Hebrews 12:14-29
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled:
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.
The Grace New Testament Commentary - Hebrews 12:14-17, 12:25-29
12:14 He exhorts them to pursue peace with all people. By "all people," he means all in the community of faith, since both the preceding and following contexts have these in view. By peace, the author may have in mind the Hebrew concept of "shalom" - not merely peace but one's whole welfare. To pursue peace with everyone in God's family would be to seek for their total welfare, especially their spiritual well-being. The words translated "pursue" and "peace" are also found in combination in Rom 14:19, in a context calling for mutual concern and edification among believers (cf. Ps 34:14).
Each believer also needs to pursue holiness (or "sanctification," hagiasmos). This normally denotes progressive sanctification (e.g., Rom 6:19), and the preceding context confirms that meaning here (note "partakers of His holiness" in Heb 12:10). This is essential for one to see the Lord.
In light of the epistle's eschatological concerns (Christ's return was referred to in both Hebrews 9:28 and Hebrews 10:37), "seeing the Lord" probably looks forward to that future moment that completes the sanctification process when each believer will see the Lord face to face and be like Him (cf. 1 John 3:2). Though none of us will become completely like Christ in this life, yet because this is our ultimate destiny, we ought to pursue sanctification now (cooperating with God in His discipline of us).
Just as all true sons partake of God's discipline (Heb 12:8), so also all enter the sanctification process, progress to some degree, and ultimately see the Lord. The text is not saying that people will be saved in the final analysis because they attain to a certain level of holiness. Simple faith in Christ and His atoning work is the sole basis by which people go to heaven, not the extent of their sanctification.
12:15 The same communal spiritual concern includes being on the lookout for anyone who might fall short of the grace of God. The stress on progressive sanctification suggests this does not mean a failure to believe the gospel. In light of the context of Hebrews (especially the weak and failing ones mentioned in vv 12-13), this probably looks at the failure to appropriate God's grace for successfully completing one's Christian pilgrimage (cf. Hebrews 4:16). This can lead to a root of bitterness in the believer's life (cf. Deut 29:18-21), that furthers a hardened unbelieving heart and eventually leads to withdrawal from the community into apostasy. Like a bad disease, this can spread to others and defile them.
12:16-17 Immaturity (and spurning the grace of God) can degenerate to an immoral lifestyle that further hardens a believer's heart. In Esau's case he was the firstborn son and therefore entitled to the firstborn's inheritance rights. Later on he wanted that privilege back, but found it was too late. Hence, he found no place for repentance, that is, Isaac, his father, would not change his mind. Not even tears could change his father's mind and restore what he, Esau, had forfeited (Gen 27:34, 38). One must be careful not to follow in Esau's footsteps in light of the future eschatological "rest" (and inheritance) at stake.
12:25 The exhortation See that you do not refuse Him who speaks hearkens back to the epistle's opening words, "God... has in these last days spoken to us by His Son." There is only one logical alternative: God has clearly revealed His will - the Old Covenant has served its purpose, and the New Covenant based on the perfect sacrifice of Jesus has been inaugurated. To refuse God's plan, however, is to choose God's judgment from which there is no escape. Under the Old Covenant those who refused Him at Kadesh Barnea met stern judgment (barred from entering the rest of Canaan). How much more, then, should those who rebel against the heavenly New Covenant expect His judgment (cf. Hebrews 10:26-31). Those doing so will certainly be subject to temporal judgment in this life and eventually be denied their inheritance rights and reward when they stand before the Lord.
12:26-27 Whatever shaking of the earth was experienced at Sinai is not nearly as earth-shattering as that in the future. The author refers to the promise (from Hag 2:6, 21) that God will shake the earth once more. The present world order is not always going to continue as it has, for God will eventually intervene. In the context of Haggai this will include a political shaking of the kingdoms of the nations (Hag 2:22).
12:28-29 The one thing that will remain after God's future "shaking" - His judgment on the nations of this world - will be Messiah's kingdom, just as the OT had foretold (cf. Dan 2:44). This kingdom cannot be shaken or destroyed (cf. Daniel 7:13-14). This kingdom will be formally inaugurated at the Second Coming, and at that time all things will be put "in subjection" (Heb 2:8) to the Lord Jesus, the "heir of all things" (Heb 1:2). This is "the world to come" that the author has sought to impress on the readers (cf. Heb 2:5).
The thought that God has graciously destined us for this everlasting kingdom ought to arouse a very thankful spirit in us. In light of similar wording in Luke 17:9 the words let us have grace mean to "be thankful." If indeed we are thankful, then we will respond obediently and be responsible believer-priests acting in faith to offer spiritual service to Him. The verb translated serve (latreuō) is often used of those engaged in priestly spiritual service (cf. Heb 13:10; 9:14). On the other hand, if we are not thankful but refuse Him, we must remember that our God is a consuming fire. These words (drawn from Deut 4:24) warn that He is a jealous God who judges those who turn from His covenant. He should not be provoked to anger!
Charles Bing - Grace, Salvation, and Discipleship - Holiness to See the Lord, Hebrews 12:14
(Salvation) Interpretation: Those who do not live holy lives will not be saved.
(Discipleship) Interpretation: Christians who do not live holy lives will not enjoy the intimate presence of God.
The word "holiness" is the same word sometimes translated sanctification (hagiomos), which has the meaning of "set apart" from one thing to something else. In this case, holiness denotes setting apart from sin unto God. This is not speaking of absolute holiness, just as the preceding admonition does not expect perfect peace with all people, but both are something to be pursued.
If this was (Salvation teaching), then the holiness demanded must be absolute, for nothing else would attain God's righteousness. Yet the admonition to pursue it with peace toward all makes it a process, not a one-time transaction. The (Salvation) view also assumes that "see the Lord" means enter into heaven or God's presence. Two immediate problems with this interpretation are the fact that the author is still addressing his readers as believers, and related to that, the context develops this exhortation to believers.
Chapter 12 sets us on the track of a (Discipleship) interpretation by the progress of thought as the author encourages the readers as Christians:At every turn, the author's exhortations only make sense for believers who should progress in their faith.
- They are to run their race enduring opposition from sinners. (12:1-4)
- They should not be discouraged by God's chastening along the way because it shows that He loves them. (12:5-9)
- The purpose of God's chastening is that they might share in His holiness. (12:10-11)
- They should be encouraged to continue on God's path of holiness because it allows them to "see God." (12:12-14)
- On the other hand, they must not neglect their sanctification and become defiled. (12:15-17)
- They are reminded that they have come to the holiness of God revealed by the New Covenant, which is greater than the holiness revealed by the Old Covenant. (12:18-29)
The term "see the Lord" therefore could not refer to entering heaven or God's presence. In addition to the physical sense of vision, the idea of seeing something can also mean to know it intimately. Most lexicons recognize that "see" (horaō) can refer to one's perception and experience of something (cf. Luke 3:6; John 6:36; 12:45; 14:9; 15:24: 3 John 1:11). The contrast with the Old Covenant in Hebrews 12:18-29 reminds us that under Moses, no one could see the Lord (Exod. 33:20), but in Jesus Christ, we see the Father (John 1:18; 12:45; 14:9). It follows then that the more we grow in our knowledge and experience of Christ, the more we will see God until we see Him face to face in our glorification (1 Cor. 13:12: 1 John 3:2; Rev. 22:4). The prospect of a more intimate experience of God should motivate us all to pursue holiness.
Charles Bing - Grace, Salvation, and Discipleship - A Consuming Fire, Hebrews 12:25-29
(Salvation) Interpretation: Those who disobey God will not escape his punishment of hell.
(Discipleship) Interpretation: Those who disobey God will not escape His severe discipline.
The author's use of "we," the assurance of "receiving a kingdom," and the exhortation to serve God indicate this is (Discipleship teaching) intended for believers in Christ. There is no escape from God's judgment for believers who refuse (from paraiteomai, to refuse or reject) what God has spoken as warnings to those who fall away, or as promises to those who persevere in faith.
That "our God is a consuming fire" (v. 29) is a motivation not to reject God's words, but to practice godly reverence in God's service, which was mentioned in the previous verse (v. 28). It is not meant to be a threat of hell, because verse 28 speaks confidently of the readers "receiving a kingdom" in the future. This metaphor of God as a consuming fire comes from Deuteronomy 4:24 where it speaks of God's jealousy.
Christians must take God's words seriously. As (Discipleship teaching), Hebrews provides us with brilliant truth about the superiority of Jesus Christ and His work, exhortations to grow and persevere in faith, and warnings about neglecting or denying our faith. Our response determines our reward or our punishment.
The Evangelism Study Bible - Hebrews 12:14
12:14 There are two ways of understanding the last part of that verse, both of which are in keeping with the context. First, when believers are in God's presence, they will be holy as He is holy (see 1 John 3:2). Second, those who seek to live pure and holy lives are the ones who have the best perception and understanding of God's will, His ways, and His works.