IN 490 BC, THE Persians landed at a place called Marathon with the hope of capturing Athens…
Greatly outnumbers, the Athenians dispatched Pheidippides to Sparta for help. Pheidippides is reported to have run one hundred and fifty miles in two days. Then, when he returned and learned that the Athenians had already defeated the Persians, he ran another twenty-two miles to Athens. There, he shouted, “Rejoice… We conquer,” and collapsed to his death in exhaustion.
The first Olympics (1896 AD), retraced Pheidippides’ steps with a twenty six mile race in his honor. Today, “marathons” are still run and every step of every race pays silent tribute to a hero that was faithful to the very end of his life. In keeping with that same spirit, Hebrews chapter three challenges us to “hold fast” [literally, “stay the course”]…firm to the end (3:6, 14; cf. 4:14; 6:18; 10:23). (Dan Winkler)
“But Christ as a Son over His own house, who house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end” (Heb. 3:6).
–Mike Benson