Catholic Commentary on Hebrews 12

"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The Race and the Discipline

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. The cloud of witnesses from chapter 11 surrounds the present runner. The race is not a competition; there is a course marked out specifically for each person. The one thing required is perseverance, sustained by keeping the eyes fixed on the one who pioneered and perfected faith by running the race before us all the way to the Cross.

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating them as his children. What child is not disciplined by their father? God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful; later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet so that the lame may not be disabled but rather healed. The Catechism identifies divine discipline as a form of paternal love: the Father who allows his children to experience the consequences of their choices is acting not from anger but from the same love that formed them (CCC 1808).

Mount Zion

The community has not come to Mount Sinai, which could be touched and burned with fire. They have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven, to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant. Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, fix your eyes on Jesus. Not on the race conditions, not on other runners, not on how far you still have to go. On Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter. He has run the course. He is at the finish line waiting for you. Every difficulty on the track is a form of training, producing the harvest of righteousness and peace for those who are trained by it. Fix your eyes and keep running.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, pioneer and perfecter of faith, you endured the Cross for the joy set before you. Fix our eyes on you through every difficulty of the race. Let the discipline of the Father produce in us a harvest of righteousness and peace. And let us worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

12
A Call to Endurance
(2 Timothy 2:1–13)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author * 12:2 Or pioneer or founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God Disciplines His Sons
 
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:
 
“My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord,
and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves,
and He chastises every son He receives.”† 12:6 Literally and He flogs every son He receives; Proverbs 3:11–12 (see also LXX)
 
7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?
 
10 Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. 11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace ‡ 12:11 Or it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
 
12 Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.§ 12:12 Isaiah 35:3 13 Make straight paths for your feet,* 12:13 Proverbs 4:26 (see also LXX) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
A Call to Holiness
(1 Peter 1:13–21)
 
14 Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness † 12:15 See Deuteronomy 29:18 springs up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.
An Unshakable Kingdom
(Exodus 20:18–21; Deuteronomy 5:22–33)
 
18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that‡ 12:18 Literally to what can be touched and is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken. 20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”§ 12:20 Exodus 19:12–13 21 The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”* 12:21 Deuteronomy 9:19
 
22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels 23 in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
 
25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”† 12:26 Haggai 2:6 27 The words “Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that the unshakable may remain.
 
28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. 29 “For our God is a consuming fire.”‡ 12:29 Deuteronomy 4:24

*12:2 12:2 Or pioneer or founder

†12:6 12:6 Literally and He flogs every son He receives; Proverbs 3:11–12 (see also LXX)

‡12:11 12:11 Or it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness

§12:12 12:12 Isaiah 35:3

*12:13 12:13 Proverbs 4:26 (see also LXX)

†12:15 12:15 See Deuteronomy 29:18

‡12:18 12:18 Literally to what can be touched and

§12:20 12:20 Exodus 19:12–13

*12:21 12:21 Deuteronomy 9:19

†12:26 12:26 Haggai 2:6

‡12:29 12:29 Deuteronomy 4:24

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