Hebrews 12
HAMMHebrews 12:1
Wherefore we having such a multitude of examples of faith and constancy in the ancients, which may serve as so many encouragements and obligations to hearten and incite us to our course, let us lay aside all worldly love and fear, that may hinder and encumber us in our way, and how fair pretences soever we may have to forsake Christ, yet let us not fall off from our constancy, but proceed cheerfully, and per-
²⁷ were burnt with hot irons. ²⁸ in want, distressed, ill handled, ὑστεροῦμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι. ²⁹ received testimony, μαρτυρηθέντες. ³⁰ God foreseeing somewhat better concerning us, that they might not be perfected without us, τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένοι. ¹ that hath such fair pretences. ² perseverance, ὑπομονῆς.
[a] lay aside every —] This verse is wholly agonistical, (as appears by the ἀγῶνα, combat or race, mentioned in the close of it,) and must be explained in every part by proportion with the ἀγῶνες, or games, among the Grecians. These agones were sacred and solemnly kept, and in them there was a kind of assizes or court of judicature. He that proposed the combat (to which refers προκείμενος ἀγών, the proposed race in the end of the verse) that set the laws of the agones, and adjudged the crown to the conqueror, was called βραβεντής or κριτής, the judge; and to him Christ is here compared, who as he is the ἀρχηγός, leader, that goes foremost, and shews us the way in our Christian race, so he is τελειωτής, ver. 2, the rewarder and crowner of them that conquer. So again, he that proclaimed the laws of the combat was called κήρυξ, the praco or cryer, 1 Cor. ix. 27, and they that were set at the goal to discern and pronounce who came first thither (and so was conqueror) were μάρτυρες, witnesses, and as they brought in evidence, so the crown was awarded by the judge; and not only they, but all that stood about as spectators, to behold and commend the courage and constancy of the athletæ, were μάρτυρες, witnesses, also. And of them there was always good store, a great concourse of people, from whence they were called πανηγύριες, frequentia, populous meetings, to behold the games, to see who were conquerors in them. To these last are here compared those great examples of faith and patience, which had been mentioned in the former chapter, who being now at their journey’s end, their goal, their rest, are supposed to look on the present Christian racers, both to give evidence whether they run well or no, and with their commendations to hearten and encourage them in their combats, that they faint not or give over. And there being so many here mentioned in the former chapter, they are fitly called νέφος, a cloud, as any great number or troop of men is rhetorically called a cloud, and that very frequently among authors. And because the spectators in those games stood on either side of the race or stadium, or otherwise round about, at the other games of wrestling, &c., or at a theatre; it is therefore styled περικείμενον νέφος, an encompassing cloud of witnesses, or such as is placed round about us, to look and testify how men behave themselves in their race. It is farther sufficiently known, that they that were to perform any of those exercises, used all care to fit and prepare themselves for it by diet before, so as it might fit them to perform their course, and at the time, by having nothing on that might hinder or foreslow them. To this purpose they did carefully rid themselves of all weight, made themselves as light as they could, and lest their very garments might hang in their way, incumber them in their course, they generally put them off, and ran naked, γυμνοὶ καὶ ἀχίτωνες, saith mPorphyry, naked and without their garments, from whence they were also called γυμνασταί, referring to their naked running. To this way of preparing themselves to the race the author
περὶ ἄποχ. 1. 1.
Hebrews 12:2
And for our encouragement let us look on our Saviour Jesus Christ, who in himself hath given an example of the enduring of the highest afflictions, and will be sure to crown all those that follow after him, hath led us as a captain in this march of faith,
having in his eye that reward of his sufferings, a numerous seed, Isaiah liii, a church of pious livers, and
an exaltation expected from God for himself, Phil.
ii. 9; and in intuition of these, going before us courageously through all assaults; and being now in the
possession of all power in heaven, hath undertaken to reward whatsoever we do or suffer for him.
Hebrews 12:3
For consider his patience and perseverance, how heavy pressures he suffered from his enemies, and by considering of him you will be engaged to persevere also, never to leave the field or turn cowards.
Hebrews 12:4
[d] resisted unto blood] Of the umbratilis pugna, or σκιαμαχία, beating the air, or προπυγμή, we have formerly spoken, on 1 Cor. ix. 26, the first lighter skirmishes before the stata pugna, or set combat, the beginning of the bloody fight. To this the apostle here refers, when he saith, ye have not yet resisted μέχρις αἵματος, as far as blood, that is, as far as the old athletæ were wont, who after the προπυγμή, or brandishing of their arms or weapons, at last fell to downright blows with their cæstus in their hands, which ordinarily brought the blood with them. This the apostle applies to their spiritual agones, (τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς Ὀλύμπια ἀγωνισάμενοι, the Olympics of the soul, in Porphyry’s style, and here, πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀνταγωνισάμενοι, combating against sin,) that they had no reason to be disheartened with Christ’s permitting them to be afflicted and persecuted, as they were; for there are far greater and bloodier combats against sin, such as bring blood and death; and against those they must be provided, in comparison of which theirs yet are but σκιαμαχίαι or skirmishes.
Hebrews 12:6
For it is an effect in God of paternal love, that
on his beloved children and servants he inflicts punishments for their further amendment; and it is an argument of his approving and acknowledging them for
his own that he dealeth thus sharply with them, permitting them to be persecuted.
Hebrews 12:7
And therefore in that ye are afflicted or punished ye are to reckon yourselves dealt with as children
by their parents; for among men ye shall seldom ever hear of a child that hath not sometimes been chastened by his parent.
Hebrews 12:8
It were a sadder condition on the other side, and an argument, that though ye are in God’s family ye are not owned and acknowledged by him, (and so
Hebrews 12:11
[e] peaceable fruit] Agreeably to the former agonistical expressions in the beginning of the chapter is here added γεγυμνασμένοι, exercised in these gymnasia of afflictions, and the receiving of their βραβείον, or reward, styled here καρπὸς δικαιοσύνης, the fruit of righteousness, that fruit which belongs to all righteous men now under the gospel, (or else according to a singular notion of δικαιοσύνη, righteousness, for felicity, mentioned in the note on 2 Tim. iv. [a],) and emphatically εἰρηνικὸς καρπὸς, referring, as the learned P. Faber hath conceived, to the corona oleagina, “the olive crown,” (that tree being an emblem and symbolum of peace,) of which the Olympian crowns for their victors were ordinarily made. But of that see more, James iii. note [g].
Hebrews 12:15
Taking all care that ye walk like Christians, that ye do not fall off from the gospel state, (see note
Hebrews 12:16
Lest any of their unclean infusions come in among you, or lest there be any so profane, that, like Esau, through hunger or any such pressure, he part with the priesthood and primogeniture, that is, to avoid the afflictions of this life here, he forsake Christianity itself, and for the present, to get a little ease from persecution, he forsake the public meetings for God’s service, Heb. x. 25, and all other privileges attending it.
[f] profane person, as Esau] Why Esau, in selling his birthright, is here called profane, will appear by that known observation among the Jews, that as long as God was served within private walls, before the erecting of the tabernacle and temple, and institution of priesthood, the right of priesthood in every family was annexed to the primogeniture; the firstborn was still the priest. Thus, Exod. xxiv. 5, when it is said that Moses sent the young men of the children of Israel to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings unto the Lord, the Chaldee paraphrase renders them בוכרי, the firstborn; and Uzielides adds this scholion, “because as yet the Aaronical priests were not instituted.” This, say the Jews, (and it is reasonable to believe them,) was it that made Jacob so ambitious of the πρωτοτόκια, or privileges of the primogeniture: and if Baal Haturim, on Gen. xxviii. out of Beresith Rabba, may be heeded, this was it which Jacob desired to have confirmed to him by God in those words, Gen. xxviii. 20, If God will be
Hebrews 12:17
Which profaneness of Esau’s in selling at so small a rate the privileges of the firstborn, (to which the priesthood was annexed,) was so provoking a sin in God’s sight, that after, when he would have gotten the blessing from Isaac, and besought him to reverse his act, to do otherwise than he had done, to give him the blessing, that is, the promise of Canaan for his seed, (when he had with error, but withal by the ordering of Divine Providence, given it to Jacob,) and thereupon cried with an exceeding bitter cry, Gen. xxvii. 34, he was not able to prevail with him with all this importunity; which signifies how impossible it is for them who have been thus profane as to forsake Christ, or that which is most sacred, the public assemblies of his service, (resembled by Esau’s selling his birthright,) for the removing a little pressure, to get the reward of a Christian, happiness here and heaven hereafter, (resembled by the blessing,) though they would never so fain get it, and express vehement sorrow that they cannot.
Hebrews 12:18
This is enough to enforce the great admonition of this epistle, of holding fast the faith, and not falling off for persecutions, to Judaism and heresy: for
¹⁶ lest there be any root of bitterness springing up with poison, and thereby many be infect-
ed: see note [b] Acts viii. ¹⁷ dish of meat, Βρώσαις. ¹⁸ desired to inherit, θίλων
κληρονομῆσαι. ¹⁹ earnestly, ἐκζητῆσαι. HAMMOND, VOL. II. C C
Hebrews 12:19
A trumpet to summon all to appear before God, and the voice of God heard in a dreadful manner, so dreadful that the people desired they might hear no more of it. 20, 21. A token of the great unsupportableness of the Mosaical law, which was further signified by the severity threatened to any beast that should touch that mount whence the law was given, and the so formidable aspect of those things that appeared there, that Moses himself could not choose but tremble, (as is received by tradition of the Jews, (as many other things, see note [a] 2 Tim. iii,) though not mentioned in Exodus:) which sure may take off any man among you from falling in love with Judaism.
Hebrews 12:22
But ye are admitted to the Christian church, and by that to the liberty of approaching heaven, of claiming right to it, that substance of which the mount Sion and Jerusalem (called the city of the living God) was but an image or type, where there are so many troops of angels, ten thousand in a troop, with whom all Christians have communion in the church;
Hebrews 12:23
To the dignity of being members of that congregation of Jews and Gentiles, where angels and men join together, and make up the assembly of the church, made up of apostles, the firstfruits of the faith, Rom. viii. 23, and all those eminent, faithful persons whose names are honoured and recorded in the book of God, nay, to the presence of God himself, and all the saints that are now in bliss;
[g] general assembly] The word πανήγυρις signifies properly θεάτρον, συνάθροισις, a theatre, a multitude of people come together, as in the Grecian games, to behold their agones and their sacra. Hence doth it signify also any frequentia populi, but especially a promiscuous mixed multitude from all parts, and, in a sacred sense, an assembly of worshippers of all sorts and countries; which is a particular notation of the Christian church, the net which gathers up good and bad, (that is, Jews, which were called the only people of God before, and Gentiles, which were proverbially called ἁμαρτωλοί, sinners,) is made up of a company of all nations, nay takes in the angels themselves named immediately before, and who are said to sing, and join with us in our public assemblies.
[h] firstborn] The firstborn had not only the privilege of the priesthood before the law, but always since, the פישנים, the double portion, διπλή τιμή, the portion not only of possessions but of dignity and honour above the rest of the brethren. And proportionably the apostles, which were either simply the first converted to the faith of Christ, or else preferred before others, as Judah to the primogeniture of dignity, and Levi in respect of the priesthood, are called here the firstborn; and the church first founded in them, and planted by them, is here called ἐκκλησία πρωτοτόκων, the church of the firstborn, the apostolical church.
[i] written in heaven] Ἀπογράφισθαι signifies to be enrolled, (see note [i] on Luke ii.) and this belonged either to all the congregation of Israel, Num. i. 18, or in a special manner to the firstborn of every family who had that dignity before others, and in time came (as families grew into tribes) to be princes of the tribes of their fathers, Num. i. 16, or to some choice renowned men, who were to be captains or heads of thousands in Israel, or finally to all soldiers listed or enrolled. And to this manner of enrolling doth this phrase ἀπογεγραμμένοι ἐν οὐρανοῖς, written, or enrolled, in heaven, refer, to denote those that are registered by God, matriculated in heaven, that is, beside the apostles, all other holy men, renowned in the book of God: and so this phrase is fit to be joined to the πρωτότοκοι foregoing in the forementioned notion.
[k] made perfect] Τετελειωμένοι are those that have received their crown, their reward, in the agonistical notion so often mentioned, that is, that have attained the end of their race, are triumphant in heaven.
Hebrews 12:24
Yea, unto Jesus Christ, who, as a mediator between God and us, hath established a second covenant, and assured us that it is indeed the covenant of God, and consequently that we may be confident that God will perform his part of it, and now requires of us and gives us grace to perform ours; and to his blood, with which we must be sprinkled before we can be admitted into heaven, (as the priest was to sprinkle himself before he went into the holy of holies,) which is quite contrary to Abel’s blood, as it is mentioned in Genesis, that called for vengeance
[l] that of Abel] The meaning of this passage, παρὰ τὸν Ἀβίλ, or, as Theophylact and others read, παρὰ τὸ Ἀβίλ, is not easily resolved on. If it be τὸν, it may then agree with Abel as the accusative case, and then it must be rendered then Abel, meaning, then Abel spake; or else referring the τὸν to ῥαντισμὸν going before, and reading Ἀβίλ in the genitive case, it will then be rendered, then that (sprinkling) of Abel, noting the sprinkling of blood which in that sacrificing of his firstlings, Gen. iv. 4, he is supposable to have used. If it be τὸ, then as it is certain it must refer to αἷμα, blood, precedent, and so denote the blood of Abel, so it is uncertain what blood is meant, whether the blood of Abel shed by Cain, or the blood of Abel’s firstlings in his sacrifice. So that all these four possible notions of the words are in effect but two: the first and the third referring to that of Abel and his own blood shed by Cain, and the second and fourth to the blood of the cattle in his sacrifice. And which of these is now to be preferred is the only difficulty. That the first should be it, the authority of the Greek commentators and others would incline, and the manner of the scripture style in many places (using words and phrases which must be supposed to signify much more than their natural importance affords, see note [e] on Matt. xii.) may help to persuade it. For thus it may then be explicated very commodiously, that whereas the blood of Abel, the first that ever suffered, called for nothing but vengeance on the murderer, the blood of Christ, quite contrariwise, called for mercy on his very crucifiers, and on all the world of men besides, and so spake as good things as Abel’s did ill, cried as loud for pardon as his is said to do for vengeance. But if we consider the design of the whole context, which is the comparing the state and economy under the law and before Christ with that now after or since his coming, and the preferring the latter infinitely beyond the former, we shall then have great reason to incline us to accept the second sense, that the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, that sacrifice of his upon the cross, had infinitely more efficacy in it (and that devolved to us) to obtain God’s acceptance, than that sacrifice of Abel’s, the first great type of that shedding the blood of Christ, this Lamb of God, is affirmed in the scripture to have had. That this sacrifice of beasts offered by Abel should here be mentioned with Christ’s sacrifice of his own body on the cross, the reason is evident, because all the sacrifices of beasts, not only under the law, but before it, among the patriarchs, before and after the deluge, were all types of Christ’s one perfect sacrifice. And Abel’s being the first of these recorded in scripture, and attested to have had much of God’s acceptance, particularly more than Cain’s, (see Heb. xi. 4.) is therefore the fittest to be insisted on in this place. And that Christ’s blood is said to speak better things than that, and so than any other blood in sacrifice, is agreeable to Heb. ix. 13, 14, For if the blood of bulls—how much more the blood of Christ; and, ver. 22, 23, And almost all things are purged by blood—It was necessary therefore that the heavenly things themselves should be purged by better sacrifices than these. And accordingly in the ancient liturgies, and in the canon of the mass now in use, when the bread and wine is consecrated into the sacrament
a b 2
Hebrews 12:25
And therefore be sure ye despise not Christ, who is come to deliver God’s will unto you; for if they were destroyed that contemned Moses that delivered the law from mount Sinai, then much severer destruction is to be expected for them that despise the commandments of Christ, that delivers them immediately from heaven.
Hebrews 12:26
In giving the law, there was an earthquake when God spake, and that was somewhat terrible; but now is the time of fulfilling that prophecy, Hag. ii. 7, where God professes to make great changes, greater than ever were among them before, even to the destroying the whole state of the Jews: (see note [a] Matt. xxiv.)
Hebrews 12:27
For that is the notation of the phrase which is rendered Yet once, which signifies some final ruin, and that very remarkable, as here the total subversion of the Jews, of all their law and policy, as of things that were made on purpose to be destroyed, designed by God only for a time, for that imperfect state, as a forerunner and preparative to the gospel, which therefore is a state of which there is no mention of the shaking it, nor consequently of any other future state that shall succeed it, which signifies that that is most certainly to endure for ever, till the end of the world.
Hebrews 12:28
We therefore that are vouchsafed our part in this immutable kingdom or state under Christ, a condition that no persecutions, nor even the gates of hell, shall prevail against, but it shall be sure finally to overcome and survive all opposition; let us take care to hold fast and not forsake the gospel, (see note [d] ch. xiii.) through which we may serve God so as he will now accept of, with reverence of so glorious a master, and with fear of his wrath, if we do provoke him by abusing his mercies: (see note [c] Phil. ii.)
Hebrews 12:37
Some were stoned, as Zacharias; others sawn asunder, (as Isaiah by Manasses, say the Jews;) others burnt alive, or broiled, or run through with hot irons, as the Maccabees; others, very many, killed by the sword; others, the prophets that preached the coming of Christ, meanly arrayed in skins, as Ezekiel, John Baptist, &c. being very poor, in great dangers, and meeting with very ill usage;
Hebrews 12:38
Used thus, as men that were too good to live in this wicked world; and accordingly others of them lived recluse and retired from the world, in deserts and hills, and caves of the earth.
Hebrews 12:39
And all these valiant champions and servants of God last mentioned, ver. 36, &c. and before, vv. 8. 13, being much commended for their faith, did not in their time receive the promises made to Abraham, had no deliverance in this life from their persecutors:
Hebrews 12:40
God having determined this as the time most congruous in his wisdom to give the utmost completion to all those prophecies and promises to send the Messias into the world, and, as a consequent of his resurrection from the dead, to grant us those privileges and advantages that the fathers had not enjoyed, a rest after long persecutions, a victory over all opposers of Christ’s church, that so what was promised to Abraham’s seed, Gen. xxii. 17, that they should possess the gates of their enemies, being but imperfectly fulfilled to the fathers, might have the utmost completion in the victory and flourishing of the Christian faith over all the enemies thereof.