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Heb_12:10. Justification of the πολὺ μᾶλλον , Heb_12:9, by presenting in relief the diversity of character borne by the disciplinary correction of the earthly fathers from that of the heavenly Father. The emphasis falls upon κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν αὐτοῖς and upon ἐπὶ τὸ συμφέρον , while πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας is an unaccentuated addition, which belongs equally to both members of the sentence.[117] For if πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας belonged only to the first member, and served for the indication of a further particular of diversity, an antithetic addition corresponding to the same could not have been wanting in the second member. But to find such antithesis, with Bengel, Ebrard, Bisping, Delitzsch, Hofmann, and others, in εἰς τὸ μεταλαβεῖν κ . τ . λ ., is inadmissible, since these words are only an epexegetical amplification of ἐπὶ τὸ συμφέρον . Πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας denotes, therefore, not the period of the earthly life, brief in comparison with eternity (Calvin, Estius, Justinian, Cornelius a Lapide, Schlichting, Limborch, Er. Schmid, Bengel, Tholuck, Ebrard, Bisping, Maier, Kluge, al.), in such wise that the thought would be expressed, that the earthly fathers aimed in connection with the παιδεύειν at a benefit or gain merely in regard to the earthly lifetime; God, on the other hand, at a gain for eternity,—by which at any rate a false opposition would arise, since the first half of the statement could not be at all conceded as a universally valid truth. Rather do the words affirm that the chastisement on the part of the natural fathers (and not less that on the part of the heavenly Father) continued only a few days, lasted only during a brief period. In a sense quite corresponding is πρός employed immediately after, Heb_12:11, as well as 1Co_7:5; 2Co_7:8; 1Th_2:17, and very frequently elsewhere.
κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν αὐτοῖς ] according to their judgment, which was not always an erroneous one.
The imperfect ἐπαίδευον stands there for the same reason as the imperfects, Heb_12:9.
ὁ δέ ] sc. πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας παιδεύει .
ἐπὶ τὸ συμφέρον ] with a view to that which is salutary (our infallible welfare).
εἰς τὸ μεταλαβεῖν τῆς ἁγιότητος αὐτοῦ ] in order that we may be made partakers of His holiness, may become ever more free from sin, and in moral purity ever more like God Himself.
[117] Riehm’s objection to this (Lehrbegr. des Hebräerbr. p. 762, Obs.), that in such case κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν αὐτοῖς must have been placed before πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας , is entirely without weight. Just the proposing of πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας was, if these words were to be referred to both members of the sentence, the most appropriate order; because κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν αὐτοῖς and ἐπὶ τὸ συμφέρον then as contrasts stood in so much the more immediate opposition to each other in the two halves of the sentence.