Hebrews 12:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Scripture often draws consolation in calamities from ordinary phenomena. For example, the prophet says that He will deliver you "from heat, and for a refuge and shelter from storm and rain" Is 4:6. David says, "The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night" Ps 120:6.

So here the Apostle says that, just as a cloud by its shadow protects one whom burning rays scorch, so the remembrance of the saints restores and strengthens a soul weighed down by calamities.

He did not say, "hanging over us," but, "so great a cloud surrounding us." This means something greater, and shows that, by enclosing us all around, this cloud of witnesses makes us more secure.

"Therefore we also, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us." He did not say, "rising above us," but "surrounding," that is, embracing us from every side.

By witnesses he means not only those of the New Testament, but also those of the Old. The latter bore witness to the greatness of God, as did the three youths, Daniel, and all the prophets.

He did not say "all the multitude," but "cloud," as most fitting for the present instruction. Since those to whom the Apostle wrote were encompassed by the fire of afflictions, he says that the remembrance of the witnesses, like a cloud surrounding you from every side, will refresh you.

Therefore we also, Orthodox Christians, having around ourselves so great a multitude, such a cloud of witnesses, faithful and pleasing to God, let us lay aside every burden of faintheartedness, laziness, unbelief, hardheartedness, and stinginess.

Let us leave behind the sin that entangles us, the chief sin in our soul, such as drunkenness, fornication, pride, vengefulness, and murmuring. With patience, like the righteous portrayed today in the apostolic reading, let us run the race set before us, that is, our life.

Therefore we also have around us, as though gathered together, so great a cloud, a multitude of witnesses to our burden. That is, we have before us a cloud of sorrows and calamities, which will bring to perfection very many who have hope in Christ and die for Him. Let us lay aside everything, so that we may not prove sluggish in the struggle against sins, which are always ready to lead us into transgression. With patience let us hasten toward the contest set before us, prepared not only by persecutors, but also by the devil himself.

Everywhere, says the Apostle, examples of piety stand before us. Such a multitude, resembling a cloud in its density, bears witness to the power of faith. Therefore, looking to them, let us lighten ourselves for the race and cast off the burden of unnecessary cares. In this way we shall be able to avoid the sin that is easily committed. But before all else we need patience, so that we may conquer in the contest before us. The Apostle called sin "easily besetting" because it is easily committed and persistent. The eye is deceived by bait, hearing is delighted, touch is tickled, the tongue is very prone to slip, and thought rushes swiftly toward what is worse. But the Apostle also presents the most important Archetype.

"Therefore we also, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us." By cloud the Apostle here means the consolation received from example, the encouragement of the soul in misfortunes, which, like a cloud, gives refreshment to those suffering in the furnace of temptations.

Then he explains his words. The cloud is the assembly of saints who bore witness to the truth, struggled for God, and by their example guide those who are still in the contests of sufferings toward good courage and patience. They bring a kind of refreshment to suffering souls and give courage. This is why he called them a cloud.

"Let us lay aside every weight." The weight is the sin of fleshly pleasure, from which the sin that trips us is born. The Apostle called that sin "ensnaring" which easily surrounds us and subjects us to its will. Literally, "surrounding" or "entangling."

Since a cloud is formed from many vapors, it here signifies a great multitude. Pride, as a kind of greatness, swelling, and exaltation, signifies every form of arrogance.

Here the Apostle calls witnesses not only those of the New Testament who bore witness to Christ, but also those of the Old. They proved the truth of the faith and the majesty of God: some by miracles, others by prophecy, others by holiness of life, and some by such patience that they fearlessly accepted death itself.

He called sin "easily surrounding" either because it can easily gain mastery over us, or because we can easily overcome it if only we wish, or because it is easily formed and produced. For all our senses assist us in this matter.

The eyes are beguiled, the hearing is delighted, the sense of smell is weakened, touch is moved, taste is altered, and our thought is prone to evil.

According to Chrysostom and Theodoret, the easily besetting sin is a sin that easily arises and readily attaches itself to us.

Pointing to the multitude of persons who declared their faith, the Apostle urges his readers to preserve firmness in completing the course appointed to them. These persons stand around us as witnesses of our contests and look upon us. Therefore we must use every effort not to be put to shame before them.

In order to run the course better and reach the goal, one must leave aside everything that lies upon us as a weight, and especially sin, which coils itself around a man's feet and prevents him from running. The word εύτΐερίστατον uses an image taken from a garment that is too wide and tangles around the feet.