Bible Commentaries
Hebrews 12

Verse 1

Wherefore -- Drawing a conclusion from ch. 11’s hall of faith.

Witnesses -- witnesses, not spectators, but they give their testimony to us as people who had enduring faith.

Verse 2

Jesus -- Jesus’ endurance is intended to inspire the readers to persevere.

Looking -- "Fix" eyes on Jesus, (never looking away.)

Verse 3

Hebrews 12:3

Verse 4

Hebrews 12:4

Ye -- vs. 12, persecuted, but not yet unto death. (Hebrews 10:33) Hebrews 12:12

V. 4 -- What is the impact of this verse on the date of the book?

cd. Hebrews 10:32-34. And/ or the recipients?

Verse 5

Hebrews 12:5

Verse 6

Hebrews 12:6

Verse 7

Hebrews 12:7

Hebrews 12:7

Verse 8

Hebrews 12:8

Verse 9

Hebrews 12:9

Verse 10

Hebrews 12:10

Verse 11

Hebrews 12:11

Fruit -- Pruned trees produce the best fruit.

Verse 12

Hebrews 12:12

Verse 13

Hebrews 12:13

Verse 14

Holiness -- Be holy.

Which -- ref. to "holiness."

Verse 15

Hebrews 12:15

Fail of the grace of God -- i.e. lose God’s grace. ESV "fail to obtain."

It is used here with the preposition apo which means "off, away from," and means "to fall back from," implying a previous attainment. The participle is in the present tense and thus speaks of something in progress. The translation is "lest any one be falling back." -- Wuest

Root of bitterness.. Deuteronomy 29:28

Verse 16

Hebrews 12:16

Verse 17

Hebrews 12:17

Verse 18

Hebrews 12:18

Verse 19

Hebrews 12:19

Verse 20

Hebrews 12:20

Verse 21

Hebrews 12:21

Verse 22

Hebrews 12:22

Verse 23

Hebrews 12:23

Firstborn -- plural, firstborn ones. Adj, Genitive, plural, masculine (RC Foster said in his class on Hebrews at Cincinnati Bible Seminary, the plural was a reference to the saints, thus, "church of the saints" or "Christian Church", apparently he used this to justify this term in reference to the church.)

Each one "born again" is firstborn, in preeminence, thus all are equal and important, and have the birth right, vs. 16-17. [se PNT].

Spirits of just men made perfect -- To a fellowship with the righteous dead who are now in heaven. (See NLT also.) Some think this refers only to OT saints, but why this limitation? In Jewish apocalyptic literature an idiom for the godly dead. The points seems to be that all of God’s saints, past and present, whether on earth or in heaven, share in the fellowship of God’s grace.

Verse 24

Hebrews 12:24

Verse 25

Hebrews 12:25

cf. Hebrews 1:1; Hebrews 2:3

Verse 26

Hebrews 12:26

Shook earth -- Mt. Sinai shook at the giving of the law.

Shake -- Matthew 24:29; (powers of heaven shaken, and Satan cast out, cf. Revelation 12:7-8. Roaming the earth now, seeking whom he may devour.)

Verse 27

Hebrews 12:27

Removing -- Ref to their removal by the destruction of the temple and nation. The removal of the temple and Judaism.

Verse 28

Hebrews 12:28

Moved -- not to be shaken as in v. 27. cf. Daniel 2:44.

Verse 29

Hebrews 12:29