commitment

Persecution

After they believed in Jesus as the Messiah, many Jewish Christians in the first century faced a backlash. Family members, co-workers, and religious leaders argued against this new-found faith. They wanted their brothers, sisters, and neighbors back in the fold.

Persecution takes many forms. Followers of Jesus could be disowned, fired, or excommunicated. And we can’t overlook arrest and physical punishment, including torture and execution. All were options.

Yet in the early decades of the church, most Jewish Christians didn’t get killed for their conversion. They suffered social, economic, and religious pressures instead.

But these reactions against them were swift.

“Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.” – Hebrews 10:32

We’re not sure who wrote the book of Hebrews, but we know the audience: first-century Jews who believed the gospel. To reinforce their faith, the author of this letter touts the superiority of the Lord Jesus over every aspect of Judaism. Christ eclipses the old covenant because it points to Him as its fulfillment.

In light of Christ’s status, the author encourages these Christians to remain loyal to the Lord. Five times he warns them about lessening their commitment to Jesus (see 2:1-4, 3:7-4:13, 5:11-6:20, 10:26-31, and 12:15-29). Faith in Jesus is too valuable to squander!

What tempted these believers to abandon Christ’s supremacy for inferior alternatives? The next two verses provide an answer.

“Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. ³⁴You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.” – Hebrews 10:33-34

Pattern

The writer describes their trials and reactions by using a literary form called a chiasm. Designed to aid memory retention, it looks like an “ABBA.” The first idea (A) gets restated in the fourth spot, and the second idea (B) repeats in the third place. (We’re not talking about a Swedish pop group from the 1970s; that’s another ABBA!)

Here’s the chiastic structure of the passage:

A – You were publicly exposed to insult and persecution

B – You stood side by side with those who were so treated

B – You suffered along with those in prison

A – (You) joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property

These are the topics of the chiasm:

A – You

B – Others

B – Others

A – You

When Christians suffer, the devil compounds their pain by making them feel isolated. The writer rejects all that. He reminds his readers they suffered themselves and identified with other victims. He commends the attitude and actions of these Jewish Christians.

So what changed? Why the warnings?

Persistence

They must have gotten tired of torment. At first, these converts rejoiced over the good news of salvation in Christ. But the constant pressure they faced began to wear them down. And the idea of compromising a bit didn’t seem so bad. They could still believe in Jesus, but keep that opinion private. Rejoining the synagogue and returning to the ceremonies, they’d no longer be outcasts.

And could these Jewish Christians have been wrong about the Scriptures? Was Jesus the Messiah? He fulfilled many prophecies, but several others were still open. Gentiles continued to rule Israel and unrighteousness pervaded society. The Messiah was supposed to clean up this mess. Why didn’t Jesus finish what He’d started? 

The writer challenged these believers to stay the course.

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. ³⁶You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. ³⁷For, ‘In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.’ ³⁸And, ‘But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.’ ³⁹But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” – Hebrews 10:35-39

The more these Christians dedicated themselves to Jesus, the more persecution they encountered. But the more they eased up, the more society gave them a break. Quite a temptation, then, to drop the gospel!

But if Jesus completes the Jewish faith, there’s no good reason for turning back. These Hebrews had already suffered for Christ; why abandon Him now?

Application

Most of us face the reverse situation today. The recipients of this letter suffered immediate persecution for embracing Jesus Christ. But when they compromised, they benefited. No more pressure!

Many of us paid little price for turning to Jesus. The laws in much of the world protect religious freedom, so anyone can believe anything he or she likes.

But this is changing. It’s becoming harder to identify with Jesus Christ and to promote the exclusive claims of the gospel. The resistance we meet is picking up steam. What was once viewed as a personal decision is being shunned as a bigoted and irrational commitment to an unacceptable way of thinking. To follow Jesus, we will have to pay a price.

We can prepare by taking the advice laid out in Hebrews. As we exalt our Savior, we will strengthen our hearts and bless our fellow disciples. And because we identify with Christ and one another, God will reward our courage.