Hebrews 12:13

Straight paths. Reluctance to accept the discipline of life often leads a person into devious paths. The mature Christian will press forward in a straight path, courageously and confidently accepting the disciplinary experiences that are necessary to the formation of a symmetrical Christian character, without hesitation and without regret. He will not seek some bypath to avoid discipline, but will keep to the highway of life and take full advantage of the opportunities it offers.

That which is lame. Reference is still to the persons with limp hands, weak knees, and feet in need of “straight paths” (verses 12, 13). Being “lame,” they find it difficult to walk through the unpleasant disciplinary experiences along the highway of life.

Be turned out of the way. Greek ektrepo, “to turn,” “to turn away.” The sense in which ektrepo is here used is not altogether clear. Either of two interpretations is possible: (1) Lame feet will be “turned out of the way”; that is, they will stray from “straight” into crooked “paths,” where lame persons would be more likely to stumble and fall. (2) Ektrepo is to be understood in its technical medical sense, “to be dislocated,” “to be put out of joint.” Lameness would make walking difficult; dislocation would make it impossible. Understood thus, the warning would be that unless “straight paths” are provided for lame feet there is danger that dislocation of the joints will result. The second sense, “be dislocated,” or “be put out of joint,” accords more closely with the context. There is more likelihood that “that which is lame” will get out of joint than that it will stray. Furthermore, the admonition “let it rather be healed” forms a more appropriate alternative to getting out of joint than it does to going astray.

Let it rather be healed. Reluctance to accept discipline will get him into even greater difficulty. But instead of permitting this, the wise Christian will set about applying the appropriate remedy. When physical ailments are not given the attention they need they often tend to become worse rather than better. Conditions of mind and heart, such as reluctance to accept discipline, or resentment because of it, are sure to become aggravated unless intelligent effort is put forth to diagnose the situation and to apply the appropriate remedy.