciplines 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παιδεύω  
Sense: to train children.
μαστιγοῖ  He  scourges 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: μαστιγόω  
Sense: to scourge.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
πάντα  every 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
υἱὸν  son 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
παραδέχεται  He  receives 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παραδέχομαι  
Sense: to receive, take up, take upon one’s self.