Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
(From: HEBREWS #12 - 11:17-40)
4. 11:17-31 EXAMPLES OF THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH
a. 11:17-19 ABRAHAM'S FAITH IN RESURRECTION
PIstei pro-seNEno-chen [4374] A-braAM, ton I-saAK pei-raZOme-nos [3985],
By faith Abraham, being tried, has offered up :Isaac,
kai ton mo-no-geNE [3439] proSEphe-ren [4374] ho tas e-pag-geLIas a-na-deXAme-nos [324];
and who had gladly received the promiseswas offering up his only begotten son;
pros hon e-laLEthe [HOti], En I-saAK kleTHEseTAI soi SPERma [4690]:
18heunto whom it was said [that], In Isaac shall your seed be called:
lo-giSAme-nos [3049] HOti kai ek neKRON eGEIrein [1453] du-naTOS ho TheOS;
19accounting that God isable to raise up, even thedead;
HOthen auTON kai en pa-ra-boLE [3850] e-koMIsa-to [2865].
from whence he did also in a parable receive him back.
b. 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed :Jacob and :Esau, even concerning things to come.
PIstei, kai peRI melLONton,euLOge-sen [2127]I-saAK ton IaKOB kai ton E-sau.
c. 11:21 JACOB'S FAITH IN ISRAEL'S FUTURE
PIstei IaKOB a-poTHNESkon [599] HEka-ston ton huiON Io-SEPH euLOge-sen;
By faith Jacob dying blessed each of the sons of Joseph;
kai pro-seKUne-sen [4352], ePI to Akron [206] tes RABdou [4464] auTOU.
and worshiped, leaning upon the top of his :staff.
d. 11:22 JOSEPH'S FAITH IN ISRAEL'S DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPT
PIstei IoSEPH, te-leuTON [5053], peRI tes eXOdou [1841] ton huiON Is-raEL em-neMOneu-sen [3421];
By faith Joseph, at his end, made mention of the departure of the sons of Israel;
kai peRI ton oSTEon [3747] auTOU e-neTEIla-to [1781].
and gave commandment concerning his :bones.
e. 11:23 THE FAITH OF MOSES' PARENTS
PIstei Mo-uSES, gen-neTHEIS [1080], ekRUbe [2928] TRIme-non HUpo ton paTEron auTOU,
By faith Moses, when born, was hid three months by his :fathers,
di' HOti EIdon aSTEIon to paiDIon; kai ouk e-phoBEthe-san [3813] to diAtag-ma [1297] tou ba-siLEos.
because they saw the child was goodly; and they were not afraid of the commandment of the king.
f. 11:24-26 MOSES' FAITH IN THE PROMISES OF GOD
PIstei Mo-uSES, MEgas geNOme-nos, erNEsa-to [720] LEges-thai huiOS thu-gaTROS [2364] Pha-raO;
By faith Moses, when grown up, refused to be called son of Pharaoh's daughter;
MALlon heLOme-nos [138] sun-ka-kouCHEISthai [4778] to laO tou TheOU,
25choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of :God,
ePROSkai-ron [4340]Echein ha-marTIas aPOlau-sin [619];
than to enjoy thepleasure of sin for a season;
MEIzo-na PLOUton he-geSAme-nos [2233] ton AiGUPtou
26accounting the reproach of the Christ greater riches
the-sauRON ton o-nei-disMON [3680] tou ChrisTOU: aPEble-pen [578] gar eis ten mis-tha-po-doSIan [3405].
than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward.
g. 11:27 VISION: THE SECRET OF ENDURANCE IN FAITH
PIstei kaTEli-pen [2641] AIgup-ton, me pho-beTHEIS ton thuMON [2372] tou ba-siLEos:
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king:
ton gar aOra-ton [517], hos hoRON e-karTEre-sen [2594].
for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
h. 11:28 THE BASIS FOR INSTITUTING THE PASSOVER
PIstei pePOIe-ken to PAScha [3957], kai ten PROSchu-sin [4378] tou HAIma-tos,
By faith he instituted the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood,
HIna me ho o-loTHREUon [3645] ta proTOto-ka [4416] THIge [2345] auTON.
that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.
i. 11:29 THE BASIS FOR DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPT
PIstei diEbe-san [1224] ten E-ruTHRAN THAlas-san hos diA xeRAS [3584] ges:
By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land:
hes PEIran [3984] laBONtes hoi AiGUPti-oi ka-tePOthe-san [2666].
which the Egyptians attempting to do were swallowed up.
j. 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, surrounded for seven days.
PIstei ta TEIche [5038] Hi-e-reiCHO Epe-san, kuk-loTHENta [2944] ePI hepTA heMEras.
k. 11:31 FAITH: THE SECRET OF RAHAB'S DELIVERANCE
PIstei 'RaAB he PORne [4204] ou su-naPOle-to [4881] tois a-peiTHEsa-sin [544],
By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the disobedient,
de-xaMEne tous ka-taSKOpous [2685] met' eiREnes.
having received the spies with peace.
5. 11:32-38 BOTH ACTIVE AND PASSIVE FAITH ENDURES THROUGH SUFFERING
a. 11:32-34 MIGHTY DEEDS OF FAITH PERFORMED BY A GREAT HOST OF OTHERS
Kai ti Eti LEgo? e-piLEIpsei [1952] me gar
And what more shallI say? for the time will fail me
di-eGOUme-non [1334] ho CHROnos peRI Ge-deON, BaRAK, SamPSON, IephTHAE;
if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Sampson, Jephthah;
DauID te kai Sa-mouEL kai ton pro-pheTON [4396]:
and of David and Samuel and the prophets:
hoi diA PIste-os ka-te-goNIsan-to [2610] ba-siLEIas, erGAsan-to [2038] di-kai-oSUnen,
33who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness,
ePEtu-chon [2013] a-pag-ge-liON, Ephra-xan [5420] STOma-ta leONton,
obtained promises, stopped lions' mouths,
ESbe-san [1743] DUna-min puROS, Ephu-gon [1543] STOma-ta maCHAIres,
34quenched fire's power, escaped the sword's edge,
e-du-naMOthe-san [1743]aPO as-theNEIas [769], e-geNEthe-san [1096]i-schuROI [2478]en poLEmo,
from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war,
pa-rem-boLAS [3925] Ekli-nan [3827] al-loTRIon [245].
turned to flight armies of aliens.
b. 11:35 THE FAITH OF WOMEN AND MARTYRS
Ela-bon [2983] guNAIkes ex a-naSTAse-os [386] tous neKROUS auTON:
Women received their :dead by resurrection:
ALloi de e-tum-paNISthe-san [5178], ou pros-deXAme-noi [4327] ten a-poLUtro-sin [629],
and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance,
HIna KREITto-nos a-naSTAse-os [386] TUcho-sin [5177].
that they might obtain a better resurrection.
c. 11:36-38 GREAT SUFFERINGS OF FAITH
HEte-roi de em-paigMON [1701] kai maSTIgon [3148] PEIran [3984] Ela-bon, Eti de desMON kai phu-laKES:
And others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
e-liTHASthe-san [3034], e-peiRASthe-san [4249], ePRISthe-san [3984],
37they were stoned, were tempted, sawn asunder,
en PHOno [5408] maCHAIres aPEtha-non: pe-riELthon [4022] en me-loTAIS,
died by thesword's slaughter: went about in sheepskins,
en aiGIois DERma-sin; hu-steROUme-noi [5302], thliBOme-noi [2346], ka-kouCHOUme-noi [2558]
in goatskins; destitute, afflicted, illtreated
(hon ouk en Axi-os ho KOSmos), ePI e-reMIais [2047]
38(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering
plaNOme-noi [4105] kai Ore-si [3735] kai speLAIois [4693], kai tais oPAIS [3692] tes ges.
in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth.
6. 11:39-40 FAITH OF OT AND NT SAINTS TO BE FULFILLED TOGETHER
Kai HOUtoi PANtes, mar-tu-reTHENtes [3140] diA tes PIste-os, ouk e-koMIsan-to [2865] ten e-pag-geLIan,
And these all, witnessed to through their faith, received not the promise,
tou TheOU peRI heMON KREIT-TON ti pro-ble-psaMEnou [4265],
40:God having foreseen something better concerning us,
HIna me choRIS heMON te-lei-oTHOsin [5048].
that apart from us they be not made perfect.
NOTE: 11:17-31 - The author of Hebrews in the next chapter (12) makes use of this chapter (11) in a most telling way. This portion here on the “obedience of faith”, stands out along with the other five portions of this chapter. Jews were used to quoting historical facts before drawing forth a point and then making an application. See Stephen in this regard in Acts 7. We need to constantly remember that we are “in the arena”, surrounded by these enduring and triumphant saints who have preceded us. We are notalone. We have an unseen host ”pulling for us.” Look at those who are recounted in this passage: Abraham; Isaac; Jacob; Joseph; Moses' parents; Moses; Israel through the Red Sea; Joshua and Israel before Jericho's walls - and Rahab the harlot. And - she married into the tribe of Judah, and became a great ancestress of David and Jesus! These example of faithare well worth-while thinking about!
Then in 11:32-38 we are urged to consider Gideon; Barak; Samson; Jephthah; David and Samuel, and all the prophets. Also we are reminded of their extraordinary exploits because of their faith- and much of it in the midst of the deepest type of suffering and persecution. And - all of the above witnesses are aware of the race we are running - and - are “pulling for us”.
Of course, it is well for us to understand their deep interest in our successful progress! God has shown them that the fullness of their reward awaits the timing of the successful conclusion of our race! Think of that!
11:39-40 spells out this aspect of their faith most clearly.
It is because of the above truths that obedienceand meditationon our part is so important. These truths do notbecome living truthfor us - apart from these two conditions. George Muller, Rees Howells and Oswald Chambers are but 3 who perfectly understood the need of these two conditions to be met. And - it is prayerfulmeditation over the Word- reading and praying it aloud - that opens our hearts to the burning reality of such a chapter as this! - J.A.W.