Ephesians 6:4

Κιὰ οἱ πατέρες, μὴ παροργίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν. In Colossians 3:21 μὴ ἐρεθίζετε. The danger to be avoided seems that of ‘nagging,’ irritating by the arbitrary exertion of authority for its own sake.

ἀλλὰ ἐκτρέφετε. The positive requirement is careful attention to a whole process of development. The care for the education of their children has been a distinctive mark of Israel all through their history from Genesis 18:19 onwards.

ἐν παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ Κυρίου. ἐν instrumental. The Lord is the real educator. Cf. Psalms 18:34; Proverbs 3:11; Isaiah 50:5. The father in training and admonishing is to regard himself as His instrument; cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:12; 2 Corinthians 5:20. παιδεία in 2 Timothy 3:16 certainly covers the whole ground of education and not merely the punitive side. νουθεσίᾳ, ‘admonition,’ relates to particulars and suggests repression. Teaching and admonishing are combined in Colossians 1:28; Colossians 3:16.