Looking unto Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-3)

There are several pictures of the Christian life in the Bible. It is likened to a journey (walk), to a battle (fight), to a school (learn), and here it is likened to a race. In the previous chapter, the author mentions some of the runners who ran their race, and he describes them as ‘so great a cloud of witnesses’. Along with them, he mentions the current runners (‘let us run’) and he mentions the best Runner (Jesus). 

The great cloud of witnesses

When the writer refers to a cloud, he is speaking of a large number. It was common at that time to use the word ‘cloud’ in this way. Many of the runners mentioned in Hebrews 11 would not have seen other participants. How many did Abel see? Noah did not see many. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would not have seen many. In contrast, Moses would have seen many runners within Israel, as would leaders such as Joshua and David. But together, there had been lots of runners, and even although they finished their race a long time ago, they are still examples to us.

In addition, the idea of describing them as a cloud must indicate that in some ways they were elevated as well as numerous. Maybe we use the word ‘galaxy’ in a similar way. Even in everyday athletics, runners are affected if the race occurs at a higher level than normal. Although it was held a long time ago, I can recall the adjustments that athletes had to make when the Olympics were held in Mexico City. The Christian race is run at the highest level of all.

In order to run the spiritual race, the runners require a new source of life, otherwise it cannot be done. The life that they need is provided by the Holy Spirit. He comes to indwell them when they believe In Jesus. Those who ran before Jesus was born looked ahead to his coming whereas those who run after he ascended to heaven look back to what he did when he was here, as well as considering what he currently does. Whether they lived before his first coming or after it they all focus on him because that is what the Holy Spirit does for them. 

The Holy Spirit continually gives them new energies and he enables them to run at the higher level. It does not matter whether there are many other runners or few. They can run with others or they may be by themselves, but those who run with others still need the Holy Spirit. The other runners cannot hand on the source of power. Instead each runner must have the life of the Spirit personally within their heart. 

What is meant by the idea of witnesses? One suggestion is connected to a practice that occurred during races. When a runner finished his race, he would go and sit in an enclosed area and watch subsequent runners finishing their race. If this suggestion is correct, Abel after finishing his race went to that enclosed area and watched those who were still running. Then he was joined by Enoch, and then by others. Those running the race, as they lapped the track, could see those who had completed the race and took encouragement from seeing them. It is like as taking a look into heaven and considering those who have finished their race and crossed over into the heavenly land. Obviously, we can take encouragement from those who have preceded us, whether it is people that we knew personally or persons that we heard about and admired for the consistency of their Christian commitment. It is the case that we can be both challenged and comforted by thinking about those who served Jesus and ran their race before going into heaven.

Another suggestion is that the witnesses don’t only observe us, but they testify to us that the race can be run. Where do they testify to us? The answer is that they speak in the Bible when we read the account of their lives. We can read about Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob and numerous others, and when we read about them we can almost hear them saying, ‘If I could run this race to heaven, then so can you. I was afraid that I would not complete it, but I was enabled to do so by God. Therefore, I can testify, and my life is the evidence, that it is possible to run this race successfully and cross the finishing line into glory.’   

I see no reason why both options cannot be included in the meaning of the term ‘witness’. They watch us in a sense, although all they will know is when we cross the finishing line and join them in the special place. At the same time, their testimony is in the Bible. The writer of Hebrews did not have sufficient space in his letter to include details about many of the heroes of the faith. But he knew that when he mentioned their names, readers and hearers could go to the relevant passages and think about how the previous runners had reached the finishing line.

As we look at the description of the race run by the various witnesses, three aspects of it can be seen: the race for each runner is difficult throughout, at times dangerous for them even to the point of death, and it requires dedication from each of them to keep going. The difficulties and dangers are obvious to everyone who reads chapter 11. Yet they could stop running just because it is dangerous. Instead they need to take actions that will make it easier for them to run. What they?

The steps of faith

There are four steps that each runner must take if he intends to complete the race. The first is that he must remove every weight. In the description, the weight is distinguished from sinful practices, so it looks as if non-sinful but non-essential items are described under the term ‘weight’. We know that it is possible to get so absorbed by earthly things, which may in themselves be neutral as to their effect, that we have no time to engage in the things of God. As has often been said, if we are too busy to spend time on spiritual things, then we are too busy. According to the writer here, if something hinders us from running a good race, we should throw it away.

We can imagine someone running a race with advertisements all over him. He may have them on his chest to begin with, then on his legs. Perhaps he can have more on him if he wears a hat. Eventually, he will have so many that he cannot run as effectively as once he could. This is often a danger for those who have been Christians for a long time. Warning bells should ring when someone asks the question, ‘What harm is there in this activity?’ The person who asks the question knows there is no harm in it. The real concern is not what the questions asks, but why the person wants to ask it. Often, it is because they don’t want to give up the weight, even when it is obvious that it is hindering them from running as best as they can. 

The lesson is obvious: if something is hindering us from running a good race, we should give it up. After all, a good trainer will tell an athlete what he should give up. And the heavenly Trainer, who is the Holy Spirit, will make it very clear to each runner what they should be ceasing in order to run a better race by pointing it out to their consciences.

The second step is to lay aside ‘sin which clings so closely’. This is a graphic way of describing sin – it has tentacles by which it ensures that it does not fall off unless there is some deliberate action by the runner. Runners in a race may have all kinds of sins active as they move. They can be jealous of other runners, they may want to trip up other runners, they may not want to encourage other runners, they may criticise their running style despite the fact that they are running better.

Getting rid of sin is always required of Christian runners because it hinders them running a good race. Is it easy to get rid of such sins? Not if the runner does not use the supernatural strength that is available to him through the Holy Spirit. Not if he does not speak to God about the sin that is affecting the way that the running takes place. One thing about running a race is that the runner can use his mind. He can recall what his trainer told him to do. And we can recall what we have been told to do in God’s Word and we can ask him to enable us to get rid of such sins because unlike earthly races the Trainer accompanies those who are running the heavenly race and is available to help them at all times. By the Spirit, we can do what we are urged to do many times in the Bible and replace sins with good desires.

Instead of the tentacles of sin we can have the tentacles of good desires. Instead of being jealous of other runners, we can pray that they will run even better. Instead of wanting other runners to trip up, we will do our best to ensure that they avoid such problems. Instead of refusing to encourage them, we will shout out encouragements even if they are overtaking us. And we will not focus on their running style to criticise it because we will recognise that we are not the Trainer.

The third step is to run with endurance all the way to the end of the race. Every step forward that is made means that there is a shorter distance to run. The race here is not a short sprint, but a steeplechase that is lifelong. When we clear a hurdle, all we have done is clear a hurdle. The response to clearing a hurdle is not to look back at it and admire our efforts. Rather it is to keep on running. We may experience tiredness, but yet the strength to keep on going will come. It is always weary runners who cross the finishing line, but what keeps them going is the wonderful commendation that they will receive from the Master when they finish the course and take their place in the heavenly place of honour.

Perhaps we know the words of the Scottish Paraphrase number 55 based on Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4:

My race is run; my warfare’s o’er;
the solemn hour is nigh,
When, offered up to God, my soul
shall wing its flight on high.

With heav’nly weapons I have fought
the battles of the Lord;
Finished my course, and kept the faith,
depending on his word.

Henceforth there is laid up for me
a crown which cannot fade;
The righteous Judge at that great day
shall place it on my head.

The fourth step is mentioned by the author when he tells his readers that they should run the race ‘looking unto Jesus’. What kind of look is this? It is a steady look – they do not take their eyes of him. It is a strategic look because they know it is better for them to keep their eyes on Jesus rather than waste time looking at other runners. It is a satisfying look because they see One running a perfect race, and what makes it more satisfying is that they discover with delight that he is running the perfect race on behalf of all the imperfect runners. It is a penetrating look because the preposition normally means ‘into’ rather than ‘unto’ – we look into his heart as well as gaze on what happened to him in an outward sense. And it is a singular look because the word means to look away from everything else to him and watch him run his race on earth. 

What is being urged here is not a glance occasionally at Jesus, but a constant gaze on him and into him. So what do they see when they look at the Saviour and his running of his race? The author mentions four details:

Watching Jesus

First, the author says that Jesus is ‘the founder and perfecter of faith’. The word ‘our’ is not in the original sentence, but it is added in order to give a possible meaning. If we retain it, the sentence refers to our faith, but that would make this phrase different from the others in the sentence which describe aspects of Jesus’ race. If it is left out, the sentence refers to the faith that Jesus exercised as he ran his race. This emphasis does not deny that Jesus begins and completes a believer’s life of faith. The point is concerned with what the author had in mind. 

This kind of phrase is similar to when Jesus is called ‘the first and the last’ or the ‘Alpha and Omega’. Basically it means that he shows all that could and should be revealed in a person having faith. Jesus had perfect faith. He is the only man ever to have ongoing perfect faith. Adam had a sinless faith in God for a while, until he fell, and if he had faith afterwards it was an imperfect faith (Hebrews 11, as with the Book of Genesis, is silent about whether or not Adam had saving faith). Could we have faith like Jesus? No. But we can admire his faith which he revealed in numerous ways throughout his life on earth.

Second, we are told that Jesus ‘who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross’. What did Jesus think about as he made his way through life? Here we are told that he focussed on ‘the joy that was set before him’. This future joy included his resurrection, his ascension, his reign, his gathering in of his people, his leading them all to heaven as the Good Shepherd, his welcoming them to glory, his raising them from the dead and his sharing his inheritance with them forever. We should remind ourselves today that part of his joy included what he would be doing for his people in the month of April in the year 2020.

Third, Jesus despised the shame of the cross. A man who knows that gold is hidden in a field will not mind standing outside the seller’s office in the pouring rain in order to buy it even if the price at that moment will cost him everything he has. He will despise the rain, the opinions of people walking by, the temporary poverty, the pain of digging. The gold makes it all worthwhile. What did Jesus regard as so worthwhile that it would make him despise the shame of the cross? His exaltation by his Father and the salvation of his people. Because of this, he despised the false accusations, the cruel mocking, the maltreatment, and the other aspects that would be linked to shame.

Fourth, Jesus now is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. This is a reminder that so far Jesus is the only Runner who has received his reward. He was given it by his Father when he finished his course on earth and entered the heavenly city and was invited to take his place on the heavenly throne. We run the race hoping for a reward eventually, but the main encouragement for us is not that we will get a reward; rather it is that he has received his reward because it means that he will have the authority to share his inheritance with his people.  

How is our running?

Paul once said to the Galatians, ‘You were running well,’ when he previously saw them. Sadly, they had stopped running well; indeed they had started to run on a track to nowhere. When it comes to us, we need to ask personal questions. 

First, have we started running the race? We do so by trusting in Jesus. This is the starting line. We hear the gospel, repent of our sins and commit ourselves into the hands of Christ. It is impossible to run this race until we start at the right place.

Second, are we distracted by unnecessary weights that are hindering the simplicity of the Christian life? It is easy to know if we are because they start to take our eyes of Jesus. The Christian life is simple – if something takes our eyes of Jesus, don’t get involved with it, even if others are doing it. It may not be affecting them, but if it affects us, we should stop any involvement in it. Otherwise, the outcome will be continuing not to look at Jesus.

Third, are we diverted of the track by sins? It is impossible to make progress if we are engaging in sinful practices or attitudes, whatever they are. They may be inward sins or outward sins; they may be secret sins or public sins. Whatever they may be, we should cease them immediately if we want to run the race in a manner that pleases God.

Fourth, are we gazing lovingly at Jesus? If we are, we will follow his example and keep on going until we reach the joy that is set before us. Because in a sense the finishing line is the same for Jesus and his people. The finishing line is crossing into glory. He had his unique entrance, and we will join the cloud of witnesses who trusted in him down the centuries, and because they did so, they all entered into the joy of their Lord. And when that happens for us, we all will be glad that we ran the race according to the rules.