Surrounded by a Great Cloud

Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

In classical Greek, the phrase “surrounded by a cloud” was used to describe the multitude of spectators in the stands of a Roman stadium. Ancient Greek Olympic games were held in the nude, and women were forbidden to participate or watch. A competitor’s robe would hinder their performance, so before a race, they would remove any heavy clothing or other hindrances. In the same way, believers must also cast off all the “burdens” of “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the pleasures of life” (Luke 8:14) that hinder our progress on the path of faith. The race God has set before us is not a sprint, but a long-distance run. Throughout their lives, believers must follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, lay aside their “burdens,” and free themselves from “sin.” They must travel lightly and “run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” with the ultimate goal of Jesus Christ, who is already “seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”