The saints in Hebrews 12:11 cheer us on! – Catholic Strength
The Apostle's Creed contains this faith affirmation: "I believe in the communion of saints." The doctrine of the Communion of Saints refers to the interconnected community, living and dead, of all saints on Earth, in Heaven, and yes, even in Purgatory. Hebrews 12:1-2 provides one biblical anchor for this inspiring doctrine:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses ("martyres"), let us also lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith."
This text offers a beautiful image of the Christian life as a great athletic contest taking place in a huge stadium, a contest witnessed by deceased saints who have entered similar athletic contests in ages past and are now cheering us on and supporting us as we strive for victory.
This image cannot be limited to the examples of the OT heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11 because we are not simply preceded by witnesses; we are currently surrounded by them.
Indeed, in Hebrews the Greek word "martyres" always means "eyewitnesses."
In our worship the kingdom of God has truly come to us and we literally come to the invisible realm of "the heavenly Jerusalem" and to the deceased "spirits of the righteous" who have gone on before us:
"But you have come...to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,...and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits [deceased, but now alive] of the righteous made perfect (Hebrews 12:22-23)."
What a thrilling revelation it is to learn that our deceased loved ones can monitor our progress and remain informed about what God is doing in earthly lives:
"I tell you, there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:7)."
This joy and awareness of earthly events are shared by angels and deceased saints alike:
"Suddenly they [Peter, James, and John] saw 2 men, Moses and Elijah, talking to Him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:30-31)."
And how do deceased saints support us and send us aid? Primarily through their intercessory prayers. Catholics pray to deceased saints to obtain their prayer support in making effective petitions before the throne of God:
"I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the witness they had been given; they cried out, "Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?" They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little while until their number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brethren who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed (Revelation 6:9-11)."
John offers his apocalyptic version of the Catholic doctrine of the Communion of Saints:
"When He [the Lamb, Christ] had taken the scroll,...the 24 elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and a golden bowls, full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (both living and deceased--Revelation 5:8)."
Dr. Eugene Boring's Commentary explains the historical background and role of these elders:
"The triumphant authority of these 24 is signified by their crowns and white garments (cp. 2:10; 6:11; 7:9)...These 24 elders represent...a kind of heavenly counterpart to the continuing People of God on Earth (12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles...who are called to reign through faithfulness (p. 106)."
"The title "Lord and God" (4;8) is paralleled by Domitian's insistence that he be addressed by this title. The 24 elders may be influenced by the 24 lictors who surrounded Domitian. The act of the 24 elders placing their crowns before the throne om 4:10 calls to mind Tacitus's report that the Parthian King Tiridates placed his diadem before the image of Nero to give homage to the Roman emperor (p. 103)."
The most dramatic example of effective intercessory prayer offered by deceased saints is reported in 2 Maccabees 12:38-46. Right before the decisive battle against the Syrian Greeks, Judas Maccabaeus, the Jewish military leader, shares his vision of the late high priest Onias III and the prophet Jeremiah praying for their victory:
"Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword, and as he gave it, he addressed him thus: "Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your adversaries (12:15-16)."
Jeremiah's role in the improbable Maccabean victory prompts some of Jesus' followers believe that He ministers as Jeremiah raised from the dead (Matthew 16:14)!
The Apostle's Creed contains this faith affirmation: "I believe in the communion of saints." The doctrine of the Communion of Saints refers to the interconnected community, living and dead, of all saints on Earth, in Heaven, and yes, even in Purgatory. Hebrews 12:1-2 provides one biblical anchor for this inspiring doctrine:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses ("martyres"), let us also lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith."
This text offers a beautiful image of the Christian life as a great athletic contest taking place in a huge stadium, a contest witnessed by deceased saints who have entered similar athletic contests in ages past and are now cheering us on and supporting us as we strive for victory.
This image cannot be limited to the examples of the OT heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11 because we are not simply preceded by witnesses; we are currently surrounded by them.
Indeed, in Hebrews the Greek word "martyres" always means "eyewitnesses."
In our worship the kingdom of God has truly come to us and we literally come to the invisible realm of "the heavenly Jerusalem" and to the deceased "spirits of the righteous" who have gone on before us:
"But you have come...to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,...and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits [deceased, but now alive] of the righteous made perfect (Hebrews 12:22-23)."
What a thrilling revelation it is to learn that our deceased loved ones can monitor our progress and remain informed about what God is doing in earthly lives:
"I tell you, there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:7)."
This joy and awareness of earthly events are shared by angels and deceased saints alike:
"Suddenly they [Peter, James, and John] saw 2 men, Moses and Elijah, talking to Him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:30-31)."
And how do deceased saints support us and send us aid? Primarily through their intercessory prayers. Catholics pray to deceased saints to obtain their prayer support in making effective petitions before the throne of God:
"I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the witness they had been given; they cried out, "Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?" They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little while until their number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brethren who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed (Revelation 6:9-11)."
John offers his apocalyptic version of the Catholic doctrine of the Communion of Saints:
"When He [the Lamb, Christ] had taken the scroll,...the 24 elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and a golden bowls, full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (both living and deceased--Revelation 5:8)."
Dr. Eugene Boring's Commentary explains the historical background and role of these elders:
"The triumphant authority of these 24 is signified by their crowns and white garments (cp. 2:10; 6:11; 7:9)...These 24 elders represent...a kind of heavenly counterpart to the continuing People of God on Earth (12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles...who are called to reign through faithfulness (p. 106)."
"The title "Lord and God" (4;8) is paralleled by Domitian's insistence that he be addressed by this title. The 24 elders may be influenced by the 24 lictors who surrounded Domitian. The act of the 24 elders placing their crowns before the throne om 4:10 calls to mind Tacitus's report that the Parthian King Tiridates placed his diadem before the image of Nero to give homage to the Roman emperor (p. 103)."
The most dramatic example of effective intercessory prayer offered by deceased saints is reported in 2 Maccabees 12:38-46. Right before the decisive battle against the Syrian Greeks, Judas Maccabaeus, the Jewish military leader, shares his vision of the late high priest Onias III and the prophet Jeremiah praying for their victory:
"Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword, and as he gave it, he addressed him thus: "Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your adversaries (12:15-16)."
Jeremiah's role in the improbable Maccabean victory prompts some of Jesus' followers believe that He ministers as Jeremiah raised from the dead (Matthew 16:14)!
