Hebrews 12:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What then does he say? You have not come to a mountain (cf. Ex 19:20; Deut 9:19). That was fearful, he says, so fearful that it was impossible even to hear, and not even a beast dared approach.

Yet this is still not such as what follows. What is Sinai compared with heaven? What is tangible fire compared with the intangible God? "Our God is a consuming fire" (Heb 12:29).

That what then took place on the mountain was truly fearful is clear from the words they spoke: "They said to Moses, 'You speak with us, and we will hear. But let not God speak with us, lest we die'" (Ex 20:19).

So terrible was the vision, the Apostle says, that even Moses said, "I am exceedingly afraid and trembling." Is it surprising that the people, as Scripture says, felt such fear?

Even Moses himself, who entered the darkness where God was, said, "I am exceedingly afraid and trembling."

That was fearful, but this is far more wondrous and glorious. Here there is neither darkness, nor cloud, nor tempest, as there was there.

Why, then, did God appear in fire at that time? This, it seems to me, signifies the obscurity of the old covenant, and the dimness and veiled character of the Law.

On the other hand, it shows that the Lawgiver must be fearful and terrible to transgressors.

Why were there trumpet sounds? This was fitting, because a king, as it were, was present there. So it will be at the Second Coming. "The trumpet will sound," says the Apostle, "and we shall all be raised" (1 Cor 15:52).

The resurrection of all will be accomplished by the power of God. The voice of the trumpet means nothing other than that all must rise.

Then, on Sinai, everything was sensible: both sights and sounds. What follows is wholly spiritual and invisible. Fire signifies that God is "a fire," the Apostle says, "a consuming fire" (Heb 12:29).

The cloud, darkness, and smoke again express nothing but what is fearful. Thus Isaiah also says, "The house was filled with smoke" (Is 6:4).

And why the tempest? The human race was careless, and therefore it had to be awakened. Certainly there was no man so careless that he would not lift up his thoughts on high when this was happening and the Law was being given.

"Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice" (Ex 19:19), because the voice of God had to be heard. Since God wished to give the Law through Moses, He makes him worthy of belief.

The Jews did not see Moses because of the cloud, and they did not hear him because of his slowness of speech. What then happened? God Himself answered him "by a voice."

He was, as it were, speaking to the people and making the ordinances of the Law intelligible to them.

But let us return to what was said above. "You have not come to a mountain that may be touched and that burns with fire, nor to darkness and gloom and tempest, nor to the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words. Those who heard begged that no further word should be spoken to them."

Therefore they themselves were the cause of God's appearing to them in a sensible manner. What did they say? "You speak with us, and we will hear. But let not God speak with us" (Ex 20:19).

For if that covenant was a figure, it is clear that until the truth came the figures were obscure. For this reason they did not know what the figures signified.

Through them the invisible things of God were revealed. For Scripture says that the cloud is His footstool. The storm stirred the careless Hebrews to attention.

The trumpets signified, as it were, the presence of a king. This will also be so at the second coming of Christ.

"And to blazing fire," that is, to the mountain seized by fire. For in Exodus it is written: "Mount Sinai was altogether smoking, because God descended upon it in fire" (Ex 19:18).

In Deuteronomy it is said: "The mountain burned with fire" (Deut 4:11).

"And to cloud, and darkness, and tempest."

The phrase "you have not come" is understood. Exodus says: "There were voices, and lightning, and a dark cloud upon Mount Sinai" (Ex 19:16). In Deuteronomy it says: "darkness, gloom, and whirlwind" (Deut 4:11).

The Church Triumphant is composed of the blessed in heaven. It is called this because its members, after bright victory over all worldly adversities, triumph in the dwellings above, enjoying true rest and glory.

Of this Church and the other, the great Paul speaks in these words: "You have not come to a mountain that may be touched, and to blazing fire, and to cloud, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which those who heard begged that no word be added to them. But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the festal assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect" (Heb 12:18ff.).

Here, under the name of the mountain difficult to ascend, the fire, darkness, tempest, trumpet sounds, and fearful voices, the Apostle signifies the Church Militant on earth.

Under the name of the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, the countless angelic host, the triumph of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and the righteous made perfect, he means the Church Triumphant in heaven.

From this apostolic reasoning we can see the relation of the one to the other. The Church Militant always has a contest set before it.

The lot of virtuous men is labor and vigilance. Since the passions flatter us without ceasing, and vices always draw us to themselves under the appearance of sensory pleasure, there is danger at the slightest slackening.

They may gain the upper hand and enslave reason and conscience to themselves. Therefore the ascetic must always stand on the most divine watch.

That is, they are numbered with the community of believers. This includes those still living on earth, but rightly considered citizens of heaven (Phil 3:20), and those who have already fallen asleep, namely the blessed men of the Old Testament and the first Christians.

They have come to such a Judge, who is the God of all people and their Master. Therefore He can always punish the disobedient and apostates.

They have come to the assembly of souls who have completed their earthly contest, though they have not yet been clothed in the glorified body.

Finally, we have drawn near to the very Mediator of the new, or newly established, covenant, νέας. We make use of the blood of sprinkling, which speaks better things than the blood of Abel.

Abel's blood cried out for vengeance, but Christ's blood cries out for forgiveness (Heb 12:18-24).