Meaning of Hebrews 12:18

Hebrews 12:18 draws a stark contrast between the experience of the Old Covenant at Mount Sinai and the new spiritual reality available through Jesus Christ. The author uses the visceral imagery of a physical, terrifying mountain experience to highlight the transformative and accessible nature of the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was mediated through Moses, characterized by fire, darkness, and fear, signifying God's awesome holiness and the people's inability to approach Him directly due to their sin. This mountain was a tangible, earthly place that evoked dread and a sense of separation, a place where the law was given, but not the power to perfectly fulfill it.

Context and Background

The author of Hebrews is addressing Jewish Christians who were facing persecution and temptation to revert to the practices of Judaism. To encourage them to persevere in their faith in Christ, the author consistently demonstrates the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old. This verse is part of a larger argument in chapter 12 that begins by calling believers to run the race of faith with endurance, looking to Jesus as the perfect example. Immediately preceding this verse (Hebrews 12:14-17), the author warns against bitterness and impurity, and reminds them of Esau's reckless exchange of his birthright for a single meal. This sets the stage for emphasizing the profound difference between the terrifying, conditional covenant at Sinai and the gracious, unconditional covenant established through Christ.

Key Themes and Messages

• The Terribleness of Sinai: The description of Mount Sinai as a place of "burning fire," "darkness, gloom and storm" is not meant to diminish God's power, but to emphasize the fear and separation that the Old Covenant engendered for sinful humanity. It was a place of judgment and a reminder of the chasm between God and man.
• Tangibility vs. Spirituality: The "mountain that can be touched" represents the physical, earthly manifestations of the Old Covenant. The New Covenant, in contrast, is spiritual and heavenly.
• Fear vs. Access: The Old Covenant, with its stringent laws and terrifying manifestations, inspired fear and kept people at a distance. The New Covenant, established by Christ's sacrifice, grants access to God.

Spiritual Significance and Application

For believers today, this verse serves as a powerful reminder of the freedom and privilege we have in Christ. We are not under a covenant that inspires dread, but one that offers forgiveness, reconciliation, and direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. The fear associated with Sinai is replaced by a reverent awe and a confident boldness to approach the throne of grace. This understanding should fuel our gratitude and strengthen our resolve to remain in Christ, understanding that our relationship with God is not based on our ability to keep a perfect law, but on Christ's finished work.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This verse is a pivotal point in the author's argument for the supremacy of Christ. The Old Testament narrative of the giving of the Law at Sinai is a foundational event, but Hebrews reinterprets it in light of Christ's coming. The New Testament, particularly the Gospels and the Epistles, consistently presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law and the mediator of a better covenant. The Mosaic covenant, symbolized by the mountain, was a preparatory stage, pointing towards a more perfect and eternal covenant.

Analogies

Think of the difference between a heavily guarded fortress with a drawbridge perpetually up, accessible only to a select few under strict conditions, and a welcoming palace with open doors and a gracious host, where all are invited to enter freely. Mount Sinai was like the former, a place of awe and exclusion due to the Law's demands. The experience of believers in Christ is like the latter, a place of intimate fellowship and unhindered access to God's presence. Another analogy could be the difference between a stern headmaster delivering a list of rules that, if broken, lead to severe punishment, and a loving parent who, having already paid the penalty for a child's misdeeds, invites them into their presence with open arms.

Relation to Other Verses

• Hebrews 12:22-24: This passage directly contrasts the experience at Sinai with the New Covenant: "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in joyful gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than Abel's." This clearly defines what believers have come to, in stark opposition to the Sinai experience described in verse 18.
• Exodus 19:16-19: This passage describes the terrifying events at Mount Sinai, including thunder, lightning, the sound of a trumpet, and smoke, which directly informs the imagery used in Hebrews 12:18.
• Galatians 3:10-14: Paul discusses the Law and its inability to justify, highlighting that all who rely on the works of the Law are under a curse, which is consistent with the fear and condemnation associated with Sinai. Christ redeemed us from this curse by becoming a curse for us.
• 2 Corinthians 3:7-11: The author of Hebrews echoes Paul's sentiment about the glory of the Old Covenant fading away, contrasting it with the enduring glory of the New Covenant, which brings righteousness and freedom.