Theophylact of Ohrid, on Heb 12:1

“And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us:”

“He did not say "rising above us," but "around," that is, encompassing us from all sides. By witnesses he means not only persons of the New Testament, but also of the Old Testament, and these latter bore witness to the greatness of God, such as the three youths, and Daniel, and all the prophets. He did not say "all the multitude," but "cloud," as most fitting in the present instruction. Since those to whom the apostle was writing were engulfed by the fire of afflictions, he says that the remembrance of the witnesses, like a cloud, encompassing you from all sides, will refresh you. "Cast off from ourselves every burden." That is, the burden of earthly occupations and the care for them. For, he says, this is nothing other than a vain burden. So why do you grieve at being freed from them? "The sin that so easily entangles us." Either easily mastering us, or easily able to bring us into trouble. For if we so desire, we easily submit to sin. Or through sin one easily falls into trouble, for there is nothing so dangerous as sin. "And with patience let us run the race that is set before us." Let us run. He did not say: let us fight, or: let us struggle, but points out what was easiest in the matter of the contest; he did not say: let us intensify the contest, but: let us remain in that very contest. Some must strive through abstinence, others through mercy, others through some other virtue; but you—"with patience." For that is what you need, as was also said above.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.