8 months ago

TITLE: LAYING ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT
TEXT: Hebrews 12:1-2, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
INTRODUCTION: this passage is just a continuation of Hebrews 11
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about -- There is allusion here, doubtless, to the ancient games. A great multitude of spectators usually occupied the circular seats in the amphitheater, from which they could easily behold the combatants.
In like manner, the apostle represents Christians as encompassed with the multitude of worthies to whom he had referred in the previous chapter. It cannot be fairly inferred from this that he means to say that all those ancient worthies were actually looking at the conduct of Christians, and saw their conflicts. It is a figurative representation, such as is common, and means that we ought to act as if they were in sight, and cheered us on.
How far the spirits of the just who are departed from this world are permitted to behold what is done on earth - if at all - is not revealed in the Scriptures.

With so great a cloud of witnesses -- The phrase, "a cloud of witnesses," means many witnesses, or a number so great that they seem to be a cloud. Not individual water droplets but a cloud. You’re not the first, nor shall you be the last. You’re just part of a cloud of witnesses.
Are you feeling sorry for yourself? The world has dealt you a bad hand? Join the ranks of the redeemed cloud.
let us lay aside every weight -- The word rendered "weight" - ὄγκον ogkon - means what is crooked or hooked, and thence anything that is attached or suspended by a hook that is, by its whole weight, and hence means weight; It does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament.
“Whatever keeps me from the Bible is my enemy however harmless it may appear to be.” A.W. Tozer.
Covered by hooks carrying heavy loads. Every weight. This is a matter of discernment – monasteries to nothing is really a weight. What makes it a weight is whether it interferes with your obedience to God’s Word. Boat illustration – place to witness; out on Sunday morning when you should be in church.
and the sin which doth so easily beset us -- The word which is here rendered "easily beset" - εὐπερίστατον euperistaton - "euperistaton" - does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It properly means, "standing well around, loitering;" and hence, denotes what is near, or at hand, or readily occurring. So Chrysostom explains it – Within the immediate context, the greatest sin would be faithlessness or unbelief
It will then mean that we are to lay aside every encumbrance, particularly or especially - "the sins to which we are most exposed." Such sins are appropriately called "easily besetting sins." They are those to which we are particularly liable. They are such sins as the following:

(1) Those to which we are particularly exposed by our natural temperament, or disposition. In some this is pride, anger, avarice, envy, sloth, gluttony, lust, ambition, sensuality.
(2) those in which we freely indulged before we became Christians. They will be likely to return with power, and we are far more likely from the laws of association, to fall into them than into any other.

(3) sins to which we are exposed by our profession, by our relations to others, or by our situation in life. They whose condition will entitle them to associate with what are regarded as the more elevated classes of society, are in special danger of indulging in the methods of living, and of amusement that are common among them

(4) sins to which we are exposed from some special weakness in our character. On some points we may be in no danger.

and let us run with patience the race that is set before us -- The word rendered "patience" rather means in this place, perseverance. We are to run the race without allowing ourselves to be hindered by any obstructions, and without giving out or fainting in the way. Encouraged by the example of the multitudes who have run the same race before us, and who are now looking out upon us from heaven, where they dwell, we are to persevere as they did to the end.

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