Hebrews 12:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. By the example of those about whom they thought that they had been abandoned by God, he shows them that they were the objects of God’s care.

If you were strangers to afflictions, it would appear that you were illegitimate children and not sons. For what father cares for the upbringing and chastity of illegitimate sons?

Since you are subjected to oppression, your life thereby appears chaste and temperate. So also all the righteous mentioned above are plainly righteous, and they were called sons of God.

It is clear that this does not contradict the fact that God deals with you as with sons and cares for you, lest, being undisciplined, you fall away, and lest for this He deprive you of the inheritance.

Here chastening is spoken of in the sense of suffering for one's sins for the purpose of correction.

Therefore, when you are subjected to chastening, endure it, since God receives you as sons after the repentance that this chastening evokes in you. For what son is there whom his father does not chasten?

"If you endure chastening," that is, if you bravely endure the chastisements imposed on you, "God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons." Fathers, says the Apostle, are accustomed to chasten legitimate children. When they see their teachers beating them, they do not grieve, because they see the fruit of chastening. But they neglect children born outside lawful marriage and do not deem them worthy of equal care. Therefore, if you also avoid chastening, you belong to the number of illegitimate children.

"If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons." Lest it seem to them that they were abandoned by God and were suffering for that very reason, the Apostle continues his persuasion and uses many demonstrative thoughts for this purpose. He seeks from different sides to give them consolation, persuading them that they are chastened as sons in relation to God, so that they may appear better to Him. "For what son is there whom a father does not chasten?" Truly there is none, unless he has been deprived of sonship. For an unchastened son is as one rejected.

The divinely wise Paul often proposes a question instead of making an affirmation, intending thereby to make the proof more accessible and stronger. Thus, to those who were in temptations and grieving, he said, “For what son is there whom a father does not chasten?”

He used the question to give the proof greater force. So also elsewhere he says, “Is it proper for a woman to pray to God uncovered?” (1 Cor 11:13), trying by the question to show more clearly how unfitting this is.

Many dare to contradict what is stated affirmatively. But what is proposed in the form of a question both persuades and stops the mouth, and it suggests the meekness of the speaker.

A father punishes his children for their faults, but with love. So also God, the heavenly Father, chastens Christians for their sinning, not from wrath, but from love.

“For whom the Lord loves, He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” (Heb 12:6-7).

Good children humble themselves, confess their faults, and acknowledge themselves guilty before their father. So also Christians must humble themselves, confess their sins from the heart, acknowledge their unrighteousness, and confess, “It is good for me that You humbled me” (Ps 118:71).

The heavenly Father wishes to form in you His son by grace. For this He assigns you difficult lessons, strict trials, and chastisements that strongly instruct.

According to the Apostle’s assurance, “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons. For every chastening seems at the present time not to be joy, but sorrow; afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those trained by it” (Heb 12:7, 11).

Your lessons, trials, and chastisements are heavy. But would it be better for you to be relieved of them, to remain without the fruits of righteousness, and not to attain the dignity of a son of God by grace?

All the more, we must not grow faint under the action of the various calamities of our life. God sends these calamities to us as a loving Father, for our strengthening in the good. The Apostle speaks with amazement that the readers have not yet endured the extreme calamity, and yet have already managed to forget the encouraging words of Holy Scripture (Prov 3:11-12). From the words of Scripture, the readers should have drawn the conclusion that those who are not chastened by God are not acknowledged by Him as sons.