A Torah Verse By Verse Commentary Of Paul's Epistles by Re'tzon Ha'El - HTML preview

Chapter 12

V1 Having been given numerous examples of saints of old who have persevered to the very end through trial, tribulation and death for that promise of eternal life that awaits us in new Jerusalem, we are admonished to dispose of all remnants of sin within our lives and its weights thereof. These weights include renunciation of curses which impede spiritual progress. It is important to remember the definition of sin given in 1 Jn 3:4. We must obey Torah to remain in the faith. The word translated race is the Greek agon which means conflict, contention or a fight. That is indeed what our Christian walk is. It is an all-out battle against the unseen, yet greater reality that lies within the spiritual world Eph 6:12-13, 2 Tim 4:7-8

V2 The perfect witness whose perseverance exceeded those of the old saints, is undoubtedly Yeshua, who is the archegos/prince, captain and teleiotes/completer, fulfiller of faith i.e. He is the consummate example to base our walk of faith on. Yeshua counted His endurance of the cross as joy, considering the eternal good that was to come out of it. The apostles understood this concept of tribulation being a bitter sweet experience, the sweet prospect of eternal life far outweighing the bitter temporary nature of the trials c Jm 1:2-4,12; 1 Pet 1:6-9; Matt 5:10-12; 2 Cor 12:9-10.

V3 It is reiterated again that Yeshua is our ultimate example, upon whom we should draw encouragement in the wake of seemingly unbearable trials and tribulations. He is a blameless man who never deserved tribulation, yet us previously hell-bound sinful Christians tend to throw in the towel at the slightest hint of persecution. Psuche is the word translated mind, which refers to the soul. The soul is comprised of the mind, will and emotions.

V4 This references the great strife that pounded upon Yeshua’s psyche to the point of Him physically sweating blood Lk 22:44 and also physically shedding His blood for us at the hands of sinful men at calvary. We shouldn’t give in at the slightest provocation but be prepared to battle it out to the death for Yeshua’s sake.

V5-6 Pro 3:11-12 The trials and tribulations that we endure, although not directly from YHVH, require His permission for the enemy to perpetrate them upon us cf Job 1:9-12; Jm 1:13. The hedges of protection around us are periodically removed when the enemy is given permission to test our resilience, which shames that very enemy when we overcome the persecution through faith in Yeshua. When viewed in this sense, it readily becomes rational to explain the joy that Yeshua and the apostles found in divers tribulations. We must strive to shame Satan and his host of hell at every given opportunity. This chastening is truly an act of love from YHVH, for if we were to be lulled into a sense of security, stroked by Satan in his lap of fleeting luxury, it would be a travesty for YHVH to condone its persistence, and hence the need for us to be given an opportunity to shame Satan by overcoming tribulation thrown our way.

V7-8 cf Ps 119:71 As sons of Elohim through Yeshua Rom 8:14-17; Gal 3:26, Jn 1:12 we are not free from this act of love through chastisement, lest we be considered illegitimate sons devoid of fatherly discipline. This is typified in Ishmael the illegitimate son through whom the promise never came in contrast to Isaac the legitimate Gen 17:19-21; 21:9-14. The descendants of Ishmael who largely embrace Islam and denounce the truth of Yeshua as Messiah, prove that illegitimacy and wilful refusal of the promise of YHVH. Our understanding and appreciation of Torah and its eternal blessing attached to it, is amplified through these temporary earthly trials. Also, Deut 8:5-6.

V9 If we have feared mortal fleshly fathers and accepted chastisement from them, how much more essential it surely must be to be chastened of the Spiritual eternally living Father who gives us the very breath of life,

V10 Our earthly fathers only temporarily chasten us according to what they consider right i.e. it is not necessarily aligned to Torah, yet we find no fault in that. How much more beneficial it is then to be chastened by our omniscient Father who does so for our own benefit and growth and ultimately strength in that arduous Christian walk that faces us all, which leads to eternal communion with our maker.

V11 In summary the temporary grief suffered, is what defines such Christians as having meat and not the milk of those who never exercise their faith through overcoming tribulation sent their way cf Heb 5:13-14. Joy awaits such walking in the meat of Torah truth as opposed to possible loss of the promise of salvation to those who throw in the towel and return to a state of apostasy Heb 4:1.

V12 cf Is 35:3. It is crucial to read Is 35:4 too in order to understand the quote. We may suffer earthly torment but Elohim shall not only avenge the wicked but shall also give eternal salvation to those who hold on till the end.

V13 This analogy of a dislocated foot that has become lame as a result, perfectly paints a picture of a Christian walk that is so weak to the point of no progression. One can either be trudging on to victory or backsliding in their walk. There is no such thing as a stationary Christian. Hence, we need to dissociate ourselves from all influences that may compromise our walk such as old friends that refuse to conform to the ways of Messiah, lost in worldly abandon. We additionally need to renounce all known sin too so Satan may not have legal rights over us to perpetuate any curses we may have brought upon ourselves. We absolutely must forgive those who have wronged us, no matter how grievous as no measure of good deeds entangled in an unforgiving heart will attract forgiveness from Elohim. Matt 6:14-15.

V14-15 Bitterness stemming from unforgiveness disqualifies YHVH’s grace and attracts curses and demonic attack to freely afflict us.

V16-17 Gen 25:29-34 Esau’s conduct was a picture of Christians having by the grace and mercy of YHVH been promised inheritance unto eternal life, choosing to apostatise and revert back to a life governed by the lusts of the flesh, which lead to destruction. Every narrative in the Tanakh/Old Testament was for our benefit, as we are to reflect on those specific chapters of  individuals from times past that were hand-picked by the Holy Spirit for our profit 2 Tim 3:16. Pornos and bebelos are Greek for a male prostitute/sodomite and heathen respectively, which in v16 are used to describe Esau’s disrespect for his inheritance, which he prostituted for a morsel of food. We must under no circumstances compromise our faith as we have been fearfully warned that we may not have a second chance, as Esau was denied too Heb 6:4-6;4:1. Every Christian needs to be woken up to the reality that there are consequences for our actions and we reap what we sow. Once saved always saved is a fallacy and doctrine from the infernal pit.

V18-21 Ex 19:12-19; 20:18 The Israelites of old before the time of Yeshua, could not have their sins taken away from their consciences and hence could never be considered holy enough to encroach the presence of YHVH Elohim. Despite being chastened by Elohim, they were still aware of their impurities that restricted direct communion with the Most High. Their terror at Mt Sinai was rightfully justified. Seemingly innocent animals were neither spared the fate of death, were they to approach Elohim too. To worsen their predicament, the Israelites, including Aaron himself, gave YHVH every reason to be wroth with them cf Deut 9:19-20.

V22-24 All saints post Yeshua’s ascension on the other hand, having been justified by and through faith in Yeshua, are sanctified/made holy by His redemptive blood that continuously cleanses us provided we abide in Him through obedience to His Torah. By such grace and mercy of YHVH the Father, we are through His Son privileged to approach Him at a plane much higher than the physical approach of an earthly mountain. We may approach the Most High even closer in spirit, meeting Him and his holy angels in the new Jerusalem wherein are the perfected souls of our forefathers and wherein are the names written of those yet living on earth, who await joining them into eternal life in new incorruptible bodies that await us at Yeshua’s return 1 Cor 15:51-54.

In Moses’ day the people were defiled by sin whose memory the blood of goats and calves, could not blot out from their consciences. But we have every reason to lift up our hands and strengthen our feeble knees, to boldly walk in faith, resisting the devil at every turn, in our assurance of sanctification by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within our temples, purified by the precious blood of the Messiah, which far exceeds the purity of that of righteous Abel. Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance, yet Yeshua’s cried out for pardon.  1 Cor 6:19-20. The firstborn son is in scripture usually guaranteed the greatest inheritance. In v 23 the general assembly is the ‘qahal’ in Hebrew which relates to the nation of true redeemed Israel. The ecclesia of the firstborn in v23 hence refers to all those written in the book of life inclusive of the righteous dead and those yet living who are eligible to the greatest inheritance which is life eternal.

V25 Bearing in mind that the Israelites who disobeyed YHVH in earthly Mt Sinai were sorely punished and denied entry into His rest/salvation, how much more disastrous would it be then if we, who have undeservingly been redeemed by blood that blots out all remembrance of sin, by Him who speaks from an heavenly, spiritual Mt Zion, how much greater punishment surely would we endure if we were to deny such grace and mercy.

V26-27 Hag 2:6 YHVH in times past shook the earth but at Yeshua’s coming shall shake both heaven and earth in judgement, to destroy all that defiles both i.e. humans on earth and fallen angels and demons in the heavenlies. Only that which is righteous shall remain to inhabit the new heaven and earth.

V28-29 Those of us who endure the chastening of Elohim, which refines us, receive the kingdom of heaven which Yeshua preached, which is eternal life cf Matt 5:3,10,20, 7:21. The kingdom of heaven is pure and cannot be shaken nor judged. We are promised entry into this kingdom if we endure to the end. Reverence and fear of Elohim is exemplified and proven by obedience of His Torah. By so doing, the justified who live unto good works may approach Zion without fear of being shaken to destruction in judgement, nor of being consumed by His fire which destroys all manner of unrighteousness. V29 cf Deut 4:24; Ps 97:3.