Page 95 - Hebrews- Student Textbook

12:4 "you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood" The original readers had suffered
persecution, but not yet death (cf. 10:32ff). Jesus had suffered death for them, they must be willing to
live or die for Him.

"in your striving against sin" This is another athletic term as was used in v. 1. It is transliterated in
English as "agony." The "sin" in context of the whole book refers to
1. The sin of unbelief related to the group of unbelieving Jews
2. The sin of apostasy ("shrinking back" 10:38) relating to the group of believing Jews

12:5 "you have forgotten" Here Uttly notes that, “This is a PERFECT MIDDLE (deponent) INDICATIVE. This
term is used only here in the New Testament. It denotes
1. A complete forgetting (i.e., emphasis on TENSE)
2. A deliberate forgetting (i.e., emphasis on VOICE)”
62
"DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY . . . NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM" This is a quote from the
Septuagint of Pro. 3:11-12. These both are PRESENT IMPERATIVES with a NEGATIVE PARTICLE, which usually
means to stop an act already in process.

"THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD" This term refers to "child training." There is a play on this term in vv. 5-11.
This is another familial metaphor. As earthly parents discipline their children, so too, God disciplines His
(cf. 1 Cor. 11:32; Rev. 3:19).

12:6 "FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES" This is one reason why believers are involved in
suffering for the faith (cf. Matt. 5:10-12; Acts 8:1b,4; 14:22; 2 Thess. 1:4-10).

▣ "AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES" This is the continuing quote from the Septuagint of Pro.
3:11-12. This is so important! Jesus has been called "a son" several times, while the OT characters have
been called "servants." Now New Testament believers are called "sons" (cf. vv. 7-8). Fathers discipline
sons:
1. for the father's purpose
2. for the son's benefit
3. for the benefit of the whole family

12:8 "if" This is a FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE, which is assumed to be true for the author's purposes.
All of God's children have experienced discipline (PERFECT ACTIVE INDICATIVE).

12:9 "Father of spirits" This has nothing to do with theories of the origin of the "soul." It is used in the
sense of the true source of all life. God is being contrasted with earthly fathers (cf. vv. 9-10).

12:10 "but He disciplines us for our good so that we may share His holiness" Every believer is sanctified
at salvation (positional) and is called to holiness. This is God's purpose for every believer (cf. Matt. 5:48;
Rom. 8:28-30; 2 Cor. 3:18; 7:1; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 4:13; 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:3,7; 1 Pet. 1:15). Believers are
predestined to holiness (cf. Eph. 1:4). It often occurs only in a disciplinary setting (cf. Heb. 5:8 and Rom.
8:17).

62 Uttly (12:5)
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