The Epistle to the Hebrews

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- Chapter 12 -

(2 Timothy 2:1–13)

Furthermore, since we also have so great a cloud of witnesses over us, let us set aside every burden and sin which may surround us, and advance, through patience, to the struggle offered to us.

Let us gaze upon Jesus, as the Author and the completion of our faith, who, having joy laid out before him, endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and who now sits at the right hand of the throne of God.

So then, meditate upon him who endured such adversity from sinners against himself, so that you may not become weary, failing in your souls.

God Disciplines His Sons

For you have not yet resisted unto blood, while striving against sin.

And you have forgotten the consolation which speaks to you like sons, saying: “My son, do not be willing to neglect the discipline of the Lord. Neither should you become weary, while being rebuked by him.”

For whomever the Lord loves, he chastises. And every son whom he accepts, he scourges.

Persevere in discipline. God presents you to himself as sons. But what son is there, whom his father does not correct?

But if you are without that discipline in which all have become sharers, then you are of adultery, and you are not sons.

Then, too, we have certainly had the fathers of our flesh as instructors, and we reverenced them. Should we not obey the Father of spirits all the more, and so live?

And indeed, for a few days and according to their own wishes, they instructed us. But he does so to our benefit, so that we may receive his sanctification.

Now every discipline, in the present time, does not seem a gladness, of course, but a grief. But afterwards, it will repay a most peaceful fruit of justice to those who become trained in it.

Because of this, lift up your lazy hands and your lax knees,

and straighten the path of your feet, so that no one, being lame, may wander astray, but instead may be healed.

A Call to Holiness

(1 Peter 1:13–21)

Pursue peace with everyone. Pursue sanctity, without which no one shall see God.

Be contemplative, lest anyone lack the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring up and impede you, and by it, many might be defiled,

lest any fornicator or worldly person be like Esau, who, for the sake of one meal, sold his birthright.

For you know that afterwards, when he desired to inherit the benediction, he was rejected. For he found no place for repentance, even though he had sought it with tears.(a)

An Unshakable Kingdom

(Exodus 20:18–21; Deuteronomy 5:22–33)

But you have not drawn near to a tangible mountain, or a burning fire, or a whirlwind, or a mist, or a storm,

or the sound of a trumpet, or a voice of words. Those who had experienced these things excused themselves, lest the Word be spoken to them.

For they could not bear what was said, and so, if even a beast would have touched the mountain, it would have been stoned.

And what was seen was so terrible that even Moses said: “I am terrified, and so, I tremble.”

But you have drawn near to mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of Angels,

and to the Church of the first-born, those who have been inscribed in the heavens, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect,

and to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Testament, and to a sprinkling of blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

Be careful not to reject the One who is speaking. For if those who rejected him who was speaking upon the earth were not able to escape, so much more we who might turn away from the One who is speaking to us from heaven.

Then, his voice moved the earth. But now, he makes a promise, saying: “There is still one more time, and then I will move, not only the earth, but also heaven itself.”

And so, in saying, “There is still one more time,” he declares the transfer of the moveable things of creation, so that those things which are immoveable may remain.

Thus, in receiving an immoveable kingdom, we have grace. So, through grace, let us be of service, by pleasing God with fear and reverence.

For our God is a consuming fire.

Footnotes

(a)12:17 He found, etc:That is, he found no way to bring his father to repent, or change his mind, with relation to his having given the blessing to his younger brother Jacob.(Challoner)

(2 Timothy 2:1–13)

Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls.

God Disciplines His Sons

You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin.

You have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him;

for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and chastises every son whom he receives.”(a)

It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline?

But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then you are illegitimate, and not children.

Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?

For they indeed for a few days disciplined us as seemed good to them, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees, (b)

and make straight paths for your feet,(c) so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

A Call to Holiness

(1 Peter 1:13–21)

Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,

looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and many be defiled by it,

lest there be any sexually immoral person or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.

For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears.

An Unshakable Kingdom

(Exodus 20:18–21; Deuteronomy 5:22–33)

For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm,

the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them,

for they could not stand that which was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned”.(d)

(e)

So fearful was the appearance that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”(f)

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,

to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,(g) and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.

See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,

whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.”(h)

This phrase, “Yet once more” signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.

Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

for our God is a consuming fire.(i)

Footnotes

(a)12:6 ℘ Proverbs 3:11-12

(b)12:12 ℘ Isaiah 35:3

(d)12:20 TR adds “or shot with an arrow”

(e)12:20 ℘ Exodus 19:12-13

(f)12:21 ℘ Deuteronomy 9:19

(g)12:24 ℘ Jeremiah 31:31

(h)12:26 ℘ Haggai 2:6

(i)12:29 ℘ Deuteronomy 4:24