What consequences are outlined for a "stubborn and rebellious son" in this passage? The Passage in View “ If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and does not listen to them when disciplined, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his city and say to the elders, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he does not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of his city will stone him to death. So you must purge the evil from among you, and all Israel will hear and be afraid.” (Deuteronomy 21:18-21) Steps Leading to the Consequence • Repeated parental discipline fails—“does not listen … when disciplined.” • Parents present the case publicly at the city gate before the elders. • Formal testimony—parents declare specific sins (“stubborn,” “rebellious,” “glutton,” “drunkard”). • Community participation—“all the men of his city” carry out the sentence. Immediate Consequence • Capital punishment by stoning—“stone him to death.” Broader Purposes and Effects • Purging evil—“So you must purge the evil from among you.” • Deterrence—“all Israel will hear and be afraid.” Related Scriptural Echoes • Honor parents commandment: Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-3. • Parental discipline commended: Proverbs 19:18; 23:13-14. • Sin’s ultimate wage—death: Romans 6:23. Key Takeaways • Persistent, unrepentant rebellion against parental authority invited the severest earthly judgment under the Mosaic Law. • The community’s involvement underscored that rebellion threatened the covenantal order, not just household peace. • God’s stated aim was both moral cleansing and communal caution—maintaining holiness and instilling sober fear throughout Israel. |
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