Heb 12:22

“Zion and Jerusalem that have the good news told them the apostle knew to be heavenly, when he said, "But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother," and, "You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels." Zion might also mean the church established by Christ in every part of the world, and Jerusalem the holy constitution that, once established of old time among the ancient Jews alone, was driven into the wilderness by their impiety and then again was restored far better than before through the coming of our Savior. Therefore the prophecy says, "Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem."Nor would you be wrong in calling Zion the soul of every holy and godly person, so far as it is lifted above this life, having its city in heaven, seeing the things beyond the world. For it means "a watchtower." And insofar as such a person remains calm and free from passion, you could call that one Jerusalem—for Jerusalem means "vision of peace."”

“Some give the definition that a city is an established community, administered according to law. And the definition that has been handed down of the city is in harmony with the celestial city, Jerusalem above. For there it is a community of the firstborn who have been enrolled in heaven, and this is established because of the unchanging manner of the life of the saints, and it is administered according to the heavenly law. Therefore, it is not the privilege of human nature to learn the arrangement of that city and all its adornment. Those are the things "no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him," but there are myriads of angels there, an assembly of saints and a church of the firstborn that are enrolled in heaven. Concerning that, David said, "Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God." To that city through Isaiah God has promised, "I will make you majestic forever, a joy from age to age. Devastation and destruction shall no more be within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation." Therefore, having raised the eyes of your soul, seek, in a manner worthy of things above, what pertains to the city of God. What could anyone consider as deserving of the happiness in that city which the river of God makes joyful and of which God is the craftsman and creator?”

“But because we must always be anxious, always attentive; and because the Word of God leaps forth like a young goat, or like a fawn, the soul must always be vigilant and strive for what it seeks and desires to hold. Therefore, as if having slipped, the soul says, "In my bed, I sought the one whom my soul loves during the nights." Whoever seeks well, let them seek in their bed, let them seek during the nights, neither on holidays nor on nights of rest. Let no time be vacant from the duty of piety; and if it does not find it at first, let it continue in seeking. Therefore, it says: "I will rise, therefore, and seek in the city, in the forum, in the streets." And perhaps it has not yet found it, because it sought in the forum, where there are legal disputes; in the streets, where there are markets for the sale of goods. For Christ is not purchased with any money. We can understand it in this way. In the bed, she seeks Christ, and she seeks him with tranquility, with peace. In the nights, she seeks, for he spoke in parables. For he has set darkness as his hiding place; and night reveals knowledge to night. Then, what we say in our hearts, we should be mindful of in our beds. But even so, she does not find, and therefore she says: "I will rise up, that is, I will raise up, and I will lift up my intention, so that I may seek diligently, I may seek earnestly: I will enter the city." And it is the soul that says: "I am a fortified city, I am a besieged city." It is a city fortified by Christ, it is the city of Jerusalem in heaven where the interpreters of divine law abound, and the learned in discipline: through them the Word of God is sought.”

“The Lord says, "Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." Mount Zion is there, and so is the city of peace, Jerusalem, built not of earthly stones but of living stones, with ten thousand angels and the church of the firstborn and the spirits of those made perfect and the God of the just, who spoke better with his blood than Abel. For one cried out for vengeance, but the other for pardon. The one was a reproach to his brother's sin. The other forgave the world's sin; the one was the revelation of a crime, the other covered a crime according to what was written, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven."”

“Instead of "Moses," Jesus. Instead of the people, "myriads of angels." Fearful were those things, but these are far more admirable and glorious. For here there is not "darkness," nor "blackness," nor "tempest." It seems to me that by these words he hints at the obscurity of the Old Testament, and the overshadowed and veiled character of the Law. And besides the Giver of the Law appears in fire terrible, and apt to punish those who transgress. Then even Moses feared, but now no one. As the people then stood below, so also do we. They were not below, but below Heaven. The Son is near to God, but not as Moses. There was a wilderness, here a city. "And to an innumerable company of angels." Here he shows the joy, the delight, in place of the "blackness" and "darkness" and "tempest."”

“There you find dread, he is saying, here on the contrary festival and assembly. The former happens on earth, the latter in heaven; there thousands of people, here tens of thousands of angels. There unbelievers and lawbreakers, here church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven and spirits of the just who have been made perfect; there an old covenant, here a new one; there a slave as mediator, here a Son; there blood of brute beasts, here blood of a rational lamb. The phrase "speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel" means communicating through deeds and betraying its own activity: while the blood of Abel is celebrated, this blood is responsible for the salvation of human beings.”

“705. – Then he mentions the conditions of the New Testament, saying: But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God. Here he shows the things proposed to us in it; and three things are promised to us, namely, the hope of future glory, participation in the Church, and familiarity with God. 706. – In heavenly glory there are two things which will particularly gladden the just, namely, the enjoyment of the godhead and companionship with the saints. For no good is joyfully possessed without companions, as Boethius says: and in Ps. 132 (v. 1): 'Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together.' But enjoyment consists in two things, namely, in the intellect's vision and in the will's delight. For, as Augustine says: 'We enjoy the things we know, in which the delighted will rests.' Because of the vision he says, You have come to mount Zion, for Zion signifies the loftiness of divine contemplation: 'Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnity' (Is. 33:20). The gladness and pleasure of the will is signified by the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the city of the living God: 'Jerusalem, which is built as a city' (Ps. 121:3); 'Who has placed peace in your borders: and filled you with the fat of corn' (Ps. 147:12, 14); 'That Jerusalem which is above is free' (Gal. 4:26). Hence, there will be nothing further to be desired: 'Since I am become in his presence as one finding peace' (S of S 8:10). 707. – But an additional joy will be the company of the saints, of whom he says, and to innumerable angels: 'Their angels always see the face of my Father in heaven' (Mt. 18:10). That there are thousands is clear from Dan (7:10): 'Thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him'; 'Is there any numbering of his soldiers?' (Jb. 25:3); 'And the number of them was thousands of thousands' (Rev. 5:11).”

“But you are come to Mount Sion, where not a law of fear, like that of Moses, but a new law of love and mercy hath been given you, preached by our Saviour himself, and by his apostles, testified by the coming of the Holy Ghost, and by the effusion of God’s spirit upon the believers. Here you are called to the city of the living God, (to the Christian Church on earth) and even to the celestial Jerusalem, there to be for ever happy in the company of many millions of Angels; to the church of the first-born, who are written in heaven, (ver. 23.) to be happy with those who have been chosen by a special mercy of God, and blessed with an endless happiness; to be there in the presence of God, the judge of all men, with all the celestial spirits and souls of the just and perfect in the kingdom of God. Jesus Christ is the mediator of this new testament, the redeemer of mankind by his death on the cross, by the sprinkling and effusion of his blood, which speaketh better than that of Abel: the blood of Abel cried to heaven for vengeance, and the blood of Christ for mercy and pardon. (Witham)”

“are come--Greek, "have come near unto" (compare Deu 4:11). Not merely, ye shall come, but, ye have already come. Mount Sion--antitypical Sion, the heavenly Jerusalem, of which the spiritual invisible Church (of which the first foundation was laid in literal Zion, Joh 12:15; Pe1 2:6) is now the earnest; and of which the restored literal Jerusalem hereafter shall be the earthly representative, to be succeeded by the everlasting and "new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven" (Rev. 21:2-27; compare Heb 11:10). to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church--The city of God having been mentioned, the mention of its citizens follows. Believers being like the angels (Job 1:6; Job 38:7), "sons of God," are so their "equals" (Luk 20:36); and being reconciled through Christ, are adopted into God's great and blessed family. For the full completion of this we pray (Mat 6:10). English Version arrangement is opposed: (1) by "and" always beginning each new member of the whole sentence; (2) "general assembly and Church," form a kind of tautology; (3) "general assembly," or rather, "festal full assembly," "the jubilant full company" (such as were the Olympic games, celebrated with joyous singing, dancing, &c.), applies better to the angels above, ever hymning God's praises, than to the Church, of which a considerable part is now militant on earth. Translate therefore, "to myriads (ten thousands, compare Deu 33:2; Psa 68:17; Dan 7:10; Jde 1:14; namely), the full festal assembly of angels, and the Church of the first-born." Angels and saints together constitute the ten thousands. Compare "all angels, all nations" Mat 25:31-32. Messiah is pre-eminently "the First-born," or "First-begotten" (Heb 1:6), and all believers become so by adoption. Compare the type, Num 3:12, Num 3:45, Num 3:50; Pe1 1:18. As the kingly and priestly succession was in the first-born, and as Israel was God's "first-born" (Exo 4:22; compare Exo 13:2), and a "kingdom of priests" to God (Exo 19:6), so believers (Rev 1:6).”

“"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and to multitudes of angels." Instead of the people of Judah, angels are present. And he says there is a festive gathering among the multitude of angels. He also speaks of the firstborn, the faithful, whose names are written in the book of life. For this is what the Lord also says to the disciples: "Rejoice because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20)”