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The Greek noun ὑπομονὴ (Strong's #5281) means "patience, endurance, perseverance." Its meaning expresses a remaining under or endurance in circumstances. Previous parts of our ὑπομονὴ study have focused on Hebrews 12:1-2, where the author presents the Christian life as the running of a race. He also presents that Christians are running a race course which is continually being placed in front of them and that their race must be run through endurance or by remaining under the discipline of the race. Furthermore, as seen in Hebrews 12:1, Christians are to run this race while having the encouragement and testimony of the Old Testament saints, who are mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. The author also states a second condition of running the race, which is that the Christian put aside every distraction that weighs them down and the sin that so easily entangles them, because it keeps them from running the race. A third condition of running the race is presented in Hebrews 12:2a, Christians are to run the race while looking toward Jesus as their goal and finish line.
This week, we continue our study of ὑπομονὴ through the consideration of the example of patience, or remaining under, as presented in Hebrews 12:2b.
The Example of Endurance (Hebrews 12:1-2)
As previously stated, the last condition given in Hebrews 12 for running the race is "…looking away unto Jesus, the Author and Completer of the faith." Jesus is then presented as the example of a runner who is running His race through endurance. So, He is first presented as the focus of the believer and then as the goal of the believer. Next, He is presented as the example of one running His race through endurance. The writer of Hebrews also gives the focus, or goal, of Jesus in verse 2: "Who, over against the joy being set before Him." Joy is presented as the focal point or goal of Jesus and this joy is "being set before Him." The phrase "being set" is a present participle which denotes a continuous action. It is the same word, in participial form, found in verse 1, describing the race as "being set before us."
The joy of the finished work of the cross was continually being set before Jesus as His goal and purpose for coming into this earthly life. The use of the present participle denotes that this joy was continuously being set before Him even as He "endured" the cross. The word endured, in this scripture, is the verb form (ὑπομὲνω, Strong's #5278) of our study word ὑπομονὴ and its use here shows that Jesus remained under the suffering of the cross while continuously viewing the joy of its completed work.
Another participle is found in the phrase, "having despised the shame." The Greek word translated "having despised" is the aorist participial form of καταφρονὲω (Strong's #2706). It means "to think down on." This word carries both a positive and negative meaning in the New Testament. Its negative meaning expresses a frame of mind that is against someone. The positive expression of the word, which is the expression used here, means "to think nothing of it." The "shame" referred to in this phrase is that of publicly dying the most humiliating death one could die at that time. It was the means of death used for criminals and the vilest offenders. Thus, the participial phrase, "having despised the shame" means that Jesus did not think of the shame of the cross as something that was going to hinder Him from enduring the cross.
After having endured the cross, Jesus "sat down at the right of the throne of God." Once He ascended into heaven and took His place at the right of the throne of God, the finished work of Christ for the sins of the world had been accomplished. It was at this time that Jesus realized the joy of providing salvation for all mankind.
The example of Jesus is clearly presented in these scriptures as the way believers are to follow. Peter writes, in 1 Peter 2:21, "For unto this you were called, because Christ also suffered on behalf of us, leaving behind an example for us, in order that you should follow His steps." Jesus remained under the suffering of the cross for the end result of the joy that was continually being set before Him and did not take the shame of the cross into account in His decision making. When He sat down at the right of the throne of God, His joy was realized. James, in treating the same concepts as found in Hebrews 12:1-2 writes, "My brothers, count it all joy whenever you should fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith is working out endurance (ὑπομονὴ)." In addition, believers are told to let joy be the leading thought of their minds whenever they fall into trials, because of knowing what those trials are forthe testing of their faith which is working out endurance (ὑπομονὴ).
Next week we will continue our study of ὑπομονὴ from Hebrews 12:3-8, as we focus on the encouragement given for running the race through endurance.
*hUPOMONE is the English font spelling of the Greek word ὑπομονὴ.
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Bill Klein has been a pastor, counselor, and educator for the past 41 years. He has had extensive training and education in biblical languages, and has authored a Biblical Greek course.
He is currently serving as Professor of Biblical Greek at Master's Graduate School of Divinity, and president of BTE Ministries - The Bible Translation and Exegesis Institute of America, a non-profit organization located in California that provides Bible study tapes and Greek study materials through their website BTEMinistries.org.