Study Notes and Questions for Hebrews 12:1-29 - …

1 SDBC Sunday School Notes Consider Jesus, Our Royal High Priest 1 Study Notes and Questions for Hebrews 12:1-29 THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING A CHRISTIAN Gerald Neufeld Context: This chapter is a direct appeal to the congregation in Rome based on the examples of faith given in the previous chapter on faith. The preacher encourages them to consider Jesus as the ultimate example of trust and obedience, to not think it strange that they are experiencing oppression, to remember how much better the new covenant is than the old and to take this all very seriously. Notes 12:1-4 Look to (consider) Jesus 12:1 Therefore This verse follows directly from the catalog of Old Testament heroes of faith.

2 But here they are all described as witnesses (literal martyrs). The imagery is that of an arena filled with these heroes who are encouraging those who are still running the race; a race that they had themselves run while on earth. Such witnesses are not being entertained by the living believers but are there to inspire them. It is not necessary to take this imagery literally; that these OT heroes are actually watching those that remain on earth. Scripture does not support this; neither are we encouraged to pray to them. The imagery is symbolic. The phrase witnesses can be taken to mean that their lives as described in the previous chapter, are a witness to New Testament believers to live out a life of intentional, enduring, and persevering faith.

3 The term cloud of witnesses is an interesting one that can be understood to mean a large number, , host (Bruce, 333). The preacher continues the metaphor of an athletic event by describing how a runner would prepare for a race. They would remove any obstacle that would impede their progress to the goal. The imagery is of a Christian moving forward in their spiritual life to the goal of remaining faithful to Christ until they reach the end of their life or Christ returns. In an actual race, clothing, jewelry or any other item that is on the runner would be an impediment. Here the preacher states that in life s spiritual race it is sin that clings so closely sin is the great impediment in the spiritual race (Donald Guthrie, 249).

4 His exhortation is to run with endurance the race which requires an intentional effort, thought, and determination; , one does not drift through a race. The word race also denotes conflict or fight. It is a word used by Paul to describe suffering and struggle (Philippians 1:30; Colossians 2:1). In 1 and 2 Timothy, Paul uses the same word to mean the fight of the Christian life: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith (1 Timothy 6:12 NASB). The race-course is not one a contestant (the believer) can choose for themselves. It a course given to them by God as the phrase set before us implies. In order to run this race well, the believer must remove all things that would hinder him or her in making progress in holiness.

5 Two things are mentioned, weight and sin. Weight refers to something that may be alright in itself, but for some particular believer it is a hindrance (Bruce, 336). 12:2 In order to run this race of struggle and conflict we are to look to Jesus which implies a looking away from ourselves or away from other people. To run this race requires us to keep our eyes on Jesus; He is the end goal to which we run. By using the human name for Jesus, the preacher is placing before his congregation Someone that they can look upon as the one who has run this race perfectly. SDBC Sunday School Notes Consider Jesus, Our Royal High Priest 2 The phrase that Jesus is founder and perfecter of our faith uses two words that together mean that He is the start (founder, author, pioneer) and the end (perfecter, completer) of our faith.

6 Our faith is therefore based on the life and work of Jesus and on His going intercession for us ( Hebrews 7:25); He is the one who will also help us complete the race (Galatians 1:6). The verse now describes how Jesus is the ideal example of one who has run the race perfectly. It links joy with enduring the cross (John 15:11; 17:13). This joy was also set before him as the course that the Father had determined. This joy is the delight that Jesus expressed in doing the will of the Father in revealing the glory of God s holiness; , His justice and love in the cross. Joy is contrasted with shame which would have been the natural expression with regards to the cross; instead Jesus viewed the shame of the cross as of no consequence in comparison ( despised does not mean ignored or insignificance).

7 Seated at the right hand of the throne of God The cross born by Jesus however is never an end in itself but leads to the exaltation and reign of Christ as the king-priest of His people. 12:3-4 The preacher continues his encouragement by telling them to consider Jesus in how He endured from sinners such hostility as an example for how they were to endure similar opposition. In running the race that God had set before them there was going to be severe opposition that would naturally weary and tire them, causing them to want to drop out of the race. The antidote for this natural tendency to give up the race is to contemplate and mediate on the One who ran the race perfectly even though He endured much terrible hostility. struggle against sin Those people who were oppressing and persecuting the Christians are so closely associated with the sin of their actions against the congregation that they are here actually personified as sin.

8 Not yet resisted to the point of death Although the persecution has been severe it has not yet escalated to martyrdom. However, historically we know that this did happen if we are correct in dating the sermon before the Nero s persecution of Christians in 67 AD. 12:5-11 The Problem of Pain explained This section may be one of the most difficult passages in the sermon. The reason for this is that it is directed to the Christians who have not fallen away but those who have remained faithful. The passage concerns the mystery of God s providence in the pain and sorrow that exists in the lives of all Christians and particularly the oppression and suffering that the pastor s house-church had and would experience. It deals with God s gracious sovereignty over evil acts and events that happen to His people and challenges us to accept the pain that is associated with the evil as discipline by which we will be trained for peace, righteousness and holiness.

9 To keep this all in context, in Hebrews 11:35b-38 the preacher told us of the Old Testament saints who were tortured, mocked, whipped, imprisoned, sawn in two and homeless. In Hebrews 12:2-3 we read that we should look to Jesus, who like those saints, also endured a terrible death but who kept his eyes on the prize; the joy set before Him. We are to consider Him and not grow weary and lose heart in our own suffering. The people of the congregation were under similar stress and oppression although not yet to the point of martyrdom. We also learn that the suffering that the house-church was experiencing was at the hands of hostile enemies of Christ. This was true of the Old Testament saints as well. These were people who did not want Christ s name glorified but instead wanted to stamp it out.

10 SDBC Sunday School Notes Consider Jesus, Our Royal High Priest 3 The important question to ask then is who is: in charge and in control of all of this suffering and affliction? Clearly evil people together with Satan were inflicting the pain but ultimately who is in control? The answer from this passage is plain enough: God is in charge and it is He who is ultimately in control. In fact, the preacher states that the evil experienced by the believers was the loving discipline of a perfect heavenly Father. The preacher gives the two reasons for this discipline: first, it is because God loves us (v. 6) and second, it is given because He is treating us as sons (v.)