What is the meaning of Hebrews 12:2?

Answer

Hebrews 12:2 teaches us to focus on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

In Hebrews 11, the writer presents a lengthy list of faithful examples for the readers of the letter to emulate. Chapter 12 begins with the exhortation: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us cast off everything that hinders and the sin that easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Believers are likened to participants in a race, able to draw inspiration from those who have gone before them. The individuals in Hebrews 11 constitute the “cloud of witnesses” referenced in Hebrews 12:1. To run effectively, believers must rid themselves of sin and other hindrances. Serious runners do not carry unnecessary baggage—just as you would not see an Olympic athlete carrying a suitcase or chatting on a cell phone during a race. They leave behind anything that is not essential. Winning the race requires finishing; the athlete must not quit prematurely. Perseverance is essential.

The author of Hebrews then urges believers to contemplate the ultimate model of perseverance—Jesus. Athletes in a competition cannot afford to be distracted by peripheral things. Similarly, as participants in the race of life, we must “fix our eyes on Jesus.” While running, we must keep our gaze fixed on Him in faith. He is not only our example but also our ultimate goal. We must strive towards Him with all our strength, trusting that we will be transformed into His likeness.

Hebrews 12:2 describes Jesus as the “pioneer” of our faith, the trailblazer who opened the way. He paved the path into the Holy of Holies so that the rest of us could enter into God’s presence (Hebrews 10:19-20). Jesus is also the “perfecter” of our faith—He is the one who brought it to completion. He did not just start it; He finished it. The verse goes on to explain precisely how He finished.

First, Hebrews 12:2 states that Jesus endured the cross. There in Gethsemane, He resolved to carry out the will of the Father «And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. », (Matthew 26:39). He did this by focusing on the joy that was to come. He knew that He would be resurrected and restored to the place of glory that He had with the Father from the beginning «And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. », (John 17:5). He looked forward with joy to the people He would save. He willingly gave His life to save His sheep (John 10:10-11).

Second, Hebrews 12:2 mentions that Jesus scorned the shame of the cross. Crucifixion was a gruesome, tortuous death, and it included public humiliation and shame. Jesus was ridiculed as He was hanging on the cross. The sign hung above Him read “King of the Jews,” a cruel irony since it was true, but those who murdered Him did not believe it. Others on the ground mocked Him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One” «And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. », (Luke 23:35). The cruel irony is that He could only save others by not savingHimself. He was truly the Messiah, and this prevented Him from coming down from the cross. He was the Chosen One, and He had been selected for the very purpose of dying as God’s sacrifice for sin. It is also ironic that God would deliver Him, but only after He endured the cross.

Third, Hebrews 12:2 states that, after Jesus’ death, God raised Him from the dead, and Jesus ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father. This signifies Jesus’ authority (at the right hand) and the fact that His work is finished (He sat down). This position is contrasted with the priests at the time who were standing and offering daily sacrifices (Hebrews 10:11-13).

The original audience of the book of Hebrews seems to have been Jews who had professed faith in Christ but who were now facing persecution from the unbelieving Jews. They were tempted to turn back, to renounce Christ and to go back to the temple and the sacrificial system. Believers who read the book of Hebrews today are faced with a similar temptation: the world and what we have left behind are always calling to us, wanting us to go back—if not to permanently return, at least to go back for visits as often as possible. But we are running a race. There is no time to backtrack or dillydally. The race we are running is probably more like a military-style obstacle course than a nice and neat Olympic race. There are real dangers along the way, but we must keep moving forward. We have the examples of past saints to follow, but our supreme example is Jesus Himself, the one who blazed the way, finished the race, paid for our sins, and is now seated in the place of highest honor and authority. We look to Him, not only as our example but as our source of strength.