Objection:
Hebrews 12:23 proves that man has a spirit, which is the real man, and that with this spirit, we shall have fellowship in our perfected state. In other words, this text proves that disembodied spirits dwell in celestial bliss.
Answer:
The passage in its context reads as follows. “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” Hebrews 12:22-24.
The writer of Hebrews, who, it is believed, was Paul, is here contrasting the state of the Christian under the new covenant with the state of the self-confident and soon rebellious Israelites under the old covenant. The contrast begins with the eighteenth verse: “For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest.” “But ye are come unto mount Sion.” Verse 22.
We should remember first that the prime purpose of this whole book of Hebrews is to show the superiority of the new covenant relationship over the old, the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice and ministration for the believer over that of the Mosaic priests for the Jews. Hence, in the passage before us, we may rightly presume that Paul is making another of his contrasting statements and that in verses 22 and 23, he describes a company on this earth, not in heaven. Paul would hardly be guilty of laboring so obvious a point as that heaven is superior to earth. But to the Hebrews, it was necessary to remind them that though the Mosaic dispensation was glorious, even marvelous and magnificent, when considered in the setting of God’s presence at Sinai, the Christian dispensation is more glorious. That he is describing a company of Christians in the Christian Era, and not a company in heaven, is further revealed by the fact that he says, “Ye are come… to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.” To those who finally reach heaven, Christ is no longer the priestly mediator of any covenant. The saved in heaven will not require a mediator.
Though the language is partly figurative, it is not difficult to see that Paul describes the believer’s state in Christ in this world. Note the following:
- “Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” Compare with this Peter’s words: “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.” 1 Peter 2:4-6.
- “To an innumerable company of angels.” When we are drawn into the circle of heaven, we draw near to the angels. Also, when we become children of God, His holy angels minister to us (See Hebrews 1:14).
- “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven.” Christ set up His church in the world, and to that, we come when we accept Him
- “And to God the Judge of all.” Compare with this other statements by Paul: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace.” Hebrews 4:16. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him.” Hebrews 7:25.
Without taking the parallels further, it is evident that Paul is describing the life of the Christian here in this world. Distinguishing features of that life are the fellowships he has with:
- An “innumerable company of angels.”
- “The general assembly and church of the firstborn.”
- “God the Judge of all.”
- “The spirits of just men made perfect.”
- “Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.”
Now, while we are on earth, attending church, communing with God and our Savior Jesus, with what kind of “men” do we associate? Disembodied spirits? No. Then what does the phrase “The spirits of just men” mean? We believe that the most simple explanation, one wholly consistent with Scripture, is that Paul tells us that the Christian communes with his fellow Christian on the spiritual level. Our meeting with other Christians is not on a carnal, earthy plane, as was true of the pagans when Paul wrote.
Paul frequently makes this contrast between flesh and spirit. For example, his words to the Romans: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:5-8.
Christ said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” John 3:6-7.
Paul and Christ speak of the converted man who is still walking this earth in flesh and blood. But in contrast to “flesh,” which is a synonym for our sin-contaminated nature, they use the word “spirit” as a general term to describe the “born again” man who has a spiritual nature and who is controlled by the Spirit of God. But there is nothing airy, ghostly, or immaterial about this “born again” man, even though it is said of him: “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” He sits in a pew in the church on the Sabbath day!
Indeed, most Bible commentators, when looking at this difficult passage—through the eyes of their immortal-soul doctrine, admit that verses 22 to 24 are somewhat tricky to understand verse 23 to refer to departed saints. That is what makes so significant the admissions, by some of them, that this verse refers to Christians living in this present world. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, in their comment on this text, remark:
Spirit and spirits are used of a man or men in the body, under the influence of the spirit, the opposite of flesh (John 3:6).
Adam Clarke, Methodist commentator, remarks on this text:
The spirits of the just men made perfect, or the righteous perfect, are the full grown Christians; those who are justified by the blood and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ. Being come to such, implies that spiritual union which the disciples of Christ have with each other, and which they possess how far soever separate; for they are all joined in one spirit, Ephesians 2:18; they are in the unity of the spirit, Ephesians 4:3, Ephesians 4:4; and of one soul, Act 4:32.
