Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12:1-3

AND

TO THE HEBREW TO

IN THEIR BEGUN COURSE;

(1) FROM THE EXAMPLE AND

OF THE MANY ONES WHO

HAD GONE BEFORE THEM; AND

(2) FROM THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST

Hebrews 12:1-3

 

Hebrews 12:1 —Wherefore, seeing we also, etc.—In the last section, the Apostle brought forward for the encouragement of his brethren, the example of many noble and faithful ones who, under the severest trials, had run with patient endurance the race that was set be­fore them. And now returning to the line of exhortation com­menced at 10: 19, but broken off at the close of the same chapter (10: 39), he calls on his brethren in Christ to imitate the example of those noble witnesses of the faith. Having, he says; such a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every superfluous weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, let us also run with patient endurance the race which is set before us.

 

In this verse there is evident allusion to the games of the ancient Greeks; or rather perhaps to those which Herod the Great had in­troduced into Palestine in imitation of the Grecian games. See Jo­sephus Ant. 15: 8; 15 : 9, 6; 19: 7, 5; Bell. 1, 21, 8. These games consisted in such exercises as leaping, boxing, wrestling, throwing the quoit, foot-races, horse-races, chariot races, etc. The exercises were performed in the arena of a vast amphitheatre, around which, immense crowds of spectators, often amounting to from twenty- five to one hundred thousand, were arranged on seats, rising high one above another. Corresponding with these assembled multitudes of anxious spectators, is the “cloud of witnesses’’ by whom the He­brew Christians are said to be surrounded while running their race for the crown of life. These crowned victors are here repre­sented as a cloud on account of their immense numbers (Ezekiel 38:9 Ezekiel 38:16) as well perhaps as on account of their elevated position.

 

But why are they called witnesses (martures) ? Several an­swers have been given to this question. (1) Some, as Liinemann, supposes that they are so called simply from the fact, that in the preceding chapter they all appear as “witnesses of faith.” They have by their example borne honorable testimony with respect to the nature, power, value, and sure rewards of faith. (2) Some, as Bleek and Tholuck, take the word witnesses in the sense of specta­tors (theatai). They think that these ancient worthies are called witnesses simply because they are represented here as spectators of the Christian conflict. But (3) the majority of commentators combine these two meanings. They maintain that these faithful ones are called witnesses (a) on account of the testimony which they have ever borne as to the power and efficacy of faith and of God’s fidelity; and (b) on account of their being spectators of our conduct in the arduous but honorable race which lies before us. “Averse as we are in general,” says Delitzsch, “to depart from the simple sense of the text of Scripture, for the sake of making out a multitude of meanings, so that ‘the wood at last can hardly be seen for the trees,’ we feel that in the present case the double meaning unmistakably obtrudes itself. Those who were witnesses of faith in the previous chapter, are turned by the word surrounding (peri- keimenon) into witnesses of us in this: or rather the two applica­tions of the word martures (witnesses) are in the writer’s thought and expression, inextricably combined.” I agree with Delitzsch, Alford, Moll, and others, that the Apostle does represent these glo­rified saints, not only as witnesses of the faith, but also as specta­tors of our conduct.

But I think that in representing them as spectators, gathered over and around us, he wishes to indicate that these same champions of the faith will be witnesses for or against us, according to the manner in which we deport ourselves in the great conflict of life. See Matthew 12:41-42. The original word (martus) never means merely a spectator (theates) ; it may, how­ever, as in the case of the Apostle, denote one who sees and hears with the view of bearing witness.

 

But in what sense are these witnesses of the faith and of our de­meanor, spectators also of the Christian conflict? Is it in a literal or in a metaphorical sense? On this question the commentators are again divided. Alford says, “The words must be taken as dis­tinctively implying community between the church triumphant and the church below; that they who have entered into the heavenly rest are conscious of what passes among ourselves. Any interpre­tation short of this leaves the exhortation tame and without point. If they are merely quasi-witnesses, merely witnesses in a metaphor, the motive, so far as this clause supplies one, is gone.” The fact, as here alleged by Alford, that the spirits of the just made perfect are real witnesses of our conduct, is most likely correct.

This is certainly the most natural inference from our text, and it seems to be supported by several parallel passages. See 1 Corinthians 13:12; Hebrews 13:23; Revelation 6:1 Revelation 6:3 Revelation 6:5 Revelation 6:7, etc. Still, I cannot agree with this able, and in the main, judicious critic, that the metaphorical interpretation supported by Macknight and others, is wholly point­less. It seems to me that even if the aforesaid ancient worthies were wholly ignorant of our course and manner of life, the Apostle might nevertheless by a bold rhetorical figure justly represent them as quasi-witnesses of our conduct, in order to stimulate us to imitate their noble example. See 1 Kings 22:19-23; and Job 1:6­. I have not sufficient evidence, however, that any such figure is used in this case, and I therefore incline with Alford to the literal interpretation.

 

Hebrews 12:1 —let us lay aside every weight,—In this clause the Apostle makes allusion particularly to those who run foot-races in the am­phitheatre. These contestants laid aside everything that might in any way serve to impede their progress. The original word (on- kos) means a weight, a burden, a swelling, an encumbrance, and it is evidently used here to denote whatever has a tendency to in­terrupt or retard our progress in the way of holiness; such as “the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life.” All such hindrances the Apostle exhorts his brethren to lay aside, so that like the contestants in the Grecian games, they might be able to run with patient endurance the race that was set before them.

 

Hebrews 12:1 —and the sin which doth so easily beset us,—That is, as the context plainly indicates, the sin of unbelief. This is the sin against which the Apostle warns his readers most particularly throughout the whole Epistle; and it is, moreover, the sin from which all other sins in a measure proceed, and by means of which they are ever more or less cherished and supported. When the Comforter is come, says Christ, he will convict the world “of sin, because they believe not on me.” (John 16:9.) To put off the sin of unbelief is therefore in fact equivalent to putting off the old man with all his deceitful lusts, and putting on “the new man who, after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22 Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:9.) The qualifying epithet euperistatos does not occur elsewhere, either in the New Testament or in the Greek classics; but it is evident from the context as well as from the etymology of the word, that it means, as in our English ver­sion, easily besetting or surrounding. The temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, all serve to draw away our minds and hearts from God, and to make us trust more in the crea­ture than in the Creator. And hence the constant tendency of unbelief to encircle us, and so to paralyze our spiritual energies as to make us faint by the way. That this is alarmingly true is abun­dantly evident from the history of God’s ancient people and the church of Christ, as well as from our own daily experience and ob­servation.

The Apostle still draws his imagery from the race course, and seems to refer here to the custom of the contestants in laying aside even their inner garments, so that they might the more readily run with endurance the race that was set before them. So also the writer of our Epistle exhorts us to lay aside, in like man­ner, every superfluous weight, and especially the sin of unbelief, which, like a close-fitting garment, is ever liable to environ our whole persons, and so to paralyze our spiritual energies.

 

Hebrews 12:1 —let us run with patience the race that is set before us,—The word rendered patience (hupomone) means here, endurance or perseverance. The object of the Apostle is not so much to exhort his brethren to bear the troubles and toils of life with patience, as it is to encourage them to persevere through all trials and difficulties even to the end. Since it is true he means to say in substance that so many illustrious patriarchs, prophets, kings, and martyrs, have preceded us in the way of holiness; and by perseverance in well­doing to the end of life have at length obtained the promised re­ward ; therefore let us also, after their example, laying aside every superfluous weight, and especially the sin of unbelief run with pa­tient endurance the Christian race, until, like our illustrious ances­tors, we too reach the goal of victory and receive the crown of life.

 

Hebrews 12:2 —Looking unto Jesus, etc.—The Apostle, in this verse, pre­sents to his Hebrew brethren a second motive and ground of en­couragement to persevere even to the end in their begun course. He exhorts them to run their race, not only as if in the presence of their illustrious ancestors, but while doing so he would have them also look off to Jesus the Leader and Perfecter of the faith; so that they might all be encouraged by his greatness and stimulated by his example. The word rendered author (archegos) means prop­erly one who leads, or acts as principal in any given enterprise. It occurs in the New Testament only in Acts 3:15 Acts 5:31; Hebrews 2:10, and in our text. In the first and also in the second instance, it is rendered prince; in the third, captain; and in our text, author. The word rendered finisher (teleiotes) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament; but as its etymology indicates, it means a com­pleter, perfecter, finisher; one who brings any scheme or enterprise to its full and perfect consummation. “Our” should be omitted and the inserted before the word faith, which is used here, as in many other parts of Scripture, to denote the Christian religion in its great­est fullness.

See Acts 6:7 Acts 13:8; Galatians 1:23 Galatians 3:23; and Jude 1:3. The object of the Apostle in introducing this clause is therefore manifestly twofold: (1) to encourage us by keeping constantly be­fore our minds the fact that Jesus is himself the Leader and Per­fecter of the faith, regarded as God’s plan of justification, sanctifi­cation, and redemption; and (2) to fill us with his mind and tem­per, by keeping constantly before us his example as the very best possible illustration of the nature, power and efficacy of faith. For such was his trust in God and in the word of his grace, that he willingly endured the greatest sufferings and reproaches “for the joy that was set before him”; the joy of presently sitting down with the Father on his throne, and saving a world by means of his own death and mediation.

 

Hebrews 12:2 —endured the cross, despising the shame,—It is difficult for anyone living in this age and country, to properly paraphrase this ex­pression. We know indeed that the pains and sufferings of cruci­fixion must have been very great; but of the shame that was at­tached to it when Christ died for our sins, we can have no ade­quate conception. For as Mr. Barnes well remarks, “When we now think of the cross, it is not of the multitude of slaves, and thieves, and robbers, and rebels who have died on it, but of the one great victim, whose death has ennobled even this instrument of tor­ture, and encircled it with a halo of glory. We have been accus­tomed to read of it as an imperial standard in war in the days of Constantine, and as the banner under which armies have marched to conquest. It is intermingled with the sweetest poetry; it is a sa­cred thing in the most magnificent cathedrals; it adorns the altar, and is even an object of adoration; it is in the most elegant engrav­ings; it is worn by beauty and piety as an ornament near the heart; it is associated with all that is pure in love, great in self-sac­rifice, and holy in religion.” Before we can therefore feel and ap­preciate the full force of the Apostle’s remark, we must remove from the cross “the halo of glory” which has so long encircled it, and we must place ourselves in such an attitude that we can see, and hear, and feel, as did the contemporaries of our blessed Lord: we must look upon it as an instrument of torture designed for the pun­ishment and disgrace of only the lowest and vilest criminals. “There is,” says the same pious author, “a degree of dishonor which is at­tached to the guillotine, but the ignominy of a death on the cross was greater than that: there is a disgrace attached to the block, but the ignominy of the cross was greater than that; there is a much deeper infamy attached to the gallows, but the ignominy of the cross was greater than that.” And yet such was Christ’s zeal for the glory of God, and such was his regard for the recompense of the reward that was before him, that he willingly submitted to all the sufferings and reproaches through which he had to pass on his way to the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. See notes on Hebrews 1:3 and Hebrews 8:1.

 

Hebrews 12:3 —For consider him that endured such contradiction, etc.—“There is,” says Bishop Sanderson, “scarce any other provocation to the performance of duty so prevailing with men as the example of such as have performed the same before them with glory and success.” Recognizing this well-attested fact, the Apostle would have his brethren, not only look off to Jesus as the Leader and Perfecter of the faith, but he would have them also carefully con­sider him as having meekly, patiently, perseveringly, and triumph­antly borne “such contradiction of sinners against himself.” The word rendered contradiction (antilogia) means literally opposition by means of words and arguments, and it is so interpreted by some in this instance. But most expositors, as Chrysostom, CEcumenius, Theophylact, Delitzsch, and Alford, justly maintain that under this expression the Apostle includes all the opposition and persecution which Christ endured here from sinners, even to his agony on the cross. For the contrary word often results in the contrary action; and hence it is that antilogia in its second intention means opposi­tion of any kind. In John 19:12, for instance, the cognate verb (antilegeo) means not merely to contradict Caesar, but also to rebel against him. It is therefore to the suffering, bleeding, and dying Savior that Paul here especially calls the attention of his brethren.

 

Hebrews 12:3 —lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.—The Apostle has still in view the foot-races of the amphitheatre, and from them he continues to draw his metaphors. As the knees of the contestants in the ancient arena were apt to grow weary, so also it is with those who run in the Christian race. They, too, are apt to grow weary and faint in their minds. But as in the Greek stadium, a forward look to one who had won the prize, and who was then ready to crown other victors at the end of their race, was apt to inspire the athlete with fresh courage and energy, so also it is in our Christian race. When the soul is bowed down under the manifold trials and afflic­tions of this life nothing so much revives it as looking off to Jesus, and carefully considering him who endured such contradiction of sinner against himself. This, it seems, was one of Paul’s chief means of gaining strength and support in all his trials and afflic­tions. He looked off constantly to Jesus, and became so inspired with his pious and heroic example, that he was even anxious to fill up in his own personal experience that which was “behind of the afflictions of Christ.” (Colossians 1:24.)

Hebrews 12:4-11

TO ENDURE THEIR

,

(1) IN VIEW OF THEIR

; AND

(2) IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THEY

ARE ALL THE OF GOD,

FOR THEIR OWN

Hebrews 12:4-11

 

Hebrews 12:4 —Ye have not yet resisted unto blood,—There seems to be a change of metaphor here, as in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, from the agonistic race to the more severe contest of boxing. “In these games, the boxers were accustomed to arm themselves for the fight with the caestus. This at first consisted of strong leathern thongs wound around the hands and extending only to the wrist, to give greater solidity to the fist. Afterward, these were made to extend to the elbow, and then to the shoulder, and finally they sowed pieces of lead or iron in them, that they might strike a heavier and more de­structive blow. The consequence was that those who were en­gaged in the fight were often covered with blood and that resist­ance unto blood showed a determination, courage, and purpose not to yield” (A. Barnes). The contest of the Hebrews had not as yet assumed this severe form.

They had not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. Their Christian profession had not yet cost them their lives. Stephen, James, and many others had re­sisted unto blood; but it is only of the living members of the Jeru­salem Church that our author here speaks. The persons addressed in this Epistle had not yet been called on to suffer what Christ and many others had endured for the sake of the truth. And hence as their afflictions were yet comparatively light, they were the more inexcusable for their timidity and cowardice.

 

Hebrews 12:4 —striving against sin.—Sin is here personified; and is supposed by many to be equivalent to sinners, the abstract being used merely for the concrete. But this is to sacrifice much both of the meaning and energy of the expression. It is not only of sin in others, but also of sin in ourselves that our author speaks. He himself found it necessary to strive against the depravity of his own nature, as well as against the enemies of the truth, in battling for the crown of life. (1 Corinthians 9:27.) And so also does everyone else, who like him would strive successfully in the arena of life.

 

Hebrews 12:5 —And ye have forgotten the exhortation, etc.—Commenta­tors are much divided on the question, whether this clause should be read affirmatively or interrogatively. See note on 3: 16. The for­mer view is taken by all the ancient expositors, and also by many of the moderns; as, for instance, Bengel, Kuinoel, Tholuck, Ebrard, and Alford; and the latter is maintained by Calvin, Beza, Braun, Bohme, Lachmann, Delitzsch, Stuart, Bleek, Lunemann, Mac- knight, and others; chiefly on the ground that the declarative mode has an air of too great severity and harshness. But this expression is no more harsh and severe than some others that occur in the Epistle; see, for instance, Hebrews 5:11-12. It is not to be supposed, how­ever, that in either of these cases, the charge is preferred against all the members of the Church. See note on Hebrews 5:12.

Many of them may have remained faithful, and may have been striving earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. But that some of them had become very negligent in the study of God’s word, and the discharge of their other Christian duties, is quite evident from what follows, as well as from other parts of the Epis­tle. “You have quite forgotten,” says the Apostle, “the exhorta­tion which discourses with you as with children.” And in conse­quences of this neglect, he further intimates that the hands of some of them were hanging down; that their knees had become feeble; and that they were, in fact, in great danger of apostatizing from the faith.

 

Hebrews 12:5 —My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,—The Apostle quotes here from Proverbs 3:11-12, the Hebrew of which may be literally rendered as follows: My son, despise not the cor­rection of Jehovah, and do not murmur at his reproof: for whom Jehovah loves he reproves, as a father a son in whom he delights. Our author quotes freely, but accurately, from the original. His object is to still further encourage his brethren, by showing from the Old Testament Scriptures, that the light afflictions which they were then enduring, were really evidences, not of God’s anger, but of his love. They served to indicate that God had still a tender regard for them, and that he was dealing with them as with chil­dren. The word rendered chastening (paideia) means such correction and discipline as are necessary in the education of chil­dren, and such as the Lord himself uses for the spiritual improve­ment of his people. This chastening of the Lord, the Apostle ex­horts his brethren not to despise or treat as a light matter; and on the other hand, not to be too much discouraged or dejected by it.

 

Hebrews 12:6 —For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,—In this verse we have given the reason why we should not, on the one hand, treat lightly the chastening of the Lord; nor on the other be too greatly dejected by it. The simple fact that this chastening is from God, makes it a very grave and momentous matter; and at the same time it gives us the assurance that the chastening is not the punishment of revenge but the discipline of love. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he re- ceiveth.” Not that he does this arbitrarily or unnecessarily: for God does not willingly grieve nor afflict any of the children of men. (Lamentations 3:33; Hosea 11:8.) But such is the common depravity and waywardness of our nature, that we all need this discipline; and God, therefore, as our ever-kind and gracious Educator metes out to us day by day such trials and afflictions as will best serve to humble and purify our hearts, and so to work out for us “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2 Corinthians 4:17.) No child of God need, therefore, expect to enter heaven without, on his way thither, passing through the furnace of afflictions. “We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22.)

 

Hebrews 12:7 —If ye endure chastening:—That is, if it is a fact that you are suffering chastisement, this of itself is evidence that God is dealing with you as his children: for what son is there whom his earthly father does not chastise? How then can you expect, as the chil­dren of God, to escape his correction? Such is manifestly the meaning of the reading given in the Textus Receptus and our Eng­lish Version: a reading which is supported by Reiche, Bleek, Li nemann, Stuart, Bloomfield, and Tischendorf in his latest editions; on the ground that it is best supported by internal evidence, and especially that it is required by the antithesis that is given in the seventh and eighth verses. The force of this will appear from the following paraphrase of these two verses as given by Kuinoel, and followed by Bloomfield and others: “If you have to conflict with trials and tribulations, you may thence infer that you are beloved of God, and that he takes care of you: but if you are exercised with no afflictions, you have reason to fear that God neglects you, as men neglect illegitimate children, of whose education and morals they take no care, leaving them wholly without chastisement.”

 

This makes good sense, and harmonizes well with the context and design of the writer. But it must be confessed that the external evidence preponderates vastly in favor of substituting eis (into, for) for ei (if). See critical note. But to make sense of this read­ing has somewhat perplexed the critics. T. S.

Green renders the phrase as in the amended text: “At chastening, he enduring (eis paideian hupomenete); as with sons God is dealing with you; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? The Vul­gate renders it thus: “With a view to chastening, endure pa­tiently.” And Alford, following Chrysostom, Delitzsch, and oth­ers, translates it as follows: “It is for chastisement that ye are en­during : as with sons God is dealing with you: for what son is there whom a father chasteneth-not ?” The paraphrase of Ghrys- ostom is to the point, and seems to indicate clearly the scope of the passage. “It is for chastisement ye are enduring: not for punish­ment, not for torment, not for any evil purpose.” This rendering of the amended text differs but little in sense from the reading of the Textus Receptus, and is most likely correct.

 

Hebrews 12:8 —But if ye be without chastisement, etc.—If ye be without that discipline of which all the children of God have ever been partakers, it would follow that ye are really not his children: but that ye are bastards (nothoi), an illegitimate offspring, whose edu­cation is commonly neglected, much to their own injury and dis­grace. Instead, therefore, of murmuring and complaining at the chastening of the Lord, you should rather feel encouraged by it, knowing that it is evidence of your sonship, and of God’s love for you as his adopted children.

 

Hebrews 12:9 —Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, etc.—Or thus: Then again, the fathers of our flesh we once had as chastis­ers, and we reverenced them; shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits, and live? See Deuteronomy 21:18-21, touching the penalty of the law for disobedience to parents.

 

The only matter that requires explanation in this verse, is the use of the words jlesh and spirit. In what sense are our earthly fathers said to be the fathers of our flesh? and in what sense is God said to be the Father of spirits? In reply to this query, we have given the following hypotheses: (1) It is said that we receive our bodies from our parents by natural generation; but that our spirits are the direct gift of God, formed by his own immediate creative energy (Primasius, Calvin, Beza, Bengel, Wetstein, De- litzsch). This hypothesis requires us to use both these words, flesh and spirit, in too limited a sense. The Apostle does not say that God is the Father of “our” spirits merely, but “of spirits” in general. And there is nothing in either the text or the context which limits the word “flesh” simply to our bodies.

This term is commonly used in a much wider sense in the Holy Scriptures. See references. (2) That God is the author and originator of our spir­itual life, as our parents are of our natural life. “Flesh,” says Ebrard, “denotes here as always the natural life produced by crea­ture powers, in opposition to the life which is produced by the sav­ing gracious act of God in regeneration. By natural generation we become carnal or fleshly men; but it is God who, by his Holy Spirit, causes our souls (psuchai) to be developed into sanctified spirits (pneumata). Such is also the interpretation of Cramer, Grotius, Bleek, De Wette, Lunemann, and others. But here again both the words are used in a sense which is not warranted by their usual acceptation in the Scriptures. (3) Others again, as Morns, Kuinoel, and Bohme, think that the word father, as used in this connection, means simply “an upholder” or “cherisher.” God is called the Father of spirits, say they, “because he takes care of our spirits and provides for our spiritual wants, as our earthly parents provide for our physical wants.” This is, of course, true, as far as it goes; but like the other hypotheses it falls far short of being an adequate explanation of the passage.

 

The words flesh and spirits must be understood and interpreted in harmony with the context and the special object of the writer, which is manifestly to give another reason why the Hebrew breth­ren should bear with patient endurance whatever trials and afflic­tions God might send on them: a reason which he draws from a comparison of God and his chastisements with our earthly parents and their chastisements. God, he argues, is infinitely perfect; and his chastisements are all like himself in this respect, that they are wise, and just, and good. But our earthly parents are like ourselves, frail, weak, and sinful; often erring in their attempts to educate us as well as in everything else. We, however, bore their imperfect chastisements with patience and reverence; much more then should we now bear with grateful resignation the wise and gracious chas­tisements of him who never errs, but who always corrects us for our own good, with the view of making us partakers of his holi­ness. This is manifestly the purpose of the author in the use of this passage; and hence it seems that he uses the words flesh and spirits, in this connection, after the manner of the Hebrews, chiefly as qualifying epithets. That in the use of the word “father” he in­tends to convey the idea of origin and also of guardianship is, I think, quite obvious.

But like produces like. “Adam begat a son in his own likeness” (Genesis 5:3); and Christ says to the Jews, “If ye were the children of Abraham ye would do the works of Abra­ham” (John 8:39), clearly recognizing the relation of resemblance between the parent and the child, between the producer and the thing produced. Now as this principle was well understood by the Hebrews, it was perfectly natural that the Apostle should use these words, flesh and spirit, according to the well known Hebrew idiom, as genitives of quality, to express with energy and brevity the at­tributes of our earthly parents on the one hand, and of God on the other. For throughout the Bible, the word flesh is often used sym­bolically to denote what is depraved, weak, or sinful; and so also the word spirit is often used in contrast with it, to denote what is pure, holy, and perfect. “That which is born of the flesh,” says Christ, “is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6.) See also Romans 8:4-9; Galatians 5:16-25 Galatians 6:8, etc. The word flesh, then, in this connection is designed to indicate mainly that our earthly fathers are like ourselves, carnal, frail, sinful mor­tals ; and like ourselves they are therefore ever liable to err in their discipline. But the word spirits, as here applied to God, denotes that he has none of the weaknesses and infirmities of the flesh (see note on Hebrews 1:7) ; but that being himself, not only spirit (John 4:24), but also the Father of spirits, he cannot like our earthly fathers err in his chastisements. They are all the gifts and offspring of his love, designed to make us wiser and better, so that we may l>ecome partakers of his holiness.

 

If I am right in this explanation, it follows that our text fur­nishes no grounds whatever for the doctrine of creationism, which many attempt to draw from it. It is not the purpose of our author to make known to us in this connection the origin of either the body or the spirit of man. God is as really the Creator of the one as he is of the other. At first they were both formed miraculously; but for aught that appears in our text, they may now be equally the product of natural generation, under the all-pervading, per­meating, and gracious providence of Him in “whom we live, and move, and have our being.” (Acts 17:28.)

 

Hebrews 12:10 —For they verily for a few days, etc.—What does the author mean by the phrase, “for a few days” (pros oligas hemeras) ? Does he mean the time during which our fathers, according to the flesh, exercised their authority over us; that is, during our minor­ity ? Or does he mean that their discipline had reference chiefly to the few days of our present earthly life; while the chastisements of God have supreme reference to our eternal welfare? The former, say Luther, Grotius, Bleek, Macknight, Stuart, Delitzsch, and Al­ford ; the latter, say Calvin, Calmet, Bengel, Tholuck, and Ebrard. The construction is elliptical; and it is therefore difficult to deter­mine with absolute certainty what are the exact points of the an­tithesis which our author intends to express. But to my mind the former view seems much more natural, and also more in harmony with the scope of the passage than the latter.

Our earthly parents corrected us (1) for a little while, and then left us to our own err­ing judgment. But not so with God; he never leaves us; never forsakes us; but always watches over us, and when necessary cor­rects us. (2) Our fathers often erred during even the few days that we were subject to them; they corrected us according to what then seemed good in their own eyes. But God never errs: he al­ways corrects us for our own good, with the view of making us partakers of his holiness.

 

We have then given in this paragraph three leading reasons why we should, with patient resignation, humbly submit to the Divine chastisements: (1) they all proceed from the love and benevolence of God: “Whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.” (2) They come from one who is himself infi­nitely perfect, and who is in no respect subject to the weaknesses and imperfections of our carnal nature. (3) They are all intended for our highest good, and serve to make us partakers of the Divine nature, by helping us to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4.) This thought our author now pro­ceeds to develop more fully in the following verse.

 

Hebrews 12:11 —Now no chastening for the present, etc.—“This,” says Ebrard, “is a precious verse, of which the only proper commentary is our own personal experience.” Now all chastisement for the present seemeth to be a matter not of joy but of grief. This much the Apostle here concedes as a simple and acknowledged fact. All chastisement, both human and Divine, gives us present pain. This is its object; and without pain there can indeed be no chastisement. And hence it is for the time being, a matter not of joy but of grief. So we all feel and think.

 

Hebrews 12:11 —nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness—Though it is at first bitter to the taste, it nev­ertheless afterward becomes a tree of life which yields constantly “the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” That is, it produces righ­teousness as its fruit; and this fruit gives peace and consolation to the once grieved and troubled soul. “It is,” says Tholuck, “fruit of righteousness to be enjoyed in peace after the conflict is over.” unto them which are exercised thereby.—Not to all; but only to those who are well exercised by it. The training of the ancient palaestra was of no service to such athletes as, deeming it a life of toil and drudgery, refused to submit to the rules and regulations of the contest. But to the victors in the games, the crown of olive pine, laurel, or parsley, was a boon of very great value. And just so it is in the school of Christ. To those who are of a perverse and rebellious spirit, the discipline of the Master is but “a savor of death unto death.” Instead of softening and sanctifying the hearts of such persons, it only serves to make them more obstinate and rebellious. But to those who see in it the kind and gracious hand of God, it never fails to bring peace, joy, and consolation.

So the purest and best of men have always testified. David says, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now I keep thy word.” And again he says in the same connection, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.” (Psalms 119:67 Psalms 119:71.) To the same effect is also the testimony of Paul in several of his other Epistles. Writing to the Romans he says, “We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Romans 5:3-5.) And in his second Epistle to the Corinthians he says, “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2 Corinthians 4:17.) This is all in har­mony with our own blessed experience in the Divine life. We never feel that we have suffered too much or too severely from the hand of God.

Hebrews 12:12-17

THE HEBREW ARE

TO ROUSE

TO MORE AND

IN THEIR

COURSE

Hebrews 12:12-17

 

Hebrews 12:12 —Wherefore lift up the hands, etc.—That is, since it is true that afflictions are the chastisements of the Lord, designed for your own greatest good, you should from this take courage and bring to their right position the relaxed hands and the paralyzed knees of the inner man. These words are cited from Isaiah 35:3, and may denote weariness arising from any cause whatever. Most expositors agree that there is an allusion here to the ancient palaestra. But as Isaiah in the prophecy quoted has reference (1) to the Jews on their return from Babylon to Jerusalem, and (2) to Christians on their way to the heavenly Jerusalem, it is more prob­able that Paul, in quoting and applying the words of the Prophet, draws his imagery simply from the case of weary travelers. His meaning is, however, in either case the same. He calls on the strong to strengthen and encourage the weak; and on the weak to take fresh courage and run their race with patient perseverance, in view of the fact that God is with them, caring for them, and sanctifying even their greatest afflictions to their good.

 

Hebrews 12:13 —And make straight paths for your feet,—The writer has still before him the image of a company of persons marching on­ward to the heavenly Jerusalem. Some of them are lame, weak, and much disheartened by reason of the many obstacles in the way. And in order if possible to save such, the Apostle admonishes his stronger and more courageous brethren to make the paths of all straight and smooth, so that even the lame might be encouraged by the direct­ness and evenness of the way, to persevere in it to the end. The same sentiment is forcibly presented in the fourteenth chapter of Romans; and it is also frequently and variously illustrated in the last great division of the prophecies of Isaiah (chapters 40-66). In this section the prophet has reference, as in the thirty-fifth chapter, (1) to the return of the Jews from Babylon to Jerusalem, under Zerubbabel; and (2) to the more sublime march of the re­deemed, under Christ, from the captivity of sin and Satan to the free enjoyments of the heavenly Jerusalem. 0 In this march, both Paul and Isaiah insist that there should be no meanderings in the ways of sin; and that no obstacles should be left as stumbling- blocks in the way of the weak; but that the course of all should be straightforward in the King’s highway of holiness. The voices of many harbingers should still be heard proclaiming before the King’s army, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” (Isaiah 40:3.) See also. Such proclamations are strengthen­ing and encouraging to all; and might serve to help even the weak and dejected to persevere in their onward march to the everlasting Zion.

 

Hebrews 12:14 —Follow peace with all men,—There is no noun expressed in the orignal corresponding with the word “men”; and it may there­fore be a question whether we should supply the word “men,” as in our English Version, or the word “brethren ” as is done by Michaelis, Storr, Tholuck, Bleek, Ebrard, Delitzsch, Alford, and others. “Individual believers,” says Delitzsch, “are exhorted to cherish peaceful relations with all the members of the community, even with the lame, sick, and weak. The improvement of such is to be aimed at, not by carnal contention, harsh acts of judgment, and un­charitable avoidance of their society; nor yet by merely setting them a good example in the purity and decision of our own con­duct, while coldly waiting for the first advance on their side to­wards mutual explanation or agreement; but by pursuing peace on our own part; that is, by earnest active endeavors after a good un­derstanding, and pursuing or hunting after peace as a noble prey or object of search.” This is all good and excellent as far as it goes. But I see no sufficient reason for limiting this course of action simply to “the brethren.” The peace and prosperity of the Church may depend largely on the demeanor of its members toward those that are without, as well as toward one another. And I therefore think with Cecumenius, Theophylact, Bohme, Liinemann, Mac- knight, Clarke, and others, that the reference is to “all men,” whether believers or unbelievers. The Apostle well knew that the Hebrew brethren, by living harmlessly and giving no unnecessary offense to either Jews or Gentiles, might greatly promote the peace and prosperity of the Church: and hence he exhorts them, as he does the Roman brethren, to live peaceably with all men as far as possible: that is, as far as the law of Christ will permit. He would have us imitate Christ in this respect, as well as in everything else.

 

Hebrews 12:14 —and holiness,—The original word (hagiastnos) is a verbal noun, and denotes the putting on of the Divine holiness (hagiotes), or the becoming partakers of it, as indicated in the tenth verse. Our depraved nature is prone to resist the injurious; and in times of war and persecution, men are apt to follow after strife and con­tention. But the advice of the Apostle is quite different. Pursue peace, he says, and earnestly follow after a pure and holy life.

 

Hebrews 12:14 —without which no man shall see the Lord:—That is, without which holiness or sanctity of life, no one shall be admitted into God’s presence so as to enjoy his favor and fellowship. (Matthew 5:6) “For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteous­ness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” and what sympathy and concord can there be between an infinitely holy God and an impure human spirit? Like loves its like in Heaven, Earth, and Hell. And hence the earnest exhortation of God to all who would enjoy his fellowship: “Become ye holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16.)

 

Hebrews 12:15 —Looking diligently—(epispopountes) observing carefully. This is an exhortation, not merely to the overseers (episkopoi) of the Hebrew Church, but also to all its other members. The Apos­tle calls on every one of them to carefully examine his own heart and life, while he at the same time exercises a prudent and judi­cious oversight over his brethren.

 

Hebrews 12:15 —lest any man fail of the grace of God;—“The image,” says Chrysostom, “is taken from a company of travelers, one of whom lags behind, and so never reaches the end of the long and laborious journey.” Those who do so, fail of course to secure the promised reward: for they only who endure to the end shall be saved. Stuart very happily expresses the idea of the Apostle, in its proper connection, as follows: “See well to it, that no one fail of obtaining that Divine favor which is the result of holiness.”

 

Hebrews 12:15 —lest any root of bitterness, etc.—We have here given another example of Hebrew parallelism. In the preceding clause, the Apostle admonishes his brethren to take heed and watch carefully, lest any one by lagging behind on the King’s highway of holiness, should fail to reach the portals of the celestial city; and so fall short of the grace of God. But in this second member of the par­allelism, he goes a step further, and cautions his brethren to see well to it, that no one, like Achan (Joshua 7:25-26), by his evil example trouble and defile the whole Church. Our author seems to have reference here to Deuteronomy 29:16-21, where Moses admon­ishes his brethren to beware of the sin of idolatry; “Lest,” he says, “there should be among you man, or woman, or tribe, whose heart turneth away from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; and it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in the heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst.” Paul’s root of bitterness, then, is one which, as Moses says, “beareth gall and wormwood.” The metaphor is used here to denote anyone who is himself bitterly opposed to the faith of the Gospel, and who labors to turn others from its simplicity and purity. Such a man not unfrequently trou­bles and defiles a whole congregation by his evil example and false principles. In 1Ma 1:10, Antiochus Epiphanes is called a sin­ful root (risa hamartolos) because from him iniquity sprung up all over the land, as a luxuriant crop of vegetables.

 

Hebrews 12:16 —Lest there be any fornicator, etc.—This is but an amplifi­cation of the admonitory lesson given in the preceding verse. See to it, says the Apostle, that no one by falling behind from any cause whatever, come short of the grace of God; and particularly, that no one apostatize from the faith, and so corrupt others by his bad example and false principles; and furthermore, that no one be so given up to the lusts of the flesh and to the neglect of spiritual things, that like the licentious and profane Esau, he will barter away his birthright as a child of God for a mere mess of pottage. The word fornicator (pornos) is to be taken in its literal sense, as denoting one who is given up to sensual lusts and pleasures; and the word profane (bebelos) means one who is regardless of God and of his religion. Both words are descriptive of one and the same person, viewed from different standpoints: for the abandoned fornicator is always a profane person; and the man who throws off all the restraints of religion, is sure to indulge in all manner of car­nal excesses. Esau was no doubt both a fornicator and a profane person. This view is most in harmony with the plain and obvious meaning of the text, as well as with the traditions of the Jews.

 

Hebrews 12:16 —who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.—The account of this is given in Genesis 25:27-34, to which the reader is referred for a plain statement of the facts. Such was the abandoned and profligate state of Esau’s mind, that for one meal he sold his rights of primogeniture (ta prototokia heautou). These may be best un­derstood by a comparison of the fortunes of Jacob and Esau with their descendants. They evidently involve the rights and privi­leges of the Abrahamic covenants with respect to both the posses­sion of Canaan and the birth of the Messiah.

 

Hebrews 12:17 —For ye know how that afterward, etc.—Esau, as we have seen, sold his rights of primogeniture to his brother Jacob for a mess of pottage; and afterward, when he wished to obtain the blessing, which was really a part of what he had sold, he was re­jected by both his father and his God (Genesis 27:31-41): for the blessing of Isaac was in this case the blessing of God.

 

Hebrews 12:17 —for he found no place of repentance,—What is the meaning of this? Does the Apostle mean repentance on the part of Esau, or on the part of his father Isaac? The former, say Luther, Calvin, Grotius, Bengel, DeWette, Hofmann, Delitzsch, Alford, and all the ancient Greek expositors: the latter, say Beza, Tholuck, Ebrard, Liinemann, Stuart, Macknight, and most of the other modern ex­positors. In either case the main lesson taught is about the same. For whatever construction be put on the several words of this sen­tence, it must be obvious that the object of the Apostle is to re­mind his readers, that the mistake of Esau, once committed, was committed forever: that no possible change of his mind could in any way effect a change in the mind and purposes of God. We might, therefore, without doing violence to the scope of the argument, refer the word repentance (tnetanoia) to either Esau himself or to Isaac as God’s representative.

But with the ancient exposi­tors, I prefer the reference to Isaac, (1) because this is required by the literal meaning of the word repentance, which properly de­notes a change of mind produced by sorrow for sin; and (2) be­cause the phrase “place of repentance,” means properly a place where the repentance of the sinner is made available. Whenever a sinner believes and repents, he is brought within the sphere of God’s forgiving mercy.

God can now, for Christ’s sake, pardon and justify him, because he has come within the sphere of true and gen­uine repentance. But to this place of repentance on the part of the sinner, and of mercy on the part of God, the apostate has no access (see notes on Hebrews 6:4-6) ; and neither had Esau, so far as respects his forfeited birthrights. That he may have afterward repented of his sins, and so obtained forgiveness, is I think possible; but not so with regard to his despised birthrights. These had by one foolish and irreligious act, been irrecoverably lost. This, the Hebrews well understood; and hence the Apostle holds up this case as an example of warning to them, while he cautions them to beware lest they too by their negligence and folly should forfeit their birth­rights as the children of God, and so place themselves beyond the divinely prescribed limits of repentance.

 

Hebrews 12:17 —though he sought it carefully with tears.—Sought what? Many able expositors, as Chrysostom, Grotius, Luther, Ebrard, and Alford, refer the pronoun it (auten) to repentance as its ante­cedent: but it is better with Calvin, Bengel, Bleek, Hofmann, Macknight, Delitzsch, and others, to make blessing (eu log tan) the antecedent. Esau had his heart set on receiving the blessing; and it was this that he sought so earnestly with tears. The whole sen­tence may therefore be construed and arranged according to our English idiom, as follows: For ye know that even when afterward he wished to inherit the blessing, though he sought it earnestly with tears, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance. Or the order of the original may be preserved as in the English Version, by simply enclosing the words, “for he found no place of repentance” in a parenthesis.

Hebrews 12:18-29

FURTHER AGAINST

, AND EX­ TO

GREATER ZEAL AND

IN THE DIVINE LIFE,

Hebrews 12:18-29

 

Hebrews 12:18 —For ye are not come, etc.—“For” connects this verse with what precedes. Ye should, says the writer, look to it diligently that no one fall short of the grace of God; that no root of bitter­ness spring up to trouble you, and so to defile the many, and that there be among you no such licentious and profane person as Esau: for your privileges and responsibilities under the New Cov­enant are greatly superior to those of your fathers under the Old Covenant. For ye have not come near to the mountain that is tan­gible [material, and so capable of being touched], and that burned with fire; and to blackness, and darkness, and tempest, etc. The word mountain (orei) is not expressed in our best manuscripts, but it is manifestly understood.

 

Some expositors take the words mountain, fire, blackness, dark­ness, and tempest, as indicating so many separate and distinct ob­jects of approach. Thus, “Ye have not come near to a tangible mountain, and to a kindled fire, and to blackness, and to darkness, and to a tempest,” etc. The construction is ambiguous, but the rendering of our English Version is more in harmony with the parallel passage given in Deuteronomy 4:11, to which our author here evi­dently refers. See also Deuteronomy 5:23 Deuteronomy 9:15. In all these parallel passages, “flaming fire” is taken as an attribute of the mountain, and not as a separate object.

 

Hebrews 12:19 —And the sound of a trumpet,—The several clauses of this verse are best illustrated by the following brief extracts from the original narrative as given in Exodus: “And it came to pass on the third day [that is, say the Jews, on the sixth day of the month Sivan, just fifty days after the Exodus] in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trum­pet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.” (Exodus 19:16-19.) After giving some further instructions to the people through Moses, God him­self spoke to them from the top of Sinai, saying, “I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” etc. Thus, in an audible voice, he delivered to them all the words of the Decalogue; and in the meantime, “all the people saw the thunder­ings and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking.

And when the people saw it, they removed and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not the Lord speak with us, lest we die.” (Exodus 20:18-19.) Thus they “entreated that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.”

 

Hebrews 12:20 —For they could not endure that which was commanded, —Our author now assigns parenthetically the reason why the an­cient Hebrews felt so much terror and alarm, as they stood at the foot of Sinai, in the immediate presence of God, and heard from his own lips, in awful solemnity, the words of the Decalogue. “They could not bear that which was commanded, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned.” The original decree as given in Exodus 19:12-13, is as follows: “And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to your­selves, that ye go not into the mount, or touch the border of it; whosoever toucheth the mount shall surely be put to death: there shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it be a beast or a man, it shall not live.” The Apostle quotes freely from the Hebrews, giving in this, as in many other instances, the substance but not the exact words of the origi­nal. The phrase “thrust through with a dart” is manifestly an in­terpolation from the Septuagint, introduced into our text by some post-apostolic writer. See critical note.

 

Hebrews 12:21 —And so terrible was the sight, etc.—No such saying of Moses, as that given in our text, is found in the Pentateuch. And hence the question has been often asked and considered, “Whence did our author obtain these words?” Some think that he obtained them from Jewish tradition, while others suppose that this is a mere inference of Paul, drawn from the appalling circumstances of the case. But how very absurd and unsatisfactory are all such hy­potheses! The only proper answer to such questions is to be found in the promise which Christ gave to the Apostles touching all such matters: “Howbeit,” says he, “when the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13.) See also John 14:26, and 1 Corinthians 2:10-13. The Holy Spirit, then, was Paul’s infallible guide in writing every word and sentence of this Epistle. From it, and not from Jewish tradition or logical infer­ence, he learned whatever facts and principles were necessary for our edification, as well as for the edification and encouragement of his own persecuted and disheartened Hebrew brethren.

 

The occasion of this utterance was probably that to which Moses himself refers in Exodus 19:19 : “Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.” When Moses went up into the mount, and “drew near to the thick darkness” out of which issued the thunders, and lightnings, and the great fire which burned to the midst of heaven, it seems that his courage failed, and he spoke tremblingly. But when God answered him encouragingly, his fears were allayed. The whole scene, however, was awful in the extreme, and served to strike terror into the hearts of all Israel. “Their drawing nigh,” as Delitzsch well observes, “was at the same time a shrinking back, a remaining at a distance. The mount of Divine revelation was to them unapproachable; the Divine voice was full of terror; and yet it was only the visible and tangible forms of nature through which God then manifested, and behind which he hid himself. The true and inward communion with God had not yet been revealed. It was necessary that the law should first bring men to a painful con­sciousness of the hindrances opposed to such communion by sin, and their longing excited and intensified that such hindrances might be taken away. Under the New Covenant, we have no longer a tangible mountain, as the place of Divine revelation, and that made only from a distance; but heaven itself, a divine and su­persensual world, is now thrown open, and we are permitted our­selves to approach there the very throne of God; it is thrown open for us by the Mediator of the New Covenant, and made approach­able by us through his atoning blood.” All this the Apostle now proceeds to explain and illustrate by a series of the most sublime and interesting specifications.

 

Hebrews 12:22 —But ye are come unto Mount Sion—The exact topography of Mount Sion, or rather Mount Zion (Sion) is still a matter of inquiry. The name seems to have been at first limited to the mount in the southwestern part of the city of Jerusalem, but it was afterward made to embrace Mount Moriah; and in some instances, it seems to have included the site of the entire city, just as it is sometimes used by metonymy for the city itself. See, for example, 1Ma 4:37 1Ma 4:60 1Ma 5:54 1Ma 6:48 1Ma 6:62 1Ma 7:33. Being then the seat of both the royal and sacerdotal authority, it was properly called the ‘‘holy hill of Zion” (Psalms 2:6), and the chosen habitation of Jehovah (Psalms 132:13). And hence it seems to be used in our text as a type of heaven itself, the mount of God, the site of the heavenly Jerusalem. To this intangible and glorious mountain, Christians have now come by virtue of their citizenship in the kingdom of heaven: “for our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20.)

 

Hebrews 12:22 —and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, —That is, the city where God dwells; the city of which he is the Architect and Builder, and which is here called symbolically “the heavenly Jerusalem.” During the most prosperous period of the Old Economy, under the reign of David and Solomon, Jerusalem was the metropolis of the whole kingdom of Israel. Thither the tribes of God went up to offer their sacrifices and to pay their vows. (Psalms 122.) There stood the typical throne of David, and there also was the Shekinah, the symbol of God’s presence in the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle and Temple. And hence it came to pass that this city was made typical of the metropolis of the kingdom of the Messiah, the heavenly Jerusalem, “the city which hath the foundations,” whose site is the heavenly Mount Zion, which abideth forever. See references. To this celestial city, the antitype of the city of David, all now come who put on Christ and become citizens of his kingdom. The Apostle does not of course mean to say that those of us who are still in the flesh have yet actually entered these celestial mansions, but as all for­eigners who become citizens of these United States may, wherever located, be said to have come to their metropolis; so, also, though in a much higher sense, may all who are translated from the king­dom of darkness into “the kingdom of God’s dear Son,” be said to have come to Mount Zion, and to the heavenly Jerusalem.

 

Hebrews 12:22 —and to an innumerable company, etc.—The critics are much divided with regard to the proper construction and punctuation of this and the two following clauses. The words of the original are plain enough, and may be fairly rendered without any marks of punctuation as follows: And to myriads of angels a festive assembly and to the church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven. But how is this to be punctuated? The following methods have been proposed: (1) And to myriads, a festive assembly of angels; and to the church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven (Gries- bach, Knapp, Bohme, Kuinoel, Moll); (2) And to myriads of an­gels, a festive assembly; and to the church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven ((Ecumenius, Theophylact) ; (3) And to myr­iads of angels; to the festive assembly and church of the first-bom who are enrolled in heaven (Elzevir, Beza, Liinemann, Hofmann, English Version) ; (4) And to myriads, a festive assembly of an­gels and the church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven (Bengel, Lachmann, Ebrard, Deltizsch, Alford). I have thus plainly indicated the several modes of punctuation, so that the thoughtful reader may see and judge for himself. More than this is, I think, unnecessary.

A discussion of their relative merits would be tedious and uninteresting to most readers. It seems to me, however, that the choice lies between the first and the fourth, and that of these, the first is the most simple and natural. For it is manifestly the intention of the writer to introduce each of the lead­ing members of this majestic sentence by means of the conjunction “and” (kai), and to add such as are only explanatory without the use of any connecting particle. Keeping this in view as one of our distinctive landmarks, the whole sentence may, I think, be fairly rendered as follows: But ye have come near to Mount Zion; and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem; and to myr­iads, a festive assembly of angels; and to the church of the first­born who are enrolled in heaven; and to God the Judge of all; and to the spirits of just ones made perfect; and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant; and to the blood of sprinkling which speaks better [more encouragingly] than Abel. The word myriads is often applied to the hosts of angels (Deuteronomy 33:2; Psalms 68:17; Daniel 7:10; Jude 1:14; Revelation 5:11), but as this is not its exclusive use in the Scriptures, it was necessary to add the explanatory phrase, “a festive assembly of angels” The word rendered gen­eral assembly (paneguris) means properly an assembly of all the people, met to celebrate a public festival. Here, it denotes the joy­ful and multitudinous assembly of angels around the throne of God, who there forever celebrate his praises (Revelation 5:11; Revelation 7:11 -i2).

 

Hebrews 12:23 —and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven,—This has reference to the church of Christ on earth, all the members of which are, on account of their high honors and privileges, called “the first-born,” just as Christ is himself called “the First-born of every creature.” (Colossians 1:15.) “Of his own will,” says James, “begat he us [all Christians] with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18.) These first-born of God are also still further honored by having their names all registered in heaven, as citizens of the New Jerusa­lem. See Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3. “There is,” says A. Clarke, “allusion here to the custom of enrolling or writing on tables the names of all the citizens of a particular city; and all those, thus registered, were considered as having a right to live there, and to enjoy all its privileges. All genuine believers are denizens of heaven: that is their country, and there they have their rights.” and to God the Judge of all,—God himself in his own proper person judges no one (John 5:22); but he judges all by Jesus Christ (Acts 17:31) ; and hence he is properly called “the Judge of all.” “The Judge of all the earth will do right.” (Genesis 18:25.)

 

Hebrews 12:23 —and to the spirits of just men made perfect,—That is, to the spirits of all the redeemed, from Abel downward to the present time. These just ones have finished their course and reached the goal of their destiny and, “therefore, they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his Temple; and he that sit- teth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more; neither thirst any more; neither shall the Sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne feeds them, and leads them unto fountains of water of life; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:15-17.)

 

Hebrews 12:24 —And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant,—The Israelites at Sinai drew near to Moses, as the Mediator of the Old Covenant; but Christians now draw near to Christ, as the Media­tor of the New Covenant. See note on 8:6. He it is “who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30), and through whom “we have ac­cess into this grace wherein we now stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:2.)

 

Hebrews 12:24 —and to the blood of sprinkling,—This is the same as the blood of Jesus, by means of which the New Covenant was ratified (Hebrews 10:14 -­18), and through which the hearts of all Christians have been sprinkled from an evil consciousness. (Hebrews 9:14 Hebrews 10:22.) There is an allusion here to the ratification of the Old Covenant by the sprin­kling of blood (Exodus 24:8), and also to the sprinkling of the blood of atonement (Leviticus 16:14-15).

 

Hebrews 12:24 —that speaketh better things than that of Abel:—Or rather, Which speaks better than Abel speaks (kreitton lalounti para ton Abel). See critical note. Here again the critics are divided. The common opinion is that the blood of Christ calls for mercy; whereas the blood of Abel calls for vengeance (Calvin, Ebrard, Stuart, Scott, Bloomfield, Delitzsch, Alford). But as Adam Clarke says, “This interpretation reflects little credit on the understanding of the Apostle. To say that the blood of Christ speaketh better things than that of Abel, is saying little indeed.

It might speak very little good to any soul of man, and yet speak better things than that of Abel, which speaks no good to any human creature, and only called for vengeance on him that shed it.” The meaning of the passage then fairly construed is obviously this: Abel speaks well, but the blood of Christ speaks better. “By faith,” says our author, “Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God tes­tifying of his gifts; and by it [his faith] he being dead yet speak­eth.” (Hebrews 11:4.) What then does he say? What did he say to the an­cient Patriarchs, and what does he still say even to Christians?

Evidently this and only this: that mercy has in some way been provided for every true believer; that God will in some mysterious way pardon, justify, and save all who believe and obey him. This he said by his faith and obedience in offering to God the required sacrifice. But he could say no more: for as yet the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life, had not been made manifest (John 11:25 John 14:6). The Word had not yet become flesh; and Jesus had not yet died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And, consequently, it was not yet understood how God could be just in justifying the believer. (Romans 3:25-26.) But now all this is made manifest through the shedding and application of Christ’s blood. And hence it is that God has reserved “some better thing (kreit­ton) for us” (Hebrews 11:40); which thing is now fully revealed through the blood of sprinkling, which cleanses from all sin.

 

Such then is the contrast between the former and the latter dis­pensations ; between the terrors of the Old Covenant and the more encouraging privileges of the New. But as it is a principle of the Divine government that “wherever much is given, there also much is always required,” it follows, as our author now proceeds to show, that the superior privileges of the Hebrew Christians served very greatly to increase their obligations; and that there was, in fact, no possible way for them to escape the righteous vengeance of God, if they neglected the great salvation that was so freely offered to them in the Gospel. See notes on Hebrews 2:1-3.

 

Hebrews 12:25 —See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.—The warning given in this verse is very plain, as well as very solemn and em­phatic. But who is he that speaketh? Certainly not Christ, as Mediator of the New Covenant (Chrysostom, CEcumenius, Ebrard, Stuart, Clarke, Bloomfield), but God himself in Christ, as in Hebrews 1:1 (Grotius, Bleek, Scott, Delitzsch, Alford, Moll). God an­ciently spoke from Sinai through Moses and the administration of angels, but now he speaks to us from Heaven through his own Son. It was the voice of Jehovah that once shook Sinai from its summit to its deepest foundations; and it is his voice which, accord­ing to Haggai (Haggai 2:6-7), will once more shake both the Earth and the Heavens. The context will manifestly allow of no other inter­pretation. The same Almighty Sovereign who in the twenty-ninth verse is represented as “a consuming fire,” is the speaker in both instances.

The greater obligations of Christians do not, therefore, arise from the fact that they are now addressed by a speaker of greater dignity and authority; but simply from the fact that God himself now speaks to us through different media and under differ­ent circumstances. This is made plain by the reasoning of the Apostle in the beginning of the second chapter. “We ought,” he says, “to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should be drifted away from them. For if the word spoken [by God] through angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience [of that word] received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation” which God has, in these last days, revealed to us in and through his own dear Son ?

 

Hebrews 12:26 —Whose voice then shook the earth:—That is, when he spoke to the Israelites from Mount Sinai. (Exodus 19:18.) To this in connection with the other stupendous miracles of the Exodus, the Psalmist beautifully and encouragingly refers in Psalms 114:1-4. “When Israel,” he says, “went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language; Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion. The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.”

 

Hebrews 12:26 —but now he hath said, Yet once more, etc.—The reference here is to the prophecy of Hag 2:6-7, relating primarily to the building of the second Temple by Zerubbabel; the historical cir­cumstances of which may be briefly stated as follows: The Temple of Solomon had been destroyed by the Chaldeans about 588 B.C. (2 Kings 25:1-17.) And in the year 536 B.C., Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, issued a decree, permitting all Jews, who were will­ing, to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. (Ezra 1:1­11.) More than forty-two thousand of them gratefully accepted the privilege, and set out immediately under Zerubbabel the governor, and Joshua the High Priest. (Ezra 2:46; Nehemiah 7:66.) They first, after their return, set up the altar of burnt-offerings and of­fered the required sacrifices (Ezra 3:1-6); and on the second month of the second year the foundation of the Temple was laid with shoutings of joy and gladness on the part of the multi­tude. (Ezra 3:8-11.) But some of the old men who had seen the first Temple in all its glory, when they saw the great inferiority of the second, wept with a loud voice. (Ezra 3:12.) This, of course, greatly discouraged the hearts of the people: and besides, the Sa­maritans and other hostile tribes, by their violent opposition and misrepresentations, so weakened the hands of the Jews that but lit­tle more was done during the short remnant of the reign of Cyrus and the reign of his successor, Ahasuerus or Cambyses. And in the reign of Artaxerxes (Smerdis the Usurper), the work was, by his decree, wholly suspended. (Ezra 4:24.) But in the second year of the reign of Darius Hystaspes (519 B.C.), God stirred up the minds of the people, by the prophecies of Haggai and Zecha- riah, to begin again the work of rebuilding the Temple. The first message of Haggai was delivered by Zerubbabel and Joshua on the first day of the sixth month of the second year of Darius, in which he severely reproves the people for neglecting the Temple. (Haggai 1:1-11.) His appeal was successful: for on the twentieth day of the same month, the work of rebuilding was commenced. But in order to comfort and encourage the hearts of those who were mourning over the manifest inferiority of this second Temple, Hag­gai was sent to them again on the twentieth day of the month fol­lowing, and directed to say to them that God was with them to give them success in their labors; and to assure them that the glory of the second Temple would even surpass the glory of that which was builded by Solomon. “For thus saith the Lord of host, yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the Earth, and the sea, and the dry land: and I will shake all nations; and the Desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, saith the Lord of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2:6-9.)

 

On this passage it may be well to remark (1) that the second Temple derived its chief glory from the presence of him who, as the Savior of the world, is here called “the Desire of all nations.” In all other respects the temple of Zerubbabel even with the addi­tions that were made to it by Herod the Great, was quite inferior to that of Solomon. For in it, as the Jews themselves confess, the chief glory of Solomon’s Temple was wholly wanting. It had no Ark of the Covenant, no Mercy-seat, and no Shekinah. No sym­bol of God’s presence was there manifested, until the Word became flesh and dwelt among his people. I know it is often said that “the desire of all nations” can have no reference to the Messiah; be­cause, says the objector, “the word desires is in the plural num­ber.” But this is not the case in the Hebrew. In the Septuagint, the corresponding word is in the plural; the choice things (ta ek- lekta) of all the nations shall come: but in the Hebrew the word is singular; the desire of all the nations shall come.

True, indeed, the verb come is in the third person plural, masculine, showing that the noun, though in the feminine singular, really conveys the idea of a masculine plural; indicating most likely the royal majesty of Christ and the superabounding fullness of the blessings of his mediatorial reign. He is called the Desire of all nations (a) be­cause he alone is capable of satisfying their desires; and (b) be­cause for some time before the coming of Christ there was a very general expectation among the civilized nations that the Golden Age would soon be restored through the righteous administration of some great one who was about to be born in Judea, and who would give to the Jews the dominion of the world. To this Tac­itus refers as follows: “There was,” he says, “in the minds of many a conviction that it was contained in the ancient writings of the Priests, that at that very time it would come to pass that the east would acquire strength, and that those who had gone forth from Judea would become the masters of affairs.” (Hist. 5: 13.) Suetonius also testifies to the same effect: “Throughout the whole east,” he says, “an old and firmly fixed opinion became prevalent that it was included in the decrees of fate, that those who had gone forth from Judea should at that time become the masters of affairs.” (In Vesp. 100: 4.) (2) It is obvious that the shaking of the heav­ens and the earth was to commence soon with the coming of the Messiah and the inauguration of the new era under him. For says God by the Prophet, “It is yet but a little while, when I will shake once for all (hapax) the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations; and the Desire of all the nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory.” The shaking of the world is therefore chronologically connected with the coming of the Messiah; but the Prophet does not say explicitly how long this shaking of all things will continue. This is more clearly indicated by the Apostle in what follows.

 

Hebrews 12:27 —And this word, Yet once more, etc.—The Apostle now ex­plains what is meant by the phrase, Yet once more (eti hapax). It denotes, he says, “the removal of the things shaken, as of things which have been made, so that the things which are not sh?k^n may remain.” That is, since there is to be but one more shaking of all things, it is implied in this phrase, “Yet once more” that the shaking will continue until all things perishable shall be removed; so that nothing will remain but what is eternal and immutable. It will continue therefore until Judaism and all false systems of re­ligion and philosophy are taken out of the way; until the kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ (Revelation 11:15); and until the heavens and the earth which are now shall be transformed into new heavens and a new earth, wherein nothing but righteousness will forever dwell. For Christ came not merely to remove the shadows of the Old Economy, and to introduce the sublime realities of the New; but he came also to destroy the works of Satan (2: 14), and to establish a kingdom which will endure forever (2 Peter 1:11). And consequently he must reign and shake the world until his mission shall be fully accomplished. (1 Corinthians 15:24-25.)

 

Hebrews 12:27 —as of things that are made:—That is, made by art or man’s device, and are therefore perishable. For “all flesh is grass, and all its glory as the flower of grass: the grass withereth, and the flower falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth forever.” (1 Peter 1:24-25.)

 

Hebrews 12:27 —that those things which can not be shaken may remain.—These are all such as have their foundation in the nature and truth of God; having particular reference, however, to the kingdom of Christ. Judaism with all its splendid ritual was, like a work of art, made for a temporary purpose; and, like all things else of the same class, it was destined to pass away when its end was accomplished. But the kingdom of Christ is wholly different. Its object is not temporal but eternal. It was set up during the shaking of thrones and kingdoms, and it will continue when the heavens shall have passed away as a scroll. (1 Corinthians 15:24; 2 Peter 1:11.) And hence it follows that the kingdom of Christ can never, like Judaism, give place to anything better (Daniel 2:44); for “this,” says Peter, “is the true grace of God wherein ye stand” (1 Peter 5:12). God has nothing better to offer to any man than salvation through Christ. The man, therefore, who rejects Christ and his kingdom seals of necessity his own eternal condemnation.

 

Hebrews 12:28 —Wherefore we receiving a kingdom, etc.—Since it is true that we Christians have received a kingdom which cannot, like the Jewish Theocracy and false systems of religion and philosophy, be shaken and removed, let us hold fast our confession: let us by pa­tiently and perseveringly submitting to the will of God in all things, obtain from him such measures of grace as will enable us to serve him with “godly fear and dread."

 

Hebrews 12:29 —For our God is a consuming fire.—This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 4:24. It is cited here as furnishing an additional reason why we should serve God with “godly fear and dread." To the faithful in Christ Jesus, God is life, and light, and love: but to the willfully disobedient he has always been “a consuming fire." See references. Nothing, therefore, remains for the apostate and the finally impenitent but “a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries."

 

1. It is pleasant to think of the many faithful witnesses for the truth, who having finished their course now stand to encourage us in our conflicts with the world, the flesh, and the devil, (verse 1). These by their own heroic example have clearly demonstrated that the way of duty, though strait and narrow, may nevertheless be trodden by all, as the way that leads to certain victory. This should encourage us to “lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us," so that we too may run with patient endurance “the race that is set before us."

 

2. But our main ground of encouragement is to be found in the example of Jesus, the Leader and Perfecter of the faith, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross," and through it triumphed over all his and our enemies (verses 2, 3). So full of instruction indeed is his whole life that it of itself serves us as a general directory, and gives us comfort and consola¬tion under all the circumstances of our earthly conflict. When tempted, for instance, it will always assist us to say with Jesus, “It is written,” “It is written,” “It is written”; and when solely perse¬cuted for righteousness’ sake, the best we can do is to say in the spirit and temper of our great Exemplar, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

 

3. It is a good thing to be afflicted, (1) because it serves to mortify the flesh with its affections and its lusts; (2) because it serves to keep us humble and mindful of our mortality; and (3) because it serves to purify our hearts, and so to make us partakers of God’s holiness (verses 4-11). Thus it is that our light afflic¬tions which are but for a moment, serve in the providence of God to work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. To those who have their portion in this life, and whose daily concern is about what they shall eat, and, what they shall drink, and wherewithal they shall be clothed, I know all this ap¬pears very absurd. But not so to the true child of God who looks upon the present as but a preparation for the eternal world that is beyond. To him everything appears in the light of a blessing which serves to purify his heart, and so to prepare him for the high and holy destiny that is set before him. Let us then with Paul ever glory in tribulation, “knowing that tribulation worketh pa¬tience ; and patience, experience; and experience, hope”; and that all things in fact “work together for good to them that love God.”

 

4. Many for whom Christ died go to perdition through our inexcusable neglect (verses 12-17). This is true not only of many who are still in the world, and who if properly cared for might be converted and brought into the fold of Christ; but it is also equally true of many weak and sickly ones in the Church, whose hands are hanging down, whose knees have become feeble, and who are even now ready to perish for want of the proper aid, sympathy, and support of their brethren. This ought not so to be. And it would not be so did we but realize as we should our relations to each other, and our obligations to the one living and supreme head. But when, alas! will this lesson be duly learned by the professed fol¬lowers of the Lord Jesus? “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meek¬ness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1-2.)

 

5. The object of God in providing and revealing to us the whole economy of redemption, is to make us holy as he himself is holy (verse 14). Without this all else will be in vain: our confession will avail us nothing, nor will our baptism, nor our alms, nor our prayers. For “without holiness no man shall see the Lord”; and unless we see him, and have fellowship with him, Heaven itself will be no Heaven to us. In that event the hell within us would in fact only be made deeper and deeper by the infinite contrast of the Heaven without us. How earnestly then we should all strive after holiness of heart and purity of life; and how earnestly we should beseech God day by day to search our hearts and lead us “in the way everlasting.”

 

6. The vail that now conceals God from the eyes of sinful mor¬tals is “a vail woven by the hand of Mercy” (verses 18-21). If the children of Israel could not bear to look on even the natural phenomena through which God manifested himself on mount Sinai, what must have been the consequence if the vail had been wholly removed, and the full-orbed glory of Jehovah’s power, and maj¬esty, and holiness, had been allowed to burst forth in all its infi¬nite splendor and fullness on the astonished eyes and trembling hearts of the multitude! Such a sight would have been too much for poor sinful mortals. (Exodus 33:20.) And hence we can never be sufficiently thankful, that even under the more benign influences of the New Covenant, God deals with us through the medium of a Mediator. We are not yet prepared for any higher and fuller manifestations of his glory than what we now see in the face of Jesus. But thanks be to God, that the time is coming when we shall see his face and when his name shall be on our foreheads. (Revelation 22:4.) Then we shall see as we are seen, and know even as also we are known. (1 Corinthians 13:12.)

 

7. How very near and dear are our relations to God, to Christ, to holy angels, and to the spirits of the redeemed (verses 22-24). We are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints made perfect. For in covenant we have already come to mount Zion; and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusa-lem ; and to a countless host of angels composing as it were a joy¬ful and festive assembly around the throne of God; and to the Church of the first-born whose names are registered in Heaven; and to God the judge of all; and to the spirits of the just made perfect; and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant; and to the blood of sprinkling which speaks more encouragingly than even Abel speaks by his faith and obedience. Who, then, would ever think of turning back to the weak and beggarly elements of this world? Who would renounce this holy society and these high and holy relations for the society and fellowship of Satan and his an¬gels ? May God save us all from such folly and madness.

 

8. Paul was not an advocate of either the Popish dogmas about purgatory, or of the doctrine of soul-sleeping (verse 23). With him it was a fundamental article of faith that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8); and to be present with the Lord is to be “made perfect.” And hence he him¬self preferred to depart and to be with Christ. (Philippians 1:23.)

 

9. Rejection of the highest grace is always followed by the se¬verest punishment (verse 25). And consequently our destiny will be even more intolerable than that of the disobedient Israelites, if we neglect the overtures of mercy that are now offered to us in the Gospel.

 

10. The Gospel is God’s last manifestation of mercy for the re¬covery of lost sinners (verse 28). When Christ comes the second time, it will not be to convert the world, but to judge it. It will be to raise the dead saints (1 Thessalonians 4:16) ; to change the living (1 Thessalonians 4:17) ; to renovate the world by fire (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; 2 Peter 3:7-13) ; to raise the wicked out of the molten mass (John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15) ; and then to reward every man according to his works (Matthew 16:27 Matthew 25:31-41; Romans 2:5-16; 2 Timothy 4:1). It will not be to set up a new kingdom on earth, but simply to bring to an end his mediatorial reign, and then will he deliver up the Kingdom to the Father. (1 Corinthians 15:24-25.) “Wherefore [since] we have received a kingdom which can not be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with rever¬ence and godly fear.”