Proverbs 13:24 — “One who spares his rod hates his child, but he who loves him disciplines him in his youth.”
This is probably one of the most comment on scriptures that I can recall hearing when I was a child and it was just today that I realized what this means.
The rod here doesn’t mean to spank or issue disciple. Hebraically a rod, is the same as the staff. It represents authority. So one who spares “his rod”, this is a double intended meaning. Since authority has been given to the man as the head, he leads in his authority, and in walking in his authority he has a rod, which mets out his will and authority. When he spares his authority on his child or children he hates his child. Because child is now loose and wild with no sense of boundaries or respect to limitations and guidelines of the Torah. But he who loves him disciplines him in his youth. You raise up your child with the laws and decrees of the Torah.
Remember that w’re to teach them thoroughly to our children and you shall speak of them while you sit in your home, while you walk on the way, when you retire and when you arise. Deut 6:7 Train the youth according to his way; even when he grows old, he will not swerve from it. Deut 22:6. So what is spared are the commandments, decrees and ordinances of the Word, if we spare this from our children we hate our children. But if we instruct the commandments, decrees and ordinances in the child youth, we love him, and he will not stray from it.