Spanking, is it biblical?

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Good post.

Our kids also get more leniency when they are truthful the first time they are asked about something. Especially if they are obviously sorry about it. Now, that doesn't mean there aren't any consequences at all--if they've hurt someone else, they have to make it right. But if discipline is about bringing about repentance and a change in behavior, then there are many ways to get there other than, and often better than, spanking.

Yes ma'am...

And we all know that there is no hard and fast way that fits every situation. But a good parent knows what brings real change in their kids lives and pursues those avenues.

In my mind I am not there, necessarily, for the purpose of punishment. Punishment may well come into the pictures.... but I am there to bring change in their hearts and minds about what they just did.

[Pragmatist]

There are no scriptures for spanking and I'd like to know if anyone literally beats their child with a rod, because that's what the Bible says.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Pragmatist

There are no scriptures for spanking and I'd like to know if anyone literally beats their child with a rod, because that's what the Bible says.

Could you list the scripture(s) you are speaking of?

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by DividedThigh

of course it is, the non spankers cant just erase the plethora of scriptures from the ot, lol

Plethora? That's something of an exaggeration. I can find a plethora of scriptures about parenting, and Christian principles that should guide them--but not a plethora about spanking.

The overall gist of scripture is to treat children fairly, to give them good things, to love them unconditionally, to be merciful and compassionate, and to treat the "little ones" with extra care. To bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Nurture - paideia...tutorage, that is, education or training; by implication disciplinary correction: - chastening, chastisement, instruction, nurture.

Admonition - nouthesia...calling attention to, that is, (by implication) mild rebuke or warning: - admonition.

The problem is often parents who don't pay attention to their kids until they're REALLY being bad--and then they spank the fire out of them. All well and good--but it would be better if you would supervise them more, and guide them on a more constant basis, instead of waiting until they really misbehave to set them back in line.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Plethora? That's something of an exaggeration. I can find a plethora of scriptures about parenting, and Christian principles that should guide them--but not a plethora about spanking.

The overall gist of scripture is to treat children fairly, to give them good things, to love them unconditionally, to be merciful and compassionate, and to treat the "little ones" with extra care. To bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Nurture - paideia...tutorage, that is, education or training; by implication disciplinary correction: - chastening, chastisement, instruction, nurture.

Admonition - nouthesia...calling attention to, that is, (by implication) mild rebuke or warning: - admonition.

Excellent...

The problem is often parents who don't pay attention to their kids until they're REALLY being bad--and then they spank the fire out of them. All well and good--but it would be better if you would supervise them more, and guide them on a more constant basis, instead of waiting until they really misbehave to set them back in line.

Now this is one of my pet peeves. I see parents who don't spank their kids because they did wrong... they spank them because their children made them angry and they are mad.

The child may have done the same thing a dozen times but THIS TIME... it made mama or daddy mad and WHAP!!!!

There must be consistency or nothing is learned. How is the kid to know what was wrong when you let them do it a dozen times and then exploded on them because you are in a bad mood right now?

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Could you list the scripture(s) you are speaking of?

Truthseeker brought up these:

Proverbs 20:30 "The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly."

Proverbs 23:13-14 "Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die...Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

I don't have a problem with 23:13...I agree with the principle--discipline is a necessary component of good parenting. Without it, children do not know where the boundaries are, and they will become confused, among other things. However, I don't think that OT values are necessarily NT values, and recommendations in Proverbs need to be tempered with NT mercy.

It does bother me, however, that Proverbs 20:30 was even brought into the conversation. Really? The blueness of a wound? Stripes? We do not need to be beating children to the point of bruising or bloody "stripes." Ever. Under any circumstances. It's barbaric and unchristian. Just my never-humble opinion, of course.

Blueness - chabbûrâh ...properly bound (with stripes), that is, a weal (or black and blue mark itself): - blueness, bruise, hurt, stripe, wound.

Stripes - makkâh...a blow (in 2Ch_2:10, of the flail); by implication a wound; figuratively carnage, also pestilence: - beaten, blow, plague, slaughter, smote, X sore, stripe, stroke, wound ([-ed]).

These are pretty stringent terms, and have no place in reference to parenting a child.

[Pragmatist]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Could you list the scripture(s) you are speaking of?

Proverbs 23:14
Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell


Proverbs 23:13
Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die

These are the scriptures that people use that IMO are misinterpreted. First of all Proverbs are not commandments. Second, the word rod can mean symbol of authority and beat can be interpreted as "the sun beat down on him." So I would take the above scriptures to mean your authority should be a continual presence in the life of your child.

[Ron]

Pro 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Yup, it is Biblical.
While I agree with spanking, it isn't administered every day in every way.
My kids were taught what would cause a spanking so they understand the parameters.

Now, some punishment can be a grounding or withholding privileges like video games & computer time.

We got through to them when they were young that listening to mom & dad was the best way.

I dread when they become teanagers!

[Pragmatist]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Excellent...



Now this is one of my pet peeves. I see parents who don't spank their kids because they did wrong... they spank them because their children made them angry and they are mad.

The child may have done the same thing a dozen times but THIS TIME... it made mama or daddy mad and WHAP!!!!

There must be consistency or nothing is learned. How is the kid to know what was wrong when you let them do it a dozen times and then exploded on them because you are in a bad mood right now?

And I see the above so often in church.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Pragmatist

There are no scriptures for spanking and I'd like to know if anyone literally beats their child with a rod, because that's what the Bible says.

I saw somewhere that the "rod" is actually what we would call a switch. And it does usually leave red marks, but does not bruise. BTW it was a Rabbi speaking.