TRV
“The Definition and Nature of Faith”· Hebrews 11:1–3
Translation
King James Version
¶ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Complete Jewish Bible
Trusting is being confident of what we hope for, convinced about things we do not see.
Berean Standard Bible
Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.
American Standard Version
Now faith is assurance ofthingshoped for, a conviction of things not seen.
World English Bible Messianic
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Now faith is the grounds of things, which are hoped for, and the euidence of things which are not seene.
Young's Literal Translation
And faith is of things hoped for a confidence, of matters not seen a conviction,
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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Hebrews 11:1–3. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Passage under commentHebrews 11:1–3
1¶ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
Here we have, I. A definition or description of the grace of faith in two parts. 1. It is the substance of things hoped for. Faith and hope go together; and the same things that are the object of our hope are the object of our faith. It is a firm persuasion and expectation that God will perform all that he has promised to us in Christ; and this persuasion is so strong that it gives the soul a kind of possession and present fruition of those things, gives them a subsistence in the soul, by the first-fruits and foretastes of them: so that believers in the exercise of faith are filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Christ dwells in the soul by faith, and the soul is filled with the fullness of God, as far as his present measure will admit; he experiences a substantial reality in the objects of faith. 2. It is the evidence of things not seen. Faith demonstrates to the eye of the mind the reality of those things that cannot be discerned by the eye of the body. Faith is the firm assent of the soul to the divine revelation and every part of it, and sets to its seal that God is true. It is a full approbation of all that God has revealed as holy, just, and good; it helps the soul to make application of all to itself with suitable affections and endeavours; and so it is designed to serve the believer instead of sight, and to be to the soul all that the senses are to the body. That faith is but opinion or fancy which does not realize invisible things to the soul, and excite the soul to act agreeably to the nature and importance of them.
II.An account of the honour it reflects upon all those who have lived in the exercise of it (Heb 11:2):
By it the elders obtained a good report - the ancient believers, who lived in the first ages of the world. Observe,
1.True faith is an old grace, and has the best plea to antiquity: it is not a new invention, a modern fancy; it is a grace that has been planted in the soul of man ever since the covenant of grace was published in the world; and it has been practiced from the beginning of the revelation; the eldest and best men that ever were in the world were believers.
2.Their faith was their honour; it reflected honour upon them. They were an honour to their faith, and their faith was an honour to them. It put them upon doing the things that were of good report, and God has taken care that a record shall be kept and report made of the excellent things they did in the strength of this grace. The genuine actings of faith will bear to be reported, deserve to be reported, and will, when reported, redound to the honour of true believers.
III.We have here one of the first acts and articles of faith, which has a great influence on all the rest, and which is common to all believers in every age and part of the world, namely, the creation of the worlds by the word of God, not out of pre-existent matter, but out of nothing, Heb 11:3. The grace of faith has a retrospect as well as prospect; it looks not only forward to the end of the world, but back to the beginning of the world. By faith we understand much more of the formation of the world than ever could be understood by the naked eye of natural reason. Faith is not a force upon the understanding, but a friend and a help to it. Now what does faith give us to understand concerning the worlds, that is, the upper, middle, and lower regions of the universe?
1.That these worlds were not eternal, nor did they produce themselves, but they were made by another.
2.That the maker of the worlds is god; he is the maker of all things; and whoever is so must be God.
3.That he made the world with great exactness; it was a framed work, in every thing duly adapted and disposed to answer its end, and to express the perfections of the Creator.
4.That God made the world by his word, that is, by his essential wisdom and eternal Son, and by his active will, saying, Let it be done, and it was done, Psa 33:9.
5.That the world was thus framed out of nothing, out of no pre-existent matter, contrary to the received maxim, that "out of nothing nothing can be made," which, though true of created power, can have no place with God, who can call things that are not as if they were, and command them into being. These things we understand by faith. The Bible gives us the truest and most exact account of the origin of all things, and we are to believe it, and not to wrest or run down the scripture-account of the creation, because it does not suit with some fantastic hypotheses of our own, which has been in some learned but conceited men the first remarkable step towards infidelity, and has led them into many more.
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Historical interpretation
Eleven Centuries of Reception
20 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Ante-NicenePost-NiceneEarly MedievalMedieval
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Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
“Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets?” “The majority do not turn their minds to the sort of things they encounter, and, if they are taught, they do not acquire knowledge, although they think they do.” So says the admirable Heraclitus. Do you not realize that he is another critic of nonbelievers? “The righteous shall live by his faith,” says the prophet. One of the other prophets remarks, “If you do not believe, you emphatically will not understand either.” How could a soul come to the study of these things, itself exceptional, if, deep within, lack of faith over the teaching is fighting against it? Faith, which the Greeks think alien and useless and which they consequently malign, is in fact preconception by the will, an act of consenting to religion and, as the divine apostle puts it, “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old received divine approval.” Without faith it is impossible to please God.
But faith, which the Greeks disparage, deeming it futile and barbarous, is a voluntary preconception, the assent of piety—"the subject of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," according to the divine apostle. "For hereby," pre-eminently, "the elders obtained a good report. But without faith it is impossible to please God."
You must know that in the eye of perfect, that is, Christian, modesty, (carnal) desire of one's self (on the part of others) is not only not to be desired, but even execrated, by you: first, because the study of making personal grace (which we know to be naturally the inviter of lust) a mean of pleasing does not spring from a sound conscience: why therefore excite toward yourself that evil (passion)? why invite (that) to which you profess yourself a stranger? secondly, because we ought not to open a way to temptations, which, by their instancy, sometimes achieve (a wickedness) which God expels from them who are His; (or, ) at all events, put the spirit into a thorough tumult by (presenting) a stumbling-block (to it). We ought indeed to walk so holily, and with so entire substantiality of faith, as to be confident and secure in regard of our own conscience, desiring that that (gift) may abide in us to the end, yet not presuming (that it will).
Now our faith is not destroyed by despair because it was made firm by true hope. And there are witnesses who testify about it. In fact, even though faith was hidden from the people of the middle generation, it had nonetheless been revealed to those of the first. And there is a proof that reveals what is not evident. What proof? Certainly the one through which the testimony about the people of the first generation was made, that is, the narrative of scripture, that testified about the faith, through which the ancient fathers were put to test.
It is not only among those of us who bear the name of Christ that the dignity of faith is great. Rather, all things that are accomplished in the world, even by those who are strangers to the church, are accomplished by faith. By faith the laws of marriage yoke together those who have lived as strangers. Because of the faith in marriage contracts, a stranger is made partner of another stranger’s person and possessions. By faith, farmers are also sustained, for the one who does not believe that he shall receive a harvest is not going to endure the work. By faith seafaring men, trusting to the thinnest plank, exchange that most solid element, the land, for the restless motion of the waves, committing themselves to uncertain hopes and carrying with them a faith more sure than any anchor. By faith therefore most of men’s affairs are held together: and not among us only has there been this belief, but also, as I have said, among those who are outside the church. For if they receive not the Scriptures but bring forward certain doctrines of their own, even these they accept by faith.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.” Notice how great a dignity the Lord bestows on you in transferring you from the order of catechumens to that of the faithful. The apostle Paul says as much when he affirms, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ.” Since God is here called faithful, you also in receiving this title receive a great dignity. God is called faithful in the same way that he is called good, just, almighty and maker of the universe. Consider therefore to what kind of dignity you are rising, seeing you are to become a partaker of a title of God.Here, then, it is further required that each of you be found faithful in his conscience: “for a faithful man it is hard to find”—not that you need to reveal to me what is on your conscience, for you are not to be “judged by man’s judgment.” But you are supposed to show the sincerity of your faith to God, “who tries the reins and hearts” and “knows the thoughts of men.” A faithful person is a great thing, being richest of all rich people. For “to the faithful person belongs the whole world of wealth,” in that he disdains and tramples on it. For they who in appearance are rich and have many possessions are poor in soul: since the more they gather, the more they pine with longing for what is still lacking. But the faithful person (a strange paradox, indeed) is rich in poverty. Such a person knows that we only need to have “food and clothing” and, being “content with these,” he has trampled riches under foot.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report." O what an expression has he used, in saying, "an evidence of things not seen." For we say there is "evidence," in the case of things that are very plain. Faith then is the seeing things not plain (he means), and brings what are not seen to the same full assurance with what are seen. So then neither is it possible to disbelieve in things which are seen, nor, on the other hand can there be faith unless a man be more fully assured with respect to things invisible, than he is with respect to things that are most clearly seen. For since the objects of hope seem to be unsubstantial, Faith gives them substantiality, or rather, does not give it, but is itself their substance. For instance, the Resurrection has not come, nor does it exist substantially, but hope makes it substantial in our soul. This is the meaning of "the substance of things."
If therefore it is an "evidence of things not seen," why forsooth do you wish to see them, so as to fall away from faith, and from being just? Since "the just shall live by faith," whereas ye, if ye wish to see these things, are no longer faithful. Ye have labored (he says), ye have struggled: I too allow this, nevertheless, wait for this is Faith: do not seek the whole "here."
He has made use of many proofs, since he knew the Jews especially questioned faith by means of a certain line of argument. For the Jews were setting forth the law and righteousness by their works, but Christians set forth faith, saying that even if someone should be guilty of ten thousand evils, by only believing in Christ he receives immediately deliverance from all of them, being deemed worthy of justification from him. Therefore, having determined this, then partly to appropriate the things that had been said before and partly to be able to show that faith appeared among all the virtuous men of old, he adds, “by faith the men of old received divine approval.”
If they are not seen, how can you be convinced that they exist? Well, where do these things that you see come from, if not from one whom you cannot see? Yes, of course you see something in order to believe something, and from what you can see to believe what you cannot see. Please do not be ungrateful to the one who made you able to see; this is why you are able to believe what you are not yet able to see. God gave you eyes in your head, reason in your heart. Arouse the reason in your heart, get the inner inhabitant behind your inner eyes on his feet, let him take to his windows, let him inspect God's creation.
When you hope, you do not yet have what you are hoping for, but, by believing it, you resemble someone who does possess it. For faith will eventually take hold, but our very faith stands for the thing itself. I mean, you do not have your hands on anything when you have them on faith, nor are they empty if they are full of faith. The reason faith is greatly rewarded is that it does not see and yet believes. I mean, if it could see, what reward would there be?... But faith does not falter, because it is supported by hope. Take away hope, and faith falters. How, after all, when you are walking somewhere, will you even move your feet, if you have no hope of ever getting there? If, though, from each of them, that is from faith and hope, you withdraw love, what is the point of believing; what is the point of hoping, if you do not love? Indeed, you cannot even hope for anything you do not love. Love, you see, kindles hope; hope shines through love. But when we attain the things that we have been hoping for while believing in and not seeing them, what faith will there be then to be praised? Considering that "faith is the conviction of things not seen," when we do see, it will not be called faith. After all, you will be seeing, not believing.
The body’s eye did not recognize the God of all as creator; instead faith instructed us that God, who has always existed, created what did not exist. There is, after all, no example of this among human beings; yet though learning nothing of the kind from nature, we have in faith a teacher of the unexpected. Human beings, of course, make something out of something, whereas the God of all produced what exists out of nothing.
He shows both those before the law and those under the law becoming God’s friends through faith and enjoying distinction. In this he achieves two things at the same time: he brings out the power of faith (faith accomplishing what the law did not achieve) and provides encouragement to those dispirited at the insurrections of the adversaries, showing everyone in possession of everlasting repute to have traveled through the same storms. First he teaches the very definition of faith: through it we see what is unseen, and it acts as an eye for discernment of what is hoped for. Faith depicts for us in advance the resurrection of those still lying dead in their tombs and causes the immortality of the dust of our bodies to become evident.
Rejoice that whatever the shadows of the Old Testament used to veil beneath the testimonies of prophets has been brought out into the open through the mystery of the Lord’s passion. As a result, the various kinds of sacrifices and the different means of purification have come to a halt. Thus, the precept of circumcision, the distinction between foods, the sabbath rest, and the killing of the paschal lamb have ceased, since “the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”Figures came first so that their fulfillment could follow. When the reality which had been announced finally arrived, there was no longer any need for the services of heralds. Reconciliation of the human race was conducted in such a way that the salvation which comes in Christ should have been available to all generations under the same justification. Delaying this salvation was a calculated move. It had the advantage of causing those things which were believed long before they actually took place to be honored without interruption. When the strength of faith has been established in those things that do not lie open to our vision, heavenly doctrine treats us more leniently.… To help us understand more easily, we benefit from many more prophets and witnesses than former ages.
But he touched, and exclaimed: My Lord, and my God. Jesus says to him: Because you have seen me, Thomas, you have believed. Since the apostle Paul says: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not appearing, it is certainly clear that faith is the evidence of those things which cannot appear. For those things which appear no longer have faith, but recognition. Therefore when Thomas saw, when he touched, why is it said to him: Because you have seen me, you have believed? But he saw one thing, he believed another. For divinity could not be seen by a mortal man. Therefore he saw the man, and confessed God, saying: My Lord, and my God. Therefore by seeing he believed, who considering the true man, exclaimed that this was God, whom he could not see.
But if, according to the words of Paul, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, we can no longer tell you to believe in the life to come, because behold, those who live in that life are visibly presented to human eyes. For what can be seen is better said to be known than believed. Therefore the Lord wished us to know the life to come rather than merely believe in it, since he visibly shows us that those whom he invisibly receives live with him.
It consequently expresses what faith is, and says: Faith is the substance and essence of those thingswhich arehoped for. For since those things that exist in hope cannot be perceived, as they are not present in the meantime, faith is a certain essence and substance of them, causing them to be and in a way to become present, because one believes them to be. Moreover, faith is the proof and demonstration of things that are not seen. For faith presents visible things that are invisible. How? By the mind itself seeing those things that do not appear.
“for by it the elders have obtained a good report.” By faith, they received a report from God that they were pleasing to Him.
"the elders." Who are they? About whom Paul is about to speak.
"Through faith we understand that the ages were formed." For what reason could this be demonstrated? Therefore, it is necessary to persuade oneself by faith:
"so that what is seen was not brought into being from anything visible." For what word will demonstrate that those things were brought into being from what was not visible?None; but faith alone. Therefore, by faith we understand the ages to have been framed, that is, to have come into being, by the word of God. Why, by faith? So that the visible things did not come from things appearing; because the visible things came from things not appearing; the man of faith is needed.
"Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice." For whose example did Abel honor God, except that he believed by faith that there would be a compensation for these things?
"by which he obtained a report that he was righteous." For when God said to Cain, "If you offer rightly, but do not divide rightly," (Gen. 4:7) He testified concerning Abel that he both offered rightly and divided rightly. It is also said that fire descended from heaven upon his burnt offering.
"and by it he being dead." Indeed, the victim was the occasion for the slaughter itself.
[PHOTIUS] "yet speaks." He is immortal; his deed, done through faith, does not allow him to fall into oblivion, he says. [end of the Photius excerpt]
[OECUMENIUS] Or through itself the faith; however, it speaks through reputation, glory, by remembrance. [end of the Oecumenius excerpt]
[PHOTIUS] What is said: "and by it he being dead yet speaks," or it is understood that this victim was the occasion for envy and rivalry against his brother: moreover, this gave rise to murder. Or that he speaks through him, although dead: For this reason, it has become the cause for Abel to be remembered and regarded as unfailing. Or, if someone examines both more closely, taking into account that, through it, as it is referred to both being Dead yet Speaks: so that the meaning is: By itself or because of itself the dead host still speaks through it. [break in Photius excerpt]
551. - Above, the Apostle showed Christ’s superiority in many ways by preferring Him to the angels, to Moses and to Aaron, and advised the faithful to be united to Christ. Since this union consists principally in faith and begins with faith: ‘That Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts’ (Eph. 3:17), the Apostle proceeds to recommend this faith and does three things: first he describes faith; secondly, he gives various examples of it (v. 2); thirdly, he exhorts them to the things which pertain to faith (chap. 12).
552. - He gives a definition of faith which is complete but obscure. Hence, it should be noted that in attempting to define any virtue perfectly, one must mention its proper matter with which it deals, and its end; because habits are recognized by their acts, and acts by their objects. Therefore, it is necessary to mention the act and its order to its object and end. Thus, the definition of courage must mention its proper matter with which it deals, namely, fears and aggressions, and its end, which is the good of the republic. Now, since faith is a theological virtue, its object and end are the same, namely, God. First, he mentions its order to the end; secondly, its proper matter (v. 1b).
553. - But it should be noted that the act of faith is to believe, because it is an act of the intellect narrowed to one thing by the command of the will. Hence, to believe is to cogitate with assent, as Augustine says in The Predestination of the Saints. Therefore, the object of faith and of the will must coincide. But the object of faith is the first truth, in which the end of the will consists, namely, happiness, But it is present one way on earth, and another way in heaven, because on earth the first truth is not possessed and, consequently, not seen: for in regard to things that are above the soul, to possess and to see are the same, as Augustine says in Book of 83 Questions. Hence, they are only hoped for: ‘But hope that is sees in not hope. For what a man sees, why does he hope for?’ (Rom. 8:24). Therefore, the first truth, not seen but hoped for, is the end of the will on earth and, consequently, is the object of faith, because its end and object are the same. But the ultimate end of faith in heaven, which we tend toward by faith, is happiness, which consists in the clear vision of God: ‘This is eternal life: to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent’ (Jn. 17:3). But such is the hope of believers: ‘He has regenerated us unto a lively hope’ (1 Pt. 1:3). The end, therefore, of faith on earth is the attainment of the thing hoped for, namely, of eternal happiness; hence, he says, of things hoped for.
554. - But a question arises: since faith is prior to hope, why is it defined in terms of hope? For it is customary to define the later by the previous, and not vice versa. I answer that the answer should be obvious from what has been said, namely, that the object and end of faith are the same. Therefore, since the attainment of the things hoped for is its end, it must also be its object. For it has been stated above that a habit must be defined by the order of its act to its object. But the true and the good, even though when considered in themselves are convertible as far as their supposits are concerned, differ in conception. Hence, they are diversely related to each other, because the true is a good and a good is true. In like manner, the intellect and will, which are distinguished on the basis of the distinction between the true and the good, have a diverse relationship to each other. For inasmuch as the intellect apprehends truth and anything contained in it, the true is a good; hence, the good is under the true: but inasmuch as the will moves, the true is under the good. Therefore, in the order of knowing, the intellect is prior; but in the order of moving, the will is prior. Therefore, because the intellect is moved to the act of faith by the command of the will, in the order of moving, the will is prior. Therefore, the prior is not being defined in terms of the later, because, as has been stated, in the definition of faith, the order of the act to its object, which is the same as the end, must be mentioned. But the end and the good are the same, as it says in Phys. II. But in the order to the good, the will, which is the subject of hope, is prior.
555. - But why not say, ‘of things to be loved,’ rather than of things to be hoped for? The reason is because charity is concerned with things that are present or absent. Therefore, because the unpossessed end is the object of faith, he says, of things to be hoped for. Nor does it make any difference that the thing to be hoped for is also the object of hope, because it is necessary that faith be ordained to an end, which coincides with the object of those virtues by which the will is made perfect; since faith pertains to the will as moved by the intellect.
556. - But since faith is one virtue, because it is called one habit (for its object is one), why not say ‘of the thing to be hoped for,’ instead of things to be hoped for? I answer that happiness, which is essentially one thing in itself, because it consists in the vision of God, is the principle and root from which the many good things contained under it are derived: for example, the characteristics of the body, companionship with the saints, and many other good things. Therefore, in order to show that all these pertain to faith, he speaks in the plural.
557. - The word, substance, which appears in the definition, can be explained in a number of ways: in one way, causally, and then it has two senses: one which is substance, i.e., making the things hoped for be present in us. This it does in two ways: in one way, by meriting, as it were; for from the fact that a person makes his intellect captive and submissive to the things of faith, he deserves some day to see the things he hopes for: for vision is the reward of faith. In another way, as though by its property, bringing it about that what is believed really to lie in the future, be somehow already possessed, provided one believe in God. In another way, we can explain the word, substance, essentially, as if faith is the substance, i.e., the essence of things to be hoped for. Hence, in Greek it is defined as ‘the hypostasis of things to be hoped for.’ For the essence of happiness is no less than the vision of God: ‘This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent’ (Jn. 17:3). Hence, in the book, On the Trinity. Augustine says: ‘This contemplation is promised to us; the end of all actions.’ Therefore, the full vision of God is the essence of happiness. We also see this in the liberal sciences, which, if a person wishes to learn them, he must first accept its principles, which he must believe when they are delivered to him by the teacher. For a learner must believe, as it is stated in 1 Posterior Analytics. And in those principles the entire science is somehow contained, as conclusions are contained in their principles, and an effect in its cause. Therefore, one who has the principles of a science, say geometry, has its substance. And if geometry were the substance of happiness, a person who possessed the principles of geometry would, in a sense, have the substance of happiness. But our faith consists in believing that the blessed will see and enjoy God. Therefore, if we will to reach that state, it is necessary that we believe the principles of that knowledge. And these principles are the articles of faith, which contain the summary of this knowledge, because the vision of the triune God makes us happy. And this is one article; hence we believe this. Consequently, he says, the assurance [substance] of things to be hoped for: ‘We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to fact’ (1 Cor. 13:12). As if to say: we shall be happy when we see face to face that which we now see in a glass and in a dark manner. In these words is shown the relationship of the act of faith to its end, because faith is ordained to things to be hoped for, being, as it were, a beginning in which the whole is, as it were, virtually contained, as conclusions in principles.
558. - Then when he says, the conviction [evidence] of things that appear not, he touches the act of faith in regard to its proper matter. But the act proper to faith, even though it is in relation to the will, as has been said, is nevertheless in the intellect, as in a subject, because its object is the true, which properly pertains to the intellect. But there is a difference among the acts of the intellect: for some are habits of the intellect which imply complete certitude and perfect understanding of that which is understood, as is clear in the habit of understanding, which is the habit of first principles, because one who understands that every whole is great than its part sees this and is certain. But the habit of science also does this: thus the habits of understanding and of science will produce certitude and vision. But there are others which beget neither, namely, doubt and opinion. But faith is midway between these: because, as has been stated, faith produces assent in the intellect which can be caused in two ways: in one way, because the intellect is moved to assent because of the evidence of the object which is per se knowable, as in the habit of principles, or known through something else, which is per se knowable, as in the science of astronomy. In another way, it assents to something not because of the evidence of the object, by which it is not sufficiently moved (hence it is not certain), but it either doubts, namely, when there is no more evidence for one side than for the other; or it opines, if it does have reason for one side, but without satisfying the intellect, so that there is fear in regard to the opposite side. But faith does not suggest either of these absolutely: because there is no evidence, as there is in understanding and science, nor is there doubt, as in doubt and opinion; but it fixes on one side with certainty and firm adherence by a voluntary choice. But this choice rests on God’s authority, and by it the intellect is fixed, so that it clings firmly to the things of faith and assents to them with the greatest of certainty. Therefore, to believe is to know with assent. Therefore, the proper matter of the habit of faith are things that appear not. For appearance has knowledge, but not faith, as Gregory says. But the act of faith is certain adherence, which the Apostle calls evidence, taking the cause for the effect, because evidence produces faith about a doubtful matter. For evidence is the reason for believing a doubted thing. Or if we follow the etymology of the word, evidence (argument), which means arguing the mind, then he is taking the effect for the cause, because the mind is compelled to assent because of the thing’s certainty. Hence, it is called the evidence of things that appear not, i.e., a sure and certain apprehension of things it does not see. Now, if someone were to reduce those words to their correct form, he could say that faith is a habit of the mind by which eternal life is begun in us and makes the intellect assent to things that it does not see. Therefore, it is obvious that the Apostle has defined faith completely, but not clearly. [Where we have evidence another version has conviction, because on God’s authority the intellect is convinced about things it does not see].
559. - By that definition, faith is distinguished from all the other habits of the intellect. For the fact that it is called evidence, faith is distinguished from opinion, doubt and suspicion, because these three doe not cause the intellect to adhere to something firmly. By the words, of things to be hoped for, it is distinguished from ordinary faith which is not ordained to happiness. For by proper definition a thing is made known and distinguished from all else, as in this case; hence, all the others are reduced to it.
560. - But it seems incorrect to say, of things that appear not, as it says in Jn (20:26): ‘Thomas saw and believed.’ Furthermore, we believe that there is one God, a fact which is demonstrated by philosophers. I answer that faith is taken in two senses: in the proper sense, it is concerned with things not seen and not known, as is clear from the above. But inasmuch as there cannot be greater certainty of a conclusion than of the principle from which it is drawn, because principles are always more certain than the conclusions, it follows that since the principles of faith are not evident, neither are its conclusions. Hence, the intellect does not assent to the conclusions as to things known or seen. But taken in a general sense, it excludes all knowledge that is certain; that is the sense in which it is taken by Augustine in the Gospel Questions, when he says that faith is concerned with things that are seen. But the Apostle is speaking in the first sense. Furthermore, it must be said of Thomas that, as Gregory says, he saw one thing and believed something else: for he saw the humanity and believed the divinity. To the objection based on demonstration, the answer is that nothing prohibits one thing being seen by one person and believed by another, as is obvious in diverse states. For what is not seen on earth is seen by the angels. Therefore, what I believe, an angel sees. Similarly, what is seen by the prophets, for example, that God is one and incorporeal, must be believed by the illiterate; just as an illiterate person believes in an eclipse which an astronomer sees. However, in such matters faith is taken in a different sense. But there are some things which absolutely transcend the state of the present life; and in regard to these there is faith in the strict sense.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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Summary
Hebrews 11:1 provides a foundational and profound definition of faith, presenting it not as mere intellectual assent or wishful thinking, but as the very essence and assurance of future realities promised by God, and the undeniable proof of unseen spiritual truths. This verse serves as the interpretive lens through which the subsequent "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11 is understood, demonstrating how biblical heroes lived by a confident conviction in God's invisible promises and realities.
Context
Literary Context
This seminal verse immediately follows a powerful exhortation in Hebrews 10 for believers not to "shrink back" but to persevere in their faith, holding fast to the confession of their hope without wavering (Hebrews 10:23). The author has just warned against deliberate sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth (Hebrews 10:26) and reminded them of the severe judgment for those who reject Christ. He then encourages them to recall their past endurance in suffering, emphasizing that they "have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised" (Hebrews 10:36). Hebrews 10:39 concludes with the affirmation that "we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." Hebrews 11:1 then directly answers the question of what this preserving, enduring faith truly is, setting the stage for a grand historical exposition of its nature through the lives of Old Testament figures.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Book of Hebrews was written to a community of Jewish Christians, likely in Rome or Italy, who were experiencing intense persecution and social pressure. They faced the temptation to abandon their Christian confession and revert to the perceived safety and familiarity of Judaism, with its established rituals, temple worship, and social acceptance. The author's primary aim throughout the epistle is to demonstrate the absolute superiority of Christ and the New Covenant over the Old Testament Law, its priesthood, and its sacrificial system. He argues that turning back would mean rejecting a greater reality for a shadow, a perfect sacrifice for imperfect ones. In this context, the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 is not an abstract theological statement but a vital, practical truth designed to bolster their resolve. It encourages them to trust in unseen spiritual realities and future promises of God, rather than succumbing to the visible pressures and temptations of their present circumstances.
Key Themes
This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes within Hebrews and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the Supremacy of Christ by implying that the "things hoped for" and "things not seen" are ultimately realized and revealed in Him. Secondly, it elaborates on the theme of Perseverance and Endurance, which is crucial throughout the letter, by defining the very quality that enables believers to "run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). Thirdly, it highlights the Nature of the New Covenant, which is founded on better promises and a spiritual reality that transcends the physical and temporal aspects of the Old Covenant. Finally, it introduces the profound theme of Living by Faith, which is then extensively illustrated by the examples of Old Testament saints who, by faith, acted upon God's promises even when their fulfillment was distant or invisible, as seen in the examples of Abraham's journey (Hebrews 11:8-10) and Moses' choice (Hebrews 11:24-27).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From peíthō, meaning persuasion or credence. This term signifies moral conviction of religious truth, reliance upon Christ for salvation, and constancy in such profession. It is not merely intellectual agreement but a deep, abiding trust and assurance in God and His promises. In this verse, it is presented as an active, living principle that shapes one's reality.
From a compound of hypó (under) and hístēmi (to stand). This word denotes a "setting under," implying support, foundation, or concrete reality. Figuratively, it means assurance or confidence. Here, faith is the underlying reality or the "title deed" that gives tangible existence to things that are yet only hoped for. It transforms future hope into a present, firm foundation.
From elégchō, meaning to convict or prove. This term signifies proof, conviction, or demonstration. Faith provides the internal, irrefutable conviction and assurance of spiritual realities that are not perceptible by the physical senses. It is the spiritual "proof" that makes the unseen real and compelling to the believer.
Verse Breakdown
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for"
This clause defines faith as the very essence or concrete reality of those things that are presently only anticipated. It means that faith gives a firm, tangible foundation to future promises and blessings from God, making them real and substantial in the present experience of the believer, even before their physical manifestation. It is the assurance that what God has promised will indeed come to pass.
"the evidence of things not seen"
This clause further clarifies faith as the proof or conviction concerning invisible spiritual realities. It implies that faith provides an internal, undeniable certainty about truths that are beyond the scope of human sight or empirical verification, such as God's existence, His character, His divine plan, and the spiritual kingdom. This internal conviction is so strong that it functions as irrefutable proof, allowing believers to live confidently in light of these unseen realities.
Literary Devices
Hebrews 11:1 is a masterful example of Definition, providing a concise yet profound explanation of faith. The verse employs Parallelism, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the second clause ("the evidence of things not seen") reiterates and expands upon the meaning of the first ("the substance of things hoped for"). Both clauses describe faith as a bridge between the present and the future, the visible and the invisible. Furthermore, the use of "substance" and "evidence" can be seen as Metaphorical, portraying faith as a tangible, foundational element and an undeniable proof, even though faith itself is an abstract concept. This makes the abstract concept of faith concrete and actionable for the reader.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hebrews 11:1 encapsulates a profound theological truth: true biblical faith is not a blind leap into the dark, but a confident grasp of unseen realities and future promises based on the trustworthy character of God. It is a spiritual faculty that perceives and appropriates what is not yet physically present. This understanding of faith is critical for Christian living, as it empowers believers to live in light of God's eternal purposes rather than being swayed by temporal circumstances. It grounds hope in certainty and provides internal conviction for truths that transcend human comprehension, enabling perseverance in the face of doubt and adversity.
Reflection and Application
Hebrews 11:1 challenges us to examine the nature of our own faith. Is our faith merely intellectual assent, or is it a living, active "substance" and "evidence" in our lives? This verse calls us to cultivate a deep, unwavering trust in God's promises, even when their fulfillment seems distant or impossible, and to live with an inner conviction about spiritual realities that are beyond our physical senses. In a world that often demands tangible proof and immediate gratification, this verse reminds us that the most profound truths are often unseen, apprehended only by faith. It encourages us to anchor our lives not in fleeting circumstances, but in the eternal, unchanging character and promises of God, allowing this unseen reality to shape our daily decisions, give us peace in uncertainty, and empower us to persevere through trials.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is faith just wishful thinking or optimism?
No, Hebrews 11:1 clearly distinguishes biblical faith from mere wishful thinking or optimism. Wishful thinking is a desire for something to happen without a firm basis, often detached from reality. Optimism is a positive outlook, but it can be based on circumstances or temperament. Biblical faith, as defined here, is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The Greek word for "substance" (hypóstasis) implies a firm foundation, a concrete reality, or a title deed to what is hoped for. The word for "evidence" (élenchos) denotes proof or conviction. This means faith is not a groundless hope but a confident assurance rooted in the trustworthiness of God and His revealed Word. It is a spiritual perception and conviction that makes unseen realities more real than what is physically observed, providing a solid basis for action and endurance, as demonstrated throughout Hebrews 11.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hebrews 11:1 finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in Jesus Christ. He is the very "substance" of all that was hoped for in the Old Testament, the promised Messiah in whom all God's promises find their "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20). The "things hoped for" by the patriarchs and prophets—a better country, a heavenly city, an eternal inheritance—are realized in Christ's atoning work, His resurrection, and His ascension to the right hand of God (Hebrews 11:10; Hebrews 12:2). He is also the ultimate "evidence" of "things not seen." While we do not physically see God the Father, Christ is the "exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:3), the visible manifestation of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). Our faith in Him allows us to apprehend the spiritual realities of His kingdom, His ongoing intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25), and His future return (John 14:3), even though these are not yet physically manifest. Thus, Christ is not only the object of our faith but also the very ground and proof of the unseen realities that faith embraces.