Hebrews 11:35 Ulasan

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.

They were stoned,.... As Naboth, by the order of Ahab, Kg1 21:13, Zachariah in the court of the Lord's house; Ch2 24:21 and the character of Jerusalem is, that she stoned the prophets that were sent unto her, Mat 23:37. They were sawn asunder; to which there seems to be an allusion in Mat 24:51. There is no instance of any good men being so used in Scripture: perhaps reference is had to some that suffered thus in the time of Antiochus. The Jews have a tradition, that the Prophet Isaiah was sawn asunder in the times of Manasseh, and by his order; which some think the apostle refers unto; though it seems to be all fictitious, and ill put together. The tradition is in both Talmuds: in the one, the account is this: (z) that "Manasseh sought to kill Isaiah, and he fled from him, and fled to a cedar, and the cedar swallowed him up, all but the fringe of his garment; they came and told him (Manasseh), he said unto them, go and saw the cedar, "and they sawed the cedar", and blood was seen to come out.'' And in the other (a) thus, "says R. Simeon ben Azzai, I found a book of genealogies in Jerusalem, and in it was written that Manasseh slew Isaiah.'' And after relating the occasion of it, being some passages in Isaiah Manasseh was displeased with and objected to; and the prophet not thinking it worth his while to return an answer, or attempt to reconcile them with other passages, objected, knowing that the king would use him contemptuously; he is made to say, "I will swallow (or put myself into) a cedar, they brought the cedar, "and sawed it asunder", and when it (the saw) came to his mouth, he expired.'' Another Jewish writer (b) out of the Midrash, reports it thus; "Manasseh sought to slay him, and Isaiah fled, and the Lord remembered him, and he was swallowed up in the middle of a tree; but there remained without the tree the fringe of his garment; and then Manasseh ordered the tree to be cut down, and Isaiah died.'' And it is become a generally received opinion of the ancient Christian writers, that Isaiah was sawn asunder; as of Justin Martyr (c), Origen (d), Tertullian (e), Lactantius (f), Athanasius (g), Hilary (h), Cyril of Jerusalem (i), Gregory Nyssene (k), Jerom (l), Isidorus Pelusiota (m), Gregentius (n), Procopius Gazaeus (o), and others; but more persons seem to be designed: were tempted; either by God, as Abraham, and Job; or by the devil, as all the saints are; or rather by cruel tyrants, to deny the faith, and renounce the worship of God, as Eleazar, and the seven brethren with their mother; at least some of them were, 2 Maccabees 6,7. Some think the true reading is "were burned"; as one of the seven brethren were in the Apocrytha, "Now when he was thus maimed in all his members, he commanded him being yet alive to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the pan: and as the vapour of the pan was for a good space dispersed, they exhorted one another with the mother to die manfully, saying thus,'' (2 Maccabees 7:5) and as Zedekiah and Ahab were roasted in the fire, by the king of Babylon, Jer 29:22 though they were lying prophets, and cannot be referred to here; see Dan 11:33. This clause is wanting in the Syriac version: were slain with the sword; as the priests at Nob, by the order of Saul; Sa1 22:18. The prophets of the Lord by Jezebel, Kg1 18:22 and many in the times of the Maccabees; Dan 11:33 and in the Apocrypha: "And there were destroyed within the space of three whole days fourscore thousand, whereof forty thousand were slain in the conflict; and no fewer sold than slain.'' (2 Maccabees 5:14) they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; with the wool or hair upon them; and with such Elijah and Elisha might be arrayed; since the former is said to be a hairy man, or covered with a hairy garment, as John the Baptist was, who came in his spirit and power, and also in his form; and the latter, wore the mantle of the other; Kg2 1:8 and to these reference may be had, who were obliged to wander about, because of those who sought their lives; and was the case of others who were forced, by reason of persecution, to quit their habitations, and wander abroad; and some clothed themselves in this manner, to show their contempt of the world, and their contentment with mean apparel; and others, because they could get no other raiment: being destitute; of bodily food, as Elijah, who was fed by ravens, and by the widow of Zarephath; Kg1 17:6, afflicted; pressed, drove to the greatest straits, despairing of, life, and weary of it, as the same prophet, Kg1 19:4, tormented; or evilly treated, reproached, vilified, persecuted, and made the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things. (z) T. Hieros. Sanhedrin, fol. 28. 3. (a) T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 49. 2. (b) Shalshelet Hakabala, fol. 12. 2. (c) Dialog. cum Tryph. p. 249. (d) In Jer. Homil. 19. p. 197. in lsa. Homil. 1. fol. 101. & in Matt. Homil. 26. fol. 51. (e) De Patientia, c. 14. Scorpiace, c. 8. (f) De vera sapientia, l. 4. c. 11. (g) Vol. I. de Incarnat. p. 55, 65. Vol. II. dicta & Interpret. Parab. p. 325, 353. (h) Contr. Constant, p. 199. & enarrat. in Psal. cxviii. p. 465. (i) Cateches. 2. sect. 9. p. 29. & Cateches. 13. sect. 3. p. 169. (k) Vol. II. de Castigat. p. 749. (l) In Isa. lvii. 2. (m) L. 4. Ep. 205. (n) Disputat. cum Herbano Judaeo, p. 19. (o) In Reg. l. 4. c. 21. 16.

For since Christ is the head of the man, and God is the head of Christ, he who tore the head in the martyr was persecuting God and Christ in that head. But he, trusting in his martyrdom, and promising to himself from the retribution of God the reward of resurrection, exclaimed and said, "Thou indeed impotently destroyest us out of this present life; but the King of the world will raise us up, who die for His laws, unto the eternal resurrection of life."

“Women received their dead by resurrection,” like Silomaea and Zarephath, who had them from Elijah and his disciple. Others, however, who were given to death despised their own life, like the seven brothers together with their mother. Even though they did not do what their companions had done in faith, they nevertheless desired death in their expectation and believed that they would have deserved to obtain “a better resurrection.”

After he said, “They were put to death by the sword, and others were tortured,” after he recounted many and different modes of martyrdom, he went on to say, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and run with perseverance.” Do you see that he called Abel a martyr, as well as Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? For some of these died for God’s sake in the same way that Paul spoke of when he said, “I die daily"; they died not by dying but only by their willingness to die.

"Women received their dead raised to life again." He here speaks of what occurred in regard to the prophets, Elisha, and Elijah; for they raised the dead. "And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection." But we have not obtained a Resurrection. I am able however, he means, to show that they also were cut off, and did not accept deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. For why, tell me, when it was open to them to live, did they not choose it? Were they not evidently looking for a better life? And they who had raised up others, themselves chose to die; in order to obtain a better resurrection, not such as the children of those women. Here I think he alludes both to John and to James. For beheading is called "torturing." It was in their power still to behold the sun. It was in their power to abstain from reproving sinners, and yet they chose to die; even they who had raised others chose to die themselves, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

"Women received back their dead." The Shunammite through Elisha, and before that the woman of Zarephath through Elijah. "Some were tortured." They were cut off, like James and John, and those who were beheaded. Or they died by clubs. Others say that being tortured means being flayed. It is also said about the Maccabees, "refusing to accept release." (2 Macc. 7:1) As if they did not accept to be released from the punishment that was brought upon them. Although it was possible for them, he says, to live, they did not wish to. And this was also a matter of faith, therefore he says: "so that they might rise again to a better life;" or the other people. For the resurrection is common to all, but these will rise, he says, to eternal life, and those to eternal punishment.

The widow of Zarephath through Elijah (3 Kingdoms 17:20–23) and the Shunammite woman through Elisha (4 Kingdoms 4:32–37). That is, they were beheaded, like John the Baptist (Matt. 14:3–11), like James the son of Zebedee (Acts 12:2). Some, however, interpreted the torture in the sense of being beaten with rods. That is, they could have refrained from reproaching those whom they reproached, and thus escaped the punishment inflicted on them, but they did not wish to do so. "Better" — not such as the children of those women received; or "better" in comparison with the rest of mankind. For the saints in radiance will be caught up on the clouds to meet the Lord, which in another place (Phil. 3:11) he calls the rising up — έξανάστασις. And in general — unto eternal life. But the rest will remain below, and the resurrection will be for them unto eternal punishment.

641 (cont.). – But the third pertains to the effect of divine courage; hence, he says, Women received their dead raised to life again, i.e., by the resurrection. Some who misunderstood this, explained their dead, i.e., their husbands, and argued that death does not dissolve the bond of marriage. This is false even if they should rise again. It is also against the Apostle in Romans (7:3): 'If her husband be dead, she is delivered from the law of the husband.' Hence, it should be noted that even in the effects of the sacraments there is a difference. For some sacraments imprint a character, as baptism, confirmation and Orders. And because a character remains in the soul forever, a baptized or confirmed or ordained person should not repeat any of those sacraments, if he rises again. But the other sacraments do not imprint a character, as penance, extreme unction, and the others. Therefore, because they cure something repeatable, they can be repeated: and among these is matrimony. Therefore, he does not say, 'husbands,' but their dead, because through the resurrection mothers received their dead sons, whose resurrection was a presage of the coming resurrection begun by Christ. 642. – An account of their resurrection or rather of their revival is found in 1 Kings (chap. 17) and 2 Kings (chap. 4). Yet thus revived, they died again: 'But Christ rising from the dead dies now no more' (Rom. 6:9); 'Christ is risen from the dead the first fruits of them that sleep' (1 Cor. 15:20). But just as those temporal benefits were given to them as to sick persons for sustenance by the merit of their faith, so they were the figures of coming good things, which will be given to us by the merit of faith: 'And these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt him: they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover' (Mk 16:17). All of these Gregory explains of spiritual goods. 643. – Having given examples of the holy fathers of old who did many great things for the faith, the Apostle now gives examples of those who suffered for the faith. In regard to this he does two things: first, he shows how they suffered for the faith; secondly, he shows how the promises made to them were deferred (v. 39). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he mentions the evils inflicted on them by others; secondly, evils voluntarily assumed (v. 37b). Evils were inflicted upon them by others in two ways, namely, sometimes during life, and sometimes in death; these he mentions when he says, they were stoned. During life, evils were inflicted upon them in three ways: some by bodily affliction; some by mockery; and some by imprisonment. 644. – As to the first he says, others were racked. As if to say: So we have said that some have received many good things because of the faith, either by having evils removed, or in the performing of temporal good. In these was prefigured the Old Testament, which conferred temporal goods. But others suffered many things for the faith: of these some were racked by horses as in 1 Maccabees (chap. 2); and in 2 Maccabees (chap. 6) the case of the two children suspended from their mothers' necks, and in 2 Maccabees (chap. 7) the case of the seven brothers. In those saints, first of all, the New Testament was prefigured; hence, he says, refusing to accept release. For a person subject to punishment is somehow a slave to punishment; therefore, to be delivered from punishment is called a redemption: 'He redeemed them from the hand of him that afflicted' (Ps. 77:42). 645. – But he shows why they refused release. It was not because God exercised no providence over them, but that they might obtain eternal life, which is better than release from any present punishment or any resurrection of the present life; hence, he says, that they might rise again to a better life: 'I will rise again on the last day' (Jb. 19:25); 'Your dead men shall live, my slain shall rise again' (Is. 26:19). Or he says, better, because, by the fact that they suffered greater things for Christ, they earned a greater reward: 'Star differs from star in glory; so also is the resurrection of the dead' (1 Cor. 15:41); for those with greater merit shall receive a greater reward; but the merits of martyrs are very great: 'Greater love than this no man has, that a man lay down his life for his friends' (Jn. 15:15). However, not every martyr is greater than every confessor, but some martyr can be greater than some confessor; and conversely, some confessor than some martyr, although not universally. For one can be compared to another as to the type of work or as to the degree of charity. But no act of itself is as meritorious as dying for Christ, because a man is giving what is most dear, namely, his own life: 'Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice's sake' (Mt. 5:10). But if one considers the root of all merit, which is charity (1 Cor. 13), then a work proceeding from greater charity is more meritorious. Consequently, one simple confessor could have greater merit before God. But the Apostle is speaking of the type of work, saying, that they might rise again to a better, i.e., a greater and more glorious, life. Hence, better implies a comparison between the state of the present life and the future resurrection, or a comparison between the glory of the resurrection of one person and the glory of another.

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.

Women received their dead - As did the widow of Zarephath, Kg1 17:21, and the Shunammite, Kg2 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 the critics are not agreed. Τυμπανον signifies a stick, or baton, which was used in bastinadoing criminals. And τυμπανιζω signifies to beat violently, and is thus explained by the best lexicographers. After considering what others have written on this subject, I am inclined to think that the bastinado on the soles of the feet is what is here designed. That this was a most torturing and dangerous punishment, we learn from the most authentic accounts; and it is practised among the Turks and other Mohammedans to the present day. Mr. Antes, of Fulnek, is Yorkshire, twenty years a resident in Egypt, furnishes the latest account I have met with; he himself was the unhappy subject of his own description. See at the end of this chapter, article 4 (note). Not accepting deliverance - This looks very like a reference to the case of the mother and her seven sons, mentioned 2 Maccabees 7:1, etc.

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.

Women received their dead raised--as the widow of Zarephath (Kg1 17:17-24). The Shunammite (2Ki. 4:17-35). The two oldest manuscripts read. "They received women of aliens by raising their dead." Kg1 17:24 shows that the raising of the widow's son by Elijah led her to the faith, so that he thus took her into fellowship, an alien though she was. Christ, in Luk 4:26, makes especial mention of the fact that Elijah was sent to an alien from Israel, a woman of Sarepta. Thus Paul may quote this as an instance of Elijah's faith, that at God's command he went to a Gentile city of Sidonia (contrary to Jewish prejudices), and there, as the fruit of faith, not only raised her dead son, but received her as a convert into the family of God, as Vulgate reads. Still, English Version may be the right reading. and--Greek, "but"; in contrast to those raised again to life. tortured--"broken on the wheel." Eleazar (2 Maccabees 6:18, end; 2 Maccabees 19:20,30). The sufferer was stretched on an instrument like a drumhead and scourged to death. not accepting deliverance--when offered to them. So the seven brothers, 2 Maccabees 7:9, 11, 14, 29, 36; and Eleazar, 2 Maccabees 6:21, 28, 30, "Though I might have been delivered from death, I endure these severe pains, being beaten." a better resurrection--than that of the women's children "raised to life again"; or, than the resurrection which their foes could give them by delivering them from death (Dan 12:2; Luk 20:35; Phi 3:11). The fourth of the brethren (referring to Dan 12:2) said to King Antiochus, "To be put to death by men, is to be chosen to look onward for the hopes which are of God, to be raised up again by Him; but for thee there is no resurrection to life." The writer of Second Maccabees expressly disclaims inspiration, which prevents our mistaking Paul's allusion here to it as if it sanctioned the Apocrypha as inspired. In quoting Daniel, he quotes a book claiming inspiration, and so tacitly sanctions that claim.