Interpretation of the Bible / Hebrews 12:2

Hebrews 12:2 tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. But what exactly does that mean? Jesus is our example, our guide on the journey of faith. He suffered on the cross for us, and so we are to follow His example.

The author and finisher of faith

Jesus is considered the author and finisher of faith because He Himself began the preaching of the gospel and salvation through His teachings and actions. He was the one who created faith and also brought it to fulfillment through His death and resurrection.

The joy that was set ahead of Him

When we speak of the joy that was set before Jesus, we are referring to the fact that He knew that His suffering and death on the cross would bring salvation to all who would believe in Him. This joy strengthened Him and enabled Him to endure the suffering and humiliation He had to endure during the crucifixion.

Suffering on the cross

Jesus’ suffering on the cross was terrible for Him. But why did He have to suffer like that? Jesus bore our sins, and in doing so, He suffered the punishment we deserved. He did this to show us His great love for us and to free us from the bondage of sin.

Suffered disgrace

When we talk about reproach, we are talking about the humiliation and contempt that Jesus suffered from people on His way to the cross. Jesus was ridiculed, insulted, and mistreated, but He did not let this defeat Him. Instead, He focused on His mission and the love He felt for us, which helped Him continue to the end.

He sat at the right hand of the throne of God

After His death and resurrection, Jesus sat at the right hand of the throne of God. This means that He has an honored place in the heavenly kingdom and that His work was accepted by God the Father. This image shows us that Jesus was victorious despite adversity, which inspires us to continue striving, despite the difficulties, to achieve our goal.