The long list of witnesses to faith having been written, "the better thing" emphasized,

a giving up and a patient endurance on the part of the faithful pointed out, the apostle

turns to the Hebrews to apply the lesson.

Chapter 11: may be looked upon as a great parenthesis; chapter 12:, fortified with

chapter 11:, reverts to the close of chapter 10:, and gives a fresh application of its truth.

Let us refresh our memories by a revisal of 10: 32-39.  We are in an atmosphere of

suffering, yet a suffering illuminated by the prospect of future joys: "knowing that ye

have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.  Cast not away therefore your

confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience . . .".

The immediate danger that beset these Hebrews was that of "drawing back", growing

weary, and to encourage them the apostle puts forward three items:

It is this third feature which is now before us. Words are used in this passage which

demand careful consideration, and it may be well, before attempting the whole passage,

to be a little more certain of the words that are employed here.

WITNESSES (Greek martus). This word does not mean spectator. It means one who

bears witness, even to the length of suffering martyrdom for it. The English word martyr

is the Greek word for witness, and surely no martyr was a mere spectator. We find the

word in Heb. 10: 28, "two or three witnesses". Rev. 1: 5 speaks of "Jesus Christ . . . . .

the faithful Witness"; and Rev. 2: 13 uses the same words of "Antipas, My faithful

martyr". Heb. 10: 15 says, "the Holy Ghost is a witness", and 11: 4 tells us that Abel

"obtained witness".

It may be of service if we give all the occurrences of martus, martureo and marturion

in the epistle to the Hebrews.