Child abuse definitions: Why the Bible calls for tougher laws protecting children from abuse

Many parents think that the Bible has no concept of child abuse apart from obeying the law of the land. Most American parents support the present-day definitions of child abuse under state and federal law. However, God's Law is above the law of the land. The Bible has its own definition of child abuse - whatever the child victim perceives as abuse.

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and is defined as, officially speaking, wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. Unofficially speaking, parental entitlement consists of a parent that is sorely disappointed when they don't get the well-behaved child that they feel that they deserve. Even any parent anger directed towards a child is parental entitlement, and was seen as entitlement then. Whenever this sense of entitlement in parents then was perceived by the child as offensive or damaging, it was deemed child abuse. See also Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here to child abuse as understood in the Bible. This includes any entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. Offense in children consists of hurt feelings in children that parents refuse to apologize for, at minimum. With that said, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology to your child for hurting their feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for hurting your feelings with my temper", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards children alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin term roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment was ultimately received by the parish at Colossae as prohibiting causing offenses in children as perceived by the child, at minimum. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

The Greek root word translated "they be discouraged" is αθυμέω (Latin: athumeo) and refers here to long-term damages, namely childhood trauma. The ancients in the Bible had a basic understanding of childhood trauma. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, shame fell onto the parents - meaning not the child - due to the parents allegedly being too hard on their child. An atheist was seen in the Early Church as an abused child, not a "lost soul" to be "won over". 

The Bible even has its own concept of child sexual abuse. The Greek root word translated "fornication" in the Bible is πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and refers here to anything outside of the Christian sexual norm, as understood then. This norm can be summed up as prohibiting any sexual relations or advances outside of the context of a Christian marriage between one adult man and one adult woman, with this marriage needing to be equal in terms of chronological age. A groom was only allowed a bride his age or up to 4 years older. Intergenerational marriage and intergenerational sexual relationships were banned in the Early Church. Most child sexual abuse in the biblical context came in the form of father-child incest, with daughters being the usual victims. Most men masturbated to sexual thoughts of his daughter, at least on occasion. Child sexual abuse was rare in biblical times, meaning it almost never happened. Attraction to children, as a topic, existed on the surface, with decent men being a man of few words when daughters asked about their sexual fantasies. If an adult tried to hide their sexual attractions to children at all, they were suspected of having even more to hide. Most sexually abused children then knew exactly what was happening to them, and self-reported the abuse that they were suffering.

It is a myth that the Early Christians were well-integrated into Rome. Instead, the Early Christians lived in urban enclaves in major Greco-Roman cities, shunning the broader Greco-Roman world, and the world at large. The Early Christians even had their own court system that was binding into the end of the 1st Century.

Child abuse was prosecuted in the Early Church by way of internal church investigation. This investigation usually started with a child confiding into a clergyperson about their home life. From there, the parents were summoned to appear before a council of 3 elders who would preside over the investigation. If the parents at all were defensive before the court, as opposed to answering to the court directly, they were swiftly excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God, alongside all witnesses that testified on the parents' behalf.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. All 88 books of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation - were  written by anti-spanking Jews, with spanking a child being banned under Jewish law then and now. All of the biblical writers also wrote parenting manuals that advocated attachment parenting. Even King Solomon wrote an attachment parenting manual, with the rod in Proverbs instead referring to the 40 minus 1 lashes, namely as a sentence for a crime. It just so happens that these attachment parenting manuals were not translated into English until the 1960s. Before then, this level of parenting knowledge only existed in the Jewish world. 

The Bible is America's book. America is a Christian nation, founded on Judeo-Christian values. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context as to how to live and treat each other with respect. Even our legal codes, under the English common law, are based off of biblical teaching. However, the criminal defense of "reasonable chastisement" is based off of dated biblical teaching. It is about time that we repeal the "reasonable chastisement" defense, and redefine child abuse as prohibiting anything that the child victim perceives as abuse.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torrents, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Passing down the faith: How to instruct your child in the Lord without punitive measures

Many parents want their children to have values. This is a common goal amongst American parents. However, most parents seek to beat a religion into a child. But, the fact of the matter is that there are better ways to instruct your child in the Lord apart from punitive parenting.

God's Law on child discipline, including religious instruction, is spelled out in Ephesians 6:4 KJV:

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This first stanza of this commandment states that religious instruction should not be punitive in nature. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers not just to spanking children. It refers to any entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. Offense in children consists of hurt feelings in children where parents refuse to apologize, at minimum. With that said, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for hurting your feelings with my temper", and then commit to never lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards children alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This stanza of this commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin term roughly translating to "power to the parent". namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this stanza of this commandment ultimately was received by the parish at Ephesus as prohibiting causing offenses in children as perceived by the child, at minimum. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men. 

Religion does not need to be beaten into a child. Religion is a base human need for children and adults alike/ The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and is more aptly translated as "instruction" in more modern versions of the Bible. This passage refers here to religious instruction. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible for children to discover and explore, with children teaching themselves how to read on a Bible. Fathers left the Bible open to a reassuring verse (such as the Beatitudes)/Whenever children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were given lavish praise and encouragement to keep on studying the Bible. Fathers then interjected something along the lines of "you can asl me anything about that book". From there, religious instruction came in the form of question and answer. Children were curious about Scripture. with fathers being quick to give pointers on the context. 

Church refusal is a common and normal behavior in children. Most of the time, it is a toddler or preschooler that is refusing to go to church. The fact of the matter is that children that young are too young for religion. Children naturally develop religious curiosity on their own, usually starting at age 6. Until then, it is good to leave the woman of the house and her young children at home. and pray for them as the man of the house at church.

Most Christian parents rush their child's normal and natural religious development. One example of this is non-entitled postures. I tie my hands behind my back when I am out and about. Nobody made me assume such positions. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Child discipline: How to discipline your child without punitive measures

Many parents want their children to have discipline. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most America parents want their children to have discipline. However, most parents equate discipline and punishment. But, the fact of the matter is that there are better ways to discipline your child than with punishment.

God's Law on child discipline is spelled out in Ephesians 6:4 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

The first stanza of this commandment states that discipline should not hurt. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers here to entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. Offense in children consists of hurt feelings in children where the parents refuse to apologize for said hurt feelings. With that said, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for hurting your feelings with my temper", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards children is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this stanza was ultimately received by the parish at Ephesus as prohibiting causing offenses in children as perceived by a child, at minimum. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings  Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

The second stanza of this commandment spells out  what discipline is acceptable, with the first stanza ruling out anything punitive with a child. The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers here to a specific type of nurturing, namely of the teaching sort. Starting at age 6, Christian parents in the Early Church looked for preferred behaviors in children, in most cases consisting of self-discipline or self-control. Whenever children showed preferred behaviors, they were given lavish praise and encouragement for more of the same. Christian parents in the Early Church imparted a non-entitled example for children to emulate, with this example being backed up with praise and encouragement, as opposed to punishment or shaming. Children also need religious instruction, with religion being a human need for children and adults alike. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and is more aptly translated as "instruction" in more modern versions of the Bible, with this instruction namely referring to religious instruction. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible for children to discover and explore, with the Bible left open to a reassuring passage (such as the Beatitudes). When children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were given lavish praise and encouragement to keep on studying, with fathers then interjecting something along the lines of "you can ask me anything about that book". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format. Children were curious about Scripture, with fathers being quick to give pointers on the context. 

At some point, children are bound to get into mischief. An example of this mischief is them showing you their artwork as drawn on the wall. The idea is to laugh with your child as they get into mischief. The idea is to get a good laugh at your child's graffiti, and then clean it up later. Don't make children clean up messes. YOU clean it up. Laughing at childhood mischief constitutes the acronym of righteous laughter. 

Sometimes, a parent needs to set limits. However, children accepting limits is another story. Whenever you hurt your child's feelings with your limits, you need to apologize. If you are angry in the process, you definitely need to formally apologize for hurting children's feelings with your anger. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to wrath through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Defiance: Why never to use punitive measures on a defiant child

Many parents have been there. A child acting defiant towards parental limits. This is a common and normal occurrence in American homes. However, most American parents perceive their defiant child as "undermining parental authority". However, your child is not out to get you - they simply cannot accept parental limits. 

God's Law on dealing with defiance in children is spelled out in Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here not just to spanking a defiant a child, but instead also any entitlement in parents, leading to offense in a defiant child.  Offense in a child consists of hurt feelings in children where parents refuse to apologize for said hurt feelings in children. One way that children's feelings are hurt is when they cannot accept a parental limit. One way children show displeasure for limits set by parents is through defiance. Defiance consists of a child being angry and forceful in their crying, usually in reaction to the word "no". It is not due to children seeking to "undermine parental authority". They simply cannot accept limits from parents. This is due to lack of emotional self-control in children. Whatever is simply disappointing in adults is earth-shattering for young children. The idea is to apologize to children for hurting their feelings with your limits, ideally in the face of their defiance. With that said, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for hurting your feelings with my temper", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, and is a Latin term roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment was ultimately received by the parish at Colossae as prohibiting causing offenses in children as perceived by the child. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

Defiance is a normal and natural behavior in young children in particular. Children lack the emotional self-control to accept parental limit that hurt their feelings, with this stage of development lasting until age 8. Teenagers also lose control and become impulsive if you don't start being a gentle parent to them from very young. 

Children never intend defiance as a means to "undermine" your parenting. They instead simply cannot accept a limit coming from parents. This stage should last until the child reaches age 8. Until then, you need to apologize for hurting your child's feelings. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

"Spare the rod, spoil the child": Why the rod verses in Proverbs are repealed verses

Many parents think that the Bible supports the use of corporal punishment in parenting. This is a common attitude amongst American parenting. Most American parents cite 5 verses in the book of Proverbs as their "proof" that spanking is biblical. However, these passages depict a dated form of judicial punishment that does not apply today.

One common rod verse cited to justify the use of punishment in parenting is Proverbs 13:24 KJV:

He who spareth his rod hateth his son: but he who loveth him chasteneth him betimes. 

The Hebrew root word translated "son" is ben and refers here to a mature adult son. The Hebrew root word  translated "rod" is shebet and refers here to the rod of correction, namely a switch. This passage, and those like it, ultimately refers to a form of judicial corporal punishment known as the 40 minus 1 lashes. It was unlawful in the Old Testament to strike a fellow Jew outside of the context of a courtroom. It was unlawful to strike a minor child at all under Jewish law. This commandment was necessary because, otherwise, Jewish parents would shield their children from the Law and refuse to punish them for their unlawful acts. 

Christ died and Rose on the Third Day in order to end the harsh punishments of the Old Testament. Christ ended corporal punishment by way of enduring it unjustly before being placed on the cross. Corporal punishment was never used as a form of church discipline in the Early Church. Instead, the Early Christians excommunicated members that violated church law. 

The teaching of "biblical spanking" is a man-made teaching. The Bible nowhere legitimately supports the use of corporal punishment in parenting. However, the Bible does touch in on the spanking issue, and then some. See Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here not simply to spanking a child. Instead, it refers to entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. The Bible prohibits hurting your child's feelings without apologizing to them for said hurt feelings. With that said, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for hurting your feelings with my temper", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards children alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin term roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment was ultimately received by the parish ay Colossae as prohibiting causing any offenses in children as perceived by the child, at minimum. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. The popularization of corporal punishment of children ultimately comes from the mistranslation of the Bible into Latin  The Latinate Bible was poorly translated from the Greek and the Hebrew. 

Also, there existed parenting manuals that advocated attachment parenting that were not translated into English until the 1960s  Before then, this level of parenting knowledge was only known to the Jewish world. Even King Solomon wrote an attachment parenting manual. Attachment parenting was posited then in a convicting manner, as opposed to a reassuring manner like it is today. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Redefining child abuse: Why the Bible calls for expanding child abuse definitions

Many parents think that the Bible has no concept of child abuse apart from obeying the law of the land. Most American parents support the present-day child abuse definitions under state and federal law. However, God's Law is above the law of the land. The Bible has its own definition of child abuse - whatever the child victim perceives as abuse.

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement in the New Testament is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and is defined as, officially speaking, wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. Unofficially speaking, parental entitlement consists of a parent that is sorely disappointed when they don't get the well-behaved child that they feel that they deserve. Even any parent anger directed towards children is parental entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. Whenever this sense of entitlement in parents was perceived by children then as offensive or damaging, it was deemed child abuse. See also Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here to child abuse as understood then, namely entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. Offense in children involves refusal to apologize to children for hurting their feelings, at minimum. With that said, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for hurting your feelings with my temper", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards children alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin term roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. But, this commandment was ultimately received by the parish at Colossae as prohibiting causing offenses in children as perceived by a child, at minimum. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

The Greek root word translated "they be discouraged" is αθυμέω (Latin: athumeo) and refers here to long-term damages, namely childhood trauma. The ancients in the Bible had a basic understanding of childhood trauma. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, shame fell onto the parents -  not the child - due to the parents being too strict with their child. An atheist was seen then as an abused child, not a "lost soul" ro be "won over".

The ancients in the Bible also had a concept of child sexual abuse. The Greek root word translated "fornication" is πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and refers here to any sexual behavior outside of the Christian norm, as understood then. This can be summed up as any sexual relations outside of the context of a Christian marriage between one adult man and one adult woman, with this marriage having to be equal in terms of chronological age. A groom was only allowed a bride his age or up to 4 years older. Intergenerational marriages or sexual relations were banned in the Early Church. Same with all pornography, including that which depicts children. The most common form of child sexual abuse in the biblical context was father-child incest, with daughters being the usual victims. Most men in the Early Church had a masturbation policy, with daughters being a common sexual fantasy amongst men. Most men masturbated righteously to parent attractions for their children. Child sexual abuse was rare in the Early Church, meaning it almost never happened. Most sexual attraction to children then was on the surface, meaning adults openly admitted to sexual thoughts of children. If an adult made any attempt to hide their desires for children, apart from keeping the disclosure brief, it was seen as a sign of a threat for a child. With this setup, sexually abused children knew exactly what was happening to them, and then they self-reported the abuse that they suffered.

It is a myth that the Early Christians were well-integrated into Rome. Instead, the Early Christians lived in enclaves in major Greco-Roman cities, shunning the broader Greco-Roman world, and the world at large. The Early Christians even had their own court system, with these courts being binding into the end of the 1st Century.

Child abuse in the Bible was prosecuted by way of an internal church investigation. This investigation usually started with a child confiding into a clergyperson about the abuse that they suffered. From there, the parents were summoned to testify before a council of 3 church elders who would preside over the investigation. If the parents at all got defensive in court, as opposed to answering directly to the court, they were swiftly excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God for their entitlement, as well as any witnesses that testified on behalf of the parents.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. All 88 books of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation - were written by anti-spanking Jews, with spanking a child being unlawful under Jewish law then and now. All of the biblical writers also wrote parenting manuals that advocated attachment parenting. Even King Solomon wrote an attachment parenting manual, with the rod in Proverbs referring to the repealed legal punishment that is the 40 minus 1 lashes. It just so happens that these parenting manuals were not translated into English until the 1960s. Until then, this level of parenting knowledge was only known to the Jewish world.

The Bible is America's book. America is a Christian nation, founded upon Judeo-Christian values. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context as to how to live and treat each other with respect. Even our legal codes are based off of biblical teaching. However, the criminal defense of "reasonable chastisement" is based off of dated biblical teaching. It is about time that we repeal the "reasonable chastisement" defense in all 50 states, and redefine child abuse as anything that the child victim perceives as abuse.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torrents, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent. for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Hebrews 12:5-6: Why this passage is not a pro-spanking passage

Many parents think that the Bible condones or even commands the corporal punishment of children. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most parents cite 5 passages in Proverbs and 1 passage in Hebrews as their "proof' that spanking children is biblical. However, the case involving biblical spanking ultimately sits on Heb. 12:5-6. However, the argument in Hebrews ultimately sits on shaky grounds. This passage in Hebrews refers to enduring hardship, not punishment coming from an earthly parent.

God's Word on enduring hardship is spelled out in Hebrews 12:5-6 KJV:

And ye have forgotten the exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

The Greek root word translated "scourgeth" is μαστιγόω (Latin: mastigoó) and can have a figurative meaning to it, as is the case here. This form of metaphor is known as rod language. Whenever a Christian man got home from a long day at work, he instead said "God whipped me hard today". God obviously does not come down from the Heavens and whip His children. However, God punishes His children, like only He can, sending trials and tribulations the way of the children that He loves the most. However, God only punishes His children when it does not harm them. whereas earthy parents only punish their children when it does, in fact, harm them. This passage was seen as comfort for the Hebrew Christians in their persecution from Rome. 

The Bible does not legitimately support the use of corporal punishment in parenting. God does not want His Parenting methods being used by earthly parents, lest they get it wrong. However, the Bible does touch in on the spanking issue, and then some. See Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. 

The Greek root word translated "provoke;..to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo). This passage does not simply prohibit spanking children. It prohibits all entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. Offense in children consists of hurt feelings in children where parents refuse to apologize to their child for hurting their feelings, at minimum. With that said, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for hurting your feelings with my temper", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin term roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment ultimately was received by the parish at Colossae as prohibiting causing offenses in children as perceived by a child, at minimum. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

The staple punishment in the broader Greco-Roman world was an open-handed spanking to a bare bottom. This sort of punishment of children was seen by most Christians of the time as pagan in nature, this to be shunned as of this world. However, some Greek Christians brought into the church with them their pagan parenting customs in this regard. The Apostle Paul would have none of it, and convicted these scofflaw parents in his epistles to the parishes at Colossae and Ephesus. 

It is a myth that the Early Christians were well-integrated into broader Greco-Roman society. Instead, the Early Christians lived in urban enclaves in major Greco-Roman cities, shunning the outside world. These Early Christians had their own culture, and even their own court system, with this court system being binding until the end of the 1st Century. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!