Who are the cloud of witnesses mentioned in hebrews 12. I can assume it goes beyond the few hundreds of old and new testament saints to include every one that is with jesus and the father in heaven. Overview this classic exegetical study examines the life and labors, trials and triumphs of the heroes and heroines of the faiththe great cloud of witnesses, as hebrews 11 expresses it. Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses sermon by tim. They testify to gods faithfulness, that he will see them through all the vicissitudes of life. What comes to mind when you read cloud of witnesses. Bullingers careful exposition is full of rich and practical applications see more details below. Question 19 what is contained in the various books of the bible. Long ne of the most powerful and most frequently cited images in the new testament is found in the letter to the hebrews.
The community of christ in hebrews main points and lesson summaries 3 what to do first for the whole study 1. The cloud of witnesses in the courts of heaven book summary. You probably know the passages that describe the heroes of faith. Best commentaries and books on hebrews logos bible software. A great cloud of witnesses faith among the ancients.
The word worlds is translated from the greek aion, meaning age, in the sense of a period of time or a dispensation. Hebrews eleven is known as the hall of faith because of all the references to men and women of faith who have gone on before and shown us the way of faith. Why do you think the writer of hebrews would describe witnesses that way. They have gathered along the sidelines of our race and they hold out their wounds and their joys and give us the best highfives we ever got. It is definitely a common view i used to believe it, but is it a scriptural view. The book of hebrews was written to a church that was getting old and. Nobody receives the accolades from god that moses does.
The great cloud of witnesses, not our loved ones watching us from heaven, is actually the saints listed in chapter 11. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. We carry the previous expression, rightly understood forward. Read hebrews or listen to an audio version or both. This book was one of the most life changing books that i have ever read. The best way to illustrate this, i think, is with hebrews 11. It consists of thirteen chapters, all of which are packed with theology, metaphor.
Let us throw off any sin that holds on to us so tightly. Bauckham, richard, driver, daniel, hart, trevor, macdonald, nathan. There are chapters devoted to the structure of hebrews, the person of jesus christ, hebrews within the context of second temple judaism and the grecoroman empire, and the role of hebrews in early christian thought. Great cloud of witnesses in hebrews eleven thriftbooks. So, in our text for today, we read the word, therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. This is the way all the witnesses of hebrews 11 are helping us. Foreword books of the bible table of the books of the bible abbreviations used in footnotes bible words index glossary of bible terms. Oct 19, 2017 look for the cloud of witnesses blogs by the first of the months of december lesson five, january lesson six, february lesson seven, march lesson eight, and april lesson nine. The word great in this context means multitudes or many. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. A cloud of witness examines the theology of the book in the light of its ancient historical context. Here the writer to the hebrews exhorts all who profess faith in jesus christ, the author and.
There are chapters devoted to the structure of hebrews, the person of jesus christ, hebrews within the context of second temple judaism and the grecoroman empire and the role of hebrews in early christian thought. So let us throw off everything that stands in our way. But what exactly does the writer of hebrews mean by. Our topical studies in hebrews now consider the famous eleventh chapter which teaches about faith by reminding us of many courageous old testament believers. In this enthralling 11episode teaching series on the book of hebrews, critical answers to the dilemma confronting the first century hebrew followers of messiah will be brought into the context of. Jul 25, 2017 the title of the study is cloud of witnesses. In our lives, our confession, and in our worship, we are adding our witness to the great cloud. Mar 06, 2020 do we feel the pain of the great cloud of witnesses and the dependence they have on our obedience to obtain their full inheritance.
Hebrews 11 so great a cloud of witnesses teaching by michael rood duration. By faith the walls of jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. Now will you turn with me in the word of god to hebrews, chapter 11. A great cloud of witnesses studies in hebrews simply bible. How should the cloud of witness motivate us to be faithful.
The supernatural intersection between your life and the heavenly cloud of witnesses. Although some include the book of hebrews among the apostle pauls writings, the certain identity of the author remains an enigma. Remember the witnesses wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, i believe that the witnesses are the men and women of faith found in hebrews 11. Oct 19, 2016 the new testament verse, set forth above, confirms the following four points. In addition, the suggestion that the writer of this epistle relied upon knowledge and information provided by others who were actual eye witnesses of christ jesus 2. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. Missing is pauls customary salutation common to his other works. Ebscohost serves thousands of libraries with premium essays, articles and other content including the cloud of witnesses in hebrews 11. Verse thoughts hebrews gives us a wonderful list of people who are commended by god for their faith. Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encum.
Oct 08, 2012 it was written to messianic hebrews who were grappling with the alteration of the temple service that had both the pharisees and the zakokim priesthood in a tumult. When most people read this verse, they imagine big, fluffy white clouds with old testament saints scattered mystically throughout the. There are chapters devoted to the structure of hebrews, the person of jesus christ, hebrews within the context of second temple judaism and the grecoroman empire, and the role of hebrews. We are connected to the tradition, to our neighborhoods, to the people we care about, to other faith communities, to god. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. The book of hebrews cloud of witnesses the puritan board. The first word of this verse, therefore, refers especially back to chapter 11 of hebrews, where some of the heros of the faith from the old testament are described. In our two previous lesssons we studied the chapters either side of chapter 11. Jesus, founder and perfecter of our faith therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him. When hebrews was written, the new testament was still in a development phase. The great cloud of witnesses has further been understood as our own family members who have died and gone to heaven, as those who have finished their race and are now sitting in the bleachers and grandstands, so to speak, watching and cheering us on as we run the race of faith that they once ran. Aug 06, 2012 and that gives rise to hebrews 11, that great chapter of the men and women of faith from the old testament. Hebrews 12 the passion translation tpt the great cloud of witnesses.
Here the writer to the hebrews exhorts all who profess faith in jesus christ, the author and perfecter of our faith v. And you probably know the famous verse from hebrews 12. By faith the people passed through the red sea as on dry land. Hebrews 11 so great a cloud of witnesses teaching by. Do you believe the old testament saints here being called a cloud. Pdf the cloud of witnesses hebrews robert henderson. Through the series of short biographies comprising the sum of this work, readers pick up a picture of what faith and mans place on earth mean in the context of hebrews. Aug 24, 2015 we cannot legitimately make a rhetorical reversal, and reimpose upon a previous phrase cloud of witnesses the later context general assemblychurch of firstborn, and myriads of angels. The author of this work is a master expositor who has taken the eleventh chapter of the book of hebrews, and revealed it to the reader in such a manner that the reader is possessed with the desire to walk with god into same faith as noah and joseph. The following is an excerpt from the macarthur new testament commentary on hebrews 12. Can god give any higher tribute to a man than that. Here, the author says he was faithful as a servant. It functions in very specific ways as a part of a larger pastoral and theological claim made upon the readers and hearers of hebrews.
The calendar in a great cloud of witnesses does not purport to be a definitive collection of saints, but rather an additional calendar of optional commemorations that. It shows us there are a lot of witnesses and it creates a picture of them being in heaven. The web site title, cloud of witnesses, comes from the above bible verse, hebrews 12. Question 20 how can you get the most out of your bible reading. Whether it is abel, noah, abraham, moses or other old testament figures, all carry a certain essence of faith that is vital to the book of hebrews message. I would like to quote just part of the text from hebrews 11. A series of papers on hebrews xi paperback february 27, 2018. Home content index books of the bible hebrews cloud of witnesses. Every four years the best athletes in the world assemble to represent their countries, going for gold and glory. There are chapters devoted to the structure of hebrews, the person of jesus christ, hebrews within the context of second temple judaism and the grecoroman empire and the role of hebrews. Great cloud of witnesses the general convention of the. Do we feel the pain of the great cloud of witnesses and the dependence they have on our obedience to obtain their full inheritance.
Apr 11, 2017 who are the 144,000 witnesses in the book of revelation. Sthe hebrew writer helps us to focus on the quality of the faith authored and perfected by christ. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. We begin reading at the thirtysecond verse and read through the first verse o. The community of christ in hebrews by melissa bane sevier suggestions for leaders by sung hee chang the letter to the hebrews is a significant book of the bible, and is also significantly different from every other book in the bible. We are simply reminded of several inspiring examples of godly. Purchase a cloud of witnesses study book and study along with us. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. The author of hebrews encourages believing jews to endure the adversity and persecution of the future sevenyear tribulation. We cannot legitimately make a rhetorical reversal, and reimpose upon a previous phrase cloud of witnesses the later context general assemblychurch of firstborn, and myriads of angels. Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us. In context, the cloud of witnesses must refer to the people in the previous chapter. We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into.
In the book of hebrews, scripture introduces us to the great cloud of witnesses believers who have gone before us, joining the ranks of those gathered before the throne of god. It is a catalogue of men and women, named and unnamed, that stand as witnesses to lives that honoured the lord and who like abraham looked for a city, whose builder and maker is god. The worlds greatest sporting event will feature new faces like gymnast simone biles and. The book of hebrews has often been the cinderella of the new testament, overlooked and marginalized. Because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight that would encumber us spiritually and the sin lack of faith that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race for life eternal that is set. When most people read this verse, they imagine big, fluffy white clouds with old. There are chapters devoted to the structure of hebrews, the person of jesus christ, hebrews. Bullinger provides an alternative that appears more accurate and fitting within the context of hebrews 11. We explore many types of connections in this years study. Hebrews 12 tpt the great cloud of witnesses bible gateway. Great cloud of witnesses in hebrews eleven 9780825442810 by e. I was having a conversation earlier with a friend on hebrews 22.
They have handed us a gospel but we must continue in it that they may receive their reward. It describes clouds just like the clouds you see in the sky. So abel is in the cloud of witnesses, and he is witnessing to us by his life through the scriptures. Such a cloud of witnesses and the second coming titus 2.