Fixing our Eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2)

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith... - Hebrews 12:2

The two key words (author and perfecter) in this section of Hebrews 12:2 are translated a variety of ways in English translations.

The first is the Greek archégos. The second is teleiótés.

Archégos comes from the root word arché, which we find in the familiar John 1:1 - "In the beginning (arché) was the Word." Archégos has a wide range of meanings all centered around being, one who originates or starts something. In this verse alone it has been translated as author, pioneer, founder, originator, and source, among other words as well.

Teleiótés comes from the root word telos which typically means the end, completion, or purpose of something. We see a variant of this word in John 19:30 when Jesus declares from the Cross, "It is finished (tetelestai)." Within the New Testament, teleiótés is used only this one time here in Hebrews 12:2. It can be understood as "one who completes, accomplishes, and brings to consummation." And it has been translated in this verse as perfecter, finisher, and completer.

Putting all this together, this is what we may gather from this verse:

Jesus is the Source of our faith. Apart from Him, we have nothing and no one to believe in. He blazed the trail for us to believe in God as our Father. He was the first one. He is not only the reason for our faith, but He is the very Author of it. Fundamentally speaking, it is not even our faith, but His faithfulness to the Father transferred to us as a free gift of grace.

But not only is Jesus the foundation and provider of our faith, He is also the consummation of it. He is the one who takes us from faith to faith and glory to glory. Jesus takes our mustard seed of faith and causes it to grow into a large fruit-bearing tree. Jesus perfected human faithfulness to God in His life and now takes us on a journey of actualizing that perfected faith in our own lives. He is the one who caused a good work to begin in us, and He will be the one who brings this good work to completion in us.

In sum, Jesus is everything. There is nothing before Him and nothing after Him. There is nothing beneath Him and nothing above Him. In Him is light and apart from Him is only darkness. In Him is Truth and without Him is nothing but illusion. In Him all things exist, and outside of Him will be found only nonexistence.

When we look upon Him, we see eternal reality. When we look elsewhere, we see nothing but passing shadows.

But we all, with unveiled face,

beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,

are being transformed into the same image

from glory to glory

2 Cor 3:18