ACC ~ Hebrews 12 v18 - 21

TERRIBLE THINGS. CHRYSOSTOM: Wonderful indeed were the things in the temple, the Holy of Holies; awful were those things that occurred at Mount Sinai, “a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest.” For, it says, “God appeared in Sinai,” and long ago were these things celebrated. The new covenant, however, was not given with any of these things but has been given in simple discourse by God. See then how he makes the comparison in these points, putting them afterward with good reason. For when he had persuaded them by innumerable arguments, when he had also shown the difference between each covenant, then afterwards, the one having been already condemned, he easily begins on these points. And what says he? “For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest.” … These things, he means, are terrible, and so terrible that they could not even bear to hear them, that not even “a beast” dared to go up. But things that come hereafter are not such, for what is Sinai to heaven? And what is the “blazing fire” to God who cannot be touched? For “God is a consuming fire.” For it is said, “You speak to us, and we will hear; but let not God speak to us, lest we die.”“And so fearful was that which was commanded, ‘Though even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned,’ Moses said, ‘I tremble with fear.’” What wonder as respects the people? He himself who entered into “the darkness where God was” says, “I tremble with fear.” ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 32.1.

OBJECTS OF SENSE AND SIGHTS AND SOUNDS. CHRYSOSTOM: Fearful were those things, but these are far more admirable and glorious. For here there is not “darkness” or “gloom” or “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.

But what are “the sounds of the trumpet”? Probably it is as though some king were coming. This at all events will also be at the second coming. “At the last trumpet” all must be raised, but it is the trumpet of his voice which effects this. At that time then all things were objects of sense and sights and sounds. Now all are objects of the understanding and invisible. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 32.3.

SO TERRIFYING WAS THE SIGHT. THEODORET OF CYR: While he brought out the fearsome things, he did not reveal the fruit springing from them. He did not say he “appeared,” because what they saw was not the God of all in person but some impression of the divine coming. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 12.

Heb