Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about
, As the Israelites were encompassed with the pillar of cloud, or
with the clouds of glory in the wilderness, as the Jews say;
(See Gill on
1 Corinthians 10:1), to which there may be an allusion,
here, since it follows,
with so great a cloud of witnesses;
or "martyrs", as the Old Testament saints, the instances of whose
faith and patience are produced in the preceding chapter: these,
some of them, were martyrs in the sense in which that word is
commonly used; they suffered in the cause, and for the sake of
true religion; and they all bore a noble testimony of God, and
for him; and they received a testimony from him; and will be
hereafter witnesses for, or against us, to whom they are examples
of the above graces: and these may be compared to a "cloud", for
the comfortable and reviving doctrines which they dropped; and
for their refreshing examples in the heat of persecution; and for
their guidance and direction in the ways of God; and more
especially for their number, being like a thick cloud, and so
many, that they compass about on every side, and are instructive
every way. Hence the following things are inferred and urged,
let us lay aside every weight;
or burden; every sin, which is a weight and burden to a sensible
sinner, and is an hinderance in running the Christian race; not
only indwelling sin, but every actual transgression, and
therefore to be laid aside; as a burden, it should be laid on
Christ; as a sin, it should be abstained from, and put off, with
respect to the former conversation: also worldly cares, riches,
and honours, when immoderately pursued, are a weight depressing
the mind to the earth, and a great hinderance in the work and
service of God, and therefore to be laid aside; not that they are
to be entirely rejected, and not cared for and used, but the
heart should not be set upon them, or be over anxious about them:
likewise the rites and ceremonies of Moses's law were a weight
and burden, a yoke of bondage, and an intolerable one, and with
which many believing Jews were entangled and pressed, and which
were a great hinderance in the performance of evangelical
worship; wherefore the exhortation to these Hebrews, to lay them
aside, was very proper and pertinent, since they were useless and
incommodious, and there had been a disannulling of them by
Christ, because of their weakness and unprofitableness. Some
observe, that the word here used signifies a tumour or swelling;
and so may design the tumour of pride and vain glory, in outward
privileges, and in a man's own righteousness, to which the
Hebrews were much inclined; and which appears in an unwillingness
to stoop to the cross, and bear afflictions for the sake of the
Gospel; all which is a great enemy to powerful godliness, and
therefore should be brought down, and laid aside. The Arabic
version renders it, "every weight of luxury": all luxurious
living, being prejudicial to real religion:
and the sin which doth so easily beset us;
the Arabic version renders it, "easy to be committed"; meaning
either the corruption of nature in general, which is always
present, and puts upon doing evil, and hinders all the good it
can; or rather some particular sin, as what is commonly called a
man's constitution sin, or what he is most inclined to, and is
most easily drawn into the commission of; or it may be the sin of
unbelief is intended, that being opposite to the grace of faith,
the apostle had been commending, in the preceding chapter, and he
here exhorts to; and is a sin which easily insinuates itself, and
prevails, and that sometimes under the notion of a virtue, as if
it would be immodest, or presumptuous to believe; the arguments
for it are apt to be readily and quickly embraced; but as every
weight, so every sin may be designed: some reference may be had
to ( Lamentations
1:14 ) where the church says, that her transgressions were
"wreathed", (wgrtvy) ,
"wreathed themselves", or wrapped themselves about her. The
allusion seems to be to runners in a race, who throw off
everything that encumbers, drop whatsoever is ponderous and
weighty, run in light garments, and lay aside long ones, which
entangle and hinder in running, as appears from the next clause,
or inference.
And let us run with patience the race that is set before
us.
The stadium, or race plot, in which the Christian race is run, is
this world; the prize run for is the heavenly glory; the mark to
direct in it, is Christ; many are the runners, yet none but the
overcomers have the prize; which being held by Christ, is given
to them: this race is "set before" the saints; that is, by God;
the way in which they are to run is marked out by him in his
word; the troubles they shall meet with in it are appointed for
them by him, in his counsels and purposes; the mark to direct
them is set before them in the Gospel, even Jesus, the author and
finisher of faith, whom they are to look unto; the length of
their race is fixed for them, or how far, and how long they shall
run; and the prize is determined for them, and will be given
them, and which is held out for their encouragement, to have
respect unto: and it becomes all the saints, and belongs to each,
and everyone of them, to "run" this race; which includes both
doing and suffering for Christ; it is a motion forward, a
pressing towards the mark for the prize, a going from strength to
strength, from one degree of grace to another; and to it
swiftness and agility are necessary; and when it is performed
aright, it is with readiness, willingness, and cheerfulness: it
requires strength and courage, and a removal of all impediments,
and should be done "with patience"; which is very necessary,
because of the many exercises in the way; and because of the
length of the race; and on account of the prize to be enjoyed,
which is very desirable: the examples of the saints, and
especially Christ, the forerunner, should move and animate unto
it.