Hebrews 12:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

NIV: No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

NASB: For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

CSB: No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

NLT: No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening — it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

KJV: Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

NKJV: Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

In this passage, the writer of Hebrews is pointing out that merely experiencing something unpleasant does not mean we're being punished by God, or have been abandoned by Him. There are times where God uses struggles and hardships to correct us away from sin (Hebrews 6:7–8). And, there are times when we're simply being given an opportunity for growth—being "trained" into a deeper faith. This is obvious in the relationship between a parent and child, where a loving parent "disciplines" his child. Looking back, the child sees that guidance and respects the parent.

Here, the writer points out that nobody likes to be disciplined. Hardships are just that: difficult times, and a test of our faith. While in the midst of some struggle, our minds are mostly concerned with how unpleasant the situation is. Afterwards, however, we can more easily see how God used those experiences to grow us. We can see a process of maturity, driven by our discipline.

This is why the writer of Hebrews references the idea of being "trained," from the Greek word gegymnasmenois, which literally refers to "vigorous exercise." God's use of discipline, though unpleasant at the time, is much like the training of an athlete. The athlete's exercise "seems painful rather than pleasant" as it's being done. But, afterwards, the athlete sees growth and development as a result of those experiences. Faith, in that way, also grows as we endure God's discipline, helping us to produce "fruit of righteousness."

Hebrews 12:3–17 builds from a description of heroes of the faith, culminating in Jesus Christ. Those who came before were loved by God and honored by God, and yet they suffered hardships in this world. In this passage, the writer makes it clear that suffering is often God's way of building us up and training us, not necessarily a sign of His displeasure. Christians who respond to trials by seeking God, in faith, can avoid the fate of less-faithful men, like Esau.

Chapter 11 explained the victories of some of the Old Testament's greatest heroes. It also explained their sufferings and persecution. This chapter uses those examples as a ''cloud of witnesses'' to prove that God does not abandon us when we suffer. In many cases, He uses those experiences to ''train'' us, as if we were athletes, to make us stronger. In other cases, it's the same kind of discipline that a child receives from a loving father. Unlike the old covenant, which rightly inspired fear and dread, the new covenant offers us peace. As with any other matter of truth or falsehood, we should cling to what's true, so that we can be part of ''a kingdom that cannot be shaken.''

Hebrews chapter 12 builds on the example of the heroes of the faith mentioned in chapter 11. The main point of this lesson is that these figures endured suffering and hardship, yet held to their faith in God, which allowed them to achieve victory. Chapter 12, in particular, points out that earthly hardship is not a sign of God's displeasure, or abandonment. Rather, it's part of living in a fallen, godless world. And, in many cases, it's a form of ''training'' the Lord uses to mold us into more powerful instruments. This, as with other passages in Hebrews, leads into another explanation of why we should take these ideas seriously, and sets up a few final practical lessons in chapter 13.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.