Ephesians 6:4

Provoke not to anger (mh parorgizete). Rare compound, both N.T. examples (here and Romans 10:19 ) are quotations from the LXX. The active, as here, has a causative sense. Parallel in sense with mh ereqizete in Colossians 3:21 . Paul here touches the common sin of fathers. In the chastening and admonition of the Lord (en paideiai kai nouqesiai tou kuriou). En is the sphere in which it all takes place. There are only three examples in the N.T. of paideia, old Greek for training a pai (boy or girl) and so for the general education and culture of the child. Both papyri and inscriptions give examples of this original and wider sense (Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary). It is possible, as Thayer gives it, that this is the meaning here in Ephesians 6:4 . In 2 Timothy 3:16 adults are included also in the use. In Hebrews 12:5 Hebrews 12:7 Hebrews 12:11 the narrower sense of "chastening" appears which some argue for here. At any rate nouqesia (from nou, tiqhmi), common from Aristophanes on, does have the idea of correction. In N.T. only here and 1 Corinthians 10:11 ; Titus 3:10 .