2 Maccabees 3:24
20 And holding up their hands to heaven, they all made supplication. 21 There was something pitiable in the prostration of the whole populace and the anxiety of the high priest in his great anguish. 22 While they were calling upon the Almighty Lord that he would keep what had been entrusted safe and secure for those who had entrusted it, 23 Heliodorus went on with what had been decided. 24 But when he arrived at the treasury with his bodyguard, then and there the Sovereign of spirits and of all authority caused so great a manifestation that all who had been so bold as to accompany him were astounded by the power of God, and became faint with terror. 25 For there appeared to them a magnificently caparisoned horse, with a rider of frightening mien; it rushed furiously at Heliodorus and struck at him with its front hoofs. Its rider was seen to have armor and weapons of gold.
Hebrews 12:9
7 Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from our earthly fathers and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life? 10 For they disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness. 11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it.
Notes and References
"... In 12:4-13, the writer of Hebrews exhorts his hearers to persevere in the midst of trials, articulated here as God's 'discipline' (παιδεία). Quoting Proverbs 3:11-12, he urges them not to regard the discipline of the Lord lightly, but to see it as an expression of his love and an indication that he is treating them like sons. This he underscores in verse 9-10 with two a fortiori arguments, which compares the discipline of the hearers' earthly fathers with that of God, and the results of both. The a fortiori argument in 12:9 asks: 'Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?'. The result of subjection to the Father, which forms the climax of the argument in 12:9, is described as life. Obedience to God, which results in life, has a strong Deuteronomic ring to it. Yet, very few scholars indicate Deuteronomy as the possible background of these words. The reference to 'the Father of spirits' probably echoes Numbers 16:22 or 27:16 ['the God of the spirits and of all flesh'], as most scholars indicate. (Some scholars mention other possible backgrounds for this reference, including 2 Maccabees 3:24, Jubilees 10:3 and 1 Clement 64:1) ..."
Coetsee, A. J. Deuteronomy’s Concept of Life in Hebrews (pp. 1-9) HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 75(3), 2019