12:1 cloud of witnesses. Those. great multitude.

pass... the field. Those. a distance similar to how ancient Greek athletes ran it at the Olympic Games. By “field” the author of the letter means the life path of every believer.

12:2 looking to... Jesus. This is exactly how the Old Testament heroes of faith passed their “field.”

boss See com. by 2.10.

finisher of faith. As the “finisher,” Jesus brought to faith all those whom God had ordained through him a higher destiny: to enter into His presence through worship pleasing to God (10:14; 11:40; 12:28).

instead of the joy that was set before Him. As the sinless Son of God, Jesus did not have to see death and suffering. But He, having become the Savior of sinners and taking upon Himself “the sins of the whole world,” suffered punishment for everyone. Death was not inevitable for Jesus; He accepted it voluntarily.

12:3 reproach from sinners. Following Jesus, readers of the message must also patiently endure the “reproach of sinners” and not lose heart.

12:5 son. God's purpose to bring many sons to glory requires that the leader of their salvation be "perfected" (raised up) through suffering (2:10), even if He is a Son who did not deserve this suffering (5:8). Therefore, the adopted children of God who follow Christ can come into possession of their inheritance through disciplinary trials.

12:8 illegitimate children. Roman patricians contemporary to the author often had illegitimate children, whom they provided financially, but paid little attention to their upbringing, since they did not inherit either their father’s name or the family fortune.

12:9 To the Father of spirits. Those. God.

12:12-13 The edifications contained in these verses are clothed in the verbal images of the Old Testament (see, for example, Proverbs 4:25-27; Isaiah 35:3.4).

12:14 Try to have peace with everyone. Wed. Rome. 12.18.

holiness. Holiness is achieved through the sacrifice of Christ (10:10), which sanctified us once and for all and reconciled us to God. In this case, the word “holiness” refers to a righteous lifestyle.

will not see the Lord. To see the Lord means to “be with God,” which is the main goal of salvation (Rev. 22:4). See also 1 John. 3.2; 2 Cor. 3.18.

12:15 bitter root. This may refer to heretical teaching, sinful behavior, and anything else that leads away from Christ. Wed. Deut. 29.18.

12:16 Esau is a type of those who do not value the promises of God (cf. chapter 11, which speaks of people of faith) and who are “lost” irretrievably (v. 17). Moses exchanged the blessings of Egypt for the "reproach of Christ" because he saw the final reward (11:26); Esau exchanged his birthright for lentil soup, since his spiritual gaze did not extend beyond this “good” (Gen. 25:29-34).

primogeniture. As the firstborn (eldest) son, Esau had the right to a special blessing from God (Gen. 25:31-34; 27:36). Later, according to the law of Moses, the firstborn had the right to a double share of the inheritance (Deut. 21:17). Essentially, Esau gave up his place in the covenant lineage, not just his share of the inheritance.

12:17 you know that after that. Readers of the message knew what followed Esau's renunciation of his birthright, when his place was taken by his brother Isaac, who received God's blessing (Gen. 27). This blessing included the promises made to Abraham (Gen. 12:2.3; 27:29).

couldn't change it. Although Esau mourned the loss of the blessing (Gen. 27:38; cf. 2 Cor. 7:10), he could no longer atone for his sin of neglecting God's promise.

12:18-24 A comparison is made between the Old and New Testaments, which are figuratively represented as mountains (Sinai and Zion). Fear is the dominant concept associated with Sinai, the mountain on which the law was given (vv. 18-21). Bliss and trust are the main motives of Zion. Sinai is associated with earthly life and categories of earthly existence; Zion is thought of in terms of heavenly life (v. 27).

12:18 to a tangible mountain. As the sacred place where the old covenant was established, Mount Sinai, which represents the law associated with it, is only a part of creation that can be shaken and shaken (v. 27). As something “tangible,” Mount Sinai personifies the transitory, temporary nature of the Old Testament (8:13).

12:19 so that... the word does not continue. Fearing that direct contact with God's holiness would destroy them (Ex. 20:19), the Israelites asked Moses to become a mediator between them and the Lord and convey His words to them.

12:22 you started. While on their earthly journey, Christians, like the patriarchs (11:13), look with faith at the future city (13:14), heavenly Jerusalem, and can enter the Holy of Holies to worship the Lord (10:19-22). See the article "Heaven".

12:23 to the church of the firstborn. In Israel, all the firstborn were to be sanctified and given to serve the Lord in the place of His presence, but the Levites replaced the firstborn sons with their service (Num. 3:11-13). In the heavenly triumphal assembly, all believers are the “firstborn,” consecrated to God, and stand as His priesthood. Believers are invited to share with Jesus His birthright (1:6.14; 2:11.12). See the article "Church".

having achieved perfection. This refers to the spirits of those who died in Christ (2 Cor. 5:8; Rev. 14:13). This includes believers who lived in the Old Testament era and in the period between the two testaments, whose righteousness by faith in God was tested by Himself (11.2.4.5.39) and who were recognized as perfect thanks to sanctification in Christ.

12:24 The atmosphere of bliss and trust that reigns in the heavenly Zion is due to the presence of Jesus there. The blood of Abel cries from the earth for vengeance (Gen. 4:10), the blood of Jesus prays for forgiveness to the children of God (9:12-15; 10:19-22).

12:25 The difference between the content of the Old Testament and the message brought from Heaven by the Son of God refers to what was said in 1:1-14.

12:28 Serving God is acceptable. Show gratitude by knowing that our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20) and constantly being aware of the indescribable gift of God - Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 9:15). Reverence and sacred awe come from understanding who God is (v. 29). Acceptable worship includes both of these things.

12:29 a consuming fire. This image, taken from Deut. 4:24, emphasizes God's holiness and implies the Judgment of God as the absolute manifestation of His holiness (10:27).

Comments on Chapter 12

INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

GOD REVEALS TO US IN MANY WAYS

People have never had a common view of religion. “God,” said Tennyson, “reveals himself to us in different ways.” And George Russell put it this way: “There are as many ways to climb to the stars as there are people who dare to climb to them.” One famous and beautiful saying says: “God has His own key to every heart.” In general terms, four concepts of religion can be distinguished.

1. For some people, religion is it is inner friendship with God. This is such a union with Christ that we can say that the Christian lives in Christ, and Christ lives in the Christian. This is how Paul understood religion. For him, religion was what mysteriously united him with God.

2. For others, religion is the model by which they should build their lives and the strength that allows them to achieve this model. This is how James and Peter viewed religion. They saw in religion a model according to which they should build their lives, and it gave them strength to achieve this model.

3. Others see religion satisfaction of your intellectual searches. Their mind searches and searches until they realize that their mind can rest in God. Plato also says that an unexamined life is not worthy of living. There are people who must either understand or perish. The first chapter of the Gospel of John represents the world's greatest attempt to satisfy the demands and demands of the human mind.

4. There are also people for whom religion is a path that leads into the presence of God. She removes barriers and opens doors to Him. This is exactly how the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews understood religion. He was completely absorbed in this thought. In Jesus he found the One who could bring him into the immediate presence of God. IN Heb. 10.19-23 a great idea about religion is presented.

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter into the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus Christ, in a new and living way, which He again revealed to us through the veil, that is, His flesh... Let us approach with a sincere heart, with full faith...”

TWO WAYS OF THINKING

The concept of the author of Hebrews fit into both contemporary modes of thinking. On the one hand, this is the Greek way of thinking. Even from Plato, that is, for five centuries, the consciousness of the Greeks was preoccupied with the contradictions between the real and the unreal, the visible and the invisible, the transitory and the eternal. It was the Greeks who had the idea of ​​the existence somewhere of a real world, of which our world is only a weak reflection. Plato believed that somewhere out there there was a world of perfect forms, ideas, or samples. Plato said: “The Creator of the world planned his creation and executed it according to an imperishable and eternal pattern, of which this world is a copy.” Philo of Alexandria, who borrowed his ideas from Plato, said: “God knew from the very beginning that an excellent copy could be made only by having an excellent example, and that objects, having decided to create this visible world, He first created an ideal world in order to create an objective corporeal world according to an incorporeal and divine pattern." Cicero spoke about the laws known to people and applied by them on earth: “We have nothing remotely similar to real law and true justice; what we have is only a shadow and crumbs.”

This idea of ​​the existence of a real world somewhere out there, of which our world is an imperfect copy, can be found among all thinkers of antiquity. In this world we can only guess and search by touch; here we can only work with copies and imperfect objects. And all real and real objects are located in a world invisible to us. On the tombstone of the famous theologian there is a Latin inscription: “Away from shadows and appearances to the truth.” If this is so, then it is quite obvious that the purpose of our life in this world is to get away from shadows and imperfection and reach reality. And this is precisely what the author of Hebrews claims, that Jesus Christ gives us such an ability. The writer of Hebrews tells the Greeks, "All your life you have been trying to escape the shadows and come to the truth. Jesus Christ is giving you the opportunity to do this."

JEWISH WAY OF THINKING

But the author of Hebrews also shares Jewish way of thinking. In Judaism it was dangerous to approach God. “Man,” God said to Moses, “cannot see Me and live.” (Ex. 33:20). Jacob was extremely surprised at Penuel: “I saw God face to face, and my soul was preserved.” (Gen. 32:30). When Manoah realized who his guest was, he said to his wife in horror: “Surely we will die; for we have seen God.” (Judges 13:22). One of the most important religious holidays of the Jews was the Day of Atonement. Only on this day did the high priest enter the Holy of Holies, where, according to the Jews, God lived. No one except the high priest ever entered the Holy of Holies, and only on this day. The law made it clear that when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies, he should not linger there long, “lest he bring terror upon Israel.” It was dangerous to enter into the presence of God; anyone who stayed there too long could be killed.

That is why the idea of covenant. God, in His mercy and without any merit on the part of the Jews, turned to the people of Israel and invited them to enter into a special relationship with Him. But this special relationship was conditioned by compliance with the law given to him. In a dramatic scene in Ref. 24.3-8 it shows how the people of Israel entered into this relationship and accepted this law.

From that moment on, Israel had access to God, but only if he follows the law. Breaking the law is sin, and sin erected a barrier between Israel and God and denied them access to Him. And to remove this obstacle, the entire system of Levitical priesthood and sacrifices was created. God gave Israel a law; people sinned; therefore a barrier arose between Israel and God; sacrifices were made to remove barriers to God. But life has shown that sacrifice is not able to do this. This served as proof that the whole system of ongoing sacrifices was hopeless. This battle was doomed to defeat and its very goal - to eliminate the barrier between man and God erected by human sin - was unattainable.

THE PERFECT PRIEST AND THE PERFECT SACRIFICE

The people needed the perfect priest and the perfect sacrifice. What was needed was someone capable of making a sacrifice to God that would once and for all open the way and access to Him. And that is exactly what Christ did, says the author of Hebrews. He is a perfect high priest because He is both a perfect man and a perfect God. In His human form He brought people to God, and in His divinity He brings God to people. There is no sin on Him. The perfect sacrifice He offered to God is Himself - a sacrifice so perfect that it never needs to be offered again.

To the Jews, the author of Hebrews said, “You have been looking all your life for the perfect priest who could offer the perfect sacrifice and give you access to God. You have received Him in Jesus Christ and Him alone.” And to the Greek the author of Hebrews said: “You are looking for the way from shadows to reality: you will find it in Jesus Christ.”

Jesus was the One who opened people's access to reality and to God - this is the main idea of ​​​​this message.

THE RIDDLE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

Everything is clear so far. All other questions that arise in connection with the study and interpretation of the Epistle to the Hebrews are shrouded in mystery. E. F. Scott wrote: “The book of Hebrews is in many respects the puzzle of the New Testament.” We can only guess the answers to the questions when it was written, to whom and who wrote it. The history of this message shows how the mystery surrounding it led to it being treated with caution and suspicion. It took a long time before the message was finally and indisputably included among the books of the New Testament. In the Muratorian Canon, compiled around 170, it is not mentioned at all. The great scholars of Alexandria, Clement and Origen, knew and loved him, but agreed that his place among the books of Holy Scripture was debatable. As for the North African Church Fathers, Cyprian never mentions it, and Tertullian knows that its place among Scripture is disputed. Eusebius, the Church historian, said that among controversial books, this epistle stands out for its high qualities. It was not until the time of Athanasius, in the mid-fourth century, that the Epistle to the Hebrews was finally included in the New Testament, but even Luther was not completely convinced of the correctness of this decision. It is strange that this important document waited so long for recognition!

WHEN WAS IT WRITTEN

We can only glean information about this from the message itself. It was undoubtedly written in an era that can be called the second generation of Christianity (2,3). Events are presented to the listeners by those who themselves heard the Lord. To the people addressed by this message, the Christian faith was not new; in all likelihood, they had to be mature people and trained listeners (5,12). They must have had a long history because the author refers to events from days past (10,32). Behind them were a great past and heroic martyrs to which they had to look and draw inspiration. (13,7).

In establishing the date of the message, the first thing that can help us is the mention of persecution. It is clear from the message that at one time their mentors and leaders died for their faith (13,7). The addressees of the message themselves have not yet been persecuted, because they “have not yet fought to the point of blood” (12,4). It is also clear that they experienced suffering because they had to "accept the plunder of their property" (10,32-34). In general, the message gives the impression that the recipients are in danger of persecution. Based on this, we can say with confidence that the message was written in the period between two waves of persecution: in days when Christians were not directly persecuted, but were not loved among their fellow countrymen.

The first persecution of Christians took place in 64, during the time of Nero, and the second in 85, under Emperor Domitian. Somewhere between these two dates the book of Hebrews was written, most likely closer to the reign of Emperor Domitian. In all likelihood, the message was written around the year 80.

TO WHOM WAS THE MESSAGE WRITTEN?

And here we too must limit ourselves to the information and hints that we find in the message itself. One fact is clear - the message could not have been written to a large church community, for then its name would not have completely disappeared from memory. First let's stick firmly to what we know. The message was written to a church community that had a long history (5,12), which at some time in the past suffered persecution (10,32-34). It was written to a church that had great times and great teachers and preachers. (13,7). It was written to a church that was not founded by the apostles themselves (2,3), a church distinguished by its generosity and open-mindedness (6,10).

The message also contains a direct hint. Among the greetings that conclude the message we find the following sentence: “The Italians greet you.” (13,24). [Barkley: "Those who come from Italy greet you"]. Taken separately, this phrase can mean that the letter was either sent from Italy, or V Italy; it is more likely that it was written V Italy. Suppose a person writes a letter from Leningrad abroad, he probably will not write: “Everyone from Leningrad greets you,” but rather: “Everyone in Leningrad greets you.” If he is abroad and there are other Leningraders with him, he may well write: “All Leningraders greet you.” Therefore we can say that the message was written to Italy, and if so, then it is very likely that it was written in Rom.

But, quite clearly, it was not written to the entire Roman church, then it would never have lost its name. Further, it gives the impression that it was written to a small group of like-minded people, probably a group of scientists. From 5,72 we see that they studied and prepared for a long time to become teachers of the Christian faith. In addition, reading the book of Hebrews requires such knowledge of the Old Testament that it could only have been written by a learned scholar.

Putting it all together, the book of Hebrews was written by a major preacher and teacher of the Church to a small group or school of Christians in Rome. He was their teacher. But at the present time he was away from them, and since he was afraid that they were leaving the path of faith, he wrote this message. It's not so much a message as it is a conversation. It does not begin as a letter from Paul, although it ends with a greeting, like any letter. The author himself calls it a word of exhortation, a sermon.

WHO WAS THE LETTER WRITTEN?

Apparently, the most intractable issue is the issue of authorship. And it was precisely this uncertainty that was the reason that they did not dare to include it in the New Testament. In those days it was simply called "Jews." No authorship was attributed to him; no one connected him directly with the name of the Apostle Paul. Clement of Alexandria admitted that it was written by Paul in Aramaic, and Luke translated it because the style was completely different from Paul's. Origen famously said, “Only God knows who wrote the book of Hebrews.” Tertullian considered Barnabas its author. Jerome said that the Roman Catholic Church did not consider it to be the epistle of Paul and went on to say: “Whoever was the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews...”. Augustine treated him the same way. Luther stated that Paul could not have been its author because he had a different way of thinking. Calvin said that he could not bring himself to believe that this epistle was written by the Apostle Paul.

Throughout the history of the Church, no one has ever seriously accepted that Paul wrote the book of Hebrews. But how did the message get its name? It happened very simply. When the New Testament was finally taking shape and taking on its modern form, disputes arose about which books to include in it and which not. To make the final decision, a check was carried out: was the book or letter written by an apostle or a person who had close relationships with the apostles? By this time the book of Hebrews was known throughout the Church. Many, like Origen, who believed that God alone knew who wrote it, read and loved this epistle and wished for it to be included in the New Testament. This could only be done by including it along with the thirteen letters of the Apostle Paul. Hebrews took its place among the books of the New Testament because of its own greatness, but to be included it had to belong to the letters of Paul. People even then knew well that it was not written by Paul, but they considered it Paul’s, because no one knew its author and it had to be included in the New Testament.

AUTHOR OF HEBREWS

1. Tertullian believed that Barnabas wrote it. Barnabas was a native of Cyprus; The Cypriots were known for their excellent Greek language, and the book of Hebrews was written in the best Greek in the New Testament. Barnabas was a Levite (Acts 4:36) and had among the writers of the New Testament the most precise knowledge of the priesthood and sacrifice, on which the epistle is based. He was called "son of consolation" in Greek paraclesis: the author of Hebrews also calls the epistle a word exhortations, paraclesis (13,22). Barnabas was one of those few who were accepted by Jews and Greeks because he was familiar with both the Jewish and Greek ways of thinking. Perhaps Barnabas really wrote this letter, but why then did his name disappear from its pages?

2. Luther believed that Apollos was the author of Hebrews. According to the New Testament, Apollos was a Jew, originally from Alexandria, an eloquent man and versed in the Scriptures (Acts 18:24; 1 Cor. 1:12; 3:4). The man who wrote Hebrews was well versed in the Scriptures and eloquent; he thought and argued like the educated inhabitants of Alexandria. Undoubtedly the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews was a man similar in origin and way of thinking to Apollos.

3. A romantic guess was expressed by Harnack, a prominent German theologian. He suggested that these could be the thoughts of Aquila and Priscilla. They were teachers (Acts 18:26). Their home in Rome was a church (Rom. 16:5). Harnack believes that this is why the letter begins without greetings and why the name of the author disappeared - the main part of the message was written by a woman, and she did not have the right to teach.

But even after considering all the guesses and assumptions, we are forced to say, as Origen said seventeen centuries ago, that only God knows who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews. For us, the author remains only a voice; but we can thank God for the work of this great nameless one, who with incomparable skill and beauty wrote about Jesus, who is the way to reality and the way to God.

CONTEST AND GOAL, THE FIELD OF FAITH (Heb. 12:1-2)

This is one of the greatest and most moving passages of the New Testament, in which the writer of the epistle has given an almost perfect outline of the most important elements of the Christian life.

1. A Christian has in his life target. A Christian does not just wander along the back roads of life, he walks along the highway. A Christian is not a tourist who returns every evening to the place from which he left in the morning; a Christian is a pilgrim who has set out on an eternal journey. The ultimate goal is great - to become like Christ. The life of a Christian goes in a certain direction and towards a certain goal, and it would be good if every evening we asked ourselves the question: “Well, was I able to go further?”

2. In the life of a Christian there is inspiration. In us lives the thought of an invisible cloud of witnesses who are witnesses in two senses: they have already testified to their faith in Christ, and now they are witnesses of our achievements. A Christian is like a runner in a crowded stadium. While he strives forward, a crowd looks down on him, a host - those who have already won the crown.

In the famous book of Pseudo-Longinus “On the Sublime” there is a recipe for how to create a great literary work: “It is good to ask yourself a question in your soul,” he says, “how would Homer express this? How would the great Plato or Demosthenes write it? How would he reflect is this Thucydides in his history?” Because if we began to compete with such great figures in our creativity, they would undoubtedly illuminate our path and raise us to the perfection that we only dream of. It would be even better if we mentally asked ourselves this question: “What would what I said sound like to Homer if he were standing nearby, or to Demosthenes; how would they react to what I said?” And in fact, it would be the highest test if we imagine such a jury for our own artistic works and give an account of our literary works to such heroes, for their judgment." After all, the actor will really play with redoubled force if he knows that a famous playwright is sitting in the stalls watching his performance. And the athlete will make redoubled efforts if he knows that he is being watched not just by spectators in the stadium, but by famous Olympic athletes. The essential and most important moment in the life of a Christian is precisely this the fact that he is closely watched by the great heroes of the faith who have lived, suffered and died in their time.How can anyone stop striving for greatness and glory when such heroes and ascetics look down on him?

3. In the life of a Christian there is obstacles and failures. Yes, we are surrounded by the greatness of the past, but our sins hinder us. After all, no person would climb Everest with a warehouse of bulky and unnecessary things dragging him down. Those who are going to travel far should travel light. A person’s important duty in life is to get rid of unnecessary and superfluous things: habits, pleasures, self-indulgence, and memories that pull back. We must shake them off like an athlete shakes off his training suit when he starts, and often we need the help of Christ to do this.

4. The Christian has at his disposal remedy, unwavering patience. The author used the Greek word here hupomone, which does not mean the patience with which one sits quietly, accepting things as they are, but the patience that subjugates circumstances to oneself. This is not a romantic ability that gives us wings to soar above difficulties and troubles. This is a slow, but urgent determination with which they move forward and refuse to deviate from the chosen path. Obstacles cannot confuse her, and discouragement does not rob her of hope. This unwavering patience carries us tirelessly forward until we finally reach our goal.

5. A Christian has example in life. This example is Jesus Himself. For the sake of achieving the goal set before Him, He patiently endured everything: to achieve this goal meant going to the Crucifixion. The author of the message makes a brilliant discovery: despising shame. Jesus was very sensitive; no one has ever had such a sensitive heart. Crucifixion was a humiliating execution, it was subjected to criminals, criminals in whom society saw scum, scum - and yet He went for it. Philip of Neri tells us to "despise the world, despise ourselves, and despise the very fact that we are despised." If Jesus could endure so much, then we should also endure.

6. A Christian is not alone in life, he is always with him abides Jesus. Jesus is not only the goal of our pilgrimage, but also our companion on the journey; We must meet Him, and He accompanies us to our goal. The miracle of a Christian's life is that he goes to his goal as if surrounded by saints, renouncing everything except the glory of his goal, and always together with the One who has already walked this path and reached the goal and is now waiting there to greet us. us when we too reach it.

SAMPLES FOR COMPARISON (Heb. 12:3-4)

The author of the message uses two very interesting words, translated here as become exhausted And weaken your souls. Aristotle used these words to describe an athlete falling to the ground in exhaustion. after as he passed the finishing post. So the writer of the message is really saying, "Don't give up too soon; don't slacken your efforts before you've passed the finishing post." In order to convince his listeners of this, he uses two arguments.

1. The struggle of Christianity has not yet become a struggle for life and death. When the author says that they have not yet fought to the point of blood, he uses the phrase with which the leaders of the Maccabees urged their fighters to fight to the death, to fight to the last. By stating that they have not yet fought to the point of blood, the author, according to Moffat, “is not blaming them, but shaming them.” When people remember what the ascetics of the past went through to preserve their faith for us, they certainly cannot fall into apathy or shy away from conflict.

2. He encourages them to compare their sufferings with the sufferings Jesus endured. He gave up By your glory; He was born into this world, with all its shortcomings and weaknesses inherent in human life; He faced hostility from people and had to die on the Cross. The author of the message, in fact, says: “How can you compare the suffering that befalls you with the suffering that He went through? He endured everything for you, but what are you going to do for Him?”

In these two verses the author clearly shows what price was paid for the Christian faith: it was paid for with the lives of martyrs, the Son of God paid for it with His life. You cannot simply neglect what was purchased so dearly. A person cannot pass on such a legacy to tainted posterity. These two verses contain a call to every Christian: “Prove yourself worthy of the sacrifice that God and men have made for you.”

THE LORD'S COMMAND (Hebrews 12:5-11)

And now the author of the message gives another argument why people should cheerfully endure the misfortunes that befall them. The author has already said that they need to be transferred because the saints of past eras carried them. He said that they needed to be transferred because they were insignificant in comparison with those that Christ suffered. And now he says that the hardships and hardships of life must be endured because they are sent down by God and without them a person’s life would have no value.

A father always punishes his child. One cannot assume that he loves his child who allows him to do whatever he wants; on the contrary, it shows that he is nothing more than an illegitimate child for whom he feels neither love nor responsibility. We submit to the punishments of the earthly father: a power that is transitory (until we reach maturity) and which, at best, always contains an element of despotism. We owe our physical life to our earthly father; how much more fully should we submit to the punishments of the Lord, to whom we owe our immortal spirit and who, in His wisdom, cares only for our greatest good.

There is an interesting passage in Xenophon's Cyropaedia. It concerns a dispute about who brings more benefit to the world - a person who makes people cry or a person who makes people laugh. Aglaitides says: “He who makes his friends laugh, it seems to me, does them much less service than he who makes them cry, and if you look at this problem correctly, you will also understand that I am speaking the truth. Be that as it may, fathers instill self-control in their sons by making them cry, and teachers in the same way imprint good lessons in the minds of their students, and laws also guide citizens to the foot of justice by making them cry.But can you say that those which make people laugh, also either benefit our body, or prepare our brains for the better organization of our personal or public affairs? Aglaitides believed that it is the person who imposes punishments who truly serves the good of his fellow citizens.

For those who hear this passage for the first time, it will undoubtedly have a double impression, because paternal power, patria potestas, was of great importance in the ancient world. Under Roman law, the father had absolute power over his family, and if his son married, absolute power continued to extend to both the son and any grandson the son would have. It all started from the moment of birth. The Roman father could, at his own discretion, keep the newborn or abandon him. He could bind or scourge his son; he could sell him into slavery; he even had the right to kill or execute him. It is true that when the father intended to take a serious step towards any member of his family, he usually convened a family council of all adult males, but he was not obliged to do this. True, in later times public opinion would not allow a father to execute his son, but this took place even in the era of Emperor Augustus. The Roman historian Sallust cites an incident from the era of the Catiline conspiracy. Catiline rebelled against Rome; Among those who joined him was Aulus Fulvius, the son of a Roman senator. He was arrested, brought back to Rome and tried by his own father. He sentenced his son to death. In eyes patria potestas the son of a Roman never came of age. He could pursue a government career; he could occupy the highest judicial position; he could be revered by the whole country, but all this did not matter - he was under the direct and absolute authority of his father while he lived. Thus, if people ever knew what a father's order was, then such people, in any case, were the Romans; and when the author of the message spoke about how an earthly father punishes his son, his listeners and readers knew well what he was talking about.

So, the author of the message states that we should look at the difficult trials and hardships that befall us in life as God's punishment, which was not sent to harm us, but for our final and highest good. To confirm his premise, he quotes from Proverbs 3.11-12. People may have different attitudes towards the punishments sent down to them by God.

1. Some humbly accept their. This is what the Stoics did. They believed that nothing in this world happens outside the will of God, therefore, they argued, there was nothing left to do but accept them. Doing anything differently is like banging your head against the “walls” of the universe. Perhaps this is acceptance and the highest wisdom, but, in any case, it has nothing to do with the acceptance of a father's love, it is only the acceptance of a father's authority. This is not a humble, submissive acceptance, but an acceptance by a conquered, defeated person.

2. Others take the punishment with a gloomy feeling and a desire to get through these troubles as quickly as possible. A famous Roman once said: “I will not allow anything to make my life difficult.” A person who views punishment this way accepts it defiantly, and not at all gratefully.

3. Others accept punishment with a feeling of self-pity that leads to death, physical or spiritual. Some, when they find themselves in a difficult situation, behave as if they were the only ones who had been cruelly touched by life. They are completely consumed by self-pity.

4. There are also those who accept punishment with indignation. Strange as it may seem, the Romans in those days saw in national and personal misfortunes the revenge of the gods. In Lucan we read: “Happy would Rome be, and blessed would its inhabitants be, if the gods put as much effort into caring for people as they do to take revenge on them.” Tacitus believed that the misfortunes that befell the Romans proved that the gods were more concerned with punishing people than with their safety. Even today there are people who consider God to be vengeful. If something happens to themselves, or to people close to them, they ask: “What did I do to deserve this?” in such a tone as to emphasize that, in their opinion, this is an unjust punishment from God. It never occurs to them to ask: “What does God want to teach me and what does God want to encourage me to do with this?”

5. And finally, there are those who accept punishment. as from a loving Father. Jerome said something paradoxical, but true: “The greatest wrath is when God is no longer angry with us when we sin.” Thus leaving us alone, as untouchables, pariahs. A Christian knows that everything that happens to him comes from God the Father, who will not cause him anything that would cause him to cry innocently, and that a person must accept all this in order to become better and wiser.

We must give up feelings of self-pity, indignation and rebellious complaints, remembering that God's punishment is dictated by love and serves our good.

OBLIGATIONS, GOALS AND DANGERS (Heb. 12:12-17)

The author of the message moves on to the problems of everyday life of Christians. He knows that sometimes a man gains wings to fly upward like an eagle, that sometimes a man can tirelessly strive to achieve his great goal; but he also knows that the most difficult thing is to go forward from day to day without fainting from fatigue. And here he reflects on the daily everyday struggle that a Christian has to fight on his way.

1. Firstly, it obligations. In every church community and in every church organization there are weaker ones who can go astray and give up the fight. It is the duty of the stronger ones to breathe fresh strength into their drooping arms and wobbly legs. To pass the value hands down the author uses the same words that are used in the Bible to characterize the children of Israel in the days when they intended to abandon the hardships of the journey through the desert and return to the comforts and meat pots of Egypt.

The Odes of Solomon contains a description of the accomplishments of true servants and preachers:

They quenched dry lips,

And they perked up the spirit that had begun to fall...

And weakened limbs

They straightened and stood up.

The greatest glory is that which inspires a person close to despair and restores strength to a weakening one. To help such people, we must guide them on the right path. The Christian has a double duty: duty towards God and duty towards his fellow men. The Testimony of Simon (5:2.3) gives a vivid description of the duties of a godly person: his heart must be righteous in the eyes of the Lord, and his life must be godly in the eyes of people, and then he will be loved by God and people will love him.

A person must come before God with a pure heart; he must lead an honest life with people. The duty of a Christian is to guide a person on the true path, to keep him on the right path by his own example, to remove all kinds of stumbling blocks from his path, to make the road easier for unsteady legs. A person must give his heart to God, and his service to people, and set an example for them.

2. Secondly, goals, to which a Christian should go.

a) Its goal should be world. In the language and worldview of the Jews, peace was not something negative, but, on the contrary, something extremely positive. It was not only the absence of worries and troubles. Peace meant two things.

First, it meant everything that promotes the highest good of man. The Jews believed that man's highest good was to obey God. In the Proverbs of Solomon it is said: “My son, do not forget my instruction, and let your heart keep my commandments; for the length of days, years of life and peace they will apply to you." The Christian must always strive for such complete obedience to God, with which life finds its highest happiness, highest good, complete perfection, world.

Secondly, peace for the Jews meant true relationships between people, and this meant the complete absence of hatred and the concern of each person for the absolute good of his neighbor. The author of the letter says: “Try to live together as Christians should, in true unity, which comes from life in Christ.”

Man must seek the peace that comes from obedience to the will of God, which raises human life to a higher consciousness and helps to establish and live in right relationships with fellow human beings.

One more thing remains to be noted: it should pursuit to achieve this world. This requires effort: it does not happen by itself. This world is the result of enormous physical and mental labor and shed sweat.

People are given the gifts of God, they are not given; they are needed conquer; because they can only be accepted on God's terms, the greatest of which is obedience to Him.

b) His goal should be holiness (hagiasmos). Word hagiasmos comes from the same root as the adjective hagios, which is usually translated as saint. The meaning behind this word is difference And separation. Although this man lives in the world, saint always in a certain sense different and separate from the world. He lives by different standards than the laity, and his behavior also differs from the behavior of others. He strives to establish a good relationship with God. Holiness, as Wescott defined it, is “preparing to enter into the presence of God.” The life of a Christian is subordinated to one great goal - to enter the presence of God.

a) This is, firstly, the danger of not seeing the Lord, lose the grace of God. The word used by the author can be expressed in words failure to keep up with God's grace. One of the early Greek commentators on the Bible uses the parallel of a group of travelers checking again and again, "Is anyone lost? Has anyone fallen behind while others hastened forward?" IN Mich. 4.6 There are these words: “In that day, says the Lord, I will gather up what is lame.” Moffat translates this as: "I will gather the stragglers." It is easy to fall behind, to be delayed on the way, to allow oneself to be passively led instead of going forward with a firm step, and thereby to lose the grace of God. After all, you can miss every opportunity. The grace of God gives us the opportunity to make ourselves and our lives what they should be. In his life's hibernation, in his madness, in his uncertainty, a person can miss the opportunity that the grace of God gives him. We must always be on guard against this.

b) Secondly, as the Bible says, the danger so that what a bitter root, having arisen, it did not cause harm. This phrase goes back to Deut. 29.18, where it talks about people who go to serve foreign gods, inclining other people to this and, thereby, exerting a bad influence on the life of the entire society. The writer of Hebrews warns against people who are bad influences. There are always people who consider Christian standards of life too rigid and pedantic; There are always those who see nothing wrong in turning again to worldly norms of life and behavior. This was especially common in the era of early Christianity. The Church at that time was a small island surrounded by a sea of ​​paganism, and the members of the Church themselves had just come out of paganism, or, at best, their parents did. It was easy to fall away from the faith and return to the old norms. Therefore, the author of the letter warns against the infection of worldliness, which was sometimes deliberately, sometimes unconsciously, introduced into Christian communities.

c) Finally, there is danger become a fornicator or a wicked person. For the wicked, the writer of the letter used the Greek word babelos. This word has an interesting history and meaning. They designated unholy, unconsecrated land, as opposed to consecrated ground, dedicated. The ancient world had its own religions, which could only be entered into dedicated, accepted. And in a word babelos denoted a person uninitiated And uninterested, as opposed to pious And to the devotee. So, for example, they called Antiochus Epiphanes, who swore to destroy all true religion; This was the name given to apostate Jews who renounced God. Wescott believes that this word means a person who recognizes only earthly things, for whom nothing is sacred and who does not experience any reverence for the otherworldly. The wicked has no idea of ​​the existence of God and no interest in the question of His existence. In his thoughts, goals, and pleasures, he limits himself exclusively to the earthly and concentrates his attention on it. We must carefully ensure that our worldview and the scope of our feelings are not narrowed to the exclusively worldly, for this path will inevitably lead us to the loss of honor and purity.

To illustrate his point more clearly, the author of the message cites Esau as an example. He brings two stories into one: Life 25.28-34; 27.1-39. According to the first, Esau, who came terribly hungry from the field, sold his birthright to Jacob for part of the food that the latter prepared. The second story tells how Jacob skillfully and cunningly stole Esau's birthright by impersonating him and thereby receiving from the old and blind Isaac the blessing intended for Esau, as the eldest of two sons. And when Esau wanted to receive the blessing that Jacob had cunningly obtained, and learned that this was now impossible, he lifted up his voice and wept.

But there is more behind this phrase than meets the eye. In the legends of the Jews and in the interpretations of the rabbis, Esau was presented as an exclusively carnal man, putting the needs of his flesh above the spiritual. According to Jewish legend, when Jacob and Esau - they were twins - were still in the womb, Jacob said to Esau: “My brother, there are two worlds ahead of us: this world and the world to come. In this world people eat and drink, trade and "They get married, raise sons and daughters; but in the world to come all this will not happen. If you want, take this world for yourself, and I will take the world to come." And Esau readily agreed to take this world for himself, because he did not believe that there was any other world, the world to come. According to Jewish legend, by the day Jacob cunningly obtained Isaac's blessing, Esau had already committed five sins: "... he swore to foreign gods, shed innocent blood, persecuted an betrothed maiden, denied the life to come and despised his birthright."

In the interpretation of the Jews, Esau was an exclusively carnal, sensual man who saw nothing but crude earthly pleasures. Every man who does this sells his birthright, for the man who throws away eternity throws away his inheritance.

According to the Bible, Esau I couldn’t change (my father’s) thoughts. The word used in the Greek text is metanoia, which literally means changing the way of thinking. Therefore, it would be better to say that Esau could not change his father's way of thinking. This does not mean that he was henceforth denied God's forgiveness; this simply states the sad fact that a person makes certain decisions once and for all: they cannot be changed, and certain consequences of these decisions cannot be eliminated even by God. Here is a simple example: if a young man loses his purity, and a girl loses her virginity, nothing can return it to them. The choice was made, the decision was made and it is irreversible. God can forgive and He wants to forgive, but He cannot turn back the clock.

A person must remember that some actions in life are irreversible. If, like Esau, we choose the way of this world, and elevate carnal things as the highest good, we will prefer temporal pleasures to the joys of eternity. God can and even wants to forgive, but something happens that can never be changed again. There are certain things in which a person cannot change his way of thinking, but must forever adhere to the choice made once and for all.

THE TERROR OF THE OLD AND THE GLORY OF THE NEW (Heb. 12:18-24)

This passage is a contrast between old and new, a contrast between the law given at Mount Sinai and the new covenant that Jesus brought. Before 12,21 echoes the story of Moses receiving the law on Mount Sinai. The Lord's announcement of His covenant is described in Deut. 4.11-12 like this: “You approached and stood under the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the very heavens, and was darkness, cloud and gloom. And the Lord spoke to you from the midst of the fire." Ref. 19.12-13 it says that the people could not approach and touch this terrible mountain: “And draw a line for the people on all sides, and say: beware of going up the mountain and touching its base; anyone who touches the mountain will be put to death; Let no hand touch him, but let him be stoned, or shot with an arrow; let him not live, either cattle or man. During the prolonged sound of the trumpet, they may ascend the mountain." In Deut. 5.23-27 It is said that the people were so frightened when they heard the voice of God that they asked Moses to go and bring them a message from the Lord: “If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we will die.” In Deut. 9.19 it speaks of the fear of Moses, but the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews connects the words of Moses with the moment he received the covenant, although (according to the biblical text) Moses spoke them after he came down from the mountain and found his people worshiping the golden calf. The entire passage before 12,27 brings to mind the story of the covenant at Mount Sinai. The author of the message brought together all the terrible places in order to emphasize the horror of the scene.

From the story of Moses receiving the law on Mount Sinai, the author emphasizes three points:

1. The absolute greatness of God. The Bible emphasizes the amazing power of God and does not talk about love at all.

2. The absolute unattainability of God. The path to God is simply closed: anyone who tries to approach Him must die.

3. Absolute horror before God. People feel nothing but awe of Him, afraid to look at Him and even hear Him.

But with 12,22 everything becomes different. In the first part of the passage - what people can expect in accordance with the Old Testament, concluded by God with the people of Israel - God, in lonely power, completely separated from people, causing numbing horror. But Christians were brought a new covenant and a new relationship with God.

1. First, a new heavenly Jerusalem awaits them. This world with its insolence, fears, secrets and divisions is passing, and the life of Christians is being built in a new way.

2. Next, tens of angels await them in the triumphant cathedral. The author used the word panegyrus(translated in the Bible as a triumphant council), meaning a joyful public holiday in honor of the gods. For the Greeks, it was a joyful, holy day when everyone celebrated and rejoiced. Such heavenly joys await Christians that even the angels rejoice.

3. God's chosen ones are waiting for them. To characterize them, the author of the message uses two different words. First, he calls them firstborns. Well, the first-born son inherits the estate and honor. And, besides, the author says that they names are written in heaven. In ancient times, kings kept lists of citizens loyal to them. Thus, all those whom the Lord has honored and whom He has singled out among His citizens are waiting for Christians.

4. God the Judge is waiting for Christians there. The writer of Hebrews never forgets that Christians must ultimately stand the test of God. Glory awaits them there, but reverent fear of God remains. The New Testament is never in danger of distorting the idea of ​​God in any way, making Him more sentimental.

5. There, finally, the spirits of the righteous, who have achieved perfection and achieved their goals, await them. Once upon a time, the righteous seemed to surround them as they walked towards their goal with an invisible cloud, but now they themselves will partake of them and join them. And they themselves will be among those who are included in the list of honor in heaven.

6. Finally, the writer says that Jesus was the initiator of this new covenant, making this new relationship with God possible. It was He, the perfect High Priest and the perfect sacrifice, who made the inaccessible accessible, and He did this at the cost of His blood. And thus the passage ends with an interesting contrast between the blood of Abel and the blood of Jesus. When innocent Abel was killed, his blood on the ground called for revenge (Gen. 4:10); when the innocent Jesus was killed, His blood opened the way for people to reconciliation. His sacrifice allowed man to enter into an intimate relationship with God.

Once upon a time, people were terrified of the law; their relationship with God was characterized by chilling horror and inaccessibility. But after Jesus came, lived and died, God, who was so far away, became closer to people and the way to His presence was opened.

THE GREAT COMMITMENT (Heb. 12:25-29)

The author of the message continues his contrasts, which now take on the nature of a warning. Moses brought God's message, His immutable truths, to earth. The author uses the word chrematicein, indicating that Moses served only as a transmitter of the immutable truths of God, a mouthpiece through which God spoke, and yet the person who violated these commandments did not escape punishment. The author contrasts Jesus with Moses. In relation to Him he used the word lalein, implying the direct speech of God Himself. Jesus was not just an instrument that conveyed the voice of God, He was the voice of God. Well, since this is so, how much more surely will the punishment befall the one who refuses to obey Him? If a man deserves damnation for not keeping an imperfect message-law, how much more does he deserve it for breaking a perfect gospel-covenant? It is because the Gospel is the complete revelation of God that he who hears it bears a double and terrible responsibility; and his condemnation must be much greater if he violates it.

Further, the author of the message expresses another thought. When the law was given to the people, the earth shook: “Mount Sinai was all smoking because the Lord had descended on it in fire; and smoke rose from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook greatly.” (Ex. 19:18)."Behold the Lord, O earth, tremble; before the God of Jacob" (Ps. 113.7)."The earth shook, even the heavens melted at the presence of God" (Ps. 67:9)."The voice of Thy thunder was in the circle of heaven; lightning illuminated the world; the earth trembled and shook" (Ps. 76:19).

But the author of the message finds another mention of the shaking of the earth in Agg. 2.6. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament we read: “Once again, and this will be soon, I will shake heaven and earth, sea and dry land.” The writer of Hebrews sees this as a notice of the day when our earth will perish and a new age will dawn. On that day everything that can be shaken will be destroyed; Only that which cannot be shaken will remain intact and unharmed, and first of all, our relationship with God.

Everything can perish; the earth, as we know, can be torn from its orbit and life can also cease, but one thing remains unchanged forever: the attitude of Christians towards God.

If so, we have a huge responsibility. We must honor God with reverence and serve Him in fear; for nothing should disturb this relationship, which will be our salvation when this world perishes. And the author of the message ends with one of the menacing quotes that he so often rains down like lightning strikes on his readers. He took this quote from Deut. 4.24. Moses tells them to never forget the covenant they made with God and not fall back into idolatry, because God is a jealous God. People must worship only Him, or they will see in Him a destroying fire. The author of the letter seems to be saying: “You have a choice: remain steadfastly faithful to God, and in the day when the universe is shaken and destroyed to its foundations, your relationship with Him will remain reliable and safe; or deceive Him, and then the God Who Could Be your salvation will become a destructive, consuming fire for you." This is a gloomy thought, but it contains an eternal truth: a person who is unfaithful to God loses everything. In time and in eternity, only loyalty to God matters.

Commentary (introduction) to the entire book of Hebrews

Comments on Chapter 12

There is no other book in the Scriptures about the author of which there would be so much controversy and the inspiration of which would be so indisputable. Conybear and Howson

Introduction

I. SPECIAL MECTO IN THE CANON

Hebrews is unique in the NT in many ways. Its beginning is completely uncharacteristic of the epistolary genre, which cannot be said about the end; it is quite obvious that it was sent either to Italy or from Italy (13:24) and was addressed to a specific group, in all likelihood, Jewish Christians. It has been suggested that it was originally addressed to a small house church and for this reason was not known to large and famous congregations who would have preserved traditions about its origin and addressee. The style of the Epistle is the most literary of all the books of the New Testament. It is poetic, full of quotations from the Septuagint. The author of the Epistle had a large vocabulary and strictly adhered to the rules of the Greek language regarding tense forms of the verb and other details.

Being in some sense very Jewish(it is often compared to the book of Leviticus), writing is very important for Christendom as a warning against leaving the true essence of the death of Christ for empty religious ritual.

The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews is unknown, although in many editions of the Synodal Translation of the Bible the name of the Apostle Paul is present in the title of the book. In the early Eastern Church (Dionysius and Clement, both from Alexandria) it was suggested that the author of the Epistle was Paul. After much hesitation, this point of view prevailed (starting with Athanasius), and in the end the West agreed with it.

However, in our time it is unlikely that anyone would argue that the author of the Epistle was Paul. Origen admitted that content the letters, as well as some details, were characteristically Pavlovian, but the style of the original is completely different from Paul’s style. (This is not, however, excludes the possibility that Paul was its author, because a literary genius can change his style.) Over the centuries, authorship has been attributed to seven different people: Luke, whose style is very similar to that of the Epistle and who was well acquainted with Paul's preaching; Barnabas, Silas, Philip and even Aquila and Priscilla.

Luther suggested that the author was Apollos, a man who was capable of writing a book of similar content and style: he knew the Scriptures of the OT very well and mastered the art of eloquence (he was from Alexandria, which was famous for its school of rhetoric). The argument against this theory is that this is not mentioned in any Alexandrian legend, which would hardly have been possible if a native of Alexandria had written this Epistle.

For some reason, the Lord found it necessary to leave the author's name unknown. It may well be that it was Paul who wrote this letter, but deliberately concealed his authorship due to the prejudice the Jews had towards him. And therefore, no one in all the centuries has added anything to the words of Origen, spoken in antiquity: “Who wrote this Epistle, only God knows with certainty.”

III. WRITING TIME

Although Human, the writer of the Message is unknown, time its spelling can be determined quite accurately.

External evidence suggests its appearance in the first century, since this book was used by Clement of Rome (circa 95). Although Polycarp and Justin Martyr quote from the Epistle, they do not name the author. Dionysius of Alexandria cites Hebrews as the work of Paul, Clement of Alexandria states that Paul wrote the letter in Hebrew and Luke translated it. (However, the book itself does not look like a translation.) Irenaeus and Hippolytus believed that Paul was not the author of the Epistle, while Tertullian believed that Barnabas was the author.

Based internal evidence gives the impression that the author is a second generation Christian (2.3; 13.7), so it is unlikely that it was written Very early, say, simultaneously with the Epistle of James or 1 Thessalonians (cf. 10:32). Since there is no mention of the Jewish Wars (which began in 66 AD) and, apparently, sacrifices were still being performed in the temple (8.4; 9.6; 12.27; 13.10), this letter was written before 66 AD And, without any doubt until the destruction of Jerusalem (70 AD).

Persecution is mentioned, but the believers “have not yet fought to the point of blood.”

If the letter was sent to Italy, then due to the bloody persecutions unleashed by Nero (64 AD), the date of writing of the Epistle moves to mid-64 AD at the latest.

It seems quite probable to us 63-65 AD.

IV. PURPOSE OF WRITING AND TOPIC

Overall, the book of Hebrews deals with the incredible struggles that accompany the transition from one religious system to another. This includes the pain of breaking old ties, the stress and tension of alienation, and the enormous pressure put on the apostate to force him to return.

But the problem at the center of this Message is not simply the transition from the old system to a new one that is equivalent to it. No, the question here was about the transition from Judaism to Christianity and, as the author shows, about leaving the shadow for the sake of substance, the ritual for the sake of the true essence, the preliminary for the final, the temporary for the permanent - in short, the good for the best.

But it was also a problem of moving away from the popular to the unpopular, from the majority to the minority, from the oppressors to the oppressed. And this gave rise to many serious difficulties.

The message was addressed to people of Jewish origin. These Jews heard the Gospel preached by the apostles and evangelists at the dawn of the Church, and saw the great miracles of the Holy Spirit that supported this preaching. They responded to the Good News in different ways.

Some believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and sincerely converted to Christianity.

Some claimed to have become Christians, were baptized, and took their place in local communities. Yet they were never regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God.

Others resolutely rejected the message of salvation.

The Message deals with the first two groups - Jews who truly found salvation, but who were far from Christianity.

When a Jew abandoned the faith of his fathers, he was looked upon as a renegade and apostate (“meshumed”), and faced one or more punishments: - disinheritance; - exclusion from the religious brotherhood of Israel; - job loss; - deprivation of property; - "psycho-terror" and physical torture; - becoming an object of universal ridicule; - imprisonment; - martyrdom.

There remained, of course, a road to retreat. If he renounces Christ and returns to Judaism, he will be freed from further persecution. Between the lines of this Message we read about some of the arguments that were used to convince the “renegade” to return to Judaism: - the rich traditions of the prophets; - the outstanding ministry of angels in the history of the ancient people of God; - intimacy with the famous lawgiver Moses; - national ties connecting a Jew with the brilliant military leader Joshua; - the glory of the Aaronic priesthood; - The Holy of Holies, the place chosen by God to dwell among His people; - the covenant of law given by God through Moses; - the God-ordained structure of the sanctuary and the magnificent veil; - services in the sanctuary and especially the ritual on the great Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur - the most important day in the Jewish calendar).

Before our eyes vividly rises the image of a Jew who lived at the dawn of our era, who describes all the glory of his ancient, rich in rituals religion, and then with a contemptuous grin asks: “What do you, Christians, have? We have all this. What do you have?” you? Nothing but an unpretentious upper room and a table with bread and wine on it! Do you really mean to say that you left all that for the sake of this?"

The book of Hebrews is actually an answer to the question: "What do you have?" And this answer is formulated in one word: "Christ". In him we have:

- The One who is greater than the prophets;

- The One who is greater than the angels;

- One who is greater than Moses;

- One who is greater than Joshua;

- Him whose priesthood is higher than the priesthood of Aaron;

- One who serves in a much better sanctuary;

- The One who introduced a much better covenant;

- Him Whose type was the construction of the tabernacle and the veil;

- The One whose sacrifice of Himself, completed once and for all, stands above the repeated sacrifices of bulls and goats.

Just as the stars fade in the rays of a sun brighter than themselves, so the types and shadows of Judaism fade in the rays of a more glorious person and work of the Lord Jesus than themselves.

But there was also the problem of persecution.

Those who declared their affiliation with the Lord Jesus faced fierce fanatical opposition. In view of this, true believers were in danger of losing heart and falling into despair. This means that they needed to be encouraged, encouraged not to lose faith in the promises of God. They must endure everything patiently in view of the coming reward.

Those who merely called themselves Christians were in danger of apostasy. Having once declared that they had accepted Christ, they could now categorically renounce Him and return to ritual religion. This is tantamount to trampling the Son of God underfoot, desecrating His Blood and insulting the Holy Spirit. There was no repentance or forgiveness for such a deliberate sin. The book of Hebrews warns against this sin again and again. 2:1 says that he who commits this sin disappears from the message of Christ; in 3:7-19 - that he rebels against God, or hardens his heart.

In 6.6 it is named fallen away or an apostate. In 10.25 this sin is called sin leaving the meeting, in 10.26 - sin arbitrary, or intentional. In 12:16 this sin is spoken of as selling his birthright for one food. Finally, at 12.25 he is named refusal to listen The One who speaks from heaven. But all these warnings are directed against different aspects of the same sin - sin apostasy.

The book of Hebrews is as relevant today as it was in the early days of the Church.

We need constant reminders of the eternal privileges and blessings that are ours in Christ. We need exhortation to endure everything patiently, regardless of any difficulties or opposition. All who call themselves Christians need a warning: do not return to ritual religion after you have tasted and seen how good the Lord is.

Plan

I. THE SUPERIORITY OF THE PERSON OF JESUS ​​(1.1 - 4.13)

A. The superiority of Jesus over the prophets (1:1-3)

B. The superiority of Jesus over the angels (1.4 - 2.18)

C. The superiority of Jesus over Moses and Joshua (3.1 - 4.13)

II. THE SUPERIORITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF JESUS ​​(4.14 - 10.18)

A. The superiority of the high priesthood of Jesus over the high priesthood of Aaron (4:14 - 7:28)

B. The Superiority of Jesus' Ministry over Aaron's (Chapter 8)

C. The superiority of Christ's sacrifice over the sacrifices of the Old Testament (9.1 - 10.18)

III. WARNING AND ADSURES (10.19 - 13.17)

A. Warning not to despise Christ (10:19-39)

B. An exhortation to faith using examples from the Old Testament (Chapter 11)

C. An Exhortation to Trust in Christ (Chapter 12)

D. Exhortation on various Christian virtues (13:1-17)

IV. FINAL BLESSING (13,18-25)

C. An Exhortation to Trust in Christ (Chapter 12)

12,1 We should not forget that this Epistle was written to persecuted and persecuted people. Leaving Judaism for Christianity, they encountered fierce resistance. The danger was great that they would interpret suffering as a sign of God's displeasure. They could lose heart and give up. Worse, they might be tempted to return to the temple and its rituals.

They should not have considered their suffering unique. Many of the witnesses described in chapter 11 suffered greatly because of their faithfulness to the Lord and yet endured. If they, not endowed with such enormous privileges as we, were able to show unshakable endurance, then what great patience should we, who have received all the benefits of Christianity, show? They surround us like great cloud of witnesses. This Not means that they are observing what is happening on earth. They witness to us through their lives of faith and patience and set an example for us to follow.

When reading this verse, the question invariably arises: “Can the saints in heaven see our life on earth or know what is in our hearts?” The only thing that can be stated with certainty is that they know when any sinner is saved: “I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of salvation.” repentance" (Luke 15:7).

The life of a Christian is a marathon race that requires discipline and endurance. We must throw away without regret everything that will hinder our movement. These can be things that, although harmless in themselves, nevertheless hinder progress: property, family ties, love of convenience, heavy lifting, etc. There are no words in the rules of the Olympic Games that prohibit an athlete from taking with him supply of provisions, but then he will not be able to win the race.

We have to overthrow oneself And sin besetting us. Any sin can be implied here, but especially the sin of unbelief. We must have complete faith in the promises of God, fully confident that the life of faith will certainly prevail.

The one in great danger is the one who believes that our field- not a particularly burdensome little exercise that everything in the Christian life is painted in rosy tones. We must be willing to move forward through trials and temptations.

12,2 Throughout the race we must, ignoring everything else, keep our eyes on Jesus, the most important of all those who have passed this distance. A. B. Bruce writes: “It is immediately apparent that Odin stands far above all the rest... The man who was the first to perfectly realize the idea of ​​living by faith... resignedly enduring the cruel torment of the cross and, despite its shame, strengthened by faith, which so vividly saw the coming joy and glory that erased the awareness of the pain and shame now experienced."(A. B. Bruce, Hebrews, pp. 415-416.)

He - boss our faith in the sense that he gave us the only perfect example of what the life of faith should be.

He - performer our faith. He not only started this race, but also came to the finish line as a winner. The route of His race ran from heaven to Bethlehem, then to Gethsemane and Calvary, then to the grave and again to heaven.

Not once did He stumble or try to turn back. His eyes were fixed on the coming glory when all the redeemed would be with Him throughout eternity. This gave Him the strength not to think about shame and to endure suffering and death. Today He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

12,3 Here the picture changes from a race to a battle with sin. Our undaunted commander is the Lord Jesus; no one has yet suffered such a reproach against Himself, How is he. Whenever we are in danger become exhausted And weaken your soul we need to think about what He had to go through. Compared to this, all our troubles will seem trivial.

12,4 We are engaged in an endless battle with sin. But we still They didn’t fight until they bled, that is, not to death. He's dead!

12,5 Here is a Christian view of suffering. Why do persecutions, trials, illness, pain, grief and troubles invade the life of a believer? Do they signify God's anger or disapproval? Or does this happen by chance? How should we respond to them? These verses teach us that suffering is an integral part of the education of God's children.

Even though they do not come from God, He allows them into our lives and then takes control of them - to His glory, for our benefit and the blessing of others.

Nothing happens to a Christian by chance. Tragedies are blessings in disguise, and disappointments are an invitation to come to Him.

God uses life's adverse circumstances to transform us into the image of Christ.

So, the author instructs the first Jewish Christians to remember the words from the book of Proverbs (3:11-12), where God addresses them as sons. There He warns them not to despise His punishment and not to lose courage when confronted by His reproof. If they resist or give in, then the benefit of His educational measures will be reduced to zero, and they will not be able to learn anything.

12,6 Reading words such as “punishes”, “punishment”, we immediately think of punishment. But here punishment only means teaching, or raising, a child. The components of this process are instruction, punishment, correction and prevention. Their main goal is to cultivate Christian virtues and eradicate evil. In these verses, punishment is not punishment for wrongdoing, but education through persecution. These verses from Proverbs clearly state that God's discipline is a proof of His love, and none of His sons can escape it.

12,7 Obediently accepting God's punishment, we allow His discipline to mold us into His image. If we try to hinder His educational measures, He will have to teach us further, using more effective, and therefore harsher, methods. In God's school there are also several levels, and we move to the next grade only when we have mastered the educational material of the previous one.

Therefore, when trials come upon us, we must realize that God treats us as sons.

If there is a normal relationship between father and son, then the father raises his son because he loves him and wishes him well. God loves us too much to let our development take its course.

12,8 In the spiritual realm, those who have not known the discipline of God - illegitimate children, not having with Him sons nothing in common. After all, the gardener does not prune the weeds, he prunes the vines. In this, the spiritual world lives by the same rules as the natural world.

12,9 Many of us were punished by our carnal parents. But we did not interpret this as a manifestation of hatred towards us. We understood that they cared about our well-being and respected them.

How much more We must show respect to education Father of spirits to live! God - Father(or Source) of all beings who are spirits or who have a spirit.

Man is a spirit living in a human body. By submitting to God, we can enjoy life in the true sense of the word.

12,10 The disciplinary measures of earthly parents are far from perfect. They are effective only for a limited period of time, that is, during childhood and adolescence. If they were not successful at that time, then they will no longer be useful. These measures were taken according to their will, according to what the parents thought was right. Sometimes they were quite mistaken about this.

God's punishment is always perfect. His love is endless, His wisdom is infallible. He never punishes according to His whim, but always - For our benefits. His goal is that we may share in His holiness.

Righteousness cannot be found anywhere except in the school of God.

Jowett notes: “The purpose of God’s punishment is not to punish, but to create. He punishes so that we may have a share in His holiness. The phrase “that we may have” contains a hidden indication of direction, and it points to a purified, ennobled life. The fire He kindled is not a bonfire, blazing carelessly and carelessly and devouring valuable things; it is a flame burning in the refining furnace, and near it sits the brickmaker, unflinchingly, patiently and tenderly melting holiness out of carelessness and stability out of weakness. God always creates, even when he uses the dim means of grace. He produces the fruits and flowers of the Spirit. His love is always in search of the beautiful."(J.H. Jowett, Life in the Heights, pp. 247-248.)

12,11 Right now, every punishment hurts. But after learning through him it produces the peaceful fruit of righteousness. This is why testimonies like Leslie Weatherhead's confession are often found: “Like everyone, I adore the sunny heights of life, replete with health, happiness and success, but in the dank darkness of fear and defeat, I learned much more about God and about myself than I could have learned by basking in the sun’s rays. After all, treasures are hidden in darkness. This darkness, thank God, passes. But what you learned in it remains with you forever. “The trials,” wrote Bishop Fenelon, “which, as it seems to you, have become between you and God, will turn into bonds even stronger connecting you to Him if you walk through them in humility. Everything that shakes us to the core and hurts our pride brings us more benefit than that which inspires and encourages us.”(Leslie Weatherhead, Prescription for Anxiety, p. 32.)

Consider the testimony of C. H. Spurgeon: “I’m afraid that all the grace that I knew in my happy hours and minutes, free from worries and worries, would fit in the palms of children. But all the good that I brought out of times of sorrow, pain and sadness is truly immense. There is "Do I have anything good that hammer and anvil would not work on? Sorrow and disaster are the best decoration for my home."(C. H. Spurgeon, "Choice Gleanings Calendar.")

12,12 When faced with adverse circumstances in life, believers should not give up; their weakened faith may have a negative impact on others. Hanging hands must be fortified to serve the living Christ. Weak knees must gain strength for persistent prayer.

12,13 Limping legs should be aimed at straight paths of Christian discipleship. Williams writes: “Everyone who follows the Lord Jesus with all his heart tramples down this path for weak brothers; but he who does not follow Him always and in everything leaves ruts and potholes behind him and gives birth to spiritual cripples.”(George Williams, The Student"s Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, p. 989.)

G. H. Lang illustrated it this way: “Tired by the road and exhausted by the gusts of the storm, the traveler stopped, seized by the deepest despondency, shackled by lack of will. His shoulders are drooping, his arms are weak, his knees are buckling - he is ready to give up and sink to the ground. According to the author, a pilgrim of God can reach such a state. But now Another traveler approaches him and, radiating confidence, with a kind smile and firmness in his voice, says: “Cheer up, straighten up, stand firmly on your feet, gather your courage. You've already come a long way, don't give up what you earned through hard work. At the end of the road a palace awaits you. Look: there is a direct road to it; walk straight on it; ask the great Physician to heal you from your infirmities... Our Master has already walked this same difficult path to the palace of God; many before you have walked along it to the end; many are still on the way; you are not alone. Just don’t give up, keep going, and you will reach your goal and receive your reward.” Happy is he who knows with what words to strengthen the weary (Isa. 50:4). Happy is he who accepts words of exhortation (Heb. 13:22). And Thrice happy is he whose faith is so strong and simple that he does not doubt the Lord when His punishment is severe.”(G. H. Lang, The Epistle to the Hebrews, pp. 240-241.)

12,14 A Christian should do his best try to have peace with everyone people and at all times. But this instruction takes on particular importance during periods of persecution, when some leave the faith, when nerves are tense. At such moments, there is a great temptation to give vent to your disappointment and fear by lashing out at those closest to you.

We should also strive to holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Oh what holiness does it say here? To find the answer to this question, it is necessary to remember that, speaking of the holiness of believers, the NT lists at least three types of it.

First of all, when converted, the believer gains holiness as far as he is concerned provisions before God; he is separated from the world for God (1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11). Through his unity with Christ he is sanctified forever. This is what Martin Luther meant when he said, “My holiness is in heaven.” Christ is our holiness as it pertains to our standing before God.

Is there some more practical sanctification (1 Thess. 4:3; 5:23). This is what we have to do day after day. We must move away from evil in all its forms. This holiness must increase, that is, we must become more and more like the Lord Jesus.

And finally there is perfect, or complete, consecration. It will be accomplished when the believer goes to heaven. There he will be freed from sin forever. His old nature will disappear, and his condition will be completely consistent with his position.

So, which one? holiness should we strive? We are undoubtedly talking about practical holiness. We do not need to strive for the holiness of our position before God: we acquire it automatically when we are born again. Nor do we strive for perfect holiness, which we will receive when we see His face. But practical or progressive holiness cannot be achieved without our obedience and cooperation. We must constantly work on this holiness. The fact that we must strive for it shows that in this life we ​​will never master it in its entirety. (For a more detailed description of the various aspects of sanctification, see the commentary on verse 2:11.)

Wust writes: “The author addresses the born-again Jews who left the temple with the instruction to live so holy, to hold on to their newfound faith so tenaciously, that the unsaved Jews who also left the temple and seemingly accepted the truth of the New Testament would gain the strength to continue on their path to faith "into the Messiah as High Priest, instead of returning to the abolished sacrifices of the Levitical system. He warns these truly regenerate Jews lest by their limp in the Christian life they encourage the unsaved Jews to stray from the true path."(Wuest, Hebrews, p. 222.)

But the difficulty still remains! Is it really impossible for us to see the Lord without practical sanctification? Yes, to some extent this is true; but let us not interpret these words in such a way that we can earn the right to see the Lord by living holy. Our only ticket to heaven is Jesus Christ. This same verse says that practical holiness should be a proof that a person has gained new life. If someone does not grow in holiness, they do not have salvation. If the Holy Spirit lives in a person, then He declares His presence by moving away from evil. The cause-and-effect principle reigns here: where Christ was accepted, rivers of living water will flow.

12,15 The next two verses seem to present four specific sins to be avoided. But at the same time, it is quite clear from the context that this is another warning against the sin of apostasy and that these four sins are most directly related to it.

Apostasy is, first of all, deprivation of oneself God's grace.

A man may appear to be a Christian by his appearance, and by his words, and by his name, but he has never been born again. He came close to the Savior, but did not accept Him; he is very close to Him and at the same time so far from Him.

Apostasy - bitter root A person turns away from the Lord with bitterness and renounces the Christian faith. His wickedness is contagious. By his complaints, doubts and denials are desecrated and others.

12,16 Apostasy is closely related to immorality. Anyone who calls himself a Christian can fall into the terrible sin of debauchery. Instead of admitting his guilt, he blames the Lord for everything and turns away from Him. The connection between apostasy and sexual sins is spoken of in 2 Peter 2:10/14/18 and Jude 8:16/18.

Finally, apostasy is a form of unbelief, as exemplified by Esau. For him, the birthright had no value; he readily exchanged it for a temporary satisfaction of hunger.

12,17 Esau later regretted losing his eldest son's right to a double share of the inheritance, but it was too late.

His father could not cancel the blessing.

So is the apostate. He does not value spiritual treasures very highly. He is ready to renounce Christ just to avoid reproaches, suffering or martyrdom. It is no longer possible to renew him through repentance. If we achieve anything, it will be only regret, and not repentance.

12,18 All who are tempted to return to the law should remember the horrifying events that accompanied the transmission of the law to the Israelites and learn spiritual lessons from them. Then it was a mountain Sinai, real, tangible, burning with fire.

She was hidden by a veil, or veil, through which everything was seen blurry, vague and unclear. A terrible storm broke out at the foot of the mountain.

12,19 To these natural disasters were added terrible supernatural phenomena. rang out trumpet sound, And voice thundered so threateningly that people began to beg for him to be silent.

12,20 Divine verdict that if the beast touches the mountain, he will be stoned, deprived them of all presence of mind. They understood that if this brought death to a dumb, thoughtless animal, then what can we say about those who understood this warning? (The words “or pierced by an arrow” are absent from most manuscripts, including the most ancient ones. Most likely they were added later.)

12,21 This vision was so terrible and it's scary that even Moses was in awe. All this eloquently testifies to the nature and ministry of the law. This is a revelation of God's righteous demands and His wrath against sin. The purpose of the law is not to give knowledge of salvation, but awareness of sin. He points to the gap between God and man that has opened up because of sin. This is a ministry of condemnation, darkness and gloom.

12,22 The believers proceeded not to the awe-inspiring horrors of Sinai, but to the radiant warmth of grace:

Mountain burning with fire, mystical cover
Disappeared forever along with our horror and guilt,
And conscience knew eternal peace and tranquility,
For there on high the Lamb sat on the throne.

(James G. Dec)

Now every blood-bought child
God can say: "All the terrors of the law and of God
They have nothing to do with me;
Obedience and the Blood of my Savior
Covered up all my crimes."

(O. M. Toplady)

"Essentially, we already We have arrived where we will actually remain for all eternity. The future has entered the present.

In today's day we own the future. On earth we own the heavens" ("Selected").

We do not come to a tangible mountain on earth. We are privileged to enter the sanctuary in heaven. By faith we draw near to God in confession, praise and prayer. We are not limited to just one day of the year, but can enter the Holy of Holies at any time in the full confidence that we will always find a warm welcome. God no longer says: “Don’t you dare come closer.”

He says, "Come without fear."

Law has its own Mount Sinai, but faith has itss. Mount Zion. This heavenly mountain symbolizes the combination of all the blessings of grace - all that has become ours through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The law has an earthly Jerusalem, but faith has hail heavenly. This city ​​of the living God, a city that has a foundation, the Artist and Builder of which is God.

When we enter into God's presence, we find ourselves in the midst of a most magnificent meeting. First of all, we are surrounded by myriads of angels who, although untainted by sin, cannot join in our hymn because they have not known the joy of salvation.

12,23 Then we get to the meeting firstborns written in heaven.

These are members Churches, The bodies and Brides of Christ who died after the day of Pentecost and now consciously enjoy the presence of the Lord. They await the day when their bodies will rise from the grave in glorified form and be reunited with their spirit.

By faith we see The judge of all is God.

He is no longer hidden by darkness and gloom; to the gaze of faith His glory is dazzling.

There are the saints of the Old Testament, the spirits of the righteous who have achieved perfection. Justified by faith, they stand in spotless purity, because the whole value of Christ's work is credited to their account. They also await the moment when the grave will give up what has been stored in it for centuries and they will receive glorified bodies.

12,24 There and Jesus, Mediator of the New Testament. There is a big difference between Moses as the mediator of the Old Covenant and Jesus as the Mediator of the New Covenant. Moses served as a mediator simply by receiving the law from God and transmitting it to the people of Israel. In performing the sacrifice that sealed the covenant, he was the representative of the people.

Christ the Mediator New Testament in an incomparably higher sense. Before God could make this covenant on a righteous basis, the Lord Jesus had to die. He had to seal this covenant with His own Blood, to give Himself as a ransom for many (1 Tim. 2:6).

By His death He secured the blessings of the new covenant for His people. His endless life is their guarantee of these blessings.

By His service at the right hand of God He guards His people to enjoy these blessings in a hostile world. All these are components of His work as Mediator.

Marked by the wounds of Calvary, the Lord Jesus was exalted to take his place at the right hand of God as Prince and Savior.

Oh, how I love to look at Him,
In the height of heaven, seated on the throne.
Soon the saints will share in all His glory,
The Lamb who ascended the cross of Golgotha.

(James G. Dec)

Finally there is Blood of sprinkling, speaking better, than the blood of Abel.

By ascending, Christ presented all value to God Blood, poured out by Him on the cross. There is no reason to believe that He literally brought His Blood into heaven, but the virtues of His Blood became known in the sanctuary. J. G. Dec expressed this truth in verse:

His precious Blood
The throne was sprinkled;
His wounds were announced to all heaven,
That the work of salvation is completed.

His precious Blood contrasted with blood Abel. Whether we understand by Abel's blood the blood of his sacrifice or his own, shed by Cain, the voice of the Blood of Christ sounds much more merciful. The blood of Abel's sacrifice said: "Temporarily covered", the Blood of Jesus proclaims: "Forgiven forever."

The blood of Abel screamed: "Vengeance!" The blood of Jesus cries out: "Mercy, forgiveness, peace."

12,25 The final verses of chapter 12 compare God's revelation at Sinai with His revelation in and through Christ. The unparalleled privileges and glories of the Christian faith are not to be taken lightly. God speaks, invites, persuades. To reject Him means to perish.

12,26 At Sinai, the voice of God caused an earthquake. But when He speaks in the future, His voice will shake the heavens. This is exactly what was predicted by the prophet Ageus (2:6): "...once again, and this will be soon, I will shake heaven and earth, sea and dry land."

This upheaval will take place between the rapture and the end of Christ's kingdom. Before Christ comes to establish His Kingdom, heaven and earth will be shaken by a series of natural disasters. The planets will leave their orbits, which, in turn, will cause huge tsunamis in the oceans and cause the sea to overflow its banks. Then, at the end of the Millennial reign of Christ, a terrible heat will destroy the earth, heaven and space (2 Pet. 3:10-12).

12,27 Speaking "again", God foretold the complete and final destruction of heaven and earth. This event will shatter to smithereens the myth about the reality of only what we can see and touch, what we can control, and therefore the unreality of everything invisible. When the hesitation and upheaval are over, only that which was truly real will remain.

12,28 All caught up in the tangible, visible rituals of Judaism clung to things that would be shaken. True believers have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. This should inspire us to the most earnest worship and admiration. We must continually praise Him with awe and fear.

12,29 God is a consuming fire for all who refuse to listen to Him. But even for God's people, His holiness and righteousness are so great that they should inspire the deepest reverence and reverence in our hearts.

. Therefore we also, having such a cloud of witnesses around us, let us lay aside every burden and every one that easily troubles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

“In the same way, we too, with such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, have laid aside every burden and made it easy to commit sin, let us persevere with patience to the task that is set before us.”. Everywhere, says the Apostle, examples of piety stand before us, and such a multitude, like a cloud in density, testifies to the power of faith. Therefore, by looking at them, let us ease ourselves into the flow and throw off the burden of unnecessary worries. In this way we will be able to avoid the sin that is conveniently committed. But above all else, we need patience in order to win the upcoming feat. The Apostle called “convenient” “detailed” as an easily committed and abiding sin, because the eye is deceived by the bait, and the ear is delighted, and the sense of touch is tickled, and the tongue is very greedy, and the thought is eager for the worse. But the Apostle also represents the most important Prototype.

. looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

"Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith". The Apostle said both things about Christ according to His humanity.

“Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, being careless of its shame, but sits at the right hand of the throne of God.”. He could not have suffered, says the Apostle, if he had wished this, but he suffered suffering and after suffering he will sit with the Father who begot Him.

. Think about Him who endured such reproach from sinners, so that you do not grow weary and weakened in your souls.

“Consider such a one who suffered from a sinner on them" “controversy, but not the cold, weakening our souls”. This: “on them” (είζ έαύτούζ), it is said instead: on themselves (είζ έαύτούζ). “Consider,” says the Apostle, within yourself, the great “controversy” the Lord of all suffered “from the sinner.” From this you will receive sufficient consolation. Then the Apostle offers them stronger healing.

. You have not yet fought to the point of blood, struggling against sin.

. and have forgotten the consolation that is offered to you as sons: my son! do not despise the Lord’s punishment, and do not lose heart when He reproaches you.

. For the Lord punishes whomever he loves; he beats every son whom he receives.

“It is not for the sake of shelter that you strive against sin”, “and you have forgotten the consolation that he says to you as if he were a son: my son, do not suffer from the punishment of the Lord, let us not weaken, we will be rebuked by Him.”. “For the Lord loves him and punishes him: he beats every son who accepts him.”(). This is not contrary to what was said before. For there the Apostle testified of them that they received them with pleasure "robbery of estates" and courageously endured reproaches for piety (), but here he condemns them as weakening. By the way, he said: “It’s not for shelter, it’s struggling against sin”, comparatively showing what they lack against those who “Slaying Bysh with stones, and slaying Bysh, and killing Bysh with the sword”. Then, recalling the admonition taken from the parable, the Apostle added:

. If you endure punishment, then he treats you like sons. For is there any son whom his father does not punish?

. If you remain without punishment, which is common to everyone, then you are illegitimate children, not sons.

“Even if you endure the punishment”(if you bravely endure the punishments imposed), “Just as God is found to you as a son: who is a son, who is not punished by his father?” “If you are without punishment, then all are partakers of Him; for you are naturally adulterers, and not sons.”. Fathers, says the Apostle, have the custom of punishing legitimate children and, seeing that teachers beat them, are not upset, because they see the fruit of punishment. They neglect illegitimate children and do not deign them with equal care. Therefore, if you also evade punishment, then you are one of the illegitimate children.

. Moreover, if we, being punished by our carnal parents, were afraid of them, then should we not much more submit to the Father of spirits in order to live?

“For this, our fathers had punishments for our flesh, and we were put to shame: shall we not much more obey the Father in the Spirit, and live?” Accepting the punishment imposed by the carnal fathers, shall we not love the punishment imposed by the spiritual Father? And the Apostle called the spiritual Father “Spiritual Father,” as the source of spiritual gifts, with which he gave us the dignity of sonship. Then he shows the difference in punishment.

. They punished us arbitrarily for a few days; and He is for our benefit, so that we may share in His holiness.

“For in a few days, as old as they were, they commanded: This is for good, that we may partake of His holy things.”. About the carnal he said: “What a year”; because not everyone teaches useful things. But speaking about God, he showed the fruit of punishment; for he says: “He is pleased to make us saints and partakers of His holiness.” Then it is expressed definitively.

. Any punishment at the present time seems not to be joy, but sadness; but afterwards he brings to those who are taught the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

“Any punishment at the present time does not seem to be a joy of being, but sadness: after all, the fruit of peace brings righteousness to those who have learned.”. The beginnings of all learning are regrettable and extremely distressing, but they bear amazing fruits: peace according to God and praiseworthy righteousness.

So the Lord said that “There is a narrow gate, and a strait path enter into the belly” ().

. So strengthen your drooping hands and weak knees.

. And walk straight with your feet, so that what is lame may not be turned aside, but rather be made straight.

“Also correct weak arms and weak knees”: “And make right paths with your feet, so that the lame may not go astray, but rather may he be healed.”. In this the Apostle brought something else from parables, and another from the prophecy of Isaiah; for this: “Create right paths with your feet”, - teaches the instruction placed in parables (); and this: “Be strong, weak hands and weakened knees”, said the prophet Isaiah (). And this divine Apostle makes it clear that those who were weakened by many dangers became slower on the path of piety. This is enough to overthrow Novatova’s arrogance. For the Apostle strengthens those who labored gloriously, then became weak, and heals them with the healing benefits of repentance, saying: “the lame,” and promising healing. He also offers them the rules of active virtue.

. Try to have peace with everyone and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

"Have peace with everyone". He said this in the Epistle to the Romans: “If it is possible,” he says, “From you, have peace with all people”(). Do your thing; show diligence.

"And the shrine" also “No one else will see the Lord.” The Apostle called chastity “holy.” And even those living in marriage can succeed in it; for “Marriage is honorable, and the bed is undefiled: but God judges the fornicator and the adulterer.” ().

. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness spring up and cause harm, and lest many become defiled by it.

“Be careful that no one falls short of the grace of God”. Have care not only for yourselves, but also for each other, and support those who hesitate, and heal those who need guidance.

“Let some root of sorrow spring up and do dirty tricks, and thereby many will be defiled.”. He also wrote this to the Corinthians: “Don’t you know how little kvass leaves the whole mixture?”()? “The root” of “sorrow” he called both evil teachings and corrupt life. For this is what he added:

. So that there may not be any fornicator or wicked person among you, who, like Esau, would renounce his birthright for one meal.

“Let no one be a fornicator or a defiler like Esau, who gave his birthright for one poison.”. "By the fornication of Esau" The apostle named gluttony, because because of it Esau gave the blessing of the firstborn. But the one who calls Esau’s lawless marriage the fornication of Esau, because he took foreign wives for himself, will not sin either.

. For you know that after this he, desiring to inherit the blessing, was rejected; I could not change my father’s thoughts, although I asked him to do so with tears.

“I know that even then, having wanted to inherit the blessing, I was quickly rejected: for I found no place for repentance, even though I sought it with tears.”. And Novatov’s followers honor this with their weapons, but they will be struck by their own arrows. For Esau wept, not offering repentance, but envying his brother’s well-being. Cain suffered the same thing; for it is said: "his face disappeared"(), but not because he made a bad sacrifice, but because he saw his brother as preferred by God’s determination. This was also implied by the divine Apostle in what he said; for he says: “You will not find a place for repentance”, that is, he did not find the path to repentance, and he shed tears not because he intended evil, and he lamented not about sin, but about Jacob’s good fate. His words testify to this; for he said: “Let the days of my father’s mourning draw near, so that Jacob may kill my brother.”(). It was not without intention that the divine Apostle mentioned Esau, but teaching that he, being the firstborn, was deprived of blessings for gluttony and evil behavior, and the Jews, distinguished by their birthright and enslaved for gluttony to the excesses of the law, lost salvation, and the pagans are a new people for whom Jacob served as a type - they took advantage of the birthright. Therefore, the Apostle instructs the Jewish believers not to compete with the iniquity of the firstborn, but to share in the blessing of the younger people. Starting from here, the Apostle turns his speech to another comparison, showing the superiority of the benefits taught by the Lord Christ.

. You have not approached a mountain that is tangible and blazing with fire, nor have you approached darkness and gloom and storm.

. Not to the sound of the trumpet and the voice of verbs, which those who heard asked that the word should no longer be continued to them.

“Do not approach the tangible mountain, and the burning fire, and the cloud, and the darkness, and the storm.”, “and to the sound of the trumpet and to the voice of the word, which they who heard denied, lest the word be added to them.”.

. For they could not endure what was commanded: if an animal touches the mountain, it will be stoned (or struck with an arrow).

. And this vision was so terrible that Moses said: “I am in fear and trembling.”

“I can’t stand the one who commands: Even if a beast touches the mountain, he will be stoned to death.”(cf.): “And such is the fear of what is visible, Moses said: I am afraid and trembling.”. It was terrible, says the Apostle, what happened on Mount Sinai: visible fire, smoke swirling everywhere, darkness, darkness, storm and terrible sounds of the trumpet. And this created so much fear that not only the people said to the God-wise Prophet: “Thou shalt speak with us, and let not God speak unto us.”(), but the legislator himself, being afraid, says: “I am fearful and trembling”. And the Apostle showed what was terrible, but did not reveal what the fruit was from this. He said: “visible” (φαvταζόμεvοv, represented), because the Jews did not see the God of all, but a certain representation of God’s coming. Finally the Apostle reveals the purpose of grace and says:

. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem and ten thousand angels.

. To the triumphant council and church of the firstborn, written in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous who have reached perfection.

. And to the Mediator of the new covenant, Jesus, and to the sprinkled Blood, which speaks better than Abel.

“But approach Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and the host of angels.”, "to the triumph of the Church of the firstborn in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to those who are righteous in the Spirit" “and to the Mediator of the new covenant, Jesus, and the sprinkling of blood, which speaks better than Abel’s”. There, says the Apostle, there is fear, but here there is celebration and celebration; this was on earth, and this is in heaven; there are thousands of people, and here “thousands of Angels”; there are infidels and lawless, but here "The church of the firstborn in heaven, written, and the spirits of the righteous that are perfect"; there is the old covenant, here the new; there the servant is an intercessor, here the Son; there is the blood of dumb animals, here is the Blood of the verbal Lamb. This: “she who speaks better than Abel”, means: blood, broadcasting through deeds and showing its own effectiveness, because the blood of Abel is praised, and this brings about the salvation of people. And the Apostle called the elect “firstborn,” because the firstborn, according to the law, received a double portion of the inheritance. The Apostle said this, both showing their superiority and ordering them to proceed with greater diligence.

. See that you do not turn away from the speaker. If those who did not listen to Him who spoke on earth did not escape punishment, then much less will we escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven.

“Be careful that you do not deny the Verbal One. If they have not escaped those who have denied the things prophesied on earth, much more have we been those who have denied the things of heaven.”. Because they said: “Thou shalt speak with us, and let not God speak unto us.”(), then the Apostle commands believers not to compete with the rudeness of their ancestors, not to leave the Lord like them, not to resort to a servant, not to choose Moses instead of God and not to remain with the old instead of the new, moreover, he says, and not from heaven, but on Mount Sinai gave them the law, and we await the coming of the Lord from heaven. And teaching that the lawgiver of both the old and the new is one, the Apostle added:

. Whose voice then shook the earth, and Who now made this promise: Once again I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.

“His voice then shook the earth”. For the mountain shook, making the presence of God known.

“Now I made a promise, saying: with one more I will shake not only the earth, but also the sky.”. He, says the Apostle, then shook the earth; He predicted that he would shake the earth and the sky.

. The words “once again” signify the change of what is shaken as if it were created, so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

“And even if they are still one, says the change of those who are shaken, so that those who are created may remain, even if they are immovable.”. Earthquakes, says the Apostle, are frequent, and therefore the word “one” means both a certain revolution in things, and the transition of the perishable into something better, which will already have a permanent nature.

. Therefore, we, having received a kingdom that cannot be shaken, will keep grace, with which we will serve God acceptably, with reverence and fear.

“In the same way, the kingdom is unshakably accepting, and the imams have grace, with which we serve God pleasingly with reverence and fear.”. The Apostle used the word “unshakable” instead of: unceasing. He showed how one should serve God. Then he brings God’s words to memory, making them more zealous through fear.

. Because ours is a consuming fire.

“For... our God is a consuming fire” (). And again offers moral instruction.

B. Final Warning (Chapter 12)

The author concludes the main arguments and evidence he presented with the last instruction and warning in the message. In his usual manner, the moralizing part follows from the “explanatory” part that precedes it. Following this consideration of living by faith is another call to perseverance.

1. INTRODUCTORY INSTRUCTION (12:1-2)

Heb. 12:1-2. Life by faith is sufficiently and convincingly “attested” by a cloud of witnesses from the Old Testament. This means that modern believers should also run with patience (compare 10:32,36; 12:2-3,7) the race that is set before them, rejecting everything that hinders them in this, and above all their clinging sin (in Greek rather, “a sin that serves as a trap”). At the same time, Jesus remains their highest role model (no matter how attractive any of the Old Testament characters may look).

After all, Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. He is called “chief” here in the sense that he was the first to follow the path of faith that Christians should follow. Jesus is called the “accomplisher” (i.e., the one who has achieved perfection) because he triumphantly walked this path to the end. At the same time, He looked at the joy that was set before Him (a hint of it is contained in 1:9, which implies His acquisition of the eternal throne). And the believers who are to share this joy should also look at it.

After Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame, He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (compare 1:3; 8:1; 10:12), thus foreshadowing the last and final victory - for Himself and those who believe in Him (compare 1:13-14) .

2. A REMINDER THAT THINGS ARE NOT AS WORSE AS THEY APPEAR (12:3-11)

There is nothing more natural for a person than to exaggerate the severity of his trials. But the author of the message would not want this to happen to his readers.

Heb. 12:3-4. If they think about Jesus, Who endured such... reproach from sinners, they will certainly strengthen their spirit. In the end, unlike Him, they had not yet shed blood, fighting against sins (here, probably, it means “against sinful people” who opposed them, and hardly against their own sin, which they should have resisted in every possible way, holding on to his Christian confession of faith).

Heb. 12:5-8. The author reproaches his readers for forgetting the words of consolation offered to them, which are contained in Prov. 3:11-12. These verses view the Lord's discipline as evidence of His love. So they should not be discouraged, suffering the punishment that certifies their sonship. For it is a means of preparing them for "the glory of many sons" (compare 2:10 and the interpretation of this verse). All God's children are subject to discipline from Him; the phrase which is common to all in Greek sounds like “a punishment of which all are partakers” (compare with “metochoi” - “participants”, “participants” in 1:9; 3:1,14; 6:4).

Speaking about those who remain unpunished as illegitimate children, the author may have had in mind Christians who did not survive in the faith, who as a result would be deprived of their inheritance (or reward). (In Roman society, an “illegitimate child” had no right of inheritance.) Such Christians, the author implies, are not subject to punishment for disciplinary purposes - for the sake of receiving a reward in the Millennial Kingdom, but to severe condemnation.

Heb. 12:9-11. The author resorts to an analogy with earthly parents, whom we feared (meaning “respected”), while they punished, guided by their ideas about the good of the child for many days of his life. Referring to this, the author encourages readers to submit all the more to the Father of spirits in order to reap in eternity, having a share in His holiness; for, having been taught through punishment, Christians will find peace and joy in the future life.

3. CALL FOR SPIRITUAL RENEWAL (12:12-17)

Heb. 12:12-13. The author felt a tendency towards spiritual weakening among his readers and, in the light of the truths he set forth, encouraged them to overcome it. If they begin to walk straight with their feet, strengthened in righteousness, then even the weakest among them (the lame) “will not go astray,” but will be corrected.

Heb. 12:14. Peace with all people in personal holiness is something that we must strive for with all our might, since without holiness no one will see the Lord. Since sin cannot be in God's presence, Christians must (and will) be sinless when they see the Savior (1 John 3:2). Awareness of this encourages the achievement of holiness here and now. But the author, in addition, could have meant that even now the degree of perception of God depends on the “degree” of holiness of the believer (compare Matt. 5:8).

Heb. 12:15-17. The author’s words sound like an unpleasant reminder and warning about what can happen among believers: someone who has lost the grace of God will become like a root of bitterness (the image is taken from Deut. 29:18, where the Old Testament apostate is called “a root that produces poison and wormwood”) ; If such a person appears among believers, he can poison them with his “poison”.

The wicked is compared to Esau, Jacob's brother, who gave up his birthright for a meal of stew. Such people, the author warns, will eventually bitterly regret their stupidity, for they risk irreversibly losing the inheritance privilege given to them, as happened to Esau. This is exactly the end that awaits apostates from Christ.

4. PROPER WARNING (FINAL) - 12:18-29

Heb. 12:22-24. What became a reality for the people of the New Testament, what they set about, is, however, even more impressive, for all this is heavenly. Not only Jerusalem, the city of the living God, but also the creatures that inhabit it - both angels and people.

The expression to the triumphant council and Church of the firstborn may mean the “assembly” of those who have already received the right of inheritance (since, according to the law of the Old Testament, the “firstborn” was the “number one heir”). Such people have already approached the heavenly spheres where angels live. But, above all, they “came close” to the Judge of all, God (some could actually withstand His careful examination of their lives; these are the spirits of the righteous) and to the Mediator of the New Testament, Jesus (compare 8:6; 9:15) , whose Blood, shed for atonement, does not cry out for vengeance, like Abel’s, but ensures the acceptance of all believers of the new Testament by God.

If the readers truly perceive all these things, they will be filled with awe, and they will become even more eager to attain to those higher privileges which the new covenant promises them.

Heb. 12:25. The contrast between the two covenants is represented here as the contrast between the warning coming from earth and that coming from heaven. If those who disobeyed the old covenant did not escape punishment, how can those who “turn away” from the new covenant hope to escape it (compare 2:3)? Here the author undoubtedly had in mind “those who turn away” from the One who initiated the new covenant and now sits “at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (1:3).

Heb. 12:26-27. By the voice of God, which once shook only the earth, in the end not only the earth, but also the sky will be shaken once again. In English The translation of verse 27 reads as follows: “The words “once again” signify the removal of that which can be shaken, that is, all created things, so that that which cannot be shaken may remain.” This is a reference to Hagg. 2:6; the author saw this verse as evidence of the final “re-creation” of heaven and earth that will occur after the Millennial Kingdom (compare Heb. 1:10-12). What remains after this cataclysm will be eternal.

Heb. 12:28-29. We who receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken must maintain the grace that comes from our High Priest (4:14-16); and by means of this grace it is better (acceptable) to serve God by remaining in our New Testament assemblies. Let us not shrink from this service, performed in reverence and fear, always remembering that our God is a consuming Fire (compare with 10:26-27), and that the believer who neglects his great privilege brings upon himself God's retribution.

 1 Having such a cloud of witnesses, let us run the race, looking to Jesus, who endured the cross. 4 “Do not despise the punishment of the Lord.” An exhortation to strengthen the weak and lame. 18 Greater reverence belongs to the covenant of Christ than to the covenant of Moses; “Our God is a consuming fire.”

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every burden and the sin that so easily besets us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2 Looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Think about Him who endured such reproach at the hands of sinners, lest you grow weary and faint in your souls.

4 You have not yet fought to the point of blood, striving against sin,

5 and have forgotten the consolation that is offered to you as sons: “My son! do not despise the Lord’s punishment, and do not lose heart when He reproaches you.

6 For the Lord punishes whomever he loves; he beats every son whom he receives.”

7 If you suffer chastisement, God treats you as sons. For is there any son whom his father does not punish?

8 But if you remain without the punishment that is common to all, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

9 Moreover, If We, being punished by our carnal parents, feared them, should we not much more submit to the Father of spirits in order to live?

10 They punished us according to their will for a few days; and He is for our benefit, so that we may share in His holiness.

11 Every chastisement at the present time seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; but afterwards he brings to those who are taught the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

12 Therefore, strengthen your drooping hands and weak knees

13 And walk straight with your feet, so that what is lame may not be turned aside, but rather be made straight.

14 Strive to have peace with everyone and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness arise and cause harm, and lest many become defiled by it;

16 so that it doesn't happen between you what fornicator or wicked man would, like Esau, give up his birthright for one meal?

17 For you know that after this he, desiring to inherit the blessing, was rejected; couldn't change my thoughts father, although he asked for it with tears.

18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and blazing with fire, nor to darkness and gloom and storm,

19 not to the sound of the trumpet and the voice of verbs, which those who heard asked, that the word should no longer be continued to them,

20 for they could not endure what was commanded: “If even a beast touches the mountain, he will be stoned or hit by an arrow»;

21 And so terrible was this vision, what and Moses said, “I am in fear and trembling.”

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem and to ten thousand angels,

23 to the triumphant council and church of the firstborn, who are written in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

24 and to the Mediator of the new covenant - Jesus, and to the sprinkled Blood, which speaks better than Abel.

25 Be careful that you do not turn away from him who speaks. If they did not listen to him who spoke on earth and did not escape punishments, then even more so can't be avoided if we turn away from Verbal from heaven

26 Whose voice then shook the earth, and who now made this promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.”

27 The words “once again” signify the changing of what is shaken as of something created, so that what cannot be shaken may stand.

28 Therefore, since we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us keep grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and fear,

29 For our God is a consuming fire.

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Epistle to the Hebrews of the Apostle Paul, chapter 12