In Hebrews 10:32-39 the writer of Hebrews invites his readers to “recall the former days,” likely a reference to the time just after the accepted Christ. The writer wants the readers to recall what they have already suffered so that they might continue to endure in the present. What have they already endured?
They endured struggle with suffering. Whenever people in the Roman world accepted Christ, they necessarily rejected the culture of the Roman World – their gods associated practices. For this they suffered some level of persecution. The book of Acts demonstrates that the Greco-Roman world did in fact “fight back” against the Pauline mission in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Ephesus.
They were publicly exposed to reproach and affliction. While some commentators have connected this with the persecution of Nero, this does not seem to be the case. It may refer to the Claudius’ decree expelling Jews from Rome; or it is a general comment that describes the experience of many Christians in the first century. The noun used for reproach (ὀνειδισμός) is used only a few time sin the New Testament, most importantly for the suffering of Jesus in Rom 15:3 (citing Ps 68:10), and similarly in Heb 11:26 (Moses’ reproach in Egypt). The word-group has the connotation of “loss of standing connected to disparaging speech” (BDAG), perhaps a reference to rumors and lies spread about Christians which led to their loss of property in the community. The verb translated “be shamed” (θεατρίζω) is only used here in the New Testament and includes a public shaming, the related noun has to do with a theater or public spectacle. The suffering described is not “behind closed doors,” but rather in front of the whole community.
They had compassion on those in prison. Those who have been arrested and placed in prison must be cared for by friends and family. The Roman world did not usually imprison people for punishment, so they were in prison until they face trial. Compassion on the prisoner is part of the duty of a disciple of Jesus (Matt 25, for example, Philippians).
They joyfully accepted plundering of their possessions. The readers “welcomed” the loss of their property, with the connotation of friendliness. Imagine if someone was losing their home to a creditor and their property was being repossessed, and they helped carry their stuff to the trucks and served the workers coffee and donuts! We cannot know how the readers were joyful or if they acted in this way to the ones who were attacking them, but the idea here is that they did not fight the loss of property because they know where their treasure truly is kept. These people who lost property could do so because they knew they had a “better possession” which is real, abiding. This word will also re-appear in 11:26 describing Moses loss of position in Egypt. In fact, this verse anticipates Moses as an example of one who suffered great loss for the cause of Christ.
All of this suffering is not simply in the past (when they were first enlightened). They are in fact suffering now, and perhaps the writer is concerned that their ongoing suffering will cause some of the readers to become discouraged to the point of “shrinking back.”
The faith of these early Christians is remarkable since I think that most American Christians would “shrink back” well before they were publicly shamed or lost property on account of their faith. If it was going to cost you money, position, or status to attend a church meeting, would you be as eager to attend a service? Or would you give up meeting together in order to avoid suffering? Frankly I think that most of us would find a convenient excuse to avoid suffering, since we make those excuses now without external pressure.
“The faith of these early Christians is remarkable since I think that most American Christians would “shrink back” well before they were publicly shamed or lost property on account of their faith.” (P. Long)
I would probably ‘shrink back’, not necessarily in the sense that I would abandon the faith, but shame it by fighting back. Someone asked me recently, “If you were living in a post-apocalyptic colony in which you were put in a position as to whether you would protect your farm or let the local pirates run you off, what would you do?” (I know, only I would get involved in this type of conversation) I answered, “Well I would protect the farm so I could support the colony.” Then I realized that I was a complete hypocrite, because I was only justifying my evil desires. I thought that it was my responsibility to provide for the colony, when in fact it is the Lord’s responsibility to provide and my responsibility to act in faith. Abraham’s experience with Isaac as remembered in Heb. 11:17 was a test of Abraham’s faith, and he passed with flying colors. He offered up his son in faith and the Lord in response offered an alternate sacrifice. “So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.'”(Gen 22:14)
All this in mind to say, the audience that the writer of Hebrews is addressing is being seriously commended for their past enduring of suffering, a level in which I hope to one day be able to accept and achieve, but at the same time are being challenged a great deal more because they have not yet suffered to the point of shedding blood. (Heb. 12:4)
When I read about all that the early Christians went through for their faith, I am in awe. I cannot imagine standing up for my faith so boldly that I would be persecuted in these ways for it. I shudder to read Hebrews 11:35-38 with those who were “…stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword…” and so on. If there was the possibility of any of those happening to me, I don’t know how I could stand. It is very sad to me that we have none of this persecution but if someone teases us or says a comment about our faith, we often clam up and refuse to talk about our faith again because we do not want to be put down for it. All it takes to shut us up about our faith are some words. How many Christians would be left if we had to deal with persecution such as the early Christians did? Or if we had to meet in secret…how many would make the effort? Those who did would surely take Hebrews 12:2 to heart. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Without fixing our eyes on Jesus, we cannot endure any persecution no matter how light or harsh it may be. Only with his strength can we endure anything at all.
“The faith of these early Christians is remarkable since I think that most American Christians would ‘shrink back’ well before they were publicly shamed or lost property on account of their faith. If it was going to cost you money, position, or status to attend a church meeting, would you be as eager to attend a service? Or would you give up meeting together in order to avoid suffering? Frankly I think that most of us would find a convenient excuse to avoid suffering, since we make those excuses now without external pressure” (Phil Long).
Unfortunately this seems to be the consensus of the state of the church in America. How do we change this? Can we change this? What would God have us to do to embolden our faith? These seem to be questions we should be asking and seeking answers to now. It seems like our country may be facing a financial and political crisis in the near future. One of the possible outcomes of that crisis may be indeed be persecution.
I am encouraged and challenged by the book of Hebrews. It is my goal and prayer that we would persevere if things should get really tough. And we should because: Christ is superior to the angels, Moses . . I intended to go into the all the ways that Christ is superior to in the book of Hebrews, but that doesn’t seem to work as well for me- a Gentile. They work, but how much more they must have worked to the Jewish Christians for whom it was written. There are many verses that resonate with me. One is Hebrews 12:1-2:
“. . .let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
And another is Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Let us encourage one another with the message of Hebrews!
I am going to respond to what everyone else has been responding to, pretty much. Phil Long said, “The faith of these early Christians is remarkable since I think that most American Christians would “shrink back” well before they were publicly shamed or lost property on account of their faith. If it was going to cost you money, position, or status to attend a church meeting, would you be as eager to attend a service? Or would you give up meeting together in order to avoid suffering?”
I am also amazed at the faith of those in the early church. It is hard to know if I would “shrink back” or if I would “press on” as Philippians 3 says. It is not as if suffering for your faith is a thing of the past. There exists so many countries where Christians are persecuted today. I commend them for their faith as I do the early Christians.
It is different for us though – Christianity is still accepted in America (for now). We have grown up in a culture that has Christian roots (or so it claims). We go along with the culture because we believe it to be essentially good. We end up making small compromises that grow into larger ones. Where the early Christians “necessarily rejected the culture of the Roman World” (P. Long), we reject less of our American culture, because it’s “Christian” (right??). But if many of the churches around the world compared their churches to ours, they would be shocked. I mean, look at how immodestly some of the Christian young ladies dress today! Look at all the churches compromising with issues of homosexuality and other immoral lifestyles (such as non-married couples living together). There are so many American churches who try to make their services more comfortable, more tolerant, more entertaining… more like the culture around them.
Seeing that suffering, wandering, perseverance, etc., are all themes found throughout the Bible, shouldn’t true Christianity include suffering and perseverance? Yet, where is our struggle? What “former days” are we to look back to? It would be very different if we were forced to suffer for our faith in this culture (and their may come a day when we do). There would probably be less “Christians”, but those Christians would have stronger faith.
And just so you know, I am glad we are talking about suffering. It is important for me to think about this issue. Depending on where I go in the mission field, suffering may become very real to me. I may have to suffer against culture, other religions, etc. It is very important for me to evaluate myself, my faith, and to think about my future. I hope that we may all grow in our faith and say the following about ourselves:
“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Hebrews 10:39).
>I am glad we are talking about suffering.
I think that it is important as well, since the majority of the Christian Church lives outside of America and all-too-frequently faces real persecution, not the slight inconvenience we usually face!
“They are in fact suffering now, and perhaps the writer is concerned that their ongoing suffering will cause some of the readers to become discouraged to the point of “shrinking back.”” P. long. I think that one of the things that makes it so that we now would make an excuse to not meat or shrink back with any little persecution is because we have not needed to be strong in our faith. We live in a country that for the most part people could care less about what you believe or why you believe it. Most people do not face persecution and when they do it makes them feel uncomfortable that they would rather “shrink back” than to hold there head up high and boldly profess there faith. In Hebrews 11 it goes through and over and over repeats how you should have faith in what God’s plan is for you. It goes through and says what everyone throughout time was able to do through faith. It is kind of amazing to think about it all when it is going through the list all at once.
Kristin – “We live in a country that for the most part people could care less about what you believe or why you believe it. ” this is a perceptive comment, although I wonder if there is a tendency in our country to disrespect the Christian worldview while respecting virtually every other variation on that world view. It seems to me that the Christian worldview is the one that must be vilified, almost by default.
Hebrews is quickly becoming one of my favorite books of the bible.
Something that I would like to add to the conversation…I think Hannah mentioned it in her post but this reality that when we keep our eyes on Jesus, the “author and perfecter of our faith” [Hebrews 12:2], we will not “grow weary or lose heart” [Hebrews 12:3]. That is where I think most people fail to see the root of this issue – it is NOT necessarily that people in America don’t suffer as much as others in different parts of the world, but rather that people who don’t suffer, or don’t like to suffer, have lost focus. The perspective that we should ought to have rather, is this reality that discipline from God is a sign that we are his children [Hebrews 12:8] and that it is ALWAYS for our good, even though we will not see it now. A question that this raises is, should all Christians be “suffering”? A question that I do NOT seem to have an answer for…but thought I’d pose that if anyone would like to take a stab at it.
Moses said “A question that this raises is, should all Christians be “suffering”?”
This is good question, one worth wrestling over indeed. Though I would add that perhaps the point to be emphasized, whether here or elsewhere is not whether or not Christians “should” suffer but that they most likely “will” suffer and what is most vitally important is not the circumstances but the response of the believer to those circumstances. I firmly believe that someone who has experienced little trial can find just as strong a faith as another who has suffered greatly, though there are far too many factors and complexities to explain this out. But what happens when the trials, or suffering if you will, come?
Heb. 11:32-39 calls for endurance in response to the suffering already at hand. Can someone continue to fix their eyes upon Jesus without having faced much suffering? Absolutely! It is when the hard times come that a believer is confronted with the option to shrink back and lose confidence, and for that matter their faith. In America, suffering will look different than in a foreign context, say in a third world community. But even here, domestically suffering varies in many factors. There are most likely some universal aspects of suffering but all the same, in a faith that is so global, and i would say far more diverse and cross-cultural then the first century context, i think we ought to be cautious in generalizing what exactly suffering is, and certainly we ought to be wary of how we place this idealized theme of suffering on Christians worldwide. I would like to think that I should never assume one’s faith based upon the circumstances they have faced because there is a lot of relativity in this. It is if my opinion that what matters most and probably exclusively is the persons response. No matter what they face, be it a flat tire on their way to work, job stress, or a Kalashnikov, their faith will either shrink or be the pillar upon which they remain standing. The action is no different, only the circumstances faced.
> be it a flat tire on their way to work,
> job stress, or a Kalashnikov
I agree that American / western suffering is different than the rest of the world, but I wonder if Americans are willing to give up their faith alot quicker than the rest of the world — implying that we have a much more shallow faith. The West has a tendency towards a social atheism based on perceived evils (how could a good God allow me to suffer this way) than the rest of the world that really and truly suffers!
Bottom line, if I get a flat tire it is not the same as a jack-booted thug from the government shoving a Kalashnikov in my face.
As always, thought provoking stuff from Justin,
“No matter what they face, be it a flat tire on their way to work, job stress, or a Kalashnikov, their faith will either shrink or be the pillar upon which they remain standing” (Justin).
That’s a good point, Justin. I think that our responses to everyday situations display our level of faith – the way we react reflects our character. Whether we “suffer” as the early Christians did or not, we still need to strive to live out our faith.
“Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:14-15).
Moses asked “should all Christians be “suffering?” This is a good question, and to be honest I feel more than a little guilt when I read about real suffering the world, especially Christians who are tortured for their faith (Voice of the Martyr, for example). We live in a comfortable world that is generally tolerant of what we co in the church. To my knowledge no one is censoring this blog!)
Yet Hebrews and other NT texts seem to say that if you are a Christian you will suffer — really. I read a book one time, the title escapes me but I vividly remember this line: “If you are a Christian, you must look good on wood.” Meaning, you have to be ready and willing to sacrifice even hour life for the cause of Christ. I think that maybe we American Christians are too triumphalist in that we think that we should win and overcome the enemy.
I think Hebrews says that we need to prepare for the worst.