Faith accomplished not only that she gave birth, but that she gave birth to as many as even fertile women do not bear. Thus, two miracles. But in what sense were they innumerable? For they were often counted. Either this is said hyperbolically, according to the custom of Scripture, as for example: we saw cities reaching even to heaven (cf. Num. 13:29); or he said "innumerable" with reference to those who are constantly being born anew.
Heb. 11:13. All these died in faith, not having received the promises,
Here two questions arise: how does the apostle, having said of Enoch that he "was translated so that he did not see death," now say "these all died"? And further, how did he now say "not having received the promises," although he said that "Abel still speaks," by virtue of being glorified by all? And that Enoch "was translated," that Noah received a reward, being saved with his household and being called righteous; and that Abraham begat a son from Sarah. Therefore, understand the words "these all died" in this sense: those who died, excluding, of course, those who did not see death. "Not having received the promises" is rightly said of all. For it was not with these blessings alone that the bountiful God rewarded the great feats of faith — Abel with being held in glory among men, Enoch with translation, Noah with salvation from the flood, Abraham with the bearing of children; on the contrary, it is clear that these are only a foretaste and pledge of the true blessings, which were preliminarily given to the saints for the sake of us fainthearted, so that on the basis of these we might believe in the true blessings as well. But something great has been prepared for them, which has not entered into the heart of man, which they have not yet received, as the Lord also says in the Gospel, that the one who has renounced everything in this present age "will receive a hundredfold," and in the age to come "will inherit eternal life" (Matt. 19:29).
Heb. 11:13. but only saw them from afar, and rejoiced.
Here the apostle gives us to understand that they both saw and rejoiced, that is, they had a presentiment of the mysteries concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, the resurrection, and the ineffable blessings: the metaphor is taken from the life of seafarers, who, having spotted their desired cities from afar, before entering them, first greet them and already consider them their own. Or he means also the descendants of Abraham, that they did not receive the promises concerning the land, but foresaw them from afar, four generations earlier, namely, that their descendants, having come out of Egypt, would become heirs of those promises. But this interpretation, as relating only to the descendants of Abraham, does not stand in connection with the words: "all these."
Heb. 11:13. and confessed about themselves that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth;
Not only in the promised land, but in the entire world. Therefore it was not fitting for them to receive it. They were worthy not of it, but of heaven. Their descendants, however, received it, for they were worthy of the earth. "I am a stranger and a sojourner among you" (Gen. 23:4), Abraham said to the sons of Heth. But they were all such, as David testifies: "I am a stranger with You, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were" (Ps. 39:12).
Heb. 11:14. Those who say such things show that they are seeking a homeland.
Heb. 11:15. And if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they would have had opportunity to return;
Heb. 11:16. But they were striving for a better one, that is, a heavenly one;
By calling themselves strangers, he says, they show "that they are seeking a homeland." So let us see what kind of "homeland they seek": an earthly one, which they left, as Abraham left Mesopotamia? But he could have returned there. And since he did not return, it is clear that he was not remembering it and it was not his homeland, but he desired another, better homeland, that is, a heavenly one, into which he had not yet had time to enter.
Heb. 11:16. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, calling Himself their God:
By virtue of such virtue, he says, they are so great before God that He, being the God of the whole world, both invisible and visible, is not ashamed to call Himself specifically their God (Ex. 3:15), since they are equal in worth to all creation, or rather, God is called the God of the visible world as its Creator and Lord; therefore He is also the God of the pagan nations; but for them He is a friend, which is more important.
Heb. 11:16. For He prepared for them a city.
He is so unashamed of them, considering them His own, that He prepared for them a city which they desired, a city in heaven.
Heb. 11:17. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, (Gen. 22)
Abraham stands above all in faith. For here not only nature entered into conflict with the divine command, but also the word of God itself. For the One who said, "I will give to you and your descendants the land" (Gen. 17:8), is the same One who commands, "offer as a burnt offering" your son (Gen. 22:2). Therefore it is said that "Abraham was tested," not because God had need to test his virtue, but so that we might learn his virtue through this trial and these deeds. Note, then, that trials are so beneficial that God not only permits others to inflict them upon believers, but He Himself also tests them, in order to show them more proven.
Heb. 11:17. offered up Isaac and, having the promise, offered up his only-begotten,
Heb. 11:18. In whom it was said: In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Heb. 11:19. He reasoned that God is able to raise even from the dead,
It is worthy of admiration that he, having no other son in whom he could expect the fulfillment of the promise, but having only one, nevertheless offered him as a sacrifice. Why then? Because of his great faith. For he believed that God was "able," even after his slaying, to raise him from the dead and fulfill the promise, and through him, brought back to life, to multiply his seed. But in what sense was Isaac the only-begotten, when he also had Ishmael? Yet with regard to the promise, he was the only-begotten, for he was the seed in the proper sense: "for in Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Gen. 21:12).
Heb. 11:19. which is why he also received him as a foreshadowing.
What does "as a foreshadowing" mean? That is, as a type, as a revelation of the mystery relating to Christ. For just as then Isaac was spared while the ram was slain, so Christ alone, being at one and the same time God and man, was offered as a sacrifice for us according to His humanity, while the Divine essence remained untouched by suffering. In general, Abraham was a type of God the Father, and Isaac of the Son of God: since God in His great love for mankind resolved to accomplish this great and reason-surpassing mystery — to give His Son for us — He also wished to bestow this not as His own gift, but as though repaying a debt, saying as it were the following: I give nothing new to human nature by offering My Son as a sacrifice for it. For Abraham "offered" his son to be slain for Me. Therefore I am repaying a debt, not giving a gift. Or "as a foreshadowing" means that in the ram Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice, that is, he substituted the ram, which was a type of Isaac — that is, the one slain was a figure representing Isaac.
Heb. 11:20. By faith in the future, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
How could he have promised his sons so many good things, himself living in a foreign land, if he did not believe that God would grant what was promised? What does "concerning things to come" mean? Either the good things of the age to come, for they knew about the resurrection and these blessings were understood by them, or the good things on this earth, which they themselves or their descendants were to receive. And he prefers Jacob to Esau, as virtuous, as having received the rights of the firstborn, and in all things worthy of preference.