This [endurance] is the whole theme of the book of Hebrews. The author to the Hebrews is convincing the Hebrew Christians, that they not only have a High Priest, but they have the best High Priest, the One who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. He who is also the Son of man: understanding, compassionate, tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. And so, in chapters 1–9, he tells them that they have the greatest High Priest ever. In fact, they have got the High Priest who brought a perfect sacrifice, who makes perfect intercession, always, and therefore now, there is no more blood that needs to be shed! They have a superior Priesthood, superior to Aaron, superior to Melchizedek, superior to those who taunt them. They have the High Priest to whom all the generations were looking forward. Therefore, hold fast your profession. Hold fast, because he in heavenly places, is holding fast to you. Persevere, because he is persevering for you.

So, the great mission in the book of Hebrews to the Christian is: Endure to the end. Now, it is interesting that actually in the original Greek, that word endure is used in all three verses of the opening verses of chapter 12. Let us run with patience, the KJV says. But the original word there is, but Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus who for the joy set before him endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2) and (Hebrews 12:3) for consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself. Obviously, the author to the Hebrews here, is painting a picture for us in our text. A picture of running a Christian race with endurance.

Now, he has in mind of course, the great Grecian races in the large Colosseums. Just as the Bikeathon, Tour de France, just goes on for days and days, so this race in the Grecian games was a long marathon. They did not have any 50-yard dashes. This is a long race. Greek runners would hand a baton to each other. When the one was completely worn out and exhausted, he would give it to the next. And the next. And the next. The apostle to the Hebrews pictures this as one generation to the next generation, passing on the baton; running the race deliberately, actively, steadily, every day.

How do you run it? Well, you run it by the means of grace. You run it by reading the Scriptures, every day. You run it by personal intercessory prayer every day. By reading sound literature, every day. By fellowshipping with the saints, every day. By keeping the Sabbath, every week. By living antithetically to the world, every day. You see, this is a serious race. You are in it for the long haul if you are a Christian. No matter what the objections are. No matter how intense the spiritual warfare is. The mission is: Endure! Press on. Keep on keeping on.¹

Joel Beeke