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Hebrews 12 – Text and Notes
- Heb.13:22 – Exhortations:
- 2:1-4; 3:7-4:16; 5:11-6:12; 10:19-39; and 12:1-13:22
- How To Succeed (vv.1-3)
- Find Strength in Success of Others of Faith
- Free Yourself from Obstacles Against Faith
- Focus on Jesus the Originator of Faith
1 Therefore [back to chapter 11], since we have so great a cloud of witnesses [ch.11] surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run [present] with endurance [10:36; endurance is often the key; “…does not mean the patience which sits down and accepts things but the patience which masters them.” (Barclay, ibid., p.173)] the race that is set before us,
- “Bernard of Chartres used to say that we are like dwarfs on the shoulders of giants, so that we can see more than they, and things at a greater distance, not by virtue of any sharpness on sight on our part, or any physical distinction, but because we are carried high and raised up by their giant size.” (John of Salisbury)
- “What Des-Cartes did was a good step. You have added much several ways, and especially in taking the colours of thin plates into philosophical consideration. If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” (Isaac Newton)
2 fixing [lit., looking to] our eyes on Jesus [does not say, “fixing our eyes on the witnesses], the author [or, leader] and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat [perfect] down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- “despise the world…despise ourselves…despise the fact that we are despised” (Philip of Neri)
3 For consider [aorist imperative] Him who has endured [perfect] such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow [aorist] weary and lose heart [lit., fainting in your souls]. [Considering what follows, is the point the writer is trying to make concerning the Suffering of the Messiah as being discipline from His Father?]
- Considering Jesus Means Comparing Our Life to His
- Comments About Discipline:
- Can Be Punishment
- Can Be Learning Tools
4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood [lit., as far as blood] in your striving against sin; [Possible Interpretations:
1) a reminder of how blessed they are to have peace; 2) a chastisement for weakness in falling away; 3) suggesting the letter is God’s chastisement. Chapter 11 contained examples of those who had shed blood – and chapter 12 gives the ultimate example of Jesus.]
5 and you have forgotten [perfect] the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, [Possible interpretations of discipline: 1) Testings of faith by God; Persecutions by Satan; Chastisement in words by God (v.5)]
[Prov.3:11-12] “My son, do not regard [negative present imperative] lightly the discipline [3809] of the Lord,
Nor faint [negative present imperative] when you are reproved by Him;
6 For those whom the Lord loves [agapao (25) – In biblical and ecclesiastical usage agapao and its associated noun, agape, refer to an unselfish, outgoing affection of tenderness for another without necessarily expecting anything gin return. It seeks a person’s highest good on the basis of a decision of will and an inclination of heart.” (The Discovery Bible, p.538)] He disciplines [3811],
And He scourges [3146] every son whom He receives.”
7 It is for discipline [3809] that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline [3811]? [Unfortunately what once was a given can no longer be assumed.]
8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become [perfect] partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers [lit., fathers of our flesh] to discipline [3810] us, and we respected [imperfect] them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits [or, our spirits], and live?
10 For they disciplined [lit., were disciplining; imperfect] us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share [aorist] His holiness.
11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained [perfect] by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
- Attitudes Towards Disciple:
- Anger
- Self-Pity
- Resignation
- Resentment
- Rebellion
- Ignore
- Acceptance – Learning Experience
- Relationships with Others & God (1): Help the Weak
12 [Positive Discipline] Therefore, strengthen [lit., make straight; aorist imperative] the hands that are weak [perfect] and the knees that are feeble [perfect], [Why? So we can run with endurance! (v.1)]
13 and make [present imperative] straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put [aorist] out of joint, but rather be healed [iaomai (2390) – “cure, healing that no only reverse the condition but also draws attention to the divine power that performed it…so as to prompt those who witness it to glorify God….” (The Discovery Bible, p.528)].
- Relationships with Others & God (2): Be at Peace
14 Pursue [present imperative] [#1] peace [peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of a relationship] with all men, and [#2]
- Relationships with Others & God (3): Be Holy
the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
- Relationships with Others & God (4): Don’t Be Bitter
15 See to it that no one comes short [i.e., getting lost on a journey] of the grace [charis (5485) – Heb.2:9; Heb.4:16; Heb.10:29; Heb.12:15; Heb.12:28 (translated “gratitude”); Heb.13:9; Heb.13:25] of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes [present] trouble, and by it many be defiled [miaino (3392) – “to ‘pollute,’ contaminate, soil, ‘defile’ (Vine); usually an infecting influence; not so much the effect of wickedness upon the evil-doer as on others around him (Cremer)” (The Discovery Bible, p. p.529); aorist]; [Peace vs. Bitterness; Sanctification vs. Defilement]
- Relationships with Others & God (5): Don’t Be Immoral
16 that there be no immoral or godless [i.e., unholy, common, thinking only of this life] person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. [Application – anyone who does not (cannot) see beyond the immediate here and now is immoral and godless. How are our decisions made?]
17 For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit [aorist] the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance [i.e., a change of mind; his own or his father’s?], though he sought for it with tears.
- Life is filled with unchangeable decisions.
18 For [peace, sanctification, grace, etc.] you have not come [also translated “draw near” in Hebrews; proserchomai (4334); Heb.4:16; Heb.7:25; Heb.10:1; Heb.10:22; Heb.11:6; Heb.12:18; Heb.12:22]perfect] to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing [perfect] fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,
19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words [rhema (4487) – “to spoken word; ‘that which is or has been uttered by the living voice’ (Thayer); an utterance, or spoken word in a specific situation (often associated with dynamic or miraculous effects when spoken by God or Christ)” (The Discovery Bible, pp.545-546)] which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word [logos (3056) – “when used in reference to God, logos means ‘God’s word, command, commission,’ as well as ‘of the divine revelation through Christ and His messengers’ (Arndt/Gingrich); the essence, reason, or cause of a matter, having particular reference to the ‘thought to which it is connected’ (Cremer); ‘reasoned speech’ (Vine)” (The Discovery Bible, p.545)] be spoken [aorist] to them.
20 For they could not bear [imperfect] the command, [Ex.19:12ff] “If even a beast touches [aorist] the mountain, it will be stoned.”
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, [Deut.9:19] “I am full of fear and trembling.”
22 But you have come [also translated “draw near” in Hebrews; proserchomai (4334); Heb.4:16; Heb.7:25; Heb.10:1; Heb.10:22; Heb.11:6; Heb.12:18; Heb.12:22] [perfect] to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels [or, angels in festal assembly, and to the church],
23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn [plural] who are enrolled [perfect] in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made [perfect] perfect, [chapter 11; 12:1]
24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better [kreittōn (2909) – Heb.1:4; Heb.6:9; Heb.7:7; Heb.7:19; Heb.7:22; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:23; Heb.10:34; Heb.11:16; Heb.11:35; Heb.11:40; Heb.12:24] than the blood of Abel [i.e., Abel’s sacrifice].
25 [Fear is a motivation when disobeying] See [present imperative] to it that you do not refuse [negative aorist imperative] Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.
26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised [perfect], saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.”
27 This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain [aorist].
28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show [present] gratitude [charis (5485) – Heb.2:9; Heb.4:16; Heb.10:29; Heb.12:15; Heb.12:28 (translated “gratitude”); Heb.13:9; Heb.13:25], by which we may offer [present] to God an acceptable service [latreuo (3000) – “to service; often in the capacity of officiating as priest or public official; used also as the sacred service and priestly ministering performed by believers through their heartfelt worship and prayer to God” (The Discovery Bible, p.543)] with reverence and awe;
29 for our God is a consuming fire.
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