Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore. Chapter 12:1, 2 constitutes the writer’s conclusion to chapter 11. A chapter division, if any, would preferably occur between verses 2 and 3 of chapter 12.

Compassed. Or, “surrounded.” Wherever we turn in sacred history we find “witnesses” to the principle that faith and faithfulness triumph over every obstacle.

Cloud of witnesses. Or, “host of witnesses.” The metaphor of verse 1 imagines the Christian to be an athlete making final preparations to run a race in an ancient stadium, with the spectators seated on benches rising tier above tier on all sides. The athlete, intent upon winning the race, glances momentarily at the mass of faces that surrounds him like a cloud. Here, the “witnesses” are the uncounted worthies of faith mentioned in chapter 11, each of whom, despite handicaps and hindrances of every kind, finished his course with joy. Their faithfulness and endurance brought them victory in the race of life. Conscious that the eyes of the faithful of all ages are now intently fixed upon him, as it were, the Christian athlete experiences an urgent impulse to put forth every effort to win the race that has been marked out for him.

Greek athletic contests had long been popular throughout the Mediterranean world, and the illustration of chapter 12:1 would be familiar to every reader. The writer of Hebrews often makes figurative use of the race to represent his career as missionary to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:2; Philippians 2:16; 2 Timothy 4:7) or, as here, to represent the life experience of the Christian (see 1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

Weight. Greek ogkos, “weight,” “burden,” “impediment,” here in the latter sense. In the metaphor of verse 1 ogkos refers to the weight of anything superfluous, such as clothing, which might tend to hinder, or handicap, the runner. Men who are motivated by faith will not hesitate to dispose of anything and everything that might keep them from achieving their goal.

The writer leaves it to each reader to discover what may be hampering his progress as a Christian runner. In this race every entrant may win, for he is not competing with others, but with himself. He is not required to excel his competitors or to surpass a mark made by some previous contestant. Self is his only competitor, and the only requirement is that he exercise faithfulness and patience in his contest with self, and, by the grace of Christ, overcome every “weight” — every tendency to evil.

The sin. Every man has some besetting sin, some tendency to evil that seeks to impede him as he runs the race. When he gains the victory over that particular evil propensity, another takes its place and presses for the mastery. Thus the pathway of salvation is beset by one battle after another. But it is every Christian’s privilege to achieve victory each step of the way. Whatever may be the sin that so easily besets us, we are to lay it aside like an ancient runner laying aside his flowing robes and girding himself for the race.

Easily beset. Or, “easily distract.” Some suggest that “close clinging” may have been the original reading. However close a sin may cling and however painful the process of separation may be, it must be laid aside if victory in the race of life is to be attained.

Patience. Greek hupomone, “patience,” “endurance,” “fortitude,” “steadfastness,” “perseverance.” Because the Christian race is a lifelong experience, it calls for patience and perseverance — perseverance in the face of successive difficulties and disappointments and patience to await the reward at the end of the course. Admonitions to patient endurance occur again and again in the book of Hebrews (see chapters 3:6; 4:14; 6:1, 11, 12; 10:23, 36-39; etc.).

The race. That is, the Christian race, the experiences by means of which character is developed.