Colossians 3:21

ἐρεθίζετε BDbcK, etc. παροργίζετε is read by אACD*GL from Ephesians 6:4. (On the Syriac verss. here see Lightfoot, add. note.)

21. οἱ πατέρες. The change from γονεῖς (Colossians 3:20) seems to forbid the inclusion of mothers here (contrast Hebrews 11:23), who are too in a distinctly subordinate position to fathers, and therefore have, strictly speaking, less effect upon the temper of the children.

μὴ ἐρεθίζετε. See notes on Textual Criticism.

Elsewhere in N.T. 2 Corinthians 9:2 only, and there in a good sense. It is but slightly different from παροργίζειν, || Ephesians 6:4, which apparently signifies irritation of a less deep and more transitory kind. ἐρεθ. in Aquila (Proverbs 15:18; Proverbs 28:25) and Symmachus (Proverbs 29:22) = stir up strife, in 1Ma 15:40 = stir up the people, i.e. to invade Judah. The only passage in the Greek Bible at all closely resembling the usage here is 2Ma 14:27, ὁ δὲ βασιλεὐς ἔκθυμος γενόμενος καὶ ταῖς τοῦ πανπονήρου διαβολαῖς ἐρεθισθείς, “and the king, falling into a rage, and being exasperated by the calumnies of that most wicked man” (R.V.). Observe the present tense; it is the continuance of exasperating acts that leads to the result deprecated.

ἵνα μὴ�. ἀθυμεῖν here only in N.T. Compare Deuteronomy 28:65, καὶ δώσει σοι Κύριος ἐκεῖ καρδίαν� (A), where B has καρδ. ἑτέραν�; Jdt 7:22, καὶ ἠθύμησεν τὰ νήπια αὐτῶν; Symmachus, Psalms 101(102):1, προσευχὴ τῷ πτωχῷ, ἐν τῷ�.

It = the deep discouragement that persons have, especially children, when they find that they can do nothing right. All subsequent commentators quote Bengel’s words: ἀθυμία, fractus animus, pestis juventutis.