Hebrews 12:1

The "cloud of witnesses" refers to the Old Covenant saints whom the writer just mentioned (ch. 11). They are "witnesses" not because they presently witness our actions, but because by their lives they bore witness to their faith in God. [Note: Bruce, The Epistle . . ., p. 346; Wiersbe, 2:322.] The description of them as a "cloud" is an interesting one since they are presently without resurrected bodies. They await the resurrection of their bodies at the Second Coming (Daniel 12:2). The writer’s point was that we have many good examples of people who faithfully trusted God in the past. Nevertheless the word "witness" does also imply a spectator (cf. Hebrews 10:28; 1 Timothy 6:12).

In view of this encouragement we should lay aside everything that impedes our running the Christian race successfully (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:24; 2 Timothy 4:7-8). Popular moral philosophers who spoke on the streets of every sizeable Hellenistic community in the first century commonly used an athletic contest as an illustration of life. [Note: Lane, Hebrews 9-13, p. 408.] "Encumbrances" are weights that may not be sins but nevertheless make perseverance difficult.

"Some one is recorded to have asked whether a certain thing would do a person harm, and the reply was given, ’No harm, if you do not wish to win.’" [Note: Thomas, p. 156.]

We should also lay aside sin. "The sin" that the writer warned his readers against especially in Hebrews is unbelief, apostasy. In view of the immediately preceding context, it might refer to discouragement. However many different kinds of sin can trip us up, and we should avoid all sin for this reason. [Note: Guthrie, p. 249.]

"This might have reference to the love of wealth, attachment to the world, preoccupation with earthly interests, or self-importance." [Note: Lane, Hebrews 9-13, p. 409.]

The reason for this self-discipline is so we can keep on running the Christian race effectively. Here the writer returned to the thought of Hebrews 10:28: "You have need of endurance." He conceived of the Christian life as an endurance race, a marathon, not a 50-yard dash.

". . . the real test of life is the steady, normal progress of the soul-’not paroxysms of effort but steady endurance.’" [Note: Thomas, p. 156. See Eugene H. Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.]