Ebrei 11:33 Commento

The apostle having, in the close of the foregoing chapter, recommended the grace of faith and a life of faith as the best preservative against apostasy, he how enlarges upon the nature and fruits of this excellent grace. I. The nature of it, and the honour it reflects upon all who live in the exercise of it (Heb 11:1-3). II. The great examples we have in the Old Testament of those who lived by faith, and died and suffered extraordinary things by the strength of his grace (v. 4-38). And, III. The advantages that we have in the gospel for the exercise of this grace above what those had who lived in the times of the Old Testament (Heb 11:39, Heb 11:40).

INTRODUCTION TO HEBREWS 11 The apostle having, in the preceding chapter, spoken in commendation of the grace, and life of faith, and of its usefulness to preserve from apostasy, proceeds in this to give some account of the nature and actings of it; and which he illustrates by the examples of many of the Old Testament saints: he begins with a definition of it, which consists of two parts, Heb 11:1 and with an account of the usefulness of it to the elders in general, who by it obtained a good report, Heb 11:2 and of the service it is of in understanding the creation of the worlds, the author and original of them, Heb 11:3 and then goes on to give particular instances and examples of faith among the elders, or ancient believers, which are reduced into several classes; and the first is of the saints before the flood, Abel, Enoch, and Noah. Abel's faith lay in offering a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, in obtaining a testimony from God that he was righteous, and in yet speaking, though dead, Heb 11:4. Enoch's faith is evidenced by his translation of God, that he should not see death, and by the testimony he received from him before it, that he was acceptable to him; by which it is clear he had faith, since, without it, it is impossible to please God; nor can any come aright unto him, without believing that he is, and has a gracious respect to all that diligently seek him, Heb 11:5. Noah's faith was seen in preparing an ark, by the order of God, for the saving of his family, and in condemning the world by so doing, and by becoming an heir of righteousness through faith, Heb 11:7. The next class is that of the saints from the flood, to the times of Moses, in which are Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Abraham's faith is celebrated for his obedience to the divine call, quitting the country where he was, and going he knew not where; and for his sojourning in the promised land, as in a strange one, in which Isaac and Jacob dwelt with him in tents; and for looking by faith for the heavenly city built by the Lord; and for his offering up his son at the command of God, who was the son of promise, believing God was able to raise him from the dead, from whence he received him by faith, Heb 11:8. Sarah's faith lay in receiving strength through it to conceive, bear, and bring forth a child when past age, which was, founded upon the faithfulness of a promising God; hence from Abraham, by her, sprung a large posterity, like the stars of the sky, and the sand on the sea shore, Heb 11:11. Now all these patriarchs, both before and after the flood, as they lived by faith, they died in it; who, though they had not received the things promised, yet by faith saw them at a distance, were very well persuaded they would come to pass, and so, in some sense, enjoyed them; hence, while they lived, they lived like pilgrims and strangers, showing that they had no regard to the country they came from, and had no mind to return thither, but sought another, a better, and an heavenly one; so that God is not ashamed to be called their God, he having prepared a city for them, Heb 11:13. Isaac's faith is commended in blessing his two sons with respect to things future, Heb 11:20 and Jacob's faith is well spoken of for blessing both the sons of Joseph in his last moments, worshipping on the top of his staff, Heb 11:21 and Joseph's faith is instanced in two things; in making mention of the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt, as a certain thing; and in giving them strict orders to carry his bones along with them, when they went from thence, Heb 11:22 the third class of men, famous for faith, is that of such from the times of Moses to the judges, in which are the parents of Moses, Moses himself, the Israelites in general, and the harlot Rahab. The parents of Moses showed their faith in hiding him three months, seeing him to be a lovely child, contrary to the king's edict, Heb 11:23. Moses's faith lay in refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; in preferring afflictions to the pleasures of sin, and the reproach of Christ to the riches of Egypt; he having, by faith, a respect to the heavenly glory, another instance of it; and by forsaking Egypt, without fear of the king's displeasure, by faith seeing a King who is invisible; and by keeping the passover, with the sprinkling of blood, that so the destroyer of the firstborn of Egypt might not touch the Israelites, Heb 11:24. The instances of the faith of the Israelites are their passage through the Red sea, as on dry land, when the Egyptians, who attempted it, were drowned; and their compassing the walls of Jericho seven days, believing they would fall, as accordingly they did, Heb 11:29. The faith of Rahab, the harlot, is commended for two things; for peaceably receiving the spies that came to her; and for the salvation she believed she should have, and had, when the unbelieving inhabitants of Jericho perished, Heb 11:31. And the last class of heroes for faith, includes the times of the judges, kings, prophets, and the Maccabees; the judges, kings, and prophets, are lumped together, and only a few of their names are observed as a specimen of the rest, the apostle not having time to mention particular one, Heb 11:32 and various instances of without reference to particular persons to whom they belong, are recorded; some which lay in doing things greatly heroic, and even miraculous, Heb 11:33 and others in suffering things the most cruel and torturing, and death itself in divers shapes, Heb 11:35. And thus, by an induction of particulars, the apostle proves both his definition of faith, Heb 11:1 and the usefulness of it to the elders, Heb 11:2 they by it obtaining a good report, though they did not receive the thing promised, Heb 11:39 wherefore New Testament saints have great encouragement, and much more reason, to exercise this grace; since God has provided for them the better thing he promised to others, that the one without the other might not be perfect, Heb 11:40.

Women received their dead raised to life again,.... As the widow of Zarephath, and the Shunammite, Kg1 17:22. Their sons were really dead, and they received them alive gain, from the hands of the prophets, Elijah and Elisha, in the way of a resurrection, and by faith; by the faith of the prophets: and others were tortured; racked, or tympanized; referring to the sufferings of seven brethren, and their mother, in the times of Antiochus, recorded in 2 Maccabees 7 as appears from the kind of torment endured by them; from the offer of deliverance rejected by them; and from their hope of the resurrection: for it follows, not accepting deliverance; when offered them by the king, see the Apocrypha: "24 Now Antiochus, thinking himself despised, and suspecting it to be a reproachful speech, whilst the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but also assured him with oaths, that he would make him both a rich and a happy man, if he would turn from the laws of his fathers; and that also he would take him for his friend, and trust him with affairs. 25 But when the young man would in no case hearken unto him, the king called his mother, and exhorted her that she would counsel the young man to save his life.'' (2 Maccabees 7) that they might obtain a better resurrection; which they died in the faith of, see the Apocryha: "7 And him he sent with that wicked Alcimus, whom he made high priest, and commanded that he should take vengeance of the children of Israel. 11 And said courageously, These I had from heaven; and for his laws I despise them; and from him I hope to receive them again. 14 So when he was ready to die he said thus, It is good, being put to death by men, to look for hope from God to be raised up again by him: as for thee, thou shalt have no resurrection to life. (2 Maccabees) The resurrection of the saints, which is unto everlasting life, is a better resurrection than mere metaphorical, and figurative ones, as deliverances from great afflictions, which are called deaths; or real ones, which were only to a mortal state, and in order to die again, as those under the Old Testament, and under the New, before the resurrection of Christ; or than the resurrection of the wicked: for the resurrection the saints will obtain will be first, at the beginning of the thousand years; the wicked will not live till after they are ended; it will be by virtue of union to Christ, whereas the wicked will be raised merely by virtue of his power; the saints will rise with bodies glorious, powerful, and spiritual, the wicked with base, vile, and ignoble ones; the righteous will come forth to the resurrection of life, the wicked to the resurrection of damnation. The consideration of the better resurrection is of great use to strengthen faith, under sufferings, for righteousness sake, and this is obtained by suffering; not that suffering is the meritorious cause of it, but saints in this way come to it; it is promised to such, and it will be attained unto, and enjoyed by such; for all that live godly, do, and must suffer persecution in one way or another.

In order not to repeat all the details in his review of the works of faith, Paul stopped relating the stories of these ancient fathers, deciding not to describe their actions in their different aspects. However, he did not omit other cases, which he included in a short account, … that is, about the faith of Gideon, who defeated ten thousand Midianites with three thousand soldiers, and Barak, who by his faith destroyed the army of Sisera; and Samson, who by his faith killed one thousand men with the jaw of an ass; and Jephthah, who by his faith conquered twenty-two cities of the sons of the Ammonites; and David, who by his faith beat and killed Goliath; and Samuel, who by his faith prevailed among the Philistines; “and about the other prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms” (in prophecy, not in the sword), “enforced justice” (that is, through the revenges and punishments that they inflicted on the impious), “received promises” (like Elisha, who went into ecstasy), “stopped the mouths of lions” (like the house of Daniel), “quenched raging fire” (like the house of Hananiah), “escaped the edge of the sword” (like those whom the Chaldaeans tried to slay together with the wise men of Babylon, and also Uriah and Elijah, and other prophets), “won strength out of weakness” (like King Hezekiah and Elisha), “became mighty in war” (like Abraham, Lot, Moses and Joshua), and “put foreign armies to flight” (like Samson, Barak, David and his companions, who were mentioned above).

"And the prophets," he says, "who through faith subdued kingdoms." Thou seest that he does not here testify to their life as being illustrious; for this was not the point in question: but the enquiry thus far was about their faith. For tell me whether they did not accomplish all by faith? "By faith," he says, "they subdued kingdoms;" those with Gideon. "Wrought righteousness;" who? The same. Plainly he means here, kindness. I think it is of David that he says "they obtained promises." But of what sort were these? Those in which He said that his "seed should sit upon" his "throne."

"through faith." All these did what they did by faith: Abraham, Moses, Joshua. "they conquered." They defeated, they destroyed whom? Abraham defeated the kings who had taken his nephew Lot captive, and the king of Gerar. Moses defeated the king of Egypt, and many others. Joshua, most of all. (Gen. 14:20; 15; Num. 25) "enforced justice." Abraham, Phinehas.

In this place, I believe he speaks of David. And he called kindness righteousness.

"obtained promises," of the Patriarchs, namely, Elijah, David, Joshua, Caleb, and many others. "closed the mouths of lions." Daniel, Samson.

I suppose he says these things concerning David. And he calls his benevolence "righteousness."

Soldiers who were with Gideon. Who? They themselves, and Samson. They repelled the enemies of their kinsmen and fellow tribesmen, showing themselves, on the one hand, compassionate toward their own people, and on the other, rising up against the enemies who wronged them. In this consists the property of "righteousness" — to render to each according to their due. As for example, David. For it says: "The Lord swore to David: of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne" (Ps. 131:11). In the sensible meaning this was fulfilled in Solomon, but in the spiritual meaning – in the Lord Jesus, the True Solomon, the peaceful one, Peace itself. For thus they interpret the name Solomon, that is, peaceful. Daniel (Dan. 6; Dan. 14) and Samson.

632. – Then (v. 33) he shows what the saints mentioned did: first, he shows this in general; secondly, by getting down to details (v. 33c). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he mentions the merits of their deeds; secondly, the reward (v. 33b). 633. – In regard to the first it should be noted that of all the outward acts of the moral virtues, the acts of courage and justice seem the most important, because they pertain most to the common good. For the republic is defended against its enemies by courage, and is preserved by justice. Hence, the Apostle commends the holy fathers on both: on courage, when he says, by faith they conquered kingdoms, i.e., kings, or even their kingdoms, as David and Joshua. Nevertheless, the saints spiritually overcame kingdoms, namely the kingdom of the devil, of whom Job (41:25) says: 'He is king over all the children of pride,' and the kingdom of the flesh: 'Let not sin reign in your mortal body' (Rom. 6:12); also the kingdom of the world: 'My kingdom is not of this world' (Jn. 18:36). But they conquered by faith: 'This is the victory which overcomes the world, our faith' (1 Jn. 5:4). For no one can despise present things except for the sake of goods to come, because it is mainly by contempt that the world is overcome, therefore, because faith shows us the invisible things for which the world is despised, our faith overcomes the world. 634. – He comes then to the acts of justice when he says, wrought justice. For justice is sometimes a general virtue, namely, when it obeys the divine law: 'The Lord is just and has loved justice' (Ps. 10:8); 'It is just to be subject to God' (2 Macc 9:12); 'He that does justice is just' (1 Jn. 3:7). But sometimes it is a special virtue and consists in human actions and exchanges, namely, when a person renders to everyone his due. But the saints had both: 'This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their justice with me, says the Lord' (Is. 54:17); 'If you desire wisdom, keep justice' (Sir. 1:33), namely, by obeying the commandments, and also by exercising it toward the people: 'I have done justice and judgment' (Ps. 118:121). 635. – Then when he says, they received, he shows what they obtained, because they received the promises. For God's promise is efficacious, because God never fails to keep His promise: 'Whatever he has promised he is able to perform' (Rom. 4:21); 'The Lord is faithful in all his words' (Ps. 144:13). But on the contrary he says above (11:13): 'These died according to faith, not having received the promises.' I answer that what is said here can be understood in three ways: in one way, that God's promise is the special one by which He promises the saints eternal life, which no one received before the coming of Christ: 'To confirm the promises made to the fathers' (Rom. 15:8); secondly, for the promise to inherit the promised land. This the earlier fathers, namely, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, did not receive, but the later ones did, as Joshua and the other saints. Thirdly, for a particular promise made to individuals, as to David a kingdom and to Hezekiah health; and these are the promises they obtained. 636. – Then (v. 33b) he mentions particular benefits conferred on them: first, those which pertain to the removal of evil; secondly, to the performing of good (v. 34b). But the evils harmful to man are of two kinds: one is external and the other internal. He mentions the second when he says, they won strength out of weakness. But external evils are of two kinds, because they are caused either by an irrational creature or a rational. The second of these is mentioned when he says, they escaped the edge of the sword. From irrational sources in two ways: living or non-living. He touches on harm inflicted by inanimate things when he says, quenched raging fire; by animate when he says, they stopped the mouths of lions. 637. – He speaks in the plural, although there was only one, namely, Daniel, as it is also said in Matthew (2:20): 'They are dead that sought the life of the child,' for Herod was the only one who sought to kill the Child. The reason he does this is that he is speaking of all the saints generally, as of one college of saints; therefore, what one does he imputes to others and even to all, because it was done by the power of the Holy Spirit, which is common to all. Hence, even in that text he speaks as though of all. But it can also be said that this was completed in David who, as he says in 1 Sam (17:34). By the lion is spiritually understood the devil: 'Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he may devour' (1 Pt 5:8). Therefore, one who represses his attacks stops the mouths of lions: 'I broke the jaws of the wicked man; and out of his mouth I took away the prey' (Jb. 29:17).

A definition of faith, Heb 11:1, Heb 11:2. What are its immediate objects, Heb 11:3. What are its effects, instanced in Abel, Heb 11:4. In Enoch, Heb 11:5, Heb 11:6. In Noah, Heb 11:7. In Abraham, Heb 11:8-10. In Sara, Heb 11:11. In their righteous posterity, Heb 11:12-16 In Abraham's offering of his son Isaac, Heb 11:17-19. In Isaac, Heb 11:20. In Jacob, Heb 11:21. In Joseph, Heb 11:22. In Moses, Heb 11:23-28. In the Israelites in the wilderness, Heb 11:29. In the fall of Jericho, Heb 11:30. In Rahab, Heb 11:31. In several of the judges, and in David, Samuel, and the prophets, Heb 11:32-34. The glorious effects produced by it in the primitive martyrs, Heb 11:35-40.

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, etc. Wrought righteousness - Did a great variety of works indicative of that faith in God without which it is impossible to do any thing that is good. Obtained promises - This is supposed to refer to Joshua and Caleb, who, through their faith in God, obtained the promised land, while all the rest of the Israelites were excluded; to Phineas also, who, for his act of zealous faith in slaying Zimri and Cosbi, got the promise of an everlasting priesthood; and to David, who, for his faith and obedience, obtained the kingdom of Israel, and had the promise that from his seed the Messiah should spring. Stopped the mouths of lions - Daniel, who, though cast into a den of lions for his fidelity to God, was preserved among them unhurt, and finally came to great honor.

DEFINITION OF THE FAITH JUST SPOKEN OF (Heb 10:39): EXAMPLES FROM THE OLD COVENANT FOR OUR PERSEVERANCE IN FAITH. (Heb. 11:1-40) Description of the great things which faith (in its widest sense: not here restricted to faith in the Gospel sense) does for us. Not a full definition of faith in its whole nature, but a description of its great characteristics in relation to the subject of Paul's exhortation here, namely, to perseverance. substance, &c.--It substantiates promises of God which we hope for, as future in fulfilment, making them present realities to us. However, the Greek is translated in Heb 3:14, "confidence"; and it also here may mean "sure confidence." So ALFORD translates. THOMAS MAGISTER supports English Version, "The whole thing that follows is virtually contained in the first principle; now the first commencement of the things hoped for is in us through the assent of faith, which virtually contains all the things hoped for." Compare Note, see on Heb 6:5, "tasted . . . powers of the world to come." Through faith, the future object of Christian hope, in its beginning, is already present. True faith infers the reality of the objects believed in and honed for (Heb 11:6). HUGO DE ST. VICTOR distinguished faith from hope. By faith alone we are sure of eternal things that they ARE: but by hope we are confident that WE SHALL HAVE them. All hope presupposes faith (Rom 8:25). evidence--"demonstration": convincing proof to the believer: the soul thereby seeing what the eye cannot see. things not seen--the whole invisible and spiritual world: not things future and things pleasant, as the "things hoped for," but also the past and present, and those the reverse of pleasant. "Eternal life is promised to us, but it is when we are dead: we are told of a blessed resurrection, but meanwhile we moulder in the dust; we are declared to be justified, and sin dwells in us; we hear that we are blessed, meantime we are overwhelmed in endless miseries: we are promised abundance of all goods, but we still endure hunger and thirst; God declares He will immediately come to our help, but He seems deaf to our cries. What should we do if we had not faith and hope to lean on, and if our mind did not emerge amidst the darkness above the world by the shining of the Word and Spirit of God?" [CALVIN]. Faith is an assent unto truths credible upon the testimony of God (not on the reasonableness of the thing revealed, though by this we may judge as to whether it be what it professes, a genuine revelation), delivered unto us in the writings of the apostles and prophets. Thus Christ's ascension is the cause, and His absence the crown, of our faith: because He ascended, we the more believe, and because we believe in Him who hath ascended, our faith is the more accepted [BISHOP PEARSON]. Faith believes what it sees not; for if thou seest there is no faith; the Lord has gone away so as not to be seen: He is hidden that He may be believed; the yearning desire by faith after Him who is unseen is the preparation of a heavenly mansion for us; when He shall be seen it shall be given to us as the reward of faith [AUGUSTINE]. As Revelation deals with spiritual and invisible things exclusively, faith is the faculty needed by us, since it is the evidence of things not seen. By faith we venture our eternal interests on the bare word of God, and this is altogether reasonable.

subdued kingdoms--as David did (Sa2 8:1, &c.); so also Gideon subdued Midian (Jdg. 7:1-25). wrought righteousness--as Samuel did (Sa1 8:9; 1Sa. 12:3-23; Sa1 15:33); and David (Sa2 8:15). obtained promises--as "the prophets" (Heb 11:32) did; for through them the promises were given (compare Dan 9:21) [BENGEL]. Rather, "obtained the fulfilment of promises," which had been previously the object of their faith (Jos 21:45; Kg1 8:56). Indeed, Gideon, Barak, &c., also obtained the things which God promised. Not "the promises," which are still future (Heb 11:13, Heb 11:39). stopped the mouths of lions--Note the words, "because he believed in his God." Also Samson (Jdg 14:6), David (Sa1 17:34-37), Benaiah (Sa2 23:20).