The writer followed up his scriptural exposition with another final exhortation (chs. 12-13). This is a pattern he followed consistently throughout this epistle.
He first called on his readers to persevere faithfully so they would not lose any of their reward. This section is chiastic.
AA call to run with endurance (vv. 1-3)
BExplanation of the role of suffering (vv. 4-11)
A'A call to renew commitment to endure (vv. 12-13)
One writer posited a chiastic structure for verses one and two.
"Therefore we,
[A] having seated around aboutus such a cloud of witnesses,
[B] setting asideevery weight and every clinging sin. . .
[C] with patient endurance . . .
[D] let us run the race that is set before us
[E] keeping our eyes on Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of the faith,
[D'] who for the
- j
[C'] patiently endured the cross . . .
[B'] despising shame. . .
[A'] and is seatedat the right hand of the throne of God."378
This structure focuses attention on the central element, Jesus, rather than on the first element, us.379
"It seems likely that here [in 12:1-2], as in 1, 3 [i.e., 1:3], the author intentionally used poetic language to highlight and emphasize the significance of his theme: Jesus Christ is better.' Moreover, the balance and rhythm of the language make the text more esthetically attractive and provide a high degree of emotive impact. Thus the interpretation of the discourse by the intrusion of poetic language was bound to carry considerable impactand appeal . . ."380
One writer argued that Hebrews 11:1-12:2 is an encomium, a literary work in praise of someone or something, on Jesus.381Another saw this section as an encomium on faith.382
12:1 The "cloud of witnesses"refers to the Old Covenant saints whom the writer just mentioned (ch. 11). They are "witnesses"not because they presently witness our actions, but because by their lives they bore witness to their faith in God.383The writers of the New Testament never used the Greek word translated "witnesses"(martys) in the sense of spectators.384The description of them as a "cloud"is an interesting one since they are presently without resurrected bodies. They await the resurrection of their bodies at the Second Coming (Dan. 12:2). The writer's point was that we have many good examples of people who faithfully trusted God in the past. Nevertheless the word "witness"does also implya spectator (cf. 10:28; 1 Tim. 6:12). Perhaps it is best to understand the writer's figure as meaning that faithful witnesses to the faith are watching us as we run the race.385
In view of this encouragement we should lay aside everything that impedes our running the Christian race successfully (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24; 2 Tim. 4:7-8). Popular moral philosophers who spoke on the streets of every Hellenistic community in the first century commonly used an athletic contest as an illustration of life.386"Encumbrances"are weights that may not be sins but nevertheless make perseverance difficult.
"Some one is recorded to have asked whether a certain thing would do a person harm, and the reply was given, No harm, if you do not wish to win.'"387
We should also lay aside sin. "The sin"that the writer warned his readers against especially in Hebrews is unbelief, apostasy. In view of the immediately preceding context, it might refer to discouragement. However many different kinds of sin can trip us up, and we should avoid all sin for this reason.
"This might have reference to the love of wealth, attachment to the world, preoccupation with earthly interests, or self-importance."388
The reason for this self-discipline is so we can keep on running the Christian race effectively. The writer conceived of the Christian life as an endurance race, a marathon, not a 50-yard dash.
". . . the real test of life is the steady, normal progress of the soul--'not paroxysms of effort but steady endurance.'"389
12:2-3 As a runner keeps looking toward his or her goal, so we should keep looking to Jesus, not primarily to the other witnesses (v. 1). When we take our eyes of faith off Jesus, we begin to sink, like Peter (Matt. 14:22-33). Jesus should be our primary model when it comes to persevering. The writer used the simple personal name "Jesus"to accent our Lord's humanity, especially His endurance of pain, humiliation, and the disgrace of the cross.
He is our "author"(lit. file leader, captain, pioneer; 2:10). It was by looking to Him in faith that we were saved. Jesus set the example of living by faith for us, the evidence of His faith being his prayers. Jesus perfected faith in the sense that He finished His course of living by faith successfully (cf. 2:13).
"As the perfecter of faith' Jesus is the one in whom faith has reached its perfection."390
"He alone is the source of hope and help in their time of need. Looking to Him in faith and devotion is the central theological and practical message of Hebrews."391
The joy of the prospect of His reward, namely, His victory over death, glorification, inheritance, and reign motivated Him, too (1:9, 13-14; 8:1; 10:12). This is the only occurrence of "cross"outside the Gospels and the Pauline Epistles, and its presence here stresses the shame associated with Jesus' crucifixion. What we look forward to is very similar to what Jesus anticipated. Such a prospect will help us endure suffering and despise the shame involved in living faithful to God.
12:3 The readers should think upon Jesus so they might not grow tired of persevering and lose heart. Meditation on Jesus and the cross encourage us to continue to follow God's will faithfully.
"The clear implication for the audience is that if they were to relinquish their commitment to Christ under the pressure of persistent opposition they would express active opposition against themselves (as in 6:6!), just as did Jesus' tormentors [cf. 10:38-39]."392
The writer put his readers' sufferings in perspective so they might not overestimate the difficulty they faced in remaining faithful to God.
"Suffering comes to all; it is part of life, but it is not easy to bear. Yet it is not quite so bad when it can be seen as meaningful. . . . The writer points out the importance of discipline and proceeds to show that for Christians suffering is rightly understood only when seen as God's fatherly discipline, correcting and directing us. Suffering is evidence, not that God does not love us, but that he does."393
12:4 The readers had not yet resisted sin to the extent that their enemies were torturing or killing them for their faith, as had been Jesus' experience. Evidently there had been no martyrs among the readers yet, though the writer and the readers undoubtedly knew of Christians elsewhere who had died for their faith. Their striving against sin probably refers to both resisting sinful opponents and resisting temptations to sin in their own lives (v. 1).
12:5-8 We need to remember, too, that God allows us to experience some opposition to make us stronger in the faith (Deut. 8:5; Prov. 3:11-12; James 1).394Another value of divine discipline is that it prepares us to reign with Christ (cf. 2:10). God's discipline assures us that we are His sons. All believers are "partakers"(cf. 1:9; 3:1, 14; 6:4) of discipline. The "illegitimate children"in view seem to be genuine children of God but not approved sons.395
"A father would spend much care and patience on the upbringing of a true-born son whom he hoped to make a wealthy heir; and at the time such a son might have to undergo much more irksome discipline than an illegitimate child for whom no future of honor and responsibility was envisaged, and who therefore might be left more or less to please himself."396
Ishmael is an Old Testament example of an illegitimate child. He was the true child of Abraham. Yet because he was illegitimate (i.e., the son of Hagar rather than Sarah, Abraham's wife) he did not receive the inheritance that Isaac, the legitimate child, did (cf. Gen. 17:19-21; 21:12-14). Ishmael received some blessing because he was Abraham's son, but he did not receive the full inheritance because he was an illegitimate child.
The approved sons in view here in Hebrews are evidently those who persevere through discipline to the end of their lives whereas the illegitimate children do not but apostatize.397
"In the Roman world, an illegitimate child' had no inheritance rights."398
God deals with apostate believers in judgment, but He deals with persevering believers in discipline (cf. 5:8). The writer seems to be saying that God disciplines all Christians, but when a believer apostatizes God may let him go his own way without disciplining him further. God disciplines Christians to prepare us for future service, but when we apostatize He stops preparing us for future service. This is probably true only in extreme cases of departure from God and His truth (cf. 6:6, where we read that it is impossible to renew these apostates to repentance).
"The author does not specify what, in literal terms, would be involved in being an illegitimate member of God's family. The context does not refer, even indirectly, to false brethren secretly brought in' (Gal. 2:4). The wider context does suggest that such illegitimate offspring are apostates such as Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, probably alluded to in v. 3; or more generally, those who do not keep faith firmly to the end (10:39)."399
Another view of the terms "sons"and "illegitimate children"is that they refer to true Christians and only professing but not genuine Christians respectively.400The reason I do not favor this view is that throughout this epistle I believe the writer is urging true Christians to remain faithful and not apostatize. In other words the context favors this interpretation. Moreover an illegitimate child is, after all, still a child of his father. We need to understand the legitimate and illegitimate distinction in the light of Jewish and Roman culture.
"The ancient world found it incomprehensible that a father could possibly love his child and not punish him. In fact, a real son would draw more discipline than, say, an illegitimate child for the precise reason that greater honor and responsibility were to be his."401
Perhaps this explains why committed Christians seem to experience more difficulties than non-committed Christians. God is preparing committed Christians for greater honor and responsibility in the future.
12:9-11 As Christians we need to submit to God's discipline in our lives because it will result in fullness of life and greater holiness and righteousness with peace.
". . . there may be an implied contrast between temporary human punishment and the permanent reward which is given to those who submit to divine discipline."402
God always designs discipline for our welfare even though it may not be pleasant to endure.
"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."403
The title "Father of spirits"(v. 9) occurs only here in the New Testament (cf. Num. 16:22; 27:16). It probably means something like "our spiritual Father,"as some English versions translate it (TEV, NEB, JB), in contrast to our physical (earthly) fathers.
This is one of the great sections in the New Testament that clarifies the reason for the Christian's trials (cf. James 1; 1 Peter). It is essential that we view our sufferings as the Lord's discipline rather than as an indication of His displeasure, or worse, His hatred (cf. Deut. 1:26-27) if we would persevere faithfully. There is a real as well as a linguistic connection between "discipline"and "disciple"and "discipleship."
The writer next urged his readers to take specific action that would enhance their continuance in the faith.
This word of exhortation, as well as the others, reveals that the original readers were spiritually weak. Consequently the writer urged them to build up their strength so they could work effectively and walk without stumbling (cf. Prov. 4:25-27). The Greek word ektrepo, translated "be put out of joint"(v. 13), has the technical medical sense of a foot turning so as to become dislocated.404This power comes as we draw upon our resources for strength, namely, the Word of God and the ministry of our great High Priest (4:12-16). The readers also needed to level the path of discipleship they trod by removing impediments to their progress. Then the lame among them (i.e., the very weak) might recover as they proceeded to walk. The writer probably intended this exhortation to include laying aside sin (v. 1) and compromising associations with apostates who might throw unneeded barriers such as false teaching in the Christians' path.
This encouragement completes the thought of verses 1-13. The writer began with an exhortation, expounded the value of discipline, and ended with another exhortation.
"A depth of pastoral concern is evident throughout this section. The writer understood that faith can be eroded by constant exposure to harsh circumstances."405
