“For consider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against himself, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls” (Heb. 12:3). In this passage the writer urges that his readers reflect upon Jesus. He has already urged that they “look unto Jesus” (12:2) and earlier had written, “Consider the apostle and High Priest of our confessions, even Jesus” (3:1). Yet while the English word “consider” in chapters 3:1 and 12:2 is the same, the word is a translation of two different Greek words. What are we to consider about Jesus?
We are to consider His endurance of the gainsayings of sinners against Himself. Jesus met opposition on every corner. While there were those who wanted to make Him a king, yet molding after their ideas, those who were offended by His teaching and others who found His teaching too hard for them; these were quieter voices. The gainsaying of His nation was found in the Sadducees who regarded His invasion (as they deemed it) of their domain, the temple, who dared to cleanse the temple of those who made merchandise of it. There were His harshest critics, the Pharisees who constantly questioned Him, seeking to ensnare Him in His speech. These laid traps for Him, only to see the trap spring on themselves. They orchestrated the nation by working against Him, turning bit by bit His people against Him just as Isaiah predicted: “He was despised and rejected of men …” (Isa. 53). Ultimately they brought about His death. What effect did all this conniving have on Jesus? Sorrow, pain, loneliness, death. Yet the one thing His opponents failed to do, which was the very purpose of all their efforts, was that those things neither moved Jesus to change course from ultimately reaching His goal. He came to do His Father’s will and nothing or no one would deter Him from that. Among His last words were these: “It is finished” (Jn. 19:20). And, it was!
The powerful lesson to the Hebrews was that they should follow the example of Jesus. The writer’s urges have been frequent and many. “Take heed brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart in falling away form the living God” (3:12). “Let us fear, therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, anyone of you should seem to have come short of it” (4:1). “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sin …” (10:26). “For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise …” (10:36). “… let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us …” (12:1). Nor, with the appeal here in vs. 3, will his appeals be ended. More will be uttered before he finally con- cludes, “But I exhort you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation” (13:22). In words of yesteryear, the writer has almost sounded like a “broken record.”
Let us not wax weary. How easy it is to do! How easy it is to become weary with trying to do right, when so many do exactly the opposite. How easy to grow weary when we do good to others and they either do not even thank us or else return evil for good. Yet the Lord’s promise is “We shall reap in due season, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9). The greatest joy, the greatest treasure lies ahead!
“Earth holds no treasure, but perish with using, however precious they be, Yet there’s a country to which I am going, Heaven holds all to me!” Press on. Consider Jesus. Through Him we can overcome!
Jim McDonald
