Thoughts on the Twelfth Chapter of Hebrews

"FOR consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." The apostle has given an exhortation based upon the trials and victories of the men of old, and now he directs us to Him who is our pattern. This is the same as in the preceding verse, where we are exhorted to look steadfastly on Jesus. From these two verses we learn that we are to ever keep in mind Christ's sufferings, the "contradiction of sinners." No one else ever suffered as he did; all the trials of the ancient worthies cannot compare with the sufferings of our Lord. But how will it benefit us to consider these things? In many ways. First, we must remember that it was as a man that Christ endured the temptations of Satan, and the mockings and persecutions of his enemies. He took upon himself "the form of a servant;" in all things he was "made like unto his brethren." He came to show that it is possible for man to resist temptation, and to overcome. In his own strength? No; Christ was in constant communion with the Father, and was given strength from Heaven. But he exercised no greater privilege than we are permitted to enjoy. We may have constant communion with Heaven. The reason why Christ was made like us was that he might sympathize with us in our temptations; "that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest." "For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." Heb. 2:18. Here we have the assurance that he understands our case, and knows how to give the needed help. "All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth." Matt. 28:18. By this we know that he is abundantly able to help those who are in trouble; the same help which he himself received when he was subject to temptation, he is able to give to feeble mortals. See also Heb. 7:25, etc. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28. Here he invites us to come and get the benefit of that strength which he has received on our account. The burden from which he wishes to relieve us is the burden of sin; it is the "weight " which Paul exhorts us to lay aside in order that we may successfully run the race.

Besides the assurance that Christ's example gives us that we may overcome, a contemplation of what he endured, of the sacrifice that he made for us, will tend to make us more content with our lot. Compared with his sufferings, all that we may be called upon to undergo is nothing. When we complain of the hardness of the way, and murmur at trials and crosses, is it not because we have not been thinking upon "Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself"?

"Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." The commonly accepted idea of this is, that those to whom the apostle is speaking have not endured such persecutions for their faith as did the martyrs; but it seems that there is a deeper meaning than this; that the apostle refers to Christ himself. I can do no better on this point than to quote the following from Barnes:—

"I find in none of the commentators what seems to me to be the true sense of this passage, and what gives an exquisite beauty to it—the allusion to the sufferings of the Saviour in the garden. The reasons which lead me to believe that there is such an allusion are briefly these: 1. The connection. The apostle is appealing to the example of the Saviour, and urging Christians to persevere amidst their trials by looking to him. Nothing would be more natural, in this connection, than to refer to that dark night when in the severest conflict with temptation which he ever encountered, he so signally showed his own firmness of purpose, and the effect of resistance on his own bleeding body, and his signal victory, in the garden of Gethsemane. 2. The expression, 'striving against sin,' seems to demand the same interpretation. On the common interpretation, the allusion would be merely to their resisting persecution; but here the allusion is to some struggle in their minds against committing sin. The apostle exhorts them to strive manfully and perseveringly against sin in every form, and especially against the sin of apostasy. To encourage them, he refers to the highest instance on record where there was a 'striving against sin'—the struggle of the Redeemer in the garden with the great enemy, who there made his most violent assault, and where the resistance of the Redeemer was so great as to force the blood through his pores."

Compared with this mighty struggle of our Saviour, how feeble are our efforts to resist the temptations that beset us. And it is evident that we are expected not to give up without making such a struggle, if it be necessary in order to gain the victory. If it were not so, the case would not have been brought forward as an example. Who, then, has any business to be discouraged? "But," you say, "I am too great a sinner; I have tried and failed so many times." That is not to the point. Christ died to save sinners. The Bible was written for the benefit of sinners; and all the promises which it contains are for the encouragement of sinners. All that is asked of you is to strive to sin no more, implicitly accepting the strength which Christ is able and anxious to bestow. Cannot overcome! The path too narrow! The temptations and natural inclinations too strong! How do you know this? You have not yet "resisted unto blood, striving against sin." You have not fully tested the matter. You have no right to say that you cannot overcome until you have put forth as great efforts as did the Saviour; and if you thus resist you cannot fail, for "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

"And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." The comment of Barnes on this text is excellent, and I quote it:—

"The word here rendered 'chastening'—παιδεία—and in verses 6, 7, 8, and the word which occurs in verse 9, and rendered 'corrected' —παιδευτὰς—does not refer to affliction in general, but to that kind of affliction which is designed to correct us for our faults, or which is of the nature of discipline. The verb properly relates to the training up of a child—including instruction, counsel, discipline, and correction (see the use of the verb in Acts 7:22; 2 Tim. 2:25; Titus 2:12), and then especially discipline or correction for faults—to correct, chastize, chasten. 1 Cor. 11:32; 2 Cor. 6:9; Rev. 3:19. This is the meaning here; and the idea is not that God will afflict his people in general, but that if they wander away he will correct them for their faults. He will bring calamity upon them as a punishment for their offenses, and in order to bring them back to himself. He will not suffer them to wander away unrebuked and unchecked, but will mercifully reclaim them, though by great sufferings. Afflictions have many objects, and produce many happy effects. That referred to here is, that they are means of reclaiming the wandering and erring children of God, and are proofs of his paternal care and love."

It should be borne in mind, however, that God uses human instruments to perform his work. Men are employed to preach the everlasting gospel, and to direct affairs connected with the church of God. If God chooses men to do his work, then he speaks through them, and these persons stand, as it were, in the place of God; they are his representatives. To rebel against their counsel or reproof, is to rebel against God. We see this illustrated in the case of Moses and the children of Israel.

But there are many who do not look at the matter in this light. If they are reproved, they make it a personal matter, and regard the reproof as persecution. Too many regard the church as a place of enjoyment simply, and the service of God as a continual holiday. They mistake self-enjoyment for the enjoyment of religion, and think that they are enjoying much of the Spirit of God, because nothing happens to mar their complacency. As soon as something occurs, of a nature to rouse them to a sense of responsibility, they are sure that something is wrong, and equally sure the fault is not with themselves.

An instance of this spirit came under our observation some time ago. A member of the United Brethren Church was questioned rather closely by his pastor, as to his faithfulness in the performance of certain duties. The implied rebuke was not exactly well-timed, but it was well-deserved. But the self-righteous brother did not take it kindly. In conversation with a friend soon afterwards, he expressed his determination to leave the church to which he belonged, and join the Methodists. Said he, "I want to go where I can feel at home and enjoy myself. I have not had real enjoyment since I belonged to this church." We thought that his estimate of the Methodist Church was anything but complimentary.

If a person's sole object is to enjoy himself, why not leave the church altogether? If this state of feeling constitutes religion, then the unthinking devotees of fashion and vice are truly pious. The devil does not trouble his servants; he is pleased to have them enjoy themselves. Not so the Lord. "Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth." If we have wandered from the narrow path (and who is not in danger of stumbling?), we should rejoice that God does not leave us alone. It is an evidence that he loves us; that he has not cast us off as worthless branches. Is it wise to spurn the very proofs which God gives us of his love? No; rather let the language of Paul be ours: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."