April 2003

DISPENSATIONAL THEOLOGICAL FORUM OF CONTEMPORARY ISSUES

JEROME A. MURRAY

 

Paideia / Paideuw : An Act of God’s Grace or An Act Of Judgment?

 

Introduction.

The Old Testament words equivalent to paidia and paideuo, are the noun rs'Wm muwcar {moo-sawr'} - meaning correction, chastisement, discipline, while the verb form rs;y" yacar {yaw-sar'} means to admonish, correct, discipline. The verb form occurs 45 times in the O.T. 2x qal, 5x in nif., 1x in nitp., and the rest in the piel form. Many of the occurrences are in the Wisdom Literature and the Psalms (6x and 9x respectively), with the remainder fairly evenly distributed among the Pentateuch (8x, mainly Deuteronomy), the historical books (6x), and the prophets (13x, 7x in Jeremiah). In the general Semantic field of learning and instruction, the verb

rs;y" yacar specifically relates not to formal education but to the instilling of values and norms of conduct by verbal (horatory) means or, after the fact, by rebuke or even physical chastisement. At its most basic level, rs;y" yacar means learning lessons important to successful living. There is a fine line

between coercive instruction (discipline) and correction or even punishment, and the use of rs;y" yacar reflects this ambivalence in numerous places. For example Deut. 21:18 demands that a son who is unresponsive to the instruction of his parents must be stoned to death. On the other hand, fools reject instruction Prov. 9:8.

The verb in a number of instances rs;y" yacar speaks of Yahweh’s punishment of sin, usually of His own people and in the framework of covenant violation ( Lev 26:18;28;Ps. 6:1; 38:1,2; 39:11). Sometimes the discipline takes only the form of a warning or threat of punishment (Ps 2:10; Isa. 8:11; Jer. 6:8; Ezek. 23:48); to refuse Yahweh’s instruction is to invite catastophe (Lev. 26:23; Hos. 7:15,16). In a metonymy of cause and effect, God says that the wickedness of His people will itself punish them (Jer. 2:19). But Yahweh’s punishment is always linked to His justice; they get what is right and deserved (Jer. 10:24; 30:11; 46:28). Moreover, the very discipline itself is a sign of favor, for Yahweh deals thus only with those whom He loves (Deut. 8:5; Prov. 3:12; Jer. 31:18). Punishment is in this sense disciplinary, restorative, and purifying in its intents and results.

The Results of the Use of the Noun rs'Wm muwcar {moo-sawr'} In the O.T.

The common use of rs'Wm muwcar carries all the nuances of rs;y" yacar, i.e. instruction correction, chastisement, discipline, punishment. Fundamentally, it has to do with teaching, learning by exhortation and example, with warning as to the consequences of disobedience, and with the application of penalty following failure to adhere. As instruction O.T. rs'Wm muwcar can be defined as: a responsibility of parents to instruct their children (Prov.1:8; 4:1; 13:1; 15:5), but Yahweh also teaches, both by wonders (Deut. 11:2) and by life situations(Job 5:17).

The biblical injunction is to seek instruction (Prov 23:23); in fact one should choose it over other options (Prov. 8:10; 19:20) and even love it (Prov. 12:1). The wicked hate it (Ps 50:17), as do fools in general (Prov 15:5). But it is not enough just to seek rs'Wm muwcar, one must respond to its dictates if he or she is to be obedient to God, the ultimate source of instruction, and to find satisfaction in life (Prov. 8:33; 10:17; Jer. 2:30; 5:3; 7:28).

The use of rs'Wm muwcar in Isa. 53:5 is of an unusual interest and importance. The NIV renders the lines in question as follows: The punishment (rs'Wm muwcar ) that brought us peace was upon him, and by His wounds we are healed. The passage here is speaking of substitution that of the Servant who died for all of us that deserved rs'Wm muwcar. The problem with the NIV translation lies in the unusual term to describe punishment, especially to the extent of death, for rs'Wm muwcar generally suggests instruction; discipline, or correction. When you do a word study on rs'Wm muwcar, the word does not in fact refer to retributive punishment but to remedy or correction. Thus the death of the Servant procures a remedy to the sinful condition of those for whom He dies.

 

The New Testament Terms Paideuw (Paideuo) and Paideia (Paideia)

The underlying root word is paij, meaning child or boy. Paideuo thus literally means to be together with a child ( the verbal ending euo denotes a state); hence to bring up, educate, instruct, teach, accustom. The words of this group are found altogether 23x in the N.T. Eight of those occurrences are found in Hebrews 12 alone, another 10 in the rest of Paul’s writings, including 5 in the pastorals, 4 in Luke, and 1 in Revelations. The O.T. sense prevails. Where reference is made to paidagogos found in Galatians 3:24; custodian, guide, the man usually a slave, whose task it was to conduct boys and youths to and from school and superintend their behavior generally.

The verb is used twice in the sense of to teach, instruct: Moses was instructed in Egytian wisdom (Acts 7:22), and Paul was educated by Gamaliel (Acts 22:3; Gal 1:14). Paideuo is used twice in the sense of scourge, whip, thrash, or chasten (Luke 23:16, 22). In the suffering of Christ in the Isa. 53:5 narrative the whole idea of paideuo is expressed here through His suffering.

The concept of education by God underwent decisive further development in Judaism, with the idea that God’s teaching and therefore loving hand was to be experienced in suffering (Deut. 8:5; 11:2; II Sam. 7:14f). This view of chastening as God’s loving action, to preserve men from the final judgment is taken over in one or two significant passages in the N.T.

In Heb. 12:5f, there is a citiation from Prov 3:11f. The discipline of the Lord is a sign of His love, and not therefore any ground for losing courage. The scriptural quotation is followed by a discussion of the point in vv. 7-11.

God is the one who educates His people. God’s method of education is illustrated by reference to human upbringing, which is a weak reflection of the former. God is the Father; He chastens because He loves, in order to keep Christians in the status of being sons of God, and to cause His sons to deny ungodliness and worldly lust. The christian that resist this discipline defies God and doubts His fatherly love Heb. 12:6, although in doing so he is rejecting divine sonship; for it is precisely in discipline that God’s fatherly activity is experienced. If even in the bringing up of a family the status of a true son is to be recognized by the fact that his father educates and “chastens” him, much more so with regard to God.

Human fathers exercise discipline without ultimate insight, and are open to mistakes, but the Lord does so with the ultimate object of making us share in His holiness (Heb. 12:10). The aim of this discipline is peace with God (Heb. 12:11), which is also the starting point for God’s educative activity, education in divine sonship. Although the stoics talked in similar terms, the peak of their education is found in the self- perfection of man.

Heb. 12:9 uses the comparatively rare word paideutes, instructor, teacher, one who disciplines, in opposition to fathers. The same word is also found in Romans 2:20 of the Jew who sets himself up as a teacher of the Law, oblivious to his own failings in the light of the Law. The thought that it is precisely in chastening that God’s love becomes visible, is found also in I Cor. 11:32. Christians are not spared illness and death as a result of their sins. Here discipline overlaps with God’s judgment. But since this judgment has the nature of discipline, believers are graciously spared from the final judgment and condemnation of the world, thus further distinguishing them from the non-elect as sons (I Cor. 11:32b and Rev. 3:19). The Apostle Paul knows from his experience in carrying out his apostolic conversion (I Cor. 6:9), that chastening is not a contradiction of God’s love, but is rather to be understood on the basis of it. In the N.T. discipline at God’s hand is a practical necessity, in order that believers can recognize that they are in a proper position of sonship.

A different kind of education is brought about by God’s Word in the O.T.

(II Tim 3:16). Since here too God Himself is really the one who is speaking, the N.T. church finds in the O.T. Scriptures instruction as to God’s will, and is thus trained up to live a life pleasing to God. Titus 2:11-13 speaks ever more directlyof God’s educative grace: everything flows together into the message of the cross (Titus 2:13f). Here too education is an outworking of grace; the language in both passages (II Tim 3:16 and Tit 2:11-13)) is Hellenistic, but the basic though belongs to the O.T. The words “sober, upright, and pious” are ideals of the Greek world, but what is being said here is that the Christian is justified by grace through faith and as one of many results of this grace sanctified.

Finally, Paul also speaks of the educative function of the Law (Gal. 3:24ff.) The Law is the paidagogos, custodian or taskmaster to lead the Jew to Christ. The paidagogos and the didaskalos were differentiated, (see “ Paul’s letter to the Galatians and Plato’s Lysis”). In keeping with Scripture which indicates that the Law never brought anyone to maturity (Heb. 7:19) the Apostle is indicating that the Law was a means of controlling the behavior of Israel as a nation, however, stopped short of changing the character of the individual or the nation that would reflect the character and holiness of God the Father. The Law with its ordinances and instruction contained consequences for disobedience, which were severe and lethal. This term paidagogos is frequently found in Rabbinical teaching.

I Tim. 1:20 speaks of men who have been delivered to Satan to be punished by Paul. What we have here is an act of church discipline (probably excommunication). This was only applicable to Paul, in exercising his apostolic authority, in which Satan is the chosen instrument of God used to bring the believer to repentance, affecting with illness and death those who are destroying the church of God. We can not do this today. Even this chastening is not directed towards the final destruction of the sinner, but rather toward bringing the believer to his senses and to repentance (I Tim 1:20).

Education is also a human activity. Paul’s exhortation to children, that they should respect their parents, is followed in Ephesians 6:4 by a word to fathers, that they should bring up (ektrephete) their chidren in the discipline

(paideuo) and instruction of the Lord (kyrion). How should the genitive kyrion be taken? “Education from the Lord” in the sense that God is behind the chastening, upbringing, (genitive of quality) reference is education, which has to do with the Lord. In any case the N.T christian’s (paideuo and paideia) are the instrument that God the Father uses graciously to distinguish the N.T. believer as a son and to keep him from being judged with the world.

 

I. rs'Wm muwcar and rs;y" yacar were discipline and/or chastening administered which had to do with both the training and educating of a child, an individual or Israel as a corporate body to the point of accountability to the will or the ways of God that promoted successful living for the O.T. saint.

A. Discipline was given out on a corporate level. The whole nation

of Israel was judged ( Jer. 31:11-18).

B. Disciple was given out to some specific individuals so that God

God could be seen as a loving father (Gen. 3:8-21; Job 5:17).

C. Discipline for the O.T. saint was an act of God’s righteous

judgment for Israel, setting them apart unto Him (Jer. 10:24; 30:11; 46:28).

D. Israel underwent the paideuw of God to show that they were

children of God so that they could participate in successful living.

E. Discipline that was refused brought about catastrophe for the

O.T. saints ( Lev. 26:23; Hos. 7:15-16).

F. Discipline was administered to those whom the Father

loves (Deut. 8:5; Prov. 3:12).

G. God the Father is the ultimate source of instruction, and to find

satisfaction in life muwcar (Prov. 8:33; 1017; Jer. 2:30; 5:3; 7:29) responding to the dictates of the instruction.

II. Paideia and Paideuw as demonstrated in the New Testament is the

Father’s grace shown clearly in how He distinguishes a son from the non-

elect. The Father graciously chastens and disciplines the son whom He

loves, even to the point of scourging or death thereby not allowing His

sons to be judged with the world ( Heb.12: 5-11; I Cor. 11:30-32)

A. Paideiaj of the Lord is not to be taken lightly. The administering of such provides guidance for responsible living, correction, instruction,

and punishment (Heb. 12:5; Eph 6:4; II Tim 3:16)

1. Stop fainting. Do not become tired out in your soul or give up when

you are disciplined or chastened of the Lord (Hebrews 12:5).

2. The Father has no respect of persons when it comes to the

disciplining a son. Although we all like to see ourselves as being the

little apple of God’s eye, Have Confidence That He Will Remove

The Worms and Those Rotten Spots Out Of You Down to The

Very Core Of Your Being! He disciplines (Paideuei) every son that

he loves( Heb. 12:6a).

3. He scourges or whips mastigoi Every Son whom he heartily

receives or welcomes (paradecetai). He receives us as sons in a

hospitable manner (Heb. 12:6b).

4. God the Father identifies and deals with the believer as a son whom

He paideian, so we are encouraged to hold up under the discipline

and endure remembering that we are sons! (Heb. 12:7)

5. Are you constantly finding yourself living a life of sin with no

consequences? It may be time for A Gospel Check! See Pastor Dave

after the message! This verse is to be taken literally. The Father does

not spank the neighbors kids! To put it discreetly there are no

illegitimate children in the family of God. You are either born of

God’s seed or you are unsaved (Heb. 12:8)

6. Human fathers are subject to error in their discipline of their children

in contrast to God the Father who makes No Mistakes. We can

submit to to God’s discipline with assurance and confidence that the

end result produces his quality of holiness in our character

(Heb.12:9-10).

7. If you are truthful you will admit when the Father is disciplining you

it is not an enjoyable experience. I refer to this verse as being

synonymous with trying to squeeze all the water out of silk. Have

you ever tried to convince the Father that you really have learned

the lesson He intended for you to learn in hopes that He stop the

process? Heb. 12:11states that no Paideia for the present is of joy

but of grief luphj but later on produces the peaceable fruit of

righteousness i.e. resulting in a harmonious relationship with the

Father having been corrected and made to live upright as a son.

Our rebellious will is broken, we become willing to acquiesce to the

Father’s will having been exercised or having undergone the

physical gymnastics of chastening or to be absent from the body is

to be present with the Lord ( I Cor. 11:30-32)

a. Consequences are progressive the carnal hardened N.T. believer

partaking of the Lordian table unworthily. 11:30

1. Some become mentally, emotionally unstable asqenhj

2. Some are crippled or an invalid arrwstoi

3. Some sleep koimwntaideath

b. Chastening is administered when the believer doesn’t discern or

correct himself as a son- to evaluate one’s self by paying careful attention making distinctions i.e Heb 5:14 “making distinction between what will bring happiness and what will bring calamity.” 11:31

c. When the Father brings punishment it is because we have not

been willing to do the mental work of putting ourselves in check.

He does this in order that once again a distinction is made between a son and the non-elect. Hence, the son is administered

Paideuomeqa, in order that, he will not be judged with the world.

I Cor. 11:32

 

The Responsibility of A Son Whom the Father Loves

B. The grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared for the benefit of all believers and child trains us paideuousa to deny ungodliness and worldly lust in this present evil age (Titus 2:11,12).

1. God’s grace has appeared to all believers - Coloss. 1:26; I Tim. 4:10; II Tim 1:9,10:

2. child training us to deny ungodliness Rom.13:12-14; I Thes.

5:5,8,9;

3. to deny worldly lust-I John 2:15

4. deny the dictates of this present evil age and in contrast live as

a son living out doctrine to be believed and practiced- Satan is the

ruler of this present evil age- II Cor 4:4

5. to live soberly, soundness of mind, reflectively thinking Tit. 2:12

6. to live righteously pertaining to quality of character, thought or

behavior, correctly, upright

C. Paideuw and Paideia are ongoing and progressive possessing a

multifaceted, comprehensive approach to the child training and discipline, which is inclusive of suffering which the mature son will encounter as a part of his or her growth, resulting in conforming of the son whom the Father loves to the character of the Son of God (Rom.8:14-19;23-29; Ephes. 4:13; Heb. 5:14; Heb.12: 11)

1. We are lead by the Spirit to become sons of God Rom 8:14

2. We practice Son placement when the Holy Spirit leads us 8:14

3. We have the witness of the Spirit that we are sons of God 8:15-16

4. We are joint heirs with Christ, hence we suffer with Him in order that we may be glorified with Him - not punishment here but a part of being a son 8:17-18

5. We wait for our manifestation and presentation as the sons of God 8:19-23

6. We wait for the blessed hope even the appearing of our Great God even our Savior in patient expectation- even in this we are child trained to maintain our hope and live as sons 8:25

7. We have the intercession of the Spirit of God toward the end of maturing us as sons <(working things together for our good), conforming us to the image of the Son 8:26-29

8. We mature to the extent of knowing what is appropriate and will bring happiness and distinguishing what is inappropriate and will bring calamity. This happens as a result of being able to digest strong meat and being exercised thereby. Heb 5:14

 

 

The Character of the Son as our example (Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 5:7,8,9;

10:7-9; 12:2).

1.Christ exemplified humility as He emptied Himself of His glory that

He ever had before the Father Phil 2:7

2. Jesus though a son learned obedience through the things suffered-

(Heb. 5:8,9)

3. Christ is the author, the originator, He took the lead Heb 12:2

 

Conclusion. Paideuw and Paideia an act of grace or an act of judgment? We find the answer in the Scriptures. Heb. 12: 5,6 states that the Father is dealing with us as sons when he disciplines us. This grace of God demonstrated is exhibited toward a true son. As a N.T. believer are you living as a son in your daily walk? Do you closely evaluate how you partake of the Lordian table or has it become the casual and mundane? When you come to this forum is it just more information or do you digest it, mull it over, and allow the Holy Spirit to work it out in your life? Are easily you distinguishable as a son? Remember, even when discipline has to be administered by the Father, He is always doing so in love, setting us apart from the non-elect and their inpending judgment.