Hebrews 12, Our Time in the Spotlight

The previous chapter has a long list of Old Testament heroes who followed God, looking for God's Country, aware that they were only aliens on this planet.  Now it is our turn....

Hebrews 12:1-3, Witnesses

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. 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.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

The metaphor is a race; those who ran before are envisioned as watching us from the stands.  We are to strip down to the essentials and get ready to run, to run with pace, consistency and seriousness.  In this race, like any athlete, it helps to have a single focus. In this case, our focus is to be the Messiah who completed the Jewish sacrificial system in our place.

Hebrews 12:4-7, Loving discipline

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.  And you have forgotten that word of 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, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

From verse 4: apparently elsewhere (?) persecution had led to genuine bloodshed, even death.(Certainly first century Christians were martyred for their faith, even in Rome.) Here the readers are chastised for their weakness and for their willingness to give in to pressure, even when the persecution has not been as severe.  They are being reminded that any true growth will involve some pain and hardship.

The quote in verse 6 is from Proverbs 3:11-12.

Hebrews 12:8-10

If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.  Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!  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.

A larger perspective is being placed on "discipline" and suffering.  The message of Hebrews is that God's plan is a longterm one, through millennia and eons and that the Hebrews should seek to have God's view.

How does God's "discipline" show in our lives?  What is it like?  What is really meant here?  I'm afraid we may confuse this too much with the "discipline" (punishment) meted out by angry broken fathers or step-fathers?

Hebrews 12:11-13, Moving on in growth

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.  "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

I equate discipline here with work, growth, drill, self-control?  The athlete metaphor may be appropriate.  The instruction to "make level paths" gives an image of smoothing out a difficult route for the one who is struggling.  The modern metaphor would be building a wheelchair ramp.

The quote in verse 13 is from Proverbs 4: 26.

Hebrews 12:14-17, Live in peace and encouragement

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.  See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

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.  Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.

We are to encourage others (in our believing community) to live righteously.  Esau is given as an example of one thinking only in the short term, thinking only of his hunger.  Sexual immorality is another (easy) example of short term thinking with often long term consequences.

Hebrews 12:18-21, Moses trembled; you need not!

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned."  The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear."

The image here is of Mt. Sinai, in the Exodus account of God bringing the laws to Moses.  (The quote in verse 20 is from Exodus 19:12-13; the quote in verse 21 is from Deuteronomy 9:19.)  In this passage, the terrified Jews begged that they not have to hear the voice of God.  Even Moses was terrified.

Hebrews 12:22-24, The City of the Living God

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, to 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, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Why the change of direction in verse 18?  What is the message here about God?  Although there is terrifying imagery in verse 18, the message here (again) is that "you are past that", you are instead "come to Mount Zion", to the "joyful assembly"!

Hebrews 12:25-29, One last warning

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken--that is, created things--so that what cannot be shaken may remain.  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."

Who is "him who speaks"?  Verse 19 points out that the Jewish people were terrified by the Voice from Mount Sinai.  Now that the voice comes from Mount Zion (verse 22), the writer pleads for his readers to listen to that voice and not turn away.  The warning is couched in encouragement; I see an image of a frightened person (or animal) being coaxed into safety.

The quote in verse 26 is from Haggai 2:6; the quote in verse 29 is from Deuteronomy 4:24.

We will finish up the letter to the Hebrews next time.