1 Now faith is the substance (confidence) of things hoped for (trusted), the evidence (conviction) of things (matter) not seen. 2 For by it the elders (older persons; religious leaders in Israel) received witness (testimony; bear record). 3 Through faith we understand (perceive; think) that the worlds (ages; eras) were framed (perfected; made ready) by the word (command; speech) of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things (material) which do appear. 4 By faith Abel offered (brought; presented) unto God a more excellent (of quality greater) sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous (just), God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5 By faith Enoch was translated (carried over; changed; moved) that he should not see death, and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith, it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh (approachs; comes nigh) to God must believe that he is (that He exists), and that he is a rewarder (recompenser; payer back) of them that diligently seek (seek carefully; seek out) him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned (admonished) of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear (reverential awe), prepared (built; made) an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned (judged) the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing (not understanding) where he went. 9 By faith he sojourned (dwelt as a stranger or visitor; a temporary resident) in the land of promise, as in a foreign country, dwelling in (inhabiting) tents (tabernacles) with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder (craftsman; artificer) and maker (architect) is God. 11 Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed (receive semen), and was delivered of a child when she was past age (barren; unable to conceive), because she judged (esteemed) him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore sprang there even of one (one man with one son), and him as good as dead (ineffective), as many as the stars of the sky in multitude (a large number), and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable (without number). 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced (greeted; accepted) them, and confessed (professed; acknowledged) that they were strangers (exiles) and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly (manifest) that they seek a country (homeland; fatherland). 15 And truly, if they had been mindful (remembered) of that country from which they came out, they might have had opportunity (a convenient season) to return (turn again). 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; wherefore, God is not ashamed (unashamed) to be called their God; for he hath prepared (make ready) for them a city. 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up (brought near) his only begotten (unique; the only one of its kind) son, 18 Of whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called; 19 Accounting (Considering) that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which also he received him in a figure (parabolically; by comparison).
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying (ready to die physically), blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshiped (probably kissing and caressing them in an intimate fashion), leaning (because of his sickly, frail condition) upon the top of his staff (rod; walking stick). 22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention (to remember) of the departing (exodus; going out) of the children of Israel, and gave commandment (charged; enjoined) concerning his bones. 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents (Amram and Jochebed), because they saw he was beautiful (fair; elegant) child, and they were not afraid of the king's commandment (edict). 24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused (denied; repudiated) to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction (ill-treatment) with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season (temporarily; not enduring), 26 Esteeming (Accounting) the reproach (abuse; insult; taunt; slur) of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward (retribution; a payment of wage). 27 By faith he forsook (left behind; bypassed) Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, seeing him who is invisible (unseen; incapable of being seen). 28 Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling (pouring out; spreading) of blood, lest he that destroyed (the Destroyer of) the first-born (first begotten) should touch (handle) them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians, attempting (trying; assaying) to do, were drowned (swallowed up). 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed (surrounded; encircled) about seven days. 31 By faith the harlot, Rahab, perished not (was not killed) with them that believed not (unbeliever; disobedient), when she had received the spies (those who searched thoroughly) with peace. 32 And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets, 33 Who through faith, subdued kingdoms, wrought (worked) righteousness, obtained (acquired; achieved) promise, stopped (silenced; blocked) the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched (extinguished) the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong (strengthened; confirmed), became valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured (stretched or broken on a wheel), not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings (insults) and scourgings (whippings), yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment; 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder (sawed into two pieces), were tested, were slain with the sword; they wandered about (dressed) in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute (suffering lack; being in want), afflicted (troubled; squeezed), tormented (ill-treated; mistreated) 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy); they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and dens (orifices) and caves (caverns) of the earth. 39 And these all, having received witness (bore testimony) through faith, received not the promise (assurance), 40 God having provided (foreseen; foreordained) some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Pink quotes an early Puritan, Wm. Perkins, who introduces Hebrews 11 this way, "The parts of this whole chapter are two: (1) a general description of faith: vv. 1 to 4. (2) an illustration or declaration of that description, by a large rehearsal of manifold examples of ancient and worthy men in the Old Testament: vv. 4 to 40. The description of faith consists of three actions or effects of faith, set down in three several verses. The first effect is that faith makes things which are not (but only are hoped for), v 1. The second effect is that faith makes a believer approved of God: v. 2. The third effect is that faith makes a man understand and believe things incredible to sense and reason" (Volume I, p. 648).
1 The author now comes to the faith chapter. It has been called by various names, the Role Call of the Faithful; Faith's Hall of Fame, God's Muster Roll of Faith and others. The word "faith" is mentioned thirty-one times in the book of Hebrews; of that number it is mentioned twenty-four times in Chapter 11. The word is found numerous times in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, but nowhere is the subject more concentrated than in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. The writer attempts to define "faith;" he writes that it is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Thayer defines the word "faith" (pistis) as "conviction, belief; a conviction of the truth of anything; a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things; it is the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation. Bruce defines faith as "the title-deed of things hoped for" (p. 278). With reference to Christ - it denotes a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through Whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God. It is the religious belief of Christians It is in the family of words - "pistos meaning trusty, faithful; and pistoo meaning to make faithful; render trustworthy" (pp. 512, 513). Kittel defines the word "faith" - to rely on; to trust; to believe (Vol. VI, p. 203).
Faith is the substance (huostasis from hupo + histemi meaning to support; to guarantee). The R. S. V. translates it "assurance," while other translations use "sure." Faith is the guarantee of things hoped for (elpizomenon from elpizo meaning trust); the evidence (pragmaton from pragma meaning conviction) of things not seen or unseen. For the Christian faith is the title deed to a heavenly inheritance (property). Yeager illustrates faith thus: "If a bequest gives a piece of property in another state and the title deed is delivered to the recipient, it is not necessary for him to see the property in order to be assured of his ownership. Indeed, a view of the property, without the deed, is not assurance at all" (Vol. XVI, p. 366). Incidentally our word "pragmatic" comes from the word translated evidence here; a pragmatist is a person who is very opinionated and practical; he faces reality. We have no pragmatic evidence for the existence of heaven, but we take God at His word that there is a heaven awaiting every child of God.
2 By faith the elders (presbuteroi from presbutros meaning older person; a religious leader in Israel) obtained a good report (emarturethesan from martureo meaning to give witness; testimony; bear record). Here the word "elders" means any of the Old Testament prophets; all the O. T. saints of God. These Old Testament saints that are mentioned in this chapter were the saints of God who had been saved by grace just like those of the New Testament days and our day.
3 By faith the Christian understands (nooumen from noeo meaning to perceive with the mind) that the worlds (aionas from aion meaning ages; eras) were framed (katertisthai from katartizo meaning to perfect; to make ready) by the word (rhemati from rhema meaning command; speech) of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. "By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth...For he spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast" (Psalm 33:6, 9,LXX). "Science can only stand still in God's presence and believe like a little child" (Robertson, p. 419). Jehovah God created (everything except God); the worlds or ages (plural) including the stars, galaxies, planets, moons, suns, (everything material) some of which are being discovered in our day; He made them out of nothing (things we cannot see; things that are not before our eyes). There are things that man cannot see even with a telescope or a microscope. He is the Architect and Designer of the universe; the Mastermind over all things including our lives as Christians. He did it by Divine decree (command; word). What a mighty God is He!
4 Beginning with this verse the author names individuals who were characterized by their faith; their faith caused them to do things. The first man of faith in the author's roll call of the faithful is Abel. Abel offered (proenegken from prosphero meaning to bring; to present) unto God a more excellent (pleopma meaning in quality a greater) sacrifice than Cain. In offering or bringing a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, Abel obtained a witness that he was righteous (dikaios meaning just). "God is not taken with cabinet, but with the jewel; He first respected Abel's faith and sincerity, and then his sacrifice; He disrespected Cain's infidelity and hypocrisy, and then his offering" (S Charnock, B.I., Volume LII, p. 223). The account is found in Genesis 4:3, 4 where the scripture reads, "...Cain brought of the fruit of the ground...Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering. But unto Cain and to his offering he had no respect." Evidently God has already instructed Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel to bring an animal as a blood offering unto Him. Philo said, "Abel's offering was living, Cain's was lifeless." Cain disobeyed and Abel obeyed. When Cain observed that his offering (a bloodless sacrifice) was not acceptable and Abel's offering was, he became angry and slew his brother, Abel. Although Abel's life was cut short, his testimony of his faithfulness has continued for many, many years and will continue as long as God's word is read. Abel's faith is manifested with the blood sacrifice, thus an animal sacrifice was the antitype of Jesus, God's Lamb.
5, 6 Enoch is the next personality in the Faith's Hall of Fame; he did not see death because God took him or translated (metetethe from meta + tithemi meaning to carry over; to transfer; move); he was not found (heurisketo from heurisko meaning to discover) because he had the testimony that he pleased (euarestekenai from eu + aresteo meaning to be pleased with) God. Genesis 5:24 says, "And Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him." One day at the ripe old age of 365 years God took Enoch, and he could no longer be found; heaven was off limits to an earthly search party. Enoch lived an exemplary and commendable life amidst a people whose every imagination of the thoughts of (man's hearts) was evil continually (Genesis 6:5).
Without faith it is impossible to please God, for anyone coming to (proserchomenon from pros + erchomai meaning to approach; come nigh) God must believe that God exists, and that He is a rewarder (misthapodotes meaning pays back; recompenses) those who diligently seek (ekzetousin from ekzeteo meaning to carefully seek) Him. The pagan can look at God's creation around him, carefully observe the heavens and think that there must be a higher Power some where that made it all possible. Psalm 19:1 reads, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork." The pagan may wonder, "How did this all happen?" He must look at Jesus, however, to know the love of God. Paul writes of the heathen (Romans 1:21) who when "they knew (that there must be) a God, yet they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Yeager writes, "Thus the order is: (1) experience and reason leads even the unsaved to deism. God exists and He is (a) all powerful, (b) all wise, and (c) holier than unsaved people want to be. Hence, they reject Him, until (2) by the power of the Holy Spirit, He who wrote His laws into their minds, now writes them into their hearts, as a result of which they not only know the will of God, but they delight in it. Then (3) He continues to write more sophisticated concepts of His divine law into hearts, once darkened by sin but now enlightened with the glorious light of the gospel of Christ" (p. 377).
7 Noah is our next saint who was warned (chrematistheis from chrematizo meaning to be admonished) of God of things not seen as yet (mudepo from me +de + po meaning not yet), moved with fear (eulabetheis from eulabeomai meaning seriously warned; reverential awe), prepared (kateskeuasen from kateskeuazo meaning to build; to make) an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned (katekrinen from kata + krino meaning to judge against) the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Genesis 6:8, 14; 7:1, 16; 9:1 reads, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord...Make thee an ark of gopher wood...And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation...and the Lord shut him in...and God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth." Although Noah was not perfect, God did see faith in his heart, and the author of Hebrew saw fit to make him a hero of the faith. Matthew saw fit to include in his gospel the account of Noah and his faith comparing the people of his day with the people's unconcern for spiritual things during the days prior to the coming of the Son of man (24:36 - 39).
8 The father of the Jewish nation is the next hero of faith. When he was called to leave Ur of the Chaldees and afterward he would receive an inheritance (kleronomian meaning an earthly inheritance), he obeyed God and went out not knowing (epistamenos from epistamai meaning not understanding) where he went. Faith leads sometimes when we know not where the next step will lead; it was so with Abraham. Genesis 12:1, 4 read, "...Get thee out of thy country,...unto a land that I will show thee...So Abraham departed." It takes faith to pack up all possessions and start traveling and not knowing where you are going, and Abraham was not a poor man; he had possessions untold, and some of his family he left behind. Kistemaker (p. 329) writes, "In a sense, all Christians are strangers on this earth. The Bible warns us not to attach ourselves too firmly to this earthly scene. Scriptures tell us that this earth really is not our home. The Christian looks and longs for his eternal home. He sings,
I am a stranger here,
within a foreign land;
My home is far away,
upon the golden strand;
Ambassador to be
of realms beyond the sea,
I'm here on business
for my King.
--E. T. Cassel
9 By faith Abraham sojourned (parokesen from paroikeo meaning a stranger; to be a visitor; to dwell temporary) in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling (katiokesas from katoikeo meaning to inhabiting) tabernacles (skenais from skene meaning tents) with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. God had spoken to Abraham, Genesis 12:2, 3, 7; 13:15 - 17 "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee...and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed...Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared to him...For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee." The land of Canaan was a foreign country to Abraham; he dwelt as a stranger among an alien people possessing no land, but he was promised that his seed would inherit the land.
10 For Abraham looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder (technites from techioites meaning craftsman; artificer) and maker (demiourgos meaning an architect) is God. Never did Abraham view the land of Canaan as a permanent dwelling place; he looked forward to a place called heaven. Faith makes the earth and its toys look shabby up against a heavenly home. Bruce states, "To our author it is the heavenly Jerusalem, the commonwealth of God in the spiritual and eternal order, now effectively made accessible by the completion of Christ's high priestly work, to which all the men and women of faith come to be enrolled as free citizens" (p. 298).
11 Sarah, Abraham's wife, is included in Faith Roll Call. She received strength to conceive (katabolen from kataballo meaning to receive semen in the womb) seed and was delivered of a child when she was past child-bearing age (steira from steiros meaning barren), because she judged (egesato from egeomai meaning esteemed) God faithful who had made a promise. By the power of Jehovah God, Abraham was able to father a child, and Sarah in her old age was able to conceive a child. Genesis 17:9; 18:11; 21:2 read, "And God said, Sarah, thy wife, shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shall call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him...Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women...For Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him." Behold how faith works supernatural results in the lives of those who are fortunate enough to have it.
12 So far as Abraham physically producing a son (one man producing one son), his body was a good as dead (nenekromenou from nekroo meaning to be ineffective), but by the power of Jehovah God, Abraham was able to father a child and from him his posterity would be as many as the stars of the sky in multitude (plethei from plethos meaning a large number), and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable (anarithmetos from a privative + apithmeo meaning without number). Genesis 15:5, 6; 22:17, 18; 32:12 read, "...Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if thou be able to number them; and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness...in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore, and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice...I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude." Although Abraham may not have understood all that God had told him, we understand that not only does Abraham's progeny mean physical seed but spiritual seed also. We Gentiles are the spiritual seed of Abraham because we have trusted the same God.
13 All these, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their seed, died in faith never realizing the magnitude of God promises. No human being could have seen far enough into the future to dream of the impact their faith would have upon humanity. These patriarchs did not see the complete fulfillment of the possession of the Promised Land, but they moved by faith. They embraced (aspasamenoi from aspazomai meaning to greet; to accept) God's promises and confessed (homologesantes from homologeo meaning to profess; to acknowledge) that they were strangers and pilgrims (exiles) on the earth. The faith of the patriarchs was such that led their posterity to have the same faith that God would fulfill His promises although they might not see complete fulfillment in their lifetime.
14 Those who are of faith indicate plainly (emphanizousin from emphanizo meaning to manifest) by their testimony that they are looking for a better homeland (patrida from patris meaning country or fatherland). "When the patriarchs used language like this, says our author, they make it plain that the place of their sojourning was not their home...Canaan was no more their home as they sought the country of their heart's desire than the wilderness was the home of the descendants in Moses' day who journeyed from Egypt to Canaan" (Bruce, pp. 304, 305). In Genesis 32:4 Jacob testified, "Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now..." And he further testified to Pharaoh, (Genesis 47:9), "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years; few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage."
15 If the patriarchs had been mindful (mnemoneuousin from meemoneuo meaning remembered) that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity (kaipon meaning convenient season) to have returned (anakampsai from anakampto meaning turn again). The author may have been referring to the patriarchs, but he probably was referring to the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel. If so, the children of Israel did not want to return to Egypt which meant slavery and bondage again. No doubt Abraham and Sarah thought about their homeland in Ur of Chaldees; Jacob must have thought of time spent with Laban in Mesopotamia. They had "burned their bridges behind them" and would not go back.
16 The patriarch's prospect for a better country, that is an heavenly; wherefore, God is not ashamed (epaischunetai from apikaleo meaning not filled with shame) to be called their God: for he hath prepared (etoimasen from etoimazo meaning to make ready) for them a city. What does the Scripture mean when it is written, "God is not ashamed to be called their God?" Brown states, "The idea here, I apprehend, is not the condescension on the part of God in taking the name of the God of the patriarch, but the inconceivable glory and blessedness of that final state which He has prepared for them. It is a glory and happiness worthy of God to bestow on those who are the objects of His peculiar love" (p. 518). The better country to which they looked or had prospect was an heavenly country wherein dwells righteousness; they could look beyond this present world with its tribulations and heartaches which kept them from enjoyment as pilgrims and strangers. The ones who came out of Egypt did not to go back into slavery for that was worse than wandering in the wilderness.
17 - 19 The author now turns again to Abraham and his faithfulness. He, when tried (peirazomenos from peirazo meaning tested; examined), offered up (prosenenochen from prosenoke meaning to bring near) Isaac, and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten (monogene meaning unique; the only one of a kind) son. Abraham was accounting (logisamenos from logizomai meaning considering) that God could raise Isaac up. God had already told Abraham that in Isaac all his seed would be called (Genesis 21:12). The Old Testament account is given in Genesis 22:2, 5, 8, "...Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee unto the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will tell thee of...And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and (we will) worship, and (we will) come again to you...And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together...And (God) said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not wihtheld thy son, thine only son from me." Doubtless Abraham knew how difficult it would be to offer his only son as a burnt offering to Jehovah God, but at the same time, he know God would provide. If he did cut Isaac's throat, God had the power to resurrect him; however, Abraham had three days and four nights to wrestle with his decision. But to show his faith, Abraham said to his servants, 'Wait here, with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship and come again to you." The Hebrew language (LXX) conveys this message of verse 5, "I and the lad will proceed thus far, and having worshiped we will return unto you." Abraham used the first person plural - "I and the lad...we will return..." Had Abraham thought that God would not raise up Isaac from the charred remnants of his body, he would have told his servants - "I will return." He was sure that if God permitted him to kill Isaac God could raise him up, resurrect him which God did in a figure (parabole meaning parabolically; by comparison). This was before the Old Testament saints knew much about the doctrine of the resurrection also; Isaac was not yet married, nor did he have a son. Ultimately Abraham trusted Jehovah God, and that is what "faith" really is, taking God at His word.
Kellar writes, "Abraham considered that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead, and from the dead he symbolically received him. Isaac, stretched upon the altar, lay in typical death. He did not really feel the power of death, but lay in its likeness or image; and in a likeness or symbol, as one who had been devoted to death and subject to its power, his father received him back" (p. 41). Our heavenly Father did give up His only begotten Son, and He also raised him up from a literal death. Psalm 2:7 reads, "Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." And in Paul's sermon (Acts 13:33) at Antioch in Pisidia he said, "God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee."
20 By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. In Genesis 27: 28, 29 we find the blessing to Jacob, and in 27:39, 40 a lesser blessing is pronounced over Esau. To Jacob He said, "Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine: let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be everyone that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. To Esau, God said, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; and by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck." As can readily be seen Isaac gave the greater blessing to Jacob and the lesser blessing to Esau. Isaac predicted the Messiah would come through Jacob's lineage, and Messiah would receive universal worship of all nations. One must remember that these blessings were given to Isaac and to Esau before either son had married a wife and produced progeny.
21 By faith also Jacob, when he was a dying (apothneskon meaning to encounter physical death) blessed both the sons of Joseph (Manasseh and Ephraim); and worshiped (prosekunesen from proskuneo meaning paid homage to Jehovah for His many blessings; in this case, Jacob probably kissed and caressed the grandsons in an intimate fashion, leaning upon the top of his staff (probably because of his sickly, frail condition). One must keep in mind that this event took place after Joseph had served as prime minister of Egypt and had brought his family down to Egypt during the famine in Canaan. Soon after gathering all his sons and blessing and prophesying their future, Jacob "...gathered up his feet into the bed and died, and was gathered unto his people" (Genesis 49:33). Furthermore, Jacob's faith in manifested when he requested Joseph to bury him in the family plot at Machpelah (Genesis 50:5, 13). He knew that some day his progeny would conquer the land of Canaan and inherit the land for generations to come.
22 Joseph is the next hero of Israel, "when he died (teleuton from teleutao meaning to decease), he made mention (emnemoneusen from mnemoneuo meaning to be mindful of; remember) of the departing (exodou from exodos meaning the way out) of the children of Israel, and gave commandment (eneteilato from entellomai meaning to charge; enjoin) concerning his bones." Psalm 105:17 - 19 give added information about Joseph which reads, "(God) sent a man before thee, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant, whose feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in iron, until the time that his word came; the word of the Lord tested him." In Genesis 50:24, 25 we read, "Joseph said unto his brethren, I die; and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from here. So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt." Doubtless Joseph had heard his father, Isaac, request that he be buried in Canaan Land, so he desired the same; he had faith that Jehovah God would deliver Israel from Egypt sometime in the future. Joseph's request was honored as we are told in Exodus 13:19, "And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for he had solemnly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones away from here with you."
23 In this verse we have the parents of Moses as hero and heroine of the faith. By faith Moses when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, Amram and Jocebed, because they saw that he was a proper child (asteion from asteios meaning fair; elegant); they were not afraid of the king's commandment (diatagma meaning edict; mandate). The Pharaoh of Egypt had decreed (Exodus 1:22) that of all the boy babies of the Israelite women "ye shall cast into the river.." Yeager wrote, "The king did not say that they could not put a boat under the baby" (p. 402). Moses grew to manhood and was recognized as the son of Pharaoh's daughter which no doubt would have entitled him to the throne of Egypt one day. The next verse states, however, in verses
24 - 26 By faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused (ernesato from arneoman meaning denied or repudiated) to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction (sugkakoucheisthai from sugkakoucheo meaning ill-treatment) with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season (proskairon meaning temporary; not enduring). Esteeming (egesamenos from egeomai meaning accounting) the reproach (oneidismon meaning abuse; taunt; insult) of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he had respect (apeblepen from apoblepo meaning to turn one's gaze away) unto the recompense of reward (misthapodosian from misthapodosia meaning retribution; a payment of wage). Moses turned his back on the glory days of Egypt and identified himself with the children of Israel. He was willing to suffer temporarily to become a man of faith. Although he slew an Egyptian who was wrestling with an Israelite and had to flee to Midian, there he met Jehovah God in the burning bush experience and became known as Israel's deliverer.
27 - 29 So Moses forsook (katelipen from kata + leipo meaning left behind) Egypt and was never afraid of the Pharaoh, he endured (ekarteresen from kartereo meaning to be steadfast; persistent) as seeing him who is invisible (aoraton meaning unseen or incapable of being seen). He kept the Passover (Exodus 12:7, 22) and the sprinkling (proschusin from proschusis meaning to pour on; spreading) of blood, lest he that destroyed (olothreuon from olothreuo to destroy; the Destroyer) the first-born (prototoka from protos + tikto meaning first begotten) should touch (thige from thiggano meaning to handle) them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry (land), which the Egyptians, attempting (peiran from peira meaning trying; assaying) to do, were drowned (katepotheoan from katapino meaning swallowed up or devoured). All during the long struggle with Pharaoh and the plagues, Moses had no fear of the king, even as they approached the Red Sea (the sea in front of them and Pharaoh's army behind them) Moses had no fear for he said, "Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will show to you today; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever" (Exodus 14:13). Furthermore, God's word tells us in Exodus 14:22, 27, 30, "And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left...the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea...Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore." Yeager says, "The Hebrews drove live stock and the Egyptians drove and rode horses. They both traversed the same path. One group went through as though marching on dry ground. The other group was overwhelmed by water. Why the different results? One group had faith. The other group did not" (p. 409).
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed (teiche from teichos meaning encompass; surround; encircle) seven days. Joshua and the Israelite army had faith and followed God's command. Joshua 6:2 - 4 read, "And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and its king, and the mighty men of valor. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shall thou do six days...And on the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priest shall blow the trumpets." When Joshua and his army obeyed, Joshua 6:20, 21 read, "...the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword." Without battering rams, siege guns, scaling ladders or any other weapon designed for such an attack, they were able to overcome the city because God caused the walls to fall down.
31 So far the author has told of the faith of God's people, now he turns to a pagan woman, an harlot by the name of Rahab. "Faith knows no barriers. Consider the evidence against Rahab, for she was a pagan Canaanite, a prostitute, and a woman" (Kistemaker, p. 348). "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not (sunapoleto from sun + apollumi meaning to be killed) with them that believed not (apeithesasin from apeitheo meaning unbelief; disobedient), when she had received the spies (kataskopous from kataskopos meaning one who searchs thoroughly) with peace." We first find Rahab's name in the New Testament in Matthew 1:5 as an ancestress of our Lord Jesus Christ; she was the wife of Salmon and the mother of Boaz. So she was the grandmother of Obed, the great grandmother of Jesse, the great, great grandmother of David, the king; our Lord descended from that lineage. It was she who harbored the spies who came to spy out Jericho. The story of Rahab and her assistance to the spies is found in Judges 2:1 - 22; 6:22 - 25). Her faith in Jehovah God caused her to aid the spies and thus in the long run Jericho was captured without firing a shot. Rahab is one of the two foreign ancestresses of the Lord Jesus Christ; the other was Ruth the Moabitess. 32 - 34 For the lack of time or space, the author of Hebrews writes, "And what shall I more say?" To mention all, time would fail (epileipsei from epileipo not be sufficient). Then he just mentions Gideon (Judges 6 - 8), Barak (Judges 4, 5), Samson (Judges 13 - 16), Jephthah (Judges 11, 12), David, Samuel and then the prophets. Robertson quotes Moffatt here, "The author has nine terse clauses here with great rhetorical and oratorical force (sledge-hammer style)" (p. 428). Through faith these subdued (kategonisanto from katagonizomai meaning to fight against and subdue) kingdoms, wrought (eirgasanto from ergazomai meaning worked) righteousness, obtained (epetuchon from epi + tugchano meaning achieved; attained) promises, stopped (ephraxan from phrasso meaning silenced; blocked) the mouths of lions, quenched (esbesan from sbennumi meaning extinguished) the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong (edunamothesan from dunamoo meaning to strengthen; confirm), became valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies (parembolas meaning encampments) of the aliens." The author acknowledged that the exploits of these mentioned and those worthy of mention would fill volumes, although many are mentioned in the Old Testament. Yeager writes, "Note that the writer is saying that many Old Testament characters who lived under the Mosaic code and worshiped by the Levitical sacrifices, nevertheless had saving faith. This passage demonstrates that there have been born again children of God in every era that the dispensationalists talk about" (416).
35 - 38 Women received their dead raised to life again; and others were tortured, (etumpanisthesan from tumpanizo meaning stretched or broken on a wheel) not accepting deliverance: that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings (empaigmon meaning psychological attacks; insults) and scourgings (mastigon from mastix meaning whippings), yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonments; they were stoned, they were sawn asunder (episthesan from prizo meaning sawn in two pieces), were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in (clothing made of) sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute (husteroumenoi meaning to have need; lack; to be in want), afflicted (thlibomenoi from thlibo meaning troubled; squeezed), tormented (kakouchoumenoi from kakoucheo meaning to be ill-treated; oppressed) (of whom the world was not worthy (axios meaning worthless); they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens (splaiois meaning orifices in the earth) and caves (opais from ope meaning caverns) of the earth." Women who received their children from the dead reminds us of I Kings 17:23 where Elijah gave a woman's son back to her, and II Kings 4:37 where Elisha raised the Shunammite woman's son. The above reference "to torture on a wheel," they seem to have been offered deliverance is they would recant for apostasy from the Jewish faith; however, many refused when they thought of the coming resurrection. It is assumed that many of the faithful suffered untold agony in prisons and dungeons. Psalm 44:22 reads, "Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter." Tradition states that Isaiah was sawn asunder during Manasseh's reign, although it cannot be authenticated by scripture. I Kings 19:13, 19 speak of an hundred men hiding in a cave and fed bread and water. II Kings 2:8 tells us of Elijah using his mantle to part the waters; he probably wore a sheepskin or goatskin outer garment. I Kings 19: 14 tells of God's prophets being slain by the sword. The early Christians were dressed in skins of animals and torn to pieces by vicious dogs; did the Romans learn this cruel treatment from some of their predecessors?
39, 40 All these saints suffered and endured persecution having obtained a good report (marturethentes from martureo meaning to bare a good testimony) through faith, received not the promise (epaggelian from epaggelia meaning assurance). God provided (problepsamenou from problepo meaning foresee; foreordain; anticipate) some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Jehovah God knowing that many of the Jews would reject Him and not receive Him by faith, chose to give the Gentiles an opportunity to be saved by that same faith and grace. He has delayed the Second Coming until such time many a Gentile can be saved. Yeager writes, "This long recital of what faith is and what it will do in the lives of the saints, in whatever age they live, is now to be used as a basis for ethical admonitions for Christians yet living" (p. 425).
| Heb. Intro. | Heb 1 | Heb 2 | Heb 3 | Heb 4 | Heb 5 |
| Heb 6 | Heb 7 | Heb 8 | Heb 9 | Heb 10 | Heb 11 |
| Heb 12 | Heb 13 | Heb Bib |