For this reason having, we ourselves have so great a multitude of testimony surrounding us, let us also lay off the old, all weight and sin so easily distracting us to run through perseverance the race lying before us.Hebrews 12:1
Usually this verse is used in a way to mean those around us are the great cloud of witnesses, and certainly we can say so, but in context Paul has just described people of great faith. Think of Paul visiting the games and halls of the Olympic heroes then giving us a like comparison in a hall of faith. In the previous chapter Paul had just described these people of faith, and now think of this comparison as a literal hall of faith. This is the picture Paul gives us, a picture of walking through a great hall of faith. The hall of faith exists as an encouragement for those running the race.
and these all received witness (martyreō) through their faith, not receiving that promised the one God prepared beforehand, something better with us in mind, so that perfected (complete, finished) not being perfected from us. For having this reason, we ourselves have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us...Hebrews 11:39-40;12:1
When we read the last verses of chapter 11 with 12 we understand the hall of faith is of great men and woman of faith given, (not to boast, there are names not mention that the world is not worthy to know) as an encouragement, an example so that we endure. The witnesses were the martyrs of past, a martyr being defined as someone who gave their lives, as Paul writes, some were stoned, sawn in two, murdered by the sword...
We ourselves have so great a multitude of witnesses surrounding us...
The word witness (martys) means witness, testimony; a testifier, of a doctrine; a martyr (one who witnessed unto death). To what does this multitude give testimony? In Revelations we read, "and they overcome through the blood of the lamb and through the word of their testimony also not loving that their lives even to death."* These men of faith give testimony to Christ, of faith, so much so they would be martyrs, laying down their lives. The witness is not of men but of the testimony of faith, thus the hall of faith exists as an encouragement for us, who walk by faith, not by sight. "Now, faith exists assurance, hope, conviction of things unseen, for in it the fathers (men of faith) give witness."*
...let us also lay off the old, all weight and the sin easily distracting...
This hall of faith doesn't exist as that of the world; for the glory of men. Remember, those of humility are great in the kingdom of God. In fact many in the hall of faith we would not even know of, if not it were written in the Bible and there are many we will not know of until we finish the race. Notice, the encouragement Paul gives to the runner, "therefore restore upright, relax the hands, loosen the knees, and make straight paths for your feet so that the one weak may not turn aside, yea, to a greater extent restored."* In the hall of fame we have before us such encouragement to run the race set before us. To help us in understanding, there is a purpose, witnessed by those in the hall of faith, these give testimony to and so do others throughout Christendom, to a reasonable service, one that all men of faith enter into. All those in the hall of faith are called martyrs, all gave witness because they entered this reasonable service, presenting their bodies a living sacrifice, they cared not for their lives, a witness of faith unto death.
I beg you therefore brothers, through the mercies of God, present your bodies a living sacrifice, consecrated and acceptable to God, this is your reasonable service.Romans 12:1
Presenting the body a living sacrifice is equivalent to putting off the old man, "... let us also lay off the old, all weight and sin so easily distracting us to run..." Think of a runner having weight around his ankles, these weight him down, and this is sin like a weight, weighing us down so we can not run with endurance. So we put off the weight and sin, put off the old man, and in this we see the teachings of baptism,. Baptism is a participating in His death, who presented His body a living sacrifice, so as to participate in His Life. A living sacrifice leads us into our reasonable service, thus we are transformed, the mind renewed. This is also described by Paul as putting off the old man and putting on the new man, "yea, renewing the spirit of your minds and putting on the new man, created according to God, in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth."* We receive, by faith, righteousness as a free gift, according to grace, and the fruit we get leads to sanctification.* Though we are born of Spirit, perfect, we exist in a perishable body, on weighted down with sin, with a carnal mind in which evil wars against easily weighing down and bringing in to captivity to sin. So transformation, renews the mind, it puts on the new man created according to God.
All too, training up, at the time doesn't seem pleasant but painful, yea, finally renders the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those trained through it.Hebrews 12:11-12
Discipline in the new covenant is training up, or building up in faith that is active in agape love or said another way, truth in love. Righteousness sown in peace, like the gospel prepared in peace, will produce things of faith; trust, assurance, confidence, conviction, quietness, rest... Training up yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness, or said another way the fruit you get leads unto sanctification, if you are indeed a child of God, "endure, persevere to the extent of training up, God is treating you like a child."* If we respected those natural training us much more be influenced by your heavenly Father.
withstand not yet resisting to the point of bloodshed, as you struggle against sin.Hebrews 12:4
It is an amazing thing, we must resist, fight, contend to run the race. Why is this a struggle against sin? because the struggle refers to the purpose of the reasonable service; to put off the old man and "putting on the new man, created according to God, in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth." Sanctification is in truth, it transforms, saves the soul. "Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to distance from desires of the flesh, which wage war against the soul."* Sin defiles the conscious, so cleanse the conscious through baptism, purification of the body. The outcome of godly training is the crown of Life, as the renewed mind is obedient, accepting God's will as good and perfect.* Those men of faith past foresaw into the gospel, longing to see what we see in Christ, and they did not turn back for they looked to a better promise. Oh, and we have such a promise of inheritance.
Press forwards, all loving peace together and sanctification, a part from, no one will see the Lord.Hebrews 12:14
Look around you, so great a multitude in the hall of faith. Be encouraged, look at their testimonies, they cared not for their lives, presenting their bodies a living sacrifice. Now, press forwards, fix your eyes on the author and perfecter of your faith "consider him, who from sinners took such opposition against himself, so that you do not grow weary in your souls, losing heart."* Let us press forwards, taking up the baton and running with endurance the race set before us. See you on the other side, in the great hall of faith.