Having just concluded chapter 11 with a list of Biblical heroes, the writer1 describes them as a “great cloud of witnesses” surrounding us. They are surrounding us figuratively, meaning that their testimony “speaks to us from all sides and in countless ways.”2 We would do well to recognize the important witness which they provide us: the example of the strength and genuineness of their faith—testifying to the efficacy of the faith way of salvation and victory.3 The writer proceeds with a series of directives which are timeless and have great application for us today.
First Directive
We are once and for all time to “lay aside every encumbrance”. Note that ‘every’ implies that there may be many impediments or obstructions which are possibly distracting us in our walk of faith. The writer is using the imagery of a runner who needs to shed extra weight in order to run effectively. For believers to emulate the faithful lives of the past heroes of the faith, our lives need to be continuously evaluated to identify that which impedes us from centering our lives on Christ (cf. Romans 12:2). It is usually the details of life (i.e. work, family, entertainment, etc.) which are the main distractions that will hinder a consistent walk of faith.
Also, we are to lay aside “the sin which so easily entangles us.” The word sin in the original Greek is not accompanied by an article, which means it is referring to one individual sin rather than various sins.4 Some interpreters view this sin as a particular personal sin. But the Greek is clear, along with the context, that the sin specifically refers to the lack of faith in critical circumstances, in contrast to the faith exhibited by the witnesses in chapter 11. The writer of Hebrews maintains that “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”5 Thus, the lack of faith is tantamount to a failure to trust in God. Dr. Chafer identifies this lack of faith as unbelief:
Unbelief appears as the one and only “besetting [entangling] sin,” which sin is universal. Men do not have individual and varied besetting sins. Each person is characterized by his failure to believe God (note Hebrews 12:1-2, where the one reference to “the sin which doth so easily beset us” is set over against that faith of which Jesus is the Author and Finisher).6
The phrase “which so easily entangles us” is one word in the Greek. It means encompassing, “easily ensnaring, constricting, obstructing.”7 The Latin translation of the Bible (The Vulgate) renders this phrase: the sin standing around us. The Greek grammarian A.T. Robertson observes:
Probably this is the true idea here, “the easily encompassing (or surrounding) sin”...reminds one of the ring of wild beasts in the jungle that encircle the camp-fire at night each ready to pounce upon a careless victim.8
Therefore, this sin of unbelief is like an impenetrable enclosure—corralling in and preventing the believer from an effective walk of faith.
Second Directive
“Let us run with endurance” is a command to action. One may be corralled in by sin and still be standing, maybe even still reading the Bible. But this produces a false sense of accomplishment. For there is a time for standing and seeing the acts of God:
But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today” (Exodus 14:13a)
And there is a time for action, for doing, for after salvation is secured it is time to actively develop our walk of faith. And even then, the writer states that it should be, as it were, a run of faith!
Our run should be characterized by endurance. The meaning of this word is steadfastness. What it means to be steadfast is to have firm resolve and be unwavering in purpose, loyalty, or tenacity. MacArthur adds that:
Endurance is the steady determination to keep going, regardless of the temptation to slow down or give up.9
Olympic runners gain their endurance by healthy nutrition, hydration and consistent training. We believers likewise have need of essential fuels for spiritual endurance to run our own race. Believers have two sources: First, the Scriptures. The Apostle Paul’s encouragement to Timothy has great application for us today. Paul instructed him to continue in what he had learned from God’s Word because it contains the wisdom leading to salvation. Paul concluded why this source is essential for running our race:
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
It becomes imperative that the believer securely absorb the principle doctrines of His Word into their mentality (cf. Romans 12:2) so that objective analysis and decisions can be made in every moment of life.
The second power source: the indwelling Holy Spirit. Each believer has a particular spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; cf. Romans 12:6ff; Ephesians 4:11ff). Scripture emphatically states that the “Spirit works all these” gifts, meaning that He accomplishes this through us. He utilizes our knowledge of doctrine to enable us to fulfill the objective God has for our own run of faith.
The believer should firmly resolve that nothing stand in the way of advancing in the Christian life. This race which is being portrayed by the writer of Hebrews is not a race competing against another believer. For the Greek word for race is agon from which we get our English word agony. This race entails conflict, strife and contention. It is a race featuring both a race with a finish line and many individual races—comprising the sequence of the events of life. And during this run of faith there will be the potential for much strife and struggle. But Paul warns us:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)
But what must not be ignored is that the believer is also susceptible to “the inward conflict of the soul”10, becoming entangled by sin. Paul instructs believers to “Run in such a way that you may win” (1 Corinthians 9:24). And he provides us with the “how-to” in order to win the race:
Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:26–27)
This race is the believer’s run of faith which has been set before us. It is the same race for all believers: to live the Spirit controlled life of faith which enables us to hurdle all of the obstacles and struggles with the worldly forces and the inward conflicts of life. And the end results of the witness of our faith will be to glorify Our Lord and the advancement of the gospel to influence others to accept Christ as Savior.
Let us be of the same winning mentality as the Apostle Paul:
Holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. (Philippians 2:16)
[1] There is no definite identification of who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews.
[2] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 10.424.
[3] Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English Reader. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 10.213.
[4] “A qualitative noun often has in view one individual rather than the class as a whole.” Wallace, D. B. (1996). Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, p. 244.
[5] Hebrews 11:6
[6] Chafer, L.S. (1976). Systematic Theology. Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 2.268.
[7] Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (1979). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, p. 324.
[8] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, Hebrews 12:1.
[9] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Hebrews 12:1.
[10] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.121.
© 2022 David M. Rossi
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