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Heb 12:1. ΠεÏικείμενον) properly, lying around. The Greeks often use the verb, κεῖμαι, and its compounds, as presently at Heb 12:2, and in various senses; wherefore the word, lie, here, must not be too closely pressed. But the preposition, πεÏὶ, very emphatically implies a cloud almost surrounding us, pressing close upon us: πεÏὶ in εá½Ï€ÎµÏίστατον, on the opposite side, accords with it.-νÎφος) The word, cloud, is used on account of the great multitude, and the holy velocity with which they go upwards. Clemens Alex. has called it, νÎφος ἅγιον καὶ διειδὲς, a holy and pellucid cloud, lib. 4. Strom.-μαÏÏ„ÏÏων of witnesses) ch. Heb 11:39, note.-ὄγκον) ὄγκος (from ἔγκω, á¼Î½Îγκω), weight; and when it is applied to the mind, haughtiness, pride. Themistius, Or. 4, says, αá½Ï„οὶ μὲν μÎÏ„Ïιοι φÏσει εἰσὶν, á¼Î³á½¼ δὲ αá½Ï„οὺς ὄγκου á¼Î¼Ï€Î¯Ï€Î»Î·Î¼Î¹ καὶ χαυνότητος, “They are naturally modest, but I fill them with pride and vain conceit.†Hesychius: ὄγκος, φÏσημα, ὑπεÏηφανία, ἔπαÏσις, μÎγεθος. Such ὄγκος as this is most unfavourable to spiritual moderation, and is very nearly allied to madness.-τὴν εá½Ï€ÎµÏίστατον) πεÏίστασις, τὸ πεÏιεστηκός; thence, by Synecdoche of the species, τὸ δÏσκολον, danger, disadvantage: hence εá½Ï€ÎµÏίστατος. Hesychius: τὴν εá½Ï€ÎµÏίστατον, τὴν εὔκολον, i.e. very easily putting difficulties in the way, and placing in danger. ו×ליך תשוקתו, Gen 4:7, Sin is around thee (lieth at the door). On the other hand, ἀπεÏίστατον ἓλκος, in Galen, an ulcer unattended with danger: ἡ á¼Î¼Î±Ïτία, sin, the genus; ἡ εá½Ï€ÎµÏίστατος á¼Î¼Î±Ïτία, unbelief, the species, because its danger is immediate, and because this sin, if it be committed, incurs the greatest risk of destruction; ch. Heb 3:12, etc.; Neh 6:13.-διʼ ὑπομονῆς, with patience) This refers to ch. Heb 10:36. To this patience ὄγκος is opposed in respect to excess; and ἡ εá½Ï€ÎµÏίστατος á¼Î¼Î±Ïτία, in respect to defect. Both of these spiritual diseases are characteristic of the Jews. ὈλιγωÏεῖν, to despise, corresponds to the former; á¼ÎºÎ»Ïεσθαι, to faint, to the latter; Heb 12:5, note.-Ï„ÏÎχωμεν, let us run) let us finish the race, in which we are contesting for the prize. So Paul, 1Co 9:24-25.