Thomas Aquinas, on Heb 12:3

“For think diligently upon him that endured such opposition from sinners against himself; that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds.”

“666. – Then (v. 3) he indicates the fruit of this consideration: first, he advises us to consider His example diligently; secondly, he shows its usefulness (v. 3b); thirdly, he gives the reason (v. 4). 667. – He says, therefore: Thus we have said: Looking on to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith: not only that, but also consider, i.e., again and again, him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself: 'In all your ways think of him' (Pr. 3:6). The reason for this is that the remedy for every tribulation is found in the cross. For obedience to God is found there: 'He humbled himself, being made obedient' (Phil 2:8); so is piety towards one's parents, because He provided for His mother there; and also love of neighbor; hence, He prayed for sinners: 'Father, forgive them for they know not what they do' (Lk. 23:34); 'Walk in love, as Christ loved you and delivered himself for you' (Eph. 5:2); and patience in adversity: 'I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things: and my sorrow was renewed' (Ps. 38:30); 'He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth' (Is. 53:7); and final perseverance in all things; hence He persevered to the end: 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit' (Lk. 23:46). Hence, an example of every virtue is found in the Cross: 'The Cross was not only the altar on which He suffered, but the chair from which He taught' (Augustine). 668. – Therefore, Consider him who endured. But what shall we think? Three things: the type of suffering; hence, he endured hostility, i.e., affliction in words, because they said: 'Vah, you that destroy the temple of God' (Mt. 27:40): 'You will deliver me from the contradictions of the people' (Ps. 17:44); 'All the day long I have spread my hands to a people that does not believe, and contradicts me' (Rom. 10:21); 'And for a sign that shall be contradicted' (Lk. 2:34). And such hostility, i.e., so grave and ignominious: 'O all you that pass by the way, attend, and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow' (Lam 1:12). Secondly, from whom he suffered, namely, from sinners, for whom He suffered: 'Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust' (1 Pt 3:18). Thirdly, the person suffering, for He suffered in His members from the beginning of the world before His passion, but then in His own person; hence, he says, against himself: 'I have made you, and I will bear' (Is. 46:4); 'I paid that which I took not away' (Ps. 68:5); 'He bore our sins in his body upon the tree' (1 Pt 2:24). 669. – He shows its usefulness, when he says, that you may not grow weary or fainthearted: for the consideration of Christ's passion makes us not fail: 'If Christ's passion is recalled to mind, nothing is too difficult to bear with equanimity' (Gregory). Therefore, let us not fall away from the faith, as though weary in soul: 'They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint' (Is. 40:3); 'Be not weary in well-doing' (2 Th 3:13).”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.