Text -- Hebrews 12:1-17 (NET)

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, 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. 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. 12:4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in your struggle against sin. 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.” 12:7 Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 12:8 But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 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? 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. 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. 12:12 Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees, 12:13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed.

Do Not Reject God’s Warning

12:14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it 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. 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. 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.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Heb 12:1

¹ tn Grk “having such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us.”

NET Notes: Heb 12:2

¹ sn An allusion to Ps 110:1.

NET Notes: Heb 12:4

¹ tn Grk “until blood.”

NET Notes: Heb 12:5

¹ tn Or “disregard,” “think little of.”

² tn Or “reproves,” “rebukes.” The Greek verb ἐλέγχω (elencw) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.

NET Notes: Heb 12:6

¹ sn A quotation from Prov 3:11-12.

NET Notes: Heb 12:7

¹ tn Grk “endure,” with the object (“your suffering”) understood from the context.

² tn Or “in order to become disciplined.”

NET Notes: Heb 12:8

¹ tn Grk “you are without discipline.”

² tn Grk “all”; “sons” is implied by the context.

NET Notes: Heb 12:9

¹ tn Grk “we had our earthly fathers as discipliners.”

² tn Grk “the fathers of our flesh.” In Hebrews, “flesh” is a characteristic way of speaking about outward, physical, earthly life (cf. Heb 5:7; 9:10, 13), as opposed to the inward or spiritual dimensions of life.

³ tn Grk “and live.”

sn Submit ourselves…to the Father of spirits and receive life. This idea is drawn from Proverbs, where the Lord’s discipline brings life, while resistance to it leads to death (cf. Prov 4:13; 6:23; 10:17; 16:17).

NET Notes: Heb 12:11

¹ tn Grk “all discipline at the time does not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow.”

² tn Grk “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

NET Notes: Heb 12:12

¹ tn Or “straighten.”

² sn A quotation from Isa 35:3. Strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees refers to the readers’ need for renewed resolve and fresh strength in their struggles (cf. Heb 10:36-39; 12:1-3).

NET Notes: Heb 12:13

¹ sn A quotation from Prov 4:26. The phrase make straight paths for your feet is figurative for “stay on God’s paths.”

NET Notes: Heb 12:14

¹ sn The references to peace and holiness show the close connection between this paragraph and the previous one. The pathway toward “holiness” and the need for it is cited in Heb 12:10 and 14. More importantly Prov 4:26-27 sets up the transition from one paragraph to the next: It urges people to stay on godly paths (Prov 4:26, quoted here in v. 13) and promises that God will lead them in peace if they do so (Prov 4:27 [LXX], quoted in v. 14).

NET Notes: Heb 12:15

¹ tn Grk “that there not be any root of bitterness,” but referring figuratively to a person who causes trouble (as in Deut 29:17 [LXX] from which this is quoted).

sn An allusion to Deut 29:18.

NET Notes: Heb 12:16

¹ tn Grk “that there not be any,” continuing from v. 15.

² sn An allusion to Gen 27:34-41.

NET Notes: Heb 12:17

¹ tn Or a command: “for understand that.”

² tn Grk “it,” referring either to the repentance or the blessing. But the account in Gen 27:34-41 (which the author appeals to here) makes it clear that the blessing is what Esau sought. Thus in the translation the referent (the blessing) is specified for clarity.