Bible Commentaries
Hebrews 12

Verses 1-21

1 This cloud of "witnesses" consists of those just enumerated, who witness to the life of faith. It has no reference to any who are watching the Hebrews. A witness is one who testifies, and it is the testimony of all the faithful, from Abel down, which constituted the moral atmosphere in which the Hebrews lived. Nevertheless, their popular sin was unbelief. Even as their fathers had witnessed the faith of Moses and saw the signs, yet were strewn along the wilderness for their lack of faith in God, so the Hebrews were prone to question the promises and to turn from the trials that lay along the path of faith.

2 All the other examples of faith pale before the supreme Example. Even Abraham, the father of the faithful, failed once and again in the very virtue for which he is distinguished. But the Saviour, as a man, never faltered in His implicit confidence in God. He did always those things which pleased God without regard to the consequences to Himself. When His message was rejected, He acquiesced. Even though His God forsook Him in the hour of deepest need and sorest suffering, it did not shake His faith, for, at the very last, He committed His spirit into the Father's hands. And He alone, of all the faithful, has risen and received some reward for His faithfulness, for He has ascended to the right hand of God's throne. Such an example as this should be the most powerful of all incentives for the Hebrews to endure the trials of the way, and persevere to the end.

7 God's discipline is too often mistaken for His indignation. The presence of trials and distresses are not a proof of sin and God's anger, but may be the tokens of His love. Job's friends tried to convince him that his calamities came as the penalty of his own misdeeds. Job himself thought that God was his enemy and had conspired against him. All were wrong, for the blessed result of a closer knowledge of his Maker fully vindicated God for all the afflictions He had brought upon him. Job had heard of Him, but after his trial he could say that he had seen Him-a more intimate acquaintance.

10 Human discipline is too often without a definite object, or lacks entirely the corrective element which should always be present. Punishment as a mere deterrent, or as a penalty, is of little use in forming character. The ideal chastening is that which fits the offense in such a way that it forms and strengthens those elements in character which are weak and which led to the evil doing. God is the only Father Who has the requisite wisdom to choose such chastening for His children. However heavy His hand may seem we may be sure that it is held by a heart that sympathizes with our passing distress, and helps us to bear fruit for our own profit and His glory.

12 Flaccid hands and paralyzed knees are a realistic picture of utter discouragement on the part of those who fail to see the presence of God's hand in their disheartening circumstances, or that these are but part of the process by which He is bringing them into the larger and nearer place He has prepared for them.

16 The example of Esau should have made a powerful appeal to the Hebrews, in their perplexity and distress. They, too, could ease their souls and enjoy the pleasures of the world by rejecting their birthright, for they were the firstborn of the kingdom. If they should barter their birthright for a brief respite then they, too, would be rejected, however much they might regret it later on.

17 Esau was not seeking forgiveness nor salvation, but to undo the effect of a former state of mind with regard to the birthright. But his bargain was irrevocable. These Hebrews were in danger of forfeiting their birthright.

16 The nation in the wilderness, at Mount Sinai, came to the terrible spectacle which inaugurated the law ( Exo_19:12-20 ). The whole scene was prophetic of the relation they would sustain to Jehovah under the legal covenant. He forbade a near approach under pain of death. It brought no peace or assurance, but fear and terror. This is the function of the law. It came, not to bring them near to God, but to convict them of their inability and unworthiness.

Verses 22-29

22 There is a studied contrast here between the scene presented to the physical eye at Mount Sinai and the prospect of faith in connection with the new covenant. Mount Sinai itself is suggestive of another mountain which is the ultimate home of Israel in the new earth. The

Lord is present, as He was in the wilderness, but here He is the Light, rather than the Lightning. Instead of being warned away for fear of death, the saints dwell near Him and enjoy the fruits of the tree of life and the draught of the river of life (Rev.21, 22). The law was given by the mandate of messengers ( Act_7:53 ). Now they are ministering spirits commissioned for service because of those who are about to be enjoying the allotment of salvation ( Heb_1:14 ). The universal convocation here referred to is probably that which is convoked at the opening of the day of the Lord when the representatives of the whole creation are summoned together before the judgments which usher in the kingdom are visited on the earth (Rev.4, 5).

23 The ecclesia of the firstborn recalls the passover, when the firstborn in Egypt were saved by the blood ( Exo_12:15 ). As a consequence Jehovah claimed all the firstborn for Himself ( Exo_13:2 ; Exo_34:19 ). Later the Lord took the Levites in exchange for the firstborn ( Num_3:12-13 ). Thus those ransomed by blood were the "ecclesia of the firstborn" in the wilderness. These Jehovah claimed for His own and these He brought near to Him in the Levites. So that the "church of the firstborn" comprises those under the shelter of the blood before the kingdom is set up. In the wilderness they were numbered on earth ( Num_3:42 ), here they are registered in heaven. God as Judge is especially appropriate to those who were waiting for Him to arise and judge His own people and the whole earth, as a preparation for the establishment of the kingdom. Not so do we know God.

24 Under the law the spirits of the just never reached perfection, for its rites brought nothing to a finality. Perfection comes only through the Antitype of the ritual of the law.

24 Moses was the mediator of the old covenant, but now One Who is more than Moses inaugurates a fresh covenant which cannot fail as the former, because it is founded on God's faithfulness alone.

25 The judgments which will usher in the kingdom will be far more terrible and widespread than those at Mount Sinai. Under the sixth seal, the great cataclysm includes the sun, moon, and stars ( Rev_6:12-13 ) .

7 The leaders were not official rulers, but men who were guides in ministry of the word and exemplary conduct.

8 It should be remembered that "the Same" is a pronoun, and has reference to His personality, not to His administrations or assumptions. The same One pours out grace upon us and indignation on the nations in the Lord's day. The same One Who was weary at Sychar's well is now all-powerful. He Who was once lowly is now exalted, Who healed hundreds when on earth, refused to remove Paul's thorn in the flesh, Who hung on Calvary's cross and lay lifeless in the tomb is now alive and has ascended to God's right hand. His person, service, and dispensations change to accord with God's purpose, but He Himself remains the Same.

9 It is evident that the strange teachings here referred to do not tend toward grace but physical gratification.

9 Foods and drinks, which were a part of the ritual of the first tabernacle, ( Heb_9:9-10 ) cannot confirm the heart in grace. In connection with Christ's sacrifice there is no sacrificial meal. The carcass of the sin offering was not eaten either by priests or people, but was burned.

11 The camp can refer to nothing else than the established ritual of Judaism. The great Sin Offering suffered outside the city of Jerusalem. So it behooved His followers to forsake the city and the system of religion which cast Him out, and follow Him outside of it all. Jerusalem was not the permanent abode of God's saints. It was to be utterly destroyed. This was done not long after this epistle was written. The eye of faith looked forward to the heavenly Jerusalem on the earth.