12 Therefore, since we also have such a great crowd of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking only at Jesus, the pioneer-leader and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are punished by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He flogs every son whom He accepts.” 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb12:1-11).
Focussing on the phrases I have highlighted, I am reasonably certain that Paul is not the author of Hebrews, but whoever is the author employs Paul-like language with regard to the course the Christian has been set. He regards it as a race/struggle/conflict (Greek: ἀγῶνα). Paul went further, equating the Christian’s life to an athlete competing along a race-track (σταδίῳ). What? “Didn’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win!” (1Cor9:24).
Verse 2a is often translated as Jesus being the author of the Faith – more accurately He is the pioneer-leader, in the sense of being the first in the procession of many who would follow Him. As we know, His life involved much suffering culminating in His crucifixion at Calvary. So, given Jesus’ status as pioneer-leader, the Christian’s life should not be expected to be a bed of roses. I commented on this passage in my book, explaining also the rationale behind our suffering:
“Suffering and consequently the existence of evil is a necessary part of deification which requires human beings to be, as it were, stretched or go beyond themselves in order to be fitted for such a destiny. The Son of Man set the pattern: He tasted death for every man for our salvation, but there is something else we are told about His death:
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross and despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb12:2)
The highlighted phrase is not the one on which one would normally focus. The Godhead’s love for humanity and the Son of God’s obedience and suffering to deal with our sin are rightly the usual focal points. But Jesus’ awareness of the joy and glory awaiting Him is nevertheless referred to and it hints at what is being adduced in this chapter: the divine principal that suffering is beneficial, indeed necessary for those who are to be glorified. Jesus might appear to be the exception, for He is worthy of glory through divine birth right. Nevertheless:
“It was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering, for both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb2:10-11).
And later in Hebrews:
“Though He were a Son, He learned obedience by the things which He suffered, and having been perfected He became the author of eternal salvation for all who obey Him (Heb5:8-9)” – [Excerpt from The Little Book of Providence – chapter 7 (theodicy)]
Returning to the text, the Christian’s suffering also takes the form of divine discipline, as “for whom the Lord loves He disciplines” (v6). The rest of the verse could literally be translated as “He straps to a pole and flogs (Greek – μαστιγοῖ) everyone He receives as a son”. Or in Jesus’s own evangelism – “follow Me and prepare to be crucified”, for why else would you “take up your cross” (cf. Mt16:24)? Or in Paul’s language: “If we are children, then we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, providing that is that we share in His sufferings in order that we might share in His glory” (Rom8:17).
That is probably not the kind of evangelism many are used to, and I am employing some hyperbole. But the same people probably understand that Christian discipleship is primarily the means by which we avoid going to hell when we die, which is what I am in the business of showing misrepresents what Christian salvation is for. Jesus deals with that issue in Mt25 (sheep and goats) and Lk16 (rich man and Lazarus). That in turn pertains to natural law and common faith as considered in the previous post. The Lord (in His references to becoming His disciple), Paul (in reference to who are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ) and the writer to the Hebrews here in reference to being accepted as a son of God (v6) pertains to the proportionally few that the Father chooses, ultimately to be corporately married to His Son (Jn6:44; Rev19:7) and come to share His domain (cf. Rev3:21).
I have explained above why suffering is needed, which in turn explains why God permitted sin to enter the world (cf. Rom8:20). In terms of chastisement, “He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (vv10-11).
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