|
| Chapter 12 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
|
1 ¶ Therefore, seeing we also are compassed about by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him that endured such contradiction from sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 ¶ In striving against sin, ye have not yet resisted unto bloodshed. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children: "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked by Him; 6 for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then ye are bastards and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not far rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits, and live? 10 For verily they chastened us for a few days according to their own pleasure, but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemed to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto those who are exercised thereby. 12 Therefore, lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, 15 looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness spring up to trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. 18 ¶ For ye have not come unto the mount which might be touched and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, which voice those who heard entreated that the Word should not be spoken to them any more. 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, that: "if even so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart." 21 And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, "I fear exceedingly and quake.") 22 But ye have come unto Mount Zion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, who are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh, for if they escaped not who refused Him that spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him that speaketh from Heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth. But now He hath promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven." 27 And these words "yet once more" signified the removing of those things which can be shaken, such as things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire. |
An exalted, lifted up, messenger, v1-3. Faith and hope in the future helps us live in the present. Words of counsel. v1 Following the previous list of people who have given glorious examples of faith the writer moves into an area of faith and the battles of life. The writer is using a race as an example of life. The writer is including himself in this thought. He points out that we are "surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses," who by their faithful victorious lives have shown faith in action. But we may still have problems unless we "lay aside" anything which may slow us down, "a weight." To a runner their body has to be the right weight and physically fit through the correct training. Training needs patience, you cannot become fit in one day, equally life needs patience for our own spiritual health and knowing God’s will for our life. v2 We have looked at past lives of faith based upon the Judaism history, now the writer tells the reader to look to the faith of Jesus, "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,." He is both an example and the originator of faith. He begins a good work in each of us and will bring it to a triumphant finish. Jesus, knowing the final result of His action was full of joy to endure the pain and shame of the cross, and now is sitting to the right of the throne of God. v3 We are now told to think about what we have suffered in comparison with the suffering of Christ for each of us. Our lives are a contradiction to Him, knowing what it cost Him we still sin. Also Jesus was prepared to forgive even those who crucified Him. Luke 23:34. From v4-13 The writer talks about God’s chastisement, (discipline, correction), a sign of son ship. He reminds them that though they have suffered they still have not had to suffer death as a result of their faith. A special Father-Child relationship, v4-11. When Jesus taught the believer how to pray He invited us to use the title "Our Father in heaven," Matt 6:9, through Jesus we have this special parent-child relationship. v4 Some Bible students have said that this verse shows that the letter was written early before persecution occurred but the writer seems to be showing that it was due to their low commitment to the faith that had stopped real persecution. Remember we have a loving Father. v5,6 The letter was written to give encouragement, he asks "have you forgotten already your teachings" and quotes from Proverbs 3:11,12 which shows the Fathers love for His children. God, in love, may find it necessary to make life hard, with many difficulties because it makes you turn in faith more to Him for help through each situation. v7 The trials that come into your life are for your training, being sent by God not in anger but as the Father’s love for His sons. v8 The writers feels that if you are true sons( and daughters) of God then you must expect some sort of discipline, if you do not experience this in some way then the writer says you cannot be true sons, illegitimate, "born out of marriage." v9 Think of your own life, if we did wrong as children our own fathers would discipline us to make us better people, we showed respect for our father for this, so will our spiritual Father do the same. By submitting to His teaching and instruction we receive not just a physical life but eternal life as well. v10 Our earthly fathers disciplined us as children just for a short time, "a few days." The earthly father deciding, judged when to stop the discipline, "according to their own pleasure,." But God will continue until we reach heaven, always for our profit, our good, to make us free from sin and become "partakers (receive) of His holiness." v11 Any discipline, whether human or spiritual does not bring joy, but the writer centres on the divine discipline, which will always produce fruit and righteousness. v12,13 Care for others. Isaiah 35:3 Pull yourself together, stop being so discouraged, go forward in your Christian path of life, do not mix Judaism with Christianity, it will make you appear "lame" and disabled, using two forms of worship, like some have already done. v14 Do your best to be at peace with others, Rom 12:18 The verse suggests that the peace should be mainly aimed at the Christian as they can only be able to involve holiness and "see the Lord." v15 A Christian group or community must live and bring peace, be united and holy in their attitude to each other and the world. v16 The group must also be aware and deal with anyone who may wish to take part in sensual sins, those who care more for worldly pleasures and gains than the spiritual life in Christ. Esau sold his birthright for a meal. Genesis 25:31, though there is no scriptural record of him being a fornicator Esau had no respect for his position. v17 The Jewish readers of this letter would have known about this terrible action by Esau, The blessing was appointed to the firstborn to receive the promises given by God to Abraham and his descendants. His action showed complete disrespect for the promise, it having no value to him. Later when he wanted to receive the blessing he was rejected by God Genesis 27:34 though he had many tears for his loss. The thoughts of the writer now turn to emphasizing that the new covenant also has greater responsibilities, the experiences are very different from the old covenant. A Heavenly Zion, v18-24. v18-21 In the wilderness the Israelites saw the physical signs of the covenant, they stood at the bottom of a mountain covered in fire. The area was covered in clouds and darkness and they heard trumpets and a voice. The experience was so terrifying that the people asked for it to stop. Even if an animal came to near the mountain they had to be stoned or speared to death for entering a sacred area. Exodus 20:18ff The people feared for their lives. v21 The writer said that Moses was also terrified though apart from Deuteronomy 9:19 when we are told that Moses feared for the Israelites because of their behaviour and sin, there is no mention of Moses fear at Sinai. It does say all were frightened, so the writer may have included Moses in this statement. v22 How different is the new covenant, we can come into His presence with no fear through Christ, to the very throne of grace in heaven. A heaven full of an uncountable number of His angels. v23,24 Firstborns indicates special and privileged people, heirs to God’s promise, the Church of Christ who now have the right to enter the heavenly realm, their names are written as citizens. Luke 10:20; Rev 21:27. These people have come to Him as Judge, who is God over all, sovereign over all nations and people. These people have not received judgement but grace. They had not been judged because of their Mediator Jesus, His blood covers the hearts and sins of believers. Abel’s blood cried only for vengeance according to Jewish tradition. v25,26 Listen to the voice of God, do not ignore His Words. A final warning that if the readers, who knowing of the new covenant through the Son of God speaking on earth, but by disobeying God in heaven, then they will suffer a greater punishment. Do not turn away from hearing the Word of God, which shook the earth, just as the Israelites did at Sinai. The Israelites begged God to speak only through Moses not directly to them. Exodus 19:18ff. The Words of God will not just shake the earth one day but also the universe. v27-29 These Words will destroy the things which are temporary, to create the new heaven and earth, an eternal order. We must therefore be grateful for God allowing us to become part of this, serving Him with reverence and godly fear. God cannot allow sin, so make sure His fire does not consume you, serve Him in holiness to survive His judgement. |
Easy English Translation
| Back to previous page | Return to Home Page |
| Hebrews |
| Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 |
| Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 |
| Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Introduction Page |
