For consider him that endured such
contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your
minds.
Hebrews 12:3
The Holy Spirit tells us in verse 1 that we must lay aside every weight and the sin that easily besets us. We must lay aside every weight of carnal care and the horrid sin of unbelief if we would run with patience the race that is set before us. In verse 2 he tells us how to run this race with patience and how to run to the end. ― 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.
Looking Unto Jesus
Looking unto Jesus is not merely an occasional glance in his
direction, or an occasional thought about heavenly things. What the Spirit of
God is telling us to do is this. Fix your eyes on Christ exclusively, looking
away from everything else, ever focusing your heart and mind upon him.
That is not too difficult as we begin to run the race. But after a while we tend to get distracted, obstacles arise, the cross-country race gets difficult, and we get weary of the race. You see, the race we are running is not a sporting event, but a warfare. It is not merely a race for a crown, but for life; and the course of the race set before us carries us through hostile enemy territory.
In addition to all the other things that might hinder us in our pursuit of Christ, we meet with opposition on every hand, from within and from without. So Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to use yet another motive to inspire our steadfastness in faith. He has told us that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Our all-glorious Christ looked upon the saving of our souls as the joy of his own soul. In order to obtain that great joy (our everlasting salvation) he endured the cross, despising the shame. And, having finished the work of our redemption, he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider Him
Now, in verse 3 he calls for us to consider him. May God give us grace ever to consider him. How many mistakes I have made because I did not consider him! How often I have behaved recklessly because I did not consider him! How often I have needlessly hurt others because I did not consider him! How often I have hesitated when I should have run because I did not consider him!
How often I have run when I should have waited because I did not consider him!
The little word for, connects what Paul says here with the race described in verses 1-2. It connects this matter of considering Christ to looking to Christ. Paul has urged us to consider Christ throughout this Epistle, ever holding him before us as the example we must follow, after whom we must pattern our lives, by whom we are constantly inspired to faith, obedience, and perseverance. But he uses a different word on all three occasions.
In chapter
3, verse 1 he writes, "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the
heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession,
Christ Jesus." The word translated consider here means to
observe fully, to behold, observe and perceive.
In the fourth verse of chapter 7 we read, "Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils." The word translated consider here means to look closely, like a spectator in court who has an intense, personal, experimental interest in the affairs of the court. You and I are only spectators in the affair of redemption. But we are spectators with an intense personal interest.
But the word translated consider in Hebrews 12:3 is altogether different from the words used in chapters 3 and 7. Here the word is really a mathematical term. It is the word from which we get our word analyze. It means to weigh proportionately, to compare, to consider again intensely.
When you begin to think that faith in Christ costs too much, that your opposition is too great, that obedience is too costly, that the cross is too heavy, the Holy Spirit here says, Think again! Consider Him! And he does not leave us to guess about what he means. ― Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself. Whenever we begin to imagine that our path is too rough, too costly, too demanding, let us look away from ourselves and consider him who endured being made sin for us, who endured suffering all the wrath of God for us, and blush with shame. Is any cost too great, any burden too heavy, any duty too demanding for him?
Don Fortner