Hebrews 12:1-17

In the last chapter, the writer of Hebrews spoke about the necessity of having faith to please God. He used multiple examples from Israel’s past of people who lived their lives by faith. As he transitions to his next line of thinking, he uses metaphors and analogies to hone in on the truth they need to live by. He wants them to know that it is imperative for them to be faithful, even though they may have times of great difficulty.

1. Running the Race ()

The first illustration the writer of Hebrews employs is that of running a race. He probably had in mind a long distance race, like a marathon.

Hebrews 12:1–2 CSB

1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

A. The witnesses are those who have lived their lives by faith. ()

They are not witnesses as in spectators. Some have thought that those who have died are watching us from heaven. Probably not. Rather, they are witnesses as in a person who bears testimony of something’s validity. They bear witness to God’s faithfulness and the effectiveness of a life lived by faith. They are not looking on us judging how we are doing. We are looking to them for the inspiration on how to live a life of faith.

B. Get rid of anything and everything that holds you back. ()

i. ογκος (onkos) - “mass, weight, heaviness, bodily fat”

This word is only used here in the New Testament.

ii. Hinderances aren’t necessarily bad things, but they are things that can hold us back from fully pursuing the things of God.

iii. ἁμαρτίαν (amartian) - “sin, wrong-doing”

iv. εὐπερίστατον (euperistatos) - “ensnares, entangles”

Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), .

This is something that stops you from running. Things that stop your progress. It is not a specific thing, but a general things because it can be different for everyone.

Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), .

C. Run with endurance. ()

This is a long distance race. You must have determination and be commited to completion. Your course has been marked out. You are to run.

D. Fix your eyes on Jesus ()

Jesus ran the race before us and he is the best example of how we are to run.

i. ἀρχηγός (archēgos) - “source, author, leader, initiator”

He is the archetype. He is the one to be imitated.

ἀρχηγός (archēgos

ii. τελειωτής (teleiōtēs) - “perfecter, the one who completes”

Jesus accomplished the perfection of our faith by his sacrificial death on the cross. He cleared the path for the race to be ran. All the roadblocks have been removed.

τελειωτής (teleiōtēs

iii. Jesus looked beyond the immediate circumstances to the gain of the goal. ()

Jesus despised the shame of the cross. The word indicate that he treated it as insignificant or of little consequence. It is nothing compared to what was before him. The cross was the lowest form of capital punishment in the Roman world, but it was nothing compared to what he would receive after his race had been ran and he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The writer moves on from this illustration to another.

2. Fatherly discipline ()

A. The readers were in danger of “growing weary and giving up.” ()

Hebrews 12:3 CSB

3 For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up.

Whatever was going on around them was wearing them out.

B. Their struggles had not yet reached the point of martyrdom. ()

C. Quotation from . ()

Hebrews 12:5–6 CSB

5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly or lose heart when you are reproved by him, 6 for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives.

D. Endure suffering as discipline ()

Hebrews 12:7–13 CSB

7 Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline—which all receive—then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness. 11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead.

i. Discipline is not punishment.

ii. Discipline is for God’s children ()

Hebrews 12:7–8 CSB

7 Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline—which all receive—then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

Hebrews 12:7 CSB

7 Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?

We need to view our current difficulties as the loving training of God to build into us good character.

Hebrews 12:7-

We need to view our current difficulties as the loving training of God to build into us good character.

iii. Discipline is to be valued ()

Hebrews 12:9 CSB

9 Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?

iv. Discipline is for our benefit ()

Hebrews 12:10 CSB

10 For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness.

Hebrews 12:10

v. Hardships are evidence that God is working in your life ()

Hebrews 12:11 CSB

11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

If you are not experiencing discipline, hardships & difficulties, then perhaps your relationship to God should be evaluated. Are you truly a son or are you illegitimate?

vi. Discipline is worth the price of pain. ()

Hebrews 12:12–13 CSB

12 Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead.

Anybody ever been sore after a workout? You are supposed to be sore. If not, you didn’t train hard enough.

Working out - the pain is worth the gain. Nothing easy is worth doing.

3. Exhortations and Warnings ()

A. Pursue peace and holiness ()

Hebrews 12:14 CSB

14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 11:14 CSB

14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

We are to be striving for peace with everyone. It is not always possible, but it should be the goal.

We are to be striving for peace with everyone. It is not always possible, but it should be the goal. This is about our horizontal relationship and our vertical relationship.

B. Don’t fall short of God’s grace ()

Hebrews 12:15 CSB

15 Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.

Make sure that you make every effort to bring people to the gospel. This is what he means by falling short of grace. Falling short of grace is rejecting the gospel.

C. Don’t give bitterness any room. ()

Hebrews 12:15 CSB

15 Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.

Make sure that we deal with bitterness before it take root in a person’s life. Look at the way bitterness is described. It is toxic to the community of faith. It causes friction and causes the community to break down. Perhaps some local churches are ineffective because some of the members have become bitter and have defiled the local church.

D. Don’t be like Esau ()

Hebrews 12:16–17 CSB

16 And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for a single meal. 17 For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, even though he sought it with tears, because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance.

One of the problem passages of Scripture is that the Old Testament does not record Esau as being sexually immoral. It is possible that the writer is picking up on the tradition that Esau had morality problems because he married two Hittite women, Judith and Basemath. The overall concept is that Esau had misplaced priorities and values. Make sure your priorities and values are in line with God’s Word and will.