As we run the Christian race, what is our goal? The writer explained the goal in Hebrews 12:14: Peace with all people, and holiness before the Lord. (Remember “the peaceable fruit of righteousness,” Heb. 12:11.) These two goals remind us of our Lord’s high priestly ministry—King of peace and King of righteousness (Heb. 7:1–2). It requires diligence to run the race successfully or else we “come short of the grace of God” (Heb. 12:15). God’s grace does not fail, but we can fail to take advantage of His grace. At the end of the chapter, there is another emphasis on grace (Heb. 12:28).
Several observations need to be made about verses 15-17. (1) The congregation was to watch out for individuals in the group who might begin to lapse. (2) The expression “root of bitterness” looks back to Deuteronomy 29:18 and apostasy. (3) The sin involved someone who was like Esau, a man who was profane and without spiritual insight or interest. He was only concerned with fleshly gratification (cf. Gen 25:27-34; 27:1-40).
12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. 14 Pursue peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that there be no sexually immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that even afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. (NASB)
Key Takeaways:
- The example of Jesus, and the assurance of God’s love, certainly should encourage us to endure in the difficult Christian race
- Believers must show fresh commitment and a renewed concern for one another.
- What sins will rob us of the enabling of God’s grace? These verses tell us: lack of spiritual diligence, bitterness against others (see Deut. 29:18), sexual immorality, and living for the world and the flesh
Closer Look:
Verses 12–13: These verses radiate encouragement. Drooping arms and tired knees appear in people who are utterly exhausted. To lift up the hands and to strengthen the knees demands a renewal of hope. Looking at Jesus and understanding God’s purpose in discipline invigorates people who have faced spiritual exhaustion. The author sensed the tendency to spiritual weakness in their readers, and in the light of the truths the author had expounded, the writer encouraged them to renew their strength. Verse 12 is an application taken from Isaiah 35:3 which in turn is a word of encouragement to captive and discouraged Israel in view of kingdom promises. So also, the readers of Hebrews should be lifted up by the promises of God.
If they would do this and would pursue the “straight paths” which real righteousness entails, the weakest among them (“the limb” or “the lame” (NIV)) would not be further “dislocated” or “disabled,” but “rather be healed.” Their own strength would benefit weaker Christians.
Proverbs 4:26 (LXX) is the thought behind Hebrews 12:13. This is a warning not to cause others to stumble. The believing community was to do everything possible to encourage any professor of Christ not to falter in their confession. With new vigor we can walk on straight paths. Spiritually, this demands that we understand the beneficial effects of discipline, pull ourselves together, and move forward. If we do this, then those who are weak will not receive further spiritual injury. The entire community must experience renewed vigor to provide an example for the weak among us.
Verse 14: This verse provides two indicators of the level paths that believers should follow. There are two points that show the ethics of those that endure. First, we are to “Pursue (make every effort to live in) peace with all people.” We must make every effort to maintain peace while we endure discipline. Widespread trials often destroy a sense of community and produce an attitude of “looking out for number one.” This verse warns against this tendency.
Notice the verb again in this verse. It does not say have peace with all people. That is impossible. Pursue it as much as possible. “If possible…live peaceably with all” (Rom 12:18, ESV). Some people are impossible to live with at peace. So pursue as much as is possible. Also, Matthew 10:16, “…be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Harmless as dove I can understand, but how to be wise as serpents? Why as a serpent? It hit me what that is saying there is serpents do not go looking for trouble. Serpents flee from trouble. They are not antagonistic. I realize there are some snakes in Australia that are, but normally snakes are not aggressive. They retire from or they avoid conflict. I think that is potentially what the author saying, as much as is possible avoid conflict.
Second, we must seek holiness, for “without holiness no one will see the Lord.” “Peace with all people” as well as personal holiness must be vigorously sought since without holiness (hagiasmos) “no one will see the Lord.” People who would fellowship with the Lord must detest evil and pursue purity (Matt. 5:8). To see the Lord involves communion with Him, but it may also include an anticipation of Christ’s return. Since no sin can stand in God’s presence, Christians must—and will be—sinless when they see the Lord (cf. 1 John 3:2). That realization offers motivation for pursuing holiness here and now. But the author may also have had in mind the thought that one’s perception of God even now is conditioned by their real measure of holiness (cf. Matt. 5:8).
The word holiness or sanctification has the “the” article. The reader was to pursue the sanctification. That’s what the Greek has. It’s strange that they would translate it that way when normally we just say pursue sanctification. Of course positional sanctification is assumed to have taken place (cf. Heb. 10:10, 14). The article possibly is an article of previous reference looking back to Hebrews 12:10 and the word holiness (sanctification and holiness have and are built on the same stem (hagios) and can sometimes be used interchangeable in translations). But how does one pursue peace and holiness? The verb “pursue” implies the verse is discussing practical peace and holiness. The obvious result then becomes clear. Practical holiness is the necessary result of positional sanctification (cf. 10:14). A number of passages teach this truth (1 John 3:2-3; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; Matt. 5:8).
Verses 15–17: Verse fifteen is closely tied to verse 14 in the Greek text. As the readers were pursuing peace and sanctification, they were to be watching for the spiritual welfare of others. Verses 15-17 in a very real sense prepare the reader for the warning section at the end of this chapter.
As a grim reminder of what can happen among believers, the writer warned that “one” who “comes short of the grace of God” may become like a bitter root whose infidelity to God affects others. Coming “short of the grace of God” would describe a person who left a profession of Christ to go back to Judaism. We should be alert to prevent two developments. Both appeals reflect a concern that the community of believers cares for each of its members.
First, we are to be careful that no one misses out on sharing fully in God’s grace. Believers must be vigilant to assist those among us who have stumbled in weakness. We must bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).
Second, we must prevent the growth of any “root of bitterness.” Here the author had in mind Deuteronomy 29:18 where an Old-Covenant apostate was called a “root … that produces such bitter poison.” Based on Deuteronomy 29, the root of bitterness is not just bitterness in your heart; the root of bitterness is a person. The root of bitterness is a person who is turning people away from the Lord. That is what this is saying and the writer to the Hebrews is talking about the same thing. These words warn against the development of any practice or attitude which may contaminate the minds or consciences of believers. Some individuals can act like a poisonous weed and corrupt or devastate believers around them. Concerned Christians must take actions to prevent this.
In verses 16-17, These verses show the bad effect of the bitter behavior we are warned to avoid. Esau is an example of a person who acted in an immoral, godless manner. Such a bitter, poisonous person would be godless (bebēlos, “profane, unhallowed, desecrated”) like Esau, Jacob’s brother, whose loose and profane character led him to sell “his own birthright” (inheritance rights as the oldest son) for the temporary gratification of “a single meal.” Esau showed contempt for his religious heritage by selling his “own birthright” (see Gen. 25:33–34). The bartering of his privileges as the eldest son for a single meal was a senseless act, showing that Esau lacked any sense of spiritual values. He exemplifies anyone who values immediate gratification beyond spiritual heritage.
In verse 17 the author says Esau’s decision was irrevocable; so also is the choice of one who finally rejects Christ. The clause, “for he found no place for repentance,” should be placed into parenthesis. Then the “it” in “though he sought for it with tears” refers to the blessing. People have said the newest antecedent is repentance. He sought for repentance with tears. There was none given to him. That does not make sense. But the “it” is looking back to the blessing. Both repentance and blessing are feminine and the pronoun here is auten feminine. They sought for it can be either repentance or blessing when you read the context of the story he sought for the blessing. It was too late to receive the blessing for he had despised it earlier.
The writer warned the readers not to yield to transitory pressures and forfeit their inheritances. If some did, they would ultimately regret the foolish step and might find their inheritance privileges irrevocably lost as were Esau’s. This would of course be true of one who ended their Christian experience in a state of apostasy, which the writer had continually warned against.
In Genesis 27:6–29 Jacob used trickery to win the patriarchal blessing from Isaac. When Esau later sought the blessing, Isaac knew that he could not reverse his actions. Esau wept when he recognized that he had squandered his birthright, but his tears were futile (Gen. 27:34). He became a memorable example of someone who failed to appropriate God’s grace by wasting his opportunity.
The New Testament emphasizes that spiritual repentance is possible for those who desire it. Esau’s tears appeared when he recognized that he had no chance to remedy his foolish actions. We are to realize that denying Christ is a serious act. We should never count on an easy route of return at a time of our own choosing. Just as Esau’s tears did not earn a return to God for him, a deliberate turning away from Christ will lead to ruin and sorrow.