Bible Dictionary: Chastening

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Chasten.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

CHASTENING; CHASTISEMENT

chas'-'-n-ing, chas'-tiz-ment: These two words corresponding to Hebrew mucar, and Greek paideia, are distinguished in English use, in that "chastisement" is applied to the infliction of pain, either as a punishment or for recalling to duty, while "chastening," is a wider term, indicating the discipline or training to which one is subjected, without, as in the other term, referring to the means employed to this end. The narrower term occurs in the Revised Version (British and American) but once in the New Testament and then in its verbal form, Luke 23:16: "I will therefore chastise him." the King James Version uses it also in Hebrews 12:8.

The meaning of the word paideia grows with the progress of revelation. Its full significance is unfolded in the New Testament, when reconciliation through Christ has brought into prominence the true fatherhood of God (Hebrews 12:5, 10). In the Old Testament, where it occurs about 40 times, the radical meaning is that simply of training, as in Deuteronomy 8:5: "As a man chasteneth his son, so Yahweh thy God chasteneth thee." But, as in a dispensation where the distinguishing feature is that of the strictest justice, retributive punishment becomes not only an important, but a controlling factor. in the training, as in Leviticus 26:28: "I will chastise you seven times for your sins." In this sense, it is used of chastisements inflicted by man even unjustly: "My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions" (1 Kings 12:11). As, therefore, the thought of the suffering inflicted, or that of the end toward which it is directed, preponderates, the Psalmist can pray: "Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure" (Psalm 6:1), and take comfort in the words: "Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest" (Psalm 94:12). Hence, it is common in both the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) to find the Hebrew mucar, and Greek paideia translated as "instruction." Illustrations are most numerous in Prov.

In the New Testament the Greek paideia is used with a variety similar to its corresponding Hebrew in the Old Testament. Examples of the fundamental idea, namely, that of "training," are found in such passages as Acts 7:22; Acts 22:3, where Moses and Paul are said to have been "instructed," and 2 Timothy 3:16, where Scripture is said to be "profitable. for instruction" (compare 1 Timothy 1:20 2 Timothy 2:25; Titus 2:12 Romans 2:20). A similar, but not identical, thought, is found in Ephesians 6:4: "Nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord." But when paideia is described as bringing pain, the mystery of suffering, which in the Old Testament is most fully treated in the Book of Job, at last finds its explanation. The child of God realizes that he cannot be beneath God's wrath, and hence, that the chastening which he endures is not destructive, but corrective (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Corinthians 11:32 2 Corinthians 6:9 Revelation 3:19). In Hebrews 12:5-11, such consolation is afforded, not, as in the above passages, by incidental allusions, but by a full argument upon the basis of Proverbs 3:11, an Old Testament text that has depth and richness that can be understood and appropriated only by those who through Christ have learned to recognize the Omnipotent Ruler of heaven and earth, as their loving and considerate Father. On the basis of this passage, a distinction is often drawn between punishment and chastisement; the former, as an act of justice, revealing wrath, and the latter, as an act of mercy, love. Since to them that are in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1) they can suffer no punishment, but only chastisement. Where there is guilt, there is punishment; but where guilt has been removed, there can be no punishment. There being no degrees of justification, no one can be forgiven in part, with a partial guilt still set to his account for which he must yet give a reckoning, either here or hereafter. If, then, all the righteousness of Christ belongs to him, and no sin whatever remains to be forgiven, either in whole or in part, all life's sorrows are remedial agencies against danger and to train for the kingdom of heaven.

H. E. Jacobs

Greek

3809. paideia -- the rearing of a child, training, discipline
... training (1). chastening, chastisement, instruction, nurture. From paideuo; tutorage,
ie Education or training; by implication, disciplinary ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3809.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

4148. musar -- discipline, chastening, correction
... 4147, 4148. musar. 4149 . discipline, chastening, correction. Transliteration:
musar Phonetic Spelling: (moo-sawr') Short Definition: instruction. ...
/hebrew/4148.htm - 6k

Library

March 3. "Now no Chastening for the Present Seemeth to be Joyous ...
... MARCH 3. "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous;
nevertheless afterward" (Heb. xii. 11). "Now no chastening ...
/.../simpson/days of heaven upon earth /march 3 now no chastening.htm

Thy Chastening Is, as a Mother of Our Infancy: --Her Rebuke is ...
... Thy chastening is, as a mother of our infancy:"her rebuke is merciful, in that Thou
hast restrained,"the children from folly, and they have been made wise! ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn xi thy chastening is.htm

Conflict.
... My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art reproved
of Him; For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, And scourgeth every son ...
/.../the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/chapter xiv conflict.htm

Where the Joy Is
... The order in which it works is clearly seen in Heb.12: 11""Now no chastening for
the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it ...
//christianbookshelf.org/naylor/heart talks/talk thirty-nine where the joy.htm

Prayer and Trouble (Continued)
... "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children,
My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/vi prayer and trouble continued.htm

Two views of Life
... I say discipline rather than 'chastening,' for chastening simply implies the fact
of pain, whereas discipline includes the wholesome purpose of pain. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/two views of life.htm

Ephesians vi. 3-Jan
... Ver.4. "And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but nurture
them up in the chastening and admonition of the Lord.". He ...
/.../homily xxi ephesians vi 3-jan.htm

Twenty-Ninth Day. Holiness and Chastisement.
... O ye suffering ones! all ye whom the Father is chastening! ... Let even chastening, even
the least, be from Thine own hand, making me partaker of Thy Holiness. ...
/.../murray/holy in christ/twenty-ninth day holiness and chastisement.htm

Fix Thou Our Hearing, that it be not Loosed and Wander!
... If then it be that man, by chastening makes all things goodly; and if he who despises
and rejects chastening, is hated and all rebels against him; then by that ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn iii fix thou our.htm

The Peaceable Fruits of Sorrows Rightly Borne
... RIGHTLY BORNE. 'Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore
despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 18. For ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the peaceable fruits of sorrows.htm

Thesaurus

Chastening (11 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Chasten. Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia. CHASTENING; CHASTISEMENT. chas'-'-n-ing, chas ...
/c/chastening.htm - 15k

Chastisement (24 Occurrences)
... (n.) The act of chastising; pain inflicted for punishment and correction; discipline;
punishment. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CHASTENING; CHASTISEMENT. ...
/c/chastisement.htm - 18k

Chasteneth (5 Occurrences)
... (KJV ASV WBS). Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with
sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (KJV ASV WBS). ...
/c/chasteneth.htm - 7k

Chastens (4 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 12:7 Ye endure for chastening, God conducts himself towards you as towards
sons; for who is the son that the father chastens not? (DBY). ...
/c/chastens.htm - 7k

Despise (64 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto
children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint ...
/d/despise.htm - 25k

Yields (21 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 12:11 All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous;
yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have ...
/y/yields.htm - 12k

Nurture (1 Occurrence)
... in the King James Version in Ephesians 6:4 as the translation of paideia, but the
Revised Version (British and American) changes to "chastening," and uses ...
/n/nurture.htm - 7k

Joyous (10 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 12:11 All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous;
yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have ...
/j/joyous.htm - 9k

Lightly (31 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 12:5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with
children, "My son, don't take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint ...
/l/lightly.htm - 16k

Grievous (73 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 12:11 All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous;
yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have ...
/g/grievous.htm - 31k

Bible Concordance

Chastening (11 Occurrences)

Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord.
(ASV)

Hebrews 12:5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, "My son, don't take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him;
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
(KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Hebrews 12:8 But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
(ASV DBY YLT)

Hebrews 12:10 for they, indeed, for a few days, according to what seemed good to them, were chastening, but He for profit, to be partakers of His separation;
(YLT)

Hebrews 12:11 All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Job 5:17 "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Proverbs 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
(KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Isaiah 26:16 Yahweh, in trouble they have visited you. They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded because of our transgressions, he was crushed because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our welfare was upon him, and with his stripes we were healed.
(See NAS)

Jeremiah 2:30 I gave your children blows to no purpose; they got no good from training: your sword has been the destruction of your prophets, like a death-giving lion.
(See NAS)

Subtopics

Chastening

Related Terms

Chastisement (24 Occurrences)

Chasteneth (5 Occurrences)

Chastens (4 Occurrences)

Despise (64 Occurrences)

Yields (21 Occurrences)

Nurture (1 Occurrence)

Joyous (10 Occurrences)

Lightly (31 Occurrences)

Grievous (73 Occurrences)