Interpretation of Hebrews 12.1–13.25

“Therefore, since we too have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us, and let us run with endurance the contest set before us.” On every side, he says, the models of piety lie before us, and so great a multitude, a cloud in its density, bears witness to the power of faith. Looking to them, then, let us become light for the race and throw off the weight of superfluous cares; for so we shall be able to escape also the sin that so easily besets us. Above all else we need endurance, so that we may win the contest set before us. He has called sin “easily besetting” as being readily formed and committed. For the eye is enticed, the hearing is charmed, the touch is tickled, the tongue slips very easily, and the reasoning is quick to incline toward the worse. And he adds the greater model: “looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.” He has said both with respect to his humanity. “Who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” He could, he says, have not suffered, if he had willed it; but he endured the passion, doing good to all. The Saviour’s joy is the salvation of human beings. For its sake he endured the passion, and after the passion [he sits with] the Father who begot him.

“Consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against themselves, so that you may not grow weary and faint in your souls.” “Against themselves” is put for “against their own selves.” Reckon, he says, among yourselves how much hostility from sinners the Master of all endured; for from this you will reap sufficient consolation. Then he offers them a sharper remedy as well: “You have not yet resisted to the point of blood in your struggle against sin, and you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, nor faint when you are reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and scourges every son whom he receives.’” This does not contradict what was said earlier. For there he testified of them that they accepted the plundering of their possessions with joy and nobly bore the reproaches for piety’s sake, while here he blames them as flagging. And he has aptly put “not yet [to the point of blood …] struggling,” showing by comparison how far they fall short of those who were stoned and sawn in two and died by murder with the sword. Then … “If you endure discipline.” If you nobly bear the disciplines brought upon you. “God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom a father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, in which all have shared, then you are illegitimate and not sons.” Fathers, he says, are accustomed to discipline their true sons, and when they see them beaten by their teachers they are not grieved, for they see the fruit that grows from discipline. But they disregard illegitimate children and do not count them worthy of the same care. If, then, you too shun discipline, you belong to the portion of the illegitimate.

“Moreover, [we had] the fathers of our flesh [to discipline us and we respected them]; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits and live?” Do we, who accept the discipline given by our bodily fathers, not welcome the discipline of the spiritual Father? He has called the spiritual Father the Father of spirits as the source of the spiritual gifts; and through these he has given us the dignity of adoption. Then he shows also the difference in the discipline: “For they disciplined us for a few days as seemed good to them, but he for our benefit, that we may share his holiness.” And of the former he said “as seemed good to them,” for not all of them teach what is beneficial; but in God’s case he showed the fruit of the discipline. For he wishes, he says, to make us holy and sharers of his own holiness …

“All discipline for the present seems to be not of joy but of grief, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” The beginnings of all discipline are painful and very distressing, but it produces admirable fruits: peace according to God and the righteousness that is praised. So too the Lord said: “Narrow is the gate and hard the way that leads to life.” “Therefore straighten the drooping hands and the weakened knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be turned aside but rather healed.” Of these words he has taken some from Proverbs and some from the prophecy of Isaiah. For “Make straight paths for your feet” is taught by the exhortation of Proverbs, while “Be strong, you drooping hands and weakened knees” the prophet Isaiah said. Through these words the divine Apostle hints that, flagging before the multitude of dangers, they had grown more sluggish in the race of piety. And these words are enough to destroy the conceit of Novatus as well. For he strengthens those who had contended splendidly and then grown slack, and heals them with the medicines of repentance; for in saying “lame” he promised healing. And he offers them also counsels of practical virtue:

“Pursue peace with all.” This he also said in writing to the Romans: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, living at peace with all people.” Do your part; show your eagerness. “And holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” He has called chastity holiness; and this can be achieved also by those in marriage: “For marriage is honourable, and the bed undefiled; but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.” “Seeing to it that no one falls short of the grace of God.” Not only of yourselves, but also … and heal the one who needs guidance. “That no root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and through it the many be defiled.” This he also wrote to the Corinthians: “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” He has named as a root of bitterness both wicked doctrines and a corrupt life. For this is what he added: “That no one be sexually immoral or profane like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.” He has called Esau’s gluttony sexual immorality; for through it he sold the blessing of the birthright. But one would not be wrong to call his unlawful marriage sexual immorality too; for he took foreign wives. “For you know that afterward, when he wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it with tears.” This too the followers of Novatus think a weapon of their own, but they will be struck with their own arrows. For Esau wept not in repentance but in envy of his brother’s good fortune. The same thing Cain also suffered: “For his face fell,” it says; not because he had offered badly, but because he saw his brother honoured by the divine verdict. And the divine Apostle hinted at this by what he said. For “he found no place for repentance,” he says, means: he did not find the way of repentance, nor did he lament the evil he had planned. He wailed not … but at Jacob’s good fortune. And his words bear witness: “Let the days of mourning for my father draw near,” he said, “that I may kill my brother Jacob.” Not without reason did the divine Apostle mention Esau, but to teach that just as he, though he was the firstborn, was deprived of the blessing through gluttony and wickedness, so the Jews, though honoured with the rights of the firstborn, were enslaved through gluttony to the superfluous things of the law and fell from salvation, while the gentiles, the new people, whose type is Jacob, enjoyed the rights of the firstborn. So he exhorts those of the Jews who had believed not to emulate the lawlessness of the firstborn but to share in the blessing of the younger people. From here he again turns the discourse to another comparison, showing the superiority of the good things provided by the Master Christ: “[For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched,] and to burning fire, and darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and the sound of a trumpet and a voice of words, which those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear what was commanded: ‘If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.’ And so [terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I am terrified] and trembling.’” Fearful, he says, were the things that took place on Mount Sinai: visible fire, smoke running about everywhere, gloom, … whirlwind, and the fearful sound of a trumpet. And such dread arose from them that not only did the people say to the inspired prophet, “You speak to us, and let not God speak to us,” but even the lawgiver himself … He showed the fearful things but did not lay bare the fruit that grew from them; and he said “the sight,” since they did not see the God of the universe himself, but a certain appearance of the divine manifestation. Next he reveals the purpose of grace … he says: “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to a festal gathering and church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than Abel.” There, he says, was dread, here a feast and festal gathering; those things on earth, these in heaven; there thousands of human beings, here myriads of angels; there unbelievers and lawbreakers, here the church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven and the spirits of righteous men made perfect; there an old covenant, here a new; there a servant as mediator, here the Son; there the blood of irrational animals, here the blood of a rational Lamb. “Speaks better than Abel” means: it utters by deeds and shows its own working. For Abel’s blood is celebrated in song, but this one even effects the salvation of human beings. He has called the elect firstborn, since under the law the firstborn received a double portion. He has said these things both to show their superiority and, eager … “See that you do not refuse the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, much less shall we who turn away from the one who warns from heaven.” Since they said, “You speak to us, and let not God speak to us,” he urges them not to emulate their dullness, nor like them to leave the Master and run to the servant, taking Moses in place of God, and remaining with the old things in place of the new. And yet, he says, God gave them the law not from heaven but on Mount Sinai, while we await the Master’s manifestation from heaven. And teaching that he himself became lawgiver of both the one and the other … “Whose voice then shook the earth.” For the mountain was shaken, signifying God’s manifestation. “But now he has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven.’” He himself, he says, shook the earth then, and he himself foretold heaven together with the earth. “And this ‘yet once more’ indicates the removal of what is shaken, as of things that have been made, so that what is not shaken may remain.” Earthquakes, he says, happen frequently; so “once” indicates a certain change of things, and … the change of perishable things to what is better, … which will thereafter have an abiding nature.

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may offer acceptable worship to God with reverence and awe.” He has put “cannot be shaken” for “lasting.” And he showed how one must offer worship to God. Then he also recalls the divine oracles, producing fear: “For our God is a consuming fire.” And again he offers moral exhortation.

“Let brotherly love continue.” The composition of the word shows the intensity of the love; for he has formed one word from “friend” and “brother.”

“Do not forget hospitality; for through it some have entertained angels unawares.” For the patriarch Abraham, approaching them as men, found angels and the Master of angels. So also the blessed Lot received the angels as men, but received the blessing as from angels. “[Remember those in bonds, as bound with them, and] those who are ill-treated, as being yourselves also in the body.” Share, through sympathy and fitting care, with those who suffer these things for the sake of piety. “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.” … For the one is lawful, the other utterly unlawful. And God legislated the one from the beginning: “Let us make for him,” he said, “a helper suited to him.” And having formed her, he brought her and joined them, and gave the marriage blessing, saying, “Increase and multiply and fill the earth.” But adultery and sexual immorality were brought in by licentious reasoning.

“Let your way of life be free from love of money.” He did not forbid the use of money, but the love of money; for from this greed is born. “Being content with what you have.” Let no one strive to increase his possessions; for self-sufficiency is praised. And he gives a sufficient guarantee for the exhortation: “For he himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” The one who promised does not lie; let us receive the promise faithfully. For this is what he added:

“So that we may confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear; what will man do to me?’” He necessarily fitted this too to the exhortation, so that they might take courage against their persecutors, [looking] to the one who in all things …

“Remember your leaders, who spoke to you the word of God; considering the outcome of their way of life, imitate their faith.” He spoke of the saints who had already died: Stephen the protomartyr, James the brother of John, and James surnamed the Just. And very many others were killed by the fury of the Jews. Looking to them, he says, and learning their praiseworthy way of life, [imitate] their faith … “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” And he has not put this without reason, but … he was nailed to the cross by the Jews … and his eternal existence. By “yesterday and today” he meant the human nature, and he named the Godhead eternal. And he said that the same one is both this and that, since there is one only-begotten Son, the same who is also firstborn.

“Do not be carried away by various and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, from which those who walked in them did not benefit.” He has called strange teachings those contrary to the teachings of the gospel. He urges them, then, to remain with the teaching of grace and to abandon the observances of the law; for no one, he says, has reaped benefit from them. And since the divine temple was still standing at that time and the sacrifices were offered according to the law, he necessarily added: “We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.” This, he says, is far more precious than the old one; for that one is its shadow. That one receives the irrational sacrifices, this one the rational and divine sacrifice. For this reason none of those priests partakes of this one unless he first accepts faith in the Lord. “For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, in order to sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside the gate.” See the type, set the reality beside it, and observe the likeness. The law commanded a red heifer to be slaughtered, and the high priest to take some of its blood and sprinkle it with his finger seven times before the mercy seat. And burning the heifer itself outside the camp, they took its ashes and by them purified those who were called unclean. This fulfilled the type of the saving passion. For here too there is the body from Adam, and the name means “red” in the Hebrew language. He was nailed to the cross outside the gate, and his blood cleanses our souls. And in place of the ashes, the life-giving body itself becomes ours.

“Let us go forth, then, to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach.” “Outside the camp” means: let us be outside the way of life under the law, bearing the reproaches for the sake of the … “For here we have no lasting city, but … of present things, and let us wait for those things that are abiding and lasting. … [Through him, then, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise] continually to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.” For hymnody offered to God benefits us nothing without faith in the Son. For since he was writing to Hebrews, who were accustomed to honour only the Father, he necessarily added “through him.”

“Do not forget to do good and to share; for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” He showed that the sacrifice of praise is pleasing to God; and he joined to it the sacrifice of doing good, which he fittingly called sharing. For the Lord too said: “Make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness, so that when you fail they may receive you into their eternal dwellings.” And the divine Apostle: “Your abundance for their need, so that their abundance may also be for your need, that there may be equality.” Sharing, then, is also an exchange: the one gives money, the other gives a blessing in return; and the greater part belongs to the one in need. “Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give account, so that they may do this with joy and not with groaning; for that would be unprofitable for you.” He exhorts the disciples to obey their teachers, and at the same time he rouses the teachers also to greater eagerness; for he teaches them … “Pray for us; for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, wishing to conduct ourselves well in all things.” He had been slandered to them as preaching things contrary to the law. So he teaches them that he does this for no other reason than in obedience to the divine word; for this reason he also called his conscience as witness. “And I urge you the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you sooner.” Give the help of your prayers, work together with my eagerness; for I long to see you. “Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus Christ, equip you in every good work to do his will, working in you what is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory to the ages of ages. Amen.” He necessarily added the blessing to the teaching and set it like a seal on his many words. He has called the Master Christ the great shepherd of the sheep; for his is the saying, “I am the good shepherd.” He has called the new covenant eternal, since there will be no other after it. For so that no one might suppose that this one too would be brought to an end by another covenant, he fittingly showed that it has no end. “I appeal to you, brothers, bear with the word of exhortation; for I have written to you briefly.” Receive gladly the exhortation sent by me through the letter; for so that the length of the discourse might weary no one, I have written the letter in summary. “Know that our brother Timothy has been set free; with him, if he comes soon, I will see you.” He showed that he sent the letter through him. And it was natural for them too to rejoice with him, since he too was … “Greet all your leaders and all the saints.” The word hints that those who presided over them did not need such teaching; for this reason he wrote not to them but to the disciples. “Those from Italy greet you.” He showed from where he wrote the letter, and at the same time taught that in a short time the preaching of the gospel had run through everything, and the gentiles, according to the promise made to Abraham, … of the blessing … “Grace be with you all. Amen.” He has set down the customary ending, praying that they may share in grace. But let us praise the lawgiver of the new and the old, and beseech him that we may obtain his help, so that, keeping his divine laws, we may obtain the promised good things, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father be glory, together with the all-holy Spirit, …