Hebrews 12: Why this passage doesn't command punishment of children

Many parents support the punishment of children. A passage in the Bible that is used as a core text for punitive parents to support their bile and hatred for their children is Hebrews 12:5-11. Hebrews 12:5-11 is actually not about punishing a child at all, nor is it a parenting verse.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Hebrews 12:5-11 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 Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastrening, God dealeth with you as sons; for which son does the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, not sons. Furthermore we have have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: but nevertheless, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which exercised thereby.

The Greek root word translated "scourgeth" is μαστιγόω (Latin: mastigóo) and refers literally to the rod of correction, meaning a rod or tree branch used for legal correction in the Old Testament, in the form of 40 minus 1 lashes before suffering the death penalty. The fact of the matter is that the rod of correction was not used in the Early Church. Rod language involved using the rod of correction as a symbolic statement, or idiom, for enduring hardship of any kind, to any degree. The more explicit the statement about being whipped with the rod is, the more serious the rough patch you must be in. This is proven by the translation of the English word "chastisement" which is the corresponding Greek root word παιδεία (Latin: paideia) which refers to a specific standard of Christian discipline that is entitled to nothing, and grateful for everything, leading to a chastened up example that children might follow. The Greek root word translated "grievous" is λυπέ (Latin: lupe) and refers not to physical pain, but mental anguish from ordinary life hardship. 

There are verses that actually talk about raising a child. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents, coming from Christian love, or putting children first, and parents last, to the point of dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every need. It is not a respect in the form of fearful compliance, but in the form of openness, honesty, and transparency, with children being able to tell parents anything and everything that is on their mind, perhaps confessing acts of wrongdoing, expecting absolutely no punishment and reprisal in return. Parents were seen then as servants of God, not authority figures, with children being in place of God. Parents were bondservants, with children being their master giving the commands and orders as to what they need. Parents were merely tools to be used then, meaning milking-objects that children milk to get their every vulnerable need met, owing absolutely nothing in return to parents while dependent to them.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. This refers to the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law on punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christians who were punitive parents by way of the Greco-Roman custom, which was harsh on children. Punitive parents were dealt with harshly in both Ancient Israel in the Early Church, with such parents being excommunicated from their own church communities. In Ancient Israel, they were put to death by way of bloodletting. Punishment was seen as grand theft/kidnapping, and seen as a community-wide offense in Early Christian church communities. The seven rod verses in Proverbs, including Prov. 13:24, are repealed verses, meaning they are only relevant to the cultural and legal context of the time. This is because the verses refer to a dated form of judicial corporal punishment closely conflated with the death penalty in Ancient Israel - the 40 minus 1 lashes with the rod of correction, as a final warning before putting an ADULT child to death, after a criminal conviction in a court of law. MINOR children could not be charged with a crime, as they were deemed incompetent to stand trial in a court of law, due to an age of infancy.

Mothers and fathers served different roles in biblical times. Mothers were charged with providing nourishment and sustenance, namely breastmilk and skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy respectively. Children went naked wherever they went in Ancient Israel and the Early Church alike, and mothers were naked in the realm of the family home, and so children snuggled with mothers in the nude, giving them the sustenance they need, nursing very young children with breastmilk until age 3, when they were weaned. Fathers were a bit more passive with children. Christian men were usually sturdy and steadfast in a disciplined manner, but melted for their children, and felt connotational parent attraction towards them, especially their older daughters. Sexually assaulting or raping a child was seen as pure wickedness, as was any sex with them (see Lev. 18:17, 20:13). Fathers showed their parent attraction to the court by speaking of them in terms of flowery, baroque language, putting them on a pedestal in terms of their speech and attitudes towards their child. Parents did not ever punish their children, but sometimes separated siblings who didn't get along or got along too much.

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