Hebrews 12:1-7; The Joy of the Long-Distance Runner II

We don't run aimlessly, nor do we live our lives in an unthinking manner. Races consume our energy, but we also need to know how to "race smart." To "race smart" means that we use our mind as we race. The best athletes realize that their mind is their most important organ. The body can be superbly trained and highly skilled, but unless the mind is geared up to run, they will not perform their best.

Therefore, one needs to "consider" things. In this case the author encourages us to "consider" Jesus. He is not only our model but also our motivator. What do we "consider" about Jesus? The hostility he endured. When you spend some time thinking about it, the hostility Jesus faced is nearly overwhelming. He was not a bad guy. That is, he lived in such a way as to affirm people and to urge the life of peace and faithfulness to God. Yet, what Jesus did was to undermine the religious authorities of his day by offering a "product," through healings/miracles and teaching, that was nothing like that which was offered by the religious authorities. Thus, they closed ranks against him. Jesus was easy enough to sacrifice for them because he didn't face them with armies or a traditional base of power within the religion. It was not as if he was the leader of the Sadducees or had a long family history in the Pharisees. They could get rid of him fairly easily.

Or so they thought. All they had to do was to bribe one of his followers to turn him over to them. Judas had a steep price (30 pieces of silver), but they figured it out and paid him off. When Judas turned Jesus over to them, they could vent the full scope of their hostility on him. It is the hostility of rejection, beating, unjust punishment and death that the author of Hebrews wants us to have in mind. He doesn't want us necessarily to focus on the unjustness of the accusations against Jesus; he wants us to understand the hostility he faced so that when we face the same kind of hostility, we will not lose heart.

But what about hostility today to Christians and Christianity? Even though some in the religious right might claim the opposite, Christians are pretty free in this country (the USA) today to live their lives, share their faith, and celebrate their faith in almost any way they desire. I have noticed, however, that even though faith is "free" in our country, our country still, like the society in Jesus' time, cannot really abide anyone who tries to point out its inadequacy. Sometimes, to be sure, someone will try to "buy you off" or honor your suggestions, but I have found that it is quite easy to ask questions that really haven't been considered by anyone and which, if you pursue them with wholeheartedness, will often lead to your rejection and exclusion. Reformers are only popular if their reforms "catch on." While they are reforming "the system" they are ridiculed, ignored, despised and attacked.

Maybe this is a lesson we have forgotten in America, where so much emphasis is placed on conformity and following the rules. Can we really understand and "consider" Jesus if we have lived our entire lives esconsed safely either in privilege or in not exposing the fault-lines of our society or our world? The author of Hebrews is convinced that an aid to our running our race is considering the degree of hostility Jesus faced. Can we understand that hostility?

III. Discipline (vv. 5-7)

The longest section of this passage and the following verses is on the concept of discipline. The word can either be a noun or a verb, and I will use it in both ways here. Our author conceives of the trials faced by his congregation to be the "discipline" of the Lord. In so doing, he is drawing on the tradition of Proverbs 3, where the author says:

"My child, do not despise the Lord's discipline;
or be weary of his reproof,
for the Lord reproves the one he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights" (3:11-12).

Suffering is a discipline. Indeed, confusion is a discipline. Illness may be a discipline. Whatever stops us from our headlong path in life and makes us consider the pain we cause to others, the way that we try to "escape" the limitations of our humanity, the way we ignore so many other good voices which try to deepen us spiritually and emotionally--whatever does this may be considered a "discipline."

We often can be disciplined in some aspects of our lives but complete slobs in others. We keep a neat office but woe to the person who enters into our room at home. We take care of our bodies but don't look inside our minds or our souls.

So, the author of Hebrews looks at the pain that his people face as a sort of divine discipline. And, as he goes on to say, in a most moving passage:

"For they (our parents) disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness" (12:10).

Discipline can not only "chisel" or "sculpt" the body (a favorite term in our society today), but it can shape the soul. The pure beautiful nature of our soul can leap out of the "marble" that has been chiseled by the divine craftsman through discipline.

Conclusion

The life of faith is one for the long haul and is not one for those who easily faint or lose heart. But, when we consider that we have the great cloud of witnesses cheering us on, and that we have Jesus as model and motivator, as focus and goal, we know that we will make it. So speaks the author of Hebrews.

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