‏ Hebrews 10:32-39

Summary for Heb 10:32-39: 10:32-39  ^a The harsh warning (10:26-31  ^b) is followed by a word of encouragement. The hearers’ own faithfulness in the past is used as a positive example for them to follow now. 10:32  ^c when you first learned about Christ: The author reminds his readers of those early days, shortly after the community embraced Christianity, when their faith was tested. At that time, they remained faithful in the face of terrible suffering. Suffering is normal for a person who identifies with Christ and his community (13:12-13  ^d; Acts 9:16  ^e; Rom 8:17  ^f; 1 Cor 4:12-13  ^g; Phil 1:29  ^h; Jas 1:2-4  ⁱ).
10:33  ^j public ridicule: They were insulted and disgraced.

• beaten: They were abused physically.

• At times they were direct recipients of abuse, and at times they stood with others who were suffering.
10:34  ^k those who were thrown into jail: Prisoners were dependent on friends and family for the most basic daily needs (cp. 13:3  ^l).

• when all you owned was taken from you: At times, the Roman government evicted groups of people from their homes and forced them to leave a city (see Acts 18:2-3  ^m). These Christians had faced this kind of persecution in the past and accepted it with joy (cp. Rom 5:3  ⁿ; Jas 1:2-4  ^o; 1 Pet 1:6  ^p). They anticipated better things . . . that will last forever (see Heb 11:35  ^q). God promises rewards to those who persevere faithfully.
Summary for Heb 10:35-36: 10:35-36  ^r Based on their exemplary faithfulness in the past (10:32-34  ^s), the author urges them not to throw away this confident trust in the Lord. The word translated confident trust is also used in Hebrews to speak of boldness in entering the presence of God (4:16  ^t; 10:19  ^u; cp. 3:6  ^v). Those who remain faithful receive a great reward (see 1:14  ^w; 6:12  ^x; 9:15  ^y; Jas 1:12  ^z). Patient endurance is the key response needed in the face of persecution, as the author argues in Heb 10:32–12:17  ^aa.
Summary for Heb 10:37-38: 10:37-38  ^ab These verses quote Hab 2:3-4  ^ac to contrast the righteous and the wicked as they face God’s judgment (cp. Rom 1:17  ^ad; Gal 3:11  ^ae).
10:39  ^af The author ends this section with a statement of confidence in his hearers (see study note on 6:9).

‏ Hebrews 11

Summary for Heb 11:1-40: 11:1-40  ^ag In presenting readers with a long catalog of faith-filled heroes, ch 11  ^ah builds up overwhelming evidence that the life of faith is the only real way to live for God. The writer repeats the phrase by faith to drive this main message into the minds and hearts of his hearers. The examples follow a pattern: (a) the phrase by faith, (b) the name of the person, (c) the event or action which demonstrated faith, and (d) the outcome. 11:1  ^ai Before presenting the list of examples, the author defines what faith is: It is acting on what God has revealed about his will and character.

• The reality that grounds our faith is the God who fulfills his promises.
11:2  ^aj earned a good reputation: Scripture speaks favorably about their lives of faith (see also 11:39  ^ak).
11:3  ^al That the entire universe was formed at God’s command is a basic belief of Jewish and Christian theology (see Gen 1:1-3  ^am). God created everything that we now see. A life of faith understands that, by analogy, God’s promises are real and will be called into reality by God himself, even if they are unseen at present.
11:4  ^an Abel: See Gen 4:3-5  ^ao.

• evidence that he was a righteous man: Cp. Heb 10:38  ^ap.

• he still speaks to us: The story of his faith challenges us, and his blood bears witness to his righteousness and to the injustice of his murder (see 12:24  ^aq).
11:5  ^ar Enoch was taken up to heaven and thus did not face a normal death (see Gen 5:21-24  ^as).

• “he disappeared, because God took him”: Gen 5:24  ^at.
11:6  ^au it is impossible to please God without faith: The author alludes to 10:38  ^av, which quotes Hab 2:4  ^aw.

• Faith must include believing that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. In life’s difficulties, readers are challenged to trust in God and to anticipate the fulfillment of his promises.
11:7  ^ax The story of Noah (see Gen 6:1–9:17  ^ay) further demonstrates that faith involves obedience in the face of the unseen.

• things that had never happened before: Namely, the flood. Noah’s faith condemned the rest of the world by bearing witness to God’s reality and his desire for holiness.
11:8  ^az Abraham obeyed: See Gen 12:1-2  ^ba. He, too, acted in the face of what he could not yet see, since he went without knowing where he was going.
Summary for Heb 11:9-10: 11:9-10  ^bb he lived there by faith: Abraham himself did not experience the inheritance of the land of promise. Rather, he was like a foreigner, living in tents (see Gen 12:10–13:18  ^bc).

• so did Isaac and Jacob: This life of faith was continued in the next two generations: They received the same promise and hoped in God, but did not experience what God had promised.

• city with eternal foundations: Abraham did not settle in the Canaanite cities but followed the will of God in faithful obedience, anticipating a heavenly city.
11:12  ^bd this one man who was as good as dead: Abraham was very old, yet he became the source for a whole nation. Faith involves believing that God is able to answer his promises seemingly out of nothing.

• like the stars ... and the sand: See Gen 22:17  ^be. God fulfilled the promise (Exod 1:7  ^bf).
Summary for Heb 11:13-16: 11:13-16  ^bg The author pauses to point out general principles evident in the lives he has highlighted thus far. 11:13  ^bh Abraham’s family lived in the land of promise as foreigners and nomads (see Gen 23:4  ^bi; cp. 1 Chr 29:15  ^bj; Ps 39:12  ^bk; 1 Pet 2:11  ^bl).
Summary for Heb 11:14-16: 11:14-16  ^bm Abraham’s family was obviously not longing for the country they came from, since if that had been the case, they could have gone back. Their posture of faith demonstrates a longing for a better place. Their hope was ultimately in God, who rewarded their faith by preparing a heavenly ... city for them.
Summary for Heb 11:17-31: 11:17-31  ^bn Great examples of faith take the reader from Abraham’s family to Rahab. These examples build up evidence that faith is the only appropriate response to God.
Summary for Heb 11:17-19: 11:17-19  ^bo Abraham offered Isaac: See Gen 22:1-18  ^bp. God never intended for Abraham to offer his son but was testing Abraham’s faith, which he expressed through his obedience.
11:19  ^bq Abraham reasoned: The resurrection of Isaac was the only answer to Abraham’s dilemma. In Gen 22:5  ^br, Abraham expressed confidence that Isaac would return with him.
11:20  ^bs Isaac promised blessings: See Gen 27:27-40  ^bt; the only part of the story that can be considered a blessing for Esau is that he would eventually shake off his subservience to his brother. Esau was later blessed by Jacob’s riches (Gen 33:8-11  ^bu).
11:21  ^bv Jacob passed the ritual blessing on to Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen 48:8-22  ^bw).

• bowed in worship: Gen 47:31  ^bx. The phrase as he leaned on his staff comes from the Greek translation of the Old Testament.
11:22  ^by Joseph’s prophecy and command (see Gen 50:24-25  ^bz) showed faith that God would keep his promises.
11:23  ^ca Moses’ parents: See Exod 2:1-2  ^cb.

• unusual (or attractive, or beautiful): This word refers to something of superior quality. Their insight that Moses was extraordinary led them to act by faith in God.

• the king’s command: Exod 1:22  ^cc.
Summary for Heb 11:24-25: 11:24-25  ^cd Moses, when he grew up: See Exod 2:11-15  ^ce. Moses took a public stand with the people of Israel rather than continuing to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, who had adopted him (Exod 2:3-10  ^cf). Therefore, he chose to share the oppression of God’s people, as the readers of this letter were being called to do (see Heb 10:32-34  ^cg).
11:26  ^ch the treasures of Egypt: The New Kingdom of Egypt (about 1550–1069 BC) was an era of phenomenal wealth and political power. Moses evidently had a greater reward in mind.
11:27  ^ci Like his forefather Abraham, Moses acted in faith by leaving the land of Egypt, with which he was familiar, and walked into an unknown future (Exod 2:15  ^cj).

• not fearing the king’s anger: Rather than watching the king, he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible—God.
11:28  ^ck Moses commanded ... the Passover: See Exod 12:1-27  ^cl. The first Passover (Exod 12:28-30  ^cm) initiated the Exodus (Exod 12:31-42  ^cn, 50-51  ^co) and instituted the annual Passover observance as a memorial (Exod 12:43-49  ^cp; 13:1-16  ^cq).

• to sprinkle blood: The sprinkling of the blood of sacrifices under the old covenant was parallel to the sprinkling of Christ’s blood (see Heb 9:12-14  ^cr, 18-22  ^cs).
11:29  ^ct The rescue through the Red Sea (see Exod 13:17–14:21  ^cu) constitutes the greatest moment of deliverance in Israel’s history. The people’s fear and accusation at the time (Exod 14:10-12  ^cv) do not obviously exemplify faith, but the people went forward when told to do so despite their fear. The episode demonstrates that obedience is central to faith.
11:30  ^cw The conquest of Jericho (Josh 5:13–6:27  ^cx) offers another example of great faith, as the people acted in obedience to God’s unusual instructions.
11:31  ^cy Rahab the prostitute (Josh 2  ^cz; 6:25  ^da) showed faith in the power of the God of Israel by protecting the spies who came to her home (cp. Jas 2:25  ^db). As a result, she and her family were not destroyed but joined the community of Israel. In fact, Rahab was an ancestor of Jesus (Matt 1:5  ^dc).
Summary for Heb 11:32-40: 11:32-40  ^dd In a rapid series of examples, the author gives an overview of other faithful people through the rest of the old covenant era. In 11:32-35a  ^de, the outcome of faith is deliverance and victory. In 11:35b-38  ^df, however, faith brought severe persecution and even martyrdom. The result for both groups was that God honored them with a good reputation because of their faith (11:39  ^dg). 11:32  ^dh How much more do I need to say? The author makes a transition to his concluding summary, which begins with six heroes of faith from the time of the judges and the united monarchy. Gideon defeated the Midianites with torches and jars (Judg 7:7-25  ^di). Barak routed Sisera and the Canaanites (Judg 4:8-16  ^dj). Samson, though weak in moral fiber, was used by God to fight the Philistines on behalf of Israel (Judg 13–16  ^dk). Jephthah won victory over the Amorites and Ammonites (Judg 10:6–12:7  ^dl). David, the only king in the group, loved God and, for the most part, led an exemplary life of faith (1 Sam 16—1 Kgs 1  ^dm). Samuel was an important transitional leader between the judges and the monarchy; he heard God’s voice and obeyed his will (1 Sam 1–15  ^dn).

• The statement all the prophets includes Elijah, Elisha, and the “writing prophets” from Isaiah to Malachi. The prophets often exhibited great faith in the face of hostility.
11:33  ^do overthrew kingdoms: During the time of the judges and the reign of David, Israel defeated many of their enemies. David and Solomon and a few others ruled with justice (see 2 Sam 8:15  ^dp; 1 Kgs 10:9  ^dq).

• shut the mouths of lions: See Dan 6:1-23  ^dr.
11:34  ^ds quenched the flames of fire: See Dan 3:16-30  ^dt.

• escaped death by the edge of the sword: E.g., Elijah and Jeremiah (see 1 Kgs 19:2  ^du; 2 Kgs 1:1-18  ^dv; Jer 26:10-16  ^dw; 38:1-13  ^dx).
11:35  ^dy Elijah and Elisha both brought women’s loved ones back again from death (see 1 Kgs 17:17-24  ^dz; 2 Kgs 4:17-37  ^ea).

• But others were tortured: Faith does not always have a positive outcome in this life. The author might be alluding to the 170s and 160s BC, when many Jews suffered and died rather than forsake their faith (see, e.g., 1 Maccabees 1:20-64).
11:37  ^eb According to tradition, the prophet Jeremiah died by stoning and the prophet Isaiah was sawed in half.
11:38  ^ec too good for this world: Their hope was in God more than in the pleasures and comforts of this world.
Summary for Heb 11:39-40: 11:39-40  ^ed The way to live as God’s people under the new covenant is to live as all these people did under the old covenant: by faith in God’s promises, enduring any difficulties faced in this world.

• earned a good reputation: God has borne witness to their faithfulness (see also 11:2  ^ee).

• yet none of them received all that God had promised: They all died prior to Christ’s promised coming; the something better began with Christ’s sacrificial work (8:3–10:18  ^ef) and anticipates the future culmination of God’s plan for his people.

• would not reach perfection: See study notes on 5:9; 7:11. Jesus has fulfilled God’s goal of bringing his people into relationship with him.

‏ Hebrews 12:1-17

Summary for Heb 12:1-17: 12:1-17  ^eg The author challenges his hearers to endure in following Jesus, the supreme example of faithfulness, by imitating him in his suffering (12:1-4  ^eh), by enduring under God’s discipline (12:5-13  ^ei), and by living in peace with others (12:14-17  ^ej). 12:1  ^ek huge crowd of witnesses: The host of faithful followers of God (ch 11  ^el) bear witness to the truth that God blesses the life of faith.

• let us strip off every weight: In Greco-Roman literature, a race is a metaphor for the need for endurance in life. Just as extra weight hinders a runner, sin ... trips us up. It entangles us and restricts us from moving by faith.
12:2  ^em Jesus is the supreme example of faithful endurance (3:1  ^en). Our endurance in the Christian life will depend on our keeping our eyes on Jesus—staying focused on him and his work on our behalf.

• Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith: Jesus has accomplished everything necessary for faith under the new covenant to be a reality.

• disregarding its shame: Crucifixion was the most shameful form of execution, meant to humiliate and torture the person crucified. It was used only for slaves and criminals who were not Roman citizens. Christ treated that shame as if it were nothing.

• seated in the place of honor: The author again alludes to Ps 110:1  ^eo (see also Heb 1:3  ^ep, 13  ^eq; 8:1  ^er; 10:12  ^es).
12:3  ^et Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people: The recipients of Hebrews had become weary and were about to give up—they were emotionally fatigued because of the persecution they were facing. The key to their endurance was to focus on Jesus, who had been through even worse hostility.
12:4  ^eu not yet given your lives: This community had not yet faced martyrdom for the faith. (This is one reason to date Hebrews prior to Nero’s persecution in the mid-60s AD.) If Jesus could endure a shameful death, the hearers should be able to endure lesser persecution.
Summary for Heb 12:5-6: 12:5-6  ^ev In these verses, the encouraging words are quoted from Prov 3:11-12  ^ew, a passage that regards hardship as the Lord’s loving discipline for his children. God can turn a wide variety of trials and difficulties to our good, training us in righteousness and holy character.
Summary for Heb 12:7-8: 12:7-8  ^ex disciplined by its father: Fathers from Greco-Roman as well as Jewish families were involved in day-to-day aspects of raising their children. Discipline was seen as a necessary, healthy, and important component of preparing the child for adulthood. A lack of fatherly discipline—in this case, a lack of hardships in life—is a mark of illegitimacy, not a blessing.
12:9  ^ey The author argues from lesser to greater (see study note on 9:14). Here, the lesser situation is the respect shown to an earthly father when he is giving discipline. We should submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits in the more important context of our relationship with God. We should adopt a posture of yielding to God as to a good Father, trusting that he is helping us grow even through painful circumstances.
Summary for Heb 12:10-11: 12:10-11  ^ez There are at least two limitations on an earthly father’s discipline. First, his discipline, or education, is only for a few years (literally for a few days)—children eventually leave home. Second, earthly fathers were doing the best they knew how from their limited perspectives. By contrast, God’s discipline lasts throughout life and is always good for us, based on his limitless knowledge and love. His goal is that we might share in his holiness. Although it is painful, discipline brings about a peaceful harvest of right living. It brings God’s children into a state conducive to harmonious relationships and doing what is right (see also Rom 5:3-4  ^fa; 8:17  ^fb, 28  ^fc; 2 Cor 4:17  ^fd; Phil 1:12-14  ^fe; Jas 1:2-4  ^ff; 1 Pet 1:7  ^fg; 4:14  ^fh).
Summary for Heb 12:12-13: 12:12-13  ^fi The author, alluding to Isa 35:3-8  ^fj and Prov 4:26  ^fk, encourages those who are emotionally and spiritually exhausted. According to Isa 35  ^fl, God is in the process of defeating his enemies and is making a straight path for the righteous so that they will not fall.
12:14  ^fm Those who are living a holy life have confident hope of seeing the Lord (see 1 Jn 2:28  ^fn; 3:21  ^fo; 4:17  ^fp).
12:15  ^fq The poisonous root of bitterness alludes to people turning their backs on God’s covenant to serve other gods (Deut 29:18  ^fr). Bitterness can corrupt the church.
12:16  ^fs Ancient Jewish literature describes Esau as sexually immoral because he was married to the Hittite women Judith and Basemath (Gen 26:34  ^ft; see Jubilees 25:1; Philo, On the Virtues 208).

• Esau’s lack of regard for his birthright (Gen 25:29-34  ^fu) was godless. His willingness to give up God’s blessings for immediate satisfaction illustrates the opposite of faith.
12:17  ^fv Hebrews sees Esau’s disregard for his inheritance (12:16  ^fw) and his loss of the blessing (Gen 27:30-40  ^fx) as intrinsically related. The result was bitter tears. By analogy, those who reject an inheritance through Christ’s new covenant have only bitterness in their future.