Hebrews 11:40 - Printer Friendly

ESV: since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

NIV: since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

NASB: because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

CSB: since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

NLT: For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

KJV: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

NKJV: God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Verse 40 is the last statement associated with chapter 11, but chapter and verse divisions were not originally part of the Bible. The statements given in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 12 are critical. Those upcoming verses provide the application for what's been stated over the prior passage. In those verses, the writer of Hebrews held up vivid examples (Hebrews 11:17–32) of godly faith—meaning a trust in God and His promises leading to obedience (Hebrews 11:1–3)—as well as the achievements of those faithful ones (Hebrews 11:33–35).

At the same time, these believers who "held fast" to their faith often suffered as a result. Some endured pain, suffering, and torture. Others were murdered for their faith. And, in many cases, they died without seeing God's earthly fulfillment of those promises (Hebrews 11:35–39). These points were made, in part, to remind persecuted Christians that God is still faithful, and can still "work together for good" our experiences, even when we can't understand how that can be possible (Romans 8:28; Philippians 4:12–13). It also convicts us to keep a proper perspective on our hardships, which are often far less extreme.

This verse drives home an even more humbling and convicting point. The ultimate reward promised to believers in God has not yet been delivered—God has not yet completed His ultimate victory over evil and suffering. The "city with foundations," used to symbolize that ultimate hope (Hebrews 11:10), has not yet appeared (Revelation 21:9–14). Why hasn't God delivered this, yet? According to this verse, the answer is: us! We are that reason.

Those who are alive and able to hear the gospel today have access to even more evidence of God's faithfulness than those who went before. God has delayed the end of His plan (2 Peter 3:9), for our sake, allowing those of us who believe today to share in the rewards of those former heroes. That, in and of itself, speaks to the love God has for us, even if we don't see ourselves in the same spiritual league as men like Moses and Abraham.

Hebrews 11:32—12:2 is one of Scripture's most stirring and inspirational passages. The theme of earlier verses was Old Testament heroes who exemplified faith, defined as a forward-looking trust in God. The emphasis of these examples moved from general faith, to faith in the face of hard choices, to faith resulting in victory. Here, the writer includes all of these, in a rapid-fire list of people who demonstrated the power of true, godly faith. As a letter delivered to persecuted Jewish Christians, these examples are meant to be encouraging and inspiring, as well as convicting. God waited to deliver the ultimate fulfillment of His promises so that we—those who are alive now—would have an opportunity to be saved. Given that privilege, Christians ought to strive to endure, and to hold fast, living out that same godly faith.

True, godly faith is defined as trust, relying on God when looking to the future, and obeying even when we don't fully understand all details. The great figures of the Old Testament, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, all lived according to this type of faith. Ultimately, that means trusting God's intent to make good on His promises from an eternal perspective. The model of faith presented by those people, in light of the struggles they faced, ought to inspire Christians towards a more confident, purposeful faith.

Up to this point, the book of Hebrews has given extensive evidence proving that Jesus Christ, and the new covenant He brought about, is God's ultimate plan for mankind's salvation. Chapter 10 provided an additional warning about the danger of falling away from this truth. Chapter 11 begins by clarifying the meaning of the word ''faith,'' primarily by listing examples of Old Testament figures who exemplify it. The ultimate application of this knowledge should be a motivation to ''hold fast'' to the gospel, despite hardships. That encouragement is a major theme of chapter 12.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.