Hebrews 11:2

For by it the elders obtained a good report. FOR - Faith is all this; for, etc. BY - Greek, 'in this,' as their element. THE ELDERS - not merely [hoi archaioi] the ancients, as though solely of the past; nay, they belong to one and the same blessed family as ourselves (Hebrews 11:39). "The elders" whom we all revere so highly for their faith and practice: a title of honour, as 'the fathers.' 'Paul shows how to seek in all its fullness, under the veil of history, the essential substance of the doctrine sometimes briefly indicated' (Bengel). OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT - Greek, 'were testified of;' namely, favourably (cf. ): a phrase of Luke, Paul's companion. Not only men, but God, gave testimony to...

2._For by it the elders, _(203) _etc. _He handles this subject to the end of the chapter — that the fathers obtained salvation and were accepted by God in no other way than by faith. The Jews indeed had some reasons for paying great deference to the fathers; but a foolish admiration of the fathers had so prevailed among them, that it proved a great hindrance to a thorough surrender of themselves to Christ and to his government. It was occasioned either by ambition or superstition, or by both. For when they heard that they were the blessed and holy seed of Abraham, inflated with this distinction they fixed their eyes on men rather than on God. Then added to this was a false emulation; for they did not consider what was mainly worthy of imitation in their fathers. It thus happened that they became attached to the old ceremonies, as though the whole of religion and perfect holiness consiste...

1-3 Faith always has been the mark of God's servants, from the beginning of the world. Where the principle is planted by the regenerating Spirit of God, it will cause the truth to be received, concerning justification by the sufferings and merits of Christ. And the same things that are the object of our hope, are the object of our faith. It is a firm persuasion and expectation, that God will perform all he has promised to us in Christ. This persuasion gives the soul to enjoy those things now; it gives them a subsistence or reality in the soul, by the first-fruits and foretastes of them. Faith proves to the mind, the reality of things that cannot be seen by the bodily eye. It is a full approval of all God has revealed, as holy, just, and good. This view of faith is explained by many examples of persons in former times, who obtained a good report, or an honourable character in the word of...

Verse Hebrews 11:2. _FOR BY IT THE ELDERS OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT._] By the _elders_ are meant _ancestors, forefathers_, such as the patriarchs and prophets, several of whom he afterwards particularly names, and produces some fact from the history of their lives. It is very remarkable that among the whole there is root one word concerning poor Adam and his wife, though both _Abraham_ and _Sarah_ are mentioned. There was no _good report_ concerning _them_; not a word of their repentance, faith, or holiness. Alas! alas! did ever such bright suns set in so thick a cloud? Had there been any thing praiseworthy in their life after their fall, any act of faith by which they could have been distinguished, it had surely come out here; the mention of their second son Abel would have suggested it. But God has covered the whole of their spiritual a

FOR BY IT - That is, by that faith which gives reality to things hoped for, and a certain persuasion to the mind of the existence of those things which are not seen. THE ELDERS - The ancients; the Hebrew patriarchs and fathers. OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT - Literally, “were witnessed of;” that is, an honorable testimony was borne to them in consequence of their faith. The idea is, that their acting under the influence of faith, in the circumstances in which they were, was the ground of the honorable testimony which was borne to them in the Old Testament; see this use of the word in Hebrews 7:8, and in Hebrews 7:4 of this chapter. Also...

EXPOSITION HEBREWS 11:1 NOW FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE _ _OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN. On the senses in which the word ὑπόστασις (translated "substance") may be used, see under Hebrews 1:2. As to the sense intended here, views differ. There are three possible ones, expressed in the text and margin of the A.V., _substance, ground, _and _confidence. _The first is understood by the Fathers generally, the idea being supposed to be that, inasmuch as things not yet experienced, but only hoped for, become real to us by faith, faith is metaphysically their substance, as substantiating them to us. So Theophilus: Οὐσίωσις τῶν μήπω ὄντων ὑπόστασις τῶν μὴ ὑφεστηκότων:_ _and Chrysostom, who

FOR BY IT THE ELDERS OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT. By whom are meant, not merely old men, or elders in age, but such who lived in ancient times; some before the flood, and to a great age, and others who were in office, civil or ecclesiastical, and were the ancestors and predecessors of the Hebrews; who in general obtained or received a good report from God; that they were the chosen of God, and were justified and accepted with him; that they were the children and friends of God, and should be glorified; and from men, from good men, for their faith and holiness; and from evil men, for their good works: and these also believed the report of the Gospel, and gave a good report of God, and of the good land, and adorned their profession; particularly, Abel received a good report, that he was righteous; and Enoch, that he pleased God, and walked with him; and Noah, that he was a just man, perfect in...

Hebrews 11:1. _Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elder obtained a good report._ So it was written, in the olden time, that believers «obtained a good report;» and this second verse shows that they obtained it by their faith. The best part of the report about them is, that they believed their God, and believed all that was revealed to them by his Word and his Spirit. Hebrews 11:3. _Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear._ The facts about creation must be the subject of faith. It is true that they can be substantiated, by the argument from design, and in other ways; still, for a wise purpose as I believ

IV. PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS AND EXHORTATIONS CHAPTER 11 _ 1. Faith in regard to creation and salvation (Hebrews 11:1)_ 2. The patience of faith (Hebrews 11:8) 3. The energy of faith (Hebrews 11:23) Hebrews 11:1 The disastrous effect of unbelief has been pointed out in the earlier part of this epistle (Hebrews 3:12; Hebrews 3:19; Hebrews 4:2) a

HEBREWS 11:1 F. The chapter opens with a definition of faith as the assurance whereby we lay hold of things still in the future, and the proving_ i.e._ the inward certainty which is stronger than any outward proof of things which lie beyond the evidence of the senses. Thus faith enables us on the one hand to believe in a salvation yet to come; and on the other hand, to apprehend a higher world, of which this visible world of change is only the shadow. For Paul the object of faith is the Cross of Christ, with its supreme revelation of the gracious will of God. The writer to the Hebrews conceives of faith in a more comprehensive manner as the power by which we hold fast to the unseen, in spite of the illusions and temptations of this passing world. The elders_ i.e._ the men of the old covenant could therefore exercise faith no less than the believers in Christ, and as a reward for the