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Hebrews 11 – Text and Notes
Thought – In studying faith, we soon understand that faith is trust. To have faith in someone, in God, is to trust them. But do we understand what it means to trust?
- Is trust the faith that someone will do what I think they should?
- Is trust based upon me or them?
The point is, when we trust someone, it is not based upon the fact that we agree with them. If that was true, then how could anyone trust God? That would mean that we only have faith in God if we agree with Him. In chapter 11, notice how often people trusted God, not because they knew what He would do, but rather because they knew Him.
1 [Chapter twelve is going to refer to the following people as a “great cloud of witnesses surrounding us” (12:1). The author is winding down his appeal to these Jewish Christians. While maybe overstepping or oversimplifying the reasoning as to why he chose this long list as his approach, I cannot help but to think that he is simply trying to convince them that in accepting Jesus, they are no different than these Jewish (and pre-Jewish) heroes. In that, they are being good Jews in being good Christians.] [Extended Notes] Now faith [pistis] is the assurance [Extended Notes] of things hoped for, the conviction [or, evidence; the inward result of proving, here in Heb.11:1 of invisible things. Thayer more specifically defines it as “proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested.” (p.202.) Same word used in 2 Tim.3:16, “for reproof.”] of things not seen [Extended Notes]. [Extended Notes]
2 For by it the men of old [Pre-Jews and Jews] gained approval [lit., obtained a testimony].
3 By faith we [Extended Notes] understand [noeo (3539) – “to have a mental grasp of something by weighing and reasoning the matter in an appropriate manner; often relates to a knowledge that is inductive and logical; ‘to perceive with the mind’ (Thayer)” (The Discovery Bible, p.536)] [The 11th century Christian apologist, Anselm claimed, “I believe in order to understand” – credo ut intelligam] that the worlds [lit., ages] [Anselm said, “credo ut intelligam (I believe in order to understand)] were prepared [perfect] by the word [rhema (4487) – “the spoken word; ‘that which is or has been uttered by the living voice’ (Thayer); an utterance, or spoken word in a specific situation (often associated with dynamic or miraculous effects when spoken by God or Christ)” (The Discovery Bible, pp.545-546)] of God [“Then God said….”; Extended Notes], so that what is seen was not made [perfect] out of things which are visible.
4 By faith [If there is something “unseen” in the quality of faith, how does this apply to Abel and his sacrifice? Was this his first one? Had he never seen a sacrifice, after all, scriptures never mention Adam and Eve’s repentance.] Abel [Mt.23:35; 1 Jn.3:12; Adam is not mentioned. Is this because the Scriptures never mention whether or not he and Eve repented?] offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts [i.e., by receiving his gifts] [Extended Notes], and through faith [lit., it], though he is dead, he still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see [aorist] death; and he was not found [imperfect] because God took him up; for he obtained [perfect] the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing [perfect] to God [that is from the LXX, the Hebrew reads, “walked with God.”].
6 And without faith it is impossible to please [aorist] Him, for he who comes [also translated as “draw near” in Hebrews; proserchomai (4334); Heb.4:16; Heb.7:25; Heb.10:1; Heb.10:22; Heb.11:6; Heb.12:18; Heb.12:22] to God must believe [aorist] that He is [against atheism and agnosticism] and that He is a rewarder [an emphasis of Hebrews has been that God keeps His promises – see Extended Notes.] of those who seek Him. [Deism is not true]
7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen [i.e., the flood], in reverence [lit., having become reverent] prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned [katakrino (2632) – “to find in the wrong or at fault and therefore worthy of punishment or rejection” (The Discovery Bible, p.527)] the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
8 By faith [#1] Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going [aorist] out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith [#2] he lived as an alien in the land of promise [epaggelia (1860) Heb.4:1; Heb.6:12; Heb.6:15; Heb.6:17; Heb.7:6; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:15; Heb.10:36; Heb.11:9; Heb.11:13; Heb.11:17; Heb.11:33; Heb.11:39], as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise [epaggelia (1860) Heb.4:1; Heb.6:12; Heb.6:15; Heb.6:17; Heb.7:6; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:15; Heb.10:36; Heb.11:9; Heb.11:13; Heb.11:17; Heb.11:33; Heb.11:39];
10 for he was looking [imperfect] for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive [lit., power for the laying down of seed], even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that [lit., in these things], as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. [Abraham and Sara were 100 and 90 years old respectively]
13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises [epaggelia (1860) Heb.4:1; Heb.6:12; Heb.6:15; Heb.6:17; Heb.7:6; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:15; Heb.10:36; Heb.11:9; Heb.11:13; Heb.11:17; Heb.11:33; Heb.11:39] [That is personally, but not including their progeny. Therefore some infer Abraham will be coming back!], but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance [“faith is the substance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”], and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.
15 And indeed if they had been thinking [or, remembering; imperfect] of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return [aorist]. [Secret to successful Christian living – don’t look back!]
16 But as it is, they desire a better [kreittōn (2909) – Heb.1:4; Heb.6:9; Heb.7:7; Heb.7:19; Heb.7:22; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:23; Heb.10:34; Heb.11:16; Heb.11:35; Heb.11:40; Heb.12:24] country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed [lit., ashamed to be, ] to be called [present] their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith [#3] Abraham, when he was tested, offered [perfect] up Isaac [The “Binding of Isaac,” which is how the Jews refer to this event, is read in the synagogue the second day of Rosh-Hashanah (i.e. Jewish New Year).], and he who had received the promises [epaggelia (1860) Heb.4:1; Heb.6:12; Heb.6:15; Heb.6:17; Heb.7:6; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:15; Heb.10:36; Heb.11:9; Heb.11:13; Heb.11:17; Heb.11:33; Heb.11:39] was offering [imperfect] up his only begotten son;
18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants [lit., seed] shall be called.”
19 He considered [lit., Considering] that God is able to raise [present] people even from the dead [Gen.22:5; Acts 26:9; Reform Judaism denies a physical resurrection], from which [hothen (3606) – Heb.2:17; Heb.3:1; Heb.7:25; Heb.8:3; Heb.9:18; Heb.11:19] he also received him back as a type [or, figuratively speaking; lit., in a parable].
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob [2nd born as first born] and Esau, even regarding things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph [Ephraim was blessed as the older son, although Manasseh was the older], and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. [Throughout Genesis, the firstborn did not fair well. It makes me pause and ask, why lesson is being taught here? Then upon reading Exodus we see one of the plagues was the death of the firstborn. In Ex.4:22 Israel is called God’s firstborn. Check notes on Heb.1:6]
22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones. [Being such a high ranking official among the Egyptians probably entitled Joseph to a much more ornate burial place than what he requested concerning his bones carried out four centuries later.]
23 By faith Moses [Also second born], when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid [phobeo (5399) – Extended Notes of 4:1; Heb.4:1; Heb.11:23; Heb.11:27; Heb.13:6] of the king’s edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called [present] the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, [Jewish tradition says he was in line for the throne. If that is true, then Moses could have set free his own people. But that was not God’s plan.]
25 choosing rather to endure [present] ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, [Sin can be pleasurable, that is why it is so tempting.]
26 considering the reproach of Christ [i.e., the Messiah] greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking [imperfect] to the reward. [1:1]
27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing [phobeo (5399) – Extended Notes of 4:1; Heb.4:1; Heb.11:23; Heb.11:27; Heb.13:6] the wrath [thumos (2372) – “the anger of ‘impulse and passion’ (Green); a ‘boiling agitation of the feelings’ (Trench)” (The Discovery Bible, p.523)] of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. [Does this refer to his fleeing to Midian after the murder of an Egyptian?]
28 By faith he kept [perfect] the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch [aorist] them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned [lit., swallowed up]. [see Ex.15]
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in [lit., with] peace.
32 And what more shall I say [present]? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah [all military leaders – 3 judges, 1 general], of David [best known king] and Samuel [one of the best known prophets] and the prophets,
33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises [epaggelia (1860) Heb.4:1; Heb.6:12; Heb.6:15; Heb.6:17; Heb.7:6; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:15; Heb.10:36; Heb.11:9; Heb.11:13; Heb.11:17; Heb.11:33; Heb.11:39], shut the mouths of lions [Daniel],
34 quenched the power of fire [Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego], escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
35 Women received back their dead by resurrection [via Elijah and Elisha]; and others were tortured, not accepting their release [lit., redemption], so that they might obtain [aorist] a better [kreittōn (2909) – Heb.1:4; Heb.6:9; Heb.7:7; Heb.7:19; Heb.7:22; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:23; Heb.10:34; Heb.11:16; Heb.11:35; Heb.11:40; Heb.12:24] resurrection [does not mean a martyr’s resurrection, but rather the resurrection of the faithful (Jn.5:28-29)];
36 and others experienced [lit., received the trial of] mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned [Zechariah (2 Chron.24:21)], they were sawn in two [2 Sam.12:31; Tradition says Isaiah was martyred in this way by Manasseh], they were tempted [same manuscripts do not contain they were tempted], they were put to death with the sword [Jer.26:20-23]; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated
38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in [lit., of] the ground.
39 And all these, having gained approval [lit., obtained a testimony] through their faith, did not receive what was promised [lit., the promise] [epaggelia (1860) Heb.4:1; Heb.6:12; Heb.6:15; Heb.6:17; Heb.7:6; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:15; Heb.10:36; Heb.11:9; Heb.11:13; Heb.11:17; Heb.11:33; Heb.11:39],
40 because God had provided [or, foreseen] something better [kreittōn (2909) – Heb.1:4; Heb.6:9; Heb.7:7; Heb.7:19; Heb.7:22; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:23; Heb.10:34; Heb.11:16; Heb.11:35; Heb.11:40; Heb.12:24] for us, so that apart from us they would not be made [aorist] perfect.
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