Israel My Glory - March/April 2012

who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (v. 2).

The word looking means to turn one’s eyes away from all distractions and fix them continually on one thing. In context, that means fixing one’s eyes on Jesus. A runner must focus on the course and goal before him, not on his surroundings, or he will be distracted, lose his stride, slacken his pace, and even fall.

In the race of faith, the believer’s ultimate example is not the witnesses in Hebrews 11, but Jesus, who is “the author and finisher of our faith.” The word author connotes an originator, founder, or chief leader. Jesus is the “forerunner” (6: 20) of the faith, setting the supreme, perfect example that all Christians are to follow. He is the greatest example of patient endurance under severe persecution, having been tried illegally and crucified (cf. Isa. 53: 7; 1 Pet. 2: 21–23). Jesus is also the “finisher” or “completer” of the believer’s faith; through His death and resurrection, He secured eternal salvation for all who trust in Him (Heb. 5: 9).

Jesus endured the cross “for the joy that was set before Him” (12: 2). Clearly, His joy was not in being crucified. It was the most disgraceful and dehumanizing death known. Yet He did not allow the privation, suffering, contempt, and cursing to dissuade Him from God’s will. He freely bore the shame and disgrace to provide for our salvation.

The “joy that was set before Him” was His final victory over Satan and sin, thus completing God’s work of redemption, bringing glory to God the Father by implementing His plan of salvation, and being reunited with the Father in heaven.

After His postresurrection ministry,
Jesus ascended to heaven from the
Mount of Olives (Acts 1: 8–10) and “sat
down at the right hand of the throne of
God” (Heb. 12:2: cf. 1: 3; 8:1; 10: 12). The
word sat is in the Greek perfect tense,
meaning that, at a point in time, Jesus
took His seat on a throne at the Father’s
right hand and remains there, signify-
ing the completion of His ministry. His
seated position at the Father’s right
hand is a sign of triumph and foreshad-
ows or portends His and all believers’
future and final victory (cf. 1: 13–14).

PERSONAL
ENDURA NCE

Scripture then commands readers to analyze Christ’s suffering: “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (12: 3).

The word consider (Greek, analogizomai) is our word analogy and means to reckon, add up, and weigh Christ’s sufferings against our own. Ponder this: Jesus was born in a stable to poor parents who fled Jerusalem with Him to save His life; He was reared in a deplorable city, lost His father early in life, and had no permanent home during His ministry. He was considered mentally unbalanced and demon-possessed; He was disbelieved by His family, hated and opposed by the religious leaders, forsaken by His disciples, tried illegally, and scourged and beaten before He was finally crucified.

Looking at His suffering would make theirs seem insignificant. Thus they “should not become weary and discouraged in [their] souls” (v. 3). The word weary means to become exhausted and possibly ill due to persecution. Some Jewish believers had grown weary, which led to discouragement. They had become faint-hearted, lost confidence and enthusiasm, and had slackened in their commitment.

Then the text goes one step further in comparing the Jewish believers’ suffering to that of Jesus: “You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin” (v. 4). “You” refers to believers who had previously faced persecution at the hands of their brethren (10: 32–34). They had suffered physically and materially; but none had endured the suffering Jesus had, nor had anyone given his life for the gospel. These believers needed to ponder afresh the Messiah’s suffering and renew their commitment to Him, thus gaining strength to persevere in the race of faith.

They were still “striving against sin” (12: 4). The word striving means to contend, as in a race, or to engage in conflict, as in a boxing match. Their conflict required them to stand against sinful men wanting to harm them as they harmed Jesus and against the sin of renouncing their faith in Christ by returning to their Jewish roots.

In our race of faith, we must heed the admonishment to consider all Jesus faced as the Originator and Completer of our faith. We, too, must remain faithful and not become weary or discouraged but persevere patiently, with endurance, to the finish line.

David M. Levy is the director of International Ministries for The Friends of Israel.

Under
Development

“Isaiah was not just another voice, however powerful. . . .

Isaiah was, above all, the prophet of undaunted faith and undying hope in God’s redemptive purpose for Israel and for all mankind. It was his vision of the kingdom of God under the rule of the Messiah, which left its most indelible imprint upon his own contemporaries and subsequent generations.”