“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2

Fixing, Not Glancing

The writer to the Hebrews, in chapter 11, gives us a litany of men and women of faith gone before, to help with our own faith journey. He opens chapter 12 with the perfect and ultimate example – Jesus Christ the Son of God. We are told to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” The command is not merely to glance at Jesus—though even a glance is glorious. It is as though what we are to catch from Jesus here requires more than a glance – a quick look – it requires that our gaze be fixed on him. It means to hold one’s eyes directly and steadily on Jesus and allow him to capture your attention. That sustained fixation lets His character imprint itself on us—and with the imprint comes power to walk in His steps. That impression of his person on the heart is the beginning of the felt empowerment to walk in his steps.

Joy That Fuelled Endurance

The writer then goes on to tell us what it was about Jesus’ own race while on earth that we need to see as we fix our eyes on him. He says, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame.” There was a joy that Jesus knew would be his beyond the agony of Calvary that fuelled him on the journey. Many times, we think it is simply the joy of the bliss of heaven, with him “sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” with angels subject to him. The Passion Translation says it was the joy of knowing that you would be his, that is the joy of our salvation. Jesus placed before his eyes the bliss we would forever share together with him and that empowered him to go through his agony, the translation goes on to say. Perhaps there would be another day to talk about joy, but today’s focus is mainly on what else characterized the Lord’s endurance of the cross: he scorned its shame!

“who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame.”

The Roman Cross

In ancient times, the cross was primarily used as an execution device. Crucifixion, the kind that was used to kill Jesus, was a form of capital punishment reserved for slaves, rebels, and non-citizens. The Romans used the horror of crucifixion to deter crime, demonstrate power and to humiliate and punish those deemed enemies of the state. This brutal practice was meant to inflict severe physical and psychological suffering. Humiliation was an integral part of its purpose. For Jesus, to make lofty claims about being the Messiah – the long-awaited saviour and the Son of God – and then to have to publicly die a criminal’s death on the cross, was the height of humiliation. Being born in a manger took a backseat to this, in my mind. Jesus wasn’t ignorant of what lay ahead of him; he was fully aware of it yet he willingly chose to take this path for our salvation in obedience to God.

The physical fact of nails being hammered into his body to a cross, allowed to hang there in the sun, losing blood while his life slowly ebbed away until he died was excruciating pain. On top of the physical agony, he bore the mental torment of the innocent being branded a criminal. That is very instructive for you and I because though we may never be required to die for our faith, talk more of dying on a cross, we are likely to face varying forms of shame as we stand for Jesus and attempt to do the will of God. It is for that reason that Jesus’ example of scorning shame is apt for us.

When Shame is Right

There is a context in which shame is acceptable. Like when one does wrong, it is proper to feel shame for such wrong and that should lead to repentance and seeking for forgiveness. Jeremiah rebuked the Israelites for their lack of shame when they sinned: “Yet you refuse to blush with shame” (Jeremiah 3:3); “Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all” (Jeremiah 6:15). Ezra was ashamed to go to the pagan king to ask for soldiers and protection to protect them on their journey from exile in Babylon to Jerusalem, so he depended on God and prayed to him (Ezra 8:22). The Psalmist also prayed many times that he be not put to shame (Psalm 25:2, 20; 31:1; 35:4; 71:1). There is also a virtue that Godly women are urged to adorn themselves with. The King James Version calls it ‘shamefacedness’ (1 Timothy 2:9). Those kinds of shame are commendable. What is being warned against here is shamefulness in doing God’s will.

He Scorned Its Shame

To scorn is to express contempt or derision for something; to scoff or look down upon it. For those who designed the cross as an object of execution, shame was built into it. Those who for no reason shouted “Crucify him! Crucify him!” when Pilate offered to release the guiltless Christ, putting him to shame was one of their goals. The Bible says Jesus scorned the shame of the cross. Having full knowledge of the culture of his day, he looked the cross in the face and disdained it. Picture him grabbing shame by the scruff of the neck and saying, “You have no hold of me. I don’t care about you; doing the will of my Father is what matters to me, even if it means shamefully dying a criminal’s death.”

“You have no hold of me. I don’t care about you; doing the will of my Father is what matters to me, even if it means shamefully dying a criminal’s death.”

I hope you remember that shame was one of the first manifestations of the fallen man. The same couple who felt no shame even though they were both naked (Genesis 2:25), upon eating the forbidden fruit, suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves (Genesis 3:7). Jesus had no such problems and was free to accomplish God’s purpose for his life – dying the most shameful death for our salvation.

You need to get there too, the point where nothing—not peers, not culture—can shame you out of doing what God wants of you. This is a place where once something is God’s will, no matter the prevailing opinion or worldview that counters it and sees those who do it as not being woke, you have no need of human validation but your head is flint-set on doing God’s will.

A Lineage of Shame

What ailed Adam and his wife then still ails many today. If you look within, you may see that not once have you not done what God expressly willed for you to do because you were ashamed. Why you have never spoken to someone about Jesus or in a particular instance is because you are/were ashamed. When an opportunity came to share a word in public or just say a prayer, you shrank back for the same reason. Jesus was being maligned but you were mute like Peter because you were ashamed.

Maybe you have been called into the ministry but you have opted for another vocation because you didn’t see good economic prospects in it and you were ashamed of what your class or agemates would say of you. Others have been told that they wasted their potentials by giving themselves for the cause of Christ and you didn’t want to be numbered among them.

Even those who have responded, maybe you have met your former peers and felt shame within at how well off they seem to be while you have nothing earthly to show for following Jesus. Have you returned home and asked God why your life is a ‘mess’?

Yours could be in ways that we could call smaller – simply having to identify as a Christian in some setting but you held back because of shame.

For Jesus to fulfill his destiny, he had to conquer shame. You must get to that place too.

For Jesus to fulfill his destiny, he had to conquer shame. If you must stand for Christ and accomplish God’s plan for your life, you too must be victorious over shame. You must get to the point where shame suffered for the sake of his name is something you scorn at. Jesus must be someone you identify with, with your full chest.

A Dangerous Thing to Have

This matter of shame is a dangerous thing to possess. It made the first human pair to hide from God when he came to them (Genesis 3:6-10). When Saul disobeyed God in the battle against Amalek, instead of crying for forgiveness, he was rather more concerned about his honour. He said to Samuel, “I have sinned. But please honour me before the elders of my people and before Israel” (1 Samuel 20:30).

Jesus said in clear terms that, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26). Paul added, “If we disown him, he will also disown us” (2 Timothy 2:12). Truth be told, bearing the name of Jesus and his word goes against the grain of this world; it draws shame as a result. That is why to follow Jesus, you must conquer the shame that comes from identifying with him. Jesus upped the ante on this matter by saying it has eternal ramifications. Shame is so dangerous that it can keep a person away from Christ. It often mixes with fear. It was what made Peter to deny his Lord three times. How can anyone who is away from Christ be saved, when he (Christ) is the way, the truth and the life whom no one comes to the Father except through him? Get rid of it.

A Command and a Prayer to Make

Paul charged Timothy:

“Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8).

Dear child of God reading these lines, do not be ashamed to identify with and testify about our Lord or his people. In that office, identify with him. In that neighbourhood, don’t be ashamed of carrying your Bible all the time on your way to church. Let not shame be the reason why you prefer to carry with you the Bible on your phone to church and not a printed hard copy. On that campus, let them call you whatever names, stand up and be counted for the Lord and his word. Even “if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (1 Peter 4:16).

Paul said of himself: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). Pray that God, by the indwelling Holy Spirit, will bring you to that point where at all times, in all circumstances and in all places, you can boldly say, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.”

Unashamed at His Appearing

“If we endure, we will also reign with him”

If we be not ashamed of him now, when he appears, we will be confident and unashamed before him (1 John 2:28). “If we endure, we will also reign with him” (2 Timothy 2:12). Fix your eyes on him now, and when he appears you will stand before him unashamed—joy set before you at last. Hallelujah!