11. The Heroes of Faith (11:1–40)

Outline

11:1–3	A. A Definition of Faith
11:4–7	B. Three Examples of Faith: Abel, Enoch, and Noah
	C. The Faith of Abraham
11:8–10	1. The Promised Land
11:11–12	2. The Promised Son
11:13–16	3. The Promise
11:17–19	4. The Test of Faith
11:20–22	D. The Faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph
	E. The Faith of Moses
11:23–26	1. Moses’ Childhood and Position
11:27–29	2. Moses’ Leadership
11:30–31	F. Faith at Jericho
	G. Known and Unknown Heroes of Faith
11:32–35a	1. Those Who Triumphed
11:35b–38	2. Those Who Suffered
11:39–40	3. Commendation

A. A Definition of Faith

11:1–3

11 1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

The writer delights in recounting the history of the heroes of faith recorded in Scripture. Before he cites examples, however, he composes a brief definition of faith. He does not write a dogmatic exposition. Instead he formulates a few clear, straightforward sentences.

1. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

As we study this verse, let us note the following points:

a. Faith

The word faith in the New Testament has many aspects. For example, when the Judean Christians, whom Paul had sought to destroy, spoke of their belief in Christ, they said, “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy” (Gal. 1:23). Faith, then, is a confession, much the same as we call the Apostles’ Creed the articles of our Christian faith. However, this is not the meaning of faith that the writer of Hebrews conveys.

For the evangelists who wrote the Gospels, Jesus Christ is the object of faith. John summarizes this emphasis when he states the purpose of his Gospel, namely, “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). Also, the Acts show that in the first century, “a personal faith in Jesus was a hallmark of the early Christians.”¹

Still another aspect of faith is Paul’s emphasis on appropriating, that is, claiming salvation in Jesus Christ. Paul contends that God puts the sinner right with him through faith: “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Rom. 3:22). And Paul explains that faith comes from hearing the Word proclaimed (Rom. 10:17).

The author of Hebrews recognizes these same aspects of faith featured by other writers of the New Testament. However, his use of the concept faith must be understood primarily in the context of the eleventh chapter of his epistle. The heroes of faith have one thing in common: they put their undivided confidence in God. In spite of all their trials and difficult circumstances, they triumphed because of their trust in God. For the author, faith is adhering to the promises of God, depending on the Word of God, and remaining faithful to the Son of God.

When we see chapter 11 in the context of Hebrews, the author’s design to contrast faith with the sin of unbelief (3:12, 19; 4:2; 10:38–39) becomes clear. Over against the sin of falling away from the living God, the writer squarely places the virtue of faith.² Those people who shrink from putting their trust in God are destroyed, but those who believe are saved (10:39).

b. Assurance

What is true faith? In 1563 a German theology professor, Zacharias Ursinus, formulated his personal faith:

True faith—

created in me by the Holy Spirit through the gospel—

is not only a knowledge and conviction

that everything that God reveals in his Word is true,

but also a deep-rooted assurance

that not only others, but I too,

have had my sins forgiven,

have been made forever right with God,

and have been granted salvation.

These are gifts of sheer grace

earned for us by Christ.³

The author of Hebrews expresses that same assurance in much more concise wording: “Faith is being sure of what we hope for.” The expression being sure of is given as “substance” in other translations.⁴ The difference between these translations arises from understanding the original Greek word hypostasis subjectively or objectively. If I am sure of something, I have certainty in my heart. This is a subjective knowledge because it is within me. Assurance, then, is a subjective quality. By contrast, the word substance is objective because it refers to something that is not part of me. Rather, substance is something on which I can rely. As one translation has it, “Faith is the title-deed of things hoped for.”⁵ That, in fact, is objective.

To come to a clear-cut choice in the matter is not easy, for the one translation does not rule out the other. The translation confidence or assurance has gained prominence, perhaps because 3:14 also has the same word: “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” In the case of 11:1, even though the objective sense has validity, the subjective meaning is commended.

The author teaches the virtue of hope wherever he is able to introduce the topic (3:6; 6:11, 18; 7:19; 10:23). Hope is not an inactive hidden quality. Hope is active and progressive. It relates to all the things God has promised to believers: “all things of present grace and future glory.”⁶

c. Certainty

Although the brief statement on faith consists of only two phrases, they are perfectly balanced. Note the structure:

Faith

being sure of	certain of
what we hope for	what we do not see

In short, assurance is balanced by certainty. These two nouns are in this text synonymous. Certainty, then, means “inner conviction.”⁷ The believer is convinced that the things he is unable to see are real. Not every conviction, however, is equal to faith. Conviction is the equivalent of faith when certainty prevails, even though the evidence is lacking. The things we do not see are those that pertain to the future, that in time will become the present. Even things of the present, and certainly those of the past, that are beyond our reach belong to the category of “what we do not see.” Comments B. F. Westcott, “Hope includes that which is internal as well as that which is external.”⁸ Hope centers in the mind and spirit of man; sight relates to one of his senses (Rom. 8:24–25).

Faith, therefore, radiates from man’s inner being where hope resides to riches that are beyond his purview. Faith demonstrates itself in confident assurance and convincing certainty.

2. This is what the ancients were commended for.

A somewhat literal translation of this verse reads, “It is for their faith that the men of old [the elders] stand on record” (NEB).⁹ The faith demonstrated by the ancients gained them God’s approval. The term ancients, more literally “elders,” refers to the same group of people listed as “forefathers” in 1:1. All of them have one thing in common: their faith. For that faith they are commended by God.

The writer of Hebrews begins his list of the heroes of faith with Abel and Enoch. For both of these illustrations, he uses the verb to commend. In verse 4 we read, “By faith [Abel] was commended as a righteous man,” and in verse 5, “For before [Enoch] was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.” It would not be necessary for the author to say that everyone mentioned in the list was commended. All the ancients whose names are recorded in sacred history experienced God’s favor because of their faith. For their faith they were recognized by God and by his people.

3. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

At first sight we are inclined to read verse 3 with verse I and consider verse 2 the logical heading of the list of the men of faith. But we have no justification for rearranging the author’s design. He begins his illustrations of demonstrating faith with a comment about creation. No one was present at creation to observe the formation of the world. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” God asks Job (38:4). By using the plural we understand, the author includes himself and all his readers in the confession that God created the world.

The first declaration in the long list of the verses beginning with “by faith” is so rich in meaning that we do well to discuss this verse phrase by phrase. Before we enter upon a full discussion, however, we should note that verse 3b is translated in two ways. That is, the negative adverb not is placed either before the verb to make or before the word appear—apart from variations in translating this verse. The verse can he translated either “so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible”¹⁰ or “so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear.”¹¹ Translators are about equally divided on this particular issue. We shall discuss the matter as it presents itself in the sequence of the verse.

a. “By faith.” This is the first occurrence in a series of twenty-one uses of the phrase by faith. After these the author tells the readers that he lacks the time to write about additional Old testament saints who also showed their faith (11:32–38). “These were all commended for their faith” (11:39).

b. “We understand.” The author and his readers are able to understand God’s creation by faith. Although we are unable to observe that which is invisible, in our minds we recognize the power of God. Understanding creation—even in a limited sense—means that we reflect in faith on the relationship of Creator to creation.¹² In Romans 1:20 Paul provides a striking parallel that even in translation is close.

*Romans 1:20*	*Hebrews 11:3*
For since	By faith we understand
the Creation of the world	that the universe was formed
God’s invisible qualities…	at God’s command,
have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made	so that what is seen, was not made out of what was visible

c. “The universe was formed.” Translations vary from “world” or “worlds” to “universe” (see Heb. 1:2). The concept includes “the whole scheme of time and space” (Phillips). Moreover, God gave form, shape, and order to the universe. According to the creation account in Genesis, “God created the heavens and the earth” (1:1) and then proceeded to give structure and variety to a formless and empty earth.

d. “At God’s command.” We are immediately reminded of the six commands God spoke at the time of creation (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24). “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,” says the psalmist (Ps. 33:6). Purposely God created the world in such a manner that man can understand its origin only by faith. God made the world by his command. “For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm” (Ps. 33:9).

e. “So that what is seen.” The author of Hebrews refers to that which visibly exists in God’s creation—that is, light, sky, stars, earth, and countless other things.¹³ Man is able to see all these entities with his physical eyes. These things, however, have not been made of what can be observed.

f. “Was not made out of what was visible.” Because no one was present at the time of creation, eyewitness reports do not exist. Man must rely on what God has revealed to him about the creation of the universe and the formation of the world. And by faith man ascertains that creation originates with God.

How should verse 3 be translated? I have adopted the translation that negates the verb to make, for this translation appears to favor the flow of the argument. The word visible implies that at one time this creation did not exist and therefore is not eternal. Creation has a beginning. Moreover, prior to creation, the invisible prevailed.¹⁴ We would have been happy to receive more revelation concerning this point, but the author of Hebrews provides no further information where God’s revelation is silent. We do well not to speculate (Deut. 29:29).

Practical Considerations in 11:1–3

Chapter 11 is the chapter about faith in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Earlier in the letter the author introduces the concept faith when he speaks of the disobedient Israelites. These people heard the message of the gospel, but they “did not combine it with faith” (4:2). They persevered not; instead they followed their own willful way. The writer stresses the aspect of perseverance of faith (10:36) and places faith conspicuously over against unbelief. Faith, then, is the confidence the believer expresses when he faces blatant unbelief.

This unbelief surrounds the believer especially when the origin of the world becomes the topic of discussion. Modern man refuses to accept the creation account recorded in Genesis. For him the teaching of evolution solves problems and answers questions. Because this doctrine is a substitute for the biblical account of creation, man rejects God and his Word. Countering unbelief, the Christian unwaveringly maintains his faith. He confidently teaches the creation account that God has revealed in Scripture.

Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 11:1–3

Verse 1

ἐλπιζομένων—this present passive participle in the plural lacks the definite article to give the participle a broader range. The case is genitive—not subjective but objective. The present tense implies continued activity.

ὑπόστασις—a compound noun, derived from ὑπό (under) and ἵστημι (I stand), it has been translated as “substance,” “being” (Heb. 1:3), or “confidence” (Heb. 3:14).

οὐ βλεπομένων—the present passive participle is preceded by the negative particle οὐ, not μή. The use “of οὐ with the participle means that the negative is clear-cut and decisive.”¹⁵ The present tense is descriptive. The genitive case is objective.

Verse 3

νοοῦμεν—closely linked to πίστις, the verb νοέω (I perceive with my mind) discloses that faith is not blind assent but engages man’s intellect and mind.

ῥήματι θεοῦ—both nouns appear without a definite article. In the following passages the definite article occurs: Luke 22:61; John 3:34; 8:47; Acts 11:16. The absence of the article, the use of ῥῆμα instead of λόγος, and the reference to the creation account make the translation at God’s command unique.

εἰς τὸ μὴ … γεγονέναι—“we have a clear example of result,”¹⁶ not of purpose. The use of the perfect infinitive shows permanence. That which has been created has lasting validity and stability. The definite article need not precede the infinitive without any intervening words (see, for example, Mark 5:4; Acts 8:11; I Peter 4:2). For this reason, the negative particle μή fits in better with the infinitive construction than with the preposition and participle ἐκ φαινομένων.

B. Three Examples of Faith: Abel, Enoch, and Noah

11:4–7

4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

The contrast between faith and unbelief is exemplified in the lives of the forefathers. The writer presents the positive element faith; nevertheless, by mentioning the name Cain, he introduces an example of disobedience and unbelief.

4. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

The author places the name of Abel, and by implication that of Adam, at the beginning of his list of Old Testament saints. Adam’s son Abel occupies a special place in sacred history, for even Jesus calls him righteous (Matt. 23:35; Luke 11:51).

With reference to Abel, note the following points:

a. Abel presented a “better sacrifice” than did his brother Cain. As a tiller of the soil, Cain brought some of its fruits. Abel, the shepherd, sacrificed the fat of “some of the firstborn of his flock” (Gen. 4:4). Is the word better (literally, “greater”) an indication that animal sacrifices were more acceptable to God than were the fruits of the field? No. We should look not at the gifts but at the giver. The historical context is quite explicit. In Genesis 4:6–7 we read: “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.’ ”

The Septuagint version of verse 7 reads, “Did you not sin when you offered [your sacrifice] correctly, but did not divide it correctly?”¹⁷ Throughout his epistle the author of Hebrews shows that he depends on this Greek translation of the Old testament. But the author’s choice of version is not at issue. The fact remains that Cain’s attitude toward God was sinful. In effect, God pleaded with him to repent, to change his way of life, and to conquer sin. However, the writer introduces Cain’s name only for contrast; he is interested in Abel’s faith. Notice, for example, that the expression by faith occurs three times in this verse (NIV).

b. Abel was a “righteous man.” He lived in harmony with God and man and therefore became known as a righteous man. How God communicated with Abel is not known. One assumes that as God spoke directly with Cain, so he addressed Abel. There is no reason to resort to interpretations that hold that God communicated through symbols, such as fire that came down from heaven to consume Abel’s sacrifice or smoke that ascended from this sacrifice.¹⁸ The Genesis account provides no further information on how God “looked with favor on Abel and his offering” (4:4). God looked on Abel’s heart and was pleased with the motives of the giver. As Paul puts it, “God loves a cheerful giver” (II Cor. 9:7).

c. Even after his death, Abel is a constant witness. The text (“he still speaks, even though he is dead”) can be interpreted to refer to Abel’s blood. God says to Cain, “Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground” (Gen. 4:10; see also Matt. 23:35; Luke 11:51; Heb. 12:24). But the writer of Hebrews stresses the concept faith, not the avenging of Abel’s blood. The difficulty of relating faith to blood that has been shed ought not be bolstered by a quick reference to Revelation 6:10, where the souls under the altar cry out, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Not the blood of Abel, but the faith of Abel is important; therefore, the reference to the souls under the altar is of little consequence. The author places Abel before the readers as a righteous man who lived by faith (Heb. 10:38). Abel is at the top of the list of the Old Testament heroes of faith. Even after his death, his example encourages people to seek the Lord, because he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Abel, then, is the father of believers of the time before Abraham. His faith in God still speaks as a constant witness.

5. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

As Abel showed his love toward God, so Enoch, a member of the seventh generation in the family of Adam (Gen. 5:1–24; Jude 14), served the Lord. The writer of Hebrews chooses Enoch as the next person who exemplified a life of true dedication to God. The Genesis account is rather brief:

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. [5:21–24]

Whereas the information about Abel comes to us in the form of a historical account, the details concerning Enoch are recorded in a genealogy. Yet the facts are sufficiently clear. All the other people mentioned in the genealogy are described by the same refrain, “and then he died.” But “Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death.” And the writer introduces this sentence with the expression by faith. Because of his faith, Enoch did not face death but was translated to glory.

When the author says, “Enoch was taken from this life,” he actually repeats the conclusion of the Genesis account. The conclusion rests on the clause Enoch walked with God, which appears twice in his genealogy.¹⁹ What does the phrase walk with God mean? It means that a person lives a spiritual life in which he tells God everything (see Gen. 6:9). Enoch lived a normal life of rearing sons and daughters, but his entire life was characterized by his love for God. For this reason God took him to heaven.

Note that the author writes the phrase was (or: had) taken three times. Enoch’s faith was so strong and his relationship to God so close that he was kept from dying. The curse of death pronounced upon Adam and his descendants did not prevail against Enoch, for God transformed him. Enoch “was commended as one who pleased God.”²⁰

6. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

This text teaches a spiritual truth that touches the spiritual life of every believer. It is one of the most eloquent expressions of faith and prayer in the Epistle to the Hebrews. By comparison, Paul’s declaration that “everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23) is short. In one beautifully constructed verse, the writer of Hebrews communicates the method of pleasing God, the necessity of believing his existence, and the certainty of answered prayer.

a. How do we please God? By walking with him in faith! We must fully trust God and confide in him as our closest friend. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” The word impossible is a reminder of Hebrews 6:4. It conveys the idea that faith is the indispensable ingredient for pleasing God.

b. Why do we pray to God? When the believer prays to God, he must believe that God exists. Although God’s existence is an established truth for the believer, repeatedly he will ignore God by failing to pray to him. God, however, desires that the believer pray continually.

c. How do we seek God in prayer? Earnestly, in full confidence! The sinner receives pardon; the suppliant, mercy; and the righteous, peace. God invites us to come to him in full assurance that he will hear and answer prayers. “So,” says the writer, “do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded” (10:35).

Rewards can never be earned. In his sovereign goodness, God grants rewards not in terms of payments, but as blessings on his people. God grants us the gift of life eternal. “No human action can in any way counterbalance this in value.”²¹ God’s rewards to us are free, for he is sovereign.

7. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

One person demonstrated his faith in God in a world of unbelief, and that person was Noah. In the historical account of the flood, we read that God told Noah about an impending flood that would destroy life because of man’s great wickedness. God warned Noah that he would wipe out men, animals, and birds when a period of 120 years had ended (Gen. 6:1–7). Noah found favor in God’s eyes, for “he walked with God” (Gen. 6:8–9). Like his ancestors, Abel and Enoch, he put his full trust in God.

God instructed Noah to build an ark of specific and adequate size to hold his family and all the animals and birds that God wanted to keep alive. God informed Noah “about things not yet seen” (see Heb. 11:1).

Although the Scripture bears no record of the ridicule, the harassment, and the delays Noah had to endure while he built a huge ship, presumably on dry land, we can be sure that he felt the rough edge of unbelief. Jeers, taunts, and scorn constituted his daily diet of opposition.

Noah stood alone in the midst of a hostile world. Apart from the immediate members of his family, he could not find any support. To believe in God amid fellow believers is relatively easy. But to have no one to lean on except God is the true test of faith. Noah believed and “in holy fear built an ark to save his family.” On the one hand he expressed deep reverence to God, and on the other hand he was terrified because of the coming destruction. He was filled with holy fear at the prospect of God’s judgment on the sinful world. For if he had not believed God’s warning, he would not have been afraid. His faith drove him to fear and to build. Obediently he followed the instructions God gave him. He constructed the ark and by doing so demonstrated his firm confidence in God. His faith became his testimony that condemned the unbelieving world around him. Noah’s faith stood diametrically opposed to the unbelief of the world.

Scripture describes Noah as a righteous man (Gen. 6:9). Ezekiel writes of the possibility that God would send a famine to a country that sins against him; should Noah, Daniel, and Job be in that country, “they could save only themselves by their righteousness” (Ezek. 14:14, 20). And Peter calls Noah “a preacher of righteousness” (II Peter 2:5). The writer of Hebrews says that Noah “became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” No prophet ever preached such a message of doom as Noah did for such an extended time—120 years. Moreover, Noah preached to the entire world of that day.

By his faith Noah inherited the gift of righteousness. His ancestor Abel “was commended as a righteous man” (Heb. 11:4). Noah, however, became the possessor of righteousness; that is, his way of life was a pattern of righteousness always in opposition to unbelief. His life was a constant example of obedience to God’s will. Throughout his righteous life, Noah found God’s favor. By faith he pleased God.

Practical Considerations in 11:4–7

The heroes of faith who preceded Abraham were true pioneers: Abel, Enoch, and Noah. These men stood virtually alone in their contest of faith; unbelief and disobedience surrounded them and a believing community to support them did not exist.

Consider Abel, for instance. His father and mother had fallen into disobedience and were driven out of Paradise. His brother refused to listen to the voice of God and became a servant of sin (Gen. 4:7). Abel, by contrast, desired to serve God and to do God’s will. He put his trust in the Lord. He was a solitary figure, a true pioneer, a child of God.

We know very little about the world in which Enoch lived. The writer places Enoch’s name in a genealogy and refrains from writing historical details. Nevertheless, he singles out Enoch’s characteristic: Enoch walked with God. All the other persons mentioned in the genealogy (Gen. 5:3–32) lack this description. Only Enoch is known as a man of faith.

And last, Noah walked with God (Gen. 6:9). He, too, stood (with his own family) as a pioneer of faith. The world forsook him, yet he remained faithful.

Note the following:

For his faith Abel paid the price of his life.

Because of his faith Enoch was taken from this life.

By faith Noah saved his own family’s life.

Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 11:4–7

Verse 4

πλείονα—the accusative singular, masculine and feminine, comparative adjective of πολύς (much, many) signifies not quantity but rather quality. The translation better is therefore preferred.

αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ—a variant of this reading (αὐτοῦ τῷ θεῷ), in spite of its manuscript support, “provides no satisfactory sense.”²² The genitive τοῦ θεοῦ and the present active participle μαρτυροῦντος form the genitive absolute construction.

δι᾽ αὐτῆς—this feminine singular pronoun can refer to either the antecedent πίστις (faith) or θυσία (sacrifice). Because of the writer’s emphasis on faith, the New International Version and the New English Bible relate both δι᾽ ῆ̔ς and δι᾽ αὐτῆς to πίστις.

Verse 5

ηὑρίσκετο—the imperfect passive of εὑρίσκω (I find) expresses repeated action in the past. That is, the people kept on looking for Enoch.

μεμαρτύρηται—the use of the perfect tense reveals continued action from the past to the present.

Verse 7

βλεπομένων—artistically the author of Hebrews links this verse to the introductory statement (v. 1). Note, however, that in verse 1 the negative particle precedes the participle, whereas here it is μηδέπω (not yet).

δι᾽ ῆ̔ς—three antecedents in the feminine precede the relative pronoun ῆ̔ς. They are πίστις, κιβωτός, and σωτηρία. As in verse 4, the context favors the word faith.

C. The Faith of Abraham

11:8–19

8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

1. The Promised Land

11:8–10

Abraham is known as the father of believers, and thus the writer of Hebrews devotes much time and space to this patriarch. Abraham lived with promises God had given him, and in faith he accepted their reality.

8. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Abraham’s faith triumphed in at least three different instances. First, God asked him to go to a land that he would show Abraham and give to him as an inheritance. Yet of that land, which proved to be Canaan, Abraham never owned a foot of ground except the burial plot he bought for Sarah, his wife (Gen. 23:3–20; Acts 7:5). Second, God promised that he would make of Abraham a great nation. When he reached his one hundredth birthday, his son Isaac was born; and fifteen years before Abraham’s death, his grandsons Jacob and Esau entered the world. But Abraham never saw “descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore” (Heb. 11:12). Also, God called Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, for God wanted to test Abraham’s faith. And that faith triumphed.

One other observation. Noah received instructions to build an ark to save his family from impending doom. Although he had to wait for 120 years before the flood came, he nevertheless saw the fulfillment of God’s warning and the result of his own faith. Abraham, however, received two promises—the inheritance of the Promised Land and the formation of a mighty people as his descendants. But he never saw these promises fulfilled in his lifetime, even though he lived for 175 years. Abraham, to be sure, lived by faith.

As we consider Abraham’s faith in respect to the Promised Land, we note:

a. A place

A more literal translation of the first part of verse 8 is, “By faith, while he was being called, Abraham obeyed to go out to a place which he was about to receive as an inheritance.” As soon as God called, Abraham responded obediently and was ready to do the Lord’s bidding. “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you” (Gen. 12:1). In faith Abraham left, not knowing where the Lord would lead. What a break with his kinsfolk! Abraham could not even inform his relatives where he was going, because he did not know.

What were the reasons for Abraham’s departure? God wished to fulfill his promise to Abraham to make him into a great nation, to bless him, and to make Abraham’s name great (Gen. 12:2–3). God also called Abraham to make his own name great. Through the patriarch, God revealed himself as the faithful covenant God who keeps his promises.

b. A land

Abraham received God’s promise that he would become heir of a place God would give him. That place was the land of Canaan, the land of the promise. Abraham traveled from Haran to Canaan, leaving his relatives behind in Paddan Aram. He lived in the southern part of Canaan in tents. He remained an alien and in a sense an outsider who had little in common with the local population.²³ That Abraham lived in a tent indicated that he was a wandering herdsman who possessed countless animals, but no land.

Yet God had promised the land to Abraham, and he repeated the promise to Isaac and to Jacob. For three generations the heirs of the land lived in faith with a promise. Not until the twelve tribes of Israel entered the land under the leadership of Joshua were they able to claim the promise and make the land their own.

c. A city

Abraham’s stay in Canaan was as temporary as the pegs he drove into the ground to keep his tents pitched. He constantly moved from place to place, and so did his son and his grandson. His stay may have been temporary, but his faith was enduring.

Abraham’s faith in God reached beyond the promise of a place or a land, even though God had promised the land to him and his descendants. Abraham knew that earthly possessions are temporary; he always kept his eye of faith on “the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

In the land of fadeless day

Lies the city foursquare;

It shall never pass away,

And there is no night there.

—John R. Clements

The father of believers walked with God; “he was called God’s friend” (James 2:23). In faith he knew that the city God had designed and built has everlasting foundations (Rev. 21:14, 19). He looked forward to the new Jerusalem, “the city of the living God” (Heb. 12:22), to which all believers come to find accommodation.

Abraham knew that his earthly dwelling could not be compared with the heavenly city of which God himself was architect and builder. In faith he envisioned the eventual gathering of all believers for the feast of redemption. He anticipated the coming and the work of the Christ, for in him all believers are one with the Son and the Father.

By faith Abraham, although living in tents, looked to the permanent city. For him this city marked the fulfillment of the promises God had made. Therefore Abraham looked not at the process of salvation, but at its conclusion.

2. The Promised Son

11:11–12

The author of Hebrews follows the historical sequence of the Genesis account. He moves from the promise of the land to the promise of the son.

11. By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

The translation of the New International Version differs sharply from others. At first sight the reader may regard the translation of verse 11 as a radical departure from the well-known wording of that text. The Revised Standard Version provides a representative reading of verse 11: “By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.” The New American Standard Bible has “ability to conceive” instead of “power to conceive,” but adds this informative marginal note, “Literally, power for the laying down of seed” (italics in original). That literal translation is the essence of the problem because the italicized phrase “is used of the sexual function of the male.”²⁴ In other words, the subject of verse 11 is Abraham, not Sarah.

Explanations for this curious problem are numerous, and the translations themselves reflect them. Here are a few explanations:

a. The writer of Hebrews places the expression and Sarah herself near the beginning of the original Greek sentence, immediately after the phrase by faith. He seems to indicate, by the nominative case, that Sarah is the subject of the sentence. The translators of the New International Version and the Good News Bible have inserted the name Abraham to show that the patriarch is the logical subject and that the name Abraham suits the broader context.

b. The Greek idiom, translated literally and modestly as “power for the laying down of seed,” always refers to the male and not to the female. Therefore, to translate the idiom as “power to conceive” is contrary to linguistic usage. It fails to do justice to the original text and appears to be an accommodation to the presence of the name Sarah.

c. Many commentators take the approach that as husband and wife are one so Abraham and Sarah should be mentioned together. They contend that the original Greek for the words Sarah herself may be read as a dative. The reading then is, “By faith he [Abraham] also, together with Sarah, received power to beget a child.”²⁵ Plausible as this explanation may be, the fact remains that manuscript evidence cannot provide definite proof for this reading.

d. Still others suggest that the subject of verse 11 is Sarah and that the idiom “power for the laying down of seed” actually means “she received power to establish a posterity.”²⁶ The difficulty this suggestion meets is that Abraham, not Sarah, is the father and founder of the nation Israel.

e. Perhaps we should understand the words “and Sarah herself was barren” to be a parenthetical thought of the author. If the words referring to Sarah had not been in the text, no one would have difficulty translating and interpreting the text. Verse 11 expresses the thought that Abraham “was enabled to become a father” and is a natural introduction to verse 12. To delete the clause about Sarah is unthinkable because of manuscript support for these words. But to understand it as a parenthetical comment is feasible and sensible.²⁷

Also Paul comments on Abraham’s faith in God, who would make him “the father of many nations.” Says Paul, “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead” (Rom. 4:19). Abraham trusted that God would honor his promise. God is faithful.

The result of Abraham’s faith is that from one man numerous descendants were born. The author of Hebrews knows that his readers are fully acquainted with the history of the patriarch. Therefore, he minimizes his allusions to that history. He says that Abraham was “as good as dead” and that his offspring were “as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore” (Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 32:12; Exod. 32:13; Deut. 1:10; 10:22).

Both Abraham and Sarah were well advanced in age—Sarah considered herself “worn out” and her husband “old” (Gen. 18:12). That Abraham married after Sarah’s death and had six children (Gen. 25:1–2) has no bearing on this matter. The author of Hebrews is interested in the fulfillment of the promise of God: Isaac, the son of the promise (Gen. 21:12; Rom. 9:7; Heb. 11:18).

Countless descendants of Abraham formed the nation Israel. And through Abraham all nations on earth were blessed (Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:8). But more significantly, Abraham’s descendants ultimately are all believers (Rom. 9:6–8; Gal. 3:7–9, 16, 29; 4:28). All believers in Christ call Abraham their father, for in effect, the promised Son is the Christ, not Isaac.

3. The Promise

11:13–16

In Old Testament times believers looked for the coming of Christ. These believers lived by faith, not by sight, for they were the recipients of the promise.

13. All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.

When the author says “all these people,” he means the people who were recipients of the promise, namely, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob. God gave Abraham the promise about the land and repeated it to Isaac and to Jacob. Yet the patriarchs remained tent-dwellers who lived in the land as “aliens and strangers.” They received the promise of innumerable offspring; yet when they died, the patriarchs had only sons and grandsons. In short, “they did not receive the things promised.” Their faith, however, sustained them, for they believed that God would honor his word and eventually fulfill the promises he had made.

The patriarchs discerned the fulfillment of God’s promises in the future. In faith they welcomed this fulfillment, although from a distance. That is, with their eyes of faith, they saw God’s goodness in fulfilling promises in his time. But with their physical eyes they saw “that they were aliens and strangers on earth.” The list of those believers who considered themselves “aliens and strangers on earth” is extensive. For example, Moses received the promise that the nation Israel would possess Canaan, but he himself never entered the land; he was permitted to see it from one of the mountaintops of Moab (Num. 27:12; Deut. 3:27; 32:49; 34:1–4). Throughout his life Moses was a wanderer who moved from Egypt to Midian and eventually to the border of Canaan. Moses “persevered because he saw him who is invisible” (Heb. 11:27). To the day of his death, he remained an alien and a stranger.

14. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.

Believers know that this earthly scene is transitory and their heavenly home abiding. Therefore, they fully recognize their temporary stay on earth and long for their eternal dwelling in heaven. Believers do not flee this world (John 17:11, 14). This world, redeemed by Christ, is the Christian’s workshop. And whatever honest and honorable occupation the believer pursues, God will bless. Nevertheless, this present earth shall pass away, but according to God’s promise, “we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (II Peter 3:13).

15. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

The author of Hebrews intimates that the patriarchs would have had many opportunities to return to their country of origin; to be sure, Abraham had left Ur of the Chaldeans, “the land of his birth” (Gen. 11:28). They could have retraced their steps and moved from Canaan via Haran to Mesopotamia.

Had the patriarchs indeed contemplated returning to their native country, they would have broken faith with God and would have lost the promise God had given them. Abraham had been called away from the land of his father and forefathers, who “worshiped other gods” (Josh. 24:2). He could not return because he had responded in faith to God. Therefore, for Abraham and his son and grandson to retrace their steps to the land of Abraham’s origin was unthinkable. In obedience to God’s call, the patriarch had entered Canaan, and in full reliance upon his God, he stayed in the Promised Land. Isaac and Jacob showed the same obedience, for Jacob, after spending a number of years in Paddan Aram, returned to the southern part of Canaan. Also, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph were buried in the land of the promise.

The other side of the proverbial coin is that the patriarchs sought not an earthly heritage but a heavenly one. Says the writer of Hebrews, “They were longing for a better country.” They had their sight set, in faith, on a heavenly country. They looked for life eternal with God who had given them the promises. And their faith was rewarded, for Jesus himself, in answering the Sadducees’ question about the resurrection, said, “But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matt. 22:31–32; and see Mark 12:26–27; Luke 20:37–38; Exod. 3:6; 4:5).

God is God of the living. Everyone who puts his faith in God enters that heavenly country mentioned by the author of the epistle. And God is not ashamed to be his God. What an honor to be called children of God! God permits us to bear his name, for he already has prepared a place for us. We are privileged above all others because “our citizenship,” as Paul puts it, “is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). All who in faith long for the heavenly city that God has prepared receive celestial citizenship (John 14:2; Rev. 21:2). “We are hence to conclude, that there is no place for us among God’s children, except we renounce the world, and that there will be for us no inheritance in heaven, except we become pilgrims on earth.”²⁸

4. The Test of Faith

11:17–19

After departing somewhat from his theme of Abraham’s faith with the introduction of a few verses as a parenthetical thought (vv. 13–16), the writer of Hebrews returns to this theme. He summarizes and concludes his remarks on Abraham’s faith on the basis of a vividly historical incident: Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac.

17. By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18. even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19. Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Genesis 22 contains the story of Abraham’s greatest test of faith. This story reveals Abraham’s readiness to obey God at the expense of Isaac, to cling to God’s promises even though obedience to God’s command would nullify it, and to believe that God would raise Isaac from the dead. We note three points.

a. Obedience

Abraham’s faith had triumphed when God directed him to the land of the promise and when God gave him Isaac, the son of the promise. But had Abraham reached a plateau of faith? Was his faith dormant and inactive?²⁹ Would Abraham be able to submit to a much greater test of faith? Would he be willing to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God?

The writer of Hebrews says that God tested Abraham and implies that the test lasted from the moment God called him to sacrifice Isaac on one of the mountains of Moriah until the angel of the Lord stopped him from slaying Isaac. God tested Abraham to see whether the patriarch’s love for God was stronger than his fatherly love for his son Isaac. Therefore, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son at a place far removed from where they lived. Presumably Sarah may not have been informed about God’s command to sacrifice Isaac.

If God had taken Isaac’s life by natural or even accidental death, Abraham’s faith would have been severely tested. But God asked Abraham to take Isaac and with his own hands kill his son for a sacrifice to God. Job could say, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away” (1:21); but Abraham would have to say, “The Lord has given me a son and wants me to give him back as a sacrifice.”

Abraham obeyed. He fully complied with God’s request. In fact, if God had not intervened, Isaac would have been killed. Abraham showed his unwavering faith in God in humble obedience to God’s word. He demonstrated his love for God above anyone else, even his son Isaac.

b. Promise

That Abraham responded not in blind faith and slavish obedience is clear from the second part of verse 17 and verse 18. Abraham had received God’s promises, especially this word: “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned” (Gen. 21:12; also see Rom. 9:7). Abraham knew that in Isaac the promise of the multitude of descendants would be fulfilled. Descendants of Isaac would include all the spiritual offspring of Abraham.³⁰ Thus, with the death of Isaac, the line of believers would be terminated.

The author of Hebrews writes that Abraham “was about to sacrifice his one and only son” (v. 17). Certainly Abraham had Ishmael, but this son belonged to the Egyptian servant Hagar. Isaac, not Ishmael, was the heir, the son of the promise.³¹ If Isaac’s life were to end, the salvation of the world would not take place. For through Isaac, God’s promise of salvation would come to realization. Actually, the promise remained in effect, for God prevented Abraham from terminating Isaac’s life and from nullifying the promise. Abraham was about to kill his son, but God said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son” (Gen. 22:12).

c. Power

In genuine faith Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead. He knew that God’s power is unlimited and that God can make that which is dead come back to life. Abraham himself had experienced that: he who was “as good as dead” (Heb. 11:12) was able to procreate a son through God’s power. Abraham’s faith reached a mountaintop of trust in God when he said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you” (Gen. 22:5). He knew that Isaac would return with him. He believed that God would give life to the dead (Rom. 4:17), even though no one as yet had been raised from death.

Of course, Isaac did not die, someone may say, and therefore a resurrection from the dead did not take place. The author of Hebrews anticipates this observation, and to avoid any misunderstanding he adds the phrase that is translated as “and figuratively speaking.” Because Abraham’s obedience was complete, Isaac had no way of escape. Only God’s direct intervention saved his life, and thus “figuratively speaking” he was brought back to life.

What is the meaning of the expression figuratively speaking? Is Isaac a figure of Jesus Christ? Both have the designation one and only son. Both were appointed to be a sacrifice, except that for Isaac a ram served as substitute. Commentators in the early church and the Middle Ages were apt to see a parallel between Isaac and Christ and to say that Isaac prefigured Christ.³²

However, a word of caution is in order. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews nowhere regards “the sacrifice and salvation of Isaac as a type of Christ’s death and resurrection,” and “the idea is nowhere found in the New Testament.”³³ No one disputes the well-known truth that the New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. But we ought to avoid making a writer say more than he intends to convey.

The conclusion of this matter is that the author of Hebrews stresses the unique faith of Abraham. By faith Abraham offered his son Isaac and received him back from the dead. The writer implies that Isaac actually never died, and therefore the incident must be understood figuratively and not literally. In this sense Abraham received Isaac back from death.

Practical Considerations in 11:8–19

God called Abraham “to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance” (v. 8). That was not easy for Abraham, for he had to leave his relatives and go to an unknown land. The patriarch believed God and obeyed his Word. God still calls men and women to leave their loved ones and their familiar surroundings to bring the gospel to people living in other lands. These men and women serve “in the army of the Lord.” Obediently they respond to God’s call and give their time and talent in complete dedication to God. These “soldiers of the cross” are indeed aliens and strangers in foreign lands.

In a sense, all Christians are strangers on this earth. The Bible warns us not to attach ourselves too firmly to this earthly scene. Scripture tells us that this earth really is not our home. The Christian looks and longs for his eternal home. He sings,

I am a stranger here,

within a foreign land;

My home is far away,

upon a golden strand;

Ambassador to be

of realms beyond the sea,

I’m here on business

for my King.

—E. T. Cassel

Faith has its counterpart in obedience. Faith and obedience are two sides of the same coin. Abraham learned that faith and obedience go together, especially at the time when God called him to sacrifice his son Isaac.

Note this sequence: Abraham believed and loved God, who promised him a son. After many years of waiting, Abraham received this promised son and loved him. Then God called Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. If Abraham sacrificed Isaac, he would keep God but lose his son. If he disobeyed God, Abraham would keep his son but lose God. Abraham chose to obey God, and thus he placed the problem of losing his son of the promise in the hands of God. He believed that God could raise Isaac from death. In short, Abraham’s life with God bore the motto Trust and Obey.

Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 11:8–19

Verse 8

καλούμενος—this present passive participle of καλέω (I call) depends on the main verb ὑπήκουσεν, which is the aorist active of ὑπακούω (I obey). The present tense shows duration; the aorist, single occurrence. At the time God was calling, Abraham obeyed.

Verse 9

παρῴκησεν—both this verb in the aorist active and the aorist active participle κατοικήσας derive from the verb οἰκέω (I dwell, inhabit). The prepositions παρά and κατά modify the meaning of the verb. The first one expresses a temporary idea; the second one denotes permanence.

Verse 10

ἐξεδέχετο—the preposition ἐκ in this compound verb indicates direction. The verb in the imperfect middle (deponent) exhibits continued action in the past. Abraham was constantly “looking forward” to the heavenly city God had prepared for him.

δημιουργός—derived from δήμιος (public) and ἔργον (work), this compound rises above the interpretation public worker; it means “builder, designer, architect.” It is synonymous with κτίστης (creator). Writers of both the Old Testament and the New Testament prefer to use the verb to create and derivatives rather than the term employed in this verse, a fact that is evident from the single occurrence of this compound noun in the entire New Testament.

Verse 11

στεῖρα—numerous Greek texts and translations omit this adjective (barren). The Editorial Committee of the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament, however, by majority vote regarded the deletion as an omission caused by a scribe who was copying an earlier manuscript that had the adjective.³⁴ Therefore, the text of the United Bible Society and Nestle-Aland include this adjective.

Verse 12

νενεκρωμένου—from the verb νεκρόω (I put to death), the participle in the genitive case is appositive to ἑνός (one) and in the perfect tense shows duration of time.

Verse 13

κατὰ πίστιν—only twice (11:7, 13) in the entire epistle does this construction occur. The author of Hebrews used these two instances as synonyms of the expression πίστει.

λαβόντες—the aorist active participle is one of four aorist participles in verse 13. They are “receiving,” “seeing,” “greeting,” and “admitting.” The main verb ἀπέθανον (they died) attains significance.

Verse 15

εἰ μέν—the contrary to fact conditional sentence with the imperfect conveys the meaning “of an unreal hypothesis in the past of a continuous nature.”³⁵ That is, if the patriarchs had kept on thinking of their fatherland, they would have had ample opportunity to return. Verse 15 shows contrast with verse 16 in the use of μέν … δέ. These two verses comprise one unit. The adverb νῦν (now) “serves to contrast the real state of affairs with an unreal conditional clause.”³⁶ The translation instead serves verse 16 well.

Verse 17

προσενήνοχεν—this perfect active verb from προσφέρω (I offer) is followed by the imperfect active προσέφερεν. The perfect tense reveals that the sacrifice actually took place in the demonstration of Abraham’s willingness and obedience. The imperfect, by contrast, points to Abraham’s attempt to sacrifice Isaac.

πειραζόμενος—the present passive participle of the verb πειράζω (I try) has the meaning of being put to the test to prove a person’s faith (see John 6:6).

Verse 19

ὅθεν—an adverb from the relative pronoun ὅ and the enclitic θεν indicating motion away from a place or a deduction on the basis of reality. The adverb occurs six times in Hebrews (2:17; 3:1; 7:25; 8:3; 9:18; 11:19) and conveys the meaning therefore.

ἐκομίσατο—the aorist middle of κομίζω (I carry away) is much more precise than a form of the verb λαμβάνω (I receive), for it signifies recovering something that is one’s possession. In a sense, Isaac belonged to Abraham.

D. The Faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph

11:20–22

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

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