Hebrews 11 - Introduction

THE general nature of this epistle, as unto the kind of writing, is parenetical or hortatory; which is taken from its end and design. And the exhortation proposed is unto constancy and perseverance in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ and profession of the gospel, against temptations and persecutions. Both these the Hebrews had to conflict withal in their profession; the one from the Judaical church-state itself; the other from the members of it. Their temptations to draw back and forsake their profession, arose from the consideration of the Judaical church-state and Mosaical ordinances of worship, which they were called unto a relinquishment of by the gospel. The divine institution of that state, with its worship; the solemnity of the covenant whereon it was established; the glory of its priesthood, sacrifices, and other divine ordinances (as Romans 9:4), with their efficacy for acceptance with God; were continually proposed unto them and pressed on them, to allure and draw them off from the gospel. And the trial was very great, after the inconsistency of the two states was made manifest. This gave occasion unto the whole doctrinal part of the epistle, whose exposition, by divine grace and assistance, we have passed through. For therein declaring the nature, use, end, and signification, of all divine institutions under the old testament, and allowing unto them all the glory and efficacy which they could pretend unto, he evidently declares, from the Scripture itself, that the state of the gospel-church, in its high priest, sacrifice, covenant, worship, privileges, and efficacy, is incomparably to be preferred above that of the old testament; yea, that all the excellency and glory of that state, and all that belonged unto it, consisted only in the representation that was made thereby of the greater glory of Christ and the gospel, without which they were of no use, and therefore ruinous or pernicious to be persisted in.

After he hath fixed their minds in the truth, and armed them against the temptations which they were continually exposed unto, the apostle proceeds to the second means whereby their steadiness and constancy in the profession of the gospel, which he exhorted them unto, was already assaulted, and was yet like to be so with greater force and fury; and this was from the opposition which befell them, and persecutions of all sorts that they did and were like to undergo, for their faith in Christ Jesus, with the profession thereof and observance of the holy worship ordained in the gospel. This they met withal from the obstinate members of the Jewish church, as they did the other from the state of that church itself.

An account hereof the apostle enters upon in the close of the foregoing chapter; and withal declares unto them the only way and means, on their part, whereby they may be preserved and kept constant unto their profession, notwithstanding all the evils that might befall them therein; and this is by faith alone. From their temptations they were delivered by the doctrine of truth; and from the opposition made unto them, by faith in exercise.

But whereas they were things grievous and dreadful that were like to befall them, which would at length probably arise to blood, or the loss of their lives, Hebrews 12:4, it was necessary to know what this faith is, and what evidence can be produced to prove that it is able to effect this great work of preserving the souls of men in the profession of the truth under bloody and destructive persecutions.

To comply with and give satisfaction on this necessary inquiry, the apostle in this whole chapter diverts to give a description or declaration of faith in general, whence it is meet and suited to produce that effect in the minds of believers; as also, to confirm by instances, that it had formerly, even from the beginning of the world, wrought effects of the same nature, or those which in greatness and glory were parallel thereunto. And hereon he takes advantage, according unto his constant method in this epistle, to make a full transition unto the hortatory part of the epistle, which gives life unto the whole; and which he made provision for, and some entrance into, Hebrews 10:19, as hath been declared.

And that this is the design of the apostle, is evident beyond contradiction, in the inference which he makes from his whole discourse hereon, with the exhortation he presseth from it, in the beginning of the next chapter, verses 1-3, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied, and faint in your minds,” etc. This is that which he designed to effect in their mind by his discourse of the nature of faith, and the instances given of its efficacy. The principal way whereby faith worketh in this case, of encountering the difficulties which lie in the way of constancy in profession unto the end, is patience preserving the soul from fainting and weariness. This he had before proposed in the example of Abraham, Hebrews 6:15; whereof see the exposition.

This being the design of the apostle, the missing of it hath caused sundry contests among expositors and others about the nature of justifying faith, which is not here at all spoken unto. For the apostle treats not in this place of justification, or of faith as justifying, or of its interest in justification; but of its efficacy and operation in them that are justified, with respect unto constancy and perseverance in their profession, notwithstanding the difficulties which they have to conflict withal; in the same way as it is treated of James 2.

The instances which he chooseth out unto this purpose, in a long season and tract of time, even from the beginning of the world unto the end of the church-state under the old testament, about the space of four thousand years, as unto the variety of their seasons, the distinct nature of the duties, and the effects expressed in them, with their influence into his present argument and exhortation, shall, God willing, be considered in our progress.

This only we may observe in general, that it is faith alone which, from the beginning of the world, in all ages, under all dispensations of divine grace, and all alterations in the church-state and worship, hath been the only principle in the church of living unto God, of obtaining the promises, of inheriting life eternal; and doth continue so to be unto the consummation of all things. For the recording here of what it hath done, is only to evidence what yet it will continue to do. Faith can do all things that belong unto the life of God; and without it nothing can be done. Spiritual life is by faith, Galatians 2:20; and victory, 1 John 5:4; and perseverance, 1 Peter 1:5; and salvation, Ephesians 2:8; 1 Peter 1:9: and so they were from the beginning.