Chapter XII

Verse 1. Chapter 11 mentions a great crowd of witnesses. Having seen and considered their lives, we must also lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and run with patience the race that is set before us. Here we are speaking of a life that has to be lived, of many things to lay aside, and of a battle that is set before us. What are the things that we are to lay aside, and in an ever-deeper degree? Hypocrisy, flattery, respect of persons, aimless chatter, backbiting, love of money, cowardice, thinking only of oneself, wanting to be more than one really is, wanting to be something according to the flesh, being a know-it-all, being vain, etc. Someone might ask. “Can these things easily ensnare us even after we have been baptized with the Holy Spirit?” Yes, as long as we are in this earthly body, they can. When a preacher wants to be called “Pastor,” isn’t that just the lust to be highly esteemed? Or if there are some in the church who are always maneuvering to be in the company of those who are highly regarded, what is this other than pride and self-exaltation? And when the pastor begs for money in the church, is this not just a manifestation of greed? The members of the church want to give as little as possible, and the pastor wants to get as much as possible.

Anoint your eyes with eye salve and you will see many manifestations of the sin which so easily ensnares us. Some will ask, what other things can there be? Well, there is the envy of Cain. You would like to be the leading brother, and then one is chosen who, in your eyes, is far inferior to you. You want to be the music leader, but then someone else comes along who has the nature of a lion and takes over the whole show. You want to appear to be a refined, intelligent and well-educated person, but then someone else comes along who makes you feel inferior.

There certainly is much to crucify. Never commit the folly of saying that sin has been removed from the flesh. Rather say that “wisdom has been removed,’ and that only folly remains. Then you will be considerably closer to the truth—that is, if there actually ever was any wisdom present to be removed.

Verse 2. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, 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.”

Through faith, by remaining on the cross, and by suffering in the flesh, we can overcome all the things that are mentioned above. Jesus is the author of our faith. He overcame, and we can overcome. Read in Revelation: “He who overcomes!”

When a church is full of such sins and they are allowed to flourish without being reproved, it is an “assembly of the dead.” Go out from among them. Such an assembly lacks the testimony of the Spirit, the water and the blood. Instead, it has the testimony of the flesh—the tree is known by its fruits.

Jesus is the author and the finisher of faith. This proves that Jesus is a way of faith. We cannot put off everything in one day, but little by little, through Jesus’ commandments and light on the inner ways, we receive power to lay aside everything that hinders us and run on the way of faith the race that is set before us. It is here that transformation takes place, from faith to faith, from light to light, from power to power, and from victory to victory. All of this happens through the second Adam who became a life-giving spirit. This is the way of God, and it meets opposition everywhere. Only the upright of heart will progress on this way! This is the way of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. On this way there are no beasts of prey, just those who love the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ and who walk in the light.

Verse 3. “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”

The hostility Jesus endured from sinners came primarily from the religious people of His time. It is just the same today. These people think they know something because of their studying and reading of the Scriptures and religious books, yet they have no revelation from the Spirit. Priests and pastors are the worst opposers of the way of God. Therefore they continue to be unfruitful trees. Worldly wisdom and empty deceit have fooled them. Their desire for vainglory has led them away from Christ, away from Him in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. The theologians’ knowledge of Greek is of no benefit to them, because the Spirit that leads us into all the truth speaks to us Norwegians in Norwegian. Think that the Advocate can speak Norwegian!1 A theologian once said that we would be better off if we learned Greek. Jesus says, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” He does not use a dead language to speak to the living. We must bear with patience all such hostility from sinners, so that we do not become weary in our souls. God’s way clears a path through thorns and thistles, right to the Father Himself.

Verse 4. “You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.” This is the goal, the testimony of the blood, that we resist sin unto bloodshed.

Miserliness, envy, the “pastor,” the “reverend,” megalomania, and all other such madness die here. All that remains is a new creation. And think: Jesus Christ speaks to this new creation in his own mother tongue! We can be glad for that. Otherwise we would have to pay some theologian to write us a prescription in order to get rid of the sin that so easily ensnares us. People come up with all sorts of ways to make a living. But now we are freed from all this. Praised and honored be God! Freely we have received and freely we give, for we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus, without silver or gold.

Verse 8. “But if you are without chastening of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.” It is a chastening for us human beings who have a sinful flesh to keep the commandments of God, because the Spirit struggles against the flesh and the flesh against the Spirit. Everyone who is not familiar with this warfare, this chastening, is illegitimate. The same sufferings are experienced by all our brothers in the world. The more obedient we are to the Spirit, the more we suffer in the flesh, but the greater the promises as well: If we suffer with Him, we shall also be glorified with Him. This is the proof that we are genuine sons.

Verse 11. “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

When we were children, our parents chastened us according to their own pleasure, to give us an upbringing. Though it did not feel good while we were being chastened, the benefits came later in life. So it is with all chastisement. God scourges every son whom He receives. But after we have been trained to bear the chastening, we understand that it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Moreover, we abstain from evil lusts to avoid severe chastisement. That is why it is written: “It is for chastisement that you endure sufferings.”2 We choose to suffer in the flesh and be obedient rather than to be disobedient and face chastisement.

Verses 12-13. “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.”

First he wrote about chastening and how necessary it is. While we are being chastened, it seems to be grievous, not joyful. A person’s knees grow weak and his hands hang down, and he thinks: “It’s no use walking on this narrow way.” But it is worthwhile! Chastisement is just the right medicine. It produces wisdom, frees you from arrogance and high-mindedness, and makes you spiritually fit. It is like getting a navigational sighting from heaven so you can tell exactly where you are. Generally speaking, people believe that they are much further ahead on the way than they really are. Chastening is our life—love it. Pray to God for help in the time of need, and chastening will become your daily food. Without it, you will not thrive. It contains all the vitamins we need. Remember this when your knees become shaky.

Verse 14. “Pursue peace with all men, and sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord . . . .” It is impossible to pursue peace with all men without partaking of sanctification. You cannot pursue peace with God and Satan. Peace with Herod and Pilate would corrupt us. But to pursue peace with all men in the context of sanctification makes sense.

Verse 15. “Looking carefully lest anyone draw back from the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled . . . .” Drawing back from the grace of God is the same as drawing back from God’s help, His strength and His wisdom. That leads only to corruption. God’s grace is the victory that Jesus Christ won in the days of His flesh. Thus, grace reigns through righteousness. Through this grace, we receive help to help ourselves. When chastening is not able to work as it should and is not received as a grace from God, a bitter root springs up. It results in quarreling and contradiction. Some take sides with one person and some with another. For those who get involved in such things, the result is only corruption. Such bitter roots can easily spring up where there is no one with wisdom and understanding who can resolve disagreements between brethren. The desire for vainglory manifests itself. This happens in spite of the fact that God will not share His honor with any stranger. Be done with all quarreling, and endure hardship. Then the bitter roots will die by themselves.

Verse 22. “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels . . . .”

The city of the living God is the bride. Rev. 21. Mount Zion is the unshakable, immovable city in the Spirit. The innumerable company of angels is that tremendous help that is always at work on behalf of all those who believe. This help can be sensed and felt. “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect . . . .”

Verse 24. But you have come “to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”

This is the deep rest which some will enter into—a rest together with the general assembly, with God the Judge of all, with the Mediator of a new covenant, and by the blood of sprinkling. Isn’t this a secure place to rest? Has not Satan been cast out from the presence of God and Christ? Yes, he certainly has, so you can rest quite securely there.

Verse 25. “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven . . . .” Take heed that you do not refuse Him who speaks. This is the Advocate, Jesus Christ. Everything that is glorious is in Him, and He wants to share it all with us. He has been speaking from heaven since He brought the sacrifice, and thus all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him. We shall not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks so clearly.

God spoke through Moses, from the earth, before the body of Christ was sacrificed, and those who did not heed His word received their well-deserved punishment. How much greater punishment will there be for those who turn away from Him who speaks from heaven? It is these words from heaven that lead us into rest in the heavenly Canaan, and which bring us into contact with all the glories of heaven.

When He spoke from the earth, the earth shook, but now He speaks from heaven, and both earth and heaven are shaken.

Verse 28. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us be thankful.”