CHAPTER XI. _A definition of faith_, 1, 2. _What are its immediate objects_, 3. _What are its effects, instanced in Abel_, 4 _In Enoch_, 5, 6. _In Noah_, 7. _In Abraham_, 8-10. _In Sara_, 11. _In their righteous posterity_, 12-16 _In Abraham's offering of his son Isaac_, 17-19. _In Isaac_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:2. _FOR BY IT THE ELDERS OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT._] By the _elders_ are meant _ancestors, forefathers_, such as the patriarchs and prophets, several of whom he afterwards particularly names, and produces some fact from the history of their lives. It is very remarkable that among th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:3. _THROUGH FAITH WE UNDERSTAND_] By _worlds_, τους αιωνας, we are to understand the _material fabric of the universe_; for αιων can have no reference here to age or any measurement of time, for he speaks of the _things which are_ SEEN; _not being made out of the_ _things which do_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:4. _BY FAITH ABEL OFFERED - A MORE EXCELLENT SACRIFICE_] πλειονα θυσιαν. _More sacrifice_; as if he had said: Abel, by faith, made _more_ than _one_ offering; and hence it is said, God testified of his GIFTS, τοιςδωροις. The plain state of the case seems to have been this: Cain and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:5. _BY FAITH ENOCH WAS TRANSLATED_] It is said, in Genesis 5:24, that Enoch walked with God, and _he was not, for God took him_. Here the apostle explains what God's taking him means, by saying that _he was translated that he should not see death_; from which we learn that he did no... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:6. _HE THAT COMETH TO GOD_] The man who professes that it is his duty to worship God, must, if he act rationally, do it on the conviction that there is such a Being infinite, eternal, unoriginated, and self-existent; the cause of all other being; on whom all being depends; and by w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:7. _BY FAITH NOAH_] See the whole of this history, Genesis 6:13. _WARNED OF GOD_] ξρηματισθεις. As we know from the history in Genesis that _God_ did warn Noah, we see from this the real import of the verb χρηματιζω, as used in various parts of the New Testament; it signifies to _u... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:8. _ABRAHAM, WHEN HE WAS CALLED_] See on Genesis 12:1. _NOT KNOWING WHITHER HE WENT._] Therefore his _obedience_ was the fullest proof of his _faith_ in God, and his faith was an _implicit_ faith; he obeyed, and went out from his own country, having no prospect of any good or succe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:9. _BY FAITH HE SOJOURNED IN THE LAND OF PROMISE_] It is remarkable that Abraham did not acquire any right in Canaan, except that of a _burying place_; nor did he build any house in it; his faith showed him that it was only a _type_ and _pledge_ of a better country, and he kept that... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:10. _FOR HE LOOKED FOR A CITY WHICH HATH FOUNDATIONS_] He knew that earth could afford no permanent residence for an immortal mind, and he looked for that heavenly building of which God is the architect and owner; in a word, he lost sight of earth, that he might keep heaven in view.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:11. _THROUGH FAITH ALSO SARA_] Her history, as far as the event here is concerned, may be seen Genesis 17:19, and Genesis 21:2. Sarah at first treated the Divine message with ridicule, judging it to be absolutely impossible, not knowing then that it was from God; and this her age an... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:12. _HIM AS GOOD AS DEAD_] According to nature, long past the time of the procreation of children. The birth of Isaac, the circumstances of the father and mother considered, was entirely supernatural; and the people who proceeded from this birth were a supernatural people; and were... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:13. _THESE ALL DIED IN FAITH_] That is, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob, continued to believe, to the _end of their lives_, that God would fulfil this promise; but they neither saw the numerous seed, nor did they get the promised rest in Canaan. _STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS_] Strangers... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 14. _DECLARE PLAINLY THAT THEY SEEK A COUNTRY._] A man's _country_ is that in which he has constitutional rights and privileges; no stranger or sojourner has any such rights in the country where he sojourns. These, by declaring that they felt themselves strangers and sojourners, professed thei... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _IF THEY HAD BEEN MINDFUL OF THAT COUNTRY_] They considered their right to the promises of God as dependent on their utter renunciation of Chaldea; and it was this that induced Abraham to cause his steward Eliezer to _swear_ that he would not carry his son Isaac to Chaldea; see Genesis 24:... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 16. _BUT NOW THEY DESIRE A BETTER_] They all expected _spiritual blessings_, and a _heavenly inheritance_; they sought God as their _portion_, and in such a way and on such principles that he is not _ashamed to be called their God_; and he shows his affection for them by preparing for them a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _ABRAHAM, WHEN HE WAS TRIED_] See the history of this whole transaction explained at large in the notes on Genesis 22:1. _OFFERED UP HIS ONLY-BEGOTTEN_] Abraham did, _in effect_, offer up Isaac; he built an altar, bound his son, laid him upon the altar, had ready the incense, took the kni... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _TO RAISE_ HIM _UP, EVEN FROM THE DEAD_] Abraham staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. The resurrection of the dead must have been a doctrine of the patriarchs; they expected a heavenly inheritance, they saw they died as did other men,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _BY FAITH ISAAC BLESSED JACOB AND ESAU_] He believed that God would fulfil his promise to his posterity; and God gave him to see what would befall them in their future generations. The apostle does not seem to intimate that one should be an object of the _Divine hatred_, and the other of _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 21. _BLESSED BOTH THE SONS OF JOSEPH_] That is, Ephraim and Manasseh. See the account and the notes. Genesis 48:5, c. _WORSHIPPED_, LEANING _UPON THE TOP OF HIS STAFF_] This subject is particularly considered in the note, _See "_Genesis 47:31_"_. It appears, that at the time Joseph visited... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _JOSEPH, WHEN HE DIED_] τελευτων, _When he was dying_, _gave commandment concerning his bones_. On this subject I refer the reader to the _notes on "_Genesis 50:25_"_. And I have this to add to the account I have given of the _sarcophagus_ now in the _British Museum_, vulgarly called _Alex... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _BY FAITH MOSES, C._] _See the notes on "_Exodus 2:2_"_, and _See "_Acts 7:20_"_. We know that Moses was bred up at the Egyptian court, and _there_ was considered to be the son of Pharaoh's daughter and probably might have succeeded to the throne of Egypt: but, finding that God had visited... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _THE REPROACH OF CHRIST_] The _Christ_ or _Messiah_ had been revealed to Moses; of him he prophesied, Deuteronomy 18:15; and the _reproach_ which God's people had, in consequence of their decided opposition to idolatry, may be termed the _reproach of Christ_, for they refused to become on... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _HE FORSOOK EGYPT_] He believed that God would fulfil the promise he had made; and he cheerfully changed an _earthly_ for a _heavenly_ portion. _NOT FEARING THE WRATH OF THE KING_] The apostle speaks here of the departure of Moses _with the Israelites_, not of his _flight to_ _Midian_, Ex... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _HE KEPT THE PASSOVER_] God told him that he would destroy the first-born of the Egyptians, but would spare all those whose doors were _sprinkled with the blood_ of the paschal lamb. Moses believed this, kept the passover, and _sprinkled the blood_. See the notes on Exodus 12. One of the I... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _BY FAITH THEY PASSED THROUGH THE RED SEA_] _See the notes on "_Exodus 14:22_"_. The Egyptians thought they could walk through the sea as well as the Israelites; they tried, and were drowned; while the former passed in perfect safety. The one walked by _faith_, the other by _sight_; one pe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _THE WALLS OF JERICHO FELL DOWN_] This is particularly explained Joshua 6:1, c. God had promised that the walls of Jericho should fall down, if they compassed them about seven days. They _believed_, did as they were commanded, and the promise was fulfilled.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _THE HARLOT RAHAB PERISHED NOT_] See this account Joshua 2:1; Joshua 2:9; Joshua 2:11, and Joshua 6:23, where it is rendered exceedingly probable that the word זונה _zonah_ in Hebrew, and πορνη in Greek, which we translate _harlot_, should be rendered _innkeeper_ or _tavernkeeper_, as the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _TIME WOULD FAIL ME_] με διηγουμενον ο χρονος. A very usual mode of expression with the best Greek writers, when they wish to intimate that much important intelligence remains to be communicated on the subject already in hand, which must be omitted because of other points which have not ye... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _WHO THROUGH FAITH SUBDUED KINGDOMS_] As _Joshua_, who subdued the seven Canaanitish nations; and _David_, who subdued the Moabites, Syrians, Ammonites, and Edomites. 2 Samuel 8, c. _WROUGHT RIGHTEOUSNESS_] Did a great variety of works indicative of that faith in God without which it is i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _QUENCHED THE VIOLENCE OF FIRE_] As in the case of the three faithful Hebrews, _Shadrach, Meshach_, and _Abed-nego_, who, for their steady attachment to God's worship, were cast into a fiery furnace, in which they were preserved, and from which they escaped unhurt. Daniel 3. _ESCAPED THE... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 35. _WOMEN RECEIVED THEIR DEAD_] As did the widow of _Zarephath_, 1 Kings 17:21, and the _Shunammite_, 2 Kings 4:34. What other cases under all the above heads the apostle might have in view, we know not. _OTHERS WERE TORTURED_] ετυμπανισθησαν. This is a word concerning the meaning of which... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 36. _HAD TRIAL OF_ CRUEL _MOCKINGS AND SCOURGINGS_] We do not know the cases to which the apostle refers. The _mockings_ here can never mean such as those of Ishmael against Isaac, or the youths of Bethel against Elisha. It is more probable that it refers to public exhibitions of the people of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 37. _THEY WERE STONED_] As Zechariah, the son of Barachiah or Jehoida, was, between the altar and the temple; see the account, 2 Chronicles 24:21; and _See the notes on "_Matthew 23:35_"_. And as Naboth the Jezreelite, who, on refusing to give up his father's inheritance to a covetous king, be... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 38. _OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY_] Yet they were obliged to wander by day in _deserts_ and _mountains_, driven from the society of men, and often obliged to hide by night in dens and caves of the earth, to conceal themselves from the brutal rage of men. Perhaps he refers here principally... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 39. _HAVING OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT_ (HAVING BEEN WITNESSED TO; SEE Hebrews 11:2) _THROUGH FAITH_] It was _faith in God_ which supported all those eminent men who, in different parts of the world, and in different ages, were persecuted for righteousness sake. _RECEIVED NOT THE PROMISE_] They a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hebrews 11:40. _GOD HAVING PROVIDED SOME BETTER THING FOR US_] This is the dispensation of the Gospel, with all the privileges and advantages it confers. _THAT THEY WITHOUT US SHOULD NOT BE MADE PERFECT._] Believers before the flood, after the flood, under the law, and since the law, make but... [ Continue Reading ]