Chapter 12

Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews — Chapter Twelve

¹ Therefore let us also, having so great a cloud of witnesses encompassing us. He did not say, lifted up above us, but, encompassing—that is, surrounding us on every side. And by witnesses he calls not only those in the New [Covenant], but also those in the Old. For these too bore witness to the majesty of God, like the three children, and Daniel, and all the prophets. And he did not say, a multitude, but, a cloud, most fittingly to the present subject. For since they had a burning heat of afflictions, like some cloud, he says, the memory of the witnesses will refresh you, encompassing you on every side.

² Laying aside every weight. That is, the burden of earthly affairs and of the prides set upon them. For they are nothing else, he says, than a vain weight. Why, then, are you vexed at being rid of these?

³ And the sin that so easily besets us. Either that which easily surrounds us, or that which is easily able to suffer reverse. For it is easy, if we will, to get the better of sin. Or that on account of which one easily falls into straits, for nothing is so perilous as sin.

⁴ Let us run with patience the race that is set before us. He did not say, Let us box, nor, Let us wrestle, but that which was lighter than all, the matter of running, this he set forth in the midst. Nor did he say, Let us add to the running, but, In this very thing let us endure. For some are bound to run through self-control, others through almsgiving, others through some other virtue; but you, through patience. For of this you have need, as has also been said above.

⁵ Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith. That is, if we wish to learn to run with patience, let us look to Christ, just as those who learn crafts look to their teachers; which indeed he himself also said: Learn from me; and again: If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household? and, The disciple is not above his teacher. And what is, author and finisher? That is, He himself both implanted faith in us from the beginning—For you did not choose me, he says, but I chose you—and he himself will set the end upon it, so that you may have it most perfect.

⁶ Who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame. For it was in his power not to suffer, not to die; for being without sin, he was not subject to death; which he himself also says, The ruler of the world comes, and in me he has nothing. If, therefore, he had not willed it, he would not have been crucified; which he himself also said: I have power to lay down my life. But nevertheless he endured the cross—that is, not death simply, but the reproachful [death]—and despised the shame of such a death. And he did not say, Despising grief; for neither did he bear these things with grief.

⁷ And has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Do you see to what the end of patience leads up? Which he says also elsewhere: Wherefore God also highly exalted him, speaking of that according to the flesh. So that he is able to requite you also for the afflictions [endured] for his sake. For the sitting at the right hand declares the equality of honor with the Father.

⁸ For consider him who endured such gainsaying of sinners against himself. And indeed, if one who considers the sufferings of fellow-servants is sufficiently comforted, how much more those of the Master, who endured such gainsaying? That is, mockings, jeerings, revilings, blows in the face, all that they spoke against his teachings, the outcries before Pilate, and last of all the cross. For the word “such” is emphatic—that is, [gainsaying] reaching unto death, and that with robbers, and that by sinners, namely the Gentiles, or even the Jews themselves.

⁹ Lest you grow weary, fainting in your souls. For to consider Christ will brace and nerve your souls, and will not allow them to be unstrung and to give up before the afflictions.

¹⁰ You have not yet resisted unto blood. Two kinds of exhortation are contrary to one another: the one, when someone says to a person, You have suffered great things; remember those things; the other, when one says, You have as yet suffered nothing great. For the former restores the soul that is toiling, as having many that share knowledge of its sufferings; but the latter pulls down the soul that is about to be puffed up, and rouses the one that is slothful. Paul uses both of these now toward the Hebrews. For having said above that You endured a great contest of sufferings, and having exhorted them to imitate themselves, now, on the contrary, he shows them as having undergone nothing yet worthy of mention, that they may not be lifted up. And mark his wisdom. After he made mention of the ancient saints who underwent great things, and of the Lord himself, then he shows that their own [sufferings] are nothing. For not yet, he says, have you come unto death, but unto persecutions, unto plunder. But Christ came unto death. And by saying, “resisted,” he shows both that sin breathes something vehement and is set against [us], and that they themselves are standing and contending, yet not in the more critical [conflicts], but in the lighter ones.

¹¹ Striving against sin. Against the devil, who is sin itself, as its inventor and teacher; or against sin itself and its dishonorable passions, which are hostile and destructive to us.

¹² And you have forgotten the exhortation. You have been so relaxed and unstrung that you have even forgotten the words that exhort to manliness, although you have not yet suffered anything great. For great and notable sufferings often produce forgetfulness of the necessary things.

¹³ Which speaks to you as to sons: My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord. For Solomon spoke not to his own sons, but to all who were able to hear, and to you also by all means; for this reason the word “as” is set down.

¹⁴ Nor faint when you are rebuked by him. So then are temptations brought upon [us] by God? And if by God, then assuredly for our profit. For he himself either primarily is well-pleased that we be tempted for the putting away of sins, or permits it for proving and for more crowns.

¹⁵ For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. For it is impossible to find any one of those loved by the Lord without afflictions. Are robbers, then, and thieves not scourged also? Are these too sons? No. For he did not say that everyone who is scourged is a son, but that every son is scourged. Robbers, then, are scourged not as sons, but punished as evil men. But here, having said before, “He chastens,” then he added, “He scourges,” that you may understand the scourging of the son not as a requital of wickedness, but as instruction. And “whom he receives”—that is, whom he accepts, whom he takes to himself beyond the rest, whom he makes his own.

¹⁶ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then are you bastards, and not sons. From the very things by which they thought themselves to be forsaken by God, from these he shows them to be cared for by God. For if you were without afflictions, you would appear to be bastards and not sons. For what father takes thought for the instruction of bastard sons, and for their orderliness? But since you are afflicted, and from this there comes to you the living in an orderly and composed manner, just as also all the aforesaid, namely the righteous, who were also called sons of God—it is manifest and indisputable that God deals with you as with sons, and holds you in his care, that you may not die untaught, and from this he should thrust you out as disinherited.

¹⁷ Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh as chasteners, and we reverenced them. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? From the things that concern themselves he again proves that one ought to endure. For if, when our fleshly fathers chastened us, we did not dare to leap away, but reverenced them and endured whatever they brought upon us—how much more now, when God chastens? And observe, he did not say, How much more shall we endure, but, shall we be in subjection; showing that it belongs to a rebel and an enemy of God not to endure affliction. And “Father of spirits,” either of the gifts of grace, or of the bodiless powers, or, what is also more fitting, of souls. For in contradistinction to the fleshly fathers, he said the spiritual. And he added, “and we shall live,” to show that he who is insubordinate does not even live. For he is outside of God, who is life.

¹⁸ For they indeed for a few days. For neither are they able to chasten us throughout, so as to make us perfect. For either the death of the father, or the growth, or the hardness of the child, puts a stop to the chastening; but God, ever chastening, is able to make [us] perfect.

¹⁹ Chastened us according to what seemed good to them. But what seems good to the father does not by all means profit the son; for many teach even shameful crafts.

²⁰ But he for [our] profit, that we may partake of his holiness. But God brings the chastening for that which is profitable to us; not that he may receive anything from us, but rather that he may impart of his holiness—that is, of his purity; so that, he says, we may become receptive of his good things. So then chastening is a partaking of holiness; and reasonably so; for it gathers the soul together unto the holy God, not allowing it to rove about toward anything human.

²¹ Now no chastening for the present seems to be of joy, but of grief. Again from the common notion he took the starting-points of the exhortation, and says: Now all chastening, both divine and human, seems to be not of joy, but of grief. Well [said] the word, “Seems”; for it is not truly of grief. For how could it be properly of grief, being the mother of gladness? But the word “Seems” is said with reference to us who are vexed at chastenings.

²² But afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby. What is “peaceable”? That is, untroubled, smooth, sweet. For he that grieves is troubled; but he that rejoices has a certain smoothness and calm. And this fruit is of righteousness, because God, being righteous, gives rest to those who were grieved in this present age. And observe that he calls chastening an exercise, strengthening the faithful, and making them like certain athletes, and more vigorous. Why, then, do you flee from that which strengthens your souls?

²³ Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the palsied knees. He speaks as to certain boxers and combatants. And he took this from the Scripture of Isaiah, showing by a metaphor from the more principal members, that they are wholly relaxed in soul. For the hands are a symbol of activity, and the feet of motion. So in the case of one who is despondent, the instruments of the soul are relaxed primarily, and the bodily ones consequently.

²⁴ And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned aside, but rather be healed. Here he speaks as to runners, just as he also said above: Let us run with patience. He says, then, Make straight paths. A “path” is either the track of the chariot-wheel which is cut along the ground, or the ground that lies beneath the feet of those who run. Let your paths, then, he says—that is, your ways—be smooth and even; that is, let there be nothing rough and grievous and uneven in your souls, but run evenly and without grief and smoothly, that being lame—that is, by nature rather faint-hearted, as Jews; for such is that nation; or also limping in respect of believing the things to come—you may not further stumble, and your feet be turned aside—that is, become utterly crooked. For he who gives way to the natural faint-heartedness, or to that which befell from the beginning, and does not hold himself up, but yields, falls all unawares into the precipice of despair, and is hard to recover thence. But rather be earnest, that what is lame in you may be healed—that is, even if you have some unbelief until now, be corrected rather. For where is there unbelief in the one who endures? And observe how he plainly introduces repentance, and mark this on account of the Novatians.

²⁵ Pursue peace with all men. That which he said above, “Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together,” this he does now also, gathering them into love. And not only toward their own, but also toward enemies, he exhorts them to be at peace. For “with all,” he says, both Greeks, and Jews, and enemies. For as much as in you lies, he says, be at peace with all men. And if you have such a purpose, you will in no way be faint-hearted when insulted. And observe also the word “Pursue”—that is, though peace be far off, be earnest to overtake it, drawing it to yourselves.

²⁶ And holiness. That is, purity; if one is unmarried, keeping virginity; but if in marriage, chastity; not that marriage is holiness, but that it keeps the holiness from baptism unforfeited through lawful intercourse. For marriage is honorable, yet not holy, but a guardian of holiness.

²⁷ Without which no one shall see the Lord. For neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And the Lord also in the Gospel: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

²⁸ Looking diligently lest any man fall short of the grace of God. As though they were journeying along a certain long road in a great company, he says: See that no one has been left behind. For I seek not this only, that you should arrive, but that you should also watch over the others—that is, look upon, overtake, observe—which holds in the case of the weak; even if there be but one who falls short, neglect not even him. And by “grace of God” he means faith, and the most excellent manner of life, and the good things to come. For all these are of the grace of God.

²⁹ Lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you. This is set down in Deuteronomy. And he took it by a metaphor from plants. And that which he writes elsewhere, A little leaven leavens the whole lump, this he says here also. Let no wicked man be permitted to be for the ruin of the many; cut off the root of bitterness—that is, of sin—that it may not bring forth shoots—that is, may not make others such. And that sin is bitter, or rather that nothing is more bitter than it, they know who, after committing it, are wasted by conscience. And observe, he did not say “a bitter root,” but “a root of bitterness”; for the bitter root may bring forth sweet fruits; but the root of bitterness—that is, the source and ground [of it]—can never bring forth sweet fruit.

³⁰ And by it many be defiled. For seeing the ungodly, the slothful come to emulate them, and are defiled in their souls. Let such roots, then, be cut off.

³¹ Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. He does not say this, that Esau was a fornicator, but stop at this point. Let there be no fornicator among you. For he hints that there were some such among them, yet he does not wish to convict them, but feigns ignorance, that they may be set right. Then from another beginning say, “Nor profane, as Esau”—that is, a glutton, worldly, profaning and trampling spiritual things. For he sold the honor of the birthright given by God, and that for one morsel of meat. And this is profanation, the contempt of divine things. Here he shows them how great an evil is slothfulness, in that the first became last by being faint-hearted, and by not resisting the desire of food.

³² For you know that even afterward, when he wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He was rejected by the father, who said to him: If I have made him your lord, what then shall I do for you, child? But some have said that he was rejected by God. The first, then—he was rejected by God. For God was the cause of Isaac’s blessing Jacob when deceived. But the being rejected afterward, when he sought the blessing, is to be understood of the father; or even then by both; for it is clear that the father too rejected him according to God.

³³ For he found no place of repentance, though he sought it earnestly with tears. Does Paul, then, cast out repentance here? God forbid. How then does he say that he found no place of repentance, though he sought it earnestly with tears? First, then, receive this, that by “it” one must understand not repentance, but the blessing; and the words “For he found no place of repentance” are parenthetical. Then too, he did indeed seek repentance, but not as one ought. For how is it [a mark] of repentance to say: Let the days of mourning for my father draw near, and I will slay my brother? So that on this account he found not repentance, because he sought it not as he ought. For even if he had tears, yet the tears were not of repentance, but of envy and bitterness, [in one] who neither bore nor loved the being surpassed. Just as neither was the grief of Cain of repentance, but of envy, and the murder made it manifest. Either, then, this is what I said, or that most wisely Paul frightens those who have not yet fallen, saying that for great sins there is no place of repentance—doing this by way of [wise] management, that by fear he may preserve them, so that they fall not. But when he sees any that have fallen, he again calls them back, that they despair not; as toward the Galatians: My little children, he says, of whom I again travail in birth, until Christ be formed in you. Therefore Paul does not here cast out repentance, but secures the believers from among the Hebrews against falling.

³⁴ For you have not come unto a mount that may be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet. He shows that they are liable to greater [punishment], if they do not endure, but stand against him who promised, than those in the Old [Covenant]. And observe how he makes the comparison. After he showed the superiority of the New over the Old through many points, as has been recognized, he now sets down also the great and wonderful things among the ancients, those that came to pass on Mount Sinai, and declares them to be small and not worthy of mention beside those of the New. For there, he says, [there was] much display for the astonishment of that childish people. For indeed the fire was added, that the punitive [character] of the lawgiver might be shown, and that he might at once appear terrible. The blackness and the darkness showed the shadowedness of the Old. For if that was a type, it is clear that until the truth came the types were obscure, not being known as to what they signified. And the invisibility of God was also shown through these things. For “blackness,” he says, “[was] under his feet.” And the tempest roused the Hebrews, who were slothful, so that they should give heed. And the trumpets, as of a king present. For this also will be at the second coming.

³⁵ And the voice of words, which they that heard entreated that no word should be added to them. For God was heard speaking, that the legislation might become worthy of belief, and that the words might not seem to be Moses’. Assuredly the voice of God was terrible, but that of Moses thin. Wherefore those men declined God, saying to Moses: Speak you to us, and let not God speak to us.

³⁶ For they could not endure that which was commanded. That is, that which was spoken by God they were not able to bear with their ears, being terrible. So then they themselves became the cause of God’s appearing through flesh, that he might become containable by them.

³⁷ And if even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned. And so terrible was that which appeared. He shows in this also the superiority of the New. For the Old, although it had nothing great, such as the New, was something terrible, and not even a beast was permitted to touch the mountain—that is, some beast from among those which the people had. But the New, having all things perfect, displays nothing terrible, but all things gentle.

³⁸ Moses said: I am exceedingly afraid and trembling. But if Moses, who entered into the blackness, the great one, [was] thus, how much [more] the people?

³⁹ But you have come. Those men did not come near, but stood afar off; but you have come near. Do you see the superiority?

⁴⁰ To Mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Instead of Sinai, we have Sion, a spiritual mountain, and a spiritual city, Jerusalem—that is, heaven itself, not desolate, as those [had].

⁴¹ And to myriads of angels, to a festal assembly. Instead of the people we have myriads of angels; instead of the place, joy—for this is signified through “festal assembly.” For where there is a festal assembly, there is joy. This festal assembly, then, consists of myriads of angels.

⁴² And to the Church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven. He calls the faithful “firstborn,” those consecrated to God, those sanctified, whose names are in the book of life, just as the Lord also said to the disciples: But your names are written in heaven. And since God is the common Father of all, all men indeed are his sons in common; but the firstborn of these are those who have believed, and are worthy of the adoption according to [his] purpose. Or also all who simply believe are sons; but firstborn are those who are well-pleasing, and counted worthy of the rights of elders in word and conduct before God.

⁴³ And to God the Judge of all. Here he also frightens them. For he is Judge of all—not of Jews only, but also of the faithful. Fear him, then. And he shows at the same time also their superiority over those of old, seeing that those men endured not even loving words, nor dared to approach even the mountain; but you have come near to the Judge himself—that is, to Christ. For the Father judges no man, but has given all judgment to the Son.

⁴⁴ And to the spirits of just men made perfect. That is, to the souls of those who were approved and shown perfect before God, namely through faith, as he proved; with whom you are about to be ranged, if you emulate them.

⁴⁵ And to Jesus the mediator of a New Covenant. Not to Moses the servant, but to Jesus our Lord.

⁴⁶ And to the blood of sprinkling. That is, of cleansing. For the blood of Christ, sprinkled upon us, cleansed and sanctified.

⁴⁷ Speaking better things than [that of] Abel. For what did Abel speak? Yes. For the voice, he says, of your brother’s blood cries to me. Or, as has also been said above, that he speaks even now, being celebrated and sung among all. But that of Christ sends forth a brighter and more significant voice, crying through deeds, that it has sanctified all. And in another way also it speaks: wherever it finds a sincere mind, it raises it up, and makes it speak. For the Spirit speaks in groanings unutterable. And the holy Cyril also understood it somewhat thus, that the blood of Abel cried out against the murderer; but that of Christ speaks on our behalf to his own Father.

⁴⁸ See that you refuse not him that speaks. Through disbelieving his promises, and despairing. And who is he that speaks, but Christ? For if his blood speaks, much more does he himself live.

⁴⁹ For if they escaped not, who refused him that uttered oracles on earth. What did they not escape? The punishment, the destruction. And by “him that uttered oracles on earth” he means Moses, or also God, who came down indeed from heaven, but nevertheless uttered oracles on earth through Moses. For on Mount Sinai he uttered oracles—that is, conversed, discoursed, gave commands.

⁵⁰ Much more we, who turn away from him that [speaks] from heaven. That is, Christ, who utters oracles from heaven—that is, who after being taken up gave us the law through the Spirit. And not that there was another then and another now did he say this, but the manner of the legislation differs. For then, uttering oracles on earth, he gave the law; but now, having been taken up, as has been said. So that he would be more terrible. For that there was not another then and another now, hear from this very one in what follows.

⁵¹ Whose voice then shook the earth. Do you see that even then he himself was the one speaking, who now utters oracles to us from heaven? For his voice then, at the time of the giving of the law, shook the earth.

⁵² But now he has promised, saying: Yet once more I shake, not the earth only, but also the heaven. We have from Scripture two former shakings: first, that at the legislation on Sinai—For the earth, says David, was shaken; second, that at the sojourning in the flesh. For “all Jerusalem was shaken,” he says; and, The things made by hands of Egypt shall be shaken. For they were shaken—that is, they were moved from the standing whereby they deceived those who worshipped these things, and their strength was cast down. So then, “Yet once more” signifies a third shaking, that which shall come to pass after the second, namely the renewal at the consummation of the world, when all things shall be transferred, being changed from corruption to incorruption. And the saying is Haggai’s.

⁵³ And the word, Yet once more, signifies the removal of the things that are shaken, as of things that have been made. That is, the removal of the corruptible creation, which has a nature to be shaken, inasmuch as it has been made—that is, has taken a beginning of being, and necessarily, of course, has also an end. For everything that has been made began, and on this account, so far at least as concerns its own nature, has also an end. For indeed the angels too are by nature not without end, since neither are they without beginning; but by divine grace they received endlessness.

⁵⁴ That the things which cannot be shaken may remain. That is, the good things to come. For when these corruptible things shall be changed, all the things that shall then be for the righteous will be incorruptible and unshaken, undergoing no removal or change.

⁵⁵ Wherefore receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace. Since, he says, we are about to be counted worthy of such good things, unchangeable and unshaken, and we receive such a kingdom, already from hence receiving the pledges of it, the spiritual gifts of grace, let us have grace—that is, let us not be pained, nor be impatient, but let us give thanks to him who has both already given such things, and is about to give them.

⁵⁶ By which we serve God acceptably. By which—that is, by thanksgiving. For if we are thankful, then we also serve acceptably, and as those who know what kind of Master we have. For if we are not thankful both for relief and for affliction, neither do we serve acceptably. For what servant who murmurs against his master (for he murmurs who serves him not as he ought) serves acceptably? Wherefore this same one also says elsewhere, Murmur not; and again, Do all things without murmurings. And the Israelites also fell in the wilderness, as murmurers.

⁵⁷ With reverence and godly fear. That is, let us utter nothing rash, nothing shameless, but let even the outward demeanor have reverence toward men, and godly fear toward God.

⁵⁸ For our God is a consuming fire. Since he showed the things of the Old to be terrible, but those of the New to have nothing of the kind—that they may not despise the gentleness, he says: With reverence and godly fear let us give thanks to God. For the soul in afflictions grows shameless, falling into despair. Or because our service is by nature to be done with reverence and godly fear. For indeed our God is fire, and we must be reverent, that we be not consumed as despisers and indifferent ones. For “Make the sons of Israel reverent,” he says. And this also brings them consolation, seeing that we have such a God, able to consume our adversaries.