Hebrews 12
v.1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
He stands with us at the starting-point, and earnestly says to us, not ‘Run,’ but, ‘Let us run.’ The apostle himself is at our side as a runner.
Endurance is needed to run that race. Endurance translates the ancient Greek word hupomone, “which does not mean the patience which sits down and accepts things but the patience which masters them… It is a determination, unhurrying and yet undelaying, which goes steadily on and refuses to be deflected.” (Barclay)
v.2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The Greek word for ‘looking’ is a much fuller word than we can find in the English language. It has a preposition in it which turns the look away from everything else. You are to look from all beside to Jesus. Fix not thy gaze upon the cloud of witnesses; they will hinder thee if they take away thine eye from Jesus. Look not on the weights and the besetting sin-these thou hast laid aside; look away from them. Do not even look upon the race-course, or the competitors, but look to Jesus and so start in the race.
Shame is a significant trial. Daniel 12:2 says that shame will be an aspect of the terrors of hell: And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Jesus bore this hellish shame to accomplish our redemption.
v.3
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
The best means of leading a faithful Christian life amidst the opposition which we may encounter, is to keep the eye steadily fixed on the Saviour.
v.5-6
And you have forgotten that word encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”
Same as Proverbs 3:11-12. Much difficulty in the Christian life comes from those three words: you have forgotten. Perhaps it is some principle we remember in the mind, but have forgotten in the heart – and we must remember it again. #EnduringWord
Connects to Hebrews 3:1 where the author urges his brothers in Christ to fix their thoughts on Jesus. Keep Him at the forefront of your mind that you may not be unaware of both his discipline and encouragements.
v.10
Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
To be holy as God is holy; to be so holy that it may be said that we “are partakers of his holiness,” is a richer blessing than health, and property, and friends, without it; and when by the exchange of the one we acquire the other, we have secured infinitely more than we have lost. To obtain the greater good we should be willing to part with the less; to secure the everlasting friendship and favour of God we should be willing, if necessary, to surrender the last farthing of our property;** the last friend that is left us**; the last feeble and fluttering pulsation of life in our veins.
v.11
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
There is no Christian who is not ultimately benefited by trials, and who is not able at some period subsequently to say, “It was good for me that I was afflicted. Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy word.” When a Christian comes to die, he does not feel that he has had one trial too many, or one which he did not deserve. He can then look back and see the effect of some early trial so severe that he once thought he could hardly endure it, spreading a hallowed influence over his future years, and scattering its golden fruit all along the pathway of life. I have never known a Christian who was not benefited by afflictions; I have seen none who was not able to say that his trials produced some happy effect on his religious character, and on his real happiness in life. If this be so, then no matter how severe our trials, we should submit to them without a complaint. The more severe they are, the more we shall yet be blessed - on earth or in heaven.
v.13
“Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Some Christian people seem to be so inconsiderate, and unsympathizing, that they treat all the lame of the flock with harshness. You may be strong and vigorous in your physical constitution, strangers to nervousness and depression of spirits. Be thankful then, but do not be presumptuous. Despise not those who suffer from infirmities that have never come upon you
v.14
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Spurgeon described four types of people who try to get on without holiness:
· The Pharisee: Confident in outward ceremonies instead of true holiness.
· The moralist: Feels no need for holiness because his life is so good.
· The experimentalist: Their entire Christian life is lived inward, never looking to outward conduct but only to feelings.
· The opinionist: Their Christian life is all about believing the right doctrines and is unconcerned about the way one lives.
Scripture speaks of both a holiness which we have in Christ before God, and a holiness which we are to strive after. These two aspects of holiness complement one another, for our salvation is a salvation to holiness: “For God did not call us to be impure but to live a holy life” (1 Thessalonians 4:7). To the Corinthians Paul wrote: “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy” (1 Corinthians 1:2) The word sanctified here means “made holy.” That is, we are through Christ made holy in our standing before God, and called to be holy in our daily lives.
v.15
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
v.16
See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.
Esau was not spiritually minded but rather taken up with the things of the here and now. This is apparent in the incident referred to, when Esau for a single meal bargained away “his inheritance rights as the oldest son” (cf. Ge 25:29-34). He could not recognize its true value. His insistence on the gratification of his immediate needs led him to overlook what was of infinitely greater worth, his rights as the firstborn. So with the apostates.
Philo regarded Esau as enslaved by sensual and temporal desires because of actions such as this one. Esau did not act as if he viewed life from a long-range perspective, much less an eternal one (the rabbis inferred from this text that he denied the future *resurrection of the dead).
v.18-19
You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,
v.22-23
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,
This may refer to some partial presence/awareness of dead saints, according to 2022-08-16 22 00 Pages 1000-1040.
v.24
to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
The meaning here is, that the blood of Jesus speaks better things than Abel did; that is, that the blood of Jesus is the “reality” of which the offering of Abel was a “type.” Abel proclaimed by the sacrifice which he made the great truth that salvation could be only by a bloody offering - but he did this only in a typical and obscure manner; Jesus proclaimed it in a more distinct and better manner by the reality. The object here is to compare the Redeemer with Abel, not in the sense that the blood shed in either case calls for vengeance, but that salvation by blood is more clearly revealed in the Christian plan than in the ancient history; and hence illustrating, in accordance with the design of this Epistle, the superior excellency of the Christian scheme over all which had preceded it.
But Jesus’ blood speaks “a better word” than that. His blood opens up for us a way into the Most Holy Place (10:19), whereas Abel’s blood sought to shut out the wicked person.
v.28-29
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for our “God is a consuming fire.”
This is a further reason why we should serve God with profound reverence and unwavering fidelity. The quotation is made from Deuteronomy 4:24. “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” The object of the apostle here seems to be, to show that there was the same reason for fearing the displeasure of God under the new dispensation which there was under the old. It was the same God who was served. There had been no change in his attributes, or in the principles of his government. He was no more the friend of sin now than he was then; and the same perfections of his nature which would then lead him to punish transgression would also lead him to do it now. His anger was really as terrible, and as much to be dreaded as it was at Mount Sinai; and the destruction which he would inflict on his foes would be as terrible now as it was then.