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
20 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.
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."
For indeed, even the apostles have not yet received their joy, but they also wait that I may be a partaker of their joy. For the saints, when they leave this place, do not immediately obtain the whole rewards of their merits. They also wait for us, though we delay, even though we remain. For they do not have perfect delight as long as they grieve for our errors and mourn for our sins. Perhaps you do not believe me when I say this. For who am I that I am so bold to confirm the meaning of such a doctrine? But I produce their witness about whom you cannot doubt. For the apostle Paul is "a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth." Therefore, in writing to the Hebrews, after he had enumerated all the holy fathers who were justified by faith, he adds after all that, "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." You see, therefore, that Abraham is still waiting to obtain the perfect things. Isaac waits, and Jacob and all the prophets wait for us, that they may lay hold of the perfect blessedness with us.For this reason, therefore, that mystery of the delayed judgment is also kept until the last day. For there is "one body" that is waiting to be justified. There is "one body" that is said to rise from the dead in judgment. "As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you.' "
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.
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.
What then is the reward of so great a change? What is the recompense?
They have not yet received it, but are still waiting; and after thus dying in so great tribulation, they have not yet received it. They gained their victory so many ages ago, and have not yet received their reward. And you who are yet in the conflict, are you vexed?
Do you also consider what a thing it is, and how great, that Abraham should be sitting, and the Apostle Paul, waiting till thou hast been perfected, that then they may be able to receive their reward. For the Saviour has told them before that unless we also are present, He will not give it them. As an affectionate father might say to sons who were well approved, and had accomplished their work, that he would not give them to eat, unless their brethren came. And art thou vexed, that thou hast not yet received the reward? What then shall Abel do, who was victor before all, and is sitting uncrowned? And what Noah? And what, they who lived in those early times: seeing that they wait for thee and those after thee?
Dost thou see that we have the advantage of them? For "God" (he says) "has provided some better thing for us." In order that they might not seem to have the advantage of us from being crowned before us, He appointed one time of crowning for all; and he that gained the victory so many years before, receives his crown with thee. Seest thou His tender carefulness?
And he did not say, "that they without us might not be crowned," but "that they without us might not be made perfect"; so that at that time they appear perfect also. They were before us as regards the conflicts, but are not before us as regards the crowns. He wronged not them, but He honored us. For they also wait for the brethren. For if we are "all one body," the pleasure becomes greater to this body, when it is crowned altogether, and not part by part. For the righteous are also worthy of admiration in this, that they rejoice in the welfare of their brethren, as in their own. So that for themselves also, this is according to their wish, to be crowned along with their own members. To be glorified all together, is a great delight.
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.”
Now this would be no praise for faith, nor would it be faith at all, if people were in believing to follow after rewards that they could see—in other words, if the reward of immortality were bestowed on believers in this present world.
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 11:39 serves as a poignant and pivotal summary at the culmination of the "Hall of Faith" chapter, encapsulating the extraordinary lives of Old Testament saints. It profoundly highlights that while these heroes and heroines of faith lived exemplary lives, demonstrating unwavering trust and obedience that earned them divine commendation, they nonetheless did not experience the full, ultimate realization of God's grand redemptive promise during their earthly sojourn. This verse sets the stage for understanding the unique position of New Covenant believers in God's unfolding plan.
Context
Literary Context
This verse acts as a powerful concluding statement to the extensive and inspiring catalogue of faithful individuals detailed from Hebrews 11:1 through Hebrews 11:38. The preceding verses meticulously recount the trials, triumphs, and unwavering trust of figures such as Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. The author meticulously builds a case for the enduring nature of faith, showcasing how these individuals, through diverse circumstances, all lived by a conviction of things unseen and a hope for realities not yet realized. The narrative flow moves from individual examples to a collective summary, emphasizing that despite their varied experiences, a common thread of faith united them, yet a common experience of "not receiving the promise" also defined their earthly journey. This verse directly anticipates the crucial explanation offered in Hebrews 11:40.
Historical & Cultural Context
The audience of the book of Hebrews was primarily Jewish Christians who were facing intense persecution and temptation to revert to Judaism. The author's overarching purpose is to demonstrate the superiority of Christ and the New Covenant over the Old Covenant, thereby encouraging these believers to persevere in their faith. By presenting a long list of Old Testament figures who endured hardship and died in faith without seeing the full culmination of God's promises, the author provides a powerful historical precedent for enduring faith. These Old Testament saints lived under the Mosaic Law and the promises made to Abraham, anticipating a future Messiah and a spiritual inheritance. Their lives, often marked by wandering, exile, and suffering, reflect the transient nature of their earthly existence, as highlighted in Hebrews 11:13-16. The cultural context of their time involved a strong emphasis on lineage, covenant, and the expectation of a coming deliverer, all of which informed their forward-looking faith.
Key Themes
Hebrews 11:39 contributes significantly to several major theological and narrative themes woven throughout the chapter and the broader epistle. Foremost among these is the theme of Faith's Enduring Nature, illustrating that genuine faith is not contingent upon immediate gratification or visible fulfillment, but rather a steadfast trust in God's character and His future promises, even when delayed. Another prominent theme is Divine Commendation, as the phrase "obtained a good report" signifies God's explicit approval and testimony to their lives of faith, underscoring that their unwavering belief earned them a place in the divine record of honor. The verse also highlights The Unfulfilled Promise, referring to the ultimate realization of God's redemptive plan, specifically the coming of the Messiah, the establishment of the New Covenant, and the complete heavenly inheritance, which their faith pointed forward to. Finally, this verse subtly but powerfully sets the stage for the theme of The Superiority of the New Covenant, serving as a bridge to Hebrews 11:40, which reveals that God had a "better thing" in mind for New Covenant believers, through whom the Old Testament saints would ultimately be perfected in Christ.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb, found in the passive voice (μαρτυρηθέντες, martyrēthentes), literally means "having been testified of" or "having been borne witness to." According to G3140, it signifies being a witness or testifying, but in this passive form, it emphasizes that God Himself bore witness to their faith. It implies divine commendation and approval, indicating that their lives were a public testament, validated and acknowledged by God as examples of true faith. Their "good report" was not merely human opinion but a divine declaration of their faithfulness.
As defined by G4102, pístis encompasses persuasion, credence, and moral conviction of religious truth, especially reliance upon Christ for salvation. In the context of Hebrews 11, it is the fundamental principle by which these individuals lived. It signifies not just intellectual assent but a deep, abiding trust and loyalty to God and His promises, even when those promises were unseen or delayed. Their faith was the channel (as indicated by diá, "through") through which they received divine approval and lived lives worthy of commendation.
epangelía refers to an announcement, a divine assurance of good, or a pledge. In Hebrews, this term is rich with theological significance, often referring to the future blessings, the New Covenant, and the ultimate inheritance that God has pledged to His people. For the Old Testament saints, this "promise" encompassed the coming of the Messiah, the establishment of His eternal kingdom, and the full realization of salvation, which they anticipated but did not fully experience in their lifetime.
Verse Breakdown
"And these all"
This opening phrase, introduced by the conjunction "And" (G2532, kaí), serves as a collective summation, drawing together the vast array of individuals previously mentioned in the chapter. "These all" (G3778 hoûtos and G3956 pâs) emphasizes the universality of the statement, encompassing every single one of the Old Testament heroes and heroines of faith, from Abel to the martyrs of the Maccabean era. It underscores that despite their diverse callings, experiences, and historical periods, they shared a common characteristic and a common experience.
"having obtained a good report through faith"
This clause highlights the central commendable aspect of their lives. Their "good report" (G3140, martyréō) was not self-generated but divinely bestowed, signifying that God Himself bore witness to their lives as examples of genuine faith. The phrase "through faith" (G1223 diá and G4102 pístis) is crucial, identifying faith as the indispensable means or channel by which they pleased God and received His commendation. Their lives were a living testimony to the power and efficacy of faith in God's promises, even in the face of adversity and delay.
"received not the promise"
This is the poignant and seemingly paradoxical conclusion to their story. Despite their exemplary faith and divine commendation, they "received not" (G2865 komízō and G3756 ou) the full "promise" (G1860, epangelía). This does not imply a failure on God's part or a lack of reward for their faith. Rather, it signifies that the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan, particularly the coming of Christ and the inauguration of the New Covenant, was reserved for a later time. They lived in anticipation, looking forward to the very reality that New Covenant believers now experience. This deferral of the promise is key to understanding God's progressive revelation and the unique privilege of the Christian era.
Literary Devices
The author of Hebrews masterfully employs several literary devices in this concise verse. Summarization is evident as the verse acts as a powerful capstone to the preceding catalogue of faith, drawing together a diverse group of individuals under a single, unifying statement. This creates a sense of unity among the Old Testament saints, emphasizing their shared experience despite their individual narratives. The use of Paradox is central to the verse's impact: these individuals were highly commended for their faith, yet they did not receive the very promise their faith was directed toward. This apparent contradiction immediately compels the reader to seek further explanation, which is provided in the subsequent verse. The phrase "obtained a good report" functions as a form of Eulogy or commendation, elevating the status of these figures and presenting them as models worthy of emulation. Finally, the verse employs Anticipation, subtly building suspense and preparing the reader for the profound theological revelation that follows in Hebrews 11:40, where the reason for this deferral is finally unveiled.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hebrews 11:39 profoundly underscores the continuity and progressive nature of God's redemptive plan. It reveals that the faith of the Old Testament saints, though genuine and divinely commended, was inherently forward-looking, anticipating a greater reality yet to come. Their "not receiving the promise" highlights that salvation has always been by grace through faith, but the full manifestation of that salvation, particularly the person and work of Jesus Christ, was the ultimate "promise" that would bring all of God's people to perfection. This verse bridges the Old and New Covenants, emphasizing that while the Old Testament saints believed in a future Messiah, New Testament believers live in the light of His accomplished work, thereby participating in the full realization of God's covenant promises. Their faith points to Christ, and our faith rests in Him, uniting all believers across history in one grand narrative of redemption.
Reflection and Application
Hebrews 11:39 offers profound encouragement and a vital perspective for believers navigating the complexities of faith in the present age. Just as the Old Testament saints lived by faith in promises yet to be fully realized, we too are called to persevere, even when we do not see the immediate or complete manifestation of God's plan in our lifetime or in the world around us. This verse reminds us that true faith is not about instant gratification or seeing every promise fulfilled according to our timetable, but about unwavering trust in God's character and His ultimate faithfulness. We are part of a continuous lineage of faith, standing on the shoulders of those who believed before us, and anticipating the same glorious future with them. Our faith looks forward to Christ's second coming, the resurrection of the dead, and the new heaven and new earth. This calls us to live by faith, not by sight, trusting in God's perfect timing and His ultimate faithfulness to His word, knowing that our ultimate perfection and reward are bound up with Christ's return and the consummation of His kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What "promise" did the Old Testament saints not receive according to Hebrews 11:39?
The "promise" they did not receive refers to the full, ultimate realization of God's redemptive plan, specifically the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the inauguration of the New Covenant. While they believed in God's covenant promises and anticipated a future deliverer, they did not live to see the Incarnation, the atoning death and resurrection of Christ, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, or the full establishment of the new spiritual reality that brings complete access to God. Their faith pointed forward to these climactic events, which were reserved for a later time, as explained further in Hebrews 11:40.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hebrews 11:39 finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the reality that Jesus Christ is the ultimate "better thing" (as stated in Hebrews 11:40) that the Old Testament saints anticipated but did not receive in their lifetime. Their faith, though commendable, was a faith that looked forward to a Messiah who would perfectly fulfill all of God's promises. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the mediator of a new covenant, and the one through whom we have access to God by the Spirit. The "promise" they received not was the full revelation of God's grace and truth embodied in Christ (John 1:17). It is through His finished work on the cross and His resurrection that believers, both Old and New Testament saints, are brought to ultimate perfection and receive the full inheritance of salvation (Hebrews 9:15). Thus, Christ is the culmination of all their hopes, the substance of their unseen faith, and the one in whom all God's promises are "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20).