Hebrews 11:1-7 study
Notes
Transcript
text: Hebrews 11:1-7
1 Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. 2 This is why the ancients were commended. 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. 4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see 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 approaches 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 godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Context:
Hebrews Context
Chapter 11 is tucked into the
My Translation:
Verses 1-3
Verses 1-3
Ἔστιν δὲ πίστις ἐλπιζομένων ὑπόστασις, πραγμάτων ἔλεγχος οὐ βλεπομένων· 2 ἐν ταύτῃ γὰρ ἐμαρτυρήθησαν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι. 3 πίστει νοοῦμεν κατηρτίσθαι τοὺςαἰῶνας ῥήματι θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐκ φαινομένων τὸ βλεπόμενον γεγονέναι.
1 Now faith is the reality of the things we hope for, the proof of things we do not see. 2 For because of this kind of faith the men of earlier times were well spoken of. 3 By faith we comprehend that the universe was set in order by the command of God, so that what we now see did not come from visible things.
1 Now faith is the reality of the things we hope for, the proof of things we do not see. 2 For because of this kind of faith the men of earlier times were well spoken of. 3 By faith we comprehend that the universe was set in order by the command of God, so that what we now see did not come from visible things.
Connecting v. 1 & 6, he seems to define faith by the character or nature of God. God is unseen, yet faith takes hold of the reality of His existence; the reward God promises is our hope, and faith takes hold of this as well. Faith acknowledges and embraces the unseen God and His hoped for promises.
“Were well spoken of” (gained approval, received commendation) - this verb is used here and twice in v. 4, also in v. 5 and v. 39
v. 3: understanding comes by faith
Hebrews Exegesis
Faith is assured that what is hoped for will become a reality. It is convinced that the unseen promises of God will be fulfilled.
Hebrews Exegesis
Faith is convinced that what God promises will most certainly be fulfilled.
Verse 4
Verse 4
4 Πίστει πλείονα θυσίαν Ἅβελ παρὰ Κάϊν προσήνεγκεν τῷ θεῷ, διʼ ἧς ἐμαρτυρήθη εἶναι δίκαιος, μαρτυροῦντος ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ διʼ αὐτῆς ἀποθανὼν ἔτι λαλεῖ.
4 By faith, Abel offered a greater sacrifice to God than Cain, through which he was well spoken of as being righteous, God speaking well of his gifts; and through this faith Abel is still speaking, even though he died.
Abel and Noah both are commended as righteous, though clearly their righteousness came through faith like Abram (Gen 15:6).
Our example of faith may live on for generations after we’re gone.
Verses 5-6
Verses 5-6
5 Πίστει Ἑνὼχ μετετέθη τοῦμὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον, καὶ οὐχηὑρίσκετο διότι μετέθηκεν αὐτὸνὁ θεός· πρὸ γὰρ τῆς μεταθέσεως μεμαρτύρηται εὐαρεστηκέναι τῷ θεῷ, 6 χωρὶς δὲ πίστεως ἀδύνατον εὐαρεστῆσαι, πιστεῦσαι γὰρ δεῖ τὸν προσερχόμενον τῷ θεῷ ὅτι ἔστιν καὶ τοῖς ἐκζητοῦσιν αὐτὸν μισθαποδότης γίνεται.
5 By faith Enoch was transferred from one place to another so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had transferred him. For before his removal, he was well spoken of as a man who had been pleasing to God, 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for it is necessary for the person who approaches God to believe that He is, and that He is the one who pays wages to those who exert effort to find Him.
From Sermon on Genesis 15:1-6 ___________________
The nature of faith (Hebrews 11:6)
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
This is what the author of Hebrews says about the nature of faith — true faith is taking hold of the reality of God and the reward of God; the person of God and the promise of God; the being of God and the bounty of God.
The nature of faith is defined by the nature of God. And the two things that he says faith embraces are the absolute being of God and the overflowing generosity of God.
The kind of faith that pleases God takes hold of these two things. Faith embraces God as the God who simply and unchangeably IS, and faith embraces God as the self-sufficient, generous supplier of all things.
And God is pleased when people do this.
6 Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
So when it says in Genesis 15:6 that “Abram believed the LORD”, it means that he embraced the LORD as the God who exists and the God who rewards. He banked his life, his hope, his future on the person and promise of God. God Himself and all His promises were more real to Abram than anything he could see with his eyes.
That’s the kind of faith Abram had. That’s the kind of faith that pleases God. And it’s the kind of faith we need if we are to be found pleasing to God.
God is honored and we are satisfied when we trust Him like this.
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Verse 7
Verse 7
7 πίστει χρηματισθεὶς Νῶε περὶ τῶν μηδέπω βλεπομένων εὐλαβηθεὶς κατεσκεύασεν κιβωτὸν εἰς σωτηρίαν τοῦ οἴκουαὐτοῦ, διʼ ἧς κατέκρινεν τὸνκόσμον, καὶ τῆς κατὰ πίστινδικαιοσύνης ἐγένετο κληρονόμος.
7 By faith Noah, when he received a divine warning about things not yet seen, in godly fear constructed and furnished an ark in order to save his family. By doing this, he pronounced judgment on the world and inherited the righteousness that accords with faith.
Hebrews Exegesis
Perhaps Noah received the inheritance in part at his death (12:23) and will enjoy its fullness on the final day (10:25). The author would be emphasizing, then, that Noah receives the kingdom promised to believers (12:28). Another possibility is that the author conceives of the postflood world as the inheritance Noah received. It was, so to speak, a new world that was purified and restored. If this last option is preferred, the author of Hebrews would see the inheritance given to Noah as anticipating the future kingdom (12:28) and the heavenly city (11:10–16; 12:22; 13:14).
