_WHAT FAITH IS. WITHOUT FAITH WE CANNOT PLEASE GOD. THE WORTHY FRUITS THEREOF IN THE FATHERS OF OLD TIME._ _Anno Domini 63._ THE apostle, in the end of the foregoing chapter, after mentioning the persecutions to which the Hebrews were exposed, had comforted them by suggesting a remarkable saying... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE, &C.— These verses may be paraphrased thus: "As I have now observed, that faith avails to the salvation of the soul, and intend, in the next place, largely to prove it; it cannot but be proper here to acquaint you what that faith is, of which I speak. It is such a firm per... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH FAITH WE UNDERSTAND, &C.— _"By faith we understand that the worlds were adjusted by the word of God,_ and the several revolutions of them directed by the operations of his secret providence; _as_ the whole universe was at first created by his power, wisdom, and goodness, and _the things whic... [ Continue Reading ]
ABEL OFFERED, &C.— The divine original sacrifice seems not only strongly insinuated, but plainly demonstrable from this place. It has been inferred from the words πλειονα θυσιαν,— which may be rendered _a greater,_ or _fuller sacrifice,_—that Cain contented himself with presenting only the _mincha,_... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WAS NOT FOUND,— "Any longer among the inhabitants of this lower world." The circumstances of Enoch's translation are not mentioned; but some have thought this to intimate that he was privately translated, and sought for as Elijah afterwards was. See Exodus 2:17 and the passages in the margin.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM:— This verse is added by the apostle, to complete his reasoning in that which precedes. He had there said, that God translated Enoch without dying, on accountof his faith. The proof alleged in that verse was only this, that Moses says _He pleased God:... [ Continue Reading ]
MOVED WITH FEAR,— This instance is fully to the apostle's purpose; because it is evident, from what Noah actually did, that he had a real faith in the being and revelations of God. His faith in God's threatening an universal deluge _moved his fear,_— ευλαβεια, his _religious fear,_ and reverential r... [ Continue Reading ]
BY FAITH ABRAHAM, &C.— Abraham was called to go into a land which God promised to shew him. What land that was, did not appear till after he had travelled to Canaan; when God assured him that _that_ was the land which he designed to give him; so that he went out from his father's house, purely upon... [ Continue Reading ]
BY FAITH HE SOJOURNED, &C.— Abraham went from Mesopotamia, at the command of God, and came to Haran, where he dwelt: thence he removed to the land of Canaan, and travelled to the south-west parts of it, where he _lived in tents._ The phrase, Παροικειν εις την γην, is not the same as the phrase εν τη... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE LOOKED FOR A CITY, &C.— "He had dwelt in Canaan, I say, as in a strange country; for he expected, according to God's promise, to dwell in the city of the heavenly Jerusalem, which is not removed from place to place, like a tent, but has solid and unshaken foundations; the builder or maker of... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE SHE JUDGED HIM FAITHFUL WHO HAD PROMISED.— It may seem a difficulty, that the apostle should here tell us that Sarah _judged him faithful who had promised,_ whereas in the history she seems not to have credited what was promised. But the answer is, Supposing that she did not at first believe... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE SPRANG THERE, &C.— "By this mighty principle of faith in her, and in Abraham, there sprang even from one father, and he, in this respect, as it were dead, a posterity in multitude as the stars of the heavens, &c. according to that divine promise, which carried its efficacy into so many rem... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE ALL DIED IN FAITH,— Dr. Heylin paraphrases the words thus: _These all died without receiving the good things promised; but by faith they saw them, and believed them, and saluted them at a distance; professing that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth._... [ Continue Reading ]
DECLARE PLAINLY THAT THEY SEEK A COUNTRY.— This translation by no means comes up to the spirit and beauty of the original. The word πατριδα (derived from πατερ, _a father,_) does not signify a _country_ in general, but such a country as a _man's father_dwells in, and possesses as rightfully his own;... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOW THEY DESIRE A BETTER COUNTRY,— This made them carry their thoughts still further; and since they did not enjoy Canaan, nor see how Canaan could answer their expectations, they _desired_ and expected _a better country,_ that is, _an heavenly._ They had opportunities enough of returning to the... [ Continue Reading ]
BY FAITH ABRAHAM—OFFERED UP ISAAC:— See the passages in the margin. It is part of the office of history to assign the causes of the facts related. In those facts thereforewhichhave several causes, of which the principal cannot be sufficiently told, the inferior come in properly to take its place. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCOUNTING THAT GOD, &C.— _Reasoning, that God,_ &c. Doddridge. Archbishop Tillotson observes, that Abraham's faith was in this respect the more admirable, as, so far as we can learn, there never had been one single instance of a resurrection from the dead in or before the days of Abraham; "whose wi... [ Continue Reading ]
BY FAITH ISAAC BLESSED JACOB AND ESAU— He was persuaded that God would one way or other make good his promises to them, though he could not certainly tell how.... [ Continue Reading ]
BY FAITH JACOB, WHEN HE WAS A DYING, &C.— He blessed each of them particularly. Moses tells us, that he strengthened himself and sat upon the bed on that occasion, Genesis 47:31; Genesis 48:2. When Jacob was sick, it was told Joseph, and he went to him, and carried his two sons with him; and Jacob e... [ Continue Reading ]
BY FAITH JOSEPH, WHEN HE DIED,— _When he was dying._ See Genesis 50:24. Joseph shewed the reality of his faith by ordering his bones to be carried into Canaan, when the Israelites should depart thither. This proves that he fully depended upon the divine revelation, and so was a proper instance for t... [ Continue Reading ]
BY FAITH MOSES, &C.— The instance of faith here, is that of _Moses's parents._ It is not improbable, that Moses's father knew what had been promised to Abraham, Genesis 13:16. Now reckon by the generations, and by the series of years passed from the covenant with Abraham, and it is plain that the ti... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE WAS COME TO YEARS,— St. Stephen informs us, that Moses was _forty years_ old when _it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel,_ Acts 7:23. At this age the apostle might well say he was _come to years,_ or _was become great_ as the expression in the original may be li... [ Continue Reading ]
CHOOSING RATHER TO SUFFER AFFLICTION— Three months after Moses was born, he was exposed in a bed of bulrushes on the river Nile. Pharaoh's daughter coming by, and guessing it to be one of the Hebrew children, committed him to the care of a nurse of that nation. As he grew up, Pharaoh's daughter had... [ Continue Reading ]
ESTEEMING THE REPROACH OF CHRIST— This signifies "reproach suffered for the sake of Christ," as _the marks of the Lord Jesus_ are the marks of the stripes which were borne for the sake of Jesus. See Galatians 6:17. Dumont supposes, that the Israelites expected deliverance by the Messiah, and that th... [ Continue Reading ]
BY FAITH HE FORSOOK EGYPT,— The history here referred to by the apostle, is that of the Israelites going out of Egypt under the conduct of Moses; at which time it is evident Moses had strong faith, and no fear. See Exodus 14:13. "Moses, not afraid of the king's wrath or threats, Exodus 10:28. εκαρτε... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH FAITH HE KEPT THE PASSOVER— That is, through faith in the promise recorded, Exodus 12:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
BY FAITH THEY PASSED THROUGH THE RED SEA— "By faith operating in Moses, and in its degree in them likewise, they passed over the Red sea, sedately, as if they had marched on dry land, while its waters by the Divine command divided, and left the channel bare to them, so that they completed their marc... [ Continue Reading ]
BY FAITH THE WALLS OF JERICHO FELL DOWN,— The faith which the apostle here commends, was the faith not only of Joshua, but also of all the pious priests, and of all the religious people. They believed God, that if they, according to his directions, did march round Jericho for seven days together, bl... [ Continue Reading ]
BY FAITH THE HARLOT RAHAB— She believed in the God of Israel, who had done so great things for his people; and therefore she entertained the spies who were sent to search the land. See on Joshua 2:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
WROUGHT RIGHTEOUSNESS,— We have the same expression used by St. Peter, Acts 10:35. _In every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness,_ &c. The apostle, in this place, does not speak of the general character common to all believers, but has two or three particular persons in his eye, of... [ Continue Reading ]
OUT OF WEAKNESS WERE MADE STRONG,— _Weakness_ is a general word, which implies sickness and ill habit of body, or want of power and strength to resist a superior force. If the former of these be intended, Hezekiah may be the person particularly in view. If it signifies, as it naturally may, an inabi... [ Continue Reading ]
WOMEN RECEIVED THEIR DEAD RAISED TO LIFE AGAIN:— _By a resurrection;_ by a restoration to life. What kind of punishment, or rather cruel usage, is alluded to in the next clause, or whether the word be used as a general term for _torturing_ and putting to extremity of pain, may be hard to say: but as... [ Continue Reading ]
TRIAL OF CRUEL MOCKINGS— There can be no doubt but that these mockings were _cruel;_ but there was no occasion to add this word to the text, as it is not in the original. See 2 Kings 2:23. Genesis 21:9 compare with Galatians 4:29 and 2 Chronicles 36:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY WERE SAWN ASUNDER, &C.— Calmet understands by this expression, _being torn in pieces,_ as it were, under a _threshing instrument,_ consisting of wooden rollers, full of sharp iron teeth like a _harrow._ Compare Isaiah 41:15; Isaiah 28:27. 2 Samuel 12:31. Some have supposed that the phrase _they... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE ALL, HAVING OBTAINED, &C.— "All these pious heroes, in different ages, were supported under their respective trials, severe and extreme as they were, by the exercise of a firm and lively faith in the fidelity of God, and the invisible rewards and glories of a future state: and it was by th... [ Continue Reading ]