Hebrews Chapter Ten, Adversity & Faith

 

Hebrews 10:32 But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: [33] partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; [34] for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.

 

Having issued a severe warning against apostasy, the author now deescalates the message. Notice the similarity in verse 32 with Hebrews 6:9. We read: “But beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.” 6:10 continues: “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”

In chapter 6 a staunch warning was issued about sterility of faith and the accompanying burning that would ensue. But after such a warning, the writer informs them that he has confidence that better things await the Hebrew Christians, though he spoke to them roughly. These things “accompany salvation” and are described as a work that is a “labor of love…to the saints.” The works are done in His name, but FOR the saints. They are works that manifest in a saint’s life because they accompany salvation, not because they earn or retain one’s salvation.

 

Verse 32 addresses a point of departure between genuine Christians and professing pretenders. Mind you, such professors may sincerely believe they are saved, but the hope of their salvation is not in Christ. Remember Matthew 7:22, and the shocked retort the unsaved give when confronted by reality; that their trust was not in Christ, but in themselves. In verse 32 there begins not a listing of glorious deeds done in Jesus’ name, but rather a series of affronts to the church members, as the world vents its hatred of Jesus Christ upon them. The outward signs that manifest their genuine faith was being made a spectacle (display, demonstration) by reproaches (accusations, criticisms) and tribulations. They likewise became companions of fellow Christians suffering the same, including the author himself, according to the Textus Receptus. The Nestle-Aland manuscript differs, rendering “me in my chains,” to, “the prisoners” or “those in prison.” In either case, the outcome is the same. The Hebrew Christians had compassion on fellow believers suffering persecution, demonstrating genuine Christian love.

 

Backtracking a trifle, note how verse 32 begins with the term, “illuminated.” My NKJV offers, “enlightened” as a footnote. The NASB and RSV simply use “enlightened.” The NIV translates the word as, “received the light.” Herein is the aforementioned point of departure. In verse 26, both camps receive the knowledge of the truth; but one camp goes no further and slips into apostasy, doing despite to their confession and Savior. The other camp, having received the seed on good ground, yields the fruit of their confession, showing what Paul and Barnabas said to be true when they said, “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God,” Acts 14:22, RSV.

 

Jesus says of such believers, through His parable of the seeds, those who are referred to as a good ground are described numerous ways. In Matthew they, “heareth the word, and understandeth it,” Matthew 13:23, KJV. Mark writes that such, “hear the word, and receive it, “Mark 4:20, KJV. Luke, adding more details still, records that such that receive the word, “in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience,” Luke 8:15, KJV. Believers are to hear the word, receive, understand, and keep it, and then bear fruit as the natural result of possessing it. We as Christians abide in the True Vine, which is Christ. Simply abiding in Him produces the fruit of the Spirit, because the vine provides the native life necessary to bear the fruit that God seeks. Apart from Him, we can do nothing, Jesus cautions; and herein lay the fatal error the false Christians made in Matthew 7:22.

 

We are to commiserate with genuine believers. We are to share in their deeds, emulate their lives, and pray for their prosperity. We are to esteem others as better than ourselves, Philippians 2:3. This thinking, which requires the mind of Christ and the Holy Spirit abiding in us, is alien to the unsaved and contrary to modernity. American culture is, at its heart, individual in the most selfish and superficial way. Genuine care for another that excels our own interests is foolishness. Not even most of the church in our country preaches this form of Christianity anymore, at least not the commercially successful ones. But these saints, these Jewish Christians, had their goods plundered by the adversary, knowing that they possessed an enduring possession in Heaven. Jesus told us, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” Matthew 6:21. Our treasure is Christ, if we are His followers. He is the pearl of great price. What we love, we treasure; our hearts (and by association) our tongues, give vent to the treasure we praise when we talk about what we love. Where does Jesus rank in our daily life, our conversation, and our interest? Where is His word, prayer, fellowship, good works, and obedience to His will, which He demands of us?

 

But the Hebrew Christians could be (and were) consoled by the writer, since he knew firsthand how they had suffered joyfully, like the apostles before them, in the name of the Savior who loved them, and in turn, was loved by them. It is love of Christ that unites us in our faith, and makes every Christian a son or daughter or God. Paul counted all things as loss for the hope of gaining Jesus. Peter, when approaching his demise, felt it fitting as one of his last acts, to exhort his fellow believers to be strong and constant in the faith, not despite tribulation, but to weather tribulation as evidence of their salvation, 2 Peter 1:10, 11, 13-15; see also Philippians 1:27, 28.