Hebrews 12:5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hebrews 12:4-17

Here the apostle presses the exhortation to patience and perseverance by an argument taken from the gentle measure and gracious nature of those sufferings which the believing Hebrews endured in their Christian course. I. From the gentle and moderate degree and measure of their sufferings: You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin, Heb. 12:4. Observe, 1. He owns that they had suffered much, they had been striving to an agony against sin. Here, (1.) The cause of the conflict was... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Hebrews 12:5-11

12:5-11 Have you forgotten the appeal, an appeal which reasons with you as sons? "My son, do not treat lightly the discipline which the Lord sends; Never lose heart when you are put to the test by him; For the Lord disciplines the man whom he loves, and scourges every son whom he receives." It is for the sake of discipline that you must endure. It is because he is treating us as sons that God sends these things upon us. What son is there whom his father does not discipline? If... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 12:5

And ye have forgotten the exhortation ,.... Or consolation, the consolatory word or doctrine, in Proverbs 3:11 . This, by their conduct, the apostle feared they had forgotten, and therefore puts them in mind of it; or it may be read by way of question, "and have ye forgotten?", &c.; do not ye remember? it would be right to call it to mind: which speaketh unto you as unto children ; not as the children of Solomon, but as the children of God, or of Christ, the wisdom of God: here, by... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 12:5

And ye have forgotten - Or, have ye forgotten the exhortation? This quotation is made from Proverbs 3:11 , Proverbs 3:12 , and shows that the address there, which at first sight appears to be from Solomon to his son, or from some fatherly man to a person in affliction, is properly from God himself to any person in persecution, affliction, or distress. Despise not thou the chastening - Μη ολιγωρει παιδειας Κυριου· Do not neglect the correction of the Lord. That man neglects... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 12:5

Verse 5 5.And ye have forgotten, etc. I read the words as a question; for he asks, whether they had forgotten, intimating that it was not yet time to forget. But he enters here on the doctrine, that it is useful and needful for us to be disciplined by the cross; and he refers to the testimony of Solomon, which includes two parts; the first is, that we are not to reject the Lord’s correction; and in the second the reason is given, because the Lord loves those whom he chastises. (246) But as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 12:1-29

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 12:4-11

Chastisement. In this passage the writer reminds the Hebrews that although doubtless they had sustained severe trials on account of their devotedness to Christ, none of them had yet been required to seal their faith with their blood ( Hebrews 12:4 ). Other children of God had suffered much more than they ( Hebrews 11:35-38 ), and had remained faithful. For them to apostatize would, therefore, be very heinous sin. Rather they must learn to view their afflictions as the corrections of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 12:5-6

And ye have forgotten (or, have ye forgotten? ) the exhortation which speaketh unto you (more correctly, discourses , or reasons , with you ; i.e. in the way of fatherly remonstrance) as unto children, My son , etc. This verse introduces a further motive for persevering under prolonged trial, viz. our being assured in Holy Writ of its beneficial purpose as discipline. The quotation is from Proverbs 3:11 , Proverbs 3:12 , as it is in the LXX . We observe that the word... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 12:5-6

Divine discipline. "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord," etc. Our subject is Divine discipline. Let us notice— I. ITS CHARACTER . Three words are used to express it—"rebuke," "chastening," "scourging." The last two seem to be used synonymously here. Archbishop Trench points out that "'to rebuke" and "to chasten" are often found together, but they are very capable of being distinguished. "To rebuke" is so to rebuke that the person is brought to the acknowledgment... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 12:5-10

God's discipline of his children. Continually in the New Testament, when we get into circumstances of doubt and pain, we are brought back to the rich truth and comfort to be found in the fatherhood of God. Here, as elsewhere, à fortiori argument is employed. If an earthly father, being evil, gives good gifts to his children, how much more will the heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them asking him? And even so, if an earthly father disciplines his children, making them do and bear... read more

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