Texts in Conversation
Hebrews 12 calls God the Father of spirits, a rare title that is similar to 2 Maccabees 3, where God is called the Sovereign of spirits. In both, the language highlights God’s power and authority over all spiritual beings.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
2 Maccabees 3:24
Deuterocanon
20 All, stretching out their hands toward heaven, made their solemn supplication. 21 Then it was pitiful to see the multitude prostrating themselves all mixed together, and the anxiety of the high priest in his great distress. 22 While therefore they called upon the Almighty Lord to keep the things entrusted to them safe and secure for those who had entrusted them, 23 Heliodorus went on to execute that which had been decreed. 24 But when he was already present there with his guards near the treasury, the Sovereign of spirits and of all authority caused a great manifestation, so that all who had presumed to come with him, stricken with dismay at the power of God, fainted in terror. 25 For they saw a horse with a frightening rider, adorned with beautiful trappings, and he rushed fiercely and struck at Heliodorus with his forefeet. It seemed like he who sat on the horse had complete armor of gold.
Date: 160–63 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
Hebrews 12:9
New Testament
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.
Date: 80–90 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
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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) ..."
A. J. Coetsee, “Deuteronomy’s Concept of Life in Hebrews,” HvTSt 75.3 (2019): 1–9.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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