Chapter Eleven
Heb. 11:1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for
Finally, the apostle describes faith to us, saying that it is the realization of that which does not yet exist, and the substantiation of that which has not yet come to pass. For example, the resurrection has not yet come to pass, but faith affirms this and places it before our eyes.
Heb. 11:1. And confidence in the unseen.
"Assurance," that is, a showing, a revealing "of things not seen." For it makes these things contemplated by our mind as though they exist. So if faith has such power, then why do you want to actually see them, so as to fall away from faith? For this is nothing other than a falling away from that by which the righteous live. For "the just shall live by faith" (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17).
Heb. 11:2. By it the ancients were attested.
That is, in this same faith all the ancients were attested by God: they confessed that they worshiped Him.
Heb. 11:3. By faith we understand that the ages were framed by the word of God, so that what is visible came into being from what is invisible.
Since faith is reviled by those who do not understand its power, who say that it is something unproven and obviously a deception, he shows that the greatest deeds are accomplished by faith, not by reasoning. For even the fact that God created the existing from the non-existing by His word—what proof do we have of this? None at all, only faith. Thus, "by faith we understand that the ages were framed by the word of God," that is, that the ages were brought to completion by the word of God. Why by faith? Because the visible came into being from the invisible: this is what faith requires. Or also thus: by the Word of God, by Whom everything existing was called into being from non-existence. And when you hear "ages," understand everything eternal that is encompassed by them, namely both times and everything contained in them; in a non-proper sense, "ages" also means "times," whereas in the proper sense, an age is something other than time: the age is one, and not many.
Heb. 11:4. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain; (Gen. 4:3–5)
Since faith is a great thing and requires a courageous soul, yet the believing Jews had become weak and, although at the beginning they did show faith, afterwards, under the influence of constant afflictions, they gave themselves over to faintheartedness — he encourages them first by their own struggle, then by Scripture, having said: "the righteous shall live by faith"; next by reasoning, saying: "faith is the substance of things hoped for" — now he encourages them by the examples of great Old Testament men. For whenever a person finds fellow-partakers in sufferings, he is comforted and feels relief. So he brings forth Abel and says that by faith he offered a "better" sacrifice, that is, a more valuable one, compared with his brother's sacrifice. For whom else did he see before him? His father or mother? But they had offended God. His brother? But he did not honor Him. So by faith alone he was led to offer the best of what he had, believing that he would receive a reward.
Heb. 11:4. By it he obtained witness that he was righteous, as God testified of his gifts;
For God said to Cain: "If you offered rightly, but did not divide rightly" (Gen. 4:7); concerning Abel He testified that he both offered rightly, since he offered to the Giver what he had received from Him, and divided rightly, because he chose the best, as befitting the Master. They say also that fire, descending from heaven, consumed the sacrifice, from which Cain learned that Abel had been preferred. And how else could it be? Therefore one of the translators from Hebrew into Greek rendered it thus: "The Lord looked upon the sacrifices of Abel and set them ablaze" (cf. Gen. 4:4).
Heb. 11:4. Through it he, even after death, still speaks.
That is, through that very faith "he still speaks," that is, faith brought about that he still lives today, and set him up as a teacher for all, all but saying: "imitate me, O people, and being righteous, please the Creator." So he speaks by the fact that they glorify him, preach about him, remember him, just as the heaven speaks by merely being seen. For not so much does a word have effect as his suffering. He said this in order to show the fainthearted that the righteous man even here enjoys honor to a certain degree; therefore you too will enjoy it. In some manuscripts, however, it says: λαλείται — he speaks of himself, but I think this is incorrect.
Heb. 11:5. By faith Enoch was translated so that he did not see death (Cf. Gen. 5:24); and he was not found, because God had translated him. For before his translation he received the testimony that he pleased God.
He showed greater faith than Abel. For what happened to Abel is capable of causing confusion, because despite Abel's righteousness, it was permitted that he be killed by his brother. For what of it if the murderer was punished? What benefit is that to the one already killed? So he showed great faith, believing that if not now, then in the age to come God is a rewarder, and by this faith he pleased God, and having pleased Him, was "translated." So "by faith... he was translated," that is, the faith by which he pleased God translated him. See how through Abel God showed that His decree concerning death is true; but through Enoch He showed again that this decree is temporary and will be abolished. So that he was translated alive and that he still lives now — we know, but where or how — is unknown, since Scripture says nothing about this.
Heb. 11:6. But without faith it is impossible to please God17;
If anyone does not believe that there is recompense for the good and the evil, he will not please God. For how can anyone walk the difficult path of virtue without being convinced that in the age to come there are varied and lasting recompenses? Listen to what follows as well.
Heb. 11:6. For it is necessary that the one who comes to God should believe that He exists, and that He rewards those who seek Him.
That God exists and that He rewards — this we hold by faith, for some assert that everything that exists exists by itself; but what He is in essence is completely incomprehensible to those of sound mind. What does "those who seek Him" mean? That is, those who strive to please Him by their life, and not those who are overly occupied with worldly wisdom. Pay attention to the wisdom of Paul, how he everywhere adds "rewards," for the sake of the faintheartedness of the believing Jews.
Heb. 11:7. By faith Noah, having received a revelation about what was not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household; (Gen. 6)
Noah, he says, "received a revelation" from God, that is, was instructed concerning unknown matters and did not remain unbelieving. On the contrary, though the air was clear, everyone was given over to indulgence and expected no danger, for nothing of the sort was noticeable, yet he, having believed God, feared the flood and prepared the ark, by means of which he saved all his household from the flood (Gen. 6:22). Note that what God promises, the Spirit also foretells, as it is said of Simeon: "it had been promised to him by the Holy Spirit" (Luke 2:26). Therefore, the Spirit is God.
Heb. 11:7. He condemned the (whole) world by it.
That is, He showed that they were worthy of punishment, since they, even seeing that the ark was being built at that time, did not come to their senses, or did not believe that the flood would come.