Overview of Hebrews 10:36–12:17

The exhortation not to “throw away your confidence, which has a great reward,” naturally leads to a discourse addressing the vital importance of enduring faith in God’s promises for the future. “Faith” (pistis) and its cognate verb “believe” (pisteuō) appear no less than twenty-eight times in Hebrews 10:36–12:17. Along with faith is its vital attribute “endurance” (hypomonē; cognate verb “endure,” hypomenō). Although the terms “endure/endurance” are less frequent (10:32, 36; 12:1–3, 7), our author’s conception of faith entails long-lasting stamina. The faith that pleases God does not shrink back in the face of opposition and suffering (10:38–39). It does not “grow weary or fainthearted” (12:3) but looks forward in hope and clings to God’s promises, even when the fulfillment of those promises lies far away in an unseen future (11:1, 7, 9–10, 13, 35, 39–40).

This fifth movement in the sermon opens with its underlying OT text, Habakkuk 2:3–4 (Heb. 10:36–39). Then an extended survey of the “people of old” who received God’s commendation (11:1–40) illustrates the characteristics of faith mentioned in the Habakkuk citation. The “great cloud of witnesses” who attest to God’s faithfulness from the pages of Scripture draws our attention to Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of faith” (AT), whose endurance of sinners’ hostility must fortify the hearers to endure suffering as confirmation of the Father’s good purpose for his true sons (12:1–11). Finally, believers must embrace their corporate responsibility for each other, supporting the spiritually weak and resisting the influence of those whose idolatry and sensuality would spread infection to others (12:12–17).