Hebrews 11

“THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS”

Chapter Eleven Having stressed the importance of faith for salvation (Hebrews 10:39), the author defines faith (Hebrews 11:1-3) and then illustrates faith’ s role in the lives of many Old Testament saints (Hebrews 11:4-40).

POINTS TO PONDER

• The meaning of faith for New Testament Christians

• The examples of faith in Old Testament believers

REVIEW

1. What are the main points of this chapter?- Faith defined - Hebrews 11:1-3- Faith exemplified - Hebrews 11:4-40

2. What is faith as defined in this chapter? (Hebrews 11:1)- Confidence in what we hope for, assurance about what we do not see (cf. NIV)

3. What we do understand by faith concerning the worlds? (Hebrews 11:3)- They were framed by the word of God, they were not made by things visible

4. List the names of Old Testament saints mentioned in this chapter (Hebrews 11:4-32)- Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Israel, Rahab

• Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets

5. What did these “heroes of faith” look forward to receiving? (Hebrews 11:13-16)- The promises, especially regarding the heavenly country and city prepared by God

6. List some of the amazing things done by faith. (Hebrews 11:33-35)- Subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises

• Stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire
• Escaped the edge of the sword, became valiant in battle, turned armies to flight
• Women received their dead raised to life again

7. List some of the things these people of faith endured. (Hebrews 11:35-38)- Torture, mocking, scourging, chains of imprisonment

• Stoned, sawn in two, wandering destitute in mountains and caves, afflicted, tormented

8. What did these “heroes of faith” obtain? What did they not? Why? (Hebrews 11:39-40)- A good testimony

• The promise (i.e., the Messianic promise)
• That they might be made perfect together with us (i.e., salvation, the heavenly city)

9. From this chapter, what do we learn about faith and works?- True faith leads to action, faith without works is dead (cf. James 2:14-26) HEBREWS CHAPTER ELEVEN. Living by Faith.SUMMARY.–Faith Explained. The Faith of the Elders. Remarkable Examples of Ancient Faith. All Seeking for a Better Country. The Victories of Faith. The Sufferings Endured by Faith. Christians Exhorted to Follow These Glorious Examples. 1-3. Faith is the substance. The old meaning of substance, as well as of Hupostasis, the Greek word here used, is “stand under,” that is to be a foundation. Faith is the foundation on which all our hopes for the future are built. The evidence. Rather, the conviction or persuasion of things not seen. Without faith we would be limited to the very narrow world comprehended by the senses. 2. For by it the elders, etc. The ancient men of God, through faith, so lived, that they have obtained a good name. 3. Through faith we understand, etc. The creation of the world is among “the things not seen,” and all our knowledge of it rests upon our faith in the word of God. Indeed, our knowledge of all past history depends upon faith. 4-7. Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. See the account of Gen 4:1-5 . Abel’s faith was probably shown in offering just such a sacrifice as the Lord demanded, while Cain made an offering according to his own ideas. Obtained witness. In some way the Lord testified his approval of Abel’s sacrifice, and showed his disapproval of Cain’s, perhaps by sending fire to consume Abel’s.

By it. By his faith. His faith speaks to all ages. 5. By faith Enoch was translated. See Genesis 5:24 also Jude 1:14 . His faithfulness was rewarded by a translation to heaven without first becoming a victim of death.

Had this testimony. The testimony is that he “walked with God,” and God took him, because he was pleased with him. 6. But without faith it is impossible, etc. Man cannot please God without because in unbelief he cannot do what is pleasing to God. To please God we must come to him in the appointed ways, but this cannot be done without belief in his existence and trust in his blessings. 7. By faith Noah.

See Genesis 6:13-22 . When he was divinely warned of a coming deluge he believed it, simply upon the word of God. Now observe how his faith acted. (1) He was moved by fear; (2) he prepared the ark as God had directed. His faith moved him to obedience. Condemned the world. The example of his faith was a rebuke to all who were not moved by it.

The man who gives heed to God by his conduct condemns those who refuse to heed him. Became heir. It was by the obedience of faith that he became an heir of the blessings vouchsafed to those who are counted righteous through faith. See Romans 1:17 . 8-12. By faith Abraham. See Genesis 11:31 Genesis 12:1-4 Genesis 12:1-4 . While in Ur of the Chaldees he was commanded to go where he should be led. In obedience to this call he obeyed through faith, a striking example of the action of faith. 9. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise.

He was a stranger in the land promised to him and his seed, dwelling as did Isaac and Jacob, in tents, yet trusting the promise of God. Heirs . . . of the same promise. See Genesis 26:3 Genesis 26:4 Genesis 27:4 Genesis 26:13 Genesis 26:14 . 10. For he looked for a city which hath foundations. Not only for a permanent home for his seed in Canaan, but for a home above in the eternal city, the New Jerusalem. Builder and maker.

Architect and maker. God not only projected the plans of the eternal city but has executed them. 11. Faith also Sarah.See Genesis 17:15-21 Genesis 18:11-14 Genesis 21:1 Genesis 17:2 . Far beyond the years of child bearing, yet by faith she was give natural strength to bear the child of promise. She was about ninety years old. 12. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead.

From an old man, a hundred years old, whose reproductive powers were dead, a people. As the stars of the sky in multitude. See Deuteronomy 1:10 . These figures are used to express a vast multitude. 13-16. These all died in faith. All the patriarchs named. They died without the fulfillment of the promises, either those of a temporal possession or of an innumerable seed. Having seen them afar off.They beheld them in the future by faith. Confessed.

By their whole lives that they were pilgrims. They had no fixed home and were waiting for a country. 14. They that say such things. Who confess that they are pilgrims. Seek a country. This confession shows that they are seeking a country somewhere and have not yet found it. 15.

If they had been mindful, etc. They could have returned to their old home in Ur of the Chaldees, if they had chosen, but though homeless in a strange land they had faith in a future home. 16. Desire a better country. They desired a country better than Chaldea, better even than Canaan. They had a faith which looked for a heavenly country. 17-19. Abraham, when he was tried. See Genesis 22:1-14 . Offered up his only begotten son. Abraham stands as the great Old Testament example of faith, “the Father of the faithful,” the man “whose faith was counted for righteousness.” Hence his faith was tried by the sternest test of any Man of God on record, not that God might be certain of his faith, but that all his spiritual children should profit by his example. Note: (1) Isaac was the only child of his marriage; (2) he was the child of promise and by grace; (3) he was the heir, not only of Abraham but of all God’s promises to Abraham.

Yet Abraham was told to offer him. It was God’s command. What a trial of faith! Yet, he believed, though he would not see how, that God would keep his promises, and that in “Isaac his seed should be called,” even though God raised him from the dead. Hence in faith he obeyed, and his faith was gloriously rewarded. The lesson for us is implicit obedience to God’s command and trust in his promises.

Nothing less is a demonstration of faith. 19. Received him in a figure. As one who in his mind had been sacrificed. It was from the altar of sacrifice that he received him back. 20-22. By faith Isaac blessed, etc. See Genesis 27:26-40 Genesis 28:2-3 . In the blessing there are prophecies of their future history. 21. By faith Jacob, when he was dying. See Genesis 48:8-22 .

In his blessing he foresaw that both Ephraim and Manasseh would be tribes of Israel, and that the younger would be the ancestor of the greater tribe. Leaning upon the top of his staff . The Hebrew word as originally written may mean either staff or bed, that on which one rests. In our English version of Genesis “bed” has been preferred. The Septuagint, followed here, says “staff.” It means that the sick old man raised from his couch and leaned his weight on his staff while conferring the blessing. 22. By faith Joseph.

See Genesis 50:24 Genesis 50:25 . By faith he looked forward to the children of Israel going up to Canaan for a home, and charged that his body should be carried up. This charge was faithfully fulfilled. See Joshua 24:32 . 23-27. By faith Moses. See Exodus 2:2 Acts 7:20 . Through faith in God the parents were led to disobey the king’s cruel edict, and to hide the child. A proper child. A promising child. 24.

Moses . . . refused to be called, etc. He had faith in God’s promises, and hence forsook his honored position, for the sake of his people. 25. Choosing rather. There were honor, wealth and pleasure in the palace, but affliction with the enslaved nation. He chose the latter by faith. For a season.

The pleasures of sin are transient. 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ. Any reproach endured through faith in the promises of which Christ was the center and sum, was called the reproach of Christ. This reproach, though men might shrink from it, was really of more value permanently than the treasures of Egypt, because he looked forward to the recompense, the heavenly blessings. 27. By faith he forsook Egypt. The Exodus was all an achievement of faith.

It was faith that made Moses disdain the king’s wrath. He endured, as seeing him who is invisible.The unseen God was present with him by faith and his support gave strength to endure all. 28-31. Through faith he kept the passover . He kept it because God commanded and he believed all God promised. The sprinkling of blood. The blood of the lamb sprinkled on the door posts. He not only believed that this would protect Israel’s first born, but his faith went beyond the type to the Lamb of God. 29. By faith they passed through the Red Sea. See Exodus 14:13-22 . In obedience to God’s command they marched into the sea and “were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” . 30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell. See Joshua 6:8 to Joshua 21:31. By faith the harlot Rahab. See Joshua 2:1-22 . 32-38. What shall we more say? All these cases are examples of heroic deeds and holy lives of faith. And the Scriptures are full of them; of such examples as Gideon ; Barak ; Samson ; Jephthae ; of David also ; Samuel ; The prophets. Many of these were illustrious examples of the power of faith. 33. Who through faith subdued kingdoms.

Some of those named subdued kingdoms, as Barak, Gideon, David. Obtained promises. Promises were made to many of the worthies named. Stopped the mouths of lions. The case of Daniel is the most remarkable. See Daniel 6:20 . 34.

Quenched the violence of fire. See the case of “the Hebrew children” in Daniel 3:19-28 . Escaped the edge of the sword. See 1 Samuel 18:10 1 Samuel 18:11 . 35. Women received their dead raised to life again. The widow of Zarephath and the Shunammite are examples.

Others were tortured. This was especially true in the terrible persecutions recorded in the Book of Maccabees. A better resurrection. They preferred to suffer in hope of the resurrection to eternal life. 36. Others had trial of, etc. This was true of many persecutions recorded in Jewish history. 37.

They were stoned. See 1 Kings 21:10-15 1 Kings 21:2 2 Chronicles 24:21 . Sawn asunder. The Talmud says that this was Isaiah’s fate. 38. Of whom the world was not worthy. When it rejects the good it shows its unworthiness.

They wandered in deserts. To hide from persecutors. 39, 40. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith. By the power of faith they lived holy and heroic lives, but all died without having seen the fulfillment of the promise of a Deliverer. 40. God having provided some better thing for us. The new and better covenant, the gospel, the realization of the promise made to Abraham. That they without us should not be made perfect. That they and we together might be made complete in the city whose builder and maker is God. The full fruition, the being made complete (perfect) belongs to the heavenly state. All these ancient heroes, who died not having received the promise, need the realization of the promise in Christ to make them perfect; by that promise we also are saved. Hebrews 11 Verse 1

1. Ἔףפים הὲ נ�ףפיע. “But faith is &c.” Since he has said “ we are of faith to gaining of the soul,” the question might naturally arise, What then is faith? It is nowhere defined in Scripture, nor is it defined here, for the writer rather describes it in its effects than in its essence; but it is described by what it does. The chapter which illustrates “ faith” is full of works; and this alone should shew how idle is any contrast or antithesis between the two. Here however the word “ faith” means only “ the belief which leads to faithfulness”— the hope which, apart from sight, holds the ideal to be the most real, and acts accordingly. It is not used in the deeper mystical sense of St Paul as equivalent to absolute union with Christ. ὑנ�ףפבףיע. “The assurance” or “the giving substance to.” Ὑנ�ףפבףיע, as in Hebrews 1:3, may mean [1] that underlying essence which gives reality to a thing. Faith gives a subjective reality to the aspirations of hope. But it may be used [2] in an ordinary and not a metaphysical sense for “ basis,” foundation; or [3] for “confidence,” as in Hebrews 3:14 (comp. 2 Corinthians 9:4; 2 Corinthians 11:17): and this seems to be the most probable meaning of the word here. St Jerome speaks of the passage as breathing somewhat of Philo , who speaks of faith in a very similar way. ἔכודקןע. “Demonstration,” or “test.” ןὐ גכונןל�םשם, i.e. פῶם ἀןס�פשם, which are as yet invisible, because they are eternal and not temporal (2 Corinthians 4:18; 2 Corinthians 5:7). God Himself belongs to the things as yet unseen; but Faith— in this sense of the word, which is not the distinctively Pauline sense (Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:26; Romans 3:25)— demonstrates the existence of the immaterial as though it were actual. The object of faith from the dawn of man’ s life had been Christ, who, even at the Fall, had been foretold as “ the seed of the woman who should break the serpent’ s head.” The difference between the Two Covenants was that in the New He was fully set forth as the effulgence of the Father’ s glory, whereas in the Old He had been but dimly indicated by shadows and symbols. Bishop Wordsworth quotes the sonnet of the poet Wordsworth on these lines: “ For what contend the wise? for nothing less Than that the Soul, freed from the bonds of sense, And to her God restored by evidenceOf things not seen, drawn forth from their recess, Root there— and not in forms— her holiness.” Verses 1-40 CH. 11. THE HEROES OF FAITH The main task of the writer has now been performed, but the remainder of the Epistle had also a very important purpose. It would have been fatal to the peace of mind of a Jewish convert to feel that there was a chasm between his Christian faith and the faith of his past life. The writer wishes to shew that there is no painful discontinuityin the religious convictions of Hebrew converts. They could still enjoy the viaticum of good examples set forth in their O. T. Scriptures. Their faith was identical, though transcendently more blessed than that which had sustained the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Martyrs of their nation in all previous ages. The past history of the Chosen People was not discarded or discredited by the Gospel; it was, on the contrary, completed and glorified. Verse 2
2. ἐלבספץס�טחףבם. Lit., “For therein the elders had witness borne to them.” Their “ good report” was won in the sphere of faith. The elders— a technical Jewish term (זְקֵנִים)— means the ancient fathers of the Church of Israel (Hebrews 1:1). Verse 3
3. ׀�ףפוי. In this chapter we find fifteen special instances of the work of faith, besides the summary enumeration in the 32nd and following verses. םןןῦלום. “We apprehend with the reason.” See Romans 1:20. ךבפחספ�ףטבי. “Have been established” (Hebrews 13:21; Psalms 73:16, LXX.). פןὺע בἰῶםבע. The word for “ worlds” means literally ages (Hebrews 1:2), i.e. the world regarded from the standpoint of human history. The “ time-world” necessarily presumes the existence of the space-world also. See Hebrews 1:2. ῥ�לבפי טוןῦ. “By the utterance of God,” namely by His fiat, as in Genesis 1; Psalms 33:6; Psalms 33:9; 2 Peter 3:5. There is no question here as to the creation of the world by the Logos, for he purposely alters the word כ�דῳ used by the LXX. in Psalms 33 into ῥ�לבפי. וἰע פὸ לὴἐך צביםןל�םשם פὸ גכונ�לוםןם דודןם�םבי. The true reading and literal translation are “so that not from things which appear hath that which is seen come into being,” a somewhat harsh way of expressing that “ the visible world did not derive its existence from anything phenomenal.” The translation of the Peshito , of the Vulgate , seem to imply a reading ἐך לὴ צביםןל�םשם, which would be an interpretation of the unusual order, but hardly suit the Greek as it stands. In other words, the clause denies the pre-existence of matter. It says that the world was made out of nothing, not out of the primeval chaos. So in 2Ma 7:28 the mother begs her son “ to look upon the heaven and earth and all that is therein, and consider that God made them out of things that are not” (ἐמ ןὐך ὄםפשם). If this view be correct, the writer would seem purposely to avoid Philo’ s way of saying that the world was made out of to פὰ לὴὄםפב, “ things conceived as non-existent,” by which he meant the “ formless matter” (as in Wisdom of Solomon 11:17).

He says that the world did not originate from anything phenomenal. This verse, so far from being superfluous, or incongruous with what follows, strikes the keynote of faith by shewing that its first object must be a Divine and Infinite Creator. Thus like Moses in Genesis 1 the verse excludes from the region of faith all Atheism, Pantheism, Polytheism, and Dualism. Verse 4 4. Ἄגוכ. Intending, so to speak, “ to pluck only the flowers which happen to come within his reach, while he leaves the whole meadow full to his readers,” he begins to cull his instances from the world before the flood. His examples of faith fall into five groups. 1. Antediluvian (4– 6). 2. From Noah to Abraham (7– 19, including some general reflexions in 13– 16). 3. The Patriarchs (20– 22). 4. From Moses to Rahab (23– 31). 5. Summary reference to later heroes and martyrs down to the time of the Maccabees (32– 40). נכו�ןםב. Lit., “more” or “greater.” נבסὰ ��תם. This we learn from Genesis 4:5, but we are not told the exact points in virtue of which the sacrifice was superior. We may naturally infer that Abel’ s was a more carefully-chosen and valuable offering, but especially that it was offered in a more sincere and humble spirit of faith and love. ἐלבספץס�טח. By God’ s sign of approval (Genesis 4:4, LXX.). Hence he is called “ righteous” in Matthew 23:35; 1 John 3:12. The Jewish Haggadah was that God had shewn His approval by fire from heaven which consumed Abel’ s sacrifice. לבספץסןῦםפןע ἐנὶ פןῖע ה‏סןיע. “Bearing witness to his gifts.” היʼ בὐפῆע, i.e. by his faith. ἀנןטבםὼם ἔפי כבכוῖ. Another reading (כבכוῖפבי, DEKL) is “ though dead, he is still being spoken of.” But the allusion seems to be to “ the voice of his blood” (Genesis 4:10), as seems clear from the reference in Hebrews 12:24. No doubt it is also meant that he speaks by his example, but there seems to have been some Jewish Haggadah on the subject, for Philo says “ Abel— which is most strange— has both been slain and lives” (Opp. I. 200). He deduces from Genesis 4:10 that Abel is still unforgotten, and hence that the righteous are immortal. Verse 5 5. לופופ�טח. Lit., “was transferred (hence)” (Genesis 5:24; Sir 44:16; Sir 49:14; Jos. Antt. I. 3, § 4). ןὐק חὑס�ףךופן. Genesis 5:24 (LXX. God. Alex.). לולבספ‎סחפבי. “He hath had witness borne to him” ; “ Enoch walked with God,” Genesis 5:24 . Verse 6 6. ὅפי ἔףפים. The object of Faith is both the existence and the Divine government of God. “ We trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1 Timothy 4:10). ד�םופבי. “And that He becomes (i.e. shews or proves Himself to be) a rewarder.” Verse 7 7. קסחלבפיףטו�ע. The same word is used as in Hebrews 8:5, Hebrews 12:25. פῶם לחה�נש גכונןל�םשם. The participle with the art. is in the N. T. normally negatived by לὴ, except in oases of antithesis (like Romans 9:25) and in Ephesians 5:4 if פὰ ןὐך ἀם�ךןםפב be there the true reading. Here the לὴ indicates the subjective standpoint. וὐכבגחטו�ע. Influenced by godly caution and reverence; the same kind of fear as that implied in Hebrews 5:7. ךבפ�ךסיםום. His example was in condemnatory contrast with the unbelief of the world (Matthew 12:41; Luke 11:31). פῆע ךבפὰ נ�ףפים. “Which is according to faith” (comp. Ezekiel 14:14). Noah is called “ righteous” in Genesis 6:9, and Philo observes that he is the first to receive this title, and erroneously says that the name Noah means “ righteous” as well as “ rest.” St Paul does not use the phrase “ the righteousness according to faith,” though he has “ the righteousness of faith” (Romans 4:13). “ Faith” however in this writer never becomes the same as mystic oneness with Christ, but means general belief in the unseen; and “ righteousness” is not “ justification,” but faith manifested by obedience. Throughout this chapter righteousness is the human condition which faith produces (Hebrews 11:33), not the Divine gift which faith receives. Hence he says that Noah “ became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith,” i.e. he entered on the inheritance of righteousness which faith had brought him. In 2 Peter 2:5 Noah is called “ a preacher of righteousness” ; and in Wisdom of Solomon 10:4 “ the righteous man.” Verse 8 8. Ἀגסב�ל. As was natural, the faith of “ the father of the faithful” was one of the commonest topics of discussion in the Jewish Schools. Wordsworth (Eccles. Sonnets, XXVI.) speaks of “Faith, which to the Patriarchs did dispense Sure guidance ere a ceremonial fence Was needful to men thirsting to transgress.” ךבכן‎לוםןע. If ὁ ךבכן‎לוםןע were the right reading it could only mean literally either “ he who is called Abraham,” which would be somewhat meaningless; or “ Abraham, who was called to go out.” ἐמוכטוῖם. From Ur of the Chaldees (Acts 7:4). פ�נןם. Genesis 12:7. נןῦἔסקופבי. Strictly נןῖ would be required, but the adv. of rest is often thus joined to a verb of motion. The ἕסקופבי is used graphically. Verse 9 9. ὡע ἀככןפס�בם. “I am a stranger and a sojourner with you” (Genesis 23:4). The patriarchs are constantly called נ�סןיךןי, “ dwellers beside,” “ sojourners” (Genesis 17:8; Genesis 20:1, &c.). ἐם ףךחםבῖע, i.e. in tents (Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:3, &c.). Verse 10 10. פὴם פןὺע טולוכ�ןץע ἔקןץףבם. “The city which hath the foundations,” namely, “ the Jerusalem above” (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22; Hebrews 13:14;Revelation 21:2; Revelation 21:14). The same thought is frequently found in Philo. The tents of the Patriarchs had no foundations; the foundations of the City of God are of pearl and precious stone (Revelation 21:14; Revelation 21:19). There is perhaps a reference to Psalms 87:1, “ Her foundations are upon the holy hills.” Mr Rendall too precariously infers a contrast with the foundations of the earthly Jerusalem, shaken by the Roman engines of war. פוקם�פחע ךבὶ החליןץסד�ע. “Architect and builder.” This is the only place in the N. T. where the word החליןץסדὸע occurs. It is found also in 2Ma 4:1, and plays a large part in the vocabulary of Gnostic heretics, who believing in the inherent evil of matter spoke of the Demiurge as the Evil creator. But God is called the “ Architect” of the Universe in Philo and in Wisdom of Solomon 13:1, “ neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the workmaster.” Verse 11 11. ךבὶ בὐפὴ ׃�ססב. “Even Sarah herself.” Perhaps the “ even” refers to her original weakness of faith when she laughed (Genesis 18:12; Genesis 21:2; comp. Romans 4:19). Dr Field thinks that these words may be a gloss, and that the verse refers to Abraham, since ἔפוךום, “ was delivered,” is not found in א, A, D. וἰע ךבפבגןכὴם ףנ�סלבפןע. For technical reasons the probable meaning is “ for the founding of a family” (comp. the use of the word ךבפבגןכὴ in Hebrews 4:3, Hebrews 9:26 and “ seed” in Hebrews 2:16, Hebrews 11:18). פὸם ἐנבדדויכ�לוםןם. Comp. Hebrews 10:23. Verse 12 12. פὰἄףפסב ך.פ.כ. Genesis 22:17; Deuteronomy 1:10. פὸ קוῖכןע. Comp. “labrum fossae” Liv. XXXVII. 37. Verse 13 13. �בפὰ נ�ףפים. Lit., “ According to faith.” לὴ ךןליף�לוםןי. They received the promises in one sense, as promises (Hebrews 11:17), but had not yet entered upon their fruition (comp. Hebrews 11:39; Hebrews 6:15, and Hebrews 9:15). ἀףנבף�לוםןי. “Saluting them” (Genesis 49:18). “ Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56). נבסונ�החלןי. Genesis 23:4; Genesis 47:9; 1 Chronicles 29:15; Psalms 39:12, &c. Verse 14 14. ὃפי נבפס�הב ἐניזחפןῦףים. “That they are seeking further after a native land.” Hence comes the argument of the next verse that it was not their old home in Chaldea for which they were yearning, but a heavenly native-land. Verse 15 15. וἰ לὲם … לםחלןםו‎ןץףים … וἶקןם ἄם. The tenses imply the meaning, “ Assuming that they bore that land in continuous memory, they would at all times have had &c.” See Winer, p. 382. The reading לםחלןםו‎ןץףים for ἐלםחל�םוץןם is very ill-supported; but it is the difficilior interpretatio; is found in Theodoret; and derives some sanction from the לםחלןםוץןץףבם of D. ἀםבך�לרבי. But they never attempted to return to Mesopotamia. They were home-sick not for that land but for heaven. Verse 16 16. םῦם ה�. “But, as the case now is.” ὀס�דןםפבי. The word means, “they are yearning for,” “they stretch forth their hands towards.” ןὐך ἐנביףק‎םופבי בὐפןὺע ך.פ.כ. “Is not ashamed of them, to be called their God” (Genesis 28:13; Exodus 3:6-15). נ�כים. The “ inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us” (1 Peter 1:4). This digression is meant to shew that the faith and hopes of the Patriarchs reached beyond mere temporal blessings. Verse 17 17. נסןףום�םןקום … נסןף�צוסום. Reverting to Abraham, whose faith [1] in leaving his country, [2] in living as a stranger in Canaan, he has already mentioned, he now adduces the third and greatest instance of his faithful obedience in being ready to offer up Isaac. Both tenses, “ hath offered up” (perf.) and “ was offering up” (imperf.), are characteristic of the author’ s views of Scripture as a permanent record of events which may be still regarded as present to us. St James (James 2:21) uses the aorist. ἀםבהומ�לוםןע. Four verbs are used with reference to “ receiving” the promises, ἀםבה�קוףטבי (here), כבגוῖם (Hebrews 9:15), ἐניפץקוῖם (Hebrews 11:33), ךןל�ףבףטבי (Hebrews 11:39). The word here used implies a joyous welcome of special promises. The context generally shews with sufficient clearness the sense in which the Patriarchs may be said both to have “ received” and “ not to have received” the promises. They received and welcomed special promises, and those were fulfilled; and in those they saw the germ of richer blessings which they enjoyed by faith but not in actual fruition. Verse 18 18. נסὸע ὅם. Lit., “with reference to whom” (Isaac); or perhaps “ to whom,” i.e. to Abraham. ךכחט�ףופבי. Genesis 17:8; Genesis 17:19; Genesis 21:12, &c. Verse 19 19. ὅטום. The only place in this Epistle where ὅטום has its local sense. ἐם נבסבגןכῇ. Lit., “in a parable.” For the use of the word see Hebrews 9:9. The exact meaning is much disputed. It has been rendered “ as a type” (comp. Vulg. in parabolam), or “ in a bold venture,” or “ unexpectedly.” These views are hardly tenable. But how could Abraham have received Isaac back “in a figure” when he received him back “in reality” ?

The answer is that he received him back, figuratively, from the dead, because Isaac was typically, or figuratively, dead— potentially sacrificed— when he received him back. Josephus in narrating the event uses the same word (Antt. I. 13, § 4). But in this instance again it is possible that the key to the expression might be found in some Jewish legend. In one Jewish writer it is said (of course untruly) that Isaac really was killed, and raised again. The restoration of Isaac wasundoubtedly a type of the resurrection of Christ, but it is hardly probable that the writer would have expressed so deep a truth in a passing and ambiguous expression. Verse 20 20. וὐכ�דחףום. It is true that the blessing of Esau when rightly translated, “ Behold thy dwelling shall be away from the fatness of the earth and away from the dew of blessing” (Genesis 27:39), reads more like a curse; but the next verse [40] involves a promise of ultimate freedom, and Esau obtained the blessings of that lower and less spiritual life for which he was alone fitted by his character and tastes. [ךבὶ] נוסὶ לוככ�םפשם. The true reading seems to be “even concerning,” though it is not easy to grasp the exact force of the “ even.” Verse 21 21. ἕךבףפןם פῶם ץἱῶם. “Each of the sons.” He made a marked difference between them (Genesis 48:17-19). נסןףוך‎םחףום ἐנὶ פὸἄךסןם ך.פ.כ. In this verse there is an allusion to two separate events. The first is the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:1-20); the other an earlier occasion (Genesis 47:29-31). In our version it is rendered “ And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’ s head” but in the LXX. and Peshito as here, it is “ upon the top of his staff.” The reason for the variation is that having no vowel points the LXX. understood the word to be matteh, “ staff,” not mittah, “ bed,” as in Genesis 48:2. If they were right in this view, the passage means that Jacob, rising from his bed to take the oath from Joseph, supported his aged limbs on the staff, which was a type of his pilgrimage (Genesis 32:10), and at the end of the oath bowed his head over the staff in sign of thanks and reverence to God. The Vulgate (here following the Itala) erroneously renders it adoravit fastigium virgae ejus, Jacob “ adored the top of his (Joseph’ s) staff,” and the verse has been quoted (e.g. by Cornelius a Lapide) in defence of image-worship! Yet in Genesis 47:31 the Vulgate has “ adoravit Deum, conversus ad lectuli caput.” Probably all that is meant is that, being too feeble to rise and kneel or stand, Jacob “ bowed himself upon the head of his couch” in an attitude of prayer, just as the aged David did on his deathbed (1 Kings 1:47). Verse 22 22. פוכוץפῶם, sc. פὸם ג�ןם. The less common word for “ dying” is here taken from the LXX. of Genesis 50:26. נוסὶ פῶם ὀףפ�שם בὐפןῦ. A sign of his perfect conviction that God’ s promise would be fulfilled (Genesis 50:24-25; Exodus 13:19; comp. Acts 7:16). Verse 23 23. ´ש�ףῆע … ἐךס‎גח. The “ faith” is of course that of his parents, Amram and Jochebed. פῶם נבפ�סשם. This is implied in the LXX. of Exodus 2:2, but the Hebrew only says that his mother concealed him. ἀףפוῖןם פὸ נביה�ןם. “That the child was fair.” In Acts 7:20 he is called ἀףפוῖןע פῷ טוῷ. In his marvellous beauty (see Philo, Vit. Mos.) they saw a promise of some future blessing, and braved the peril involved in breaking the king’ s decree. The Hebr. word is simply טוֹב. Theophyl. ὡסבῖןם, פῇὄרוי קבס�ום. פὸ הי�פבדלב. To drown all male children (Exodus 1:22; Exodus 2:2). In D, E we have the interpolation (from Acts 7:23) ניףפי לודבע דוםןלוםןע לשץףחע בםיכום פןם בידץנפיןם ךבפבםןשם פחם פבניםשףים פשם בהוכצשם בץפןץ. Verse 24 24. ץἱὸע טץדבפסὸע ײבסב‏. He refused the rank of an Egyptian prince. The reference is to the Jewish legends, which were rich in details about the infancy and youth of Moses. See Jos. Antt. II. ix– xi; Philo, Opp. II. 82; Stanley, Lect. on Jewish Church. The only reference to the matter in Scripture is in Exodus 2:10; Acts 7:22-25. Verse 25 25. פῷ כבῷ פןῦ טוןῦ. Hebrews 4:9. נס�ףךביסןם. The brevity of sinful enjoyment is alluded to in Job 20:5, “ The triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment.” The special sin would have been the very one to which the readers were tempted— apostasy. Verse 26 26. פῶם ֱἰד‎נפןץ. The reading פῶם ἐם ֱἰד‎נפןץ is less well supported. It is of course explicable by an ellipse of דῇ. פὸם ὀםויהיףלὸם פןῦ ׳סיףפןῦ. “The reproach of the Christ” (comp. Hebrews 13:13; Matthew 5:11-12; 2 Corinthians 1:5; Romans 15:3; Philippians 3:7-11;Colossians 1:24). There may be in the words a reminiscence of Psa 89:50-51, “ Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants … wherewith thine enemies have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.” By “ the reproach of the Christ” is meant “ the reproach which He had to bear in His own person, and has to bear in that of His members” (2 Corinthians 1:5). It is true that in no other passage of the Epistle does the writer allude to the mystical oneness of Christ and His Church, but he must have been aware of that truth from intercourse with St Paul and knowledge of his writings. Otherwise we must suppose him to imply that Moses by faith realised, at least dimly, that he was suffering as Christ would hereafter suffer. ἀנ�גכונום ד�ס. Lit., “ for he was looking away from it to.” What Moses had in view was something wholly different from sinful pleasure. The verb is found here only in the N. T. Verse 27 27. ךבפ�כינום ֱἴדץנפןם. This must allude to the Exodus, not to the flight of Moses into Midian. On the latter occasion, he distinctly did “ fear the wrath of the king” (Exodus 2:14-15). It is true that for the moment Pharaoh and the Egyptians pressed the Israelites to depart, but it was only in fear and anger, and Moses foresaw the immediate pursuit. לὴ צןגחטו�ע. “Because he did not fear.” פὸם דὰס ἀ�סבפןם ך.פ.כ. The words have also been rendered, but less correctly, “ He was steadfast towards Him who is invisible, as if seeing Him.” פὸם ἀ�סבפןם. “ The blessed and only Potentate … whom no man hath seen, nor can see” (1 Timothy 6:16-17). Perhaps we should render it “ the King Invisible,” understanding the word גבףיכ�ב, and so emphasizing the contrast between the fear of God and the consequent fearless attitude towards Pharaoh. Verse 28 28. נונן�חךום. Lit., “he hath made,” or “instituted.” Another of the author’ s characteristic tenses (see Hebrews 11:17). ׀ןיוῖם is also used for celebrating the passover (Deuteronomy 16:1, &c.). פὴם נס�ףקץףים פןῦ בἵלבפןע. “The effusion of the blood.” Exodus 12:21-23. The “ faith” consisted primarily in believing the promises and obeying the command of God, and secondarily, we may believe, in regarding the sprinkled blood as in some way typical of a better propitiation (Romans 3:25). The word for sprinkling is not ῥבםפיףל�ע, as in Hebrews 12:24, but נס�ףקץףיע, which is found here only, but is derived from the verb used in Leviticus 1:5 (LXX.). ὁὁכןטסו‎שם. The term is derived from the LXX. The Hebrew (Exodus 12:23) has mashchמth, “ destruction.” Comp. 1 Chronicles 21:15; 2 Chronicles 32:21; 1 Corinthians 10:10; Sir 48:21. Verse 29 29. הי�גחףבם. They, i.e. Moses and the Israelites. ἧע נוῖסבם כבג�םפוע. “Of which sea the Egyptians making trial.” ךבפונ�טחףבם. Lit., “were swallowed up” (Exodus 14:15-28; Psalms 106:9-12). Verse 30 30. Ἱוסויק‏. Joshua 6:12-20. ἕנוףבם. Neuters plur. sometimes take a plur. verb where the inanimate objects stand out in their plurality and separateness. Winer, p. 645. ἐנὶἑנפὰἡל�סבע. Ἐנὶ with the acc. denotes the period over which a thing extends, as in ἐנὶἡל�סבע נכו�ןץע, Acts 13:31. Verse 31 31. נ�ףפוי. Joshua 2:9-11, “ The Lord your God, He is God.” ἡ נ�סםח. So she is called in Joshua 2:1; James 2:25; and it shews the faithfulness of the sacred narrative that her name is even introduced as well as that of Ruth, a Moabitess, in the genealogy of our Lord (Matthew 1:5). The Targum softens it down into “ innkeeper” and others render it “ idolatress.” Her name was highly honoured by the Jews, who said that eight prophets— among them Baruch, Jeremiah, and Shallum, and the prophetess Huldah— were descended from her. Megillah, f. 14. 2. פןῖע ἀנויט�ףבףים. “That were disobedient.” Verse 32 32. פ� ἔפי כ�דש; The sense is the same whether we regard כ�דש as the indicative (comp. John 11:47), or the deliberative subjunctive. ἐניכו�רוי לו … ὁ קס�םןע. The future is sometimes used of a case merely conceivable, as in ἐסוῖ פיע, dicat aliquis, 1 Corinthians 15:35. Comp. the Latin “ longum est narrare.” The phrase is also found in Philo, De Somniis. The names of “ the heroes of faith” here mentioned are drawn from the Books of Judges and Samuel, with a reference to the Books of Kings and Chronicles, and what is known of the history of the Prophets. There does not seem to be any special design in the arrangement of the pairs of names, though it is a curious circumstance that, in each pair, the hero who came earlier in time is placed after the other. In 32– 34 we have instances of active, and in 35– 38 of passive faith. Verse 33 33. גבףיכו�בע. The allusion is specially to the conquest of Canaan by Joshua, and to the victories of David (2 Samuel 5:17-25; 2 Samuel 21:15, &c.). היךביןף‎םחם. The allusion is somewhat vague, but seems to refer to the justice of Judges and Kings (1 Samuel 12:3-4; 2 Samuel 8:15; 1 Chronicles 18:14, &c.), and perhaps especially to the Judgement of Solomon. “ To execute judgement and justice” belonged especially to the Princes of Israel (Ezekiel 45:9). ἐנבדדוכיῶם. If we compare the expression with Hebrews 11:13; Hebrews 11:39, we see that the primary reference must be to temporal promises (see Joshua 21:43-45, &c.); but they also obtained at least a partial fruition of spiritual promises also. כו�םפשם. Samson (Judges 14:5-6), David (1 Samuel 17:34-35), Daniel (Daniel 6:22), Benaiah (2 Samuel 23:20). Verse 34 34. נץס�ע. Daniel 3:25; 1Ma 2:59. לבקב�סחע. David (1 Samuel 18:11; 1 Samuel 19:10, &c.), Elijah (1 Kings 19:2), Elisha (2 Kings 6:12-17), Jeremiah 26:24, &c. ἀנὸἀףטוםו�בע. Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:5), Samson (Judges 15:15; Judges 16:28-30), David (1 Samuel 17:42; 1 Samuel 17:51, &c.). ἔךכיםבם. This and the previous clause may refer specially to the Maccabees, though they also suit Joshua, the Judges, David, &c. The word נבסולגןכὰע is the word used for “ camp” in Hebrews 13:11; Hebrews 13:13; Revelation 20:9. It has both senses in the LXX. (Judges 4:16). The classic verb for “ drove back” is found here only in the N. T. (ךכ�םש). Verse 35 35. דץםבῖךוע. The woman of Sarepta (1 Kings 17:22), the Shunamite (2 Kings 4:32-36). ἐמ ἀםבףפ�ףושע. Lit., “by resurrection.” ἐפץלנבם�ףטחףבם. Josephus calls the instrument of torture פסןק�ע. The word means technically, “ were broken on the wheel,” and the special reference may be to 2Ma 6:18-30; 2Ma 6:7, where the word is used to describe the tortures of Eleazar the Scribe, and of the Seven Brothers. פὴם ἀנןכ‎פסשףים. “The deliverance offered them” (2Ma 6:20-21; 2Ma 7:24). ךסו�פפןםןע. Not a mere resurrection to earthly life, like the children of the women mentioned, but “ an everlasting reawakening to life” (2Ma 7:9 and passim). Verse 36 36. ἐלנבידלῶם ךבὶ לבףפ�דשם. “ Seven brethren and their mother … being tormented with scourges and whips … and they brought the second for a mocking-stock … And after him was the third made a mocking-stock … And … they tortured and tormented the fourth in like manner” (2Ma 7:1; 2Ma 7:7; 2Ma 7:10; 2Ma 7:13, &c.). “ And they sought out … Judas’ friends … and he took vengeance on them and mocked them” (1Ma 9:26). הוףלῶם ךבὶ צץכבךῆע. Joseph (Genesis 39:20), Micaiah (1 Kings 22:26-27), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:2; Jeremiah 37:15), Hanani (2 Chronicles 16:10). Verse 37 37. ἐכיט�ףטחףבם. Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-21). Jewish tradition said that Jeremiah was stoned. See Matthew 23:35-37; Luke 11:51. ἐנס�ףטחףבם. This was the traditional mode of Isaiah’ s martyrdom. Hamburger, Talm. Wצrterb. s.v. Jesaia. Comp. Matthew 24:51. The punishment was well known in ancient days (2 Samuel 12:31). ἐנויס�ףטחףבם. This would not seem an anticlimax to a pious reader, for the intense violence of temptation, and the horrible dread lest the weakness of human nature should succumb to it, was one of the most awful forms of trial which persecutors could inflict (see Acts 26:11), especially if the tempted person yielded to the temptation, as in 1 Kings 13:7; 1 Kings 13:19-26. There is no variation in the MSS., but some have conjectured ἐנס�ףטחףבם “ they were burned.” In a recent outbreak at Alexandria some Jews had been burnt alive (Philo. in Flacc. 20), and burnings are mentioned in 2Ma 6:11. The reason for the position of the word, as a sort of climax, perhaps lies in the strong effort to tempt the last and youngest of the seven brother-martyrs to apostatise in 2 Maccabees 7. ἐם צ�םῳ לבקב�סחע. “ They have slain thy prophets with the sword” (1 Kings 19:10). Jehoiakim “ slew Urijah with the sword” (Jeremiah 26:23). The Jews suffered themselves to be massacred on the Sabbath in the war against Antiochus (1Ma 2:38; 2Ma 5:26). ἐם לחכשפבῖע, ἐם בἰדו�ןיע. Elijah (1 Kings 19:13; 2 Kings 1:8). A hairy garment seems subsequently to have been a common dress among prophets, and it was sometimes adopted for purposes of deception (Zechariah 13:4). Clement in his Ep. ad Rom. i. 17 says that Elisha and Ezekiel also wore hairy garments. Verse 38 38. ןὐך ἦם ἄמיןע. The world was unworthy of them though it treated them as worthless. The Greek would also admit the meaning that they outweighed in value the whole world (see Proverbs 8:11, LXX.). The remark would be a striking source of consolation to Christians, on whom every epithet of hatred was exhausted and every disgraceful charge accumulated by their heathen adversaries. No small part of the task of the early Christian apologists consisted in shewing the baselessness and absurdity of the views respecting Christians which were held alike by the multitude, by rulers, and by philosophers. ὄסוףים ךבὶ ףנחכב�ןיע. The Israelites in general (Judges 6:2). The prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 18:13). Elijah (1 Kings 19:9). Mattathias and his sons “ fled into the mountains” (1Ma 2:28), and many others “ into the wilderness” (id. 29). Judas the Maccabee (2Ma 5:27). Refugees in caves (2Ma 6:11). “ Like beasts” (id. Hebrews 10:6). The catacombs were often used as places of refuge by the early Roman bishops and martyrs. פῆע דῆע. Not “ of the earth” but “of the land.” The writer’ s historic view rarely extends beyond the horizon of Jewish history. Verse 39 39. לבספץסחט�םפוע היὰ פῆע נ�ףפושע. “Having been borne witness to through their faith,” i.e. though they had this testimony borne to them, they did not see the fulfilment of the promises. ןὐך ἐךןל�ףבםפן. See Hebrews 11:17; Hebrews 11:33, Hebrews 6:15, Hebrews 9:15. They did not enjoy the fruition of the one great promise. Verse 40 40. פןῦ טוןῦ … נסןגכורבל�םןץ. Lit., “since God provided” “some better thing concerning us.” The middle voice is used because it differs from the active by expressing a mental act; so too נסןןסᾶףטבי, נסןתה�ףטבי. In one sense Abraham, and therefore other patriarchs, “ rejoiced to see Christ’ s day,” and yet they did but see it in such dim shadow that “ many prophets and kings desired to see what ye see, and saw them not, and to hear the things which ye hear, and did not hear them” (Matthew 13:17), though all their earnest seekings and searchings tended in this direction (1 Peter 1:10-11). ἵםב לὴ קשסὶע ἡלῶם פוכוישטῶףים. “ Not unto themselves but unto us they did minister” (1 Peter 1:12). Since in their days “ the fulness of the times” had not yet come (Ephesians 1:10) the saints could not be brought to their completion— the end and consummation of their privileges— apart from us. The “ just” had not been, and could not be, “ perfected” (Hebrews 12:23) until Christ had died (Hebrews 7:19, Hebrews 8:6). The implied thought is that if Christ had come in their days— if the “ close of the ages” had fallen in the times of the Patriarchs or Prophets— the world would long ago have ended, and we should never have been born. Our present privileges are, as he has been proving all through the Epistle, incomparably better than those of the fathers. It was necessary in the economy of God that their “ perfectionment” should be delayed until ours could be accomplished; in the future world we and they shall equally enjoy the benefits of Christ’ s redemption.

Hebrews 11:1-7

“THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS”

Faith That Pleases God (Hebrews 11:1-7)

1. A key concern in this epistle is that Christians remain strong in “faith”… a. There is the danger of developing “a heart of unbelief” - Hebrews 3:12b. It was the lack of faith that destroyed Israel in the wilderness

• Hebrews 3:16-19

2. In chapter ten, we saw… a. An exhortation to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” - Hebrews 10:22b. An admonition to have that faith which endures to the end

• Hebrews 10:35-39; cf. Hebrews 6:11-12

3. But one might ask… a. What is this “faith” which leads “to the saving of the soul”? b. How does this faith manifest itself in the lives of those who possess it?

4. In chapter eleven, we find the answer to such questions… a. With a definition of faith - Hebrews 11:1b. With a mention of how necessary faith is to please God - Hebrews 11:6c. With examples of Old Testament saints who demonstrated saving faith - Hebrews 11:3-40 [In this lesson, we shall focus our attention on the first seven verses as we examine the “Faith That Pleases God”. In verses 1-3, we see…]

I. FAITH (Hebrews 11:1-3) A. FAITH IS "" AND “”…1. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for…” (NKJV) a. The Greek word translated “substance” is hupostasis
b. Literally, it means “to stand under”, i.e., to be a foundation c. As translated in Hebrews 3:14, it means “confidence”; i.e., firm trust, assurance d. Other translations illustrate that the main idea is “confidence”…

1. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for…” (NIV)
2. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for…” (NRSV, NASB)

2. “…the evidence of things not seen.” (NKJV) a. The Greek word translated “evidence” is elegchos
   b. It means “conviction” c. How other versions translate this phrase…

1. “certain of what we do not see.” (NIV)
2. “the conviction of things not seen.” (NRSV, NASB)

B. TO THINGS “HOPED FOR” AND “NOT SEEN”…1. Faith is confidence about things hoped for, such as… a. The coming of our Lord - Titus 2:13b. The resurrection of the dead - Acts 24:15– It was this kind of confidence possessed by the OT saints that pleased God - Hebrews 11:22. Faith is conviction about things we have not seen, such as… a. The existence of God: “whom no man has seen or can see,”

• 1 Timothy 6:16b. How the world began: “the worlds were framed by the word of God” - Hebrews 11:3– Yet faith is that strong conviction that such matters are true

[As expressed in verse 2, the “elders obtained a good testimony” because of their faith. The rest of the chapter is filled with illustrations of the faith possessed by these “elders”. The first three mentioned were “antediluvians” (living before the flood), and in them we see…]

II. FAITH (Hebrews 11:4-5; Hebrews 11:7) A. THE OF ABEL (“FAITH “)…1. By faith he “offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain” - Hebrews 11:4a. The reference is to Genesis 4:3-51) Cain’s offering was “of the fruit of the ground” 2) Abel’s offering was “of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat.” 3) It is said the Lord “respected” Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s b. Why did God respect Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s?

1. It may have been that God had specified an animal sacrifice
2. It may be Cain offered “left-overs”, while Abel offered his best (the firstborn)
3. Cain’s attitude may have been wrong; he certainly showed himself prone to display envy and hatred, capable of murder!
4. Perhaps most likely, Abel offered his with “faith” while Cain did not

2. Through faith Abel “obtained witness that he was righteous”

• Hebrews 11:4a. God certainly testified of his righteousness in showing respect to his offering b. Jesus also bore witness to the righteousness of Abel
• Matthew 23:35c. The apostle John also - 1 John 3:123. Through his faith, “he being dead still speaks” - Hebrews 11:4a. His example of faith was written for our learning - Romans 15:4b. His example of faith continues to warn us in regards to worshipping God

B. THE OF ENOCH (“FAITH WALKING”)…1. By his faith, Enoch “was translated so that he did not see death” - Hebrews 11:5a. The historical reference alluded to is Genesis 5:21-24b. Like Elijah, he did not experience death - cf. 2 Kings 2:1-112. His faith was such that “he pleased God” - Hebrews 11:5a. What God found pleasing is that he “walked with God”

• Genesis 5:21; Genesis 5:24b. His example of faith illustrates the value of walking with God throughout life

C. THE OF NOAH (“FAITH WORKING”)…1. By faith Noah. “moved with godly fear” - Hebrews 11:7a. The scriptural background is Genesis 6:1-22b. God warned him about “things not seen” (cf. Hebrews 11:1); i.e., the coming flood c. His confidence (faith) in what God said would happen prompted him to act with reverence toward God 2. By faith Noah “prepared an ark for the saving of his household” - Hebrews 11:7a. His faith moved him to do “according to all that God commanded him” - Genesis 6:22; Genesis 7:5b. Through such faith working, Noah…

1. “condemned the world” a) His own example of faithfulness stood in stark contrast to others b) His obedience magnified the lack of obedience in others – Just as Nineveh will condemn those who did not listen to Jesus - Matthew 12:412) “became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” a) He received the standing of being right in God’s eyes b) It was his faith that so pleased God!
2. Demonstrated that faith and works are not necessarily contrary to one another - cf. Galatians 5:6; James 2:14-26 [From the examples of these “antediluvian” saints we learn that the faith is a strong conviction that “worships” God properly, “walks” with Him in life, and “works” as He directs.

That such faith is necessary to please God is evident as we go back to verse six and notice…]

III. FAITH (Hebrews 11:6) A. WITHOUT FAITH IT IS TO PLEASE GOD…1. We have seen how Abel, Enoch, and Noah “obtained a good testimony” by their faith 2. Of Enoch in particular it is said “he pleased God” - Hebrews 11:53. Whether we are “worshipping”, “walking”, or “working”, faith must be the motivating factor behind it all – Without faith, then, there is nothing we can do that will please God!

B. THE FAITH WHICH PLEASES GOD…1. Includes conviction “that believes that God is” a. We must believe there is a God, and He is the God of the Bible b. Though we do not see Him, we have conviction in “things not seen” - Hebrews 11:1 b2. Includes confidence “that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” a. We must believe that God acts on the part of those seek after Him - cf. 1 Chronicles 28:9; 2 Chronicles 16:9b. It is regarding such “things hoped for”, that we must have confidence - Hebrews 11:1 a– Such was the faith seen in the lives of Abel, Enoch, and Noah; one might ask, how do we develop such faith today…?

C. HOW SAVING FAITH IS …1. It is not the result of “credulity” a. A common misconception is that faith is “blind” b. That there is no logic or reason to faith, one simply “believes” 2. But faith as described in the Bible is the result of “evidence”! a. Faith in God is the result of evidence provided via creation - Romans 1:20; Psalms 19:1b. Faith in Jesus is the result of evidence provided via revelation - John 20:30-31– Certainly the “antediluvian” saints had such evidence, including God speaking to them directly! 3. Today, faith comes “by hearing the word of God” - Romans 10:17a. The word of God presents evidence to believe in God and Jesus b. Such as fulfilled prophecy, eyewitness testimony, etc. – Through God’s word, we can develop the kind of faith (conviction) which pleases God! - cf. Romans 15:4

1. The faith which leads “to the saving of the soul” is one that includes… a. A strong conviction that God is b. A strong confidence that He will reward those who diligently seek Him

2. It is the same kind of faith that we see in… a. Abel, in how he worshipped God b. Enoch, in how he walked with God c. Noah, in how he worked for God

3. Do you have that same kind of faith today? a. If you don’t, let the Word of God create such faith in you…

1. It can produce faith in the existence of God!
2. It can produce faith in Jesus as His Son who died for you! b. If you do, then let it affect the manner in which you…
3. Worship God
4. Walk with God
5. Work for God – As revealed through His Son Jesus Christ

With the right kind of faith, we can have the assurance that…

• God is pleased

• We are heirs “of the righteousness which is according to faith”

• We too will one day “obtain a good testimony”!

Hebrews 11:2

Hebrews 11:2 Hebrews 11:2 ————————— ενG1722 ταυτηG3778 γαρG1063 FOR BY THIS εμαρτυρηθησανG3140 [G5681] WERE BORNE WITNESS οιG3588 THE πρεσβυτεροιG4245 ELDERS. the elders: Hebrews 11:4-39 Genesis 26:4 - multiply Joshua 2:9 - I know Ecclesiastes 7:1 - name Jeremiah 6:16 - Stand Luke 5:39 - General Acts 10:22 - of good Acts 16:2 - was Acts 22:12 - having Philippians 4:8 - are of Heb 11:39 - General Hebrews 12:1 - seeing Hebrews 11:2. ———————– Elders is from and Thayer defines it at this place as “forefathers.” Good report is used in the sense that they obtained a good reputation by their faith that was “put into practice.” Hebrews 11:2 ——————————————————————————– For by it (ἐνταύτῃγὰρ) Lit. for in this. Rend. therein: in the sphere and exercise of faith: as believers. Comp. 1 Timothy 5:10. For introduces a proof of the preceding statement concerning the nature of faith. Faith has power to see and realize the unseen, for the experience of the fathers proves it. ——————————————————————————– The elders obtained a good report (ἐμαρτυρηθήσανοἱπρεσβύτεροι) The elders for the more common the fathers: the saints of the O.T. dispensation, many of whose names are recorded in this chapter. Εμαρτυρηθήσαν, lit. were borne witness to. God bore witness to them in the victory of their faith over all obstacles, and their characters and deeds as men of faith were recorded in Scripture.

For this use of ματυρεῖν in the passive, see Acts 6:3; Acts 10:22; Acts 16:12; Romans 3:21; Hebrews 7:8; Hebrews 7:17. Notice that the statement in this verse does not begin the list of examples, which commences with Hebrews 11:4, but is closely attached to the definition in Hebrews 11:1 as a comprehensive justification of it. Hebrews 11:2 ——————————————————————————– Therein (en tautηi). That is, “in faith,” feminine demonstrative referring to pistis. ——————————————————————————– The elders (hoi presbuteroi). More nearly like “the fathers,” not the technical sense of elders (officers) usual in the N.T., but more like “the tradition of the elders” (Mark 7:3; Mark 7:5; Matthew 15:2). ——————————————————————————– Had witness borne to them (emarturηthηsan). First aorist passive of martureτ (cf.

Hebrews 7:8), “were testified to.”

Hebrews 11:3

Hebrews 11:3 Hebrews 11:3 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH νοουμενG3539 [G5719] WE κατηρτισθαιG2675 [G5771] TO HAVE BEEN FRAMED τουςG3588 THE αιωναςG165 WORLDS ρηματιG4487 BY “THE” WORD θεουG2316 OF GOD, ειςG1519 τοG3588 SO THAT μηG3361 NOT εκG1537 FROM “THINGS” φαινομενωνG5316 [G5730] ταG3588 THE THINGS βλεπομεναG991 [G5746] SEEN γεγονεναιG1096 [G5755] HAVE BEING. faith: Hebrews 1:2, Genesis 1:1-31, Genesis 2:1, Psalms 33:6, Isaiah 40:26, Jeremiah 10:11, Jeremiah 10:16, John 1:3, Acts 14:15, Acts 17:24, Romans 1:19-21, Romans 4:17, 2 Peter 3:5, Revelation 4:11 Deuteronomy 32:11 - General Psalms 33:9 - For Isaiah 45:12 - made the earth John 1:10 - and the world was Romans 2:27 - judge Hebrews 11:5 - this testimony Hebrews 11:3. ———————– Through faith does not mean that the following things of this verse were accomplished by faith. for God does not have to act on faith. He knows what he can do. It is through faith that we understand about it. Worlds is defined by the lexicon at this place, “The worlds, the universe,” and framed is defined, “To fit out, equip, put in order, arrange, adjust.” Are seen and do appear are both in the present tense, and made is from a Greek word that means “caused to be.” The sentence means that the universe which we see was not made out of anything else that appears to us. But that does not say that God “made something out of nothing.” Such a notion is not taught in any scripture that I have read. Just because we cannot see what God made the universe of does not prove that He made it out of nothing. Word is from RHEMA. which Thayer defines at this place, “The word by which some thing is commanded, directed, enjoined.” This agrees with Psalms 33:9, which says, “He spake and it was done; he commanded and it stood fast.” Also the phrase “and God said” occurs nine times in the first chapter of Genesis. Hebrews 11:3 ——————————————————————————– Neither does this verse belong to the list of historical instances from Genesis, in which men exercised faith. It is merely the first instance presented in O.T. history of an opportunity for the exercise of faith as the assurance and conviction of things not seen. Like Hebrews 11:2, it is closely connected with the definition. It contains the exposition of the nature of faith, by showing that in its earliest and most general expression— belief in the creation of the visible universe by God— it is a conviction of something not apprehensible by sense. ——————————————————————————– We understand (νοοῦμεν) Νοεῖν signifies to perceive with the νοῦς or reflective intelligence. In Class. of seeing with the eyes, sometimes with ὀφθαλμοῖς expressed; but as early as Homer it is distinguished from the mere physical act of vision, as perception of the mind consequent upon seeing. Thus, τὸνδὲἰδὼνἐνόησε and seeing him he perceived (Il. xi. 599): οὐκἴδονοὐδ’ ἐνόησα I neither saw nor perceived (Od. xiii. 318).

In N.T. never of the mere physical act. Here is meant the inward perception and apprehension of the visible creation as the work of God, which follows the sight of the phenomena of nature. ——————————————————————————– The worlds (τοὺςαἰῶνας) Lit. the ages.

The world or worlds as the product of successive aeons. See on Hebrews 1:2. ——————————————————————————– Were framed (κατηρτίσθαι) Put together; adjusted; the parts fitted to each other. See on Galatians 6:1; see on Matthew 21:16; see on Luke 6:40. Of the preparing and fixing in heaven of the sun and moon, lxx, Psalms 73:16; of building a wall, 2Es 4:12-13; 2Es 4:16. See also Psalms 39:6. Rend. have been framed.

The A.V. gives the impression of one giving his assent to an account of creation; but the perfect tense exhibits the faith of one who is actually contemplating creation itself. ——————————————————————————– By the word of God (ῥήματι) Comp. Genesis 1; Psalms 33:6; Psalms 118:5. ——————————————————————————– So that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (εἰςτὸμὴἐκφαινομένωντὸβλεπόμενονγεγονέναι) For things which are seen, rend. that which is seen.

For were not made rend. hath not been made. Ἐιςτὸ followed by the infinitive signifies result, not purpose. We perceive that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that (this being the case) that which is visible has not arisen out of that which is seen. Μὴ not negatives the remainder of the clause taken as a whole. In other words, the proposition denied is, that which is seen arose out of visible things. By many early interpreters μὴ was transposed, and construed with φαινομένων alone, signifying “that which is seen has arisen from things which do not appear.” These things were explained as chaos, the invisible creative powers of God, etc. Hebrews 11:3 ——————————————————————————– By faith (pistei). Instrumental case of pistis which he now illustrates in a marvellous way.

Each example as far as Hebrews 11:31 is formally and with rhetorical skill introduced by pistei. After that only a summary is given. ——————————————————————————– We understand (nooumen).

Present active indicative of noeτ, old verb (from nous, intellect) as in Matthew 15:17; Romans 1:20. The author appeals to our knowledge of the world in which these heroes lived as an illustration of faith. Recent books by great scientists like Eddington and Jeans confirm the position here taken that a Supreme Mind is behind and before the universe. Science can only stand still in God’s presence and believe like a little child. ——————————————————————————– The worlds (tous aiτnas). “The ages” as in Hebrews 1:2 (cf. Einstein’s fourth dimension, time). Accusative case of general reference. ——————————————————————————– Have been framed (katηrtisthai).

Perfect passive infinitive of katartizτ, to mend, to equip, to perfect (Luke 6:40), in indirect discourse after nooumen. ——————————————————————————– So that (eis to). As a rule eis to with the infinitive is final, but sometimes as here it expresses result as in Romans 12:3 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1003). ——————————————————————————– Hath been made (gegonenai).

Perfect active infinitive of ginomai. ——————————————————————————– What is seen (to blepomenon). Present passive articular participle (accusative case of general reference) of blepτ. ——————————————————————————– Of things which do appear (ek phainomenτn). Ablative case with ek (out of) of the present passive participle. The author denies the eternity of matter, a common theory then and now, and places God before the visible universe as many modern scientists now gladly do.

Hebrews 11:4

Hebrews 11:4 Hebrews 11:4 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH πλειοναG4119 A MORE θυσιανG2378 αβελG6 ABEL παραG3844 THAN καινG2535 CAIN προσηνεγκενG4374 [G5656] τωG3588 OFFERED θεωG2316 TO GOD, διG1223 BY ηςG3739 WHICH εμαρτυρηθηG3140 [G5681] HE WAS BORNE WITNESS TO ειναιG1511 [G5750] AS BEING δικαιοςG1342 , μαρτυρουντοςG3140 [G5723] BEARING WITNESS επιG1909 TO τοιςG3588 δωροιςG1435 αυτουG846 τουG3588 HIS GIFTS θεουG2316 GOD καιG2532 AND διG1223 THROUGH αυτηςG846 IT, αποθανωνG599 [G5631] HAVING DIED, ετιG2089 YET λαλειταιG2980 [G5731] SPEAKS. faith: Genesis 4:3-5, Genesis 4:15, Genesis 4:25, 1 John 3:11, 1 John 3:12 a more: Hebrews 9:22, Proverbs 15:8, Proverbs 21:27, Titus 1:16, Jude 1:11 he obtained: Leviticus 9:24, 1 Kings 18:38, Matthew 23:35, Luke 11:51 and by: Hebrews 12:1, Hebrews 12:24, Genesis 4:10, Matthew 23:35 yet speaketh: or, is yet spoken of Gen 4:4 - had Genesis 4:5 - But Genesis 4:7 - be accepted Judges 7:20 - brake Job 8:10 - Shall not Psalms 19:14 - Let Son 1:8 - go John 15:16 - that your Acts 10:35 - is Acts 13:22 - to whom Romans 3:21 - righteousness 1 Corinthians 12:31 - show Hebrews 5:1 - both Hebrews 8:4 - gifts Hebrews 11:2 - the elders Hebrews 11:5 - this testimony Hebrews 11:33 - wrought Hebrews 12:23 - the spirits James 5:16 - a righteous 2 Peter 1:15 - I will Hebrews 11:4. ———————– By faith Abel. Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing the word of God. Hence Abel had been told by the Lord what to do or he could not have done it by faith. When he offered an animal by faith, therefore, it was because God had told him to do so. That made it a more excellent (superior) sacrifice than the one Cain offered, for God had not told him to offer the fruit of the ground. Obtained witness means that testimony was borne him that he was a righteous man.

Dead yet speaketh. Although Abel is dead physically, yet the record of his righteous performance is preserved down to the present time, and it speaks or testifies to the good deed that was done through his faith in the word of God. Hebrews 11:4 ——————————————————————————– Abel offered unto God (Ἄβελπροσήνεγκεντῳθεῳ) For the phrase see Hebrews 9:14. ——————————————————————————– A more excellent sacrifice (πλείοναθυσίαν) Greater in value in God’s eyes. For πλείων in this sense, see Hebrews 3:3; Matthew 6:25; Luke 11:31; Luke 12:23. In Paul never in this sense. Others explain a more abundant sacrifice, referring to the material character of the offerings. See Genesis 4:4. But the difference between the offerings of Abel and Cain, considered in themselves, is largely a matter of speculation, and, as Lόnemann justly remarks, such an interpretation accentuates unduly a purely external feature. ——————————————————————————– By which he obtained witness (διἧςἐμαρτυρήθη) Lit. was witnessed to, as Hebrews 11:2.

The pronoun which may refer either to the sacrifice or to faith. Better the latter, as is apparent from Hebrews 11:2, and probably from Hebrews 11:7, although the relation there is somewhat different. ——————————————————————————– Righteous (δίκαιος) Abel is called righteous by Christ himself.

Matthew 23:35. Comp. 1 John 3:12. See on Romans 1:17. ——————————————————————————– God testifying of his gifts (μαρτυροῦντοςἐπὶτοῖςδώροιςαὐτοῦτοῦθεοῦ) Defining more specifically the general was witnessed to. God bore witness by his acceptance of the gifts. Ἐπὶ marks the fact on which the witness was based. ——————————————————————————– Yet speaketh (ἔτιλαλεῖ) Comp. Genesis 4:10. Still, although ages have passed since his death. Comp. Hebrews 12:24.

Not that his voice still cries to God (so Bleek and others), but that by his faith he still speaks to us in the O.T. Scriptures, though dead. Const. ἔτι yet with λαλεῖ speaketh; not with being dead, in the logical sense, “even being dead,” as Romans 3:7. Hebrews 11:4 ——————————————————————————– A more excellent sacrifice (pleiona thusian). Literally, “more sacrifice” (comparative of polus, much). For this rather free use of pleiτn with the point implied rather than stated see Matthew 6:25; Luke 10:31; Luke 12:23; Hebrews 3:3. ——————————————————————————– Than Cain (para Kain).

For this use of para after comparative see Hebrews 1:4; Hebrews 1:9. For the incident see Genesis 4:4. ——————————————————————————– Through which (di’ hηs).

The sacrifice (thusia). ——————————————————————————– He had Witness borne to him (emarturηthη). First aorist passive indicative of martureτ as in Hebrews 11:2, “he was witnessed to.” ——————————————————————————– That he was righteous (einai dikaios). Infinitive in indirect discourse after emarturηthη, personal construction of dikaios (predicate nominative after einai) agreeing with the subject of emarturηthη (cf. Romans 1:22, einai sophoi). ——————————————————————————– God bearing witness (marturountos tou theou). Genitive absolute with present active participle of martureτ. ——————————————————————————– Through it (di’ autηs). Through his faith (as shown by his sacrifice).

Precisely why Abel’s sacrifice was better than that of Cain apart from his faith is not shown. ——————————————————————————– Being dead (apothanτn). Second aorist active participle of apothnηskτ, “having died.” ——————————————————————————– Yet speaketh (eti lalei).

Cf. Genesis 4:10; Hebrews 12:24. Speaks still through his faith.

Hebrews 11:5

Hebrews 11:5 Hebrews 11:5 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH ενωχG1802 ENOCH μετετεθηG3346 [G5681] τουG3588 WAS μηG3361 NOT ιδεινG1492 [G5629] TO SEE θανατονG2288 DEATH, καιG2532 AND ουχG3756 ευρισκετοG2147 [G5712] WAS NOT FOUND, διοτιG1360 BECAUSE μετεθηκενG3346 [G5656] αυτονG846 οG3588 HIM θεοςG2316 GOD; προG4253 γαρG1063 FOR BEFORE τηςG3588 μεταθεσεωςG3331 αυτουG846 HIS μεμαρτυρηταιG3140 [G5769] HE HAS BEEN BORNE WITNESS TO ευηρεστηκεναιG2100 [G5760] τωG3588 TO HAVE WELL PLEASED θεωG2316 GOD. Enoch: Genesis 5:22-24, Luke 3:37, Jude 1:14 translated: 2 Kings 2:11, Psalms 89:48, John 8:51, John 8:52 and was: 2 Kings 2:16, 2 Kings 2:17, Jeremiah 36:26, Revelation 11:9-12 this testimony: Hebrews 11:3, Hebrews 11:4 that he: Hebrews 11:6, Genesis 5:22, Romans 8:8, Romans 8:9, 1 Thessalonians 2:4, 1 John 3:22 Genesis 5:24 - for 1 Chronicles 1:3 - Henoch Luke 2:26 - see death Acts 13:22 - to whom Acts 13:35 - to see Colossians 1:10 - all 1 Timothy 1:5 - faith Hebrews 11:5. ———————– Translated . . not see death. The last phrase explains the first word, and was not found any more on earth because he was taken to Heaven. Had this testimony. It is recorded in Genesis 5:24 that Enoch walked with God, which means he walked or conducted himself according to the “word of God” which produces faith. Hebrews 11:5 ——————————————————————————– Enoch Genesis 5:21-24. Comp. Sir 44:16; Sir 49:14; Wisd. 4:10. ——————————————————————————– Was translated (μετετέθη) The verb used of Enoch’s translation, lxx, Genesis 5:24. In Acts 7:16 of the transporting of the remains of Jacob and his sons to Sychem. In Galatians 1:6, of the sudden change in the religious attitude of the Galatians. In Hebrews 7:12, of the change in the priesthood. ——————————————————————————– That he should not see death (τοῦμὴἰδεῖνθάνατον) This may signify the purpose of his translation, but probably refers to the result. He was translated so that he did not see death. Comp.

Matthew 21:32; Acts 7:19; Romans 7:3. ——————————————————————————– Was not found because God had translated him (οὐχηὑρίσκετοδιότιμετέθηκεναὐτὸνὁθεός) Cited from lxx, Genesis 5:24. For had translated rend. translated. ——————————————————————————– He had this testimony (μεμαρτύρηται) Rev properly preserves the force of the perfect tense, “he hath had witness born to him.” The testimony still stands on record. ——————————————————————————– That he pleased God Rend. hath pleased. Comp. lxx, Genesis 5:22; Genesis 5:24. Faith was exhibited by Enoch in walking with God (comp. A.V. Genesis 5:22, “walked with God,” and lxx, εὐαρέστησε pleased God).

Faith creates close personal relation. Hebrews 11:5 ——————————————————————————– Was translated (metetethη).

First aorist passive indicative of metatithηmi, old verb to transpose, to change as in Hebrews 7:12; Acts 7:16. ——————————————————————————– That he should not see death (tou mη idein thanaton). Here again tou with the infinitive usually expresses purpose, but in this case result is the idea as in Matthew 21:23; Romans 1:24; Romans 7:3, etc. (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1002). ——————————————————————————– He was not found (ouch hηurisketo). Imperfect passive of heuriskτ from Genesis 5:24. Was still not found. ——————————————————————————– Translated (metethηken). First aorist active of same verb as metetethη just before. ——————————————————————————– Translation (metatheseτs). Substantive from the same verb metatithηmi, used already in Hebrews 7:12 for change.

See also Hebrews 12:27. Our very word “metathesis.” ——————————————————————————– He hath had witness borne him (memarturηtai).

Perfect passive indicative of martureτ, stands on record still, “he has been testified to.” ——————————————————————————– That he had been well-pleasing unto God (euarestηkenai tτi theτi). Perfect active infinitive of euaresteτ, late compound from euarestos (well-pleasing), in N.T. only in Hebrews 11:5-6; Hebrews 13:16. With dative case theτi. Quoted here from Genesis 5:22; Genesis 5:24. The word is common of a servant pleasing his master.

Hebrews 11:6

Hebrews 11:6 Hebrews 11:6 ————————— χωριςG5565 δεG1161 BUT APART FROM πιστεωςG4102 FAITH αδυνατονG102 “IT IS” ευαρεστησαιG2100 [G5658] TO WELL PLEASE “HIM” πιστευσαιG4100 [G5658] γαρG1063 FOR TO BELIEVE δειG1163 [G5904] IT BEHOVES τονG3588 HIM WHO προσερχομενονG4334 [G5740] τωG3588 θεωG2316 TO GOD, οτιG3754 THAT εστινG2076 [G5748] HE IS καιG2532 AND “THAT” τοιςG3588 FOR THOSE WHO εκζητουσινG1567 [G5723] SEEK OUT αυτονG846 HIM μισθαποδοτηςG3406 A γινεταιG1096 [G5736] HE BECOMES without: Hebrews 3:12, Hebrews 3:18, Hebrews 3:19, Hebrews 4:2, Hebrews 4:6, Numbers 14:11, Numbers 20:12, Psalms 78:22, Psalms 78:32, Psalms 106:21, Psalms 106:22, Psalms 106:24, Isaiah 7:9, Mark 16:17, John 3:18, John 3:19, John 8:24, Galatians 5:6, Revelation 21:8 he that: Hebrews 7:25, Job 21:14, Psalms 73:28, Isaiah 55:3, Jeremiah 2:31, John 14:6 must: Romans 10:14 a rewarder: Hebrews 11:26, Genesis 15:1, Rth 2:12, Psalms 58:11, Proverbs 11:18, Matthew 5:12, Matthew 6:1, Matthew 6:2, Matthew 6:5, Matthew 6:16, Matthew 10:41, Matthew 10:42, Luke 6:35 diligently: 1 Chronicles 28:9, Psalms 105:3, Psalms 105:4, Psalms 119:10, Proverbs 8:17, Son 3:1-4, Jeremiah 29:13, Jeremiah 29:14, Matthew 6:33, Luke 12:31, 2 Peter 1:5, 2 Peter 1:10, 2 Peter 3:14 Genesis 5:22 - General Genesis 5:24 - for Deuteronomy 32:20 - children 2 Chronicles 20:20 - Believe in the Lord Psalms 14:2 - seek Psalms 19:11 - keeping Psalms 27:4 - seek Jeremiah 31:16 - for Matthew 7:7 - seek Mark 9:23 - If Luke 6:23 - your Luke 11:9 - seek Acts 26:18 - faith Romans 1:17 - The just Romans 8:8 - please Romans 14:23 - whatsoever Colossians 3:24 - ye shall 1 Thessalonians 4:1 - to please 1 Timothy 1:5 - faith Hebrews 2:2 - recompense Hebrews 6:1 - faith Hebrews 11:5 - that he James 1:6 - let James 2:18 - Thou Hebrews 11:6. ———————– The apostle interrupts his line of special instances to state the general principle of faith. Regardless of whatever apparent good there might be in one’s actions, it will not be pleasing to God unless he has authorized it. Believe that He is means to believe in the existence of God. Furthermore, unless a man believes that God will reward a diligent seeker, lie will not make any effort to come to Him. Hebrews 11:6 To please (εὐαρεστῆσαι) The aorist gives the sense of at all, stating the verbal idea without time, as a universal proposition. Comp. Romans 8:8. ——————————————————————————– Cometh (προσερχόμενον) See on Hebrews 4:16. Must (δεῖ). An essential obligation. In the nature of the case. That he is (ὅτιἔστιν). Faith in God involves belief in his existence although he is unseen. ——————————————————————————– Is a rewarder (μισθαποδότης) Note the difference of the verb: not simply exists, but comes to pass as; proves to be, habitually, so that he who approaches God has, through faith, the assurance that his seeking God will result in good to himself. Μισθαποδότης rewarder, N.T.o.

Comp. μισθαποδοσία recompense of reward, Hebrews 2:2 (note); Hebrews 10:35; Hebrews 11:26. ——————————————————————————– Of them that diligently seek him (τοῖςἐκζητοῦσιναὐτὸν) Lit. unto them that seek him out. Comp. Acts 15:17; Hebrews 12:17; 1 Peter 1:10. The verb is used of seeking God, Romans 3:11. God’s beneficent will and attitude toward the seeker are not always apparent at the first approach. In such cases there is occasion for faith, in the face of delay, that diligent seeking will find its reward. One is reminded of Jesus’ lessons on importunity in seeking God, Luke 11:5-10; Luke 18:1-8. He hides himself so wondrously As though there were no God; He is least seen when all the powers Of ill are most abroad.

Or he deserts us at the hour The fight is almost lost, And seems to leave us to ourselves Just when we need him most. It is not so, but so it looks; And we lose courage then; And doubts will come if God hath kept His promises to men.” Faber. Hebrews 11:6 ——————————————————————————– Impossible (adunaton). Strong word as in Hebrews 6:4; Hebrews 6:18. See Romans 8:8 for same idea with aresai (areskτ, Galatians 1:10). ——————————————————————————– Must believe (pisteusai dei). Moral necessity to have faith (trust, pisteuτ).

This is true in business also (banks, for instance). ——————————————————————————– That he is (hoti estin). The very existence of God is a matter of intelligent faith (Romans 1:19 ff.) So that men are left without excuse. ——————————————————————————– He is a rewarder (misthapodotηs ginetai).

Rather, “becomes a rewarder” (present middle indicative of ginomai, not of eimi). Only N.T. example of misthapodotηs, late and rare double compound (one papyrus example, from misthos (reward) and apodidτmi (to pay back) like misthapodosia (Hebrews 10:35; Hebrews 11:26). ——————————————————————————– Seek after (ekzηtousin). That seek out God.

Hebrews 11:7

Hebrews 11:7 Hebrews 11:7 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH χρηματισθειςG5537 [G5685] HAVING BEEN νωεG3575 NOAH περιG4012 τωνG3588 THE THINGS μηδεπωG3369 NOT YET βλεπομενωνG991 [G5746] SEEN, ευλαβηθειςG2125 [G5685] HAVING BEEN MOVED WITH FEAR, κατεσκευασενG2680 [G5656] κιβωτονG2787 AN ARK ειςG1519 FOR “THE” σωτηριανG4991 τουG3588 οικουG3624 OF HOUSE αυτουG846 HIS; διG1223 BY ηςG3739 WHICH κατεκρινενG2632 [G5656] HE τονG3588 THE κοσμονG2889 WORLD, καιG2532 AND τηςG3588 OF THE καταG2596 TO πιστινG4102 FAITH δικαιοσυνηςG1343 εγενετοG1096 [G5633] BECAME κληρονομοςG2818 HEIR. Noah: Genesis 6:13, Genesis 6:22, Genesis 7:1, Genesis 7:5, Matthew 24:38, Luke 17:26, Noe, 2 Peter 2:5 warned: Genesis 6:13, Genesis 19:14, Exodus 9:18-21, Proverbs 22:3, Proverbs 27:12, Ezekiel 3:17-19, Matthew 3:7, Matthew 24:15, Matthew 24:25, 2 Peter 3:6 things: Hebrews 11:1 moved with fear: or, being wary, Hebrews 5:7,*Gr. prepared: Genesis 6:18, Genesis 7:1, Genesis 7:23, Genesis 8:16, Ezekiel 14:14, Ezekiel 14:20, 1 Peter 3:20 he condemned: Matthew 12:41, Matthew 12:42, Luke 11:31, Luke 11:32 righteousness: Romans 1:17, Romans 3:22, Romans 4:11, Romans 4:13, Romans 9:30, Romans 10:6, Galatians 5:5, Philippians 3:9, 2 Peter 1:1 Genesis 5:29 - he called Genesis 6:9 - just Genesis 6:17 - bring Genesis 7:7 - General Genesis 7:13 - day Exodus 9:20 - General Joshua 6:12 - the priests Joshua 6:23 - out Rahab 1 Kings 17:15 - did according 2 Kings 4:5 - she went 2 Kings 5:14 - according to 2 Kings 6:10 - warned him 1 Chronicles 1:4 - Noah Job 35:8 - may profit Psalms 19:11 - Moreover Isaiah 4:6 - for a covert Jeremiah 6:10 - give Ezekiel 14:16 - they shall Ezekiel 33:5 - But Jonah 3:5 - believed Habakkuk 3:2 - I have Matthew 1:24 - did Matthew 24:16 - General Matthew 24:37 - General Mark 13:15 - General Luke 3:36 - Noe John 13:17 - happy Acts 5:11 - General Acts 27:11 - believed Romans 3:25 - remission Romans 4:17 - calleth Galatians 3:21 - righteousness Galatians 3:29 - heirs 1 Thessalonians 1:3 - your Titus 3:7 - made Hebrews 6:17 - the heirs Hebrews 6:18 - who James 2:14 - though James 5:16 - a righteous Hebrews 11:7. ———————– The flood of which Noah was warned was over a century in the future (Genesis 6:3). yet he prepared an ark according to the Lord’s instructions. That was because he believed what God told him and acted accordingly. To the saving of his house from the flood that destroyed the rest of mankind. Condemned the world. Thayer defines the first word at this place as follows: “By one’s good example to render another’s wickedness more evident and censurable.” Heir of righteousness. The last word is what is done and not inherited, hence the phrase means to inherit the reward that comes to one whose faith leads him to seek a righteous life. Hebrews 11:7 ——————————————————————————– Noah Genesis 6. ——————————————————————————– Being warned of God (χρηματισθεὶς) Of God is not in the text. See on Matthew 2:12; see on Luke 2:26; see on Acts 11:26; and comp. Hebrews 8:5. ——————————————————————————– Of things not seen as yet (περὶτῶνμηδέπωβλεπομένων) Const. with εὐλαβηθεὶς, and rend. “by faith Noah, being warned, having reverent care concerning things not seen as yet, prepared an ark,” etc. Thus χρηματισθεὶς warned is taken absolutely. The things not seen were the well-known contents of the revelation to Noah, Genesis 6:13 ff., as apprehended by Noah’s faith. ——————————————————————————– Moved with fear (εὐλαβηθεὶς) N.T.o. Often in Class. and lxx.

See on εὐλάβεια godly fear, Hebrews 5:7. The A.V. gives the impression that Noah acted under the influence of fright.

Rev. improves on this a little by rendering godly fear. The true idea is pious care, a reverent circumspection with regard to things enjoined by God, and as yet unseen, yet confidently expected on the strength of God’s word. ——————————————————————————– Prepared (κατεσκεύασεν) Built and equipped. See on Hebrews 3:3. ——————————————————————————– An ark (κιβωτὸν) Originally, a wooden chest Also of the ark of the covenant in the temple and tabernacle, as Hebrews 9:4; Revelation 11:19. Of Noah’s ark, Matthew 24:38; Luke 17:27; 1 Peter 3:20 Λάρςαξ a chest is found in Class. in the same sense. Every classical scholar will recall the charming fragment of Simonides on Danae and her infant son Perseus exposed in an ark: Ὁτελάρνακιἐνδαισαλέᾳἄνεσμοςβρέμεπνέωνκ. τ. λ. Also of the ark of Deucalion, the mythic Noah. ——————————————————————————– By the which (δι’ ἧς) By faith: although some refer it to the ark. ——————————————————————————– He condemned the world (κατέκρινεντὸνκόσμον) His faith was exhibited in building the ark on the mere strength of God’s declaration, while as yet there were no signs of the flood.

By his faith thus manifested he announced the condemnation of the world to destruction. World is to be taken as in 2 Peter 2:5.

It is not used in Hebrews in the ethical sense so common in John and Paul— the world as alien from God. The meaning of the statement is not that Noah condemned the conduct of his contemporaries by the contrast presented by his own faith, after the analogy of Mat 12:41; Romans 2:27. ——————————————————————————– And became heir (καὶ—ἐγένετοκληρονόμος) This is not an independent clause, but is dependent on δι’ ἧς by which. It is connected by καὶ with the preceding clause, and the two clauses are parallel, describing the lot of Noah and his family. Became heir is practically = became partaker of. The literal sense of heir must not be pressed. Certainly not “inherited the righteousness of Abel and Enoch.” But righteousness came to Noah in virtue of his intimate fellowship with God.

Of him as of Enoch, it is said that “he walked with God,” Genesis 6:9. Because of this fellowship he was a son of God and an heir of righteousness. ——————————————————————————– Of the righteousness which is by faith (τῆςκατὰπίστιςδικαιοσύνης) In the O.T.

Noah is the first to receive the title of δίκαιος righteous, Genesis 6:9; comp. Ezekiel 14:14; Ezekiel 14:20; Sir 44:17. Κατὰπίστιν, lit. according to faith, comp Matthew 9:29; Titus 1:1; Titus 1:4. Paul has δικαιοσύνη and δίκαιος from or out of faith (ἐκπίστεως), by faith (διὰπίστεως), founded on faith (ἐπὶτῃπίστει), and of faith (πίστεως), none of which are found either in Hebrews or in the Pastorals. Κατὰπίστιν signifies according to faith as a standard; but the conception at bottom is not essentially different from Paul’s, unless there be imported into his conception the scholastic fiction of imputed righteousness. Paul, in Romans 4 is at pains to show that the Christian conception of righteousness by faith has its parallel in Abraham, and that the doctrine of justification by faith is no new thing. Faith is the ground and the germ of righteousness. Our writer here lays down the absolute and universal standard of righteousness for the men of both dispensations—according to faith.

Hence, like Paul, he cites the words of Hab 2:4. See Hebrews 10:38.

Hebrews 11:7 ——————————————————————————– Being warned of God (chrηmatistheis). First aorist passive participle of chrηmatizτ, old word for oracular or divine communications as already in Hebrews 8:5 (cf. Matthew 2:12; Matthew 2:22, etc.). ——————————————————————————– Moved with godly fear (eulabηthη). First aorist passive indicative of eulabeomai, old verb from eulabηs (from eu and labein, to take hold well or carefully), to show oneself eulabηs, to act circumspectly or with reverence, here only in N.T. (save Textus Receptus in Acts 23:10), often in LXX. ——————————————————————————– An ark (kibτton). Genesis 6:15; Matthew 24:38. Shaped like a box (cf.

Hebrews 9:4). ——————————————————————————– Through which (di’ hηs). Through his faith as shown in building the ark. ——————————————————————————– The world (ton kosmon).

Sinful humanity as in Hebrews 11:38. ——————————————————————————– Heir (klηronomos). In 2 Peter 2:5 Noah is called “a preacher of righteousness” as here “heir of righteousness.” He himself believed his message about the flood. Like Enoch he walked with God (Genesis 6:9).

Hebrews 11:8-22

“THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS”

Faith That Embraces The Promises (Hebrews 11:8-22)

1. In the first seven verses of the eleventh chapter, we saw… a. Faith explained…

1. As confidence of things hoped for
2. As conviction of things not seen b. Faith exemplified…
3. In Abel (faith worshipping)
4. In Enoch (faith walking)
5. In Noah (faith working) c. Faith emphasized…
6. Without which it is impossible to please God
7. We must believe He exists, and rewards those who diligently seek Him

2. Another aspect of our faith pertains to “the promises” in which we hope… a. We are warned not to fall short of what’s been promised - Hebrews 4:1b. Faith (along with patience) is necessary to inherit the promises

• Hebrews 6:11-12

3. The faith which pleases God, then, is one that “embraces” God’s promises… a. In Hebrews 11:8-22, we learn of the faith of those who “embraced the promises” b. Because of their faith, “God is not ashamed to be called their God”

[Do we have the sort of faith that makes God unashamed to be called our God? To answer this question, let’s use the text of our study to review…]

I. THE FAITH OF THE (Hebrews 11:8-12; Hebrews 11:17-22) A. THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM…1. By faith he “obeyed” - Hebrews 11:8a. When God called him to leave his country, he obeyed the voice of the Lord

1. Even though at first he did not know where he was going
2. This is an example of conviction in “things not seen”! b. Here we see that faith and obedience are not contradictory terms
3. Indeed, Jesus is the “author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” - Hebrews 5:92) Is our faith an “obedient faith” like Abraham’s? - cf. Luke 6:462. By faith he “sojourned” - Hebrews 11:9-10a. His faith required him to live “as in a foreign country”
4. Even though it was the “land of promise”, he and his descendants could not have it for four hundred years

• cf. Genesis 13:14-17; Genesis 15:13-212) He therefore patiently waited for the city “whose builder and maker is God” a) This suggests that the promises he embraced were more than just those pertaining to the land of Canaan b) Later, we will see he had a heavenly hope as well! b. Our faith requires us to live “as in a foreign country”

1. For we too are “sojourners and pilgrims” - 1 Peter 2:112) Is our faith a “sojourning faith” like Abraham’s? - cf. Hebrews 13:143. By faith he “offered up Isaac” - Hebrews 11:17-19a. His faith required him to be willing to offer that which was closest to him
2. His son, Isaac - Genesis 22:1-19a) Through whom the promises he embraced were to be fulfilled b) He assumed that God would raise Isaac from the dead, if need be, in order to keep His promises
3. Thus he illustrated that confidence “in things hoped for”! b. Our faith often requires forsaking things closest to us
4. Our loved ones, even our own life! - cf. Luke 14:26-332) Is our faith an “offering faith” like Abraham’s? - cf. Romans 12:1-2 B. THE FAITH OF SARAH…1. By faith she received strength to conceive a child - Hebrews 11:11-12a. Though beyond the normal age of child-bearing

• Genesis 18:1-3; Genesis 21:1-7b. Though she laughed when she first heard of God’s promise, she later “judged Him faithful who had promised” c. Through her faith, the promises of a great nation were fulfilled!

2. Our faith requires looking to God for strength, and trusting He will provide a. We must look to God to “find grace to help in time of need”

• Hebrews 4:16b. Is our faith a “receiving faith” like Sarah’s? - Philippians 4:13 C. THE FAITH OF ISAAC…1. He blessed Jacob and Esau regarding things to come - Hebrews 11:20;cf. Genesis 27:1-402. This illustrates how Isaac by faith “embraced” the promises

D. THE FAITH OF JACOB…1. Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph when he was dying - Hebrews 11:21;cf. Genesis 48:14-202. His blessing involved the promises of God, showing how he embraced them also

E. THE FAITH OF JOSEPH…1. When he was dying, Joseph: a. Made mention of the departure of Israel out of Egypt b. Gave instructions concerning his bones - Hebrews 11:22; cf. Genesis 50:24-262. In so doing, he demonstrated that he had “embraced the promises”!

[Such was the faith of the patriarchs. I purposely skipped verses 13- 16, for what is said there not only applies to Abraham and Sarah, but to Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.

As we now turn to those verses, we learn in particular…]

II. HOW THEIR FAITH PLEASED GOD (Hebrews 11:13-16) A. THEY THE … - Hebrews 11:13-16 a1. They did not receive the promises during their lifetime a. Yet with faith they could see them afar off b. They freely confessed to be strangers and pilgrims on the earth

1. This implies that they sought a homeland
2. But what they desired was a better one, indeed a heavenly country

2. They died “in faith” (i.e., holding fast to the promises)

B. GOD IS NOT ASHAMED OF THEM… - Hebrews 11:16 b1. He is not ashamed to be called their God a. He is well pleased with them b. It was their faith embracing the promises that pleased Him 2. He has prepared a city for them a. What they waited for, He has prepared - cf. Hebrews 11:10b. That which He has prepared is what we look for, too - cf. Hebrews 13:141) I.e., the new heavens and new earth - cf. 2 Peter 3:132) In which will be the “New Jerusalem,” that “great city…descending out of heaven” - cf. Revelation 21:1-3; Revelation 21:10 ff3) Indeed, even now in a sense we have “come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…” - Hebrews 12:22-24

1. What kind of faith pleases God? Certainly a… a. “Worshipping faith” like that of Abel b. “Walking faith” like that of Enoch c. “Working faith” like that of Noah …but also a “waiting faith” seen in the patriarchs (Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph)!

2. The faith that pleases God is one that “embraces the promises” made by God… a. Patiently waiting for their ultimate fulfillment, even if it doesn’t happen in one’s lifetime b. But with conviction and confidence of “things hoped for” and “things of unseen”…

1. We will “obey” His calling
2. We will “sojourn” here on earth
3. We will “offer” up whatever He asks of us
4. We will “receive strength” to do whatever He bids us
5. And we will “make mention” of His promises from generation to generation!

3. This is the kind of faith… a. In those “who believe to the saving of the soul” - Hebrews 10:39b. In those of whom “God is not ashamed to be called their God”

• Hebrews 11:16 May the Lord grant us grace and mercy to develop this kind of saving faith!

Hebrews 11:9

Hebrews 11:9 Hebrews 11:9 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH παρωκησενG3939 [G5656] HE ειςG1519 IN τηνG3588 THE γηνG1093 LAND τηςG3588 OF THE επαγγελιαςG1860 PROMISE, ωςG5613 AS “IN” αλλοτριανG245 A STRANGE “COUNTRY”, ενG1722 IN σκηναιςG4633 TENTS κατοικησαςG2730 [G5660] HAVING DWELT μεταG3326 WITH ισαακG2464 ISAAC καιG2532 AND ιακωβG2384 JACOB, τωνG3588 THE συγκληρονομωνG4789 JOINT HEIRS τηςG3588 OF THE επαγγελιαςG1860 τηςG3588 PROMISE αυτηςG846 SAME; he sojourned: Genesis 17:8, Genesis 23:4, Genesis 26:3, Genesis 35:27, Acts 7:5, Acts 7:6 dwelling: Genesis 12:8, Genesis 13:3, Genesis 13:18, Genesis 18:1, Genesis 18:2, Genesis 18:6, Genesis 18:9, Genesis 25:27 the heirs: Hebrews 6:17, Genesis 26:3, Genesis 26:4, Genesis 28:4, Genesis 28:13, Genesis 28:14, Genesis 48:3, Genesis 48:4 Genesis 4:20 - dwell Genesis 9:27 - dwell Genesis 12:5 - and into Genesis 12:6 - passed Genesis 17:21 - my Genesis 21:34 - General Genesis 24:6 - General Genesis 24:7 - which spake Genesis 30:25 - and to Genesis 31:25 - General Genesis 37:1 - wherein his father was a stranger Genesis 47:9 - The days Exodus 12:40 - sojourning Leviticus 23:34 - The fifteenth Leviticus 25:23 - for ye are Numbers 29:12 - the fifteenth day Rth 2:11 - and how Nehemiah 8:17 - sat under Psalms 105:12 - and strangers Psalms 107:7 - that they Jeremiah 35:6 - Ye shall Jeremiah 35:7 - all Hosea 12:9 - yet Acts 3:13 - God of Abraham Titus 3:7 - made Hebrews 6:12 - inherit Hebrews 13:14 - General Hebrews 11:9. ———————– Strange means “belonging to another”; Abraham considered himself a sojourner which means a temporary dweller. That is why he lived in tabernacles (or tents) because he regarded himself as well as his immediate descendants as heirs only. He believed the land would sometime be actually possessed by the nations coming from him. Hebrews 11:9 ——————————————————————————– He sojourned in (παρῴκησενεἰς) The verb lit. to dwell beside or among. Πάροικος, a foreigner dwelling in a state without rights of citizenship. In Class. only in the sense of neighbor. See on Luke 24:18. The verb of rest with the preposition of motion (only here) signifies that he went into the land and dwelt there. Usually with ἐν in, but sometimes with the simple accusative, as Luke 24:18; Genesis 17:8; Exodus 6:4. ——————————————————————————– Land of promise (γῆντῆςἐπαγγελίας) Note the article, omitted in A.V., the promise: the land which was designated in the promise of God. See Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15.

The phrase N.T.o. There is no corresponding phrase in O.T. ——————————————————————————– Strange (ἀλλοτρίαν) Another (ἄλλη) land than his own.

So lxx, Genesis 15:13. Comp. Acts 7:6. ——————————————————————————– In tabernacles (ἐνσκηναῖς) Or tents, as a migratory people, without a permanent home. ——————————————————————————– The heirs with him (τῶνσυνκληρονόμων) Joint-heirs or fellow-heirs. olxx, oClass. See Romans 8:17; Ephesians 3:6; 1 Peter 3:7. The three, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are mentioned because they cover the entire period of the sojourn in Canaan. Faith inspired these to endure patiently their unsettled life, since it assured them of a permanent home in the future.

Hebrews 11:9 ——————————————————————————– Became a sojourner (parτikηsen). First aorist active indicative of paroikeτ, old verb to dwell (oikeτ) beside (para), common in LXX, in N.T. only here and Luke 24:18.

Called paroikon (sojourner) in Acts 7:6. ——————————————————————————– In the land of promise (eis gηn tηs epaggelias). Literally, “land of the promise.” The promise made by God to him (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15; Genesis 17:8). ——————————————————————————– As in a land not his own (hτs allotrian). For allotrios (belonging to another) see Hebrews 9:25; Hebrews 11:34. ——————————————————————————– The heirs with him of the same promise (tτn sunklηromenτn tηs epaggelias tηs autηs). Late double compound (sun, klηros, nemomai), found in Philo, inscriptions and papyri, in N.T. only here, Romans 8:17; Ephesians 3:6; 1 Peter 3:7. “Co-heirs” with Abraham.

Hebrews 11:10

Hebrews 11:10 Hebrews 11:10 ————————— εξεδεχετοG1551 [G5711] γαρG1063 FOR HE WAS WAITING FOR τηνG3588 τουςG3588 THE θεμελιουςG2310 εχουσανG2192 [G5723] HAVING πολινG4172 CITY, ηςG3739 OF WHICH “THE” τεχνιτηςG5079 καιG2532 AND δημιουργοςG1217 οG3588 “IS” θεοςG2316 GOD. he looked: Hebrews 12:22, Hebrews 12:28, Hebrews 13:14, John 14:2, Philippians 3:20,*Gr: Revelation 21:2, Revelation 21:10-27 whose: Hebrews 3:4, Isaiah 14:32, 2 Corinthians 5:1 Genesis 9:27 - dwell 1 Kings 6:1 - build Psalms 107:7 - that they Son 1:17 - beams Jeremiah 33:2 - the maker Acts 7:5 - he gave 2 Timothy 2:19 - the foundation Hebrews 8:2 - which Hebrews 11:16 - for Revelation 21:14 - foundations Hebrews 11:10. ———————– Abraham did not expect to possess personally the land of Canaan, hence he did not provide himself any permanent building for a home. He believed that his descendants would finally get possession of it. As for himself, he chose to be faithful to God while sojourning in the land, then finally enter the city with foundations, which means the permanence of the Eternal City or Heaven. Hebrews 11:10 ——————————————————————————– For he looked for a city which hath foundations (ἐξεδέχετογὰρτὴντοὺςθεμελίουςἔξουσανπόλιν) The sense is impaired in A.V. by the omission of the articles, the city, the foundations. Passing over the immediate subject of God’s promise to Abraham— his inheritance of the land in which he sojourns— the writer fastens the patriarch’s faith upon the heavenly fulfillment of the promise— the perfected community of God, which, he assumes, was contained in the original promise. By the city he means the heavenly Jerusalem, and his statement is that Abraham’s faith looked forward to that. The idea of the new or heavenly Jerusalem was familiar to the Jews. See Hebrews 12:22; Hebrews 13:14; Galatians 4:26; Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2. The Rabbins regarded it as an actual city.

For the foundations comp. Revelation 21:14.

In ascribing to the patriarchs an assured faith in heaven as the end and reward of their wanderings, the writer oversteps the limits of history; but evidently imports into the patriarchal faith the contents of a later and more developed faith— that of himself and his readers. ——————————————————————————– Builder and maker (τεχνίτησκαὶδημιουργὸς) Τεχνίτης artificer, architect. Comp. Acts 19:24 (note), 38; Revelation 18:22, and lxx, 1 Chronicles 29:5; Son 7:1; Wisd. 8:6; 14:2; Sir 9:17 Δημιουργὸς N.T.o, originally a workman for the public (δῆμος); generally, framer, builder. It is used by Xenophon and Plato of the maker of the world (Xen. Mem. i. 4, 9; Plato, Tim. 40 C; Repub. 530 A). It was appropriated by the Neo Platonists as the designation of God.

To the Gnostics, the Demiurge was a limited, secondary God, who created the world; since there was no possibility of direct contact between the supreme, incommunicable God and the visible world. Hebrews 11:10 ——————————————————————————– He looked for (exedecheto).

Imperfect middle of ekdechomai (see note on Hebrews 10:13) picturesque progressive imperfect, his steady and patient waiting in spite of disappointment. ——————————————————————————– The foundations (tous themelious). Not just “tents” (skηnais, Hebrews 11:9). Ahraham set his steady gaze on heaven as his real home, being a mere pilgrim (paroikos) on earth. ——————————————————————————– Builder (technitηs). Old word from technη (craft) or trade (Acts 17:29; Acts 18:3), craftsman, artificer, in N.T. only here and Acts 19:24; Acts 19:38. ——————————————————————————– Maker (dηmiourgos). Old word from dηmios (public) and ergon, a worker for the public, artisan, framer, here only in N.T.

Hebrews 11:11

Hebrews 11:11 Hebrews 11:11 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH καιG2532 ALSO αυτηG846 HERSELF σαρραG4564 SARAH δυναμινG1411 POWER ειςG1519 FOR “THE” καταβοληνG2602 σπερματοςG4690 OF SEED ελαβενG2983 [G5627] , καιG2532 AND παραG3844 BEYOND καιρονG2540 AGE ηλικιαςG2244 ετεκενG5088 [G5627] GAVE BIRTH; επειG1893 SINCE πιστονG4103 ηγησατοG2233 [G5662] SHE τονG3588 HIM WHO επαγγειλαμενονG1861 [G5666] . Sara: Genesis 17:17-19, Genesis 18:11-14, Genesis 21:1, Genesis 21:2, Luke 1:36, 1 Peter 3:5, 1 Peter 3:6 because: Hebrews 10:23, Romans 4:20, Romans 4:21 Genesis 18:12 - laughed Genesis 21:6 - God Numbers 1:46 - General Deuteronomy 7:9 - the faithful 2 Kings 4:17 - General Isaiah 54:1 - for more Matthew 1:2 - Abraham Luke 1:7 - well Luke 1:25 - hath Romans 4:19 - considered Romans 9:9 - Sarah 1 Corinthians 1:9 - God 1 Corinthians 10:13 - but Galatians 4:23 - but Hebrews 11:19 - from the 1 John 1:9 - he is Hebrews 11:11. ———————– Being delivered of a child was not the miracle in this case, but it was the ability to conceive one to begin with. Sarah was ninety years old and thus was past the usual age of child-bearing. She also had been barren all her life so that she was not at any time able to conceive by the natural process of reproduction. Hence she would have felt no urge to cooperate with her husband in carrying out their part of God’s plan. But on account of her faith in the promise of God she acted and was rewarded with the strength (ability) to conceive. Hebrews 11:11 ——————————————————————————– Sarah Faith prevailing against natural impossibilities. See Romans 4:19-22. Both Abraham and Sarah doubted at first (Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:12); but both became persuaded of the truthfulness of the promise. ——————————————————————————– Herself (αὐτὴ) She who at first doubted. ——————————————————————————– To conceive seed (εἰςκαταβολὴνσπέρματος) In every other instance in N.T. καταβολή means foundation, and appears in the phrase καταβολὴκόσμου foundation of the world. Originally it means throwing down; hence, the depositing of the male seed in the womb. The sentence may be explained either, “received strength as regarded the deposition of seed,” to fructify it; or, “received strength for the foundation of a posterity,” σπέρμα being rendered in accordance with Hebrews 2:16; Hebrews 11:18, and καταβολή in the sense of foundation, as everywhere else in N.T. ——————————————————————————– And was delivered of a child when she was past age (καὶπαρὰκαιρὸνἡλικίας) Was delivered of a child not in the text. Καὶ and that. Rend. “received strength,” etc., “and that when she was past age.” Παρὰκαιρὸνἡλικίας, lit. past the season of age.

For ἡλικία see on stature, Luke 12:25. Hebrews 11:11 ——————————————————————————– To conceive seed (eis katabolηn spermatos).

For deposit of seed. See Hebrews 4:3 for katabolη. ——————————————————————————– Past age (para kairon hηlikias). Beyond (para with the accusative) the season of age. ——————————————————————————– Since she counted him faithful who had promised (epei piston hηgηsato ton epaggeilamenon). Sarah herself (autη—Sarra). Even Sarah, old as she was, believed God who had promised. Hence she received power.

Hebrews 11:12

Hebrews 11:12 Hebrews 11:12 ————————— διοG1352 καιG2532 ALSO αφG575 FROM ενοςG1520 ONE εγεννηθησανG1080 [G5681] WERE BORN, καιG2532 ταυταG5023 AND THAT TOO νενεκρωμενουG3499 [G5772] OF “ONE” HAVING BECOME DEAD, καθωςG2531 EVEN AS ταG3588 THE αστραG798 STARS τουG3588 OF THE ουρανουG3772 HEAVEN τωG3588 IN πληθειG4128 , καιG2532 AND ωσειG5616 AS αμμοςG285 SAND ηG3588 WHICH “IS” παραG3844 BY τοG3588 THE χειλοςG5491 SHORE τηςG3588 OF THE θαλασσηςG2281 SEA ηG3588 THE αναριθμητοςG382 . and him: Romans 4:19 as the stars: Genesis 15:5, Genesis 22:17, Genesis 26:4, Exodus 32:13, Deuteronomy 1:10, Deuteronomy 28:62, 1 Chronicles 27:23, Nehemiah 9:23, Romans 4:17 as the sand: Genesis 22:17, Genesis 32:12, Joshua 11:4, Judges 7:12, 1 Samuel 12:5, 2 Samuel 17:11, 1 Kings 4:20, Isaiah 10:22, Isaiah 48:19, Jeremiah 33:22, Hosea 1:10, Habakkuk 1:9, Romans 4:18, Romans 9:27, Revelation 20:8 Genesis 13:16 - General Genesis 18:11 - old Genesis 18:12 - laughed Numbers 1:46 - General Deuteronomy 10:22 - as the stars Psalms 105:12 - and strangers Psalms 105:24 - And he Isaiah 54:1 - for more Romans 9:9 - Sarah Hebrews 11:19 - from the Hebrews 13:14 - General Revelation 7:9 - no man Hebrews 11:12. ———————– As good as dead. The second word is not in the original as a separate term. The phrase is used figuratively because all appearances were that way. We know Abraham’s reproductive powers were not gone, for at least thirty-seven years later he married the second time and begat six sons (Genesis 23:1 Genesis 25 Genesis 1, 2). There is no evidence that a miracle was performed to enable him to beget these sons. Besides, they were not needed to fulfill the promise made in the beginning. Stars and sand are used to indicate the vast number of his descendants. Hebrews 11:12 ——————————————————————————– As good as dead (νενεκρωμένου) Comp. Romans 4:19. As good as is an addition of A.V. The Greek reads and that a dead man. Comp. νέκρωσιν deadness applied to Sarah, Romans 4:19. ——————————————————————————– Stars— sand See Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12. ——————————————————————————– By the seashore (παρὰτὸχεῖλοςτῆςθαλάσσης) Lit. by the lip of the sea. The phrase N.T.o.

Very often in lxx, as Genesis 22:17; Exodus 14:30; lip of a river, Genesis 41:17; Exodus 7:15; of a brook, Deuteronomy 2:36; Deuteronomy 3:12; of Jordan, 2 Kings 2:13. So in Class. The vigor thus supernaturally imparted to Abraham does not appear to have exhausted itself in the generation of Isaac; since, according to Genesis 25:2, Abraham became by Keturah the father of six sons after the death of Sarah. Hebrews 11:12 ——————————————————————————– And that as good as dead (kai tauta nenekrτmenou). Accusative of general reference (tauta), sometimes singular as in 1 Corinthians 6:8. The perfect passive participle from nekroτ, late verb to make dead, to treat as dead (Romans 4:19), here by hyperbole. ——————————————————————————– By the sea shore (para to cheilos tηs thalassηs). “Along the lip of the sea” (from Genesis 22:17), cheilos here alone in this sense in the N.T. ——————————————————————————– Innumerable (anarithmηtos).

Old compound verbal adjective (alpha privative and arithmeτ, to number), here alone in N.T.

Hebrews 11:13

Hebrews 11:13 Hebrews 11:13 ————————— καταG2596 IN πιστινG4102 FAITH απεθανονG599 [G5627] DIED ουτοιG3778 THESE παντεςG3956 ALL, μηG3361 NOT λαβοντεςG2983 [G5631] HAVING ταςG3588 THE επαγγελιαςG1860 , αλλαG235 BUT πορρωθενG4207 FROM AFAR αυταςG846 THEM ιδοντεςG1492 [G5631] HAVING SEEN, καιG2532 AND πεισθεντεςG3982 [G5685] HAVING BEEN , καιG2532 AND ασπασαμενοιG782 [G5666] HAVING “THEM” καιG2532 AND ομολογησαντεςG3670 [G5660] HAVING οτιG3754 THAT ξενοιG3581 καιG2532 AND παρεπιδημοιG3927 εισινG1526 [G5748] THEY ARE επιG1909 ON τηςG3588 THE γηςG1093 EARTH. all died: Genesis 25:8, Genesis 27:2-4, Genesis 48:21, Genesis 49:18, Genesis 49:28, Genesis 49:33, Genesis 50:24 in faith: Gr. according to faith not: Hebrews 11:39 but: Hebrews 11:27, Genesis 49:10, Numbers 24:17, Job 19:25, John 8:56, John 12:41, 1 Peter 1:10-12 and were: Romans 4:21, Romans 8:24, 1 John 3:19,*Gr. confessed: Genesis 23:4, Genesis 47:9, 1 Chronicles 29:14, 1 Chronicles 29:15, Psalms 39:12, Psalms 119:19, 1 Peter 1:17, 1 Peter 2:11 Genesis 12:7 - builded Genesis 12:9 - going on still Genesis 15:15 - in peace Genesis 21:34 - General Genesis 24:6 - General Genesis 26:3 - Sojourn Exodus 2:22 - for he said Exodus 18:3 - Gershom Leviticus 23:34 - The fifteenth Leviticus 23:42 - General Numbers 10:30 - General Deuteronomy 32:52 - General 1 Chronicles 16:19 - a few Nehemiah 8:17 - sat under Psalms 37:3 - so shalt Psalms 56:8 - tellest Psalms 119:54 - General Isaiah 33:17 - that is very far off Matthew 13:17 - That many Mark 12:27 - is not Luke 10:24 - many John 8:52 - Abraham John 11:25 - he that Acts 7:5 - he gave Romans 8:38 - For I 2 Corinthians 1:20 - all 2 Corinthians 5:6 - whilst Galatians 3:17 - the covenant Galatians 3:23 - the faith Colossians 3:1 - seek 2 Timothy 1:5 - I am Hebrews 4:8 - had Hebrews 7:6 - had Hebrews 9:15 - promise Hebrews 11:1 - faith 1 Peter 1:9 - General 1 Peter 1:12 - that not Hebrews 11:13. ———————– These means Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who never lived to see the fulfilment of the promises. Died in faith means that their faith remained with them as long as they lived. Seen them afar off (by the eves of faith). Being strangers and pilgrims (temporary dwellers), they did not expect to possess the land personally, but they never doubted that their descendants would according to the promises. Hebrews 11:13 ——————————————————————————– In faith (κατὰπίστιν) See on Hebrews 11:7. ——————————————————————————– Not having received (μὴκομισάμενοι) See on Hebrews 10:36. They died according to faith, inasmuch as they did not receive. They died under the regimen of faith, and not of sight. For the phrase κομίζειντὰςἐπαγγελίας to receive the promises, comp. Hebrews 10:36; Hebrews 11:39. ——————————————————————————– Having seen them afar off (πόρρωθεναύτὰςἰδόντες) By faith; from afar. ——————————————————————————– Were persuaded of them and embraced them (ἀσπασάμενοι) The A.V. completely destroys the beauty of this verse. It reads were persuaded, following T.R. πεισθέντες, and translates ἀσπασάμενοι embraced, which is a sort of inferential rendering of the original sense to salute or greet.

Rend. “having seen them from afar and greeted them”: as seamen wave their greeting to a country seen far off on the horizon, on which they cannot land. Lόnemann appropriately quotes Virgil, Aen. iii. 522: “Cum proculi obscuros collis humilemque videmus Italiam.

Italiam primus conclamat Achates, Italiam laeto socii clamore salutant.” ——————————————————————————– Confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims (ὁμολογήσαντεςὅτιξένοικαὶπαρεπίδημοι) They admitted and accepted the fact with the resignation of faith, and with the assurance of future rest. Comp. Genesis 23:4; Genesis 24:37; Genesis 28:4; Genesis 47:9; Psalms 39:12; Psalms 119:19; Psalms 119:54. For παρεπίδημοι sojourners, see on 1 Peter 1:1. In the anonymous Epistle to Diognetus, an apologetic letter, probably of the second century, and one of the gems of early Christian literature, occur the following words concerning Christians: “They inhabit their own country, but as sojourners: they take part in all things as citizens, and endure all things as aliens: every foreign country is theirs, and every country is foreign.” Hebrews 11:13 ——————————————————————————– In faith (kata pistin). Here a break in the routine pistei (by faith), “according to faith,” either for literary variety “or to suggest pistis as the sphere and standard of their characters” (Moffatt). ——————————————————————————– These all (houtoi pantes).

Those in Hebrews 11:9-12 (Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob). ——————————————————————————– Not having the promises (mη komisamenoi tas epaggelias). First aorist middle participle of komizτ, to obtain, as in Hebrews 10:36; Hebrews 11:39.

And yet the author mentions Abraham (Hebrews 6:15) as having obtained the promise. He received the promise of the Messiah, but did not live to see the Messiah come as we have done. It is in this sense that we have “better promises.” ——————————————————————————– Greeted them (aspasamenoi). First aorist middle participle of aspazomai, to salute (Matthew 5:47). Abraham rejoiced to see Christ’s day in the dim distance (John 8:56). ——————————————————————————– Strangers (zenoi). Foreigners. “To reside abroad carried with it a certain stigma” (Moffatt).

But they “confessed” it (Genesis 23:4; Genesis 47:9). ——————————————————————————– Pilgrims (parepidηmoi). Late double compound (para, epi, dηmos), a sojourner from another land, in N.T. only here and 1 Peter 1:1; 1 Peter 2:11.

Hebrews 11:14

Hebrews 11:14 Hebrews 11:14 ————————— οιG3588 γαρG1063 FOR THEY WHO τοιαυταG5108 SUCH THINGS λεγοντεςG3004 [G5723] SAY, εμφανιζουσινG1718 [G5719] MAKE οτιG3754 THAT “THEIR” πατριδαG3968 OWN COUNTRY επιζητουσινG1934 [G5719] THEY ARE SEEKING. they seek: Hebrews 11:16, Hebrews 13:14, Romans 8:23-25, 2 Corinthians 4:18, 2 Corinthians 5:1-7, Philippians 1:23 Genesis 12:9 - going on still Exodus 2:22 - for he said John 14:2 - my Romans 3:25 - remission Revelation 5:9 - and hast Hebrews 11:14. ———————– The faith described in the preceding verse implies a belief in some other country than was then visible. Hebrews 11:14 ——————————————————————————– Declare plainly (ἐμφαμίζουσιν) oP. See on John 14:21. Occasionally in lxx. Rend. “make it manifest.” ——————————————————————————– They seek a country (πατρίδαἐπιζητοῦσιν) The verb is found in lxx, chiefly in the sense of seeking after God or another deity. See 2 Kings 1:3; 2 Kings 1:6; 2 Kings 3:11; 2 Kings 8:8; 2 Kings 22:18; 2 Chronicles 18:6. Comp. ἐπιζητουμένηπόλις a city sought after (Zion), Isaiah 62:12. Πατρίς is a native country; a fatherland.

Only here and in Gospels and Acts. Quite often in lxx. Hebrews 11:14 ——————————————————————————- A country of their own (patrida). Land of the fathers (patηr), one’s native land (John 4:44). Cf. our patriotic, patriotism.

Hebrews 11:15

Hebrews 11:15 Hebrews 11:15 ————————— καιG2532 AND ειG1487 IF μενG3303 INDEED εκεινηςG1565 THAT εμνημονευονG3421 [G5707] THEY WERE αφG575 FROM ηςG3739 WHENCE εξηλθονG1831 [G5627] THEY CAME OUT, ειχονG2192 [G5707] ανG302 THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD καιρονG2540 ανακαμψαιG344 [G5658] TO HAVE ; mindful: Genesis 11:31, Genesis 12:10, Genesis 24:6-8, Genesis 31:18, Genesis 32:9-11 Genesis 30:25 - and to Numbers 14:4 - General Isaiah 51:13 - feared Hebrews 11:15. ———————– The country from whence they came out (Mesopotamia) was visible and would require no faith to realize it. Moreover, it was still obtainable and had they been mindful of it or cared for it, they could have returned to that place, although in so doing they would have lost their favor with God. Hebrews 11:15 ——————————————————————————– If they had been mindful (εἰἐμνημόνευον) In N.T. habitually remember. So invariably in lxx. The meaning here is, that if, in their declaration (Hebrews 11:14) that they were seeking a country, they had called to mind the country from which they came out, they could have returned thither, so that it is evident that they did not mean that country. ——————————————————————————– To have returned (ἀνακάμψαι) Rend. “to return.” Lit. bend their way back again (ἀνα). Hebrews 11:15 ——————————————————————————– Had been mindful (emnηmoneuon)—would have had (eichon an). Condition of second class (note an in conclusion) with the imperfect (not aorist) in both condition and conclusion. So it means: “If they had continued mindful, they would have kept on having” (linear action in both cases in past time). ——————————————————————————– Opportunity to return (kairon anakampsai).

Old verb anakamptτ to bend back, to turn back (Matthew 2:12), here first aorist active infinitive. Continual hankering would have found a way. Cf. the Israelites in the wilderness yearning after Egypt.

Hebrews 11:16

Hebrews 11:16 Hebrews 11:16 ————————— νυνιG3570 δεG1161 BUT NOW κρειττονοςG2909 A BETTER ορεγονταιG3713 [G5731] THEY STRETCH FORWARD TO, τουτεστινG5123G5123 [G5748] THAT IS, επουρανιουG2032 A ; διοG1352 ουκG3756 επαισχυνεταιG1870 [G5736] IS NOT ASHAMED OF αυτουςG846 οG3588 THEM θεοςG2316 GOD. θεοςG2316 GOD επικαλεισθαιG1941 [G5745] TO BE CALLED αυτωνG846 THEIR; ητοιμασενG2090 [G5656] γαρG1063 FOR HE αυτοιςG846 FOR THEM πολινG4172 A CITY. they desire: Hebrews 11:14, Hebrews 12:22 God is: Hebrews 2:11 to be: Genesis 17:7, Genesis 17:8, Exodus 3:6, Exodus 3:15, Isaiah 41:8-10, Jeremiah 31:1, Matthew 22:31, Matthew 22:32, Mark 12:26, Luke 20:37, Acts 7:32 for: Hebrews 11:10, Hebrews 13:14, Matthew 25:34, Luke 12:32, Philippians 3:20 Genesis 9:26 - Shem Genesis 28:13 - I am Genesis 30:25 - and to Exodus 6:7 - I will be Leviticus 25:38 - and to be Leviticus 26:12 - will be Numbers 15:41 - General Deuteronomy 29:13 - he may be 1 Chronicles 17:24 - a God Psalms 37:9 - inherit Psalms 91:2 - my God Psalms 95:7 - For he Psalms 107:7 - that they Isaiah 64:4 - seen Jeremiah 24:7 - and they Jeremiah 32:38 - General Jeremiah 33:2 - the maker Ezekiel 11:20 - and they Ezekiel 14:11 - that they Ezekiel 36:28 - be people Matthew 20:23 - for Mark 10:40 - General Luke 20:38 - a God John 5:39 - ye think John 14:2 - I go John 20:17 - your God 1 Corinthians 2:9 - the things Hebrews 8:10 - I will be Revelation 21:3 - they shall Hebrews 11:16. ———————– This verse expresses the same hope mentioned of Abraham in verse 10. God is pleased to own people who are trusting Him, and as a reward he will admit them into the heavenly city in the “sweet by and by.” Such a home will be a better country than the one from which they came, or even than the one in which they were “sojourners.” Hebrews 11:16 ——————————————————————————– Now they desire (νϋνὀρέγονται) Νῦν now is logical: as the case now stands. For ὀρέγονται desire, see on 1 Timothy 3:1. ——————————————————————————– Is not ashamed (οὐκἐπαισχύνεται) Because they have commended themselves to God by their faith, so that he acknowledges them as his own. Comp. Hebrews 2:11; Mark 8:28; Mark 8:38; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:16. ——————————————————————————– To be called their God (Θεὸςἐπικαλεῖσθαιαὐτῶν) Lit. to be surnamed. Comp. Acts 4:36; Acts 10:5; Acts 10:18; Acts 10:32.

God was called the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. See Exodus 3:6. ——————————————————————————– For he hath prepared for them a city (ἡτοίμασινγὰραὐτοῖςπόλιν) Comp. Matthew 25:34; John 14:2; Revelation 21:2. City is significant, as showing that the fulfillment of God’s promise lies in introducing them into the perfection of social life. Comp. Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2; Revelation 21:10; Revelation 22:19.

Hebrews 11:16 ——————————————————————————– They desire (oregontai). Present middle indicative of oregτ, old word for stretching out after, yearning after as in 1 Timothy 3:1. ——————————————————————————– Their God (theos autτn). Predicate nominative with the epexegetic infinitive epikaleisthai (to be called) used with ouk epaischunetai (is not ashamed).

Hebrews 11:17

Hebrews 11:17 Hebrews 11:17 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH προσενηνοχενG4374 [G5754] HAS OFFERED UP αβρααμG11 τονG3588 ABRAHAM ισαακG2464 ISAAC πειραζομενοςG3985 [G5746] BEING TRIED, καιG2532 AND “HIS” τονG3588 μονογενηG3439 ONLY προσεφερενG4374 [G5707] WAS UP οG3588 HE WHO ταςG3588 THE επαγγελιαςG1860 αναδεξαμενοςG324 [G5666] , faith: Genesis 22:1-12, James 2:21-24 when: Deuteronomy 8:2, 2 Chronicles 32:31, Job 1:11, Job 1:12, Job 2:3-6, Proverbs 17:3, Daniel 11:35, Zechariah 13:9, Malachi 3:2, Malachi 3:3, James 1:2-4, James 5:11, 1 Peter 1:6, 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 4:12, Revelation 3:10 received: Hebrews 7:6 offered: 2 Corinthians 8:12 only: Genesis 22:2, Genesis 22:16, John 3:16 Genesis 22:3 - General Genesis 22:10 - General 1 Kings 17:13 - make me thereof 1 Kings 17:15 - did according Nehemiah 9:8 - foundest Job 23:10 - he hath Jeremiah 13:5 - as Matthew 1:2 - Abraham Mark 11:23 - and shall John 11:22 - that Romans 3:25 - remission Romans 9:9 - Sarah Galatians 3:17 - the covenant Galatians 5:6 - faith 1 Thessalonians 1:3 - your Hebrews 6:12 - inherit Hebrews 11:33 - wrought James 1:12 - when James 2:14 - though James 2:22 - faith Hebrews 11:17. ———————– When he was tried means when his faith was put to a test. Offered up Isaac. Abraham did not literally sacrifice his son, but he went as far as the Lord permitted him to go. Not knowing that God would change the order, Abraham was put to as strong a test of his faith as if he had slain his son. His only begotten son is mentioned to emphasize the severity of the test. Hebrews 11:17 ——————————————————————————– When he was tried offered up (προσενήνοχενπειραζόμενος) The full sense of the statement is missed in A.V. The meaning is that while the trial is yet in progress, Abraham hath already offered up his son, before the trial has come to an issue, by the act of his obedient will, through faith in God. Comp. James 2:21. ——————————————————————————– He that had received (ὁἀναδεξάμενος) The verb only here and Acts 28:7. It means to accept; to welcome and entertain. So Rev. gladly received. ——————————————————————————– Accounting (λογισάμενος) See on 1 Peter 5:12; see on Romans 4:5; see on 8:18. ——————————————————————————– From whence (ὅθεν) Rend. wherefore: because of his faith in God’s power and truthfulness. Ὃθεν, though occasionally in a local sense in N.T., as Matthew 12:44; Luke 11:24; Acts 14:26, is much more common in the logical or causal sense, wherefore, on which account.

So in every other instance in Hebrews. In the local sense it would mean from the dead. ——————————————————————————– Also he received him in a figure (αὐτὸνκαὶἐνπαραςολῃἐκομίσατο) Καὶ marks the receiving as answering to the faith.

As Abraham believed in God’s power to restore Isaac, so, because of his faith, he also received him. For ἐκομίσατο received see on Hebrews 10:36. Ἐνπαραβολῆ in a parable. Since the sacrifice did not take place as a literal slaughter, there could not be a literal restoration from death. There was a real offering in Abraham’s will, but not a real death of Isaac. Isaac’s death took place symbolically, in the sacrifice of the ram: correspondingly, the restoration was only a symbolic restoration from the dead. Some expositors, among whom is Westcott, explain thus: Abraham accounted that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead, from which he received him at birth, in that Isaac sprung from one dead (νενεκρωμένου, Hebrews 11:12).

This is extremely labored and artificial. Hebrews 11:17 ——————————————————————————– Being tried (peirazomenos).

Present passive participle of peirazτ. The test was still going on. ——————————————————————————– Offered up (prosenηnochen). Perfect active indicative of prospherτ, the verb so often used in this Epistle. The act was already consummated so far as Abraham was concerned when it was interrupted and it stands on record about him. See Genesis 22:1-18. ——————————————————————————– He that had gladly received the promises (ho tas epaggelias anadexamenos). Anadechomai is old verb to welcome, to entertain, in N.T. only here and Acts 28:7.

It seemed the death of his hopes. ——————————————————————————– Was offering up (prosepheren). It is the imperfect of an interrupted action like ekaloun in Luke 1:59.

Hebrews 11:18

Hebrews 11:18 Hebrews 11:18 ————————— προςG4314 AS TO ονG3739 WHOM ελαληθηG2980 [G5681] οτιG3754 IT WAS SAID, ενG1722 IN ισαακG2464 ISAAC κληθησεταιG2564 [G5701] SHALL BE CALLED σοιG4671 THY σπερμαG4690 SEED; Of: or, To That: Genesis 17:19, Genesis 21:12, Romans 9:7 Genesis 21:3 - General Matthew 1:2 - Abraham Galatians 3:29 - Abraham’s Hebrews 11:18. ———————– Regardless of how many other sons he might have had, that would not have lessened the severity of the test for the promise was restricted to Isaac.. Hebrews 11:18 ——————————————————————————– To whom it was said (pros elalηthη). First aorist passive indicative of laleτ (Genesis 21:12). God’s very words were in the heart of Abraham now about Isaac “his only son” (ton monogenη. Cf. Luke 7:12).

Hebrews 11:19

Hebrews 11:19 Hebrews 11:19 ————————— λογισαμενοςG3049 [G5666] οτιG3754 THAT καιG2532 EVEN εκG1537 FROM AMONG “THE” νεκρωνG3498 DEAD εγειρεινG1453 [G5721] TO RAISE δυνατοςG1415 οG3588 ABLE “WAS” θεοςG2316 GOD, οθενG3606 WHENCE αυτονG846 HIM καιG2532 ALSO ενG1722 IN παραβοληG3850 A SIMILE εκομισατοG2865 [G5668] HE . God: Genesis 22:5,*Heb: Matthew 9:28, Romans 4:17-21, Ephesians 3:20 from the: Hebrews 11:11, Hebrews 11:12, Hebrews 9:24, Genesis 22:4, Genesis 22:13, Romans 5:14 Genesis 18:11 - old Genesis 18:14 - Is Genesis 22:12 - Lay 1 Kings 17:21 - O Lord my God Ezekiel 37:3 - O Lord God Mark 10:27 - for John 4:50 - Go Romans 4:21 - he was able 2 Corinthians 1:9 - in God Galatians 4:24 - an allegory Hebrews 9:9 - a figure 1 Peter 3:21 - like Hebrews 11:19. ———————– Abraham never doubted God’s ability and faithfulness in fulfilling the promise, even though his only son should die. The reason for that faith is explained in this verse in that he expected God to bring his son back to life. Received him in a figure; this may be regarded in two senses. The performance came so near to actual death for Isaac that the change in God’s order was virtually the same to Abraham’s mind as if the son had died. It was in the nature of a case where it is said that one “is snatched from the jaws of death.” Another phase is the truth that it all was a figure or type of the restoration of the Son of God from death after having been slain and made an offering at the cross. Hebrews 11:19 ——————————————————————————– Accounting (logisamenos). First aorist middle participle of logizomai. Abraham had God’s clear command that contravened God’s previous promise. This was his solution of his difficult situation. ——————————————————————————– God is able (dunatai ho theos). God had given him Isaac in his old age. God can raise him from the dead.

It was Abraham’s duty to obey God. ——————————————————————————– In a parable (en parabolηi). See already Hebrews 9:9 for parabolη. Because of (hothen, whence) Abraham’s superb faith Isaac was spared and so he received him back (ekomisato) as almost from the dead. This is the test that Abraham stood of which James speaks (James 2:23).

Hebrews 11:20

Hebrews 11:20 Hebrews 11:20 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH περιG4012 μελλοντωνG3195 [G5723] THINGS COMING ευλογησενG2127 [G5656] BLESSED ισαακG2464 τονG3588 ISAAC ιακωβG2384 JACOB καιG2532 τονG3588 AND ησαυG2269 ESAU. Genesis 27:27-40, Genesis 28:2, Genesis 28:3 Genesis 27:4 - that my Genesis 27:23 - he blessed Genesis 27:28 - of the dew Genesis 27:33 - yea Genesis 27:39 - Behold Numbers 6:23 - General Hebrews 7:7 - the less Hebrews 11:20. ———————– This blessing is recorded in Genesis 27, and it pertains to favorable experiences that were to come to his sons in the future. Being a patriarch, Isaac could speak as by a revelation from God, but he would not have done so had it not been for his faith in the declarations of God. Hebrews 11:20 ——————————————————————————– Blessed (εὐλόγησεν) See on John 12:13. ——————————————————————————– Concerning things to come (καὶπερὶμελλόντων) A.V. Omits καὶ which gives an emphasis to the following words. Isaac pronounced a blessing, and that concerning things to come; things beyond the lifetime of Jacob and Esau. See Genesis 27:29; Genesis 27:39. The blessing was an act of faith. Isaac’s confidence in the power of his blessing to convey the good which it promised was “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” founded on the promise of Gen 17:5.

Hebrews 11:20 ——————————————————————————– Even concerning things to come (kai peri mellontτn). As told in Genesis 27:28-40 when Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.

Hebrews 11:21

Hebrews 11:21 Hebrews 11:21 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH ιακωβG2384 JACOB αποθνησκωνG599 [G5723] DYING εκαστονG1538 EACH τωνG3588 OF THE υιωνG5207 SONS ιωσηφG2501 OF JOSEPH ευλογησενG2127 [G5656] BLESSED καιG2532 AND προσεκυνησενG4352 [G5656] επιG1909 ON τοG3588 THE ακρονG206 TOP τηςG3588 ραβδουG4464 αυτουG846 OF HIS STAFF. faith: Genesis 48:5-22 and worshipped: Genesis 47:31 Genesis 30:24 - And she Genesis 48:9 - bless them Genesis 48:15 - blessed Numbers 6:23 - General 1 Kings 1:47 - bowed Acts 7:15 - died Hebrews 7:7 - the less Hebrews 9:14 - the living Hebrews 11:21. ———————– Jacob was another patriarch and could speak by the Lord’s instruct ion. The favorable predictions he made for Joseph’s sons are re- corded in Genesis 48. Hebrews 11:21 ——————————————————————————– When he died (ἀποθνήσκων) Rend. “when dying.” It is quite superfluous to explain this as emphasizing the strength in contrast with the weakness of approaching death; or that, in the birth of Joseph’s two sons before Jacob’s death, Jacob discerned a monition to adopt them into the direct line of his own sons. The meaning is simply that these events took place in Jacob’s last hours. ——————————————————————————– Blessed each (ἕκαστονεὐλόγησεν) See Genesis 48:17-20. Each son received a separate and distinct blessing, although Joseph had expected only one common blessing for both. Jacob’s discernment of faith appeared in this, as in the precedence assigned to the younger son. ——————————————————————————– And worshipped leaning on the top of his staff (καὶπροσεκύνησενἐπὶτὸἄκροντῆςῥάβδουαὐτοῦ) From the lxx of Gen 47:31. It seems to have been loosely included by our writer among the incidents of Jacob’s last hours (ἀποθνήσκων), although it belongs to a different part of the narrative. The promise given by Joseph to remove his father’s remains to the family sepulchre may have been regarded as preparatory to the blessing, or introduced in order to emphasize the devotional character of the entire proceeding.

The words upon the head of his staff are from the lxx; the Hebrew being “Jacob bowed himself upon the head of the bed.” Comp. 1 Kings 1:47. According to its vowel-points the same Hebrew word signifies either staff or bed. The lxx has chosen the former, and renders by ῥάβδος staff. According to the Hebrew, the meaning is that Jacob, having been sitting during the conversation, lay down when it was finished, probably overcome by weakness, and breathing a prayer as he fell back on his pillow. Hebrews 11:21 ——————————————————————————– Leaning upon the top of his staff (epi to akron tηs rabdou autou). From Genesis 47:31, but no word for “leaning.” The quotation is from the LXX, the Hebrew having “the head of the bed,” but the Hebrew word allows either meaning with different vowel points.

Hebrews 11:22

Hebrews 11:22 Hebrews 11:22 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH ιωσηφG2501 JOSEPH τελευτωνG5053 [G5723] DYING, περιG4012 τηςG3588 THE εξοδουG1841 GOING FORTH τωνG3588 OF THE υιωνG5207 SONS ισραηλG2474 OF ISRAEL εμνημονευσενG3421 [G5656] MADE MENTION, καιG2532 AND περιG4012 τωνG3588 οστεωνG3747 αυτουG846 HIS BONES ενετειλατοG1781 [G5662] GAVE COMMAND. faith: Genesis 50:24, Genesis 50:25, Exodus 13:19, Joshua 24:32, Acts 7:16 made mention of: or, remembered Genesis 30:24 - And she Genesis 47:29 - bury me not Genesis 49:33 - had made Acts 7:15 - died Hebrews 11:22. ———————– When Joseph was taken into Egypt it was said that “the Lord was with him” (Genesis 39:2), and He continued to be with him all the time. Hence he was able to make the prediction (by faith) that is mentioned here and at Genesis 50:24-25. Hebrews 11:22 ——————————————————————————– When he died (τελευτῶν) Comp. Genesis 1:26, lxx. The verb means to finish or close, with life understood. Always in this sense in N.T. See Matthew 2:19; Matthew 9:18; Luke 7:2, etc. Never used by Paul. Rend. “when near his end.” ——————————————————————————– Made mention of (περὶ—ἐμνημόνευσεν) See on Hebrews 11:15. A.V. has remembered in marg.

Remembered is appropriate here. Joseph on his death-bed remembered the promise of God to give the land of Canaan to the seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15; Genesis 15:7), and also the prediction to Abraham that his descendants should pass four hundred years in bondage in a strange land, and should afterward be brought out thence, Genesis 15:13-14. ——————————————————————————– The departing of the children of Israel (τῆςἐξόδουτῶνυἱῶνΙσραὴλ) Ἔξοδος only here, Luke 9:31 (note) and 2 Peter 1:15 (note). ὉιυἱοὶἸσραὴλ is one of several phrases in N.T. denoting the chosen people. There are also house (οἶκος) and people (λαὸς) of Israel, and Israel of God, and Israel according to the flesh. ——————————————————————————– And gave commandment (καὶἐνετείλατο) Καὶ and so; in consequence of his remembering the prophecy of the exodus. The verb indicates a specific injunction (ἐντολή). See on 1 Timothy 6:14. Hebrews 11:22 ——————————————————————————– When his end was nigh (teleutτn).

Present active participle of teleutaτ, to finish or close (Matthew 2:19), “finishing his life.” ——————————————————————————– Of the departure (peri tηs exodou). Late compound for way out, exit as here, metaphorically of death as here (Luke 9:31; 2 Peter 1:15). ——————————————————————————– Concerning his bones (peri tτn osteτn autou).

Uncontracted form as in Matthew 23:27.

Hebrews 11:23-40

“THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS”

Faith That Overcomes The World (Hebrews 11:23-40)

1. What kind of faith leads “to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:39)? a. It is “Faith That Pleases God” - Hebrews 11:1-71) That has confidence and conviction in things hoped for, in things unseen

2. That believes God is, and that He rewards those who seek Him
3. That worships like Abel, walks like Enoch, and works like Noah b. It is “Faith That Embraces The Promises” - Hebrews 11:8-221) Obeying God when He calls, even it means sojourning as a pilgrim, or sacrificing that which is most precious to you (Abraham)
4. Receiving strength from God to do His will (Sarah)
5. Declaring the promises of God from generation to generation (Isaac, Jacob, Joseph)

2. Saving faith is also “Faith That Overcomes The World”, concerning which… a. The apostle John wrote in 1 John 5:4-5b. We have many examples in Hebrews 11:23-40 [In the last half of chapter eleven, then, we are reminded how in the Old Testament those with faith were able to “overcome the world”. How such faith overcame the world may vary. To see how, let’s begin by noticing…]

I. FAITH IN THE OF THE EXODUS (Hebrews 11:23-31) A. THE FAITH OF MOSES’ PARENTS… (Hebrews 11:23)1. They hid Moses for three months - cf. Exodus 2:1-3; Acts 7:20a. They saw he was a “beautiful” (“good”, “proper”, “not ordinary”) child b. They were not afraid of Pharaoh’s command - cf. Exodus 1:222. It was their faith that gave them courage to withstand the king’s edict – With such a small beginning, by faith they “overcame the world” of Egypt

B. THE FAITH OF MOSES… (Hebrews 11:24-28)1. He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter - Hebrews 11:24-26a. He chose to suffer affliction with God’s people rather than enjoy sin’s temporary pleasures b. He esteemed the reproaches of Christ more valuable than the treasures of Egypt – Through faith “he looked to the reward” (he had confidence in “things hoped for”, i.e., that heavenly reward) 2. He forsook Egypt - Hebrews 11:27a. It was not the wrath of the king that he feared b. It was the invisible God he feared - cf. Matthew 10:28– Through faith “he endured” (he had conviction in “things unseen”, i.e., God) 3. He kept the Passover and sprinkling of blood - Hebrews 11:28a. He believed in God’s warning regarding the death of the firstborn- Exodus 12:1-30b. He had Israel sprinkle the blood of the lamb on the lintels and door posts – By faith, Moses “overcame the world” of Egyptian bondage!

C. THE FAITH OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL… (Hebrews 11:29-30)1. They passed through the Red Sea - Hebrews 11:29a. They walked through it on dry land - Exodus 14:21-22b. The Egyptians who followed them perished in the sea - Exodus 14:23-282. They destroyed the city of Jericho - Hebrews 11:30a. They walked around the city for seven days - Joshua 6:1-20b. Thirteen times they encircled the city, showing their faith in God rather than in their own military might – By faith, Israel “overcame the world” of Egypt and Palestine!

D. THE FAITH OF RAHAB THE HARLOT… (Hebrews 11:31)1. She had received the two spies from Israel with peace

• Joshua 2:1-242. Therefore she did not perish with the unbelievers
• cf. Joshua 6:22-25– By faith, Rahab “overcame the world” of sin and unbelief!

[Through faith, Israel receive the promised land as God had told Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Joshua 21:43-45). In the process, by faith they overcame what obstacles the world placed before them. Even a Gentile sinner like Rahab became a recipient of the promise by her faith.

But the need for faith did not stop there. As we continue, we see examples of…]

II. FAITH IN THE LAND OF PROMISE (Hebrews 11:32-40) A. A SAMPLE LIST OF HEROES OF FAITH… (Hebrews 11:32)1. There is not enough time for the author to describe the faith of others in detail 2. Such as: a. Judges like Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah b. A king like David c. A prophet like Samuel, and the rest of the prophets – But what the author does provide is that which follows…

B. A SUMMARY LIST OF WHAT FAITH … (Hebrews 11:33-37)1. Through faith, people such as these… a. “Subdued kingdoms"1) Joshua, in conquering Palestine - Joshua 12:7-242) David, in conquering neighboring nations - 2 Samuel 5:4-25; 2 Samuel 8:1-14b. “Worked righteousness” (administered justice)

1. Samuel, as judge - 1 Samuel 12:42) David, as king - 2 Samuel 8:153) Solomon, as king - 1 Kings 3:28c. “Obtained promises”– The nation of Israel, receiving the promised land

• Joshua 21:43-45; Joshua 23:14d. “Stopped the mouths of lions"1) Samson - Judges 14:62) David, protecting sheep - 1 Samuel 17:34-373) Daniel, in the lions’ den - Daniel 6:21-22e. “Quenched the violence of fire”– Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-nego, in the fiery furnace
• Daniel 3:23-25f. “Escaped the edge of the sword"2) Elijah, fleeing Jezebel - 1 Kings 19:8-103) Elisha, whom the King of Israel wanted murdered
• 2 Kings 6:31-32h. “Out of weakness were made strong"1) Samson, after his hair was cut - Judges 16:29-302) Hezekiah, who was given fifteen years of life
• Isaiah 38:1-8i. “Became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of aliens"1) David, in defeating Goliath - 1 Samuel 17:502) Jehoshaphat, in defeating Edom - 2 Chronicles 20:1-303) Hezekiah, whose faith led to the slaughter of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers - 2 Kings 19:1-362. Also through faith… a. “Women received their dead raised to life again"1) The widow of Zarephath, via Elijah - 1 Kings 17:17-242) The Shunamite woman, via Elisha - 2 Kings 4:8-37b. “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, to obtain a better resurrection"1) Eleazar, in the Maccabean period between the Testaments
• 2Ma 6:302) Also, seven brothers and their mother tortured by Antiochus Epiphanes - 2Ma 7:9-36– Such events would have been well known by the Hebrew readers c. “Others had trials of mockings, scourgings, chains and imprisonment"1) Micaiah, the prophet - 1 Kings 22:24-282) Jeremiah, the prophet - Jeremiah 20:1-3; Jeremiah 37:11-21; Jeremiah 38:1-13d. Some were:

1. “Stoned” - Zechariah, son of Jehoida the priest - 2 Chronicles 24:20-222) “Sawn in two” - the prophet Isaiah, according to tradition
2. “Tempted” - Daniel, as a youth - Daniel 1:8-214) “Slain with the sword” - Uriah the prophet - Jeremiah 26 : 20-23e. Some wandered about:
3. “In sheepskins and goatskins” - Elijah - 2 Kings 1:82) “Being destitute, afflicted, tormented” - Elijah

• 2 Kings 17:2-6; 2 Kings 18:9-10 C. WHAT THESE PEOPLE BY THEIR FAITH… (Hebrews 11:38-40)1. Certainly not the praise of the world! - Hebrews 11:38a. Many had to wander in deserts and mountains, live in dens and caves (Elijah) b. But in truth, the world is not worthy of them!

2. They did obtain a good testimony… - Hebrews 11:39 aa. As stated regarding the elders in Hebrews 11:2b. As stated regarding Enoch - Hebrews 11:53. Yet they did not obtain “the promise” during their lifetime

• Hebrews 11:39 b-40a. They did receive some of the promises, such as the promised land - cf. Hebrews 11:33b. But they did not receive “the” promise

1. They did not live to see the coming of the promised Deliverer (Christ)
2. Nor did they experience the “perfection” which Christ now offers a) The Law could not make them “perfect” - Hebrews 9:9-10; Hebrews 10:1-4b) But Christ can! - cf. Hebrews 9:11-14; Hebrews 10:11-144. What they did not receive during their lifetime, they did with the coming of Christ! a. For Christ died to redeem them as well as us! - Hebrews 9:15b. They are now made “perfect” just as we are - Hebrews 11:40; cf. Hebrews 10:14; Hebrews 12:22-241) Note the phrase “the spirits of just men made perfect” in Hebrews 12:232) Those who in the past “should not be made perfect apart from us” are in Christ “made perfect”!

1. Through faith, they truly overcame the world… a. Sometimes their victory was miraculous; often it was not c. Their ultimate victory was that they “died in faith” - Hebrews 11:13-16– And now, they enjoy the fruit of faith: bliss in the presence of the Lamb! - cf. Revelation 7:9-17
2. Through faith, we can also overcome the world… a. Faith in Jesus as the Son of God will give us the victory!

• 1 John 5:4-51) Victory over the world’s temptations

2. Victory over the world’s persecutions b. The victories we win may not be as impressive as those listed in this chapter, but if we are “faithful until death”, the reward will be the same! - cf. Revelation 2:10 May this great chapter with its heroes of faith, serve to motivate us to grow in the faith which…

• Pleases God!

• Embraces The Promises!

• Overcomes The World!

We may not win the praise the world, but we will receive the praise of God, for such is the faith which leads “to the saving of the soul”!

Hebrews 11:24

Hebrews 11:24 Hebrews 11:24 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH μωσηςG3475 MOSES, μεγαςG3173 GREAT γενομενοςG1096 [G5637] HAVING BECOME, ηρνησατοG720 [G5662] REFUSED λεγεσθαιG3004 [G5745] TO BE CALLED υιοςG5207 SON θυγατροςG2364 OF φαραωG5328 PHARAOH’S; when: Exodus 2:10, Acts 7:21-24 Exodus 2:11 - Moses Numbers 24:11 - the Lord Rth 2:11 - and how Matthew 1:24 - did Matthew 4:8 - and showeth Matthew 13:44 - for joy Matthew 16:24 - If Matthew 20:5 - and did Mark 8:36 - profit Mark 10:29 - There Acts 7:23 - when Ephesians 6:16 - the shield 1 Thessalonians 1:3 - your Hebrews 11:24. ———————– Come to years corresponds with “full forty years old” in Acts 7:23. At that time he repudiated his relation to the daughter of Pharaoh in order to join himself with the Hebrews. The circumstance of becoming related to Pharaoh’s daughter referred to here is recorded in Exodus 2:5-10. Hebrews 11:24 ——————————————————————————– When he was come to years (μέγαςγενόμενος) Lit. having become great. Comp. lxx, Exodus 2:11. Often in the phrase μικροὶκαὶμεγάλοι small and great; young and old. See Acts 26:22; Hebrews 8:11; Revelation 11:8; Revelation 13:16, etc. Hebrews 11:24 ——————————————————————————– When he was grown up (megas genomenos). “Having become great” (from Exodus 2:11). ——————————————————————————– Refused (ηrnesato). First aorist middle indicative of arneomai, to deny, to refuse.

He was of age and made his choice not from ignorance. ——————————————————————————– Son (huios). Predicate nominative with legesthai (to be spoken of, present passive infinitive, of legτ).

Hebrews 11:25

Hebrews 11:25 Hebrews 11:25 ————————— μαλλονG3123 RATHER ελομενοςG138 [G5642] HAVING CHOSEN συγκακουχεισθαιG4778 [G5738] TO SUFFER WITH τωG3588 THE λαωG2992 τουG3588 PEOPLE θεουG2316 OF GOD, ηG2228 THAN “THE” προσκαιρονG4340 εχεινG2192 [G5721] TO HAVE αμαρτιαςG266 OF SIN απολαυσινG619 ; Choosing: Hebrews 10:32, Job 36:21, Psalms 84:10, Matthew 5:10-12, Matthew 13:21, Acts 7:24, Acts 7:25, Acts 20:23, Acts 20:24, Romans 5:3, Romans 8:17, Romans 8:18, Romans 8:35-39, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 1:24, 2 Thessalonians 1:3-6, 2 Timothy 1:8, 2 Timothy 2:3-10, 2 Timothy 3:11, 2 Timothy 3:12, James 1:20, 1 Peter 1:6, 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 4:12-16 the people: Hebrews 4:9, Psalms 47:9, 1 Peter 2:10 the pleasures: Job 20:5, Job 21:11-13, Psalms 73:18-20, Isaiah 21:4, Isaiah 47:8, Isaiah 47:9, Luke 12:19, Luke 12:20, Luke 16:25, James 5:5, Revelation 18:7 Exodus 2:21 - content Proverbs 1:29 - not Proverbs 20:17 - is sweet John 16:33 - In the 2 Corinthians 4:18 - we Revelation 11:18 - and that Hebrews 11:25. ———————– Pleasures of sin refers to the life he was connected with while a part of the royal family of Egypt. A season would be the comparatively short time in this world, for sinful pleasures will all cease at the judgment and endless punishment will follow. On the other hand the faithful people of God, though afflicted by the enemy in this life. will enjoy endless pleasure in the world to come. Hebrews 11:25 ——————————————————————————– To suffer affliction with (συνκακουχεῖσθαι) N.T.o , olxx, oClass. The verb κακουχεῖν to treat ill, Hebrews 11:37; Hebrews 13:3; lxx, 1 Kings 2:26; 1 Kings 11:39. Rend. “to be evil entreated.” ——————————————————————————– Than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season (ἣπρόσκαιρονἔχεινἁμαρτίαςἀπόλαυσιν) Lit. than to have temporary enjoyment of sin. The emphasis is first on temporary and then on sin. For ἀπόλαυσις enjoyment, see on 1 Timothy 6:17. Πρόσκαιρος for a season, temporary, rare in N.T. olxx. Once in Paul, see 2 Corinthians 4:18.

Hebrews 11:25 ——————————————————————————– Choosing rather (mallon helomenos). “Rather having chosen” (second aorist middle of haireτ, to take for oneself a position). ——————————————————————————– To be entreated with (sunkakoucheisthai). Present passive infinitive of the double compound sunkakoucheτ (from sun, kakos, echτ), to treat ill with (associative instrumental case), only known example save one in the papyri (second century A.D.), though kakoucheτ in Hebrews 11:37; Hebrews 13:3. ——————————————————————————– To enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season (proskairon echein hamartias apolausin). Literally, “to have temporary pleasure of sin.” Apolausis is old word from apolauτ, to enjoy, in N.T. only here and 1 Timothy 6:17. Proskairos (from pros, kairos) is a common Koinι word as the antithesis to aiτnios (eternal) as in Matthew 13:21; Mark 4:17; 2 Corinthians 4:18 (only N.T. examples). To have been disloyal to God’s people would have brought enjoyment to Moses in the Egyptian Court for a short while only.

Hebrews 11:26

Hebrews 11:26 Hebrews 11:26 ————————— μειζοναG3173 GREATER πλουτονG4149 RICHES ηγησαμενοςG2233 [G5666] HAVING τωνG3588 THEN THE ενG1722 IN αιγυπτωG125 EGYPT θησαυρωνG2344 τονG3588 THE ονειδισμονG3680 τουG3588 OF THE χριστουG5547 CHRIST; απεβλεπενG578 [G5707] γαρG1063 FOR HE HAD RESPECT ειςG1519 TO τηνG3588 THE μισθαποδοσιανG3405 . the reproach: Hebrews 10:33, Hebrews 13:13, Psalms 69:7, Psalms 69:20, Psalms 89:50, Psalms 89:51, Isaiah 51:7, Acts 5:41, 2 Corinthians 12:10, 2 Corinthians 12:10, 1 Peter 1:11, 1 Peter 4:14 of Christ: or, for Christ greater: Psalms 37:16, Jeremiah 9:23, Jeremiah 9:24, 2 Corinthians 6:10, Ephesians 1:18, Ephesians 3:8, Revelation 2:9, Revelation 3:18 for he had: Hebrews 11:6, Hebrews 2:2, Hebrews 10:35, Rth 2:12, Proverbs 11:18, Proverbs 23:18, Matthew 5:12, Matthew 6:1, Matthew 10:41, Luke 14:14 Joshua 22:8 - Return 2 Kings 19:16 - which hath sent Job 33:26 - he will Job 34:33 - he will Psalms 19:11 - keeping Proverbs 12:14 - and Proverbs 15:6 - the house Proverbs 23:23 - sell Jeremiah 20:8 - the word Matthew 6:20 - General Mark 8:38 - ashamed Luke 6:23 - your Luke 9:26 - whosoever Romans 8:18 - I reckon Ephesians 6:8 - whatsoever 1 Timothy 4:10 - therefore James 2:5 - rich Revelation 11:18 - and that Hebrews 11:26. ———————– Reproach of Christ. Moses did not yet know the full system of salvation of which Christ is the central figure, but Paul considers any suffering endured in service to God as also being for the sake of Christ. Treasures in Egypt were the luxuries experienced by the royal group of Egyptians. (See comments at verse 25.) Hebrews 11:26 ——————————————————————————– Esteeming the reproach of Christ (ἡγησάμενοςτὸνὀνειδισμὸντοῦΧριστοῦ) The participle gives the reason for his choice of affliction instead of sin: since he esteemed. “The reproach of Christ” is the reproach peculiar to Christ; such as he endured. The writer uses it as a current form of expression, coloring the story of Moses with a Christian tinge. Comp. Romans 15:3; Hebrews 13:13; 2 Corinthians 1:5; Colossians 1:24; Philippians 3:14; 1 Peter 4:14. The phrase is applied to Moses as enduring at the hands of the Egyptians and of the rebellious Israelites the reproach which any faithful servant of God will endure, and which was endured in a notable way by Christ. ——————————————————————————– He had respect unto (ἀπέβλεπενεἰς) N.T.o. Lit. he looked away (from the treasures of Egypt, etc.) unto the recompense.

Hebrews 11:26 ——————————————————————————– The reproach of Christ (ton oneidismon tou Christou). See Psalms 89:51 for the language where “the Messiah” (“The Anointed One”) is what is meant by tou Christou, here rightly applied by the writer to Jesus as the Messiah who had his own shame to bear (Hebrews 12:2; Hebrews 13:12). There is today as then (Hebrews 13:13) a special reproach (oneidismos, already, Hebrews 10:33) in being a follower of Jesus Christ. Moses took this obloquy as “greater riches” (meizona plouton) than “the treasures of Egypt” (tτn Aiguptou thηsaurτn, ablative case after comparative meizona, for which see Matthew 6:19-20). Moses was laying up treasure in heaven. ——————————————————————————– For he looked unto the recompense of reward (apeblepen gar eis tηn misthapodosian). In perfect active of apoblepτ, “for he was looking away (kept on looking away).” For misthapodosia see Hebrews 10:35.

Hebrews 11:27

Hebrews 11:27 Hebrews 11:27 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH κατελιπενG2641 [G5627] HE LEFT αιγυπτονG125 EGYPT, μηG3361 NOT φοβηθειςG5399 [G5679] HAVING FEARED τονG3588 THE θυμονG2372 τουG3588 OF THE βασιλεωςG935 KING; τονG3588 γαρG1063 FOR THE αορατονG517 “ONE” ωςG5613 AS ορωνG3708 [G5723] SEEING εκαρτερησενG2594 [G5656] HE . he forsook: Exodus 10:28, Exodus 10:29, Exodus 11:8, Exodus 12:11, Exodus 12:37-42, Exodus 13:17-21 not fearing: Exodus 2:14, Exodus 2:15, Exodus 4:19, Exodus 14:10-13 endured: Hebrews 6:15, Hebrews 10:32, Hebrews 12:3, Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13, Mark 4:17, Mark 13:13, 1 Corinthians 13:7, James 5:11 seeing: Hebrews 11:1, Hebrews 11:13, Hebrews 12:2, Psalms 16:8, Acts 2:25, 2 Corinthians 4:18, 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 6:16, 1 Peter 1:8 Genesis 32:30 - I have Exodus 10:6 - And he 2 Kings 1:15 - be not afraid of him Nehemiah 6:11 - Should such Ezekiel 2:6 - though they Ezekiel 3:8 - General John 6:40 - seeth John 20:29 - blessed Acts 8:1 - except Romans 1:20 - For the 2 Corinthians 2:17 - but as of sincerity 2 Corinthians 5:7 - General Colossians 1:15 - the invisible 2 Timothy 2:3 - endure 1 John 4:12 - seen Hebrews 11:27. ———————– Forsook Egypt. This was forty years later than the preceding verse, referring to the time he led the Israelites out of the land. Not fearing the wrath means notwithstanding the wrath of the king. Seeing (by the eye of faith) him. who is invisible to mortal eyes. Hebrews 11:27 ——————————————————————————– He forsook Egypt (κατέλιπενἌιγυπτον) After he had killed the Egyptian, Exodus 2:15. Not in the general exodus. The historical order of events is preserved: the flight to Midian, the Passover, the Exodus, the passage of the Red Sea. ——————————————————————————– The wrath (τὸνθυμὸν) Only here in Hebrews. See on John 3:36. ——————————————————————————– He endured (ἐκαρτέρησεν) N.T.o. Occasionally in lxx. Often in Class.

He was stanch and steadfast. ——————————————————————————– As seeing him who is invisible (τὸνἀόρατονὡςὁρῶν) Since he saw, etc. The emphasis is on invisible, pointing back to the introductory definition of faith.

The word is used of God, Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17. Hebrews 11:27 ——————————————————————————– Not fearing (mη phobηtheis). Negative mη with first aorist passive participle of phobeτ here used transitively with the accusative as in Matthew 10:26. Moses did flee from Egypt after slaying the Egyptian (Exodus 2:15), but the author omits that slaughter and ignores it as the dominant motive in the flight of Moses. Thumon (wrath) is common in the N.T. (Luke 4:28), though here only in Hebrews. ——————————————————————————– He endured (ekarterηsen). First aorist (constative) active indicative of kartereτ, old word from karteros, strong, here only in N.T.

Moses had made his choice before slaying the Egyptian. He stuck to its resolutely. ——————————————————————————– As seeing him who is invisible (ton aoraton hτs horτn).

This is the secret of his choice and of his loyalty to God and to God’s people. This is the secret of loyalty in any minister today who is the interpreter of God to man (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Hebrews 11:28

Hebrews 11:28 Hebrews 11:28 ————————— ניףפויG4102 BY FAITH נונןיחךוםG4160 [G5758] HE HAS KEPT פןG3588 THE נבףקבG3957 ךביG2532 AND פחםG3588 THE נסןףקץףיםG4378 פןץG3588 OF THE בילבפןעG129 BLOOD, יםבG2443 לחG3361 LEST ןG3588 ןכןטסוץשםG3645 [G5723] פבG3588 THE OF נסשפןפןךבG4416 “ONES” טידחG2345 [G5632] MIGHT TOUCH בץפשםG846 THEM. he kept: Exodus 12:3-14, Exodus 12:21-30 the sprinkling: Hebrews 9:19, Hebrews 12:24, Exodus 12:7, Exodus 12:13, Exodus 12:23, 1 Peter 1:2 Exodus 11:5 - the firstborn Exodus 12:22 - a bunch Exodus 12:28 - General Exodus 12:29 - the Lord smote Leviticus 7:2 - and the Numbers 8:17 - on the day 2 Chronicles 30:16 - the priests Psalms 35:5 - and Psalms 78:51 - smote Psalms 105:36 - He smote Psalms 136:10 - General Isaiah 52:15 - sprinkle 1 Corinthians 10:10 - destroyer Hebrews 10:22 - sprinkled Hebrews 11:28. ———————– This event is recorded in Exodus 12, where the sprinkling of blood was to save them from death. Since such a means could not naturally prevent death, the observance of It was necessarily done through faith as an act of obedience. Hebrews 11:28 ——————————————————————————– Kept the passover (נונןίחךום פὸ נάףקב) Rend. “hath instituted the passover.” The perfect tense indicates the continued significance of the service down to the time of writing. The phrase נןיוῖם פὸ נάףקב on N.T. only here and Matthew 26:18. The usual N.T. phrase is צבדוῖם פὸ נάףקב to eat the Passover. See Matthew 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:11. ׀ןיוῖם פὸ נάףקב unquestionably means to keep or celebrate the Passover, as Matthew 26:18; Exodus 12:48; Numbers 9:2; Numbers 9:4; Numbers 9:6; Numbers 9:10; Numbers 9:13; Deuteronomy 16:1 : but the verb is elastic. The corresponding Hebrew verb ‏עָשָֽׂה‎, among other meanings, signifies to create (Genesis 1:7; Genesis 2:2); to establish (Ecclesiastes 2:5-6; Ecclesiastes 2:8); to constitute (1 Kings 12:31-32); to make ready or prepare (Judges 13:15; to prepare as a sacrifice (Psalms 66:15). In all these instances it is rendered in lxx by נןיוῖם.

In N.T. we find נןיוῖם ἄסיףפןם or הוῖנםןם to prepare a breakfast or dinner. Accordingly נןיוῖם may properly be used here of the instituting of the Passover.

Moreover the two following clauses clearly indicate that the writer is referring to the original institution. ——————————————————————————– The sprinkling of blood (פὴם נסόףקץףים פןῦ בἵלבפןע) ׀סόףקץףיע affusion, N.T.o , olxx, oClass. From נסןףקוῖם to pour on. In the post-Exodus legislation the blood which, in the original institution, was sprinkled on the door-posts and lintels (Exodus 12:22), was thrown upon the altar (Deuteronomy 16:6), and נסןףקוῖם in lxx is used of this act almost without exception. See Exodus 24:6; Exodus 29:16; Leviticus 1:5; Leviticus 1:11; Leviticus 3:2; Leviticus 3:8; Leviticus 3:13, etc. ——————————————————————————– Lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them (ἵםב לὴὁὀכןטסוύשם פὰ נסשסόפןךב טίדῃ בὐפῶם) Rend. “that the destroyer of the first-born should not touch them,” a rendering which brings out more sharply the preventive purpose of the sprinkling of blood. Ὀכןטסוύוים to destroy, N.T.o , oClass. Ὁὀכןטסוύשם is used in the narrative of Exo 12:23 for the destroying angel. The kindred noun ὀכןטסוץפήע destroyer (olxx, oClass.) occurs in 1 Corinthians 10:10 of the plague in Numbers 16:46-50. For טίדῃ should touch, see on Colossians 2:21.

Hebrews 11:28 ——————————————————————————– He kept (pepoiחken). Perfect active indicative of poieפ, to make, “he has made,” emphasizing the permanent nature of the feast. ——————————————————————————– The sprinkling of the blood (tחn proschusin tou haimatos).

Rather, “the pouring of the blood” (proschusis from proscheפ, to pour upon), only here in the N.T. (earliest known example). An allusion to the command in Exodus 12:7; Exodus 12:22 but in the LXX proscheפ is the usual term for the act (Exodus 24:6; Exodus 29:16; Leviticus 1:5; Leviticus 1:11; Deuteronomy 16:6). ——————————————————————————– That the destroyer of the first-born should not touch them (hina mח ho olothreuפn ta prפtotoka thigחi autפn). Negative final clause with hina mח and the second aorist active subjunctive of thigganפ, old verb to touch with genitive, in the N.T. only here, Hebrews 12:20; Colossians 2:21. The articular participle ho olothreuפn is from Exodus 11:23. For prפtotoka see Luke 2:7; Exodus 12:29.

Hebrews 11:29

Hebrews 11:29 Hebrews 11:29 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH διεβησανG1224 [G5627] THEY PASSED THROUGH τηνG3588 THE ερυθρανG2063 RED θαλασσανG2281 SEA ωςG5613 AS διαG1223 THROUGH ξηραςG3584 DRY “LAND”; ηςG3739 OF WHICH πειρανG3984 TRIAL λαβοντεςG2983 [G5631] HAVING MADE οιG3588 THE αιγυπτιοιG124 κατεποθησανG2666 [G5681] WERE UP. Exodus 14:13-31, Exodus 15:1-21, Joshua 2:10, Nehemiah 9:11, Psalms 66:6, Psalms 78:13, Psalms 106:9-11, Psalms 114:1-5, Psalms 136:13-15, Isaiah 11:15, Isaiah 11:16, Isaiah 51:9, Isaiah 51:10, Isaiah 63:11-16, Habakkuk 3:8-10 Exodus 10:19 - the Red sea Exodus 14:22 - the children Exodus 14:28 - the waters Exodus 15:19 - brought Deuteronomy 11:4 - how he made Joshua 3:17 - all the Israelites Joshua 24:6 - Egyptians Judges 10:11 - Egyptians 2 Kings 2:8 - were Psalms 78:53 - so that Isaiah 43:2 - passest Habakkuk 3:10 - the overflowing 1 Corinthians 10:1 - and all Hebrews 11:29. ———————– There was no natural cause for the Red Sea to open up and stand as walls, hence the Israelites marched down between them because they believed God would hold them up until His people were passed over. Egyptians assaying (trying) to go through the same passage were drowned because God was not with them. Hebrews 11:29 ——————————————————————————– Passed through (διέβησαν) Only three times in N.T. See Luke 16:26; Acts 16:9. The simple Βαίνην does not occur in N.T. ——————————————————————————– The Red Sea (τὴνἘρυθρὰνθάλασσαν) Called by the Israelites the sea, Exodus 14:2; Exodus 14:9; Exodus 14:16; Exodus 14:21; Exodus 14:28, etc., and, specially, the sea of Suph (sedge, seeds). In lxx always as here except Judges 11:16, where it is θάλασσαΣὶφ i.e. Suph. By the Greeks the name was at first applied to the whole ocean from the coast of Ethiopia to the island of Taprobana or Ceylon.

Afterward, when they learned of the existence of an Indian Ocean, they applied the name merely to the sea below Arabia, and to the Arabian and Persian gulfs. ——————————————————————————– Which the Egyptians assaying to do (ἧςπεῖρανλαβόντεςοἱΑιγύπτιοι) The A.V. has assaying, according to the older English usage. Assay is now chiefly used of the testing of precious metals; but in the sense of try it is found in Piers Ploughman, Gower, Chaucer, Shakespeare.

Lit. of which (sea) the Egyptians having taken trial. The phrase πεῖρανλαμβάνειν to take trial occurs also in lxx, Deuteronomy 28:56. In N.T. only here and Hebrews 11:36. ——————————————————————————– Were drowned (κατεπόθησαν) Lit. were drunk down. See on Matthew 23:24. Comp. lxx, Exodus 15:4, and in N.T. 1 Corinthians 15:54; 2 Corinthians 2:7; 2 Corinthians 5:4. Hebrews 11:29 ——————————————————————————– Which assaying to do (hηs pieran labontes).

Literally, “of which taking trial” (second aorist active participle of lambanτ, to take). The idiom peiran lambanein occurs in Deuteronomy 28:56, in N.T. only here and Hebrews 11:36, though a classical idiom (Demosthenes, etc.). ——————————————————————————– Were swallowed up (katepothηsan).

First aorist passive indicative of katapinτ, to drink down, to swallow down (Matthew 23:24).

Hebrews 11:30

Hebrews 11:30 Hebrews 11:30 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH ταG3588 THE τειχηG5038 WALLS ιεριχωG2410 OF JERICHO επεσενG4098 [G5627] FELL, κυκλωθενταG2944 [G5685] HAVING BEEN επιG1909 FOR επταG2033 SEVEN ημεραςG2250 DAYS. Joshua 6:3-20, 2 Corinthians 10:4, 2 Corinthians 10:5 Deuteronomy 3:5 - General Joshua 6:5 - and the wall Joshua 6:20 - the wall Isaiah 25:12 - the fortress Hebrews 11:30. ———————– There was no physical force in the marching and shouting of the Israelites to bring down the walls of Jericho. The power of God brought them down, but it would not have been done had they not believed in God who told them (through Joshua) to march around. The power was in God as in other cases, but He would not have used it had the people lacked the faith to obey. Hebrews 11:30 ——————————————————————————– Compassed about (κυκλωθέντα) Comp. Luke 21:20; John 10:24. oP. Hebrews 11:30 ——————————————————————————– Fell down (epesan). “Fell,” second aorist active indicative of piptτ with first aorist endings as often in the Koinι. ——————————————————————————– After they had been compassed (kuklτthenta). First aorist passive participle of kukloτ, old verb to encircle (from kuklos, circle) as in Acts 14:20. Antecedent action here.

Hebrews 11:31

Hebrews 11:31 Hebrews 11:31 ————————— πιστειG4102 BY FAITH ρααβG4460 RAHAB ηG3588 THE πορνηG4204 HARLOT ουG3756 NOT συναπωλετοG4881 [G5639] DID PERISH WITH τοιςG3588 THOSE WHO απειθησασινG544 [G5660] , δεξαμενηG1209 [G5666] HAVING τουςG3588 THE κατασκοπουςG2685 SPIES μετG3326 WITH ειρηνηςG1515 PEACE. the harlot: Joshua 2:1-22, Joshua 6:22-25, Matthew 1:1, Matthew 1:5, James 2:25 believed not: or, were disobedient, Hebrews 3:18, 1 Peter 2:8, 1 Peter 3:20 she had: Joshua 1:1, Joshua 2:4-24 Genesis 42:9 - Ye are spies Joshua 6:17 - because Joshua 6:25 - Rahab Acts 15:33 - they were 1 Corinthians 6:16 - an harlot 1 Timothy 1:9 - disobedient James 2:18 - Thou 1 Peter 2:7 - which be Hebrews 11:31. ———————– Joshua 6:25 says that Rahab was preserved “because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.” But she hid them because she believed the reports of the favorable things the Lord had done for His people. Acting on that faith she cooperated with the messengers in escaping the wrath of the king of Jericho. As a reward for her faith she was permitted to dwell with the Israelites, and was honored by being permitted to be in the line of ancestors of Christ. (See Joshua 6:25; Matthew 1:5.) Hebrews 11:31 ——————————————————————————– The harlot Rahab (Ῥαὰβἡπόρνη) See Joshua 2; Joshua 6:17, and comp. James 2:25. Rahab’s occupation is stated without mincing, and the lodging of the spies at her house was probably not a matter of accident. Very amusing are the efforts of some earlier expositors to evade the fact of a harlot’s faith, by rendering πόρνη landlady. ——————————————————————————– Perished not with (οὐσυναπώλετο) N.T.o. In lxx see Numbers 16:26; Psalms 25:9; Psalms 27:3. ——————————————————————————– Them that believed not (τοῖςἀπειθήσασιν) Rend. “them that were disobedient.” Simple disbelief is expressed by ἀπιστεῖν, ἀπιστία: disbelief as it manifests itself in disobedience, by ἀπειθεῖν. Ἁπειθεῖν is ἀπιστεῖν on its active side. See on John 3:36, and comp.

Hebrews 3:18; Hebrews 4:6; Hebrews 4:11; Romans 11:30; Romans 11:32, contrasting with Romans 11:20; Romans 11:23. Ἁπειθεῖν here describes the failure to be persuaded that God had given the land to the Israelites, and the consequent refusal to surrender Jericho. Rahab’s faith is shown Joshua 2:9-11. ——————————————————————————– When she had received the spies (δεξαμένητοὺςκατασκόπους) Rend. “having received.” For this sense of friendly reception as a guest see Luke 10:8; Luke 10:10. Κατάσκοπος a spy, N.T.o. lxx, Genesis 42:9; Genesis 42:11; Genesis 42:14; 1 Samuel 26:4. ——————————————————————————– With peace (μετ’ εἰρήνηνς) The phrase only here and Acts 15:33.

Quite often in lxx, as Genesis 15:15; Genesis 26:29; Exodus 18:23; Deuteronomy 20:20; Judges 8:9. In N.T. ἐνεἰρήνῃ in peace (Acts 16:36; James 2:16): εἰςεἰρήνην into peace (Mark 5:34; Luke 7:50; Luke 8:48); both these very often in lxx. Rahab received the spies without enmity, and did not allow them to suffer harm from others. An interesting parallel is furnished by Dante, Purg. ii. 99, in the case of the pilot-angel who conveys souls to the shore of Purgatory. “He, sooth to say, for three months past has taken Whoever wished to enter, with all peace” (without interposing any obstacle.) Hebrews 11:31 ——————————————————————————– Having received the spies with peace (dexamenη tous kataskopous met’ eirηnηs). First aorist middle participle of dechomai, to welcome (Luke 10:8; Luke 10:10). Kataskopos is an old compound (kataskopeτ, Galatians 2:4), used of scout or spy, in LXX, here only in N.T.

Hebrews 11:32

[ Hebrews 11:32 Hebrews 11:32 ————————— καιG2532 AND τιG5101 WHAT ετιG2089 MORE λεγωG3004 [G5725] DO I SAY? επιλειψειG1952 [G5692] γαρG1063 FOR WILL FAIL μεG3165 ME διηγουμενονG1334 [G5740] οG3588 THE χρονοςG5550 TIME περιG4012 OF γεδεωνG1066 GIDEON, βαρακG913 BARAK τεG5037 ALSO καιG2532 AND σαμψωνG4546 SAMSON καιG2532 AND ιεφθαεG2422 , δαβιδG1138 DAVID τεG5037 ALSO καιG2532 AND σαμουηλG4545 SAMUEL καιG2532 AND τωνG3588 OF THE προφητωνG4396 : what shall: Romans 3:5, Romans 4:1, Romans 6:1, Romans 7:7 the time: John 21:25 Gedeon: Judges 6:1 - Judges 8:35, Gideon, 1 Samuel 12:11, Jerubbaal Barak: Judges 4:1 - Judges 5:31 Samson: Judges 13:1 - Judges 16:31 Jephthae: Judges 11:1 - Judges 12:7, Jephthah David: 1 Samuel 16:1, 1 Samuel 16:13, 1 Samuel 17:1 - 1 Sa 18:30, Acts 2:29-31, Acts 13:22-36 Samuel: 1 Samuel 1:20, 1 Samuel 2:11, 1 Samuel 2:18, 1 Samuel 3:1 - 1 Sa 12:25, 1 Samuel 28:3-25, Psalms 99:6, Jeremiah 15:1, Acts 3:24, Acts 13:20 the prophets: Matthew 5:12, Luke 13:28, Luke 16:31, Acts 10:43, James 5:10, 1 Peter 1:10-12, 2 Peter 1:21, 2 Peter 3:2 Judges 4:6 - Barak Judges 4:15 - General Judges 6:11 - Gideon Judges 6:14 - Go in Judges 13:24 - Samson Judges 15:18 - and fall Judges 16:28 - called 2 Samuel 17:8 - mighty men 1 Chronicles 29:29 - the acts Psalms 87:5 - of Zion Ezekiel 3:8 - General Luke 6:23 - for in Acts 24:4 - that 1 Corinthians 16:13 - quit 2 Corinthians 10:4 - mighty 2 Timothy 3:12 - shall Hebrews 11:32. ———————– What shall I more say! Why go into details further in illustrating the fruits of faith by the lives of ancient worthies? Time would fail me. This is an accommodative expression, meaning that the time that would be used in going on into the same details concerning the following cases individually, would be more than is suitable to an epistle of the length of this one. Paul therefore groups a number of outstanding characters and also groups a list of things they did among them. The remainder of the chanter will be devoted to a descrip-tion of heroic deeds performed through the incentive of faith. If the reader wishes to get the details of the particular persons named he may see Gideon at Judges 6:11 : Barak at Judges 4:6; Samson at Judges 13:24; .Tephthah at Judges 11:1 :David at 1 Samuel 16:1; Samuel at 1 Samuel 1:20. Hebrews 11:32 ——————————————————————————– To tell (διηγούμενον) Lit. the time will fail me telling: if I tell. See on Mark 9:9, and comp. Mark 5:16; Luke 8:39; Luke 9:10; Acts 9:27, and διήγησις narrative (A.V. declaration), Luke 1:1. Gideon, etc. These names of the four judges are not enumerated in chronological order. Samuel is closely connected with David as in the history, but with τεκαὶ as introducing the new order of the prophets.

Hebrews 11:32 ——————————————————————————– And what shall I more say? (Kai ti eti legτ;). Deliberative present active subjunctive (same form as indicative, legτ). It is both a literary and an oratorical idiom here. He feels helpless to go on in the same style as he has done from Abel to Rahab (Hebrews 11:4-31). ——————————————————————————– Will fail me if I tell about (epileipsei me diηgoumenon peri). Literally, “will leave me telling about.” Present middle participle of diηgeomai, to lead through, carry a discussion through, and masculine (disposing of Priscilla as possible author) with me. Vivid and picturesque description of the author’s embarrassment of riches as he contemplates the long list of the heroes of faith during the long years in Palestine.

He mentions six names (Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephtha, David, Samuel) and then summarizes the rest under “the prophets” (tτn prophηtτn, the for-speakers for God) of whom Samuel was the leader.

Hebrews 11:33

Hebrews 11:33 Hebrews 11:33 ————————— οιG3739 WHO διαG1223 BY πιστεωςG4102 FAITH κατηγωνισαντοG2610 [G5662] βασιλειαςG932 , ειργασαντοG2038 [G5662] WROUGHT δικαιοσυνηνG1343 , επετυχονG2013 [G5627] επαγγελιωνG1860 , εφραξανG5420 [G5656] STOPPED στοματαG4750 MOUTHS λεοντωνG3023 OF LIONS, through: Joshua 6:1 - Joshua 13:33, 2 Samuel 5:4-25, 2 Samuel 8:1-14, Psalms 18:32-34, Psalms 44:2-6, Psalms 144:1, Psalms 144:2, Psalms 144:10 wrought: Hebrews 11:4-8, Hebrews 11:17 obtained: Hebrews 6:12-15, Hebrews 10:36, 2 Samuel 7:11-17, Galatians 3:16 stopped: Judges 14:5, Judges 14:6, 1 Samuel 17:33-36, Psalms 91:13, Daniel 6:20-23, 2 Timothy 4:17, 1 Peter 5:8 Numbers 13:30 - General Joshua 14:12 - if so be Judges 4:23 - General 1 Samuel 17:45 - in the name 1 Kings 13:28 - the lion had 1 Chronicles 29:29 - the acts Psalms 15:2 - worketh Psalms 34:19 - Many Isaiah 43:2 - when thou walkest Daniel 6:22 - hath shut Daniel 6:23 - because 1 Corinthians 12:9 - faith 2 Corinthians 10:4 - mighty Ephesians 5:9 - righteousness Hebrews 11:8 - obeyed 1 Peter 5:9 - stedfast Hebrews 11:33. ———————– Subdued kingdoms. An Instance of it is in 2 Samuel 8 whore David overcame the Philistines; God gave him the victory because of his faithfulness. Wrought righteousness means to do righteous work through the motive of faith. Obtained promises means they obtained the fulfillment of them because they had the faith to comply with the conditions on which the promises were made. Stopped the mouths of lions. This was done directly by Samson in Judges 14:5-6, and by Daniel indirectly in Daniel 6. In each case God gave the victory because of the faith of the men. Hebrews 11:33 ——————————————————————————– Through faith (διὰπίστεως) This formula is now substituted for the instrumental dative πίστει by faith. The reason for the change cannot perhaps be accurately formulated, but will be appreciated by one who feels the Greek idioms as better suiting the more general illustrations which follow. ——————————————————————————– Subdued kingdoms (κατηγωνίσαντοβασιλείας) The verb N.T.o , olxx, signifies fought down; overcame by struggle, as Barak, Judges 4; Gideon, Judges 7; Jephthah, Judges 11; David, 2 Samuel 5. ——————————————————————————– Wrought righteousness (ἠργάσαντοδικαιοσύνην) For the phrase comp. Acts 10:35. Referring not merely to their personal virtues, but to the public exercise of these as leaders, as 2 Samuel 8:15; 1 Chronicles 18:14; 1 Samuel 12:4. Faith showed itself in the association of righteousness with power. Comp.

Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 54:14; 1 Kings 10:9. ——————————————————————————– Obtained promises (ἐπέτυχονἐπαγγελιῶν) See on Hebrews 6:15. ——————————————————————————– Stopped (ἔφραξαν) The verb means to fence in; block up. Rare in N.T.

See Romans 3:19; 2 Corinthians 11:10, and comp. φραγμός a fence, Matthew 21:33; Ephesians 2:14. Occasionally in lxx, as Job 38:8; Proverbs 21:13; Zechariah 14:5. The reference is no doubt to Daniel, Daniel 6:22; comp. 1Ma 2:60. Hebrews 11:33 ——————————————————————————– Through faith (dia pisteτs). Change thus from the routine pistei used so far. ——————————————————————————– Subdued kingdoms (katηgτnisanto basileias). First aorist middle indicative of katagτnizomai, Koinι verb to struggle against, to overcome, here alone in the N.T.

Used by Josephus of David’s conquests. The author has here (Hebrews 11:33-34), “nine terse clauses” (Moffatt) with no connective (asyndeton) with great rhetorical and oratorical force (sledge-hammer style).

For “wrought righteousness” (ηrgasanto dikaiosunηn, first aorist middle indicative of ergazomai) see Acts 10:35. ——————————————————————————– Obtained promises (epetuchon epaggeliτn). Second aorist active indicative of epitugchanτ, old verb (already in Hebrews 6:15) with genitive. But they did not see the fulfilment of the Messianic promise (Hebrews 11:39-40). ——————————————————————————– Stopped the mouths of lions (ephraxan stomata leontτn). First aorist active indicative of phrassτ, old verb to fence in, to block up. See Daniel 6:18-23.

Hebrews 11:34

Hebrews 11:34 Hebrews 11:34 ————————— εσβεσανG4570 [G5656] “THE” δυναμινG1411 POWER πυροςG4442 OF FIRE εφυγονG5343 [G5627] ESCAPED “THE” στοματαG4750 MOUTHS μαχαιραςG3162 OF “THE” SWORD, ενεδυναμωθησανG1743 [G5681] αποG575 OUT OF ασθενειαςG769 , εγενηθησανG1096 [G5675] BECAME ισχυροιG2478 MIGHTY ενG1722 IN πολεμωG4171 WAR, “THE” παρεμβολαςG3925 ARMIES εκλινανG2827 [G5656] MADE TO GIVE WAY αλλοτριωνG245 OF . Quenched: Psalms 66:12, Isaiah 43:2, Daniel 3:19-28, 1 Peter 4:12 escaped: 1 Samuel 20:1, 2 Samuel 21:16, 2 Samuel 21:17, 1 Kings 19:3, 2 Kings 6:16-18, 2 Kings 6:32, Job 5:20, Psalms 144:10, Jeremiah 26:24 out of: Judges 7:19-25, Judges 8:4-10, Judges 15:14-20, Judges 16:19-30, 2 Kings 20:7-11, Job 42:10, Psalms 6:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, 2 Corinthians 12:10 turned: 1 Samuel 14:13-15, 1 Samuel 17:51, 1 Samuel 17:52, 2 Samuel 8:1-18, 2 Chronicles 14:11-14, 2 Chronicles 16:1-9, 2 Chronicles 20:6-25, 2 Chronicles 32:20-22 Judges 6:14 - Go in 1 Samuel 2:4 - stumbled 1 Samuel 17:45 - in the name 2 Samuel 17:10 - thy father 1 Kings 13:28 - the lion had Isaiah 40:29 - General Daniel 3:27 - upon Daniel 11:33 - yet Amos 5:9 - strengtheneth Zechariah 12:8 - he Acts 13:46 - waxed Ephesians 2:12 - aliens Ephesians 3:16 - to be Colossians 1:11 - unto Hebrews 11:34. ———————– Quenched the violence of fire occurred when the three companions of Daniel were cast into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3). Escaped the edge of the sword. Instances of this are too numerous to mention all, but a notable one is in 1 Samuel 20. Out of weakness were made strong. An outstanding instance was that of Samson in Judges 16:2 S-30. where his strength was given back to him because of his returning faith and dependence upon God.

Waxed valiant means the servants of God were strong and brave in their contests with the enemies of God. The unassisted strength of man is a failure when faced with the might of worldly hosts, but God rewards his faithful servants with victory when the attack is made. Aliens refers to those of another nation. Gideon routed the Midi-anites in connection with his war cry, “The sword of the Lord and Gideon” (Judges 7:20-23). Hebrews 11:34 ——————————————————————————– Quenched the violence of fire (ἔσβεσανδύναμινπυρός) Rend. “the power of fire.” Reference to the three Hebrews, Daniel 3; comp. 1Ma 2:59. ——————————————————————————– Edge of the sword (στόματαμαχαίρης) Lit. mouths of the sword. See on Hebrews 4:12. The plural edges indicates frequent assaults. ——————————————————————————– Out of weakness (ἀπὸἀσθενείας) Rend. “from weakness.” For the sense of ἀπὸ from, see Luke 5:15. The meaning is not confined to sickness, as in the case of Hezekiah (2 Kings 20; Isaiah 38). The main reference is probably to Samson, Judges 16:28 ff. ——————————————————————————– The armies of the aliens (παρεμβολὰςἀλλοτρίων) Omit both the’s in translation. For παρεμβολὰς see on Acts 21:34.

Very often in lxx. Aliens, foreign foes or invaders.

Hebrews 11:34 ——————————————————————————– Quenched the power of fire (esbesan dunamin puros). First aorist active indicative of sbennumi (Matthew 12:20). See Daniel 3:19-28. ——————————————————————————– Escaped the edge of the sword (ephugon stomata machairηs). Second aorist active indicative of pheugτ, old verb to flee. “Mouths (stomata) of the sword” (Luke 21:24). See 1 Samuel 18:11; 1 Kings 19:2. ——————————————————————————– Were made strong (edunamτthηsan). First aorist passive indicative of dunamoτ, late verb from dunamis as in Colossians 1:11. ——————————————————————————– Waxed mighty in war (egenηthηsan ischuroi en polemτi). “Became strong in battle” (Psalms 18:34 ff.).

Armies of aliens (parembolas allotriτn). Late compound (para, en, ballτ) for encampment (Polybius, Plutarch), barracks (Acts 21:34; Acts 21:37), armies in battle line (Revelation 20:9 and here as in LXX and Polybius).

Apparently a reference to the campaigns of Judas Maccabeus.

Hebrews 11:35

Hebrews 11:35 Hebrews 11:35 ————————— ελαβονG2983 [G5627] γυναικεςG1135 WOMEN εξG1537 BY αναστασεωςG386 τουςG3588 νεκρουςG3498 αυτωνG846 THEIR DEAD αλλοιG243 δεG1161 AND OTHERS ετυμπανισθησανG5178 [G5681] WERE , ουG3756 NOT προσδεξαμενοιG4327 [G5666] τηνG3588 HAVING απολυτρωσινG629 , ιναG2443 THAT κρειττονοςG2909 A BETTER αναστασεωςG386 τυχωσινG5177 [G5632] THEY MIGHT OBTAIN; Women: 1 Kings 17:22-24, 2 Kings 4:27-37, Luke 7:12-16, John 11:40-45, Acts 9:41 tortured: Acts 22:24, Acts 22:25, Acts 22:29 not accepting: Acts 4:19 that they: Matthew 22:30, Mark 12:25, Luke 14:14, Luke 20:36, John 5:29, Acts 23:6, Acts 24:15, 1 Corinthians 15:54, Philippians 3:11 1 Kings 17:23 - thy son liveth 2 Kings 4:36 - Take up Matthew 10:28 - And Mark 8:35 - will save Luke 9:24 - General Luke 11:48 - for Luke 20:35 - to John 5:39 - ye think John 11:24 - I know John 12:25 - that loveth Romans 8:18 - I reckon 1 Corinthians 10:13 - hath Hebrews 6:2 - resurrection 1 Peter 1:6 - manifold Revelation 12:11 - they loved not Hebrews 11:35. ———————– The phrase raised to life again and the word resurrection are from the Greek word , and the phrase is a good definition of the word. Two cases of such a favor shown to women are in 1 Kings 17:17-24 and 2 Kings 4:18-37. Were tortured. This was done to force the servants of God to renounce their faith. They were promised relief from the torture if they would turn against the Lord, but they would not accept deliverance on such terms. Their motive for such resistance was that they might obtain a better resurrection. All mankind will be resurrected. but only those who are faithful till death will come forth to a happy life (Daniel 12:2; John 5:29.) Hebrews 11:35 ——————————————————————————– Women The recorded raisings from the dead are mostly for women. See 1 Kings 17:17 ff.; 2 Kings 4:17 ff. Comp. Luke 7:11 ff.; John 11; Acts 9. The reference here is to the first two. ——————————————————————————– Raised to life again (ἐξἀναστάσεως) Rend. “by a resurrection”; and for the force of ἐξ comp. Romans 1:4. ——————————————————————————– Were tortured (ἐτυμπανίσθησαν) N.T.o. lxx once, 1 Samuel 21:13. Originally to beat a drum (τύμπανον). Hence to beat, to cudgel.

The A.V. of 1 Samuel 21:13, describing the feigned madness of David, renders ἐτυμπάνιζεν “he scrabbled on the doors of the gate,” meaning that he beat the doors like a madman. Τύμπανον means a drum or a drumstick; hence a cudgel; so Aristoph. Plut. 476, where it is associated with κύφων a pillory. Comp. 2Ma 6:19; 2Ma 6:28. The meaning here is, were beaten to death with clubs, the word being used to represent cruel torture in general. ——————————————————————————– Not accepting deliverance (οὐπροσδεξάμενοιτὴνἀπολύτρωσιν) For the verb, see on Hebrews 10:34. The (τὴν) deliverance offered at the price of denying their faith. See 2Ma 6:21-27. ——————————————————————————– A better resurrection (κρείττονοςἀναστάσεως) Better than a resurrection like those granted to the women above mentioned, which gave merely a continuation of life on earth.

Comp. 2Ma 7:9; 2Ma 7:14. Hebrews 11:35 ——————————————————————————– By a resurrection (ex anastaseτs).

Cf. 1 Kings 17:17ff.; 2 Kings 4:8-37. ——————————————————————————– Were tortured (etumpanisthηsan). First aorist passive indicative of tumpanizτ, late verb from tumpanon (kettledrum, drumstick), to beat the drum, to beat to death (cf. 2 Maccabees 7 about Eleazar and the Mother and the seven sons), once in LXX (1 Samuel 21:13). ——————————————————————————– Not accepting their deliverance (ou prosdexamenoi tηn apolutrτsin). Offered at the price of disloyalty as in 2Ma 6:21-27. ——————————————————————————– That they might obtain a better resurrection (hina kreittonos anastaseτs tuchτsin). Purpose clause with hina and the second aorist active subjunctive of tugchanτ to obtain with the genitive case. A “better resurrection” than the temporary ones alluded to in this verse by the women.

Hebrews 11:36

Hebrews 11:36 Hebrews 11:36 ————————— ετεροιG2087 δεG1161 AND OTHERS εμπαιγμωνG1701 OF καιG2532 AND μαστιγωνG3148 OF πειρανG3984 TRIAL ελαβονG2983 [G5627] , ετιG2089 δεG1161 YEA, , δεσμωνG1199 OF BONDS καιG2532 AND φυλακηςG5438 OF . mockings: Judges 16:25, 2 Kings 2:23, 2 Chronicles 30:10, 2 Chronicles 36:16, Jeremiah 20:7, Matthew 20:19, Mark 10:34, Luke 18:32, Luke 23:11, Luke 23:36 and scourgings: 1 Kings 22:24, Jeremiah 20:2, Jeremiah 37:15, Matthew 21:35, Matthew 23:34, Matthew 27:26, Acts 5:40, Acts 16:22, Acts 16:23, 2 Corinthians 11:24, 2 Corinthians 11:25 bonds: Hebrews 10:34, Genesis 39:20, 1 Kings 22:27, 2 Chronicles 16:10, Psalms 105:17, Psalms 105:18, Jeremiah 20:2, Jeremiah 29:26, Jeremiah 32:2, Jeremiah 32:3, Jeremiah 32:8, Jeremiah 36:6, Jeremiah 37:15-21, Jeremiah 38:6-13, Jeremiah 38:28, Jeremiah 39:15, Lamentations 3:52-55, Acts 4:3, Acts 5:18, Acts 8:3, Acts 12:4-19, Acts 16:24-40, Acts 21:33, Acts 24:27, 2 Corinthians 11:23, Ephesians 3:1, Ephesians 4:1, 2 Timothy 1:16, 2 Timothy 2:9, Revelation 2:10 Genesis 21:9 - mocking 2 Kings 1:9 - Thou man Nehemiah 2:19 - they Nehemiah 4:1 - mocked Job 9:23 - he will Job 12:4 - one mocked Psalms 31:11 - I was Psalms 69:20 - Reproach Psalms 89:51 - they have Son 5:7 - took Isaiah 59:15 - he that Jeremiah 20:18 - with Jeremiah 36:5 - General Matthew 6:13 - lead Matthew 10:17 - scourge Mark 12:3 - they Luke 16:14 - derided Luke 20:11 - entreated John 19:1 - scourged Acts 17:32 - some 1 Corinthians 4:9 - we are 2 Corinthians 6:5 - imprisonments 1 Thessalonians 2:2 - shamefully Hebrews 10:33 - made Hebrews 12:2 - despising James 1:2 - divers Hebrews 11:36. ———————– Not all the persecuted ones were mit to death. but they were mistreated in various ways. Jeremiah was placed in prison (Jeremiah 37:15-21, and afterward was nut into the dungeon (Jeremiah 33:1-6). Hebrews 11:36 ——————————————————————————– Of cruel mockings (ἐμπαιγμῶν) N.T.o , oClass. Rare in lxx. Cruel is an insertion of A.V. Rend. “of mockings.” Ἐμπαιγμονὴ mockery (olxx, Class.) is found 2 Peter 3:3 (note); and ἐμπαίκτης mocker or scoffer, 2 Peter 3:3; Jude 1:18. Ἑμπαίζειν to mock is quite frequent in the Synoptic Gospels, and occurs also in lxx. Hebrews 11:36 ——————————————————————————– Of mockings and scourgings (empaigmτn kai mastigτn). Empaigmos is from empaizτ (Matthew 20:19), late word, in LXX, here alone in N.T. Mastigτn (mastix, a whip, a scourge) is old and common enough (Acts 22:24).

Hebrews 11:37

Hebrews 11:37 Hebrews 11:37 ————————— ελιθασθησανG3034 [G5681] THEY WERE STONED, επρισθησανG4249 [G5681] WERE SAWN ASUNDER, επειρασθησανG3985 [G5681] WERE TEMPTED, ενG1722 BY φονωG5408 μαχαιραςG3162 OF “THE” SWORD απεθανονG599 [G5627] THEY DIED; περιηλθονG4022 [G5627] THEY ενG1722 IN μηλωταιςG3374 SHEEP SKINS, ενG1722 IN αιγειοιςG122 GOATS ’ δερμασινG1192 SKINS, υστερουμενοιG5302 [G5746] BEING , θλιβομενοιG2346 [G5746] BEING , κακουχουμενοιG2558 [G5746] BEING EVIL TREATED, stoned: 1 Kings 21:10, 1 Kings 21:13-15, 2 Chronicles 24:21, Matthew 21:35, Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34, John 10:31-33, Acts 7:58, Acts 7:59, Acts 14:19, 2 Corinthians 11:25 were slain: 1 Samuel 22:17-19, 1 Kings 18:4, 1 Kings 18:13, 1 Kings 19:1, 1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:14, Jeremiah 2:30, Jeremiah 26:23, Lamentations 4:13, Lamentations 4:14, Matthew 23:35-37, Luke 11:51-54, Acts 7:52, Acts 12:2, Acts 12:3 in sheepskins: 2 Kings 1:8, Matthew 3:4, Revelation 11:3 being destitute: Hebrews 12:1-3, Zechariah 13:9, Matthew 8:20, 1 Corinthians 4:9-13, 2 Corinthians 11:23-27, 2 Corinthians 12:10, James 5:10, James 5:11 2 Samuel 15:20 - go up and down 1 Kings 17:10 - Fetch me 2 Kings 21:16 - Manasseh Job 9:23 - he will Job 15:23 - wandereth Psalms 141:7 - bones Proverbs 28:12 - but Son 5:7 - took Jeremiah 20:2 - smote Ezekiel 34:6 - wandered Daniel 3:28 - yielded Matthew 23:34 - ye Mark 12:3 - they Luke 20:11 - entreated 2 Corinthians 11:9 - wanted 2 Corinthians 11:27 - nakedness 1 Thessalonians 2:2 - shamefully James 2:15 - General Hebrews 11:37. ———————– They were stoned. Two Instances of this are recorded in 1 Kings 21:1-14 and 2 Chronicles 24:21-22. Sawn asunder. This is a correct translation according to Thayer, and he says that an ancient tradition claims that the prophet Isaiah was put to death in that way. This was one manner in which the ancient worthies were tempted or put to a test of their faith. Others were put to death by having their head severed from their body, or by being thrust through the bowels.

The reason for their wandering in sheepskins and goatskins is explained by the next phrase, namely, being destitute. Of course the condition of destitution was brought about by the cruelty of their enemies, who afflicted and tormented them in whatever way they could devise. Hebrews 11:37 ——————————————————————————– They were stoned (ἐλιθάσθησαν) A characteristic Jewish punishment. See 2 Chronicles 24:20; Matthew 23:37; John 10:31; Acts 5:26; Acts 7:59; Acts 14:19. The verb λιθοβολεῖν is also used in Matthew, Luke, and Acts, and once in this epistle, Hebrews 12:20. ——————————————————————————– Were sawn asunder (ἐπίσθησαν) N.T.o. As Isaiah, according to tradition. ——————————————————————————– Were tempted (ἐπειράσθησαν) If the reading is correct, which seems probable, the reference is probably to inducements offered them to abandon their loyalty to God. It has seemed to many out of place, because occurring in the midst of a list of different forms of violent death. Hebrews 11:37 ——————————————————————————– They were stoned (elithasthηsan).

Like Zechariah son of Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 24:20). “A characteristic Jewish punishment” (Vincent). First aorist passive indicative of lithazτ (John 10:31). ——————————————————————————– They were sawn asunder (epristhηsan).

First aorist passive indicative of priτ or prizτ, old verb (prion, a saw). Cruel Jewish punishment (Amos 1:3) said to have been inflicted on Isaiah. ——————————————————————————– They were tempted (epeirasthηsan). First aorist passive indicative of peirazτ. The MSS. vary greatly in the text here and the order of these two items. This mild word seems an anticlimax after epristhηsan. One of the seven brothers was fried (2Ma 7:4) and so eprηsthesan (were burned) from pimpraτ (Acts 28:6) has been suggested. ——————————————————————————– With the sword (en phonτi machairηs). “In (by) slaughter of the sword” (Ionic form of the genitive machaires as in Exodus 17:13; Numbers 21:24).

The fate of unpopular prophets (1 Kings 10:10; Jeremiah 26:23). ——————————————————————————– They went about (periηlthon). Constative aorist active indicative of perierchomai (picturesque compound verb).

Here the sufferings of the living. ——————————————————————————– In sheep skins (en mηlτtais). Late word from mηlon (sheep), rough garment of prophets as Elijah (1 Kings 19:13; 1 Kings 19:19), here only in N.T. In Byzantine Greek a monk’s garb. ——————————————————————————– In goatskins (en aigeiois dermasin). Derma, old word from derτ, to flay (Matthew 21:35), here only in N.T. Aigeios, old adjective (from aix, goat), here only in N.T. ——————————————————————————– Being destitute (husteroumenoi). Present passive participle of hustereτ, old verb to be left behind, used by Paul of himself (2 Corinthians 11:9). ——————————————————————————– Afflicted (thlibomenoi).

Present passive participle of thlibτ, common verb to oppress. ——————————————————————————– Evil entreated (kakouchoumenoi). Present passive participle of kakoucheτ, late compound verb from obsolete kakouchos (kakos and echτ), in LXX (1 Kings 2:26), in N.T. only here and Hebrews 13:3.

See sunkakoucheisthai in Hebrews 11:25.

Hebrews 11:38

Hebrews 11:38 Hebrews 11:38 ————————— ωνG3739 OF WHOM ουκG3756 NOT ηνG2258 [G5713] WAS αξιοςG514 WORTHY οG3588 THE κοσμοςG2889 WORLD, ενG1722 IN ερημιαιςG2047 DESERTS πλανωμενοιG4105 [G5746] καιG2532 AND ορεσινG3735 IN καιG2532 AND σπηλαιοιςG4693 IN CAVES καιG2532 AND ταιςG3588 IN THE οπαιςG3692 HOLES τηςG3588 OF THE γηςG1093 EARTH. whom: 1 Kings 14:12, 1 Kings 14:13, 2 Kings 23:25-29, Isaiah 57:1 wandered: 1 Samuel 22:1, 1 Samuel 23:15, 1 Samuel 23:19, 1 Samuel 23:23, 1 Samuel 24:1-3, 1 Samuel 26:1, 1 Kings 17:3, 1 Kings 18:4, 1 Kings 18:13, 1 Kings 19:9, Psalms 142:1, *title Psalms 142:2-7 Judges 6:2 - dens 1 Samuel 13:6 - in caves 2 Samuel 15:20 - go up and down Job 15:23 - wandereth Job 24:8 - embrace Job 30:3 - fleeing into Psalms 56:8 - tellest Psalms 107:4 - wandered Proverbs 28:12 - but Isaiah 2:19 - And they Jeremiah 41:9 - because of Gedaliah Ezekiel 34:6 - wandered Revelation 6:15 - hid Hebrews 11:38. ———————– Of whom the world was not worthy. The world of mankind that mistreated those faithful servants of God was not fit to have their presence. They wandered in these places to escape their enemies. (See Judges 6:2 and 1 Samuel 13:6.) Hebrews 11:38 ——————————————————————————– Of whom the world was not (ὧνοὐκἦνἄξιοςὁκόσμος) This clause falls into the series of participles which precedes it; the form of the relative sentence being adopted because of the lack of a proper participial phrase to express the statement. At the same time it prepares the way for the following clause in which the participial construction is resumed. Rend. “they went about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, evil-entreated, men of whom the world was not worthy, wandering in deserts,” etc. By the world (κόσμος) is not meant the corrupt world, as in John and Paul (see on Hebrews 11:7), but the world considered as an economy which was unworthy of these, because ruled by sense and not by faith. Their plane of life was higher. ——————————————————————————– They wandered (πλανώμενοι) Lit. wandering or straying, apart from the homes and the intercourse of men. ——————————————————————————– Caves of the earth (ὀπαῖςτῆςγῆς) Ὁπή only here and James 3:11. It means a hole; primarily a place through which one can see (ὄπωπα).

In lxx the cleft of the rock in which God placed Moses, Exodus 33:22 : a window, a latticed opening, Ecclesiastes 12:3 : the eye-socket, Zechariah 14:12 : a hole in the wall, Ezekiel 8:7 : a hole in a tree, 4Ma 14:16. Hebrews 11:38 ——————————————————————————– Of whom the world was not worthy (hτn ouk ηn axios ho kosmos).

Graphic picture in a short parenthetical relative clause (hτn, genitive plural with axios), a phrase to stir the blood of the readers. ——————————————————————————– Wandering (planτmenoi). Present middle participle of planaτ, like lost sheep, hunted by wolves. ——————————————————————————– Caves (spηlaiois). Old word from speos (cavern) as in Matthew 21:13. ——————————————————————————– Holes (opais). Old word, perhaps from ops (root of horaτ, to see), opening, in N.T. only here and James 3:11. Cf. 1 Kings 18:4; 2Ma 5:27; 2Ma 10:6 (about Judas Maccabeus and others).

Hebrews 11:39

Hebrews 11:39 Hebrews 11:39 ————————— καιG2532 AND ουτοιG3778 THESE παντεςG3956 ALL, μαρτυρηθεντεςG3140 [G5685] HAVING BEEN BORNE WITNESS TO διαG1223 τηςG3588 THROUGH πιστεωςG4102 FAITH, ουκG3756 NOT εκομισαντοG2865 [G5668] DID RECEIVE τηνG3588 THE επαγγελιανG1860 PROMISE, Hebrews 11:2, Hebrews 11:13, Luke 10:23, Luke 10:24, 1 Peter 1:12 Deuteronomy 32:52 - General Proverbs 22:1 - name Ecclesiastes 7:1 - name Matthew 13:17 - That many Luke 5:39 - General Luke 7:28 - but John 1:17 - grace John 8:56 - rejoiced John 20:29 - blessed Romans 3:25 - remission 2 Corinthians 1:20 - all Galatians 3:17 - the covenant Galatians 3:23 - the faith Ephesians 3:5 - in other Hebrews 9:9 - the time Hebrews 9:15 - promise Hebrews 11:39. ———————– Good report signifies they were well spoken of on account of their faith. The passage says they received not the promise which refers to the promise of the seed of Abraham who was to bless the nations of the world. It means they did not live to see the fulfillment of the promise, but their confidence in the promises of God was so strong that they maintained their faith until death. Hebrews 11:39 ——————————————————————————– Having obtained a good report (μαρτυρηθέντες) Rend. “having had witness born to them.” See on Hebrews 11:2. Hebrews 11:39 ——————————————————————————– These all (houtoi pantes). The whole list in Hebrews 11:5-38. Cf. Hebrews 11:13. ——————————————————————————– Through their faith (dia pisteτs). Here rather than pistei as so often. ——————————————————————————– Received not the promise (ouk ekomisanto tηn epaggelian).

First aorist middle of komizτ. The Messianic promise they did not live to see (Hebrews 11:13), though they had individual special promises fulfilled as already shown (Hebrews 11:33).

Hebrews 11:40

Hebrews 11:40 Hebrews 11:40 ————————— τουG3588 θεουG2316 GOD περιG4012 FOR ημωνG2257 US κρειττονG2909 BETTER τιG5100 προβλεψαμενουG4265 [G5671] HAVING , ιναG2443 THAT μηG3361 NOT χωριςG5565 APART FROM ημωνG2257 US τελειωθωσινG5048 [G5686] THEY SHOULD BE MADE PERFECT. provided: or, foreseen better: Hebrews 7:19, Hebrews 7:22, Hebrews 8:6, Hebrews 9:23, Hebrews 12:24 they without: Hebrews 9:8-15, Hebrews 10:11-14, Romans 3:25, Romans 3:26 made: Hebrews 5:9, Hebrews 12:23, Revelation 6:11, The apostle in the early part of the chapter having given us a general account of the grace of faith, proceeds to set before us some illustrious examples of it in Old Testament times. The leading instance and example of faith recorded, is that of righteous Abel: one of the first saints and the first martyr for religion - one who lived by faith and died for it, and therefore a fit pattern for the Hebrews to imitate. It is observable that the Holy Spirit has not thought fit to say anything here of the faith of our first parents; and yet the church of God has generally, by a pious charity, taken it for granted that God gave them repentance and faith in the promised seed; that he instructed them in the mystery of sacrificing, that they instructed their children in it, and that they found mercy with God, after they had ruined themselves and all their posterity. But God has left the matter still under some doubt, as a warning to all who have great talents given to them, and a great trust reposed in them, that they do not prove unfaithful, since God would not enrol our first parents among the number of believers in this blessed calendar. - Henry. Isaiah 60:17 - brass Jeremiah 33:14 - General Ezekiel 36:11 - will do Matthew 11:11 - greater Matthew 13:17 - That many Luke 7:28 - but John 1:17 - grace 2 Corinthians 1:20 - all Galatians 3:17 - the covenant Galatians 3:23 - the faith Ephesians 1:10 - in the Ephesians 3:5 - in other Hebrews 9:9 - the time Hebrews 9:15 - for 1 Peter 1:10 - the grace 1 Peter 1:12 - that not Hebrews 11:40. ———————– The better thing is the New Covenant established on “better promises” (Hebrews 8:6), that was to be brought into the world through Christ. God’s purpose was to provide this institution for vs (Christians).

Because of such a plan He did not bring the fulfillment of the promise in the lifetime of those worthies. Not be made perfect or complete, denotes that the scheme that was started in their days could not be completed until the time of us (Christians). Hebrews 11:40 ——————————————————————————– Having provided (προβλεψαμένου) N.T.o. ——————————————————————————– For us (περὶἡμῶν) The better thing is for us. It was not for them: they lived in the assurance of a future time better than their own, and in this assurance of faith, did their work and bore their burden in their own time. It is one of the achievements of faith to be cheerfully willing to be only a stage to some better thing which we cannot share. ——————————————————————————– That they without us should not be made perfect (ἵναμὴχωρὶςἡμῶντελειωθῶσιν) Each successive stage of history gathers up into itself the fruit of preceding stages. This passage teaches the solidarity of humanity in its work as well as in itself. The man of the present requires the work and suffering and achievement of the men of the past to complete him and his work. The future men will, in like manner, require the work and suffering and achievement of the men of today to complete them.

The whole creation, in all its successive aeons, moves together toward “The one far-off, divine event.” Hebrews 11:40 ——————————————————————————– God having provided (tou theou problepsamenou). Genitive absolute with first aorist middle participle of problepτ, late compound to foresee, here only in the N.T. ——————————————————————————– Some better thing (kreitton ti). “Something better,” “the better promises” of Hebrews 8:6. ——————————————————————————– That apart from us they should not be made perfect (hina mη chτris hηmτn teleiτthτsin). Negative purpose clause with hina mη and the first aorist passive subjunctive of teleioτ. But this glorious and gracious purpose (foresight) of God is not due to any special merit in us. It is simply the fulness of the time in God’s dispensation of grace of which we are the beneficiaries. But all the same and all the more (noblesse oblige), we should prove worthy of our heritage and of God’s goodness to us and be loyal to Christ.