Equipping University

To capture the prize, one must keep his eye on the prize. This is true in swimming, running, archery, and many other competitive sports. It is also true in the spiritual arena. As the second major section of the letter to the Hebrews begins, the author has this same truism in mind for his readers. He is fearful that some of his beloved readers will be tempted to take their eyes off the prize and will drift away. If they do this, he knows that they run the risk of losing the prize completely. The author knows the very real temptation these Jewish Christians faced to return to the religion of their fathers. Rome tolerated Judaism but there was more calling them back than cultural acceptance and social, political, and economic safety. Judaism was comfortable and one always knew where one stood and what had to be done to be right with God. Judaism was familiar with its thousands of years of well-known rituals and stories. Judaism was a source of personal and national pride with all the recorded acts of God for t