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... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΣΤΙΝ ΔῈ ΠΊΣΤΙΣ. “_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 des... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΜΑΡΤΥΡΉΘΗΣΑΝ. 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).... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜῊ ἘΚ ΦΑΙΝΟΜΈΝΩΝ. This is the true reading. See the note. 3. ΠΊΣΤΕΙ. In this chapter we find fifteen special instances of the work of faith, besides the summary enumeration in the 32nd and following verses. ΝΟΟΥ͂ΜΕΝ. “_We apprehend with the reason_.” See Romans 1:20. ΚΑΤΗΡΤΊΣΘΑΙ. “_Have been esta... [ Continue Reading ]
ἌΒΕΛ. 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... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΤΕΤΈΘΗ. Lit., “_was transferred_ (hence)” (Genesis 5:24; Sir 44:16; Sir 49:14; Jos. _Antt_. I. 3, § 4). ΟΥ̓Χ ΗὙΡΊΣΚΕΤΟ. Genesis 5:24 (LXX. God. Alex.). ΜΕΜΑΡΤΎΡΗΤΑΙ. “_He hath had witness borne to him_”; “Enoch walked with God,” Genesis 5:24 (LXX. “_pleased_ God”).... [ Continue Reading ]
ὍΤΙ ἜΣΤΙΝ. 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). ΓΊΝΕΤΑΙ. “_And that He_ becomes (i.e. shews or proves Himself to be) _a rewarder_.”... [ Continue Reading ]
ΧΡΗΜΑΤΙΣΘΕΊΣ. The same word is used as in Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 12:25. ΤΩ͂Ν ΜΗΔΈΠΩ ΒΛΕΠΟΜΈΝΩΝ. The participle with the art. is in the N. T. normally negatived by μὴ, except in oases of antithesis (like Romans 9:25) and in Ephesians 5:4 if τὰ οὐκ� be there the true reading. Here the μὴ indicates the... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΛΟΎΜΕΝΟΣ. In AD ὁ is inserted. See the note. 8. ἈΒΡΑΆΜ. 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... [ Continue Reading ]
ὩΣ�. “_I am a stranger and a sojourner with you_” (Genesis 23:4). The patriarchs are constantly called πάροικοι, “dwellers beside,” “sojourners” (Genesis 17:8; Genesis 20:1, &c.). ἘΝ ΣΚΗΝΑΙ͂Σ, i.e. _in tents_ (Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:3, &c.).... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῊΝ ΤΟῪΣ ΘΕΜΕΛΊΟΥΣ ἜΧΟΥΣΑΝ. “_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... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΑΥ̓ΤῊ ΣΆΡΡΑ. “_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 ἔτεκεν, “was delivered,” is not found i... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤᾺ ἌΣΤΡΑ Κ.Τ.Λ. Genesis 22:17; Deuteronomy 1:10. ΤῸ ΧΕΙ͂ΛΟΣ. Comp. “_labrum_ fossae” Liv. XXXVII. 37.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΤᾺ ΠΊΣΤΙΝ. Lit., “According to faith.” ΜῊ ΚΟΜΙΣΆΜΕΝΟΙ. 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). ἈΣΠΑΣΆΜΕΝΟΙ. “_Saluting them_” (Genesis 49:18). “Your father Abraham r... [ Continue Reading ]
ὋΤΙ ΠΑΤΡΊΔΑ ἘΠΙΖΗΤΟΥ͂ΣΙΝ. “_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.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΝΗΜΟΝΕΎΟΥΣΙΝ. See the note. 15. ΕἸ ΜῈΝ … ΜΝΗΜΟΝΕΎΟΥΣΙΝ … ΕἾΧΟΝ ἌΝ. 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 μνημονεύουσιν for ἐμνημόνευον is very ill-supported; but it is the _dif... [ Continue Reading ]
ΝΥ͂Ν ΔΈ. “_But, as the case now is_.” ὈΡΈΓΟΝΤΑΙ. The word means, “_they are yearning for_,” “_they stretch forth their hands towards_.” ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΠΑΙΣΧΎΝΕΤΑΙ ΑΥ̓ΤΟῪΣ Κ.Τ.Λ. “_Is not ashamed of them, to be called their God_” (Genesis 28:13; Exodus 3:6-15). ΠΌΛΙΝ. The “inheritance incorruptible and und... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡΟΣΕΝΉΝΟΧΕΝ … ΠΡΟΣΈΦΕΡΕΝ. 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.)... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡῸΣ ὍΝ. Lit., “_with reference to whom_” (Isaac); or perhaps “to whom,” i.e. to Abraham. ΚΛΗΘΉΣΕΤΑΙ. Genesis 17:8; Genesis 17:19; Genesis 21:12, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
ὍΘΕΝ. The only place in this Epistle where ὅθεν has its local sense. ἘΝ ΠΑΡΑΒΟΛΗ͂Ι. 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 vie... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕΥ̓ΛΌΓΗΣΕΝ. 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 obtaine... [ Continue Reading ]
ἝΚΑΣΤΟΝ ΤΩ͂Ν ΥἹΩ͂Ν. “_Each of the sons_.” He made a marked difference between them (Genesis 48:17-19). ΠΡΟΣΕΚΎΝΗΣΕΝ ἘΠῚ ΤῸ ἌΚΡΟΝ Κ.Τ.Λ. 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 (Genes... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΕΛΕΥΤΩ͂Ν, sc. τὸν βίον. The less common word for “dying” is here taken from the LXX. of Genesis 50:26. ΠΕΡῚ ΤΩ͂Ν ὈΣΤΈΩΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂. A sign of his perfect conviction that God’s promise would be fulfilled (Genesis 50:24-25; Exodus 13:19; comp. Acts 7:16).... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΩΫΣΗ͂Σ … ἘΚΡΎΒΗ. The “faith” is of course that of his parents, Amram and Jochebed. ΤΩ͂Ν ΠΑΤΈΡΩΝ. This is implied in the LXX. of Exodus 2:2, but the Hebrew only says that his _mother_ concealed him. ἈΣΤΕΙ͂ΟΝ ΤῸ ΠΑΙΔΊΟΝ. “_That the child was fair_.” In Acts 7:20 he is called ἀστεῖος τῷ θεῷ. In his... [ Continue Reading ]
ΥἹῸΣ ΘΥΓΑΤΡῸΣ ΦΑΡΑΏ. 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... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΩ͂Ι ΛΑΩ͂Ι ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΟΥ͂. Hebrews 4:9. ΠΡΌΣΚΑΙΡΟΝ. 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.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΩ͂Ν ΑἸΓΎΠΤΟΥ. The reading τῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτου is less well supported. It is of course explicable by an ellipse of γῇ. ΤῸΝ ὈΝΕΙΔΙΣΜῸΝ ΤΟΥ͂ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂. “_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... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΤΈΛΙΠΕΝ ΑἼΓΥΠΤΟΝ. 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 an... [ Continue Reading ]
ὈΛΟΘΡΕΎΩΝ. In ADE we find ὀλεθρεύων (from ὄλεθρος). 28. ΠΕΠΟΊΗΚΕΝ. Lit., “_he hath made,_” or “_instituted_.” Another of the author’s characteristic tenses (see Hebrews 11:17). Ποιεῖν is also used for _celebrating_ the passover (Deuteronomy 16:1, &c.). ΤῊΝ ΠΡΌΣΧΥΣΙΝ ΤΟΥ͂ ΑἽΜΑΤΟΣ. “_The effusion of... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙΈΒΗΣΑΝ. They, i.e. Moses and the Israelites. ἯΣ ΠΕΙ͂ΡΑΝ ΛΑΒΌΝΤΕΣ. “_Of which sea_ (or “of which dry land”) _the Egyptians making trial_.” ΚΑΤΕΠΌΘΗΣΑΝ. Lit., “_were swallowed up_” (Exodus 14:15-28; Psalms 106:9-12).... [ Continue Reading ]
ἹΕΡΕΙΧΏ. Joshua 6:12-20. ἝΠΕΣΑΝ. Neuters plur. sometimes take a plur. verb where the inanimate objects stand out in their plurality and separateness. Winer, p. 645. ἘΠῚ ἙΠΤᾺ ἩΜΈΡΑΣ. Ἐπὶ with the acc. denotes the period _over_ which a thing extends, as in ἐπὶ ἡμέρας πλείους, Acts 13:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΊΣΤΕΙ. Joshua 2:9-11, “The Lord your God, He is God.” Ἡ ΠΌΡΝΗ. 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... [ Continue Reading ]
ΓΕΔΕΏΝ, ΒΑΡΆΚ, ΣΑΜΨΏΝ, ἸΕΦΘΆΕ, ΔΑΥΕΊΔ ΤΕ ΚΑῚ ΣΑΜΟΥΉΛ א. The MSS. vary considerably. The reading, if correct, pays no attention to chronology. 32. ΤΊ ἜΤΙ ΛΈΓΩ; The sense is the same whether we regard λέγω as the indicative (comp. John 11:47), or the deliberative subjunctive. ἘΠΙΛΕΊΨΕΙ ΜΕ … Ὁ ΧΡΌΝΟΣ.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΊΑΣ. 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.). ΔΙΚΑΙΟΣΎΝΗΝ. 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.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΑΧΑΊΡΗΣ אAD1. Altered in some MSS. into the more classic μαχαίρας. 34. ΠΥΡΌΣ. Daniel 3:25; 1Ma 2:59. ΜΑΧΑΊΡΗΣ. 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. ἈΠῸ�. Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:5), Samson ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΓΥΝΑΙ͂ΚΕΣ. The woman of Sarepta (1 Kings 17:22), the Shunamite (2 Kings 4:32-36). ἘΞ�. Lit., “_by resurrection_.” ἘΤΥΜΠΑΝΊΣΘΗΣΑΝ. Josephus calls the instrument of torture τροχός. The word means technically, “were broken on the wheel,” and the special reference may be to 2Ma 6:18-30; 2Ma 6:7, where... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΜΠΑΙΓΜΩ͂Ν ΚΑῚ ΜΑΣΤΊΓΩΝ. “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 7:1... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΡΊΣΘΗΣΑΝ, ἘΠΕΙΡΆΣΘΗΣΑΝ. The MSS. vary in the order. See the note. 37. ἘΛΙΘΆΣΘΗΣΑΝ. Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-21). Jewish tradition said that Jeremiah was stoned. See Matthew 23:35-37; Luke 11:51. ἘΠΡΊΣΘΗΣΑΝ. This was the traditional mode of Isaiah’s martyrdom. Hamburger, _Talm. Wörterb_. s.v... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓Κ ἮΝ ἌΞΙΟΣ. 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... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΑΡΤΥΡΗΘΈΝΤΕΣ ΔΙᾺ ΤΗ͂Σ ΠΊΣΤΕΩΣ. “_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. ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΚΟΜΊΣΑΝΤΟ. See Hebrews 11:17; Hebrews 11:33; Hebrews 6:15; Hebrews 9:15. They did not enjoy the fruition... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΟΥ͂ … ΠΡΟΒΛΕΨΑΜΈΝΟΥ. Lit., “_since God provided_” (or “foresaw”) “_some better thing concerning us_.” The _middle voice_ is used because it differs from the active by expressing a _mental_ act; so too προορᾶσθαι, προϊδέσθαι. In one sense Abraham, and therefore other patriarchs, “rejoiced to s... [ Continue Reading ]