The discipline of the earthly parent is for a short time, and that which the discipline directly regards is short also.
For the use of prov" compare Heb. 12:11 ( pro;" to; parovn ); 1 Tim. 4:8 ( pro;" ojlivgon ). Notantur dies non solum ii quos durat ipsa disciplina sed ad quos disciplinae fructus pertinet (Bengel).
With ejpi; to; sumfevron compare 1 Cor. 12:7 pro;" to; sumfevron . The word aJgiovth" occurs again 2 Cor. 1:12; metalabei'n , Heb. 6:7. With the general idea compare Philo, Leg. Alleg. i. § 13 (1:50) filovdwro" w]n oJ qeo;" carivzetai ta; ajgaqa; pa'si kai; toi'" mh; teleivoi", prokalouvmeno" aujtou;" eij" metousivan kai; zh'lon ajreth'" .
So Chrysostom says of our relation to God: filouvmeqa oujc i{na lavbh/ ajllj i{na dw'/ . And God gives that which He is: 1 Pet. 1:15 f. (Lev. 11:44); Matt. 5:48.
Heb. 12:11.
pa'sa me;n paid.
...
luvph"
] Yet the fruit of discipline is not
gained at once.
All chastening
, the divine no less than the human,
seemeth
, even though it is not so in its essence,
for the present
, looking at that only,
to be not joyous but grievous.
It might have been supposed that divine discipline would be free from sorrow. But this also is first brought under the general law and then considered in itself.
For cara'" ( luvph" ) ei\nai , see 10:39, note. u{steron de; ... dikai. ] yet, afterward it yieldeth , as its proper return ( ajpodivdwsin , comp. Apoc. 22:2), peaceable fruit to them that have been exercised thereby , even the fruit of righteousness.
The conflict of discipline issues in that perfect peace which answers to the fulfilment of law. Castigator demonstrat se fideliter fecisse: castigatus id agnoscit et gratiam habet: inde pax (Bengel).
In the LXX. ajpodidovnai most commonly represents byvihe (over 50
times), less frequently : Levi (over 20 times), and $ t'n: , H5989 (21 times). It
suggests that there is a claim in response to which something is given. Comp. Acts 4:33.
For the singular karpovn see Matt. 3:8, 10; eijrhnikov" (Vulg. pacatissimum ), which is common in the LXX. occurs again James 3:17. For the perfect gegumnasmevnoi" see Heb. 12:8 note; and for the image Chrysostom's note: oJra'/" pw'" kai; eujfhvmw/ ojnovmati kevcrhtai ; a[ra gumnasiva ejsti;n hJ paideiva, to;n ajqlhth;n ijscuro;n ejrgazomevnh kai; ajkatagwvniston ejn toi'" ajgw'si kai; a[macon ejn toi'" polevmoi" .
The word dikaiosuvnh" stands impressively at the end (James 2:1, th'" dovxh" ), explaining and summing up what has been said generally: peaceful fruit even the fruit of righteousness , that is, consisting in righteousness. Comp. James 3:18; 2 Tim. 4:8; Heb. 9:15; 10:20. Peace and righteousness both in different ways correspond to the issue of perfect discipline, through which all action becomes the expression of obedience to the divine will. Compare Is. 32:17.
There is a striking parallel to the thought in a saying of Aristotle preserved by Diogenes Laert.: th'" paideiva" ta;" me;n pJivza" ei\nai pikra;", glukei'" de; tou;" karpouv" (Diog. Laert. 5.18).
( d ) Practical conclusion for the Hebrews in their trial (Heb. 12:12, 13).
12 Wherefore set right the hands that hang down and the palsied knees; 13 and make straight paths for your feet, that the limb which is lame be