IN THIS chapter, Paul began a real personal appeal to his Hebrew brethren. We have such expressions as: “Let us, lest you, you, if you”; all of which refer to the individual. The Hebrew brethren were descendants and followers of the faithful servants of God. Paul had given a great amount of evidence that many had been faithful. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about [surrounded] with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight” (vs. 1). A witness is one who testifies. Every person and incident mentioned in chapter 11 in some way testified of God. Also brought out is the fact that each one willingly followed and was faithful. To “lay aside” means to discard, throw down, cast off anything that might hinder. The “weight” meant burdens which were not necessary. In the life of the Hebrew brethren (Israelites, called Jews at this time), the “weight” was the keeping of the Old Covenant which had beenreplaced by a the establishment of a new covenant (Hebrews 10:9). Today the “weight” of most persons is the “cares of this life” (Luke 21:34). The appeal included, too, the laying aside of “every sin” (vs. 1).
Every person who comes to know God and His way is made to know that he is sinful. The person knows, too, that in sin he cannot serve God. The Israelites had known this since the time of the giving of the law. It is probable that sin was understood as a barrier between God and man from the time of the Garden of Eden. The Hebrews were no different. They had been taught to bring the animals for the sin offering. They had brought the flour and the product of the vine for peace offerings.
Now this was changed! Paul asked them to “look unto Jesus” (v. 2). To have been so faithful,
the “cloud of witnesses” had surely
done this. They had laid “aside every weight” and followed in God’s way. Now
God’s way had changed.
The way to God is through His son. The son has become
the offering for sin. He has replaced
the bulls and goats, the doves and
pigeons, the flour and the wine. So the Hebrews were being persuaded of Paul to “run with patience the race that is set before us” (vs. 1). The only way possible to do that was to
look to Jesus, “the author and finisher of our
faith”
(vs. 2). To follow Him,
they had to “lay aside” the law
and all of its rituals.
The greatest sin of any person is unbelief. During this time, the
apostles (Paul being one “born out of due time”)
were encouraging all men to believe on the Lord Jesus the Messiah. The problem has not changed. Our generation is even more given to unbelief. We cannot be doubters! The Hebrews could not be doubters and benefit in the blessing that could be
theirs through Jesus,
who was greater than any of the “cloud of witnesses.”
Jesus, also, was a “witness” testifying of God in fulfilling all the things that had been
written concerning Him by the prophets. In Revelation 3:14, Jesus called Himself the “faithful and true witness.”
Once more, Paul asked his Hebrew brethren to “consider him” (vs. 3). This time it was in reference to Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. In chapter 3, he had asked them to consider Jesus as the “Apostle and High Priest.” Jesus had met every kind of opposition. We know the Hebrews who were professing Jesus as their Saviour were being contradicted and some were severely
persecuted.
In looking to Jesus and in considering
him that
“endured such contra diction,” they, too, could “run with patience the race” set before them.
They were to expect chastisement. This was a sign of God’s favour. “Whom Yehovah loves He chastens, and scouirges every son whom Hee receives” (vs. 6). Certainly,
Paul did not teach the Christian life to be easier than | what they had known. Paul was very definite in his understanding of God’s chastening. He wrote, “If you be without chastisement …then are you bastards, and not sons” (vs. 8).
So, the follower of Jesus needs to feel the chastisement of God.
If a follower has never felt chastisement, then
that
one is not a son. One who feels that he has never been chastised cannot claim God as a Father. Chastisement is necessary because “it yields the peaceable
fruit of righteousness unto them
which are exercised thereby” (vs. 11).
“Wherefore lift up
the
hands which hang down, and the feeble
knees; and make straight paths for your feet” (vv. 12-13). “Level paths” is the phrase used
in The Emphatic Diaglott, and “Step right out on your feet” in the Ferrar Fenton translation. Followers of Jesus often become discouraged because they feel the burden is too much, or that they may have been forsaken. Such, we think, was the case with the Hebrew followers. They were being asked to make a complete change in their religious goal and worship. In doing so,
they were being
persecuted
(chastened) and they were disheartened.
It was needful for them to take hold of themselves to become ardent followers of Jesus. If they
kept in the old
old way (under the first covenant) they would
be lame and eventually “turned out of the way” (vs. 13). How true with us, too!
If anyone fails to look to Jesus and “run with
patience the race,” that one will become “lame.”
Paul wrote for them to “follow …holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (vs. 14). They, also, were to look “diligently
lest any man fail [fall from, margin] the grace
of God” (vs. 15). There is no half-way service to God. Paul had said to “lay aside every weight and the sin.” He did not allow for overlooking some of our faults and weaknesses. It is possible for man to start the Christian life and fail. It is possible
for one to despise the blessings and gift of God as Esau did.
Esau could not regain that which he wilfully turned aside
“though he sought it carefully
with tears” (v. 17). So very many who have made the start to be followers have traded
their inheritance
(vs. 17) for “one morsel of meat” (vs. 16).
Again, to remind the Hebrews that God had made a change, Paul made the comparison of Mount
Sinai to the “heavenly
Jerusalem” (vs. 22).
The change had been foretold by the prophets. It was not that God had suddenly decided to do something else. Jesus, the Lamb offering for all sin, had been foretold by Isaiah.
The hope of the Hebrews was of the future. It is one that we share. The Hebrews were being called to
make themselves
ready
for that future time. “The general assembly
and church of the firstborn” is
the church of the living God which is
called in Jesus the son. The church
is made up of those who have their
names written in the book of life. (vs. 23.) They (the Hebrews)
were
also called to Jesus (not Moses) “the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of
sprinkling” (vs. 4). Paul had shown in chapter 9 that when the
law was read to all Israel, Moses took the blood of calves and
of goats with water
and
sprinkled the book and the people. The sprinkling
in verse 24, was that of the shed blood of Jesus.
So wrote Paul, “See that you refuse not him that speaks (vs. 25). Remember that God “hath in these
last days spoken
unto
us by His son”
(1:1). To refuse Jesus and the
way of forgiveness through Him, would also be refusing God. Paul reminded the Hebrews of the punishment on those who refused to believe. (vv. 25-7.)
Because God has promised to give “a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace” (vs. 28). The
appeal
was being made by Paul as though he was one with them. And certainly, he was, if they would “hold
fast the confidence …unto the end” (3:6). It is
necessary to “serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (vs. 28).
Written by Francis E. Burnett and
edited and added to by Bruce Lyon
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