Hebrews 12:3 - Exposition

For consider him that hath endured such contradiction of sinners against himself (or, of the sinners against him ) , lest ye be weary fainting in your souls. The word ἀντιλογία ("contradiction"), though strictly applicable to verbal gainsaying, and thus especially suggesting to our minds the blasphemies and false accusations against Christ, includes opposition of all kinds. It is used in the LXX . for "rebellion" (Hebrew, ירַסְ ), 2 Samuel 22:41 ; Proverbs 17:11 , cf. Jud Proverbs 1:11 , τῇ ἀντιλογιᾴ τοῦ κορέ . (Instead of εἰς ἑαυτόν (al. εἰς αὐτὸν ) there is weighty manuscript authority for εἰς ἑαυτούς , equivalent to "against themselves. ") "Lest ye be weary," etc., keeps in view the idea of getting tired in a race, the word ἐκλυεσθαι ("faint") being used primarily for corporeal, and figuratively for mental, lassitude (cf. Matthew 15:32 , μήποτε ἐκλυθῶσι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ).