Hebrews 12:1 - Exposition

Wherefore let us too ("we also," in the A.V., is wrongly placed), seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience (rather, endurance ) the race that is sot before us. Christians, still "fighting the good fight of faith," are hero regarded under the image of athletes in the palaestra, contending for a prize. It is a favorite image with St. Paul, not only, we may suppose, because of its appropriateness, but also because of the probable appreciation of it by his readers in consequence of the general interest taken in the famous games (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:24 , etc; 1 Timothy 6:12 ; 2 Timothy 4:7 ). The idea in this first verso is that of a race ( τρέχωμεν ἀγῶνα ). The word προκείμενον ( τὸν προκείμενον ἡμῖν ἀγῶνα ) is the usual one in the ease of a contest appointed in public games, though, of course, otherwise applicable, as in Hebrews 6:18 and Hebrews 12:2 . "Every weight" ( ὄγκον πάντα ), which we are to "lay aside," or rather put off from us ( ἀπόθεσθαι ), means, probably, in the figure, any heavy accoutrement, or other encumbrance, which the runner might have about him. Some, indeed, take ὄγκον to denote "obesity"—a sense in which the word is sometimes used, as by Hippocrates, Diodorus, AE lian—and think the allusion is to the training required of athletes for getting into condition. But the word ἀποθέμενοι rather suggests as above. In the word ἁμαρτίαν , that follows, the figure is dropped, so as to make evident what is meant, but still retained apparently in the epithet εὐπερίστατον . This word, which is found nowhere else either in biblical or classical Greek, has to be interpreted from its derivation, the analogy of similar words, and the context. The usual and most probable view is, deriving it from περιΐ́στασθαι , to understand "that which easily surrounds us" (equivalent to τὴν εὐκόλως περιΐσταμένην ἡμᾶς ). Thus Chrysostom: εὐπερίστατον γὰρ ἡ ἁμαρτία πάντοθεν ἱσταμένη ἔμπροσθεν , ὔπισθεν καὶ οὕτως ἡμᾶς καταβάλλουσα (Chrysostom, 'Hem.' 2. on 2 Corinthians). Cf. περίκειται ἀσθένειαν ( Hebrews 5:2 ). It is true that other verbals, similarly derived from ἵστημι , or its compounds, are not active, but intransitive or passive; thus περίστατος means "surrounded," not "surrounding; ἀπερίστατος means "unguarded," i.e. "not surrounded." Still, as such verbals derived from other verbs are often active, this may be so here, and thus have an intelligible sense in connection with the context. We may understand the figure of a race to be still kept in view, with regard to the runner not only laving aside encumbrances, but also stripping himself of his clothes, which would cling round him and impede his course. (The idea of close personal encirclement thus supposed to be expressed by αὐπερίστατον seems better to suit the figure, as also the governing verb ἀποθέμενοι , than that preferred by Delitzsch; viz. of sin getting in our road as we run, as might surrounding obstacles in an actual race: "Peecata currentem et implicant ac supplantant, ut prorsus a cursu impediatur vel in medio subsistat ant corruat," Horneius, quoted by Delitzsch) The application of the whole figure to Christian athletes is not hard to understand. The encumbrances to be laid aside by them, lest they should be weighted in their race, may include old associations, lingering Jewish prejudices, ties to the world, habits and customs which, whether or not in themselves blameless, might prove clogs and hindrances. Then the "easily besetting sin" would be all such as might cling to them personally, whether in the heart or in habits of life; which, if not got rid of, would be ever like an encircling and impeding robe, crippling alacrity and arresting speed. But further, as runners, however unencumbered for the race, require what in modern phrase is called " pluck " to keep it up to the end, so with the Christian athlete; for there will always be danger of his flagging as his course goes on under trials and difficulties, and this especially in times of persecution. This further requirement is expressed by δι ̓ ὑπομινῆς , "with endurance," i.e. throughout to the end. Thus we have presented to us a grand conception of Christians being as athletes contending on the arena of this present world for the crown of immortality; and, as is expressed at the beginning of the verse, under the eager gaze of a vast multitude of unseen spectators, corresponding to those in the crowded seats, rising higher and higher, of an earthly amphitheatre. These unseen spectators are the innumerable saints before us, who have finished their course and are now at rest, but who are as it were in the air around us, watching us from above with sympathy. The word "cloud" ( νέφος ), though applicable to any great multitude, is peculiarly appropriate here, as suggesting the idea of an aerial company. The word "witnesses," too ( μαρτύρων ), though here most obviously to be understood in the sense of θεαταί , i.e. witnesses of our contest, may be intended to convey also, as it certainly suggests to the mind, its other welt-known meaning—that of witnesses to the faith, or martyrs (cf. Acts 22:13 ; Revelation 2:13 ; Revelation 11:3 ; Revelation 17:6 ). So the Fathers generally understand it here. The saints before us, as they bore witness to God in life, so are conceived as witnesses also of our like witness now, awaiting the day when, "not without us ," they shall be finally perfected.