Hebrews 12:4

¶ Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Ye have {G478} not yet {G3768} resisted {G478} unto {G3360} blood {G129}, striving {G464} against {G4314} sin {G266}.

You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in the contest against sin.

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin:

Commentary

Hebrews 12:4 serves as a potent reminder and gentle rebuke to believers who might be growing weary in their spiritual journey. It places their current struggles into perspective by comparing them to the ultimate sacrifice.

Context

This verse is part of a larger exhortation in Hebrews 12, which begins by urging believers to "run with patience the race that is set before us," looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Following the "hall of faith" in chapter 11, where many examples of endurance are given, the author shifts to the contemporary challenges faced by his audience. They were experiencing persecution and hardship, yet the author points out that their suffering had not reached the extreme level of bloodshed, implying martyrdom or severe physical torment.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Perspective on Suffering: The primary message is to gain perspective on one's own trials. While their struggles were real, they had not yet faced the ultimate test of life itself. This isn't to diminish their pain but to encourage them to endure, knowing others (especially Christ) suffered far more.
  • The Nature of the Battle: The phrase "striving against sin" highlights that the core conflict is not merely against external persecutors, but an ongoing battle against sin itself—both personal transgressions and the pervasive influence of sin in the world. This is a spiritual warfare that requires constant vigilance.
  • Call to Deeper Commitment: The verse implicitly calls for a deeper level of commitment and resilience. If they hadn't yet "resisted unto blood," there was still room for greater perseverance and a willingness to endure for the sake of their faith.

Linguistic Insights

The term "striving" comes from the Greek word antagōnizomai (ἀνταγωνίζομαι), which is related to the word for "agony" or "contest." It evokes the imagery of an intense struggle, like an athlete competing in a grueling race or wrestling match. This reinforces the idea that the Christian life is not passive but an active, strenuous fight against sin and its influences.

Practical Application

For believers today, Hebrews 12:4 serves as a powerful reminder to evaluate the intensity of our own spiritual battles. While many in the modern Western world may not face physical martyrdom, we are still called to a rigorous "striving against sin" in its various forms—temptation, societal pressures, internal struggles with our flesh, and advocating for righteousness in a fallen world. This verse encourages us to:

  • Endure with Courage: To not give up when faced with difficulties, remembering the greater sacrifices made by those who came before us, and supremely, by Christ.
  • Fight Against Sin: To actively resist sinful desires and patterns, understanding that our fight is primarily against spiritual forces and our own fallen nature, as Paul discusses in Ephesians 6:12.
  • Maintain Perspective: To humbly assess our suffering in light of the ultimate cost paid by Jesus, who "endured the cross, despising the shame."

It is a call to perseverance and a deeper commitment to holiness, knowing that our struggle, though real, has not yet reached the ultimate sacrifice of blood, a testament to God's grace and a challenge to press on.

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Cross-References

  • 1 Corinthians 10:13

    There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].

  • Revelation 2:13

    I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan's seat [is]: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas [was] my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

  • Hebrews 10:32

    But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

  • Hebrews 10:34

    For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

  • Hebrews 12:2

    Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

  • 2 Timothy 4:6

    For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

  • 2 Timothy 4:7

    I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith: