Looking Unto Jesus

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 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.

Hebrews 12:1–2

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Having spent several weeks in Hebrews 11 in my Sunday school class we closed “the faith chapter”, or what we may look at as “the hall of faith” last week. This week, we study where it all leads — “Looking unto Jesus”, and here I will share it with all of you.

When we get to chapter 12, after this great look at the heroes of time past, it will do us well to get to a recalibration of the truths taught in this epistle to the Hebrews. It is always good, after digging into the details, to go back so as to not forget where we are and what we are talking about in the big picture. So, with that in mind, we are going back to the beginning:

In the opening of this epistle, we have the great fact that those of old, the fathers, in other words, the fathers of this people of the Hebrews who had this history with God, were spoken to by God through the prophets. That is indeed a great privilege. Is it not so much greater and more a place of privilege to be the recipients that He spoke to by His Son? This is awesome in every sense of the word!

The Son of God, this same Jesus that we are looking unto is

• Heir of all things
• Creator
• Sustainer
• The alone purger of sins
• Seated at the right hand of the Father…waiting…until…

The Son — Jesus whom we look unto away from the past heroes of faith unto the author and finisher of it — is also greater than the angels of God. This Son of God is greater than angels, for we read here, “And let all the angels of God WORSHIP HIM!”

We come to chapter 2 and get to this warning that the one who is greater than angels, indeed, the one who receives the worship of all the angels of God, brings a great salvation spoken by a greater word than the word of angels. And we would take heed to the word of angels. This is the word that is given by one greater than them, and about one greater than the angels. The warning is to take heed and not neglect this great salvation. We neglect it by rejecting it or putting it off as something to think about for another day. The warning is simple. Take hold of this great salvation now!

• His word is greater
• He is the word that is greater
• His offer of salvation is greater
• His place in the world to come is greater

At the time of the writing of this epistle, one could look and find those still living who could testify of that which happened when the Son of God was here on earth. We can also believe from the word spoken by those who heard Him, and indeed, of those prophets that God used to speak by in time past. We can also learn from these what will occur when He comes again, apart from sin, unto salvation. Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith, and it is imperative that we hear Him, and do not neglect that “so great salvation”. He is the author and finisher of faith, and that faith leads to this great salvation that began to be spoken of by Him.

Jesus Christ in His coming to earth the first time made a great accomplishment, and it will be His earth that is subject to Him when He comes the second time. In His first time, He partook of our nature, to make reconciliation for us, that “through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (2:14).

But in between these first and second comings, He is much for us now. He is a merciful and faithful high priest. As such, look unto Him — look unto Jesus!

We come to chapter 3, and we have the truth that the one who the Hebrews looked back to as their guy, even God’s law-giver, was lower in place than the Son. As great as Moses was, “faithful in all his house”, he was still a servant, and not the son. He was indeed a great servant, but the Son, it is His house.

This will lead into another warning, and to understand this warning, put yourself in the place of Hebrews with a history as the people of God. These are called, among other things:

• “The natural branches”, Romans 11:17–24
• “The children of the covenant”, Acts 3:25
• “The children of the kingdom”, Matthew 8:11–13

Unbelief kept the fathers who left Egypt under Moses out of the promised land. That was under what we will see shortly as “the old covenant”. This same spirit[1] of unbelief will keep those with it out of the promises of what we will also shortly see as “the new covenant”.

In chapter 4:1-13, we see that the promises were not finished. The successor to Moses, Joshua the son of Nun, led the next generation of Israelites into the promised land. But it says by the statement, “if Jesus[2] had given them rest”, we easily get the sense that he did not. Some will argue that this was the completion of God’s promises to Israel. The Bible clearly states that it was not. The beginning of the promise was realized. We should use care to not “over-realize” it. The promised rest is under Jesus, the Son of God. The Son is greater, so, look away from the heroes of the past and look unto Jesus! He is the Son who is greater.

In verses 4:14 through 5:9, we have expansion on this Jesus who we look unto in His office as “the great high priest”. This is a revelation based on that great statement in Psalm 110:4:

“Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”

As Great High Priest, He is compassionate. He is compassionate that in His intrinsic greatness and by His grace, He became man in order to bring man unto God. In His becoming man, He took on Himself the sins of man and suffered for us in our place. He “became sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”, 2 Corinthians 5:21.

In taking on and even becoming our sin, He sits for us a priest and bids us to come to God by Him. Look unto Jesus!

This great High Priest is a better priest than Aaron and that entire order of priests that were under the law. He is the author of ETERNAL SALVATION, as we read of in 5:9[3].

In verses 5:11-6:12, the recipients of this epistle[4] are implored to go on to the perfection that is found in Christ. These readers had a place of blessing that was theirs by promise throughout the Old Testament but only will be realized if they are in Christ. Many had heard, seen, and even tasted of what those promises could be. These people, distinct as “children of the covenant”, Acts 3:25, have the place of receiving these promises, but they will never receive these promises apart from Jesus Christ. They will fall away from these promises by neglecting Christ, as we saw in chapter 2, and by counting them unworthy to be accepted. This is standing by this act of crucifying the Son of God. They would crucify Him afresh by rejecting these promises. The call is to not stand with those who will reject the Son of God. Go on to perfection, that found when looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher (perfector) of faith.

In 6:10-20, those being pushed toward the faith of Jesus Christ are reminded of their faithful God who is faithful to His promises. Be faithful to His word, as He is faithful to you, and this starts by being faithful to His Son, the One who He has called, the Heir of all things.

In chapters 7 and 8, We have this better priest with the power of an endless life. This Priest brings a better hope that was better than the law, which made nothing perfect, as we read in 7:19:

“For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”

Jesus, who we are to look unto, is the surety of a better testament. That better testament is the New Testament in His blood. He is that surety as long as He is the Great High Priest, and He is a High Priest forever.

“WHEREFORE HE IS ABLE ALSO TO SAVE THEM TO THE UTTERMOST THAT COME UNTO GOD BY HIM, SEEING HE EVER LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM.”

The Son of God is consecrated forever, that as Priest over the house of God. God said that He is a priest forever, and God will not repent! This is the High Priest that bids us come. This High Priest is that one mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). He is seated at God’s right hand and bids all to come. Those who come unto Him draw nigh to God. The Old Covenant had a people of God that were “so nigh” as we read in Deuteronomy 4:7, yet we in Christ are nearer, for we are in the person of His Son.

“So near so very near to God
I cannot nearer be
For in the person of His Son
I am as near as He”[5]

Jesus, the Son who we are to look unto, is the mediator of a better covenant than that of which Moses was the mediator. This new covenant is established on better promises. It is a new covenant, and as such has made the first, the one under Moses, old. It has a better priesthood. The priests under the old were never finished, and death stopped their work. The way to God under the old Mosaic covenant was closed to most and limited to those who could enter. The high priest, representing the people, could only enter once in a year; and he had to enter in with blood, that could never take away sin.

But this Priest forever with the power of an endless life obtained eternal redemption for us, by His own blood. He obtained eternal redemption. This redemption is not temporary, not once a year, but eternal, Hebrews 9:12. Those under the testament in His blood receive eternal inheritance, 9:15. Jesus, the mediator unto whom we are now to look, has entered into Heaven. This is the true tabernacle, and He has now put away sin “as far as the east is from the west” as we read in Psalm 103:12. He put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. He will come again and be our salvation, 9:26-28[6].

In chapter 10 we rehearse again that that which the law could not accomplish, Christ accomplished. Those He sanctified, He sanctified once for all, as we read in Hebrews 10:10. In 10:12, we read that His one sacrifice completed what the entirety of Old Testament sacrifices could not: He finished His work and sat down at the right hand of God. We are reminded that this seating is for a time with the word “until”. It is until His enemies be made His footstool. That will be in the future at His appearing and His kingdom, as the Apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:1. In Hebrews 10:14, we read that “by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified”. Sins and iniquities under this new covenant in His blood are remembered no more. Because of this, there is no further sacrifice for sins needed, ever, vs. 10:19.

We enter into that “new and living way” by the blood of Jesus. His death opened up unto us a living way. We draw nigh unto God by Him. We see the day approaching, and we look toward it not with dread but with joy. Look to 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11. We are of the day.

“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

Now, in verse 26 we read a fearful warning, perhaps the most fearful in this epistle. This is to those who heard the truth having been just told it in the 9½ chapters leading us here. If you reject it and despise it, as you are by putting it from you, there is no more sacrifice. In verse 18, there is no more sacrifice needed. In verse 26 we are told emphatically that none is allowed. “There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.”

“Ye are the children of the covenant” was the word that Peter gave to the Israelites in the aftermath of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lord shall judge His people, even if they are, and especially if they are the children of the covenant. By rejection they are treading under their feet the Son of God, and God will not hold the one who does this guiltless. This is not limited to the children of the covenant, for the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been made known to all nations, as we read in Paul’s other epistles to the Gentiles.

We have come this far. Keep going, and while going, look unto Jesus!

The just shall live by faith, as we read and make a segway into chapter 11. We who are reading this are being urged to believe rather than draw back. Notice that HE who shall come will come. When He comes He will not delay, so do not draw back.

As we came to chapter 11, we saw what the faith of those in the past looked like. Faith now will look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. The faith is finished, when it rests in Him.

That is the thrust of this entire epistle, to look away from all these in the past, and to look unto Jesus, the all-wonderful Savior and Son of God!

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End Notes

[1] I say not “spirit” as a supernatural being over-ruling the thoughts of people, but as an attitude that manifests itself in the actions and mind set of those with it.

[2] Jesus in this verse is the Greek way to say Joshua. In verse 5:14, we have our “Jehovah-Savior”, Jesus, the Son of God.

[3] Some have a problem with this statement in 5:9 about “all that obey Him” being incompatible with Paul’s gospel of grace through faith apart from works. I would ask why is it a problem here, and not in Romans 1:5, 6:16-17, 10:16, 16:19 & 26, Galatians 3:1 and 5:7, and 2 Thessalonians 1:8.

[4] We are, by reading it, secondary recipients, but the primary recipients must be in focus first.

[5] From the hymn, “A Mind at Perfect Peace With God” by Catesby Paget, verse 3. A Mind at Perfect Peace | Hymnary.org

[6] We are saved now, as we read in Ephesians 2:8-9 and others. But, our salvation is also future, nearer than when we first believed, as we read in Romans 13:11. Our state will catch up with our standing, when He comes the second time. While we have salvation as a present possession, we have it as a future hope as we are “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ”, Titus 2:13.