Questions and Answers

by Bobby L. Graham

Question:

What was the "joy set before Him" in Hebrews 12:2?

Answer:

The verse on which the question is based is Hebrews 12:2, which says, "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."

The context of this verse is one of encouragement to Hebrews who once turned to Jesus Christ but in more recent time had doubts about their conversion to Jesus, thinking they possibly made a mistake in leaving Moses and the first covenant behind. The writer urged them to focus and keep their minds on Jesus, whom he has set before them in this epistle as one preeminently superior in every respect to Moses and the Old Covenant. Note the passages where Jesus or some aspect of His plan is said to be "better" than its Mosaic counterpart (1:4; 6:9; 7:7, 19, 22; 8:6; 9:23; 10:34; 11:16, 35, 40; 12:24). As an incentive to "remove their gaze" from Moses and "concentrate the gaze" of their minds on Jesus, he describes the authoritative position occupied by Jesus and the motive pulling Him to go to the cross—"the joy set before Him."

What did Jesus see as joy set before Him, when the dread of the cross loomed so largely in His future, even to the point of His asking the Father to remove the cup of suffering facing Him (Luke 22:42)? Observe that it was the joy facing Jesus, not particularly facing us or the Hebrews, to which the Holy Spirit here called attention. After all, He is the author (Pioneer/Leader) and the perfecter (Finisher/Completer) of the faith (Gospel system/Truth of the Gospel).

What did He rejoice to see awaiting Him after His endurance of the cross?

• The joy of doing God's will in His death just as He had done throughout His life (Heb. 10:5-10).
• The joy of serving as High Priest for the salvation of the world—sacrifice and presentation to God in heaven's Most Holy Place (Heb. 9:11-12; Isa. 53:10-12).
• The joy of sitting unendingly at God's right hand in an intercessory role (Heb. 8:25).
• The joy of saving souls completely (to the uttermost) in His intercessory role (Heb. 8:25).
• The joy of bringing many sons unto glory as the one mediator (Heb. 2:10; 1 Tim. 2:5).

Jesus certainly ascended to heaven and thereby made heaven available to the redeemed, but it was much more than heaven encompassed in "the joy set before Him." It was His joyful reward for all which He endured in granting us access to God and providing us a heavenly hope.

Author Bio: Bobby participates in fill-in preaching, Belize trips, teaching at Athens Bible School, and in gospel meetings. He and his wife, Karen, have three children: Richard, Mary Katherine Winland (Darren), and Laura Paschall (Jeremy). He can be reached at bobbylgraham@pclnet.net.