Hebrews 11 - Printer Friendly

What does Hebrews 11 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Hebrews chapter 11 dives deeply into the writer's application of all the information given so far. Chapter 10 ended with both a warning and a word of encouragement. That encouragement specifically referred to "those who have faith," in contrast to "those who shrink back" (Hebrews 10:39) Here, in this passage, the writer gives a direct definition of faith, along with numerous examples to make his meaning crystal clear.

Faith, according to the Bible, is not blind. More than half of the verses in the book of Hebrews are dedicated to explaining reasons and evidence to accept the new covenant in Jesus Christ. Nor is faith gullible, or senseless. Instead, godly faith is exemplified by trust. That trust is based on what we know of God, relying on Him for the things we do not know. In particular, godly faith looks forward, from an eternal perspective, and produces obedience, even in the face of hardship. God takes what we cannot see, or cannot understand, and uses it to make good on His word. Since faith relies on what we've seen of God, and trusts Him for the future, it becomes the "assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1–3).

Most of the rest of the chapter is devoted to giving examples from Scripture to clarify this particular definition of faith. In each case, the same basic pattern emerges. These figures knew enough about God to trust Him, and so they obeyed, even when they were faced with doubts or challenges. In some cases, this meant trusting that God's promises were ultimately meant to be fulfilled in eternity, not necessarily their own lives.

In the first set of examples given, the writer focuses on examples of general, life-long trust in God. Abel and Enoch are strongly contrasted in the way their earthly lives ended. Abel was murdered (Genesis 4:8), while Enoch was taken by God without even experiencing death (Genesis 5:23–24). Part of the lesson here is that what happens in our earthly lives is not the end of God's plans for us, nor does it represent everything He intends for our future. Others, such as Noah, Abraham, and Sarah, are also referenced as examples of those who honored God in their lives, and were in return honored by God (Hebrews 11:4–12).

After bringing out these early examples, the writer then points out that godly faith is not aimed at our earthly lives, but at eternity. People like Abraham were able to trust in God, in part, because they were not explicitly concerned with this life. They were looking forward, but beyond even their own death, to "the city that has foundations" (Hebrews 11:10), and to a "better country, that is, a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11:13–16).

The next set of examples focuses on those who trusted in God in the midst of immediate, direct personal challenges. Abraham is mentioned again, in the ultimate example of godly faith. When ordered to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham obeyed. This obedience was driven by his prior experiences with God, and the Lord's ability to prove Himself righteous, even when Abraham could not see all ends. Other patriarchs are also mentioned, for their willingness to pass along God's words, and God's blessings, to their children. Moses, also, is mentioned, as one who was willing to endure hardship for the sake of honoring God (Hebrews 11:17–28).

The writer also refers to the crossing of the Red Sea, the conquest of Jericho, and the rescue of Rahab as examples of victory earned through faithful obedience to God (Hebrews 11:29–31).

At this point, the book of Hebrews launches into one of the most inspiring passages in Scripture. Without giving detail, the writer reminds his readers of Old Testament heroes, such as the Judges, the prophets, and David, who accomplished amazing feats as a direct result of their faith. Those achievements are listed, also in a rapid-fire style, culminating in the ultimate example of victory: resurrection from death (Hebrews 11:32–35).

Next, this passage reminds the reader that these same heroes of the faith suffered many earthly hardships. They were willing to endure persecution, torture, and even death, rather than forsake their obedience to God (Hebrews 11:36–38).

And yet, those same heroes are still waiting for God to grant them the full promise of His word. This is for a humbling, crucial reason: us. In order to grant those still living the opportunity to share in that same reward, God is allowing us time to hear, to respond, and to obey (Hebrews 11:39–40). The first words of chapter 12 flow directly from this theme, encouraging the reader to "hold fast" despite hardship, and to face whatever circumstances might occur. Christ, our ultimate example, did the same: obediently enduring pain and suffering, because He knew the reward which was waiting in eternity (Hebrews 12:1–2).

Hebrews 11:1–3 defines faith using words which are frequently quoted, and also frequently misunderstood. As with the rest of the book of Hebrews, context is critical. In this passage, the writer demonstrates that godly faith is really ''trust.'' What we have seen of God's nature and character should lead us to trust Him, and trust naturally leads to obedience. This is not an endorsement of ''blind faith,'' especially since it comes after a lengthy discourse full of evidence and logic. Instead, the writer presents the idea of ''faith'' as a confident look to the future, based on reliance on God's promises. The next two sections of Hebrews will present God's acceptance of faith and actions which prove it.

Hebrews 11:4–16 gives examples of figures from the Old Testament who demonstrated faith in God and were blessed as a result. Persons such as Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah are commended for their trust in God's promises. In particular, this segment of the book of Hebrews focuses on those who heard from God, obeyed, and were blessed. While their actions are important, the common theme of these early references is obedience to God when fulfillment of His promises seems distant. The following passage will explore a similar idea, but in the context of those who demonstrated faith in the face of more immediate hardship.

Hebrews 11:17–31 makes a subtle shift from the prior verses. Earlier, the writer had given examples of faithful obedience leading to God's blessings. Those cases were mostly general, where a willingness to trust God was weighed against an uncertain future. In this passage, however, we are shown men and women who chose to trust God despite immediate, personal hardships. This, as well, is a crucial aspect of faith, which the writer has already defined as a confident trust in God.

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.

Chapter Summary:

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.

Chapter Context:

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.

Accessed 4/28/2024 3:02:38 PM