Hebrews 11

 

 1 Now (1) faith is the grounds of things which are hoped for, and the evidence of things which are not seen.

 

(1) An excellent description of faith by the effects, because it representeth things which are but yet in hope, and setteth as it were before our eyes things that are invisible.

 

 2  (2) For by it our (a) elders were well reported of.

 

(2) He sheweth that the Fathers ought to be accounted of, by this virtue.
(a) That is, those Fathers of whom we came; and whose authority and example ought to move us very much.

 

 3  (*) (3) Through faith we understand that the world was ordained by the word of God, so that the things which we (b) see, are not made of things which did appear.

 

(*) Genesis 1:3; John 1:10 .

(3) He sheweth the propriety of faith, by setting out unto us most piked examples of such as from the beginning of the world excelled in the Church.
(b) So that the world which we see, was not made of any matter that appeared or was before, but of nothing.

 

 4  (4) By faith Abel (*) offered unto God a greater sacrifice than Cain, by (♣) the which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, by the which faith also he being dead, yet speaketh.

 

(4) Abel.

(*) Genesis 4:4 .

(♣) Matthew 23:35 .

 

 5  (5) By faith was (*) Enoch translated, that he should not (c) see death; neither was he found, for God had translated him; for before he was translated, he was reported of, that he had pleased God.

 

(5) Enoch.

(*) Genesis 5:24 .
(c) That he should not die.

 

 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God, must believe that God is, and that he is a (d) rewarder of them that seek him.

 

(d) This reward is not referred to our merits, but to the free promise, as Paul teacheth in Abraham the father of all the faithful, Romans 4:4 .

 

 7  (6) By faith (*) Noah being warned of God of the things which were as yet not seen, moved with reverence, prepared the Ark to the saving of his household, through the which Ark he condemned the world, and was made heir of the righteousness, which is by faith.

 

(6) Noah.

(*) Genesis 6:13 .

 

 8  (7) By faith (*) Abraham, when he was called, obeyed God, to go out into a place, which he should afterward receive for inheritance, and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

 

(7) Abraham and Sarah.

(*) Genesis 12:4 .

 

 9 By faith he abode in the land of promise, as in a strange country, as one that dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob heirs with him of the same promise.

 

 10 For he looked for a city having a (e) foundation, whose builder and maker is God.

 

(e) This foundation to set against their tabernacle.

 

 11 Through faith (*) Sarah also received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful which had promised.

 

(*) Genesis 17:19; Genesis 21:2 .

 

 12 And therefore sprang thereof one, even of one which was (f) dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand of the seashore which is innumerable.

 

(f) As unlikely to bear children, as if she had been stark dead.

 

 13 All these died in (g) faith, and received not the (h) promises, but saw them afar off, and believed them, and (i) received them thankfully, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

 

(g) In faith, which they had while they lived, and followed them even to their grave.
(h) This is the figure Metonymy, for the things promised.
(i) For the Patriarchs were wont when they received the promises, to profess their religion, by building of altars, and calling on the name of the Lord.

 

 14 For they that say such things, declare plainly, that they seek a country.

 

 15 And if they had been mindful of (*) that country, from whence they came out, they had leisure to have returned.

 

(*) That is, of Mesopotamia.

 

 16 But now they desire a better, that is an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed of them to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.

 

 17 By faith (*) Abraham offered up Isaac, when he was (k) tried, and he that had received the (l) promises, offered his only begotten son.

 

(*) Genesis 22:10 .

(k) Tried of the Lord.
(l) Although the promises of life were made in that only begotten son Isaac, yet he appointed him to die; and so against hope he believed in hope.

 

 18 (To whom it was said, (*) In Isaac shall thy seed be called.)

 

(*) Genesis 21:12; Romans 9:7 .

 

 19 For he considered that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, from (m) whence he received him also after (n) a sort.

 

(m) From which death.
(n) For there was not the true and very death of Isaac, but as it were the death, by means whereof he seemed also as it were to have risen again.

 

 20  (8) By faith (*) Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, concerning things to come.

 

(8) Isaac.

(*) Genesis 27:28 .

 

 21  (9) By faith (*) Jacob when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, and (♣) leaning on the end of his staff, worshipped God.

 

(9) Jacob.

(*) Genesis 48:15 .

(♣) Genesis 47:31 .

 

 22  (10) By faith (*) Joseph when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel, and gave commandment of his bones.

 

(10) Joseph.

(*) Genesis 50:25 .

 

 23  (11) (*) By faith Moses when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child, neither (o) feared they the king’s (♣) commandment.

 

(11) Moses.

(*) Exodus 2:2; Acts 7:21 .

(o) They were not afraid to bring him up.

(♣) Exodus 1:16 .

 

 24 By faith (*) Moses when he was come to age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

 

(*) Exodus 2:11 .

 

 25 And chose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God, than to enjoy the (p) pleasures of sins for a season,

 

(p) Such pleasures as he could not enjoy, but he must needs provoke God's wrath against him.

 

 26 Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

 

 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, and feared not the fierceness of the king; for he endured, as he that saw him which is invisible.

 

 28 Through faith he ordained the (*) Passover and the effusion of blood, lest he that destroyed the first born, should touch them.

 

(*) Exodus 12:22 .

 

 29  (12) By faith they (*) passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, which when the Egyptians had assayed to do, they were swallowed up.

 

(12) The Red Sea.

(*) Exodus 14:22 .

 

 30  (13) By faith the (*) walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days.

 

(13) Jericho.

(*) Joshua 6:20 .

 

 31  (14) By faith the (q) harlot (*) Rahab perished not with them which obeyed not, when (♣) she had received the spies (r) peaceably.

 

(14) Rahab.
(q) A notable example of God's goodness.

(*) Joshua 6:23 .

(♣) Joshua 2:1 .
(r) Courteously and friendly, so that she did not only not hurt them, but also kept them safe.

 

 32  (15) And what shall I more say? For the time would be too short for me to tell of (*) Gideon, of (♣) Barak, and of (♠) Samson, and of (♥) Jephthah, also of (♦) David, and Samuel, and of the Prophets;

 

(15) Gideon, Barak and other judges and Prophets.

(*) Judges 6:11 .

(♣) Judges 4:6 .

(♠) Judges 13:24 .

(♥) Judges 11:1; Judges 12:7 .

(♦) 1 Samuel 1:20; 1 Samuel 13:14 .

 

 33 Which through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained the (s) promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

 

(s) The fruit of the promises.

 

 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, of weak were made strong, waxed valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

 

 35 The (t) women received their dead raised to life; others also were (u) racked, and would not be delivered, that they might receive a better resurrection.

 

(t) He seemeth to mean the story of that woman of Sarepta, whose son Elijah raised again from death, and the Shunammite, whose son Elisha restored to his mother.
(u) He meaneth that perfection which Antiochus wrought.

 

 36 And others have been tried by mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover by bonds and imprisonment.

 

 37 They were stoned, they were hewn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword, they wandered up and down in (x) sheep’s skins, and in goat’s skins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented;

 

(x) In vile and rough clothing, so were the saints brought to extreme poverty, and constrained to live like beasts in the wilderness.

 

 38 Whom the world was not worthy of, they wandered in wildernesses and mountains, and dens, and caves of the earth.

 

 39  (16) And these all through faith obtained good report, and received (y) not the promise,

 

(16) An amplification taken of the circumstance of the time: their faith is so much the more to be marveled at, by how much the promises of things to come were more dark, yet at length were indeed exhibited to us, so that their faith and ours is as one, as is also their consecration and ours.
(y) But saw Christ afar off.

 

 40 God providing a better thing for us, that they (z) without us should not be made perfect.

 

(z) For their salvation, hangeth upon Christ, who was exhibited in our days.

 

 

Steve

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