Thomas Aquinas Commentary Hebrews 12:25-29

"See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned [them] on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape] who turn away from him that [warneth] from heaven: whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven. And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: for our God is a consuming fire." — Hebrews 12:25-29 (ASV)

After describing the condition of both testaments, the Apostle now argues from this description and does two things: first, he argues; second, he draws the conclusion (Hebrews 12:28). Regarding the first point, he also does two things: first, he prefaces his intention; second, he argues toward his conclusion (Hebrews 12:25b).

He says, therefore: We have said that the blood of Christ speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel. See to it, therefore, that you do not refuse—that is, despise—him who is speaking, which means you must fulfill what he says. The blood of Christ says two things to us: first, it speaks by reminding us of His favor, by which He remitted our sins. Therefore, one who sins again despises the one speaking. Furthermore, He speaks by exhorting us to imitate Him: “Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example to follow in his footsteps” (1 Peter 2:2). Therefore, one who does not take up his cross to follow refuses the one speaking: “Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Psalms 95:8); “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 17:5).

Then, when he says, “For if they escaped not... much more shall not we,” he argues by comparing the speaking of the Old Testament to that of the New in two regards: first, the manner of speaking, and second, the efficacy of the speaking.

Regarding the manner of speaking, in the Old Testament He spoke on earth, but here in the New, He speaks from heaven. Hence, the Apostle says that if they—that is, the ancient fathers—did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how can we? This speaker on earth was Christ, as it is written, “For I myself that spoke, behold I am here” (Isaiah 52:6).

He spoke through angels or prophets—“God who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1)—or through the angel by whom the Law was given to Moses: “Ordained by angels” (Galatians 3:19); “For if the word spoken by angels became steadfast” (Hebrews 2:2); “This is Moses who was in the church in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on mount Sinai, and with our fathers” (Acts 7:38). Those who refused did not escape the vengeance of the divine law: “The way to escape shall fail them” (Job 11:20); “Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense” (Hebrews 2:2).

The conclusion follows by arguing from the lesser case: If those who refused the one speaking on earth did not escape, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven, because we will not be able to escape. For the one who speaks to us in the New Testament is Christ, who is already in heaven: “The Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven” (Mark 16:19); “From heaven he made you to hear his voice that he might teach you” (Deuteronomy 4:36).

Therefore, the doctrine of the Old Testament is the doctrine of Christ speaking on earth for two reasons: first, because under the figure of earthly things He spoke of heavenly things; and second, because He promised earthly things there. In contrast, the doctrine of the New Testament is that of Christ speaking from heaven, because we turn earthly things into signs of heavenly things by a mystical interpretation. Likewise, heavenly things are promised in it: “For your reward is great in heaven” (Matthew 5:12); “If I speak to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how will you believe, if I speak to you of heavenly things?” (John 3:12).

Next, he compares the two testaments regarding the efficacy of the speaking. Concerning the efficacy of the Old Testament’s speaking, he says, “His voice then shook the earth.” This means it brought about many changes on earth, for example, through the signs in Egypt, the parting of the sea, and the earthquake in the desert: “The earth was moved: and the heavens dropped at the presence of the God of Sinai, at the presence of the God of Israel” (Psalms 68:8). This signified that all that speaking moved their hearts with earthly promises.

Then, when he says, “but now he has promised,” he addresses the efficacy of the New Testament, proving it by the authority of a prophet and then explaining it.

That authority is found in Haggai 2:6-7, but not according to the version common to us, which reads, “Yet one little while, and I will move the heaven and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land.” The Apostle, however, quotes it as, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” The sense, however, is the same. It is clear that these words were spoken near the end of the Old Testament era—that is, after the return from captivity, when the Old Testament was drawing to its close. Therefore, it is clear that what was promised was to be fulfilled in the New Testament: the new heaven and the new earth, as it is written, “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17), and “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1).

In that new creation, the heavens will be moved. But “heaven” can be understood in two ways. First, it can mean the ethereal heaven, which will be cleansed by the fire of the final conflagration, as has been stated before. Second, it can mean the starry heaven, which will not be cleansed but will be changed to a new state: it will cease its motion, and the brightness of its parts will be increased, for “The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun seven times brighter” (Isaiah 30:26). Therefore, he says that now—that is, through the New Testament—He makes this promise: “Yet once more and I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.”

Then, when he says, “This phrase, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of what is shaken,” he explains the words of the prophecy, laying great stress on the phrase “Yet once more.” By saying “yet,” he shows that these things are subject to change. But by saying “once more,” he indicates that they are to be changed from a state of changeability and corruptibility to a state of incorruption and immutability. If they were to remain in a changeable state after that change, he would not have said “once more,” but “again and again.” This stands against Origen, who believed that the world will be renewed and restored an infinite number of times.

The Apostle continues, explaining that this phrase “indicates the removal of what is shaken... as of what has been made.” As if someone were asking whether God can do this, he adds the reason: because they are created things. All created things are subject to God’s power. Therefore, just as God made them from nothing, so He can change them as He wills. This is done “in order that what cannot be shaken may remain.” This means that they remain immovable in their essence, but are changed in certain accidental dispositions: “As a vesture you will change them, and they shall be changed” (Psalms 102:26). This was explained in chapter 1.

From all this, it is clear that although the things of the Old Testament were shaken, it was not into a state of incorruption and immutability. This transformation happens only in the New Testament, signifying that the promises of the Old Testament were changeable, but those of the New are not.

Then, when he says, “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,” he reaches his main conclusion. After commending in many ways the grace and benefits given and to be given to us by Christ, his main desire is to lead us to serve Him. He concludes that since immovable things are promised in the New Testament, we should serve Christ, who promised them, in fear and reverence. This is the principal conclusion of the argument.

First, he recalls the favor granted. He says that since God promises an immovable heaven and earth, which signify the immovable and eternal good things to come, we should be grateful—that is, we should give thanks: “Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). We are “receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken” because we receive it now, if not in reality, then in the hope of the promise: “Your kingdom is a kingdom of all ages” (Psalms 145:13); “Of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:33).

Alternatively, “receiving” can be understood as the gift of grace, which we receive in the present as a pledge of future glory. Thus, he says we are “receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,” meaning the future glory promised to us: “Fear not, little flock, because it has pleased your Father to give you a kingdom” (Luke 12:32). For what we hope for, we already possess in a sense—that is, we have received grace as the beginning of glory. If nature is not lacking in what is necessary, much less is God. Therefore, He gives us the hope of that kingdom and, consequently, the grace by which we may arrive at it: “We have access by faith into grace” (Romans 5:2); “The Lord will give grace and glory” (Psalms 84:11).

He continues: “and so let us offer to God acceptable worship.” Here he comes to the service required of us. Natural reason dictates that we are obligated to show reverence and honor to anyone from whom we receive many favors; how much more, then, to God, who has given us the greatest things and has promised us infinitely more. Hence, he says that by that grace—that is, the grace given and to be given to us—we should “offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.” It is not enough merely to serve God, which can be done by outward action; we must also please Him with a right intention and with love: “He pleased God and was beloved” ; “I will please the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalms 116:9). God is especially served by an inward service: “Let us serve him in holiness and justice” (Luke 1:74–75). By reason of creation, God is called Lord, but by reason of regeneration, He is called Father. Fear is owed to a Lord, while love and reverence are owed to a Father: “The son honors the father, and the servant fears his lord. If I am your father, where is my honor; and if I am your Lord, where is my fear?” (Malachi 1:6). Therefore, the Lord should be served with fear and reverence: “Serve the Lord in fear; and rejoice unto him with trembling” (Psalms 2:11).

He proves that we should serve God in this manner by the authority of Deuteronomy 4:24: “For our God is a consuming fire.” When God is said to be a fire, it does not mean that He is something corporeal. Rather, it is because intelligible things are often designated by perceptible things, and among these, fire has several key properties:

1. It has great nobility and clarity.
2. It has great activity.
3. It has a higher natural place.
4. It is more cleansing and consuming.

Therefore, God is called a fire especially because of His clarity, for He “inhabits light inaccessible” (1 Timothy 6:16); because He is supremely active, for “You have worked all our works in us” (Isaiah 26:12); and because He is in a loftier place, for “The Lord is high above all nations; and his glory above the heavens” (Psalms 113:4).

Furthermore, He cleanses and, as it were, consumes sins. This is why He is called a consuming fire: “He is like a refining fire” (Malachi 3:2), who “shall purify the sons of Levi” and is the one “making purgation of sins” (Hebrews 1:3). He also consumes sinners by punishing them: “But a certain dread in expectation of judgement and the rage of a fire that shall consume the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:27). Therefore, because such things are true of our God—“And the light of Israel shall be as a fire, and the Holy One thereof as a flame” (Isaiah 10:17); “A fire shall go before them and shall burn up enemies round about” (Psalms 97:3)—we should strive to serve and please Him.