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 offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement, with this entitlement involving any parent anger directed towards children. Threatening children with Santa hurts a child's feelings, and when parents defend their so-called "right" to upset their child, it becomes child abuse. If you have hurt your child's feelings in this regard, you should tell children "I talked to Santa, and he does not deliver coal for Christmas. I was wrong". This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandment, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan ways of parenting, which were punitive in nature/ Paul, contrary to popular legend, 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.
A true gift comes with no strings attached. A true gift comes from love. Love is defined in the Bible as giving without receiving. The idea is to give your child everything that they ask for, and expect absolutely nothing in return for giving that gift that makes the child's day. Children shouldn't have to be "nice" in order to receive gifts.
The Early Christians had no concept of a gift-bringer. Christmas came at the same day, but it was simply an observance of Christ's birthday. Most Christian parents then handed their children gifts in person. The gift giving symbolized the Three Kings bestowing gifts for the Christ Child. The concept of Santa was alien to the Early Christians, as was the commercialism that often plagues modern Christmas.
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.
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