Verse of the day — Hebrews 12:2

https://www.bible.com/verse-images/HEB.12.2/117524?version=1

Heb 12:2 (ESV) looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

This verse beautifully encapsulates Jesus as the perfect role model for our journey of faith. His obedience despite suffering was the prelude to His exaltation. As we follow Him, facing our own trials, we find hope and encouragement leading to endurance and heavenly reward.

This verse gives us a recipe for living out the admonition of the verse before, which tells us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us”. It starts with “looking to Jesus”. The Greek verb used here is APHORAO (ἀφοράω). This is an interesting word, used only twice in the New Testament. It’s a compound word made from adding the preposition APO (ἀπό), meaning ‘away from’ to the verb for ‘looking’, HORAO (ὁράω). It suggests looking away from something to focus on something else, which in this case is Jesus. That’s a sermon in itself. To set our focus on Jesus means looking away from our circumstances and the cares of this world. We run our race of endurance by “looking to Jesus”.

This verse calls Jesus “the founder and perfecter of our faith”. This is this book’s way of saying that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is the all in all, the first and the last, of faith. The word “founder” (KJV author; NIV pioneer) represents the word, ARCHEGOS (ἀρχηγός), which is derived from ARCHE (ἀρχή), meaning ‘beginning’ or ‘ruler’ and AGO (ἄγω), which means, ‘to lead’. Jesus is the one who began it all. This word is used earlier (2:10) to describe Jesus as “the founder” of our salvation. This is reminiscent of how the word is used in Acts 5:31, which says that “God exalted him at his right hand as Leader [ARCHEGOS] and Savior”.

He is also the “perfecter”, the final word on faith. The word “perfecter” is coined from the Greek word meaning, ‘to complete’, TELEIOO (τελειόω). Jesus is the “perfecter of our faith” because He is the final sacrifice for sin. Hebrews 10:14 had said, “For by a single offering he has perfected [TELEIOO] for all time those who are being sanctified”. This verse brings out the ‘now, but not yet’ aspect of our faith. We are saved, yet we are still being saved.

This naturally leads into why Jesus “endured the cross”. It was because of “the joy set before Him”. This “joy” was the enthronement “at the right hand of the throne of God”. This is an allusion to Psalm 110:2, which says, “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool’” (ESV). Hebrews 10:12 had already affirmed this connection, saying, “when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God”(ESV).

Jesus is not just a role model that we look at and observe. He certainly serves as a wonderful example for us, but He is so much more than that. We look to Him because He is on the throne. He is Lord! He not only began the work of grace in us, He will bring it to completion (Php 1:6). Look away from the earthly and temporal. Stare into the eyes of the Lamb on the throne. You will find the grace you need.

Be Blessed Dr. Chuck Day