Introductory remarks:
This chapter continues Paul's teaching about grace. There should not be a chapter division here. "Seeing this great number of examples, we should get rid of everything that weighs us down and patiently run the race. We should look at Christ who endured so much but also accomplished so much for us. We should patiently endure chastening from God knowing He chastens all His sons to mature them. They are warned to be grateful, that there are base people among them who will corrupt them. We don't approach fearful Mount Sinai, but Sion, the city of God and angels and the church and Jesus. Heaven and earth will be shaken and only the things of God will remain" (A Survey of Hebrews - By Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: The discipline of the Lord vv. 1-13: warning against rejecting God's grace vv. 14-29.
The Discipline of the Lord
Verse 1, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."
LGT "Therefore also we having so great a cloud of witnesses encompassing us, having laid aside every weight and the easily surrounding sin, with endurance we should run the race lying before us."
Therefore: This is a compound inferential participle (tou gar oun) that draws a conclusion to the entire argument of Paul that brings a climax to the better promises that brings about loyalty to Christ 10:19-12:3 (Robertson). As I said in my introduction there should be no chapter break here. Also we having great a cloud of witnesses encompassing us: all the O.T. prophets and martyrs that have gone on before, have witnessed to the fact that Christ is coming; for them the first time to offer Himself on the cross; for us, His coming the second time to receive us to Himself; for the Jews, to set up His earthly Kingdom. Having laid aside every weight: these weights are anything that will keep us from becoming a living witness for Christ; these weights could be putting too much emphasis on wealth, or fame, or anything worldly that would keep us from attaining a reward at the Bema Seat of Christ. These things are not sins in themselves, but they are the details of life that may come between us, and our fellowship, and studying the Word of God. And the easily surrounding sin: these are sins that we refuse to let go of, and they keep us from our fellowship with the Father, and also from our serious study of God's Word; they need to be dealt with via 1 John 1:9. With endurance we should run the race lying before us: Paul likens the Christian life to the Grecian games in the Coliseum. Life is a race that every Christian runs competing against the world, the flesh, and the Devil, and not against our fellow believers. This race is to attain rewards and the well-done from our heavenly Father, and certainly not to gain entrance into heaven, for that has already been accomplished for us, and it is a free gift that takes no effort on our part, but cost the Son of God His life.
Verse 2, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
LGT "Looking away to the Jesus, the Leader and Perfecter of faith: Who in view of the joy lying before Him endured [the] cross, having despised the shame."
Looking away: from the weight and sin that distracts from fellowship and His Word. To Jesus: the One and only Savior who we should keep our attention fixed on. If we continue daily in the Word of God we will win the race. The Leader and Perfecter of faith: Christ is our daily example, and He is the One who has imputed on us His righteousness, and He is the One who works in us through the indwelling Holy Spirit to accomplish the prize that is set before us. Who in view of the joy lying before Him: We are trophies of His grace; but this is not the only prize that was set before Him, the fact that He conquered sin and death, and won the victory over the Evil one was the rest of the joy. Endured the cross: Christ gave his life a ransom for us all, dying spiritually and physically on the cross that He might win some. Having despised the shame: "Cursed is every man that hangs on a tree" (Gal. 3:13). Christ bore our sins for three hours on the cross, dying spiritually for our sins, being separated from His eternal Father. The shame of that cross will take us an eternity to ever grasp.
Verse 3, "For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."
LGT "For consider well Him who has endured so great revolt from sinners against Himself, that ye be not wearied, fainting in your minds."
For consider well Him: this is the reason we look to Jesus, the Leader and Finisher of our faith. Who has endured so great revolt from sinners against Himself: this great contradiction of the revolt of the unbeliever against Christ, He endured with patience, that He might win some. That ye be not wearied, fainting in your minds: Paul is telling these Hebrew Christians that they need not grow weary of grace, for it will sustain them to the end. They had just recently given up the law for grace, and they had to live by faith, and Paul is telling them to continue looking away to Jesus, the Leader and Finisher of their faith; now the rest of this epistle will drive this truth home to them.
Verse 4, "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin."
LGT "Not yet unto blood resisted ye, wrestling against sin."
Paul tells them that they have not had to face death yet for their Christian faith, as some of the O.T. saints had, and Christ shed His blood in order that they could have eternal life; so this is one of the reasons they need to turn away from their sin, and consider the Lord Jesus Christ. Daily Bible study will keep your eyes fixed on Christ, and all the things of the earth will pale in comparison.
Verses 5, 6, "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receives."
LGT "And ye have quite forgotten the exhortation, which to you as sons he addresses:
My son, despise not [the] discipline of [the] Lord
Nor faint, by him being reproved;
For whom [the] Lord loves He disciplines,
And scourges every son whom He receives."
Paul is quoting Proverbs 3:11,12. And ye have quite forgotten exhortation, which to you as sons he addresses: Paul uses the term huios which means fully mature sons, and not as the KJV has it "children" paidia. My son, despise not the discipline of the Lord: Paul is reminding them of this proverb, and tells them not to look down on, or sneer at the discipline of the Lord, for it is a very serious process the Lord uses to bring His sons to full maturity. Nor faint, by being reproved: the Greek word for "chastening" is paideuo, and it means child training or discipline; so he is telling them not to faint away from the discipline, but accept it as mature sons. For whom the lord loves He disciplines: the Lord shows his love for us by His discipline, and this should be an encouragement to us that He does love us. The same goes for our raising our children; if we do not spank them, we do not love them; this of course flies in the face of the bleeding heart liberals. And scourges every son whom He receives: this is very hard for all of us to accept. We often question why God takes us to the wood shed, but it is for the good reason that this is His way of maturing us. It is one of the ways he rids us of sin in our lives, in order to receive us into full fellowship with Him.
Verse 7, "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?"
LGT "If ye endure discipline, God is dealing with you as sons. For who is [the] son whom [the] Father disciplines not?"
The proof that we are sons of the Father is by the fact that He disciplines us. Paul gives this doctrine in order to help these believers keep up their good faith in the Lord, that He loves them as He loves His only begotten Son.
Verse 8, "But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."
LGT "But if ye are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then bastards ye are and not sons."
But if ye are without discipline: if the Lord does not discipline you: of which all have become partakers: all who are sons, that is, all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are disciplined of the Lord. Then bastards ye are and not sons: a proof that we belong to God's family is that He loves us so much he disciplines us. We must learn to accept His discipline and not hate it, and complain as if He doesn't really love us. If the Lord does not discipline a person, then they are illegitimate, and not real sons.
Verse 9, "Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?"
LGT "Moreover we have had fathers of our flesh as chasteners, and we respected [them]: shall not we much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and shall live?"
Moreover we have had fathers of our flesh as chasteners: Paul says that we all had earthly fathers who disciplined us. And we respected them: as painful at times it has been to be disciplined by our fathers, we knew they did it for our own good, and we loved them for it. Shall not we much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits: in contrast to our earthly fathers for a short time, that is, our spiritual Father, who is disciplining us for time and eternity. And shall live: that we may live a life of joy and satisfaction knowing that we are in fellowship with Him, and that He has saved us, and He is now preparing us to live eternally with Him.
Verse 10, "For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness."
LGT "For they indeed disciplined for a few days according to the thing seeming good to them; but He for profit, for us to be partaking of His holiness."
For they indeed disciplined for a few days: our earthly fathers only had us for a few years to discipline us. According to the thing seeming good to them: in contrast to our heavenly Father, our earthly fathers used discipline that fit their emotions at the time, and it has not always been correct. But He for profit: our heavenly Father never disciplines us except that it is for our eternal good. For us to be partaking of His holiness: that our lives here on earth will be profitable, and that we might live in fellowship with Him, and our quality of life will be to His good pleasure, and to our eternal benefit.
Verse 11, "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."
LGT "But any discipline for the present seems not to be a [matter] of joy, but of grief: but afterwards renders peaceable fruit of righteousness to those having been instructed by it."
But any discipline for the present: as it is being administered. Seems not to be a matter of joy: discipline is not an occasion for joy. But of grief: it sometimes brings out the worst in us. But afterwards: after the discipline has been administered. Renders peaceable fruit of righteousness: the Lord's discipline is designed to bring about the fruit of the Holy Spirit: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal 5:22). Unto those having been instructed by it: to those who have not rebelled but knew it was from the Lord, and took it to heart, it is a learning session that produces the fruits of the Spirit.
Verse 12, "Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees."
LGT "Wherefore the hands hanging down and the feeble knees lift up:"
Paul is saying that after the discipline don't go around drooping and feeling sorry for yourself; in today's parlance we might say, "suck it up, and be strong", let the discipline work in you to its purpose.
Verse 13, "And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed."
LGT "And make straight paths for your feet, in order that which [is] lame be turned aside; but that rather it may be healed."
The best I can understand this verse is that the believer is to respond to the discipline of the Lord by heeding the instruction and do not go back into the way that causes the Lord to discipline. The only way I know to make the way straight is by studying Bible Doctrine, and adjusting the life to it. Paul has been writing about strength in the Lord and keeping the eyes fixed on Jesus; he now speaks about using this strength in the daily walk of the Christian, by walking according to Bible doctrine, and not to stray from one side or the other, and becoming lame, that is, not applying doctrine to the life. Paul has been quoting from Proverbs, but now they have even more of the Word to follow, for He is giving them Bible doctrine in this letter.
Warning against Rejecting God's grace
Verse 14, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."
LGT "Pursue peace with all, and sanctification, apart from which no one shall see the Lord."
Pursue peace with all: don't be a troublemaker, but live peaceably with all. And sanctification: all Christians are set apart unto God; Paul is not saying that we should live holy lives by our own strength, but we are sanctified by Christ blood, and we are imputed with His righteousness. Apart from which no one shall see the Lord: unless a man receives Christ, and is sanctified, and made righteous by the blood of Christ, he will not see the Lord.
Verse 15, "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled."
LGT "Looking diligently lest any lack the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up should trouble [you], and by this many be defiled."
Looking diligently: being intent about looking unto Jesus, "the Author and Finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:2). Lest any lack the grace of God: the way we look unto Jesus is in the Word of God; the more we study the more we appreciate the grace of God, and the divine riches of this grace. To look away from the Word, is putting ourselves in danger of missing out on the benefits of His grace. Lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you: the one not looking unto the Word is essentially missing out on the blessings of God's grace; this one looks unto the approval of men and not God, and the end result is bitterness. True joy can only be found in the grace of God, and He is ready and willing to grace us out if we ask Him in His Word. And by this many be defiled: the Christian out of fellowship cannot help others; all that person can do is spread his bitterness.
Verse 16, "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright."
LGT "Lest [there be] any fornicator or profane person, as Esau, who for one meal sold his birthright."
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person: McGee believes Paul is speaking about spiritual fornication; however, pornos "fornicate" is always used in the literal sense in the Scripture. The fornicator would rather, as Calvin aptly puts it, "roll around in his own filth, than fellowship with the Lord." There is a spiritual application here, as there is with any Christian out of fellowship, choosing the things of this world that gratify the flesh, than fellowshipping with the Father. As Esau, who for one meal sold his birthright: Paul uses Esau as an example of one who sold out to the world for a mess of pottage. In Esau's case, he was rejected from the entire plan of God because he refused to repent (see Gen. 25:28-34).
Verse 17, "For ye know how that afterwards, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears."
LGT "For ye know that also afterwards, wishing to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for a place of repentance he found not, although with tears having earnestly sought it."
This verse does not mean that Esau was sorry for his actions, and that he sought repentance with tears. What Esau was sorry for is that he lost the blessing, and was rejected, even though he sought it with tears. McGee rightly has it, "Esau was like any common thief who boohoos after being caught, not for being a thief, but cries because he gets caught". Calvin notes: "While Esau was hungry, he cared for nothing but how he might have his stomach well filled; when full he laughed at his brother (Jacob), and judged him a fool for having voluntarily deprived himself of a meal. Nay, such is the stupidity of the ungodly, as long as they burn with depraved lusts or intemperately plunge themselves into sinful pleasures; after a time they understand how fatal to them are all the things which they so eagerly desired. The word rejected means he was repulsed, or denied his request."
Verses 18-21, "For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (for they could not endure that which was commanded, and if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake):"
LGT "For ye have not come to [the] mount being touched and having been kindled with fire, and to obscurity, and to darkness, and to tempest, and to trumpets sound, and to voice of words, which [voice] they that heard excused themselves [asking] [the] word not to be addressed to them; (for they could not hear that [which] was commanded: And if a beast should the mountain, it shall be stoned: and, so fearful was the spectacle [that] Moses said, I am greatly trembling):"
Paul is describing the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. It was a terrible sight as it is described here. The Hebrew believers had come out of Judaism and they were accustomed to going to the temple to worship God; now that grace has been introduced they had to leave all that legal system; for Christ died on the cross and put an end to all their religiosity, and they no longer had to go to the temple to worship God, for they now were temples of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and they were now members of God's family forever. I had the same feeling when I left the organized church, as it became more and more adapted to the world; I felt as though I had to come apart from them and be separate, for I could no longer fellowship with those who thought I was just too old-fashioned for them. However, now I could not be more at ease, knowing that God never intended the body of Christ, the church, to organize into denominations; I also believe this is the beginning of one world religion that will be ready and willing to accept the antichrist as the world ruler.
Verse 22, "But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels."
LGT "But ye have come to mount Sion, and the city of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels [the] universal gathering."
Paul is making a sharp contrast of the heavenly Jerusalem to Mount Sinai of verse 18. This is a contrast of Law and Grace. The ministry of angels ceased when Christ died on the cross. There is no manifestation of angels to the church in this age of grace. People who claim to have been visited by angels are lying and they know it, unless they are mentally deranged. The Catholic church of course teach this heresy that angels are at work in the world today, but of course we know that it is a religion of speculation and superstition.
Verse 23, "To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect."
LGT "And to [the] assembly of [the] firstborn [ones] registered in [the] heavens, and to [the] God, Judge of all, and to [the] spirits of [the] just [who] have been perfected."
And to the assembly of the firstborn ones: this is addressed to Christians on earth at that time. Registered in the heavens: every believer in every age has been written down on God's register. And to the God, judge of all: He is judge of the world but Father to saints of every dispensation. And to the spirits of the just who have been perfected: these are the departed saints of all dispensations who have been completed in Christ, but have not yet received their resurrected bodies.
Verse 24, "And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than of Abel."
LGT "And to Jesus mediator of a fresh covenant, and to [the] blood of sprinkling speaking a better thing than Abel."
And to Jesus: He is Savior and Lord, but still Jesus; He is truly God and truly man, for He is the God man; He is different from God in that He is Man; He is different from man in that He is God. Mediator of a fresh covenant: this is the guarantee of His grace. This fresh covenant replaced the old covenant not only in time, but also for all eternity. When we come into the presence of Jesus we will experience the fulfillment and perfection of his wonderful grace. And to the blood of sprinkling: this represents the blood of the old sacrificial system beginning with Abel. Speaking a better thing than Abel: Paul is trying to get their thinking wrapped around the grace of God, and to forget about the temple of the old covenant, and its symbols and signs; they now possess what the symbols represented. This is like the Catholics worshipping a statue, when the Savior Himself wants to reside in their hearts. The world would rather have an idol than a living God. Paul is saying in this epistle look unto Jesus, our Savior and Mediator, and big brother, away from the temple and all the things of the old covenant.
Verse 25, "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven."
LGT "Take heed ye refuse not Him who speaks: for if they escaped not, [who] refused Him that on the earth divinely instructed [them], much more we [who] turn away from Him from [the] heavens."
First they refused God when He led them on the exodus from Egypt, and they refused Him under the Law, and when Jesus Christ came "unto His own and His own received Him not", and they did not escape hell, and someday the lake of fire. Christ is now speaking from heaven, to these Hebrews, through the Apostle Paul. He is also speaking to us through the written Word of God, "and how shall they escape hell, if they refuse the great Salvation."
Verse 26, "Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven."
LGT "Whose voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, Yet once I shake not only the earth, but also the heavens."
Paul is quoting Haggai 2:6, "For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land" (ESV). There was a great earthquake at the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, and at the crucifixion of our Lord, and the one coming will be when Christ returns to judge the nations of this world.
Verse 27, "And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain."
LGT "Yet once more, signifies the removing of the [things] shaken, as having been made, that the [things] not shaken may remain."
Yet once more, signifies the removing of the things shaken, as having been made: the prophecy given by Haggai is the passing away of the old order of things made by God, to make room for, The things not shaken may remain: the Kingdom of God, or the new heaven and new earth, which will be forever. Everything temporal will be removed to make way for everything eternal.
Verse 28, "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."
LGT "Wherefore receiving a kingdom not to be shaken, we may keep on having grace, by which we may serve God pleasingly well, with fear and awe."
Wherefore receiving a kingdom not to be shaken: we are temples of the Holy Spirit, and as such, we must have the confidence that we cannot be shaken, either by adversity, or even by death. We may keep on having grace: our confidence is in the grace of God shed abundantly into our lives; we have the Word of God as the earnest of the Holy Spirit, and someday these truths that we are promised will be our eternal inheritance. By which we may serve God pleasingly well: it is only through the Word of God that we are able to fellowship with the Father in Spirit and in Truth. We are not able to do a thing for God, but He is able by the Holy Spirit to produce righteous works in our lives. With fear and awe: these two superlatives fear and awe are describing the believers wonderment and amazement at the greatness of our heavenly Father; it certainly does not have the connotation of trembling at His presence that we are not worthy; we are worthy because the Son is worthy, and we are acceptable in the beloved Son, and we are forever in awe of the Holy Trinity. The world uses this superlative awesome as a common adjective, and they describe everything under the sun with it; however, I believe that the word is set apart for the Godhead strictly, and should not be used in vain, describing foolishness.
Verse 29, "For our God is a consuming fire."
LGT "For also our God [is] a consuming fire."
Our God is gracious to us who believe, but He is also a consuming fire to those who reject His privileges found only in His grace in Salvation, "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:15-ESV).
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