If we are God's children, we will not look on suffering as a punishment. Chastening it may be, but not the penalty of sin. It is administered by our Father. Don't look at the intermediary links in the chain, but remember that Satan could not go beyond the Father's limit in the case of Balaam or Job. See Numbers 22:31; Job 2:6. It is only for the present; it will soon be over; it is intended to free us of dross and is therefore to profit; it will yield peace, and righteousness, and true holiness. Look on and up-the harvest will repay.
We are bidden, Hebrews 12:14-17, to watch each other's interests and to stay the first speck of corruption in the fruit, lest it spread. The corrupt soul infects all in its neighborhood. There are irrevocable acts in life. We cannot undo them, but we may be forgiven. Esau received all that this world could give and became a prince, but he never got back his spiritual leadership. [source]
Chapter Summary: Hebrews 12
1An exhortation to constant faith, patience, and godliness by Christ's example 22A commendation of the new covenant
Greek Commentary for Hebrews 12:12
Wherefore [διο] Because of the chastening. Lift up First aorist active imperative of ανορτοω anorthoō old compound (from ανα ορτος ana class="normal greek">παρειμενας orthos) to make straight, in N.T. here and Luke 13:13; Acts 15:16. Hang down (παριημι pareimenas). Perfect passive participle of παραλελυμενα pariēmi old verb to let pass, to relax, in N.T. only here and Luke 11:42. Palsied (παραλυω paralelumena). Perfect passive participle of paraluō old verb to loosen on the side, to dissolve, to paralyze (Luke 5:18,Luke 5:24). [source]
Lift up [ανορτωσατε] First aorist active imperative of ανορτοω anorthoō old compound (from ανα ορτος ana class="normal greek">παρειμενας orthos) to make straight, in N.T. here and Luke 13:13; Acts 15:16. Hang down (παριημι pareimenas). Perfect passive participle of παραλελυμενα pariēmi old verb to let pass, to relax, in N.T. only here and Luke 11:42. Palsied (παραλυω paralelumena). Perfect passive participle of paraluō old verb to loosen on the side, to dissolve, to paralyze (Luke 5:18,Luke 5:24). [source]
Wherefore [διὸ] Because chastening is thus necessary, and serves for wholesome discipline, and issues in holiness. [source]
Lift up [ἀνορθώσατε] Found in Luke 13:13; Acts 15:16(citn). Occasionally in lxx. It signifies to set up, make, erect. In O.T. to establish, as a throne (2 Samuel 7:13,2 Samuel 7:16); a house (2 Samuel 7:26; 1 Chronicles 17:24); to raise up one who is down (Psalm 145:9; Acts href="/desk/?q=ac+15:16&sr=1">Acts 15:16, to build anew. By medical writers, to straighten; to set dislocated parts of the body. See Luke 13:13. The translation here should be more general: not lift up, which is inappropriate to paralyzed knees, but set right; brace. As falling in with the thought of this passage, comp. the lxx of Psalm href="/desk/?q=ps+19:8&sr=1">Psalm 19:8. [source]
The hands which hang down [τὰς παρειμένας χεῖρας] Rend. the slackened or weakened hands. Comp. Isaiah 35:3; 2Samuel href="/desk/?q=2sa+4:1&sr=1">2 Samuel 4:1. The verb παριέναι (only here and Luke 11:42) originally means to let pass, disregard, neglect; thence to relax, loosen. See Clem. Rom. Ad Corinth. xxxiv, who associates it with νωθρὸς slothful(comp. Hebrews 5:11). [source]
And the feeble knees [καὶ τὰ παραλελυμένα γόνατα] For feeble rend. palsied. See on Luke 5:18. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 12:12
Luke 13:13She was made straight [ἀνορθώθη] The verb occurs, Acts 15:16, of setting up the tabernacle of David, and Hebrews 12:12, of lifting up the hands which hang down. [source]
Luke 13:13She was made straight [ανωρτωτη] First aorist (effective) passive indicative of ανορτοω anorthoō old verb, but only three times in the N.T. (Luke 13:13; Hebrews 12:12; Acts 15:16), to make straight again. Here it has the literal sense of making straight the old woman‘s crooked back.She glorified God (εδοχαζεν τον τεον edoxazen ton theon). Imperfect active. Began it (inchoative) and kept it up. [source]
Hebrews 9:10Only with meats and drinks and divers washings [μονον επι βρωμασιν και πομασιν και διαποροις βαπτισμοις] The parenthesis of the Revised Version here is unnecessary. The use of επι epi here with the locative case is regular, “in the matter of” (Luke 12:52; John 12:16; Acts 21:24). What ritual value these Levitical sacrifices had was confined to minute regulations about diet and ceremonial cleansing (clean and unclean). For “divers” Carnal ordinances But the correct text is undoubtedly simply δικαιωματα σαρκος dikaiōmata sarkos (nominative case), in apposition with δωρα τε και τυσιαι dōra te kai thusiai (gifts and sacrifices). See Hebrews 9:1 for δικαιωματα dikaiōmata Imposed Present middle or passive participle of επικειμαι epikeimai old verb to lie upon (be laid upon). Cf. 1 Corinthians 9:16. Until a time of reformation Definite statement of the temporary nature of the Levitical system already stated in Hebrews 7:10-17; Hebrews 8:13 and argued clearly by Paul in Galatians 3:15-22. Διορτωσις Diorthōsis is a late word, here alone in N.T. (from διορτοω diorthoō to set right or straight), used by Hippocrates for making straight misshapen limbs like ανορτοω anorthoō in Hebrews 12:12. Here for reformation like διορτωμα diorthōma (reform) in Acts 24:2. Christianity itself is the great Reformation of the current Judaism (Pharisaism) and the spiritual Judaism foreshadowed by the old Abrahamic promise (see Gal 3; Rom 9). [source]
What do the individual words in Hebrews 12:12 mean?
Thereforethedroopinghandsandtheenfeebledkneeslift up
Greek Commentary for Hebrews 12:12
Because of the chastening. Lift up First aorist active imperative of ανορτοω anorthoō old compound (from ανα ορτος ana class="normal greek">παρειμενας orthos) to make straight, in N.T. here and Luke 13:13; Acts 15:16. Hang down (παριημι pareimenas). Perfect passive participle of παραλελυμενα pariēmi old verb to let pass, to relax, in N.T. only here and Luke 11:42. Palsied (παραλυω paralelumena). Perfect passive participle of paraluō old verb to loosen on the side, to dissolve, to paralyze (Luke 5:18, Luke 5:24). [source]
First aorist active imperative of ανορτοω anorthoō old compound (from ανα ορτος ana class="normal greek">παρειμενας orthos) to make straight, in N.T. here and Luke 13:13; Acts 15:16. Hang down (παριημι pareimenas). Perfect passive participle of παραλελυμενα pariēmi old verb to let pass, to relax, in N.T. only here and Luke 11:42. Palsied (παραλυω paralelumena). Perfect passive participle of paraluō old verb to loosen on the side, to dissolve, to paralyze (Luke 5:18, Luke 5:24). [source]
Because chastening is thus necessary, and serves for wholesome discipline, and issues in holiness. [source]
Found in Luke 13:13; Acts 15:16(citn). Occasionally in lxx. It signifies to set up, make, erect. In O.T. to establish, as a throne (2 Samuel 7:13, 2 Samuel 7:16); a house (2 Samuel 7:26; 1 Chronicles 17:24); to raise up one who is down (Psalm 145:9; Acts href="/desk/?q=ac+15:16&sr=1">Acts 15:16, to build anew. By medical writers, to straighten; to set dislocated parts of the body. See Luke 13:13. The translation here should be more general: not lift up, which is inappropriate to paralyzed knees, but set right; brace. As falling in with the thought of this passage, comp. the lxx of Psalm href="/desk/?q=ps+19:8&sr=1">Psalm 19:8. [source]
Rend. the slackened or weakened hands. Comp. Isaiah 35:3; 2Samuel href="/desk/?q=2sa+4:1&sr=1">2 Samuel 4:1. The verb παριέναι (only here and Luke 11:42) originally means to let pass, disregard, neglect; thence to relax, loosen. See Clem. Rom. Ad Corinth. xxxiv, who associates it with νωθρὸς slothful(comp. Hebrews 5:11). [source]
For feeble rend. palsied. See on Luke 5:18. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 12:12
The verb occurs, Acts 15:16, of setting up the tabernacle of David, and Hebrews 12:12, of lifting up the hands which hang down. [source]
First aorist (effective) passive indicative of ανορτοω anorthoō old verb, but only three times in the N.T. (Luke 13:13; Hebrews 12:12; Acts 15:16), to make straight again. Here it has the literal sense of making straight the old woman‘s crooked back.She glorified God (εδοχαζεν τον τεον edoxazen ton theon). Imperfect active. Began it (inchoative) and kept it up. [source]
Φιλαδελφία in Paul, Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9. As a proper name, Revelation 1:11; Revelation 3:7. It is not necessary to suppose that the admonition implies signs of estrangement among those addressed. Comp. Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 6:10; Hebrews 10:24; Hebrews 12:12-15. [source]
The parenthesis of the Revised Version here is unnecessary. The use of επι epi here with the locative case is regular, “in the matter of” (Luke 12:52; John 12:16; Acts 21:24). What ritual value these Levitical sacrifices had was confined to minute regulations about diet and ceremonial cleansing (clean and unclean). For “divers” Carnal ordinances But the correct text is undoubtedly simply δικαιωματα σαρκος dikaiōmata sarkos (nominative case), in apposition with δωρα τε και τυσιαι dōra te kai thusiai (gifts and sacrifices). See Hebrews 9:1 for δικαιωματα dikaiōmata Imposed Present middle or passive participle of επικειμαι epikeimai old verb to lie upon (be laid upon). Cf. 1 Corinthians 9:16. Until a time of reformation Definite statement of the temporary nature of the Levitical system already stated in Hebrews 7:10-17; Hebrews 8:13 and argued clearly by Paul in Galatians 3:15-22. Διορτωσις Diorthōsis is a late word, here alone in N.T. (from διορτοω diorthoō to set right or straight), used by Hippocrates for making straight misshapen limbs like ανορτοω anorthoō in Hebrews 12:12. Here for reformation like διορτωμα diorthōma (reform) in Acts 24:2. Christianity itself is the great Reformation of the current Judaism (Pharisaism) and the spiritual Judaism foreshadowed by the old Abrahamic promise (see Gal 3; Rom 9). [source]