The Bible says smacking children is necessary to avoid "foolishness", how do modern Christians interpret this?

Question

I quote from Proverbs 22:15. "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shalt drive it far from him."

My question is do modern Christians believe in the use of a "rod of correction"?

Does this mean all strict Bible following parents are "abusing" their children?

(I personally think smacking your child is okay, a stick I don't know about...)

Booya pasteur!

Answer 1

That depends. In this country, if you raise your voice to your children, the police comes to arrest you for child abuse. In other contries, not so. Perhaps that is one of the reasons for being this one the only country where students go to school with shotguns and kill everyone they can before comitting suicide.
Of course, I am not in favour of using the stick. That is obviously too much. But a good old fashioned spanking with the open hand sometimes is appropriate

Answer 2

I don't believe spanking your children for willful disobedience is wrong or abusive. As long as you are not hitting them for every little thing. Some christians interpret the rod of correction as anything that will cause your child discomfort if they disobey. Such as taking away privileges. You have to remember that when that was written. Most children didnt have privileges. There was no tv, or video games, or allowances. The rod was the only tool for discipline. And it was hung in the home as a constant reminder to think before you act!

Answer 3

First of all "smacking" is not what it says. Yes in some cases, corporal punishment is neccesary. This means a slap on the hand or a swat on the fanny. It in no means means "smacking" or beating your kids. Your choice of words tells me you were against corporal punishment and disipline before you asked. You also overwhelmingly assume that corporal disipline is always associated with anger or a response to it.
The biggest problem I have found is that parents who wont swat thier kids say they can't hit thier kids out of anger. Well there in lies the problem. If you can not disipline you child or do not do until you are angry then you shouldn't do it. Corp punishment is a calculated and measured response to non compliance and disipline. You should never use pysical force on anyone out of anger or a response to it. People often make the mistake of assuming that that is why you are punishing your child,because you are or are making you angry. First deal with that issue first.
In 17 years as a father I have only had to spank one of my kids after the 3rd time he had been caught with fire and finally burnt the nieghbor kid. Beside that, it was an occassional flick to the ear or back of the knoggen to gain compliance of a unrully child. You can scream and yell but all that does is cause them to listen to you selectively(when they want to). You should deal with them before you get angry or calm down then deal with them.
If MY childs actions are detrimental to the health welfare and safety of others and they need a swat on the fanny to let them know that the behavior will not be tolerated, then so be it. It is better than letting it go until he burns down someones house or causes harm or injury to others.
Finally as a Christian I would refrain from selecting verses from the bible and applying a secular view to them. Each verse in the Bible is linked to other verses. You can not apply one verse you must read and apply all of the bible. It is an instruction manual for life you can't just read one part of the manual and expect that your life will come together.

Answer 4

There is a difference between abuse, which is undeserved and too harsh, and proper discipline, which is in moderation. A spanking may work on a small child to correct him, but try to discipline a sassy mouthed, rebellious pre-adolescent or adolescent. A little slap they laugh at, and their hides are so thick it means nothing.....especially through blue jeans. A rod would be reasonable just to make any impression at all. I am speaking as a parent who has survived teenagers.....you should show a little mercy to the parents.. who probably receive more "beatings" and abuse form their kids than the other way around....

Answer 5

A light smack on the butt for disobedience is not even on the same planet as abuse.

Gotta remember a few things. It does not work or help - 10 and older. So do something different.

Ask yourself why are spanking: Is it because you are angry or because it is deserved? If it is because you are angry, get out of the room, and leave the kid alone.

Remember I said tap, not a whack. I also did not say anything else is okay (whips, sticks, cords, cat of nine tails, etc.)

I am a therapist who treats kids who are victims of abuse all the time. Remember there is vast difference here.

Answer 6

I think not. I (and others) interpret the "rod" to be a shepherd's crook, which was used to guide and direct sheep in the way they should go. You never hit them with it. Children are undoubtedly foolish, as anyone who ever raised one can tell you, and they do need guidance and correction. But that need not include hitting them, and certainly not with a stick.

Answer 7

The southern part of the body is built with extra padding for the purpose of discipline and correction.
And before anyone says anything that's up to a certain age, perhaps twelve and then other methods of correction need to be applied. Especially in the case of young girls.

Answer 8

Other translations replace the word "correction" with "discipline" the root word for discipline is the same one in the word disciple. They both mean to teach. Can you imagine Jesus beating his disciples with a rod? We as parents have to take the time, and it takes a lot of time, to train our children, teaching them over and over again so that they don't act foolishly.

Answer 9

A swat or two on the bottom, but not beating or hitting anywhere else. Of course you can try redirection with smaller children and taking away privileges from older children as discipline.

Answer 10

First of all, our Heavenly father, Jehovah, a of love, counsels parents: “Do not be irritating your children, but go on bringing them up in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah.” (Eph. 6:4) Discipline—instruction or training that molds—can be an expression of love. We read: “‘My son, . . . whom Jehovah loves he disciplines.’ . . . True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit.” That is so in the family, too.—Heb. 12:4-11.

According to God’s Word, it definitely can, when the spanking is an expression of and in a manner consistent with love. Consider these verses from the inspired book of Proverbs:
“Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.” (22:15) “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.” (23:13, 14) “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.” (13:24)—New International Version.

While such references to the “rod” could cover various forms of discipline from parents, physical chastisement is certainly included. Whether they do it with the hand, a wooden ruler or some other type of appropriate “rod,” parents are authorized by God to use spanking in lovingly disciplining their children.
The Bible, however, helps parents to avoid going to excesses by offering strong counsel against giving way to violent anger. (Prov. 16:32; 25:28; Col. 3:8) If a parent, ignoring this counsel about controlling anger, fiercely hit a child in an outburst of fury, that would be contrary to what God’s Word says about discipline being an expression of love. The Bible in no way endorses angry whippings or severe beatings that bruise and can even cripple a young child. That is child abuse, not loving discipline.

It takes real effort for parents to spank wisely—to avoid letting misplaced affection cause them to refrain from spanking, and yet to control themselves so that they do not let spankings lead to brutality or child abuse. But the counsel from our Creator, and the good effects forthcoming, prove that this effort is worth while. As Today’s English Version renders Proverbs 23:13, 14: “Don’t hesitate to discipline a child. A good spanking won’t kill him. As a matter of fact, it may save his life.”