TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Hebrews 11:32–40. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The apostle having given us a classis of many eminent believers, whose names are mentioned and the particular trials and actings of their faith recorded, now concludes his narrative with a more summary account of another set of believers, where the particular acts are not ascribed to particular persons by name, but left to be applied by those who are well acquainted with the sacred story; and, like a divine orator, he prefaces his part of the narrative with an elegant expostulation: What shall I say more? Time would fail me; as if he had said, "It is in vain to attempt to exhaust this subject; should I not restrain my pen, it would soon run beyond the bounds of an epistle; and therefore I shall but just mention a few more, and leave you to enlarge upon them." Observe, 1. After all our researches into the scripture, there is still more to be learned from them. 2. We must well consider in divine matters what we should say, and suit it as well as we can to the time. 3. We should be pleased to think how great the number of believers was under the Old Testament, and how strong their faith, though the objects thereof were not then so fully revealed. And, 4. We should lament it, that now, in gospel times, when the rule of faith is more clear and perfect, the number of believers should be so small and their faith so weak.
I.In this summary account the apostle mentions,
1.Gideon, whose story we have in Jdg 6:11, etc. He was an eminent instrument raised up of God to deliver his people from the oppression of the Midianites; he was a person of mean tribe and family, called from a mean employment (threshing wheat), and saluted by an angel of God in this surprising manner, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of war. Gideon could not at first receive such honours, but humbly expostulates with the angel about their low and distressed state. The angel of the Lord delivers him his commission, and assures him of success, confirming the assurance by fire out of the rock. Gideon is directed to offer sacrifice, and, instructed in his duty, goes forth against the Midianites, when his army is reduced from thirty-two thousand to three hundred; yet by these, with their lamps and pitchers, God put the whole army of the Midianites to confusion and ruin: and the same faith that gave Gideon so much courage and honour enabled him to act with great meekness and modesty towards his brethren afterwards. It is the excellency of the grace of faith that, while it helps men to do great things, it keeps them from having high and great thoughts of themselves.
2.Barak, another instrument raised up to deliver Israel out of the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan, Judges 4, where we read,
(1.)Though he was a soldier, yet he received his commission and instructions from Deborah, a prophetess of the Lord; and he insisted upon having this divine oracle with him in his expedition.
(2.)He obtained a great victory by his faith over all the host of Sisera.
(3.)His faith taught him to return all the praise and glory to God: this is the nature of faith; it has recourse unto God in all dangers and difficulties, and then makes grateful returns to God for all mercies and deliverances.
3.Samson, another instrument that God raised up to deliver Israel from the Philistines: his story we have in Judges 13, 14, 15, and 16, and from it we learn that the grace of faith is the strength of the soul for great service. If Samson had not had a strong faith as well as a strong arm, he had never performed such exploits. Observe,
(1.)By faith the servants of God shall overcome even the roaring lion.
(2.)True faith is acknowledged and accepted, even when mingled with many failings.
(3.)The believer's faith endures to the end, and, in dying, gives him victory over death and all his deadly enemies; his greatest conquest he gains by dying.
4.Jephthah, whose story we have, Judges 11, before that of Samson. He was raised up to deliver Israel from the Ammonites. As various and new enemies rise up against the people of God, various and new deliverers are raised up for them. In the story of Jephthah observe,
(1.)The grace of God often finds out, and fastens upon, the most undeserving and ill-deserving persons, to do great things for them and by them. Jephthah was the son of a harlot.
(2.)The grace of faith, wherever it is, will put men upon acknowledging God in all their ways (Jdg 11:11): Jephthah rehearsed all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh.
(3.)The grace of faith will make men bold and venturous in a good cause.
(4.)Faith will not only put men upon making their vows to God, but paying their vows after the mercy received; yea, though they have vowed to their own great grief, hurt, and loss, as in the case of Jephthah and his daughter.
5.David, that great man after God's own heart. Few ever met with greater trials, and few ever discovered a more lively faith. His first appearance on the stage of the world was a great evidence of his faith. Having, when young, slain the lion and the bear, his faith in God encouraged him to encounter the great Goliath, and helped him to triumph over him. The same faith enabled him to bear patiently the ungrateful malice of Saul and his favourites, and to wait till God should put him into possession of the promised power and dignity. The same faith made him a very successful and victorious prince, and, after a long life of virtue and honour (though not without some foul stains of sin), he died in faith, relying upon the everlasting covenant that God had made with him and his, ordered in all things and sure; and he has left behind him such excellent memoirs of the trials and acts of faith in the book of Psalms as will ever be of great esteem and use, among the people of God.
6.Samuel, raised up to be a most eminent prophet of the Lord to Israel, as well as a ruler over them. God revealed himself to Samuel when he was but a child, and continued to do so till his death. In his story observe,
(1.)Those are likely to grow up to some eminency in faith who begin betimes in the exercise of it.
(2.)Those whose business it is to reveal the mind and will of God to others had need to be well established in the belief of it themselves.
7.To Samuel he adds, and of the prophets, who were extraordinary ministers of the Old Testament church, employed of God sometimes to denounce judgment, sometimes to promise mercy, always to reprove sin; sometimes to foretell remarkable events, known only to God; and chiefly to give notice of the Messiah, his coming, person, and offices; for in him the prophets as well as the law center. Now a true and strong faith was very requisite for the right discharge of such an office as this.
II.Having done naming particular persons, he proceeds to tell us what things were done by their faith.
He mentions some things that easily apply themselves to one or other of the persons named; but he mentions other things that are not so easy to be accommodated to any here named, but must be left to general conjecture or accommodation.
1.By faith they subdued kingdoms, Heb 11:33. Thus did David, Joshua, and many of the judges. Learn hence,
(1.)The interests and powers of kings and kingdoms are often set up in opposition to God and his people.
(2.)God can easily subdue all those kings and kingdoms that set themselves to oppose him.
(3.)Faith is a suitable and excellent qualification of those who fight in the ways of the Lord; it makes them just, bold, and wise.
2.They wrought righteousness, both in their public and personal capacities; they turned many from idolatry to the ways of righteousness; they believed God, and it was imputed to them for righteousness; they walked and acted righteously towards God and man. It is a greater honour and happiness to work righteousness than to work miracles; faith is an active principle of universal righteousness.
3.They obtained promises, both general and special. It is faith that gives us an interest in the promises; it is by faith that we have the comfort of the promises; and it is by faith that we are prepared to wait for the promises, and in due time to receive them.
4.They stopped the mouths of lions; so did Samson, Jdg 14:5, Jdg 14:6, and David, Sa1 17:34, Sa1 17:35, and Daniel, Dan 6:22. Here learn,
(1.)The power of God is above the power of the creature.
(2.)Faith engages the power of God for his people, whenever it shall be for his glory, to overcome brute beasts and brutish men.
5.They quenched the violence of the fire, Heb 11:34. So Moses, by the prayer of faith, quenched the fire of God's wrath that was kindled against the people of Israel, Num 11:1, Num 11:2. So did the three children, or rather mighty champions, Dan 3:17-27. Their faith in God, refusing to worship the golden image, exposed them to the fiery furnace which Nebuchadnezzar had prepared for them, and their faith engaged for them that power and presence of God in the furnace which quenched the violence of the fire, so that not so much as the smell thereof passed on them. Never was the grace of faith more severely tried, never more nobly exerted, nor ever more gloriously rewarded, than theirs was.
6.They escaped the edge of the sword. Thus David escaped the sword of Goliath and of Saul; and Mordecai and the Jews escaped the sword of Haman. The swords of men are held in the hand of God, and he can blunt the edge of the sword, and turn it away from his people against their enemies when he pleases. Faith takes hold of that hand of God which has hold of the swords of men; and God has often suffered himself to be prevailed upon by the faith of his people.
7.Out of weakness they were made strong. From national weakness, into which the Jews often fell by their unbelief; upon the revival of their faith, all their interest and affairs revived and flourished. From bodily weakness; thus Hezekiah, believing the word of God, recovered out of a mortal distemper, and he ascribed his recovery to the promise and power of God (Isa 38:15, Isa 38:16), What shall I say? He hath spoken it, and he hath also done it. Lord by these things men live, and in these is the life of my spirit. And it is the same grace of faith that from spiritual weakness helps men to recover and renew their strength.
8.They grew valiant in fight. So did Joshua, the judges, and David. True faith gives truest courage and patience, as it discerns the strength of God, and thereby the weakness of all his enemies. And they were not only valiant, but successful. God, as a reward and encouragement of their faith, put to flight the armies of the aliens, of those who were aliens to their commonwealth, and enemies to their religion; God made them flee and fall before his faithful servants. Believing and praying commanders, at the head of believing and praying armies, have been so owned and honoured of God that nothing could stand before them.
9.Women received their dead raised to life again, Heb 11:35. So did the widow of Zarepath (Kg1 17:23), and the Shunamite, Kg2 4:36.
(1.)In Christ there is neither male nor female; many of the weaker sex have been strong in faith.
(2.)Though the covenant of grace takes in the children of believers, yet it leaves them subject to natural death.
(3.)Poor mothers are loth to resign up their interest in their children, though death has taken them away.
(4.)God has sometimes yielded so far to the tender affections of sorrowful women as to restore their dead children to life again. Thus Christ had compassion on the widow of Nain, Luk 7:12, etc.
(5.)This should confirm our faith in the general resurrection.
III.The apostle tells us what these believers endured by faith.
1.They were tortured, not accepting deliverance, Heb 11:35. They were put upon the rack, to make them renounce their God, their Saviour, and their religion. They bore the torture, and would not accept of deliverance upon such vile terms; and that which animated them thus to suffer was the hope they had of obtaining a better resurrection, and deliverance upon more honourable terms. This is thought to refer to that memorable story, 2 Macc. 7, etc.
2.They endured trials of cruel mockings and scourgings, and bonds and imprisonment, Heb 11:36. They were persecuted in their reputation by mockings, which are cruel to an ingenuous mind; in their persons by scourging, the punishment of slaves; in their liberty by bonds and imprisonment. Observe how inveterate is the malice that wicked men have towards the righteous, how far it will go, and what a variety of cruelties it will invent and exercise upon those against whom they have no cause of quarrel, except in the matters of their God.
3.They were put to death in the most cruel manner; some were stoned, as Zechariah (Ch2 24:21), sawn asunder, as Isaiah by Manasseh. They were tempted; some read it, burnt, 2 Macc. 7:5. They were slain with the sword. All sorts of deaths were prepared for them; their enemies clothed death in all the array of cruelty and terror, and yet they boldly met it and endured it.
4.Those who escaped death were used so ill that death might seem more eligible than such a life. Their enemies spared them, only to prolong their misery, and wear out all their patience; for they were forced to wander about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented; they wandered about in deserts, and on mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth, Heb 11:37, Heb 11:38. They were stripped of the conveniences of life, and turned out of house and harbour. They had not raiment to put on, but were forced to cover themselves with the skins of slain beasts. They were driven out of all human society, and forced to converse with the beasts of the field, to hide themselves in dens and caves, and make their complaint to rocks and rivers, not more obdurate than their enemies. Such sufferings as these they endured then for their faith; and such they endured through the power of the grace of faith: and which shall we most admire, the wickedness of human nature, that is capable of perpetrating such cruelties on fellow creatures, or the excellency of divine grace, that is able to bear up the faithful under such cruelties, and to carry them safely through all?
IV.What they obtained by their faith.
1.A most honourable character and commendation from God, the true Judge and fountain of honour - that the world was not worthy of such men; the world did not deserve such blessings; they did not know how to value them, nor how to use them. Wicked men! The righteous are not worthy to live in the world, and God declares the world is not worthy of them; and, though they widely differ in their judgment, they agree in this, that it is not fit that good men should have their rest in this world; and therefore God receives them out of it, to that world that is suitable to them, and yet far beyond the merit of all their services and sufferings.
2.They obtained a good report (Heb 11:39) of all good men, and of the truth itself, and have the honour to be enrolled in this sacred calendar of the Old Testament worthies, God's witnesses; yea, they had a witness for them in the consciences of their enemies, who, while they thus abused them, were condemned by their own consciences, as persecuting those who were more righteous than themselves.
3.They obtained an interest in the promises, though not the full possession of them. They had a title to the promises, though they received not the great things promised. This is not meant of the felicity of the heavenly state, for this they did receive, when they died, in the measure of a part, in one constituent part of their persons, and the much better part; but it is meant of the felicity of the gospel-state: they had types, but not the antitype; they had shadows, but had not seen the substance; and yet, under this imperfect dispensation, they discovered this precious faith. This the apostle insists upon to render the faith more illustrious, and to provoke Christians to a holy jealousy and emulation; that they should not suffer themselves to be outdone in the exercise of faith by those who came so short of them in all the helps and advantages for believing. He tells the Hebrews that God had provided some better things for them (Heb 11:40), and therefore they might be assured that he expected at least as good things from them; and that since the gospel is the end and perfection of the Old Testament, which had no excellency but in its reference to Christ and the gospel, it was expected that their faith should be as much more perfect than the faith of the Old Testament saints; for their state and dispensation were more perfect than the former, and were indeed the perfection and completion of the former, for without the gospel-church the Jewish church must have remained in an incomplete and imperfect state. This reasoning is strong, and should be effectually prevalent with us all.
Historical interpretation
Nine Centuries of Reception
24 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Let us be imitators also of those who in goat-skins and sheep-skins [Hebrews 11:37] went about proclaiming the coming of Christ; I mean Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel among the prophets, with those others to whom a like testimony is borne [in Scripture]. Abraham was specially honoured, and was called the friend of God; yet he, earnestly regarding the glory of God, humbly declared, "I am but dust and ashes." [Genesis 18:27] Moreover, it is thus written of Job, "Job was a righteous man, and blameless, truthful, God-fearing, and one that kept himself from all evil." [Job 1:1] But bringing an accusation against himself, he said, "No man is free from defilement, even if his life be but of one day." [Job 14:4-5] Moses was called faithful in all God's house; and through his instrumentality, God punished Egypt with plagues and tortures. Yet he, though thus greatly honoured, did not adopt lofty language, but said, when the divine oracle came to him out of the bush, "Who am I, that You send me? I am a man of a feeble voice and a slow tongue." [Exodus 4:10] And again he said, "I am but as the smoke of a pot."
You see, dear friends, the kind of example we have been given.… If the Lord humbled himself in this way, what should we do who through him have come under the yoke of his grace? Let us be imitators even of those who wandered around “in the skins of sheep and goats” and preached the coming of the Christ. We refer to the prophets Elijah and Elisha—yes, and Ezekiel, too—and to the heroes of old as well.
"Observe, too, how the same promises are made to Isaac and to Jacob. For thus He speaks to Isaac: 'And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.' And to Jacob: 'And in thee and in thy seed shall all families of the earth be blessed.' He says that neither to Esau nor to Reuben, nor to any other; only to those of whom the Christ should arise, according to the dispensation, through the Virgin Mary. But if you would consider the blessing of Judah, you would perceive what I say. For the seed is divided from Jacob, and comes down through Judah, and Phares, and Jesse, and David. And this was a symbol of the fact that some of your nation would be found children of Abraham, and found, too, in the lot of Christ; but that others, who are indeed children of Abraham, would be like the sand on the sea-shore, barren and fruitless, much in quantity, and without number indeed, but bearing no fruit whatever, and only drinking the water of the sea.
But from those which are even now admitted by you, which had your teachers comprehended, be well assured they would have deleted them, as they did those about the death of Isaiah, whom you sawed asunder with a wooden saw. And this was a mysterious type of Christ being about to cut your nation in two, and to raise those worthy of the honour to the everlasting kingdom along with the holy patriarchs and prophets; but He has said that He will send others to the condemnation of the unquenchable fire along with similar disobedient and impenitent men from all the nations. "For they shall come," He said, "from the west and from the east, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness."
Whatever they feared might bring blame upon the elders, rulers and judges they kept from the knowledge of the people. But some of these things have been preserved in the apocryphal books. For an example we shall give the story about Isaiah, witnessed by the epistle to the Hebrews but not written in any of the canonical books of the Old Testament.
Therefore, when God wished to send to the earth one who should measure His temple, He was unwilling to send him with heavenly power and glory, that the people who had been ungrateful towards God might be led into the greatest error, and suffer punishment for their crimes, since they had not received their Lord and God, as the prophets had before foretold that it would thus happen. For Isaiah whom the Jews most cruelly slew, cutting him asunder with a saw, thus speaks: "Hear, O heaven; and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have begotten sons, and lifted them up on high, and they have rejected me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's stall; but Israel hath not known, my people has not understood."
In order not to repeat all the details in his review of the works of faith, Paul stopped relating the stories of these ancient fathers, deciding not to describe their actions in their different aspects. However, he did not omit other cases, which he included in a short account, … that is, about the faith of Gideon, who defeated ten thousand Midianites with three thousand soldiers, and Barak, who by his faith destroyed the army of Sisera; and Samson, who by his faith killed one thousand men with the jaw of an ass; and Jephthah, who by his faith conquered twenty-two cities of the sons of the Ammonites; and David, who by his faith beat and killed Goliath; and Samuel, who by his faith prevailed among the Philistines; “and about the other prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms” (in prophecy, not in the sword), “enforced justice” (that is, through the revenges and punishments that they inflicted on the impious), “received promises” (like Elisha, who went into ecstasy), “stopped the mouths of lions” (like the house of Daniel), “quenched raging fire” (like the house of Hananiah), “escaped the edge of the sword” (like those whom the Chaldaeans tried to slay together with the wise men of Babylon, and also Uriah and Elijah, and other prophets), “won strength out of weakness” (like King Hezekiah and Elisha), “became mighty in war” (like Abraham, Lot, Moses and Joshua), and “put foreign armies to flight” (like Samson, Barak, David and his companions, who were mentioned above).“Women received their dead by resurrection,” like Silomaea and Zarephath, who had them from Elijah and his disciple. Others, however, who were given to death despised their own life, like the seven brothers together with their mother. Even though they did not do what their companions had done in faith, they nevertheless desired death in their expectation and believed that they would have deserved to obtain “a better resurrection.”
“Others had trial of mocking and scourging,” like Elisha, or “were imprisoned and chained,” like Jeremiah and Micah.
“They were stoned,” like Moses and Naboth; “sawn in two,” like Zechariah and Isaiah; “tempted” in different manners, like Job; and “killed with the sword” like Micah, Uriah and John. “They went about in the skins of sheep and goats,” like Elijah and Elisha. “They were destitute, afflicted and ill-treated—of whom the world was not worthy,” like the prophets whom Obadiah hid and nourished with food. “They wandered in deserts, in mountains, in dens and caves of the earth,” and when Jezebel heard about the reputation of those hiding, she looked for them, but Obadiah made them run away and take refuge in other places.
Their great afflictions testify before everybody that they remained in faith “and did not even receive their promises.”
Even though we come later in the test of temptations, it was previously promised to us that “apart from us they should not be made perfect.” In fact it does not happen that, since our brothers lived before, they will have their reward before. There is a single day of retribution for all the afflictions which people endured and endure.
Here is the narrow and close way that leads to life. Here are the teachers and prophets, “wandering in deserts, mountains, caves and holes in the earth.” Here are the apostles and evangelists … living as citizens of the desert.
-one with stones, another with the sword; one they sawed asunder,
After he said, “They were put to death by the sword, and others were tortured,” after he recounted many and different modes of martyrdom, he went on to say, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and run with perseverance.” Do you see that he called Abel a martyr, as well as Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? For some of these died for God’s sake in the same way that Paul spoke of when he said, “I die daily"; they died not by dying but only by their willingness to die.
For "they wandered about" (he says) "in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom this world was not worthy."
They had not even raiment, he says, through the excess of affliction, no city, no house, no lodging-place; the same which Christ said, "but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head." (Matt. viii. 20.) Why do I say "no lodging-place"? No standing-place: for not even when they had gained the wilderness, were they at rest. For he said not, They sat down in the wilderness, but even when they were there, they fled, and were driven thence, not out of the inhabited world only, but even out of that which was uninhabitable. And he reminds them of the places where they were set, and of things which there befell them.
Then next, he says, they bring accusations against you for Christ's sake. What accusation had they against Elijah, when they drove him out, and persecuted him, and compelled him to struggle with famine? Which these Hebrews were then suffering. At least, the brethren, it is said, decided to send relief to those of the disciples who were afflicted. "Every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judea" (Acts xi. 29), which was the case of these also.
"Tormented" [or "ill-treated"], he says that is, suffering distress, in journeyings, in dangers.
But "They wandered about," what is this? "Wandering," he says, "in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth," like exiles and outcasts, as persons taken in the basest of crimes, as those not worthy to see the sun, they found no refuge from the wilderness, but must always be flying, must be seeking hiding-places, must bury themselves alive in the earth, always be in terror.
Wherefore he added, "They were slain with the sword." What sayest thou? Some "escaped the edge of the sword," and some "were slain by the sword." What is this? Which dost thou praise? Which dost thou admire? The latter or the former? Nay, he says: the former indeed, is appropriate to you, and the latter, because Faith was strong even unto death itself, and it is a type of things to come. For the wonderful qualities of Faith are two, that it both accomplishes great things, and suffers great things, and counts itself to suffer nothing.
I know that some people criticize this passage [Matthew 26:8-11] because one Evangelist said only Judas became indignant since he kept the money purse and was a thief from the beginning, whereas Matthew wrote that all the apostles were indignant. Some may be unaware of the figure of speech called syllepsis, customarily termed “all for one and one for all.” The case is somewhat similar with Paul the apostle, who wrote in his epistle to the Hebrews (though many Latins have doubts about this), describing the sufferings and merits of the heroes of faith, inferring: “They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death by the sword.” [Hebrews 11:36-37] The Jews assert that only one person, Isaiah the prophet, was tortured. We may also point out that the apostles were indignant for the sake of the poor but Judas for the sake of his own gain. Hence his grumbling was also mixed with his misdeeds, because he had no concern for the poor but only wanted to be able to steal.
Moses and the prophets went about in goatskins, wandering in their caves and in holes in the ground. They were poor men just like Lazarus, and they suffered calamities and endured hunger.
“Of whom the world was not worthy.” … He does not say this about everyone but about the latter ones whom he sees as martyrs, witnesses of faith. He reminds us that these put foreign armies to flight and through their service to their people received grace.
It is also clear from the passage that when he says, “the dead in Christ will rise first,” he does not mean to neglect the just who died before Christ’s coming. Otherwise, how could he explicitly say in the epistle to the Hebrews, “And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”
Their trials, then, were of this kind and number, but they did not yet receive their crowns. The God of all is waiting for the trials of the others so that, with the stadium no more, he may award acclaim to all the victors together.
I suppose he says these things concerning David. And he calls his benevolence “righteousness.”
"of Gideon." What kind Gideon was.
"of David." As for what David was, in that he was established on his throne, according to the literal sense indeed Solomon, but according to the spiritual understanding, Solomon, the spiritual Lord Jesus.
"through faith." All these did what they did by faith: Abraham, Moses, Joshua.
"they conquered." They defeated, they destroyed whom? Abraham defeated the kings who had taken his nephew Lot captive, and the king of Gerar. Moses defeated the king of Egypt, and many others. Joshua, most of all. (Gen. 14:20; 15; Num. 25)
"enforced justice. " Abraham, Phinehas.
When he had finished speaking about the harlot and had urged them based on the quality of the person, for the sake of conciseness he does not enumerate all the names: yet he does not cease the discourse.
In this place, I believe he speaks of David. And he called kindness righteousness.
"For time will fail me." He speaks of time as suitable for the letter and proportionate.
"obtained promises," of the Patriarchs, namely, Elijah, David, Joshua, Caleb, and many others.
"closed the mouths of lions." Daniel, Samson.
"quenched the power of fire." The three boys, Ananias, Azarias, and Misael.
"escaped the edge of the sword," For example, Elijah, from Jezebel, and David himself, from Saul.
"were made strong out of weakness." And he speaks of those who returned from Babylonian captivity, and of Hezekiah.
"became mighty in war." Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samson, and David. Or that they not only returned from captivity through faith but also defeated neighboring nations.
"Women received back their dead." The Shunammite through Elisha, and before that the woman of Zarephath through Elijah.
"Some were tortured." They were cut off, like James and John, and those who were beheaded. Or they died by clubs. Others say that being tortured means being flayed. It is also said about the Maccabees, "refusing to accept release." (2 Macc. 7:1) As if they did not accept to be released from the punishment that was brought upon them. Although it was possible for them, he says, to live, they did not wish to. And this was also a matter of faith, therefore he says: "so that they might rise again to a better life;" or the other people. For the resurrection is common to all, but these will rise, he says, to eternal life, and those to eternal punishment.
"Others suffered mocking," such as Elisha (2 Kings 2), those around Peter later and John.
"and even chains and imprisonment." Jeremiah and Micah. (Jer. 32:38; 1 Kings 22)
"they were stoned." He speaks about Stephen and Naboth. (Acts 7; 1 Kings 21)
"they were sawn in two." It is said about Isaiah, whom they also sawed with a wooden saw, so that the punishment would last a long time.
"they were tempted." Like Abraham (Gen. 22:1-2), Jacob, Moses, and Job. (Job 1:2)
"they were killed with the sword." Micah, John, James, and Zechariah.
"they went about in skins of sheep." Like Elijah, Elisha. This they suffered from poverty. (2 Kings 4)
"destitute." As the prophets whom Obadiah nourished. (1 King 18)
“afflicted.” Effected by evil.
"of whom the world was not worthy." This also encourages them. For if this world was not worthy of those who suffer badly for the sake of God, that is, all people and this creation itself, why do you, he says, wish to receive the rewards here for the sufferings endured for Christ? For being better than the world, do not seek anything in this world.
"wandering about in deserts." But Elijah, and the prophets whom Obadiah fed. (1 Kings 23:19) Note, however, that it does not say, "They found rest in the occupied desert," but rather that they also wandered there in fear of their persecutors.
"And all these." What, he says, do you mourn and become indignant, you who are still in the struggle, if you do not receive the rewards? Yet all those previously mentioned saints, having earned a testimony by faith that pleased God, have not yet obtained the good things promised to the righteous.
"since God had provided something better for us." How is it better? Indeed, so that they would not have anything more than we do in that they were crowned before us, He defined one time, so that we may also be crowned with them. This, however, is for us: for they sit in honor, awaiting our completion.
"that apart from us they should not be made perfect." He did not say, "They would be crowned," but rather, with greater emphasis, "they should not be made perfect," or "They would be perfected," that is, they would receive the end of goods, for which all effort and toil of one who is endowed with virtue strives.
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Summary
Hebrews 11:37, a stark and powerful verse within the celebrated "Hall of Faith," pivots from the triumphs of faith to its profound cost, detailing the horrific persecutions endured by faithful individuals in the Old Testament era. It portrays a grim reality of martyrdom and extreme deprivation, serving as a sobering testament to unwavering loyalty to God despite immense suffering, and challenging believers to consider the full spectrum of faith's demands.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated in the latter half of Hebrews 11, often called the "Hall of Faith," which systematically presents examples of faith from biblical history. The chapter begins by defining faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). It then lists figures like Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Moses, highlighting how their faith led to remarkable acts of obedience and divine intervention. However, Hebrews 11:35b-38 marks a dramatic shift. While earlier verses celebrated those who "stopped the mouths of lions" or "quenched the violence of fire," this section abruptly turns to those whose faith did not result in earthly deliverance but in brutal suffering and death. This juxtaposition underscores that faith is not merely for obtaining blessings or victory, but also for enduring hardship, even unto martyrdom, for a greater, heavenly hope.
Historical & Cultural Context
The persecutions described in this verse reflect the harsh realities faced by God's people throughout various periods of Israelite history and beyond. Stoning was a prescribed method of execution in Israel for capital offenses such as blasphemy or idolatry, but also used by mobs against prophets or those perceived as threats. Being "slain with the sword" was a common fate in warfare or political purges. The mention of "sawn asunder" points to a particularly gruesome tradition, often associated with the martyrdom of the prophet Isaiah under King Manasseh, though not explicitly detailed in the Old Testament canon. Wandering in "sheepskins and goatskins" speaks to extreme destitution and homelessness, a life of rejection and isolation, reminiscent of the rugged existence of prophets like Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). These descriptions are not merely hypothetical but draw from a collective memory of suffering endured by God's faithful in a hostile world, a testament to their unwavering commitment in the face of societal rejection and violent opposition.
Key Themes
Hebrews 11:37 profoundly contributes to several key themes within the broader book of Hebrews and the New Testament. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the cost of discipleship and the reality of suffering for righteousness' sake. It challenges the notion that faith always leads to material prosperity or earthly comfort, emphasizing instead that true faith often involves hardship and persecution, mirroring the suffering of Christ himself. Secondly, it highlights the theme of endurance and perseverance, demonstrating that faith is not just about initial belief but about steadfastness through trials. These individuals, despite unimaginable torment, did not renounce their God, testifying to the strength of their conviction and the ultimate hope that transcends this life. Finally, it reinforces the concept of a better hope and heavenly reward, suggesting that the suffering endured on earth is temporary and pales in comparison to the eternal promises awaiting those who remain faithful, as hinted at in Hebrews 11:16.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From líthos (a stone), meaning "to lapidate" or "to stone." This term refers to execution by pelting with stones, a common and often public form of capital punishment in ancient Israel for various offenses, including apostasy or blasphemy. It signifies a violent, communal act of condemnation and execution.
A strengthened form of a primary word meaning "to saw," specifically "to saw in two." This describes a particularly brutal and agonizing method of execution, involving the splitting of a person's body lengthwise. While not explicitly detailed in the Old Testament, Jewish tradition attributes this fate to the prophet Isaiah, making it a powerful symbol of extreme martyrdom and horrific torture.
From hýsteros (later, inferior), meaning "to be later," and by implication, "to be inferior" or "to fall short." In this context, it signifies being deficient, lacking, or suffering need, indicating a state of extreme poverty, homelessness, and utter lack of basic necessities. It conveys a profound sense of material and social deprivation.
Verse Breakdown
"They were stoned"
This clause describes a common and brutal form of execution, where individuals were killed by a barrage of stones. It immediately sets a tone of violent persecution, recalling figures like Stephen (Acts 7:59) or others who faced communal wrath for their faith.
"they were sawn asunder"
This refers to a particularly gruesome and agonizing method of execution, where a person was literally cut in half. This detail highlights the extreme cruelty and inventive torture inflicted upon some of the faithful, pushing the boundaries of human endurance.
"were tempted"
While some translations render this as "were tortured" or "were tested," the KJV's "tempted" (from peirázō) here likely refers to attempts by their persecutors to entice them to abandon their faith, betray their God, or compromise their convictions. It suggests a psychological and spiritual assault, aimed at breaking their resolve rather than solely physical torment.
"were slain with the sword"
This describes another common method of violent death, signifying execution by blade. It represents a direct, often swift, act of murder carried out by enemies of faith, whether in battle, political purges, or targeted assassinations.
"they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins"
This imagery paints a vivid picture of extreme poverty, homelessness, and social ostracization. Wearing only rough animal hides, these individuals were stripped of societal comforts and forced into a nomadic, exposed existence, demonstrating their rejection by the world.
"being destitute, afflicted, tormented"
This concluding phrase summarizes their comprehensive suffering. "Destitute" (lacking basic necessities), "afflicted" (crowded, pressed, distressed, suffering tribulation), and "tormented" (maltreated, suffering adversity) collectively convey a state of utter deprivation, physical pain, emotional anguish, and constant distress, emphasizing the relentless and multifaceted nature of their trials.
Literary Devices
Hebrews 11:37 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the depth of suffering endured by the faithful. The most prominent is Anaphora, the repetition of "they were" at the beginning of successive clauses ("They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword"). This creates a rhythmic, almost relentless, litany of torments, emphasizing the sheer volume and variety of suffering. The verse also utilizes Asyndeton, the omission of conjunctions between parts of a sentence (e.g., "destitute, afflicted, tormented"), which quickens the pace and creates a sense of overwhelming, continuous hardship. Imagery is powerfully employed, particularly with "sawn asunder" and "wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins," which evoke visceral pictures of brutal execution and extreme destitution, appealing directly to the reader's emotions. This strong appeal to emotion is an example of Pathos, designed to elicit sympathy and admiration for the endurance of these saints. Finally, the verse functions as a form of Martyrology, cataloging the sacrifices of those who died for their faith, serving as both a historical record and an inspiration for future generations.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hebrews 11:37 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of faith, revealing that it is not a shield against suffering, but often the very reason for it. It underscores the truth that God's approval is not always manifested in earthly deliverance or comfort, but in the steadfast endurance of His people, even unto death. This suffering, however, is never meaningless; it is a testament to a faith that looks beyond temporal comfort to an eternal reward, aligning with the broader biblical narrative that the path of righteousness often involves tribulation. The unwavering faithfulness of these individuals, despite horrific circumstances, testifies to the surpassing value of their heavenly hope and the enduring power of God's grace to sustain His saints through the darkest trials.
Reflection and Application
Hebrews 11:37 presents a sobering yet deeply encouraging challenge for contemporary believers. It shatters any illusion that a life of faith guarantees ease or prosperity, instead revealing that profound devotion to God may lead to intense suffering and rejection by the world. This truth calls us to examine the depth of our own faith: are we prepared to endure hardship, even persecution, for the sake of Christ? The steadfastness of these ancient saints reminds us that our trials are not unique, but part of a long, honorable lineage of believers who have faithfully endured. Their example provides solidarity and strength, urging us to fix our eyes not on earthly comfort, but on the eternal hope that sustained them. Ultimately, this verse compels us to cultivate a faith that is resilient, unwavering, and rooted in the promises of God, recognizing that true spiritual victory is often found in faithful endurance rather than earthly triumph.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who are the "they" referred to in Hebrews 11:37, and why were they subjected to such extreme suffering?
The "they" in Hebrews 11:37 refers to unnamed faithful individuals from the Old Testament era, whose stories of suffering and martyrdom are not always explicitly detailed in the canonical scriptures but were part of Jewish tradition and collective memory. While specific names are not given, their experiences highlight the harsh realities faced by prophets, righteous individuals, and martyrs who remained loyal to God despite intense opposition. For example, tradition attributes the "sawn asunder" fate to the prophet Isaiah. They were subjected to such extreme suffering primarily because of their unwavering faith and refusal to compromise their devotion to God in a world often hostile to divine truth. Their suffering underscores the cost of discipleship and the conflict between the kingdom of God and worldly powers.
What is the significance of the phrase "were tempted" in this context, given the other forms of physical torment listed?
The Greek word translated "tempted" (G3985, peirázō) can mean to test, try, or prove, as well as to entice or tempt. In the context of the severe physical persecutions listed alongside it, "were tempted" likely refers not to internal moral temptation, but to the external pressure and attempts by their persecutors to break their faith, to induce them to deny God, or to betray their fellow believers. It implies a psychological and spiritual torment designed to make them renounce their convictions, perhaps through promises of release or threats of further pain. This highlights that their suffering was not only physical but also a profound spiritual battle for their allegiance.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hebrews 11:37, while recounting the sufferings of Old Testament saints, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The catalogue of torments—stoning, being sawn asunder, being tempted, slain with the sword, destitution, affliction, and torment—foreshadows the comprehensive suffering of the Messiah. Jesus, though sinless, endured rejection, poverty, and intense physical and spiritual agony, culminating in His crucifixion, a death far more brutal than stoning or the sword. He was "tempted" in every way, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15), and ultimately "slain" for the sins of the world (Isaiah 53:5). His wandering, homeless life (Matthew 8:20) mirrors the destitution of these faithful ones. Therefore, these Old Testament martyrs, by their faithful endurance unto death, prefigure the ultimate suffering of the Lamb of God, whose perfect obedience and sacrifice on the cross provides the true and lasting hope for all who suffer for righteousness' sake. Their faith pointed forward to Him, and in His suffering and resurrection, their hope for a "better resurrection" (Hebrews 11:35) and a "heavenly country" (Hebrews 11:16) is fully realized and secured for all who believe in Him (John 14:1-3).