Hebrews 11:32

And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: THE TIME - suitable for an letter. He accumulates some out of many examples. GEDEON - put before Barak, not chronologically, but as more celebrated. Samson for the same reason is put before Jephthah. The mention of Jephthah's "faith" makes it unlikely that he actually sacrificed his daughter's life for a rash vow. David, the warrior-king and prophet, forms the transition from warrior-chiefs to the "prophets," of whom "Samuel" is the first....

32._And what shall I say more? etc. _As it was to be feared, that by referring to a few examples, he should appear to confine the praises of faith to a few men; he anticipates this, and says, that there would be no end if he was to dwell on every instance; for what he had said of a few extended to the whole Church of God. He first refers to the time that intervened between Joshua and David, when the Lord raised up judges to govern the people; and such were the four he now mentions, _Gideon, Barak, Samson_, and _Jephthah. _ It seemed indeed strange in _Gideon, _with three hundred men to attack an immense host of enemies, and to shake pitchers appeared like a sham alarm. _Barak _was far inferior to his enemies, and was guided only by the counsel of a woman. _Samson _was a mere countryman, and had never used any other arms than the implements of husbandry: what could he do against such pro...

32-38 After all our searches into the Scriptures, there is more to be learned from them. 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 of it were not then so fully made known as now. And we should lament 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. It is the excellence of the grace of faith, that, while it helps men to do great things, like Gideon, it keeps from high and great thoughts of themselves. Faith, like Barak's, has recourse unto God in all dangers and difficulties, and then makes grateful returns to God for all mercies and deliverances. By faith, the servants of God shall overcome even the roaring lion that goeth about seeking whom he may devour. The believer's faith endures to the en...

Verse 32. _TIME WOULD FAIL ME_] με διηγουμενον ο χρονος. A very usual mode of expression with the best Greek writers, when they wish to intimate that much important intelligence remains to be communicated on the subject already in hand, which must be omitted because of other points which have not yet been handled. _GEDEON_] Who by faith in God, with 300 men, destroyed a countless multitude of Midianites and Amalekites, and delivered Israel from oppression and slavery. Judges 6, Judges 7, Judges 8. _BARAK_] Who overthrew Jabin, king of Canaan, and delivered Israel from servitude. Judges 4. Samson

AND WHAT SHALL I MORE SAY? - There are numerous other instances showing the strength of faith which there is not time to mention. FOR THE TIME WOULD FAIL ME TO TELL - To recount all that they did; all the illustrations of the strength and power of faith evinced in their lives. OF GEDEON - The history of Gideon is detailed at length in Judges 6–7, and there can be no doubt that in his wars he was sustained and animated by strong confidence in God. AND OF BARAK - Judges 4. Barak, at the command of Deborah the prophetess, who summoned him to war in the name of the Lord, encountered and overthrew the hosts of Sisera. His yielding to her summons, and his valour in battle against the enemies of the Lord, showed that he was animated by faith....

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

AND WHAT SHALL I MORE SAY,.... Intimating he had said enough to prove the definition of faith he had given; and that the elders, by it, had obtained a good report; and yet he had not said all he could; and that he had so much to say, that he could not say all: FOR THE TIME WOULD FAIL ME; either the time of life, and so it is an hyperbolical expression; or the time convenient for the writing this epistle; to enumerate all the instances of faith, and enlarge upon them, would take up too much of his time, and make the epistle prolix and tedious: this form of speech is often used by Philo the Jew u, and by Julian the emperor w. It may be observed, that many, who are not mentioned by name, do not stand excluded from being believers; and that the number of believers, under the Old Testament, was very large: TO TELL OF GEDEON; so Gideon is called in the Septuagint version of...

This is a very familiar chapter, but it is none the less precious. It is the roll of the heroes of faith. Here you have a list of the men who believed in God, and who therefore did great things. Hebrews 11:1. _Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report._ «The elders» that is, those who lived in the ancient times wrought wondrous works by faith, and the «report» of them still encourages others to try to do likewise. 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._ That is one of the earliest lessons of faith. We do not discover the secrets of Creation by mere re

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

The rest of the history would take too long to survey in detail, and the writer contents himself with suggesting it by a few striking allusions. He mentions certain outstanding names, then refers in general terms to the many famous deeds that had been wrought by faith (_e.g._ the achievements of brave and just kings, of Daniel and his comrades, of prophets and patriots). Faith had manifested itself not only in great deeds, but in sufferings nobly born. (Hebrews 11:35 ff.). In this account of memorable sufferings use is made not only of the OT history but of legends that had grown out of it_ e.g._ that Isaiah had been sawn asunder (p. 436), that other prophets had been murdered or persecuted. In Hebrews 11:35 there seems to be a reference to a cherished incident of Jewish history which was later than