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About faith
11
1 Now faith is a realization of things being hoped for, an evidence of things not seen.*Such faith is a great deal more than mere wishful thinking; it makes things happen. 2 By it the ancients were approved. 3 By faith we understand that the ages†That is what the Text says, “ages”; see the note at 1:2 above. were created by a word from God, so that the things that are seen were made out of things invisible.
Abel, Enoch, Noah
4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than did Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous,‡Although Genesis does not mention it, I assume that God had given instruction to Adam about the necessity of blood sacrifice. God testifying concerning his gifts; and by means of it he still speaks, even though being dead. 5 By faith Enoch was transferred so as not to see death, and could not be found because God had translated him; before his translation he had obtained witness that he was pleasing to God.§His contemporaries probably looked down on Enoch as being a little ‘odd’, altogether too ‘religious’ or ‘spiritual’.
6 Now without faith it is impossible to please Him, because the one approaching God must believe that He exists and that He becomes a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him.*When we get serious with God, He answers. 7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen,†It had never rained during the 1600 years since the creation of the world. Noah believed God's word against all human experience up to that time. Don't you know that Noah was the laughingstock of the surrounding society for the 100+ years it took him to build the Ark. (But he got the last laugh.) moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that is according to faith.‡Note that this was centuries before Abraham.
Abraham and Sarah
8 By faith Abraham, upon being called to go forth to the place that he would receive as an inheritance, obeyed and went, though not being acquainted with where he was going.§But his obedience was not complete; he took his father, and that cost him 15 years in Haran; and from there he took Lot, the bad consequences of which lasted for centuries (indeed, for as long as there were Moabites and Ammonites). 9 By faith he migrated into the land of promise as into a foreign country, dwelling in tents, along with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was waiting expectantly for the city with the real foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
11 By faith Sarah herself also received power to conceive seed, and she bore a child*Perhaps 3% of the Greek manuscripts omit “she bore a child” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). when she was past the normal age, since she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 And so from one man, actually an impotent,†This statement helps us understand why Sarah urged Abraham to sleep with Hagar; she knew his virility was declining and was desperate for him to produce an heir. For Isaac to be born, God had to work a miracle in Abraham's body, as well as in Sarah's. were begotten descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
Seeking a heavenly homeland
13 These all died believing—not having received the promises, but having seen and welcomed them from a distance, thus confessing that they were aliens and sojourners on the earth. 14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they were actually remembering that land from which they had departed, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead they are aspiring to a better home—a heavenly one.‡I think we are obliged to understand that Abraham received a great deal more information from God than is recorded in Genesis—information that was duly passed on to Isaac and Jacob. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; in fact He has prepared a city for them.
Patriarchs
17 By faith Abraham, upon being tested, offered up Isaac; yes, he who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his only begotten,§That is what the Text says, “only begotten”. In terms of the promise, that included Sarah, Isaac was his only begotten, although he also had children with Hagar and Keturah. 18 of whom it had been said, “Through Isaac will your seed be reckoned,”*See Genesis 21:12. 19 calculating that God was indeed able to raise him from the dead; from whence in fact he did receive him, figuratively speaking.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.†It has been alleged that this statement disagrees with Genesis 47:31, that has Jacob leaning on the head of the bed (following the Massoretic Text), rather than the top of his staff. However, Hebrews 11:21 and Genesis 47:31 refer to different occasions, so there is no need to imagine a discrepancy. That said, it may be of interest to note the following. The Hebrew words for ‘bed’ and ‘staff’ are spelled with the same three consonants, the difference being in the vowels, that were not written. Thus the Original Hebrew Text was ambiguous here. When the Massoretes added vowel pointing to the Hebrew Text, many centuries after Christ, they chose ‘bed’. Long before, the Septuagint had chosen ‘staff’. 22 By faith Joseph, near the end, thought of the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave orders concerning his bones.‡He was doubtless well aware of the content of Jehovah's conversations with Abraham.
Moses
23 By faith Moses was hidden for three months by his parents, after he was born, because they saw he was a fine child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,§This may explain Exodus 2:15. If Moses had publicly rejected an offer by Pharaoh, based on his adoption, then Pharaoh would be disgruntled and would welcome an excuse to kill Moses. 25 choosing rather to be maltreated along with God's people than to have the temporary pleasure of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ*This statement intrigues me. What did Moses know about the Christ (when he left Egypt), and from whom did he learn it? And how did he know about the reward? I suppose it is possible that he had made a point of finding out who his parents were, and had conversed with them about their history. to be greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; because he was looking ahead to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt behind, not fearing the king's rage,†This refers to the Exodus, not his flight 40 years earlier. because he persevered as though seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry ground, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were swallowed up.‡For a discussion of where this happened, please see the Appendix: “Where is Mt. Sinai?”
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, having been encircled for seven days.§Those walls were so thick that they contained houses. To get several million Jews to march in silence was also quite a trick! 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, having received the spies in peace, did not perish with the disobedient.*And she entered the line that produced the Messiah—Matthew 1:5. Amazing!
Exploits achieved through faith
32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell about Gideon, about Barak and Samson and Jephtha, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, closed lions' mouths, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty in battle, put to flight foreign armies. 35 Women received their dead back by resurrection; while others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, so that they might obtain a better resurrection.†I assume that by “better resurrection” is meant more rewards and honor once resurrected. 36 Still others were tried by mockings and scourgings, and even by chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were tempted, they were murdered by sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, mistreated 38 —of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.‡We have had it pretty easy, wouldn't you say?
39 Now all these did not receive the promise, though having been approved through faith, 40 God having planned something better for us,§What do we have that is “better”? Well, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, and we have the complete Bible, for starters. so that they should not be perfected without us.

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*11:1 Such faith is a great deal more than mere wishful thinking; it makes things happen.

†11:3 That is what the Text says, “ages”; see the note at 1:2 above.

‡11:4 Although Genesis does not mention it, I assume that God had given instruction to Adam about the necessity of blood sacrifice.

§11:5 His contemporaries probably looked down on Enoch as being a little ‘odd’, altogether too ‘religious’ or ‘spiritual’.

*11:6 When we get serious with God, He answers.

†11:7 It had never rained during the 1600 years since the creation of the world. Noah believed God's word against all human experience up to that time. Don't you know that Noah was the laughingstock of the surrounding society for the 100+ years it took him to build the Ark. (But he got the last laugh.)

‡11:7 Note that this was centuries before Abraham.

§11:8 But his obedience was not complete; he took his father, and that cost him 15 years in Haran; and from there he took Lot, the bad consequences of which lasted for centuries (indeed, for as long as there were Moabites and Ammonites).

*11:11 Perhaps 3% of the Greek manuscripts omit “she bore a child” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).

†11:12 This statement helps us understand why Sarah urged Abraham to sleep with Hagar; she knew his virility was declining and was desperate for him to produce an heir. For Isaac to be born, God had to work a miracle in Abraham's body, as well as in Sarah's.

‡11:16 I think we are obliged to understand that Abraham received a great deal more information from God than is recorded in Genesis—information that was duly passed on to Isaac and Jacob.

§11:17 That is what the Text says, “only begotten”. In terms of the promise, that included Sarah, Isaac was his only begotten, although he also had children with Hagar and Keturah.

*11:18 See Genesis 21:12.

†11:21 It has been alleged that this statement disagrees with Genesis 47:31, that has Jacob leaning on the head of the bed (following the Massoretic Text), rather than the top of his staff. However, Hebrews 11:21 and Genesis 47:31 refer to different occasions, so there is no need to imagine a discrepancy. That said, it may be of interest to note the following. The Hebrew words for ‘bed’ and ‘staff’ are spelled with the same three consonants, the difference being in the vowels, that were not written. Thus the Original Hebrew Text was ambiguous here. When the Massoretes added vowel pointing to the Hebrew Text, many centuries after Christ, they chose ‘bed’. Long before, the Septuagint had chosen ‘staff’.

‡11:22 He was doubtless well aware of the content of Jehovah's conversations with Abraham.

§11:24 This may explain Exodus 2:15. If Moses had publicly rejected an offer by Pharaoh, based on his adoption, then Pharaoh would be disgruntled and would welcome an excuse to kill Moses.

*11:26 This statement intrigues me. What did Moses know about the Christ (when he left Egypt), and from whom did he learn it? And how did he know about the reward? I suppose it is possible that he had made a point of finding out who his parents were, and had conversed with them about their history.

†11:27 This refers to the Exodus, not his flight 40 years earlier.

‡11:29 For a discussion of where this happened, please see the Appendix: “Where is Mt. Sinai?”

§11:30 Those walls were so thick that they contained houses. To get several million Jews to march in silence was also quite a trick!

*11:31 And she entered the line that produced the Messiah—Matthew 1:5. Amazing!

†11:35 I assume that by “better resurrection” is meant more rewards and honor once resurrected.

‡11:38 We have had it pretty easy, wouldn't you say?

§11:40 What do we have that is “better”? Well, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, and we have the complete Bible, for starters.

© 2016 Wilbur N. Pickering, ThM, PhD