Theophylact of Ohrid, on Heb 12:9

“Moreover we have had fathers of our flesh, for instructors, and we reverenced them: shall we not much more obey the Father of spirits, and live?”

“Based on their own circumstances, he again shows that it is necessary to endure. For if, when our fathers according to the flesh disciplined us, we did not dare to withdraw, but, being subjected to shame, patiently bore everything they inflicted upon us, then how much more now, when God disciplines us. Notice, he did not say: let us endure all the more, but: "we should submit," showing that not to endure afflictions is the act of an adversary and enemy of God. "Father of spirits," either of gifts, or of incorporeal powers, or, what is closest of all, Father of souls. For in contrast to fleshly fathers, he called Him spiritual. And he added: "that we may live," in order to show that the one who does not obey does not even live, for he is outside of God, Who is life.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.