HEBREWS 12
HEBREWS 12
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;
5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;
6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.
11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;
16 that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
17 For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
18 For you have not come to a mountain that may be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,
19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word should be spoken to them.
20 For they could not bear the command, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.”
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I am full of fear and trembling.”
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,
24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.
26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.”
27 And this expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;
29 for our God is a consuming fire.
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE (12:1-3)
EFFECTIVE TEACHING MAKES USE OF FIGURES OF SPEECH, AND WE FIND A GREAT MANY OF THEM, ESPECIALLY METAPHORS AND SIMILES, IN THE BIBLE. In the New Testament the Christian life is repeatedly compared to everyday things, events, or practices.
SEVERAL TIMES, FOR EXAMPLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING IS COMPARED TO WARFARE. PAUL COUNSELS US TO ENDURE HARDSHIP “AS A GOOD SOLDIER OF JESUS CHRIST” (2 TIM. 2-3) AND TO “PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD” (EPH. 6:11).Paul also uses boxing as a comparison. “I box in such a way, as not beating the air” (1 Cor. 9:26; cf. 2 Tim 4:7). The Christian is often spoken of as a slave of Jesus Christ. Paul frequently refers to him as a slave, or bond-servant, of Christ, and in several of his letters he introduces himself first of all as a bond-servant (Rom. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Titus 1:1). Jesus spoke of His followers as lights and salt in the world (Matt. 5:13-16). Peter refers to Christians as babes and as living stones (1 Pet. 2:2, 5).
PAUL WAS PARTICULARLY FOND OF THE FIGURE OF THE RACE. He uses such phrases as “run in a race” (1 Cor. 9:24), “running well” (Gal. 5:7, and “run in vain” (Phil. 2:16). This is also the figure used by the writer in Hebrews 12:1-3).
IN THESE FEW VERSES WE SEE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE RACE, AS THEY ARE COMPARED TO THE FAITHFUL LIFE IN CHRIST: THE EVENT ITSELF, ENCOURAGEMENT TO RUN, ENCUMBRANCES TO RUNNING, AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW, THE END OR GOAL OF THE RACE, AND A FINAL EXHORTATION.
THE EVENT
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (12:1)
THE KEY PHRASE OF THIS PASSAGE IS LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US. In the book of Hebrews, as in many places in the New Testament, “Let us” may refer to believers, to unbelievers, or to both. As a matter of courtesy and concern, an author frequently identifies himself with those to whom he is writing, whether or not they are fellow Christians.
ENDURANCE (HUPOMONE) IS STEADY DETERMINATION TO KEEP GOING. IT MEANS CONTINUING EVEN WHEN EVERYTHING IN YOU WANTS TO SLOW DOWN OR GIVE UP. I can still remember the excruciating experience I had in high school when I first ran the half-mile. I was used to the 100-yard dash, which requires more speed but is over quickly. So I started out well, in fact, I led the pack for the first 100 yards or so. But I ended dead last, and almost felt I was dead. My legs were wobbly, my chest was heaving, my mouth was cottony, and I collapsed at the finish line. That is the way many people live the Christian Life. They start out fast, but as the race goes on they slow down, give up, or just collapse. The Christian race is a marathon, a long-distance race, not a sprint. The church has always had many short-spurt Christians, but the Lord wants those who will “make the distance.” There will be obstacles, and there will be weariness and exhaustion, but we must endure if we are to win. God is concerned for steadfastness.
WE ARE TO FOCUS ON JESUS BECAUSE HE IS THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF FAITH. HE IS THE SUPREME EXAMPLE OF OUR FAITH.
THE PRIZE CHRISTIANS ARE TO RUN FOR IS NOT HEAVEN. IF WE ARE TRULY CHRISTIANS, IF WE BELONG TO GOD BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, HEAVEN IS ALREADY OURS. We run for the same prize that Jesus ran for, and we achieve it in the same way He did. We run for the joy of exaltation God promises will be ours if we glorify Him on earth as His Son did. We glorify God by allowing His attributes to shine through us and by obeying His will in everything we do.
THE EXHORTATION
FOR CONSIDER HIM WHO HAS ENDURED SUCH HOSTILITY BY SINNERS AGAINST HIMSELF, SO THAT YOU MAY NOT GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART (12:3).
WE REJOICE THAT ONE DAY WE WILL “LIVE TOGETHER WITH HIM” (1 THESS. 5:10), BUT WE SHOULD ALSO REJOICE THAT WE CAN LIVE LIKE HIM RIGHT NOW. We do not live in our own power but in His, just as on earth He did not live in His own power but in the Fathers. We can say with Paul, “It is no longer I who lives, But Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:20). – MacArthur
Professor Thomas A. Rohm
