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NASB | Proverbs 13:24 He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Proverbs 13:24 He who withholds the rod [of discipline] hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines and trains him diligently and appropriately [with wisdom and love]. [Prov 19:18; 22:15; 23:13; 29:15, 17; Eph 6:4] |
Subject: Spare the rod, spoil the child |
Bible Note: This came via e-mail from a sister-in-Christ: For one thing, the story is used as a metaphor for GUIDING a herd of sheep. I believe when people pull one verse out of the Bible for their own agenda is wrong. One must read the verses before and after scripture to get the entire concept. I have not read what comes before and after that particular verse. Jesus certainly did not preach hitting children at the Sermon on the Mount or the Beatitudes as they are known by some. There are a number of verses that can be taken from what Jesus said to contradict "Spare the rod and spoil the child." Jesus loved children and I do know that is mentioned many places in scripture. And then there is always, "What you do to the least of these, you do to ME also." My personal belief is that sometimes a child must be spanked to get his/her attention in terms of respecting the parent, just as God sometimes disciplines us for our behavior as our Heavenly Father. This method is usually due to the fact that the child has not been appropriately disciplined up to that point. Usually when a child is spanked once or twice, one does not have to do it again. Also, I believe that some parents resort to spanking when nothing else has worked. Unfortunately, parenting skills are not taught the way they should be to so many. Hitting a child really means you are only bigger than he/she is physically; it teaches hitting and so the chain of physical abuse can start with that child acting out towards other children also and becoming a physical bully. Although some children may require being spanked a few times as I mentioned previously at a fairly young age; but usually if a child has to be spanked, it is because the parents have not been verbally teaching the child what is acceptable behavior and what is not. When disciplined is required, I believe in "time-outs" and then talking with the child after the time out to discuss punishment. "Child's Name, what do you think your punishment should be for hitting your sister?" Then help them along with a few options of no Play Station for a few days or other privileges. Hitting is just plain wrong and one finds it in the Bible only when punishing criminals (as some believed Jesus to be a criminal for professing to be God's son), not children. At some point, people must accept that what they have been taught is wrong...not only wrong, but does more damage than harm, continuing the generational sin that Beth Moore speaks of in Breaking Free. I would research the Bible thoroughly with a Concordance (they even have them on line), and take that minister to task on his statement. The child that hit his parent has been taught to hit somewhere along the line, without any scriptural reference you can be sure. Sparing the rod simply means not to spare the child GUIDANCE as you teach the child the ways of Jesus. |