As was the writer’s custom after the most severe admonitions, the writer chose to conclude their warning with a distinct note of encouragement.
The writer starts this section of the warning to provide some historical context in verses 32-34. Why is this important? The author points out that in the past the readers were under persecution and they hung in there. Now the writer is asking them to endure and persevere through it again. As they showed sympathy and acceptance, the writer encourages them to do what they did before. The writer points out that what they lost was not worth as much as they have for themselves. The things that really matter cannot be taken away by any person or government. So they are willing to give up those things because they realize what they have in Christ is much more valuable than that. We start seeing more and more clues about the idea of persecution that is creeping in.
In verses 35-36, the author encourages them to keep going. The author recognizes persecution is not easy and they need to have endurance. But the author recognizes they need to keep moving forward, progressing on to maturity, and continue to maintain their confession of faith.
In 37-38, we have a quotation from Isaiah 26:21 and Habakkuk 2:4. The author has this expectation of the Lord’s second coming. The only way to go is to live by faith. They cannot shrink back. There is only one way for a believer to go on and that is forward in the faith. This sets up the author’s next section in chapter 11 and how the believer’s kept going (some resulted in martyrdom). Looking forward, the author will point to Jesus as the ultimate example of faithfulness.
32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being made a public spectacle through insults and distress, and partly by becoming companions with those who were so treated. 34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better and lasting possession. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. 37 For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. 38 But My righteous one will live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith for the safekeeping of the soul. (NASB)
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- The readers had been willing to suffer reproach and persecution. When they were not being persecuted themselves, they courageously identified with the other Christians who were in danger. At that time, they had great confidence and hope; but now they were in danger of casting away that confidence and going back into their old religion.
- The secret of victory was in their faith and endurance. They patiently trusted God through their suffering.
- The believer who lives by faith will “go on to perfection” (Heb. 6:1). But the believer who lives by sight will “shrink back to destruction” (Heb. 10:39). To walk by faith means to obey God’s Word and live for Jesus Christ. But we can be confident! As we walk by faith, our Great High Priest will guide us and perfect us!
CLOSER LOOK:
Verses 32–34: An effective way to fortify people against future trials is to remind them of the courage they displayed in past ones. This is precisely what the writer did. The readers knew what it was to “endure a great conflict of sufferings.” (Some versions also include the words “stood your ground” [hypemeinate] which renders the verb usually translated “endured” or “persevered,” as in v. 36). They knew what it was to be publicly shamed and persecuted, and also to support others who had such experiences (v. 33). They had shown sympathy for brethren who had been imprisoned, and they had suffered property loss with joy because they had an assurance of possessing heavenly wealth (v. 34). They would do well to recall now their steadfastness in the past. Whatever they might now be facing—and the writer suggested it might be something similar—they would be helped if they would “remember the former days” after they had been “enlightened” (cf. “received the knowledge” in v. 26).
In a very real sense, the words of Hebrews 10:32-34 are similar to those in Hebrews 6:8-9. After a very severe warning, the writer reassures the readers; the writer’s attitude is positive toward them. What had happened is not known. At any rate, the believing community had endured some rather severe persecutions, even though they did not involve martyrdom (cf. Heb. 12:4).
Verses 35–36: The writer encouraged them to have continued courage or confidence (parresia). They had shown boldness before; now they were not to throw it away. This is the point of verse 35. This was no time for them, then, to “throw away” their “confidence” (parrēsia, cf. 3:6; 4:16; 10:19). As the author’s exposition of the eternal inheritance—the glory of the many sons—had sought to show, that confidence, if retained, will have “a great reward.”
What the readers needed, therefore, was just what the writer had often said and implied: to endure (“you have need of endurance,” hypomonēs echete chreian) so that by doing the “will of God” (cf. v. 9) they would “receive what” God had “promised.” As much as anything, these words express the central exhortation of the Book of Hebrews.[1] Verse 36 is the logical outgrowth of the preceding verse. The great need was endurance (hupomone). In the Greek text, this noun is emphatic in its position. The concept of endurance is a key to chapters 11 and 12. As in Hebrews 11:39, “promise” is literally “the promise” and anticipates the fulfillment of the O.T. promises when Christ will reign on earth.
Verses 37–38: If their concern was about the delay of the Second Advent, they should rest assured that “in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.” These words and those that follow were adapted by the author from the Septuagint of Isaiah 26:21 and Habakkuk 2:3–4. But they were used freely and were not intended as a precise quotation, since no words such as “He says” introduced them.[2] In the phrase “My Righteous One” (only a handful of Greek manuscripts read “My,” so you may see “the”)[3], the author employed Paul’s description of a person who is justified by faith. It is likely that the writer of Hebrews understood it similarly. A justified person ought to “live by faith,” which is what the writer had been urging their readers to do. But, “if he shrinks back,” that is, if the “righteous one” commits apostasy, denouncing their Christian profession, God’s favor cannot rest on their life. By understating the serious consequences, the writer softened their words so that they would not distract from their predominant note of encouragement.
The basic context of Habakkuk: There are two questions, two answers, one question by Habakkuk answered by God, another question by Habakkuk answered by God, and then the third chapter is a hymn of praise. In the first chapter and question Habakkuk asks God, ” evil is rampant here, justice is not occurring, God, why don’t You do something about it?” And God says, “lift up your eyes and look on the nations. I’m going to do a work in your days which you will not believe even if I told you. The Chaldeans are going to come and sweep you away. They’re going to gather captives like dust. You won’t have a chance.” The second question Habakkuk asks: “God, that’s not fair. We are bad but they’re worse than we are. How can you look on when the wicked devours the more righteous person?” Also, Habakkuk says, “I’m going to send my wife’s dowry and see what God’s going to say to me. I want to find out what the answer is.” God essentially answers, “Habakkuk I’ve got a plan. Just wait for it and trust me in the meantime. The just shall live by faith. Just trust me.” It took Habakkuk a while to learn that because chapter 3 is totally a different style of writing and I think he finally learned. He ends the book by saying, “Though the fig tree shall not blossom, the labor of the olives shall fail, and there shall be no food in the stalls; although everything is utter desolation, yet I will enjoy the God of my salvation.” Fantastic response.
Habakkuk 2:3-4, quoted in Hebrews 10:37-38, forms the basis of the warning and encouragement. Three basic thoughts are in these verses. (1) The Messiah will come a second time in God’s appointed season. The second coming of Christ parallels the coming of the Chaldeans of Habakkuk’s day. Both come with judgment. Now the author is not saying that the second coming of Christ is a fulfillment of Habakkuk chapter 2. The author is simply saying as the Chaldeans came with judgment, the Messiah is going to come with judgment. (2) In the meantime the readers were to continue in faith in spite of difficulties. In other words, they were to emulate the faith of Habakkuk. (3) The readers were warned not to join the ranks of those who drew back (hupostello).
Verse 39: The warning is applied directly to the readers in verse 39: it concerns shrinking back to destruction. Then the writer affirmed, “But we are not among those who shrink back to destruction.” Here the original text has an emphatic “we,” which the writer might have intended as an “editorial we,” of which the author was quite fond of (cf. 2:5; 5:11; 8:1; etc.). Then the author would mean: “As far as I am concerned, I am determined not to shrink back and experience the ruin which divine retribution would bring.” The word “destruction” (reflect the Greek apōleia), which can refer either to temporal or eternal ruin. In this context the former is correct. The noun “destruction” is apoleia, a word that is regularly used for the opposite of eternal life (cf. Matt. 7:13; John 17:12; Phil. 1:28; 3:19; 2 Thes. 2:3; 2 Pet. 2:3; 3:7; Rev. 17:8, 11). It is the same stem for “shall not perish” in John 3:16. This is the only occurrence in Hebrews of this Greek noun. Instead of the ruin which an apostate invites, the writer intended to be among “those who have faith for the safekeeping of the soul.” The NIV rendering (“those who have faith and are saved”) should not be misread as a reference to conversion. Though the author’s own normal word for salvation does not occur here, the expression “and are saved” somewhat freely translates eis peripoiēsin psyches (for the safekeeping of the soul [NASB that is used here]). The NASB and ESV provide better renderings. But “soul” here should be understood in the Hebraic sense of the person themself, or one’s life, and refers in this context to the way in which persistence in the faith preserves an individual from the calamities that overtake those who “shrink back.”[4] Even if the writer was speaking primarily of their own purpose of heart, the author clearly intended that to be shared by their readers. Thus, the concluding statement of their warning passage (10:19–39) amounts to a call for determination. Once again the writer describes the danger of throwing their profession of Christianity overboard and lapsing back into Judaism apart from Christ.
Summarily: From the author’s perspective, the author essentially says, “remember the former days, realizing you have need of endurance. This is not an easy thing. I’m not telling you to take the easy way but look what is ahead of you. You have this great reward and a better possession. Remember, what was promised. Remember those things and how they are more valuable than anything you could possibly lose by compromise. I know this has been pretty hard and difficult. But keep going and keep the faith.” The author understands what a difficult challenge lays ahead of them. We as teachers and leaders and parents have to remember when to push and when to back off. The author pushed pretty hard with the warning passage and now they come back with this word of affirmation. The author leaves with the same idea as in chapter 6 since the author is convinced they can make it through and they are not going to back down.
[1] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 806.
[2] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 806.
[3] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 806.
[4] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 806.