See the Bible Through Jewish Eyes BIBLE STUDY WITH DR. RICH FREEMAN
THE AUTHOR AND
PERFECTER OF FAITH: Hebrews 12:1–3
Hebrews chapter 12 begins with a statement
referring back to the great “Hall of Faith” in
chapter 11: “Therefore, since we have so great a
cloud of witnesses surrounding us.” The writer of
Hebrews uses an athletic event to compare the
Christian life to a marathon. Because of this
illustration, some people
interpret the cloud of witnesses
as spectators, watching our
marathon race in some angelic
stadium along with our
departed, believing, loved ones.
This is not the case. Rather,
these saints are “witnesses” not
because they are currently
witnessing our lives but because
their lives are a testimony to us
of their faith in God. The use of
the term “cloud” is fascinating,
since these witnesses are
presently without resurrected
bodies. According to
Daniel 12:2, these Old
Testament saints are awaiting
the resurrection of their bodies
at the second coming of
Messiah.
With this great cloud of
witnesses surrounding us,
encouraging us by their faith, we
are to “lay aside...the sin which
so easily entangles us.” An encumbrance is not
necessarily sin, but anything that might weigh us
down and hinder our running the race effectively.
Many years ago, Moody Monthly printed a
cartoon that effectively communicated what the
writer of Hebrews was saying here. It was a
picture of a runner in a race trying to run while
carrying two large suitcases. Believers will
sometimes try to run the Christian race while
holding on to their baggage from the past. To run
our race effectively, we need to leave our baggage
behind. We also need to “lay aside the sin that
entangles us.” The Jewish believers receiving this
letter were in danger of leaving the faith. It was
like trying to run the race with one’s running
shoes tied together, which is what the word
translated as “entangles” implies.
6 The Chosen People | APRIL 2019
The writer continues: “and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us.” Imagining
the believer’s life to be a marathon, not a
hundred-yard dash, he tells us how we can finish
that race well. A marathon runner needs to pace
himself so that he has enough stamina to finish.
I remember watching the New
York Marathon on television and
seeing an unknown runner take
the lead. He stayed in front for
quite a few miles, but eventually,
the other runners caught up and
passed him. He had not run the
race with endurance; he had not
properly paced himself.
In Hebrews 12:2, the writer
exhorts us to run while “fixing
our eyes on Jesus” and by keeping
our eyes on the goal of finishing
well. Yeshua (Jesus) needs to be
our primary example of
endurance. By referring to
Yeshua, the author is
emphasizing our Lord’s
humanity, especially in regard to
His endurance of the pain,
humiliation, and shame of the
cross. The writer of Hebrews,
nevertheless, describes these
challenges as “the joy set before
Him.” The great joy that Jesus
experienced was the joy of obediently submitting
to the will of His Father. He finished His race
victoriously “and has sat down at the right hand of
the throne of God.” The picture of Him sitting at
the right hand of His Father implies a time of rest
that follows the completion of His task, which, for
Him, was the redemption of mankind through
His death, burial, and resurrection.
Finally, as a further means of encouragement—
and also providing an insight into the struggles of
these particular Jewish believers—the writer of
Hebrews says in 12:3, “For consider Him who has
endured such hostility by sinners against Himself.”
They were to meditate on Jesus and the cross, so
that they would not over estimate the harshness
of their own struggles in their faith. By doing so
they would “not grow weary and lose heart.”
Dr. Rich Freeman, D. Min.
serves as the Vice President
for Church Ministries and
Conferences with Chosen
People Ministries and
lives in South Florida
with his wife, Julia.
HEBREWS 12:1–3 NASB
1 Therefore, since we have
so great a cloud of witnesses
surrounding us, let us also
lay aside every encumbrance
and the sin which so easily
entangles us, and let us run
with endurance the race that
is set before us, 2 fixing our
eyes on Jesus, the author
and perfecter of faith, who
for the joy set before Him
endured the cross, despising
the shame, and has sat
down at the right hand of the
throne of God. 3 For consider
Him who has endured such
hostility by sinners against
Himself, so that you will not
grow weary and lose heart.