TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Hebrews 12:18–29. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here the apostle goes on to engage the professing Hebrews to perseverance in their Christian course and conflict, and not to relapse again into Judaism. This he does by showing them how much the state of the gospel church differs from that of the Jewish church, and how much it resembles the state of the church in heaven, and on both accounts demands and deserves our diligence, patience, and perseverance in Christianity.
I.He shows how much the gospel church differs from the Jewish church, and how much it excels.
And here we have a very particular description of the state of the church under the Mosaic dispensation, Heb 12:18-21.
1.It was a gross sensible state. Mount Sinai, on which that church-state was constituted, was a mount that might be touched (Heb 12:18), a gross palpable place; so was the dispensation. It was very much external and earthly, and so more heavy. The state of the gospel church on mount Zion is more spiritual, rational, and easy.
2.It was a dark dispensation. Upon that mount there were blackness and darkness, and that church-state was covered with dark shadows and types: the gospel state is much more clear and bright.
3.It was a dreadful and terrible dispensation; the Jews could not bear the terror of it. The thunder and the lightning, the trumpet sounding, the voice of God himself speaking to them, struck them with such dread that they entreated that the word might not be so spoken to them any more, Heb 12:19. Yea, Moses himself said, I exceedingly fear and quake. The best of men on earth are not able to converse immediately with God and his holy angels. The gospel state is mild, and kind, and condescending, suited to our weak frame.
4.It was a limited dispensation; all might not approach to that mount, but only Moses and Aaron. Under the gospel we have all access with boldness to God.
5.It was a very dangerous dispensation. The mount burned with fire, and whatever man or beast touched the mount must be stoned, or thrust through with a dart, Heb 12:20. It is true, it will be always dangerous for presumptuous and brutish sinners to draw night to God; but it is not immediate and certain death, as here it was. This was the state of the Jewish church, fitted to awe a stubborn and hard-hearted people, to set forth the strict and tremendous justice of God, to wean the people of God from that dispensation, and induce them more readily to embrace the sweet and gentle economy of the gospel church, and adhere to it.
II.He shows how much the gospel church represents the church triumphant in heaven, what communication there is between the one and the other.
The gospel church is called mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, which is free, in opposition to mount Sinai, which tendeth to bondage, Gal 4:24. This was the hill on which God set his king the Messiah. Now, in coming to mount Zion, believers come into heavenly places, and into a heavenly society.
1.Into heavenly places.
(1.)Unto the city of the living God. God has taken up his gracious residence in the gospel church, which on that account is an emblem of heaven. There his people may find him ruling, guiding, sanctifying, and comforting them; there he speaks to them by the gospel ministry; there they speak to him by prayer, and he hears them; there he trains them up for heaven, and gives them the earnest of their inheritance.
(2.)To the heavenly Jerusalem as born and bred there, as free denizens there. Here believers have clearer views of heaven, plainer evidences for heaven, and a greater meetness and more heavenly temper of soul.
2.To a heavenly society.
(1.)To an innumerable company of angels, who are of the same family with the saints, under the same head, and in a great measure employed in the same work, ministering to believers for their good, keeping them in all their ways, and pitching their tents about them. These for number are innumerable, and for order and union are a company, and a glorious one. And those who by faith are joined to the gospel church are joined to the angels, and shall at length be like them, and equal with them.
(2.)To the general assembly and church of the first-born, that are written in heaven, that is, to the universal church, however dispersed. By faith we come to them, have communion with them in the same head, by the same Spirit, and in the same blessed hope, and walk in the same way of holiness, grappling with the same spiritual enemies, and hasting to the same rest, victory, and glorious triumph. Here will be the general assembly of the first-born, the saints of former and earlier times, who saw the promises of the gospel state, but received them not, as well as those who first received them under the gospel, and were regenerated thereby, and so were the first-born, and the first-fruits of the gospel church; and thereby, as the first-born, advanced to greater honours and privileges than the rest of the world. Indeed all the children of God are heirs, and every one has the privileges of the first-born. The names of these are written in heaven, in the records of the church here: they have a name in God's house, are written among the living in Jerusalem; they have a good repute for their faith and fidelity, and are enrolled in the Lamb's book of life, as citizens are enrolled in the livery-books.
(3.)To God the Judge of all, that great God who will judge both Jew and Gentile according to the law they are under: believers come to him now by faith, make supplication to their Judge, and receive a sentence of absolution in the gospel, and in the court of their consciences now, by which they know they shall be justified hereafter.
(4.)To the spirits of just men made perfect; to the best sort of men, the righteous, who are more excellent than their neighbours; to the best part of just men, their spirits, and to these in their best state, made perfect. Believers have union with departed saints in one and the same head and Spirit, and a title to the same inheritance, of which those on earth are heirs, those in heaven possessors.
(5.)To Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. This is none of the least of many encouragements there are to perseverance in the gospel state, since it is a state of communion with Christ the Mediator of the new covenant, and of communication of his blood, that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel.
[1.]The gospel covenant is the new covenant, distinct from the covenant of works; and it is now under a new dispensation, distinct from that of the Old Testament.
[2.]Christ is the Mediator of this new covenant; he is the middle person that goes between both parties, God and man, to bring them together in this covenant, to keep them together notwithstanding the sins of the people and God's displeasure against them for sin, to offer up our prayers to God, and to bring down the favours of God to us, to plead with God for us and to plead with us for God, and at length to bring God and his people together in heaven, and to be a Mediator of fruition between them for ever, they beholding and enjoying God in Christ and God beholding and blessing them in Christ.
[3.]This covenant is ratified by the blood of Christ sprinkled upon our consciences, as the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled upon the altar and the sacrifice. This blood of Christ pacifies God and purifies the consciences of men.
[4.]This is speaking blood, and it speaks better things than that of Abel. First, It speaks to God in behalf of sinners; it pleads not for vengeance, as the blood of Abel did on him who shed it, but for mercy. Secondly, To sinners, in the name of God. It speaks pardon to their sins, peace to their souls; and bespeaks their strictest obedience and highest love and thankfulness.
III.The apostle, having thus enlarged upon the argument to perseverance taken from the heavenly nature of the gospel church state, closes the chapter by improving the argument in a manner suitable to the weight of it (Heb 12:25, etc.): See then that you refuse not him that speaketh - that speaketh by his blood; and not only speaketh after another manner than the blood of Abel spoke from the ground, but than God spoke by the angels, and by Moses spoke on mount Sinai; then he spoke on earth, now he speaks from heaven. Here observe,
1.When God speaks to men in the most excellent manner he justly expects from them the most strict attention and regard. Now it is in the gospel that God speaks to men in the most excellent manner. For,
(1.)He now speaks from a higher and more glorious seat and throne, not from mount Sinai, which was on this earth, but from heaven.
(2.)He speaks now more immediately by his inspired word and by his Spirit, which are his witnesses. He speaks not now any new thing to men, but by his Spirit speaks the same word home to the conscience.
(3.)He speaks now more powerfully and effectually. Then indeed his voice shook the earth, but now, by introducing the gospel state, he hath shaken not only the earth, but the heavens, - not only shaken the hills and mountains, or the spirits of men, or the civil state of the land of Canaan, to make room for his people, - not only shaken the world, as he then did, but he hath shaken the church, that is, the Jewish nation, and shaken them in their church-state, which was in Old Testament times a heaven upon earth; this their heavenly spiritual state he hath now shaken. It is by the gospel from heaven that God shook to pieces the civil and ecclesiastical state of the Jewish nation, and introduced a new state of the church, that cannot be removed, shall never be changed for any other on earth, but shall remain till it be made perfect in heaven.
2.When God speaks to men in the most excellent manner, the guilt of those who refuse him is the greater, and their punishment will be more unavoidable and intolerable; there is no escaping, no bearing it, Heb 12:25. The different manner of God's dealing with men under the gospel, in a way of grace, assures us that he will deal with the despisers of the gospel after a different manner than he does with other men, in a way of judgment. The glory of the gospel, which should greatly recommend it to our regard, appears in these three things: - (1.) It was by the sound of the gospel trumpet that the former dispensation and state of the church of God were shaken and removed; and shall we despise that voice of God that pulled down a church and state of so long standing and of God's own building? (2.) It was by the sound of the gospel trumpet that a new kingdom was erected for God in the world, which can never be so shaken as to be removed. This was a change made once for all; no other change shall take place till time shall be no more. We have now received a kingdom that cannot be moved, shall never be removed, never give way to any new dispensation. The canon of scripture is now perfected, the Spirit of prophecy has ceased, the mystery of God is finished, he has put his last hand to it. The gospel church may be made more large, more prosperous more purified from contracted pollution, but it shall never be altered for another dispensation; those who perish under the gospel perish without remedy. And hence the apostle justly concludes, [1.] How necessary it is for us to obtain grace from God, to serve him acceptably: if we be not accepted of God under this dispensation, we shall never be accepted at all; and we lose all our labour in religion if we be not accepted of God. [2.] We cannot worship God acceptably, unless we worship him with godly reverence and fear. As faith, so holy fear, is necessary to acceptable worship. [3.] It is only the grace of God that enables us to worship God in a right manner: nature cannot come up to it; it can produce neither that precious faith nor that holy fear that is necessary to acceptable worship. [4.] God is the same just and righteous God under the gospel that he appeared to be under the law. Though he be our God in Christ, and now deals with us in a more kind and gracious way, yet he is in himself a consuming fire; that is, a God of strict justice, who will avenge himself on all the despisers of his grace, and upon all apostates. Under the gospel, the justice of God is displayed in a more awful manner, though not in so sensible a manner as under the law; for here we behold divine justice seizing upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and making him a propitiatory sacrifice, his soul and body an offering for sin, which is a display of justice far beyond what was seen and heard on mount Sinai when the law was given.
Historical interpretation
Nine Centuries of Reception
6 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."
Let us then do all for this, that we may attain that rest, that we may enjoy those good things. Yea, I pray and beseech you, let us be earnest for this. No one builds in a city which is going to fall down. Tell me, I pray you, if any one said that after a year, this city would fall, but such a city not at all, wouldest thou have built in that which was about to fall? So I also now say this, Let us not build in this world; it will fall after a little, and all will be destroyed. But why do I say, It will fall? Before its fall we shall be destroyed, and suffer what is fearful; we shall be removed from them.
Why build we upon the sand? Let us build upon the rock: for whatsoever may happen, that building remains impregnable, nothing will be able to destroy it. With good reason. For to all such attacks that region is inaccessible, just as this is accessible. For earthquakes, and fires, and inroad of enemies, take it away from us even while we are alive: and oftentimes destroy us with it.
In another place he says the same, "for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Cor. iv. 18); and from this makes an exhortation with regard to the evils which we endure in this present life; and here he does this, and says, let us continue steadfast; "let us have thankfulness," i.e., let us give thanks unto God. For not only we ought not to be discouraged at present things, but even to show the greatest gratitude to Him, for those to come.
"Whereby we serve God acceptably," that is to say, "for thus is it possible to serve God acceptably," by giving him thanks in all things. "Do all things" (he says) "without murmurings and disputings." (Phil. ii. 14.) For whatever work a man does with murmuring, he cuts away and loses his reward; as the Israelites - how great a penalty they paid for their murmurings. Wherefore he says, "Neither murmur ye." (1 Cor. x. 10.) It is not therefore possible to "serve" Him "acceptably" without a sense of gratitude to Him for all things, both for our trials, and the alleviations of them. That is, let us utter nothing hasty, nothing disrespectful, but let us humble ourselves that we may be reverential. For this is "with reverence and godly fear."
The apostle did not think it possible to describe God’s judgment sufficiently in any other way than through an analogy from our experience, and for this reason he did not hesitate to call God “fire.”
“Therefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.” If creation is unshakable, much more the kingdom of heaven, which you are about to receive as a reward for the sufferings here for Christ. Since the sufferings are the cause of the kingdom, let us give thanks to God for them.
“by which we may serve.” For which, with thanksgiving;for it is by giving thanks to God even for tribulations and temptations that one serves Him acceptably.
“with reverence and godly fear.” And it is not enough, Paul says, to be merely grateful, unless there is also shame, both towards all and towards God, accompanying piety.
“For our God is a consuming fire.” By saying this, Paul either wishes to frighten them not to be ungrateful, nor to complain about their tribulations, lest they suffer the wrath and punishment of God; or to comfort them; as if he were saying: let us give thanks in our tribulations; for we have a Master who is able to consume our adversaries.
696. - Having warned them to avoid the evils of guilt, the Apostle now assigns the reason, which is based on a comparison between the Old and New Testaments. In regard to this he does two things: first, he makes the comparison; secondly, he argues from it (v. 25). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he mentions what pertains to the Old Testament; secondly, what pertains to the New (v. 22). In regard to the first it should be noted that, as Augustine says: ‘The slight difference between the Law and the Gospel is fear and love,’ for the Law was as our pedagogue in Christ. But children are influenced by fear; ‘The wicked man being scourged, the fool shall be wiser’ (Pr. 19:25). Therefore, the Apostle says here that when the Law was given, certain fearful things took place. First, therefore, he mentions the things which frightened those to whom the Law was given; secondly, he deals with the terror inspired by the lawgiver (v. 21). In regard to the first he mentions three things: first, the frightening things they saw; secondly, the frightening things they heard (v. 19); thirdly, in regard to threats (v. 19c).
697. - Those three things are related to the three things which were frightening there, namely, on the part of God, on the part of the Law, and on the part of the ministers of the Law. On the part of God he mentions three frightening things, namely, the zeal to punish, the severity of the punishment and the concealment of the one giving the Law. The zeal is designated by fire: ‘The Lord, your God, is a consuming fire, a jealous God’ (Date: 4:24): ‘He is like a refining fire’ (Mal. 3:20). Hence, God frequently calls Himself jealous, because He does not let His spouse’s crime go unavenged: ‘I am the Lord, your God, mighty, jealous’ (Ex. 20:5); ‘The Lord, his name is Jealous’ (Ex. 34:14); ‘The jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge’ (Pr. 6:34). Hence it says here: For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire. For that fire, as Exodus (19:18) says, was corporeal and, therefore, could be felt; it was in a definite place, so that one could approach it. But in the New Law the fire of the Holy Spirit was given (Ac. 2). For as the fire of emulation appeared to the Jews fifty days after their departure from Egypt, so the Holy Spirit’s fire, which could not be sensed, but perceived by the mind, appeared to the disciples on the fiftieth day after the resurrection: ‘From above he sent fire into my bones and has instructed me’ (Lam 1:13). But that fire was infinite in nature and place, for ‘he inhabits light inaccessible’ (1 Tim. 6:16) and could not be approached.
698. - The severity of the punishment is signified by the whirlwind, which is wind accompanied by rain: ‘He shall crush me in a whirlwind’ (Jb. 9:17). Or it can refer to temptations. For the Law did not restrain concupiscence, because it did not give grace that would aid ex opere operato, but it only repressed the act; consequently, it generated a whirlwind of temptations.
699. - But the concealment of the lawgiver is signified by the darkness, which showed that the state of the Law was hidden, i.e., veiled: ‘Even to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart’ (2 Cor. 3:15). But in the New Law that veil is removed: as a sign of this the veil of the temple was rent in Christ’s passion, because ‘we behold the glory of the Lord with open face’ (2 Cor. 3:18). Likewise, that darkness signifies the divine excellence. For just as that which is in the dark cannot be clearly seen, and a strong light blinds the eye, so He Who inhabits light inaccessible made Himself dark.
700. - Then when he says, and a tempest, he mentions the things terrifying to the hearing on the part of the Law. Now there were three terrifying things to the Law, namely, the severity of the threats, the strictness of the precepts, and the large number of precepts. In regard to the first he says, and a tempest which, strictly speaking, is a disturbance of the sea; but in a wide sense it is a disturbance of the air accompanied by whirlwind and rain. Hence it signifies the strictness of the precepts, whose fulfillment was enjoined on man as though he were waging war against himself. The voice of words signifies the vast number of precepts. These were God’s words spoken by an angel: ‘Being ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator’ (Gal. 3:19). For God spoke there through angels. All these things were so terrifying that those who heard that voice entreated that no further message be spoken to them. Hence, it is stated in Exodus (20:18): ‘Being terrified and struck with fear, they stood afar off, saying to Moses: You speak to us and we will hear. Let not the Lord speak to us, lest we die.’
701. - He mentions the reason why they excused themselves, namely, because they could not endure God’s words; hence, they could not endure the order that was given: ‘What is all flesh that it should hear the voice of the living God, who speaks out of the midst of the fire, as we have heard, and be able to live’ (Date: 5:26). For God’s words are said to be unendurable either when they cannot be understood by the intellect or transcend the affections.
702. - Then he gives the threatened punishment, saying: And if even a beast shall touch the mountain, it shall be stoned: ‘Everyone that touches the mount, dying he shall die. No hands shall touch him, but he shall be stoned to death, or be shot through with arrows. Whether it be beast or man, he shall not live’ (Ex. 19:12). The Apostle, to heighten the terror, mentions here only the beasts which the Law commands to be killed, in order to show the gravity of sin. Yet mystically the mountain is the loftiness of the divine mysteries, and the beast is a man living bestially: ‘Man, when he was in honor, did not understand: he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them’ (Ps. 48:13). This beast touches the mount in two ways: first, by blasphemy: ‘They have set their mouth against heaven’ (Ps. 72:9); ‘Bring forth the blasphemer outside the camp…, and let all the people stone him’ (Lev. 24:14); secondly, by obtruding himself into divine matters: ‘He that is a searcher of majesty shall be overwhelmed by glory’ (Pr. 25:27).
703. - From all this he draws the conclusion, namely, that they were terrifying things, because not even the beasts were spared; hence he says, and so terrible was the sight. This indicates the difference between the New and Old Testaments, because the Old Testament was given in terror to terrify the hearts of Jews, who were prone to idolatry; but the New was given in love: ‘You have not received the spirit of slavery again in fear, but you have received the spirit of the adoption of sons, whereby we cry Abba: Father’ (Rom. 8:15). Hence Christ did not begin His preaching with fearful things, but promised the kingdom of heaven: ‘Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (Mt. 3:2); ‘The law of clemency is on his tongue’ (Pr. 31:26).
704. - Then when he says, Moses said: I am frightened, and tremble, he deals with the lawgiver’s fear, namely Moses: ‘For the law was given by Moses’ (Jn. 1:17). Now if Moses himself in giving the Law was so frightened as to say, I am frightened inwardly and I tremble outwardly, and he was more perfect than the rest, this was a sign that the Law was terrifying even to the perfect: because it did not give grace but merely disclosed guilt. Hence, it was a heavy yoke of which Peter (Ac. 15:10) says: ‘which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear.’ But Christ’s law is a sweet yoke, because ‘the charity of God has been poured forth into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us’ (Rom. 5:5). Hence, it should be noted that the words the Apostle uses here are not found in Exodus (20). Perhaps he took them from Exodus (4:10), where Moses was frightened at the sight of the burning bush and said: ‘I am not eloquent from yesterday or the day before’; after which he said, in deed at least, if not in word: I am frightened and tremble.’ Or perhaps the Apostle was using another version which we do not have. But it all shows that the Old Law was a law of fear.
705. - Then he mentions the conditions of the New Testament, saying: But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God. Here he shows the things proposed to us in it; and three things are promised to us, namely, the hope of future glory, participation in the Church, and familiarity with God.
706. - In heavenly glory there are two things which will particularly gladden the just, namely, the enjoyment of the godhead and companionship with the saints. For no good is joyfully possessed without companions, as Boethius says: and in Ps. 132 (v. 1): ‘Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together.’ But enjoyment consists in two things, namely, in the intellect’s vision and in the will’s delight. For, as Augustine says: ‘We enjoy the things we know, in which the delighted will rests.’ Because of the vision he says, You have come to mount Zion, for Zion signifies the loftiness of divine contemplation: ‘Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnity’ (Is. 33:20). The gladness and pleasure of the will is signified by the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the city of the living God: ‘Jerusalem, which is built as a city’ (Ps. 121:3); ‘Who has placed peace in your borders: and filled you with the fat of corn’ (Ps. 147:12, 14); ‘That Jerusalem which is above is free’ (Gal. 4:26). Hence, there will be nothing further to be desired: ‘Since I am become in his presence as one finding peace’ (S of S 8:10).
707. - But an additional joy will be the company of the saints, of whom he says, and to innumerable angels: ‘Their angels always see the face of my Father in heaven’ (Mt. 18:10). That there are thousands is clear from Dan (7:10): ‘Thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him’; ‘Is there any numbering of his soldiers?’ (Jb. 25:3); ‘And the number of them was thousands of thousands’ (Rev. 5:11).
708. - And to the assembly of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven: these are the members of the Church, which is called the house of God (1 Tim. 3:15). The firstborn saints, who received the gifts of grace first and more abundantly, are the apostles, through whom it flows to others: ‘And not only it, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit’ (Rom. 8:23); ‘Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets’ (Eph. 2:20). For just as in ancient times among the Romans, the senators, who were raised to great dignity and whom the first Pompilius inscribed on golden tablets, were called ‘Chosen Fathers,’ so the Apostle here, to indicate the dignity of the apostles, says that they are written in heaven. The book in which this is written is the knowledge God has within himself of those to be saved. Hence, just as that which is written does not soon slip from memory, so those who are written there by final justice will be saved infallibly. Hence, that book is called the book of life: ‘Rejoice and be glad, because your names are written in heaven’ (Lk. 10:20).
709. - Then when he says, and to a judge who is God of all, he shows how they have attained familiarity with God: first, with God the Father, because you are come to a judge Who is God of all, i.e., God the Father, from Whom judicial authority proceeds. For it is from the Father that the Son has power to judge: ‘This is not beseeming you who judge the whole earth’ (Gen. 8:25). But the statement in Jn (5:22) that the Father has given all judgement to the Son is understood as referring to His bodily presence, because the sole person of the Son will appear in the judgement. But this approach is by faith and charity. ‘Being justified, therefore, by faith, let us have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom also we have access through faith into this grace, wherein we stand’ (Rom. 5:1).
710. - Secondly, familiarity with the Holy Spirit when he says, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. According to a Gloss here, there are three versions, of which the best is in Greek: ‘And the Spirit of the just made perfect,’ i.e., you have come to the Holy Spirit Who makes the saints perfect in justice: ‘As I see, there is a spirit in men’ (Jb. 32:88); ‘Know you not that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you?’ (1 Cor. 3:16). For all justice and perfection is from the Holy Spirit. Another version has: ‘And of the spirits of the just made perfect.’ Here the sense is: ‘You have come to God Who is indeed the judge of all, but is the inheritance of the spirits of the just made perfect’; ‘The Lord is my portion, says my soul’ (Lam 3:24). The third version has: ‘And the spirit of the just made perfect,’ i.e., that we might be with the spirits of the saints who are just and perfect. But the first is better and clearer.
711. - Thirdly, as to familiarity with the Son he says: and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant. As if to say: You have come to Christ, Who is the mediator of that new pact in which spiritual things are promised to us. But not so Moses; hence he says above (9:15): ‘For if the blood of goats and heifers, and the ashes of a heifer being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled to the cleansing of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ?’ And the Apostle speaks according to the rite of the Old Law where, after the Law was given, the People were sprinkled with blood, which was a figure of Christ’s blood, by which the faithful were to be cleansed.
712. - Then he continues: that speaks more graciously [better] than the blood of Abel. For the shedding of Christ’s blood was prefigured in the shedding of the blood of all the just from the beginning of the world: ‘The lamb which was slain from the beginning of the world’ (Rev. 13:8), i.e., foreseen to be slain. Therefore, the shedding of Abel’s blood was a sign of that shedding. But Christ’s blood speaks better than Abel’s blood, which cries for vengeance, but Christ’s blood cried for pardon: ‘Father, forgive them’ (Lk. 23:34); ‘He prayed for transgressors’ (Is. 55:12); ‘This is the blood of the new covenant, which shall be shed for you unto the remission of sins’ (Mt. 26:28). Or speaking better, i.e., making to speak better, because the blood of Abel makes us say that Abel was a pure and just man; but the blood of Christ makes us say that Christ is true God making us just.
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Summary
Hebrews 12:28 serves as a powerful concluding exhortation, urging believers to respond appropriately to the profound truth that they have received an unshakeable, eternal kingdom. In light of God's unchanging nature and the permanence of His reign, the passage calls for a life characterized by grace-empowered service, marked by deep reverence and a profound, healthy fear of God. This posture of worship and obedience is the only fitting response to the glorious reality of the New Covenant, which offers stability and security in contrast to the transient nature of all earthly things.
Context
Literary Context
Hebrews 12:28 concludes a climactic section (Hebrews 12:18-29) that draws a stark contrast between the Old Covenant experience at Mount Sinai and the New Covenant reality at Mount Zion. The preceding verses vividly describe the terrifying, unapproachable nature of Sinai, marked by fire, darkness, and a trumpet blast (e.g., Hebrews 12:18-21). In contrast, believers under the New Covenant have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, a place of joy, innumerable angels, and the assembly of the firstborn (e.g., Hebrews 12:22-24). The author emphasizes that while the earthly order will be "shaken" and "removed" (Hebrews 12:26-27), believers receive an enduring, permanent kingdom. Verse 28 begins with "Wherefore" (G1352, dió), serving as a logical conclusion and a call to action based on this profound theological truth.
Historical & Cultural Context
The original audience of the Epistle to the Hebrews consisted of Jewish Christians who were facing persecution and temptation to revert to Judaism, with its familiar rituals and perceived stability. The author's argument throughout the letter is to demonstrate the superiority of Christ and the New Covenant over the Old. The imagery of Mount Sinai would have been deeply ingrained in their cultural memory, representing the foundational moment of their national identity and the giving of the Law. By contrasting Sinai with Zion, the author highlights the radical shift in God's redemptive plan and the new, superior access to God provided through Christ. The concept of a "kingdom" would resonate with both Jewish messianic hopes and the broader Roman imperial context, where earthly kingdoms were often subject to conquest and change. The emphasis on an "unshakeable" kingdom directly addresses the instability of their current circumstances and the transient nature of all human institutions.
Key Themes
This verse encapsulates several major themes of the book of Hebrews. Foremost is the superiority of the New Covenant, which provides a permanent, spiritual reality in contrast to the temporary, earthly shadows of the Old Covenant. The theme of an unshakeable kingdom underscores God's sovereignty and the eternal security offered to believers, providing a stable foundation amidst a world prone to instability and change, as highlighted in Hebrews 12:27. This leads to the theme of acceptable worship and service, emphasizing that our approach to God must be empowered by His grace and characterized by a profound sense of awe and reverence, a concept deeply explored throughout the letter concerning Christ's high priesthood and our access to God's throne of grace (e.g., Hebrews 4:16). Finally, the call to "have grace" and serve with "reverence and godly fear" speaks to the posture of faith and perseverance required of those who inherit such a glorious promise, a persistent exhortation throughout Hebrews 12.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term denotes graciousness, divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in life. In this context, "let us have grace" implies not merely receiving God's unmerited favor as a past event, but actively holding onto, appreciating, and being empowered by that divine enablement. It is the spiritual capacity and divine assistance necessary for believers to serve God in a manner that is pleasing to Him, acknowledging that such service does not originate from human merit but from God's benevolent provision.
Derived from a root suggesting "downcast eyes," aidōs signifies bashfulness, modesty, and a deep sense of awe, particularly towards God. It conveys a profound respect and a feeling of shame or humility in the presence of something superior, implying a cautious and humble approach that avoids anything that might displease the divine. It is a respectful awe that leads to careful conduct.
This word, from a root meaning "to take well" or "to be cautious," signifies caution, reverence, piety, and by implication, dread. It describes a healthy, reverential awe of God, born out of a recognition of His immense holiness, power, and majesty. Unlike a cowering terror, eulábeia is a fear that leads to devotion, careful obedience, and a desire to honor God in all things, acknowledging Him as the supreme authority and worthy of ultimate respect.
Verse Breakdown
"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved,"
This opening clause establishes the foundational reason for the subsequent exhortation. The "wherefore" (G1352, dió) links directly to the preceding discussion about the shaking of all temporary things and the permanence of God's kingdom. "Receiving" (G3880, paralambánō) emphasizes that this kingdom is a gift, not something earned or built by human effort. The defining characteristic of this kingdom is that it "cannot be moved" (G761, asáleutos), signifying its eternal stability, security, and invulnerability to any earthly or cosmic upheaval. This unshakeable nature contrasts sharply with the transient nature of the Old Covenant and all earthly systems.
"let us have grace,"
This is the first imperative response to receiving the unshakeable kingdom. "Let us have" (G2192, échō) implies not just possessing grace, but actively holding onto it, appropriating it, and allowing it to be the animating principle of our lives. It is a call to lean into God's divine favor and enabling power (G5485, cháris), recognizing that all acceptable service flows from this supernatural source. This grace is both God's unmerited favor towards us and the divine empowerment for holy living.
"whereby we may serve God acceptably"
This clause specifies the purpose of "having grace." The phrase "whereby" (G1223, diá G3739, hós) indicates that grace is the channel or means through which acceptable service becomes possible. To "serve" (G3000, latreúō) here refers specifically to rendering religious homage or worship to God, encompassing all forms of devotion and obedience. "Acceptably" (G2102, euaréstōs) means "quite agreeably" or "pleasing well," signifying that our service must meet God's standard of approval, which is only possible when empowered by His grace and offered in the right spirit.
"with reverence and godly fear:"
This final phrase defines the specific attitude and manner in which acceptable service is rendered. "With" (G3326, metá) indicates accompaniment. "Reverence" (G127, aidṓs) denotes a deep sense of shame, modesty, and awe that prevents presumption or casualness in God's presence. "Godly fear" (G2124, eulábeia) signifies a profound, healthy awe and carefulness born out of recognizing God's immense holiness and majesty. Together, these terms describe a humble, cautious, and deeply respectful posture before the sovereign God, acknowledging His supreme worth and our dependent status.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Contrast is central, implicitly drawing upon the preceding verses that juxtapose the terrifying Mount Sinai with the glorious Mount Zion, and explicitly contrasting the "unshakeable" kingdom with all that can be "moved." This highlights the stability and permanence of God's New Covenant reality against the backdrop of transient earthly systems. The phrase "let us have grace" functions as an exhortation or imperative, calling the readers to a specific action and attitude, making the theological truth profoundly practical. The use of parallelism in "reverence and godly fear" emphasizes the dual aspects of a proper attitude towards God: a humble respect that avoids offense, and a profound awe that leads to careful obedience. The entire verse serves as a summation and application of the broader argument of Hebrews 12, distilling complex theological truths into a clear call for worship and conduct.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hebrews 12:28 powerfully articulates the implications of God's sovereign, eternal reign for the believer's life. The "unshakeable kingdom" signifies the ultimate triumph of God's purposes and the secure inheritance of His people, providing an anchor for the soul amidst the instability of the world. This profound theological truth is not merely for intellectual assent but demands a transformative response: a life of service empowered by divine grace and characterized by deep reverence and godly fear. This posture acknowledges God's absolute holiness and majesty, recognizing that our access to Him and our ability to please Him are solely dependent on His gracious provision through Christ, rather than human merit or effort. It is a call to worship that is both joyful in its access and solemn in its appreciation of God's infinite worth.
Reflection and Application
The profound truth that we have received an unshakeable kingdom should fundamentally reshape our perspective and priorities. In a world constantly buffeted by change, uncertainty, and the collapse of human institutions, this verse offers an anchor of stability and an eternal hope. It calls us to live with a deep awareness that our ultimate security and belonging are found not in earthly achievements or possessions, but in God's eternal reign. This awareness should inspire not only confidence but also a profound sense of responsibility. Our service to God, whether in formal ministry, daily work, or personal interactions, must flow from a heart empowered by His grace and marked by a genuine reverence and godly fear. This means approaching God with humility, recognizing His holiness, and striving to live in a way that honors Him, avoiding casualness or presumption. It is an invitation to worship and obedience that is both deeply personal and universally applicable, shaping every aspect of our lives as citizens of an eternal kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "kingdom which cannot be moved" that believers receive?
The "kingdom which cannot be moved" refers to God's eternal, sovereign reign and the spiritual reality that believers inherit through Christ. Unlike earthly kingdoms and systems that are temporary and subject to change and collapse, God's kingdom is everlasting, secure, and invulnerable to any earthly or cosmic upheaval. It is the fulfillment of God's promises and the ultimate destiny for His people, offering a stable foundation amidst all worldly instability. This kingdom is spiritual and present, yet also future and consummated, as described in passages like Colossians 1:13 and Revelation 11:15.
What does "let us have grace" mean in this context?
"Let us have grace" (Greek: cháris) is an active exhortation. It implies not only receiving God's unmerited favor as a past act of salvation but also continually appropriating and being empowered by that divine enablement for present living and service. It means to hold onto grace, to allow it to be the animating principle of our lives, recognizing that our ability to serve God acceptably flows entirely from His undeserved kindness and empowering presence. It's a call to depend on God's strength, not our own, for all spiritual endeavors, as seen in 2 Corinthians 12:9.
What is the difference between "reverence" and "godly fear"?
While closely related and often used together, "reverence" (Greek: aidōs) and "godly fear" (Greek: eulábeia) offer distinct nuances. "Reverence" emphasizes a deep sense of humility, shame, and respect that prevents presumption or casualness in God's presence, leading to cautious and modest conduct. "Godly fear," on the other hand, describes a profound, healthy awe and carefulness born out of recognizing God's immense holiness, power, and majesty. It's not a cowering terror but a reverential dread that leads to devotion, obedience, and a desire to honor Him in all things. Both terms together describe a humble, respectful, and cautious posture before the sovereign God, acknowledging His supreme worth and our dependent status, aligning with the wisdom found in Proverbs 9:10.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hebrews 12:28 finds its ultimate fulfillment and meaning in Jesus Christ. The "kingdom which cannot be moved" is fundamentally Christ's kingdom, established through His finished work on the cross and His resurrection. It is through Him that we are "delivered... into the kingdom of His beloved Son" (Colossians 1:13). The "grace" we are exhorted to have is the very grace that came "through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17), enabling us to approach God and serve Him. Our ability to "serve God acceptably" is not based on our own merit but on Christ's perfect sacrifice, which has opened a "new and living way" into the holiest place (Hebrews 10:19-22). Furthermore, Jesus Himself is the supreme example of "reverence and godly fear," for He "learned obedience through what He suffered" (Hebrews 5:7-8), demonstrating perfect submission and awe before the Father. Thus, the call to serve with reverence and godly fear is a call to imitate Christ, who perfectly embodied these qualities, making our service acceptable in the eyes of the Father through His own righteousness.