Hebrews 12
The Lord’s Discipline
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us,
The great cloud of witnesses are the Old Testament saints who were listed in chapter 11. They are not sitting in the clouds watching believers run a race, because this would be very boring for them. Their lives were examples to future believers. These lives were written in the Scriptures so that these Messianic believers could learn from their example. Since this marathon will be such a struggle to these Messianic believers, they need to get rid of any excessive weight which might bog them down. Excessive weight would be any kind of sin which might slow them down from winning the race.
The author informed the Messianic believers that they were running in a race. The race was not a short sprint, but a long and agonizing marathon.
All believers are running a marathon race. If the believer wants to win the race, then he needs to get rid of anything in his life that keeps him from winning. The Bible gives Christians the liberty to do many things. There is no law in the Bible against watching television, dancing, drinking, or smoking, but will these extra weights help the believer win the race? Will it destroy his testimony to others? The mature believer eliminates excessive weight from his life so that he can win the race.
12:2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
The prize at the end of the marathon is the Lord Jesus Christ. As the Messianic believers are running this agonizing race, they are to fix their eyes on Jesus. All the men listed in chapter 11 possessed great faith, but they all failed. Jesus did not fail. He endured the cross. He won the race, despite His great suffering and humiliation on the cross. He is now sitting at the right hand of the father. The Messianic believers are to endure the marathon race just as Jesus endured the cross. They are to disregard their shame, win the race, and co-reign with Christ.
Jesus is “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” He is the one who took a dead sinner who was not interested in the things of God and enlivened his spirit so that he would seek God. He is also the one who will sanctify the believer, helping him to grow in maturity. This process starts at the new birth of salvation and continues to physical death. Jesus is in charge of this whole process of sanctification.
Most modern believers today do not realize that they are in a race. They weigh their lives down with all kinds of items from the satanic world system. They are so burdened from the excessive items, that they cannot finish the race. They become a poor witness to others who are watching them falter and quit the race.
12:3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up.
The Messianic believers need to add up all the sufferings for the Lord Jesus Christ and measure them to their own sufferings. If they could compare their own sufferings to those of Christ, then it will encourage them to not grow weary of the struggle. It will encourage them not to give up the race.
If a modern Christian is not involved in a deep home Bible study, then he will get weary of the Christian life. He will eventually give it up and enter reversionism. Reversionism is going backwards in the Christian life which produces less or no fruit. When the tree is fruitless, God will cut it down. He will bring the fruitless Christian home, because He does not need any ineffective ambassadors to represent His name and character on this earth.
12:4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in your struggle against sin.
The Church of Jerusalem had experienced the deaths of Stephen and James. However, these scattered churches of Judea (which were outside Jerusalem) had not yet experienced any martyrdoms.
12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons? “My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline or give up when he corrects you.12:6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.”
The author quoted Proverbs 3:11-12. The Greek word for “exhortation” is παρακλήσεως (paraklaseos), meaning a close and intimate call given by a beloved friend who walks next to one and gives him a very important and encouraging message. These Messianic believers were given intimate encouragement from a trusted friend about these issues which they were now facing.
The author called these Messianic believers “sons,” meaning that they were already believers who possessed eternal life. They were sons who would one day co-reign with Christ. They were sons who possessed an intimate relationship with their heavenly father. No one can ever stop becoming a son. Even if the father disowns the son, the son is still physically his son. This is the type of relationship which these Messianic Jews had with God the Father.
A father who loves his children will discipline them so that they will grow and mature in righteousness. When the father does discipline his son, the son is not to scorn the discipline. He is to accept it as a token of great love. The Lord disciplines those whom He loves. If a person claims to be a Christian, but he is living in sin without being disciplined, then he may not be a believer. He may be a professing believer. A professing believer is one who claims to be a believer, but he is actually a son of the devil.
How does God discipline? First, He only disciplines His own. If one is not receiving discipline, then he is not a son of God. Second, discipline is moral training to conform the son to meet the expectations of his father. Third, there will be different degrees of discipline, not in kind but in intensity. The progression of discipline is from a lesser degree to a greater degree. According to 1 Corinthians 11:30, the progression of discipline is weakness, sickness, and finally the sin unto death.
12:7 Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?
The Messianic believers were commanded to endure their suffering as discipline from God. If they were receiving discipline from God, then this was good. It meant that they were God’s children. God only disciplines His own children. He leaves the devil’s children alone.
12:8 But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons.
If the Messianic believers were not receiving discipline, then they must be illegitimate children. An illegitimate child will not receive discipline from his father. Neither does he have the rights of an heir. Under Jewish law, an illegitimate child had no rights of inheritance, no right to marry into Jewish society, and no right to be buried in a Jewish cemetery.
12:9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from our earthly fathers and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life?
If the Messianic believers respected discipline from their earthly fathers, then they should also respect discipline from their heavenly Father.
12:10 For they disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness.
The disciple of the earthly father was temporary, while the discipline of the heavenly Father was eternal. The earthly father may make mistakes in his discipline of his children, but the heavenly Father never makes a mistake.
12:11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it.
The purpose of divine discipline is to bring the believer to maturity. It grieves God to issue discipline, it is painful to those on the receiving end, but it brings the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who receive it.
12:12 Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees,
Those with stronger faith were to strengthen those with weaker faith. Just as Aaron and Hur lifted the hands of Moses against the Amalekites, so should the stronger believers lift up the arms of the weaker believers when they lack faith. Just as soldiers must develop strong knees for battle, so must the stronger believers help the weaker believers to develop strong knees so that they can endure in battle.
12:13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed.
The stronger believers were to make sure that the weaker believers were not walking down circular paths which would take them away from the battle. If a weaker believer was limping in battle, the stronger believer was to put the weaker believer’s joints back in place so that he could rejoin the battle.
Most Christians do not realize that there is even a battle going on for the souls of men. They are AWOL at church, missing the opportunity to master Bible doctrine from the Biblical military manual. This makes them weak and ineffective during spiritual warfare. This places a heavier burden on other believers, who must continue the fight without them. Baby and carnal Christians need to continue the training that the Holy Spirit provides for them. Being AWOL for Bible doctrinal studies places fellow soldiers at risk.
Do Not Reject God’s Warning
12:14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord.
The Messianic believers were commanded to eagerly seek peace with everyone. This is very similar to Paul’s ending message of Romans. In Romans, Paul commanded believers to turn their enemies into their friends by sharing with them the gospel.
Holiness comes from studying Bible doctrine from the entire counsel of the Word of God. The only way to have peace with God is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The only way to become holy is to study Bible doctrine at the deepest level from the entire counsel of the Word of God. Without belief, there is no peace. Without peace, no one will see the Lord.
12:15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up and causing trouble, and through him many become defiled.
The Greek word for “see” is ἐπισκοποῦντες (episkopuntes), a present active participle, meaning a leader who continually and actively stoops down and observes and overlooks an issue with intensity. This is the Greek word for elder. An elder is a leader in a church who should continually and actively stoop down and look intensely at the affairs of the church.
The Messianic believers were to look down intensely at themselves and make sure that they did not come up short of the grace of God. God had given these Messianic believers great kindness by revealing to them the truth about the Messiah. This was a privilege that not all Jews shared. Most of the Jews had rejected Christ, meaning that not only would they most likely die in the temple destruction of 70 A.D., but they would burn in the Lake of Fire forever.
God showed grace (or was nice) to the Messianic believers. They were warned of the situation that was about to come upon the followers of Judaism. Therefore, they should not be bitter about their current suffering. They should not cause trouble in the church, causing others to become defiled from their bitterness.
It was the bitterness of Lucifer which caused 1/3 of the angels to fall from heaven and live the remainder of their lives as demons who would one day be thrown into the Lake of Fire forever.
12:16 And see to it that no one becomes an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
Esau trampled upon spiritual matters. He failed to accept the grace which was given to him by God's kindness. Esau sold the birthright of the Messiah for a bowl of stew. To Esau, being a seed son of the Messiah was not very important to him. Esau would rather feed the desires of his tastebuds than to have all believers saved by the Messiah’s atoning death. This is why God “hated” Esau. Hate means “to not choose.” God did not choose Esau, but He did choose Jacob. Jacob desired the birthright not only for material reasons, but for spiritual reasons as well. The reason Jacob desired this spiritual birthright is because he was enlightened and empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit did not empower Esau, so he was disinterested in the Messianic program of God. If the Holy Spirit leaves one alone, then the world can only produce little Esau’s who are not interested in a Messiah who saves the world from their sins.
12:17 For you know that later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing with tears.
Esau later desired the birthright blessing, but it was too late. His decision was irreversible. The Messianic believers do not want to make the same mistake as Esau. They do not want to return to Judaism, because this decision would be irreversible. They would lose their physical life in the temple destruction of 70 A.D., but they would not lose their eternal life.
12:18 For you have not come to something that can be touched, to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind
The Messianic believers had not come to a place like Mount Sinai, a place that could not be touched unless one wanted to die. They had not come to a mountain burning with fire. They had not come to a place of darkness, blackness, and stormy winds.
12:19 and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words such that those who heard begged to hear no more.
They had not come to Mount Sinai, where the trumpet of God and the voice of God scared the Israelites to death.
12:20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”
The Messianic believers did not experience what the Israelites experienced coming out of Egypt. They were told that if any man or animal touched the mountain, then they would be executed.
12:21 In fact, the scene was so terrifying that Moses said, “I shudder with fear.”
The author quoted Deuteronomy 9:19. The Mosaic Law was a terrifying experience. When receiving it, even Moses shuddered with fear, because he knew that Israel would not be able to keep it. Israel would then have to be judged by the wrath of God. Why would the Messianic believers want to return to such a dreadful system as the Mosaic law? Why would they desire to return to the system of Law that brings terror, death, and condemnation?
12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly
The heavenly Jerusalem will be the future city of the redeemed. Abraham sought after this city in Hebrews 11:10. Jesus spoke about this city in John 14:2-3. Paul spoke about the city of God in Galatians 4:26. John described the city in Revelation 21:1–22:5. The redeemed of all of history will enter through its gates either by resurrection or translation.
Myriads of angels will also live inside the city. The Greek word for “myriad” means “a festive gathering” of angels.
12:23 and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect,
The congregation of the first born is most likely the Jewish church of the first century to whom the author was writing. This first generation of Jewish believers received tremendous persecution from both unbelieving Jews and Gentiles. They were the first fruits of Christ, because the gospel was taken to them first.
God the Father is the Judge of all men. He will also live inside the New Jerusalem. He will judge all who live in heaven.
The spirits of the righteous are the Old Testament saints. The Old Testament saints are now living in heaven as spirits, because they have not received their glorified body yet. They will receive their glorified body at the Rapture, just moments before the believers on earth are raptured to heaven. The Old Testament saints were justified by faith before the atonement of Christ. After the atonement of Christ, they were made perfect in Christ.
12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does.
Jesus will be living in the New Jerusalem. He is the mediator of the New Covenant, just as Moses was the mediator of the old covenant. The Greek word for “new” is not kainos, meaning “new in quality.” The Greek word used here is neos, meaning “new in point of time.” This was a new covenant in point of time, because Jesus had just recently ratified it with His own literal blood. Men use ink to sign contracts, but God uses His own blood.
The sprinkled blood will also reside in the New Jerusalem. The blood of Christ will be visible upon the mercy seat. Earlier, the author related how Jesus brought His own literal blood into the Holy of Holies of the Heavenly Tabernacle. Now he adds that this same literal blood is still visibly there on the Mercy Seat in the Tabernacle in Heaven. Revelation 11:19 stated that this is the location of the original Ark of the Covenant. This means that the Ark of the Covenant is not hidden in a secret room under the temple. It will not be found in the Queen of Sheba’s treasure chamber. Nor is it stored away in a vault somewhere near Washington D.C.
This blood speaks better than that of Abel. Abel was the first person to offer a blood sacrifice. His blood cried out from the ground. The blood of Jesus is better than the blood of Abel, because it cries out from heaven. It is only the blood of Christ which brings eternal salvation to those who believe.
Many commentators like to spiritualize this passage and claim that the blood is not literal, but only symbolic. Since the angels, the New Testament saints, the Old Testament saints, God the Father, and God the Son are all literal, then the actual blood of Jesus should be taken literally as well. Beware of those who attempt to spiritualize the Bible to make it fit their own theology.
Since the Messianic believers were members of the New Jerusalem, they have no business going back into Judaism. If they do return to Judaism, then they will not lose their citizenship in the New Jerusalem, but they will lose the opportunity to become spiritually mature in this life and they will lose some of their rewards in heaven.
12:25 Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven?
The Israelites refused to listen to Moses at Mount Sinai and all of them but two lost their physical lives in the wilderness. The Messianic believers are at the crossroads of their life. If they refuse to listen to One who is greater than Moses, then they will commit the greater sin. They will commit the sin unto death. They will lose their life at the Temple destruction of 70 A.D.
12:26 Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.”
The author quoted Haggai 2:6. When God spoke to Israel at Mount Sinai, His voice shook the earth. God will shake both the heavens and the earth at His Second Coming.
Notice the “now.” The author also gave a present tense meaning to this shaking. God will also shake the heavens and the earth at the Temple destruction of 70 A.D. He will end the Levitical system at the time of the Temple destruction. It will no longer be around throughout history, except for a short period during the Great Tribulation.
It is interesting to note that modern Judaism is training modern priests to once again administer these same Levitical rituals which God eliminated. They are also attempting to rebuild the temple. The Jews think that they are rebuilding this temple and ritual system for their coming Messiah, but they are building this temple for the Antichrist. At three and a half years into the Great Tribulation, Satan will possess the Antichrist, step into the rebuilt Jewish temple, and claim that he is God. Therefore, all missionary activity that supports the Jewish temple is supporting the temple of the Antichrist.
12:27 Now this phrase “once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, that is, of created things, so that what is unshaken may remain.
The shaking at the second coming will remove all temporal things, such as anything that is not needed during the Millennial Kingdom. At the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom, the present world will be destroyed and replaced by a new world. The new world will contain the original Garden of Eden conditions which existed before the flood.
Notice the “now.” The author warned the Messianic believers that the shaking had already begun. The first thing to be shaken was the Levitical system. This epistle was written sometime between 64-66 A.D. The First Jewish Revolt against Rome occurred in 66 A.D. Many mini-revolts would follow. The Temple and its Levitical system would fall in 70 A.D. The Messianic Jews did not need to return to the Mosaic system and suffer the sin unto death. There was no reason to return to what was about to be destroyed by God.
The New Jerusalem and the New Covenant were unshakeable and would not be destroyed. The Mosaic Covenant was shakable and would be destroyed.
12:28 So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe.
Since the Messianic believers were to receive an unshakable kingdom (the Millennial Kingdom), then instead of returning to Judaism, they needed to give God praise and thanks. They needed to worship God with devotion and awe.
12:29 For our God is indeed a devouring fire.
Why do the Messianic Jews need to forget about Judaism and give praise and thanks to God? Because God is a devouring fire. The alternate is divine judgement. He is a God of grace, but He is also a God of divine judgment. If they fail to accept these grace terms which were given to this author by God Himself, then they will be judged with physical death. They will return to Judaism and be destroyed at the Temple destruction of 70 A.D. This was the last warning they would receive.