Hebrews 11:8-19 Study

My translation

Translation: Hebrews 11:8-19

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to leave for a place which he was going to receive as an inheritance, and he left without knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as a foreigner in the land of promise as if it belonged to others, residing in tents along with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise; 10 For he was awaiting the city that has the foundations, whose designer and builder[1] is God.

[1] δημιουργός, source of the Latin word brought into English as “demiurge”, the word literally means worker for the people; it has an interesting connection with Gnosticism.

Even though Abraham’s faith is not mentioned until Genesis 15:6, his prior actions were also motivated by the same faith.

Not knowing where you’re going is probably especially hard for guys, and maybe more so in this case since he’s taking his family with him.

The tent life is the life of the believer in this world.

11 By faith, along with Sarah herself, he[2] received the ability to sow seed, and that beyond the opportune time of life, because he considered the One who had promised to be trustworthy; 12 And so from one impotent man, these descendants were born as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the sand by the seashore.

[2] A major textual issue here makes the subject of the verb “received” unclear; but “sowing seed” refers to the male act in reproduction, so I take the subject to be Abraham.

Abraham is an example of following Hebrews 10:23.

The deadness was not only Sarah’s womb but Abraham’s reproductive ability as well (Rom 4:19-20)

13 All of these people died in faith, without receiving what was promised, but they saw the promised things in the distance and welcomed them, and they acknowledged that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. 14 For people who say such things are making it clear that they are searching for[3] a homeland. 15 And if indeed they had kept on thinking about that homeland from which they had gone out, they would have had the opportunity to return there. 16 But as it is, they desire a better homeland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

[3] This word includes the idea of longing or desire.

CJB of v. 13: “All these people kept on trusting until they died, without receiving what had been promised.”

The kind of faith they had is the kind of faith we need too. We also don’t receive all that is promised in this life — our hope is for the future.

Faith involves a greater desire for God and His promises than for this earth. Faith means clinging to what is unseen rather than what is seen.

17 By faith Abraham, when tested, offered Isaac – the one who had received the promises was offering his only son, 18 Concerning whom it had been said, “In Isaac your seed will be called.” 19 He reasoned that God was even able to raise him from the dead; from which he did receive him back as a type.[4]

[4] παραβολή (parable) - something that serves as a model or example pointing beyond itself for later realization