Without doubt faith cannot exist, but for the believer, even our temporal doubts point to faith. Therefore, Messiah in us firmly establishes that which we hope for in Him. The One through Whom the seen things were created reveals to us the unseen reality of everlasting life through Him, in God the Father.
Introduction:
It is for good reason that this chapter of the Book to the Hebrews is known as the faith chapter. The word faith is used 24 times and the phrase “in faith” (ba-emunah[H]) 21 times.
What is abundantly clear is that faith in God through the King Messiah was, is and until His return, will be the only assurance of the certain hope of everlasting life.
Without doubt faith cannot exist, but for the believer, even our temporal doubts point to faith. Therefore, Messiah in us firmly establishes that which we hope for in Him.
The One through Whom the seen things were created reveals to us the unseen reality of everlasting life through Him, in God the Father.
The writer of this work, inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh, gives numerous examples of the kind of faith he is speaking of, which is seen throughout Israel’s history and from before her inception in the lives of her God fearing forefathers.
This is an encouragement to those suffering at the time of the writing of this work because it is evidence of faith maintained through trials, difficult circumstances, exile, wandering and loss.
The first century Jewish followers of Yeshua are instructed by this work to remember their forebears and hold on to their faith, trusting in God for the promised Olam Haba (world to come) in spite of their ability to see that inheritance with corporeal human sight.
Last verses of Hebrews 10:
38 But My righteous one will live by faith; [Hab. 2:4] And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” [LXX and a summation of Hab. 2:5-20] [Hebrew text of Habakkuk 2:4: “Behold, now, pay attention, he is lifted up (has drawn back through pride) and is not upright in his soul, behold, and the just/righteous, by his faith shall he live.”] 39 But we are not among those who draw back [through pride per Heb. Hab. 2:4] to destruction, damnation, but of those who have faith, trust, belief for obtaining the salvation, preservation of our souls.
HEBREWS 11:1-20 (Author’s translation)
1Now the faith, trust, assurance, belief is hope established in the certainty of, that which stands under things that are evidence of what can’t be looked at with corporeal eyes. 2 For in it the elders, ancestors, fathers of old gained a good testimony. 3 In faith, trust, assurance, belief we understand that the worlds have been made, joined, perfected, framed in the spoken Word, essence of God so that what is seen with corporeal eyes, has not been made out of things that are visible. 4 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Hevel[H] [Abel] brought to the God a better sacrifice than Kayin[H] [Cain], through which he gained a good testimony that he was a righteous, just one, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith (it), though he is dead, he still speaks. 5 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Chanok[H] [Enoch] was translated, transferred so that he would not see, know death; and he was not found because God translated, transferred, took away him [Gen.5:24]; for before his translation, transference, he had this testimony that he pleased, was well with the God. 6 And without faith, trust, assurance, belief it is impossible to please, be well with God, for the one who comes near to the God must believe, trust that He exists, and that He proves to be a rewarder of those who diligently seek, search for Him. 7 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Noach[H], being warned by God about things not yet seen with corporeal eyes, in fear prepared an ark, box for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the wickedness of the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to the faith, trust, assurance, belief. 8 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Avraham[H] (Father of a great people), when he was called, to go to the land which he was to receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he left, not knowing where he was going. 9 In faith, trust, assurance, belief he sojourned, lived as a foreigner in the land of the promise, message, as if in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Yitzchak[H] [Isaac] and Yaakov[H] [Jacob], fellow heirs of the same promise, message; 10 for he was looking, expecting, waiting for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is the God. 11 In faith, trust, assurance, belief even Sarah[H] herself received strength, ability, miraculous power to conceive, make the foundation of a child being seeded brought forth when she was past age, because she considered Him faithful Who had promised, messaged. 12 Therefore even from one man, and one who was as good as dead, there were birthed descendants who were as the stars of heavens in multitudes, and as the sand by the seashore, uncountable. 13 All these died in faith, trust, assurance, belief, without receiving the promises, but having seen, known, understood from a distance, and were persuaded, had confidence, trusted, and embraced, welcomed, greeted them, having professed that they were strangers and exiles, resident foreigners in the land. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a native land. 15 And certainly if they had been remembering the land which they left, they would have had a season, opportunity, an affinity for returning. 16 But now, they desire a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore the God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. 17 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Avraham[H], when he was examined, proved, brought up Yitzchak[H] [Isaac], and the one who had received the promises was offering up his only son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “Through Yitzchak[H] your seed shall be called.” [Gen. 21:12] 19 He considered that the God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type, figure, parable. 20 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Yitzchak[H] blessed Yaakov[H] and Esav[H], even regarding things to come.
HEBREWS 11:1-20 (line upon line)
1Now the faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ha-emunah[H]) is hope (elpizo[G]) established in the certainty (hupostasis[G]) of, that which stands under things (pragma[G], devariym[H]) that are evidence (elegchos[G]) of what can’t be looked at with corporeal eyes (blepo[G], niriym[H]). 2 For in it the elders, ancestors, fathers of old (presbuteros[G], ha’avot[H]) gained a good testimony (martureō[G], shehuadah[H]). 3 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) we understand (noieo[G], naviyn[H]) that the worlds (aion[G], haolamot[H]) have been made, joined, perfected, framed (katartizō[G], na’asu[H]) in the spoken Word, essence (rhema[G], bidvar[H]) of God (Theos[G], ha-Elohiym[H]) so that what is seen with corporeal eyes (blepo[G], hanireh[H]), has not been made out of things that are visible (phainō[G], min-hanelam[H]).
1Now the faith, trust, assurance, belief is hope established in the certainty of, that which stands under things that are evidence of what can’t be looked at with corporeal eyes.
The Greek pistis is equivalent to the Hebrew emunah and conveys more than mental assent or belief in an idea. The faith being spoken of here is a committed, ongoing, assurance of belief and trust in God through Yeshua the King Messiah.
Faith in Yeshua does not fear doubt but consumes it turning it into fuel for the fire of certainty. Because faith is given to the believer by God it is returned to God in relationship. No one can come to the Father except through Yeshua and no one can receive Yeshua except by the revelation of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) Who is the Spirit of the Father and the Son. We love Him because He first loved us (with an everlasting love), we have faith in Him because He created in us the possibility of faith.
Faith, as the text says, is “hope established in certainty”! Certainty is possible only because God exists and has subjugated chaos, a symptom of rebellion, made possible by the need for freewill in order for love to be manifest and reciprocated.
Our hope in Messiah is established in the foundation of those things unseen, eternal, of the Creator, things preceding and succeeding or proceeding after the sin affected created order.
Faith in God through Yeshua is itself the evidence of the promised inheritance of eternal life in God. This sets the stage for the remainder of this chapter and a good portion of the following chapter.
This faith gives the believer the ability to see in spirit what cannot be seen with corporeal human sight.
Just as wind is evidence of the existence of unseen air, so faith is evidence of the life giving Spirit of God. Faith is the wind of the new creation, evidence of a form of air so pure that it cannot be polluted.
Put simply:
Faith, trust, committed belief, is being certain of what we hope for and convinced of what we cannot presently see with corporeal human sight.
As proof the writer of the Book to the Hebrews goes on to give examples of this same faith made manifest in the God fearing forefathers of Israel. Showing that the faith in question transcends the boundaries of time and space because the God in Whom this faith is placed is unbound by the sin affected created order.
2 For in it the elders, ancestors, fathers of old gained a good testimony.
The faith of the God fearing forefathers of Israel is a good testimony offered to encourage the recipients of this work. The faith of the forefathers, like the saving faith in Messiah Yeshua, is a faith that endures hardship, persecution, even disappointment of not seeing a certain thing come to pass in this temporal life. It is a transcendent faith that will yet see its reward.
The faith in question is faith in God through the King Messiah Yeshua. Therefore, when the text says, “For in it (faith) the fathers of old gained good report”, it means that the fathers of Israel had faith in the King Messiah prior to His entry into time and space as the virgin born Son of God. Just one of many instances where systematic dispensationalism falls apart at the seams.
The example of the forefathers affirms the teaching of the Book to the Hebrews, which makes a connection between faith and salvation (Heb. 11:7), and between faith and pleasing God (Heb. 11:5-6).
It is unwise to say as some do that “faith is the sole base for human merit”. This borders on blasphemy. Human merit results from Messiah’s merit and is made possible through faith, but not by it. We are saved “by grace through faith” (Eph. 2:8-9) and according to that faith we are accredited the righteousness of Messiah, and not our own righteousness.
When the Scripture says, “And he (Avraham) believed, trusted in the LORD and he (The Lord) counted it (faith in Messiah) to him for righteousness.” (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:3) It is saying that Avraham received God’s redemptive offer in Messiah before Messiah was born and that Avraham therefore received the righteousness of Messiah as a result of that faith. Faith was the vehicle, Messiah’s blood was the means.
3 In faith, trust, assurance, belief we understand that the worlds have been made, joined, perfected, framed in the spoken Word, essence of God so that what is seen with corporeal eyes, has not been made out of things that are visible.
“1In the beginning (En arkhay[G] In the Origin, Be’reishit[H] In the head/front/Leader) was the Word, Essence, Substance, Utterance, Manifestation (Logos[G], Davar[H], Memra[RA], Miltha[A]) and the Word was with the God (Ho-Theos[G], Ha-Elohim[H]), and God was that Word. 2 The same was in the beginning with the God.” -John 1:1-2 (Author’s translation)
Yochanan firmly anchors his Gospel account in the Torah (Books of Moses) and the wider body of Hebrew Scripture the Tanakh (OT).
Both Genesis (Tanakh) and John (NT) begin (no pun intended) with the phrase “In the Beginning”. This is why the Hebrew title of the book of Genesis is Be’reishit, which is the first word of Genesis, a compound word made up of Ba (In the) and Reishit (From Rosh, meaning head, leader, front).
It is interesting to note that this theme of beginning influenced the Egyptian Coptic order of the New Testament, which places John at the beginning. The Egyptian Coptic New Testament Gospels book order being John, Matthew, Mark, Luke.
With regard to the Hebrew text of both Be’reishit (Genesis) and Yochanan (John), we may read Be’reishit as, “In the Head”, the “Head” of the Universe (All creation) being YHVH, God Himself. Therefore, as in the case of Genesis, John’s Gospel begins in God, the Creator and Head of all things. This is of significance to Messiah followers, who have accepted that Yeshua our King Messiah is the “Head” of the body of believers (Ephesians 5:23).
“In the beginning was the Word” (John. 1:1) is synonymous with “In the beginning… Elohim said (spoken Word)” (Gen. 1:1, 3). Thus, John establishes the all existing, uncreated, pre-existent nature of the Word. The Word being the manifest essence of God Himself, anthropomorphically issuing from God’s mouth.
The alternative Orthodox Jewish English translation of Genesis 1:1, which reads, “When God began to create…” further establishing the existence of the Word prior to all of the created order.
The Hebrew text of Genesis 1:1 reads:
“Be’reishit In the beginning (head) bara creating (from nothing), Elohim God (Judge) et (Aleph-Tav, the Alphabet, that which forms all words), ha-shamayim the heavens v’et (and Aleph-Tav) ha-aretz the earth (land).”
“I am the Aleph and the Tav, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the goal… I, Yeshua, have sent my messenger to give you this testimony for the believing communities. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” - Revelation 22:13, 16 (Author’s translation)
Therefore, the remez (hint) found in the “et” (Aleph-Tav) of Genesis 1:1, is a further illumination of the words of Yochanan (John) 1:1, and points us to Yeshua.
God is seen throughout the Tanakh (OT) creating, calling, instructing and relating through His Word. Yishayahu (Isaiah) says:
“Kiy ka’asher yeireid For as the coming down of hageshem the rain vehasheleg and the snow min-hashamayim from the heavens ve’shamah and there lo yashuv do not return kiy until they hirvah satiate, satisfy the thirst of et-haaretz the earth (land), veholiydah and it brings forth vehitzmiychah and sprouts, venatan and gives zera seed lazoreia to the sower velechem and bread laocheil to the eater, Kein yihyeh So will it come to pass that Devariy My Word asher yeitzei which goes out mipiy from My mouth; lo-yashuv will not return eiliy to Me reiykam void, empty, vainly, kiy for im-asah rather, it will accomplish, make, fashion (asah, from something) that which chafatztiy I delight in, desire, am pleased with, take pleasure in, vehitzliyach and will rush, advance, prosper, succeed in asher that for which shelachtiyv I sent it.” -Isaiah 55:10-11 (Author’s translation)
“the Word was with the God, and God was that Word.” The writer is clear, the Word is both with God and at the same time God. Contrary to popular teaching, this was not an entirely alien concept in first century Judaism.
The idea of the Word (Logos[G], Davar[H] Memra[RA], Miltha[A]) being intrinsically linked to God was not a foreign concept to first century Judaism. Philo of Alexandria a.k.a Yedideyah Ha-Cohen (Jedidiah the priest), a Jewish philosopher who lived from 20 B.C.E (B.C) to 50 C.E (A.D) wrote:
“The most universal of all things is God; and in second place, the word of God.” -Philo of Alexandria Allegorical Interpretation II, 86
The Aramaic Jerusalem Targum, codified in the second century C.E (A.D) renders the text of Genesis 3:8 as:
“…they heard the voice of the word of the Lord God walking in the garden… and Adam and his wife hid themselves from before the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” -Jerusalem Targum (Genesis 3:8)
Using the Rabbinical Aramaic word Memra in place of the Hebrew Davar in the same Aramaic Targum, the writer renders Genesis 19:24 as:
“And the Word (Memra) of the Lord Himself had made to descend upon the people of Sodom and Gomora… fire from before the Lord from the heavens.” -Jerusalem Targum 19:24
The Talmud also understands the Messiah as pre-existent, though not all existing/uncreated:
“It was taught that seven things were created before the world was created; they are the Torah, repentance, the Garden of Eden, Gehinnom, the Throne of Glory, the Temple, and the name of the Messiah… The name of the Messiah, as it is written: ‘May his name (Messiah) endure forever, may his name produce issue prior to the sun’ (Psalm 72:17).” -Pesachim 54a, N’darim 39a; and Midrash on Psalm 93:3
The Jewish convert and commentator Onkelos wrote the following paraphrase (110 C.E/A.D) in his commentary on Genesis 28:20:
"if the word of the Lord will be my help, and will keep me, the word of the Lord shall be my God:” -Paraphrase Genesis 28:20 Onkelos (35-120 CE/AD)
The second century Targums of Yonatan and Yerushalayim paraphrase certain texts as referring to the Memra (Word[RA]):
"I will cause the glory of my Shekinah to dwell among you, and my word shall be your God, the Redeemer;” -Targum Yonatan Leviticus 26:12
"out of thee, before me, shall come forth the Messiah, that he may exercise dominion over Israel; whose name is said from eternity, from the days of old.” -Targum Yonatan Micah 5:2
"ye have made the word of the Lord king over you this day, that he may be your God:” -Targum Yerushalayim Deuteronomy 26:17
In stating that “the Word was with the God, and God was that Word” Yochanan is expressing the Hebrew understanding of “both and” rather than the limited Greco-Roman thinking of “either or”. In this respect Yochanan’s Gospel establishes itself in Biblical Hebrew thought from the outset. Therefore, failing to understand Yochanan’s words from a Hebraic mindset will lead to misinterpretation and limited understanding on the part of the student of this Gospel.
“He (Yeshua) is wrapped in a garment immersed in blood, and He is called by the name Ho-Logos[G] (Ha-Davar[H]) the Word, Ho-Theos[G] (Ha-Elohim[H]) the God.” -Revelation 19:13 (Author’s translation)
Yeshua (YHVH Saves), Ha-Davar (the Word, Essence) Ha-Elohim (the God, Judge, Ruler) Imanu (With us) El (God).
For further study see my article on the Gospel according to John Chapter 1:
https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary---15081497151214931513-1497150615111489/yochanan-the-good-news-according-to-john-introduction-chapter-1
so that what is seen with corporeal eyes, has not been made out of things that are visible.
God has neither beginning nor end, He is eternal, all existing, not created. Yeshua likewise is all existing, not created. God is one.
The things created within the created order have a beginning and must be made from something, matter, substance, something. But God created the natural order from nothing, the Latin ex nihilo describing well the meaning of the action described in Genesis 1:1 “Berieshit bara Elohiym”
The writer of the Book to the Hebrews explains that this cannot be understood by any other means than faith in God through Messiah. In other words, science can’t comprehend it, intellectual acumen can’t comprehend it, philosophy can’t comprehend it. Only the faith described here can comprehend the creation. We see the truth of this in the inability of scientists, even first cause scientists, to explain how something can be created out of nothing. They cannot, they will not. God has explained it already. It is an understanding of faith, something that all the intellectual prowess in the world put together could never conceive of.
4 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Hevel[H] [Abel] (vapour) brought (prospherō[G]) to the God (ho Theos[G], leiElohiym[H]) a better sacrifice (thusia[G], zevach tov[H]) than Kayin[H] (Cain) (spear), through which he gained a good testimony (martureō[G], l’eidot[H]) that he was (einai[G]) a righteous, just one (dikaios[G], tzadiyk[H]), God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) testifying (martureō[G], behaiyd[H]) about his gifts (dōron[G], al-minchotayv[H]), and through faith (it), though he is dead (apothnēskō[G], moto[H]), he still speaks (laleō[G], achareiy[H]).
4 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Hevel[H] [Abel] brought to the God a better sacrifice than Kayin[H] [Cain], through which he gained a good testimony that he was a righteous, just one, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith (it), though he is dead, he still speaks.
Genesis 4:1-16 gives the account of Cain and Abel.
The writer begins his list of faithful servants of God with Abel because he is the first example in Torah, following the fall of humanity, of one who acts in faith according to the redemptive purposes of God.
“In faith, trust, assurance, belief Abel brought to the God a better sacrifice than Cain” Abel’s sacrifice was of a first born of his flock and the fat (best) portions, a blood sacrifice for the atonement of sin, meaning that he understood that without the shedding of blood there could be no atonement. Therefore, his sacrifice was better than that of Cain, who brought vegetables, and by implication, not the best of his harvest.
Some protest the treatment of Cain, saying, “If all he had to give was fruit, why did the Lord not accept Cain’s offering?” (Gen. 4:4-5)The answer is not in the impugning of God’s character but in the evidence provided in the text concerning the fruit (pun intended) of the faith of Cain verses the fruit of the faith of Abel.
The text of the Torah explains that while Cain brought an offering “from the fruit of the ground”, Abel brought an offering “from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions.” By implication Cain did not bring the best of his produce whereas not only did Abel bring the best but he also understood by faith that blood atonement was needed.
The later instructions of Torah given at Sinai concerning offerings performed by the Levitical priesthood affirm the fact that with the exception of grain offerings, fruit and vegetables are not offered on the altar.
The spiritual knowledge Abel possessed could only have come from intimate relationship with God through faith, whereas the actions of Cain show him to be in rebellion against God. Nonetheless, God affords Cain and opportunity for repentance (Gen. 4:6-7), and Cain goes directly out after hearing the instruction from God to act rightly and instead murders his brother Abel (Gen. 4:8).
“10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: [d]anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister. 11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we are to love one another; 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.” -1 John 3:10-12 (NASB)
“God testifying about his gifts” (Gen. 4:4-5) God accepted Abel and his offering but did not accept the offering of unfaithful Cain.
“though he is dead, he still speaks.” His faithful actions still speak to us. Additionally, and metaphorically, the blood of Abel still cries out from the ground along with the blood of all those who have suffered death at the hands of the unjust (Gen. 4:10; Matt. 23:35; ).
The focus here is on the faith of Abel, and the unspoken counterpoint is that of the faithlessness of Cain.
Abel’s faith, trust and belief brought the kind of sacrifice that pointed to the coming of the Messiah and His eternally effective sacrifice. Therefore the good testimony and acceptance Abel received from God was not because of the sacrifice Abel offered, nor his faith but because he received God’s redemptive offer in Messiah before Messiah was born.
Abel therefore, received the righteousness of Messiah as a result of his faith. Faith and sacrifice were the response of Abel to the redemptive offer of God, Messiah’s blood was the means of Abel’s reconciliation. Faith in God is reliant on God, whereas faith in and of itself is incapable of producing a reliable result.
5 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Chanok[H] [Enoch] (dedicated, inaugurated) was translated, transferred (metatithēmi[G]) so that he would not see, know (eido[G], reoto[H]) death (Thanatos[G], hamavet[H]); and he was not found because God translated, transferred, took away (metatithēmi[G], lakach[H]) him [Gen.5:24]; for before his translation, transference (metathesis[G]), he had this testimony (martureō[G], vehuad[H]) that he pleased, was well with (euaresteō[G]) the God (ho Theos[G], haElohiym[H]). 6 And without faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], emunah[H]) it is impossible to please, be well with (euaresteō[G]) God, for the one who comes near (proserchomai[G]) to the God (ho Theos[G], haElohiym[H]) must believe, trust (pisteuō[G], sheya’amiyn[H]) that He exists, and that He proves to be a rewarder of those who diligently seek, search for (ekzēteō[G]) Him.
5 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Chanok[H] [Enoch] was translated, transferred so that he would not see, know death; and he was not found because God translated, transferred, took away him [Gen.5:24]; for before his translation, transference, he had this testimony that he pleased, was well with the God.
“And walked Chanok with the Elohiym and he was not, for Elohiym took him away” -Bereishit (Genesis) 5:24
The list of faithful ones began with Abel who offered a blood sacrifice acknowledging the need for atonement, and continues with an example of one who based on that atonement is translated so that death is overcome. This is the very essence of the Gospel played out in the historical account of individuals of true faith. Through His blood Messiah has swallowed up death with victory.
Chanok, whose name means “dedicated”, was both dedicated to God in relationship (the true definition of love) and is a sign for future believers of God’s dedication to them and His dedicating of a people redeemed through the blood of His son, prefigured in the sacrifice offered by Abel.
Many pause here to argue the finer details of Chanok’s translation in order to work out how they too might translate. That is a mistake. Becoming enamoured by the ability to transfer or translate is idolatry.
Chanok was not concerned with translating but with God.
The supernatural and miraculous signs that God performs upon, within and around the righteous are not the result of the practices of the righteous but of the relationship God has with those righteous ones, who have received righteousness in Messiah and not of their own works.
Those who seek to emulate miracles rather than focus on God in Messiah, will eventually, if unrepentant, become like those spoken of by Yeshua:
“22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [a]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” -Matthew 7:22-23 (NASB)
Motivation is key because it is the fruit of the heart (core being). A good tree cannot bear bad fruit.
With regard to lawlessness, the only thing worse than practicing witchcraft, is using the Scripture as a tool for practice witchcraft and then calling is Christianity.
Note that Chanok “was well with God”. This regards his relationship in God. God’s testimony of Chanok has to do with right relationship, not deeds.
The Jerusalem Targum (2nd Century Aramaic text) agrees that Chanok was translated by the Word (Yeshua) of God.
"and Enoch worshipped in truth before the Lord; and lo, he was not, for he was translated by the Word from before the Lord;'' -Targum Yerushalayim
As an aside, it is important to note that Chanok is not said to ascend but to have been “taken away”. Those who claim that he ascended are misreading the Biblical texts.
6 And without faith, trust, assurance, belief it is impossible to please, be well with God, for the one who comes near to the God must believe, trust that He exists, and that He proves to be a rewarder of those who diligently seek, search for Him.
“without faith, trust, assurance, belief it is impossible to please, be well with God,” The English word “please” and the phrase “be well with” are synonymous ways of translating the Greek euaresteō. In short, where the writer of this text uses the Greek euaresteō he is denoting right relationship in God rather than a form of pleasing that results from winning approval.
In Messiah we are approved and as a result we act in a pleasing way. The reverse is not true.
“for the one who comes near to the God must believe, trust that He exists” This is both simple and profound. The child comprehends it but the self-convinced atheist does not.
To call Atheism rational is delusional. It is entirely irrational to disregard even the smallest possibility of deity. Few things are as intellectually dishonest as the philosophy of Atheism. Even those who believe in a God or gods have their doubts. Without doubt faith is impossible. On the other hand Atheism claims no doubt, but is absolutely certain that what is possible (God) is impossible.
The agnostic may be slightly more honest but is nonetheless equally deluded. To be indefinitely undecided is as intellectually dishonest as being firmly convinced of a lie.
We note that belief in the One true God of Israel is being addressed here, and not belief in any other form of deity or first cause or science or philosophy.
“and that He proves to be a rewarder of those who diligently seek, search for Him.” Our faith in God through Messiah is never asked of us blindly. We have proof that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Throughout the history of the Jewish people we have seen God’s faithful acts of love and provision born of His holiness. “He proves to be a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”. And what is diligence? The practice of those who are committed to love relationship with Him through Messiah.
“28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, make, so that we may be working, trading in, performing the works, tasks, deeds of the God?” 29 Yeshua answered and said to them, “This is the work, task, deed of the God, that you continue to believe, trust, have faith in Him Whom He has sent.” -Habesorah Al Piy Yochanan 6:28-29 (YBY translation)
“Therefore” Because Yeshua had offered eternal life above and beyond the miraculous sign they had witnessed of Him. And, because they had some sense of Yeshua’s authority based on His signs and words.
“What shall we do, make, so that we may be working, trading in, performing the works, tasks, deeds of the God?” The question shows that they have not understood Yeshua at all. Yeshua is offering redemption, relationship, eternal life, the strength of God at work in them, a gift to be received, but the people are looking for something they can build, accomplish, achieve in their own strength in order to make them right with God. Their focus is on “doing” rather than “being”. They say, “What shall we do, so that we can accomplish the works of God” and Yeshua completely reverses their question and defeats their paradigm with a very simple and eternally profound instruction:
“The works of God are this, that you continue to believe in Him Whom He has sent”. In short, “Be in Me, don’t do for Me. Your doing must come from Me.” Objects are for use, persons are for relationship.
Many fall from the faith because they do not understand this simple truth. Many more retain faith but become burned out and unfruitful because they don’t understand this simple truth.
Yeshua is pointing His hearers back to the Torah and the Word (ha-Davar: John 1:1) of God spoken to their forebears through Moses:
“For near to you all is Ha-Davar (The Word), meod, very much so, in your mouth, and in your inner being, so that you might accomplish, do, act accordingly.” -D’variym (Words) Deuteronomy 30:14
Notice that The Word is offered to the inner person and that it is from the strength of The Word in each one that each one works, accomplishes, acts. Yeshua is Ha-Davar, the Word, Essence, Substance of God, with us.
It is interesting to note that by summing up the 613 commandments of the Torah with this one phrase “the just shall live by his faith” (Hab.2:4), the Talmud agrees with Yeshua’s assertion that to have faith is the work of God (Talmud Bavliy Makkot, fol. 23. 2. & 24. 1.)
“And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” -Jeremiah 29:13 (NASB)
7 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Noach[H] (rest), being warned (chrēmatizō[G]) by God about things (devariym[H]) not yet seen with corporeal eyes (blepo[G], niriym[H]), in fear (eulabeomai[G], nizhar[H]) prepared an ark, box (kibōtos[G]) for the salvation (sōtēria[G], l’hatziyl[H]) of his household (oikos[G], beiyto[H]), by which he condemned the wickedness of (katakrinō[G], vayarsha[H]) the world (kosmos[G], haolam[H]), and became an heir of the righteousness (hatz’dakah[H]) which is according to the faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ha-emunah[H]).
7 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Noach[H], being warned by God about things not yet seen with corporeal eyes, in fear prepared an ark, box for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the wickedness of the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to the faith, trust, assurance, belief.
God’s warning is evidence of His faithfulness. Noah’s obedience is evidence of his relational faith in God. Noah, living in a landlocked region, nonetheless obeyed God in spite of how foolish his actions may have seemed, even to his own family.
Like Noah the faith of the first century Jewish Messiah followers must grapple with the reality that they cannot see with human eyes what the future holds. This is also true of all believers today. We need not hear God’s audible voice or see some vision in order to determine what He is saying. His Word both written and living continues to speak to us. Are we listening and acting?
We note that Noah understood the building of the ark as a vehicle for the salvation of his household and that by building it in obedience to God his right action sealed the fate of the wicked.
Likewise, those who receive Messiah, by doing so affirm the fate of those who reject Messiah. This is why those who reject Messiah have such great hatred for the believer. Being aware of the emptiness of their own false deities and philosophies, they despise those who live lives of certain hope in Messiah.
“The believer in Him is not separated, condemned, put asunder: but the disbeliever, one who has chosen disbelief is separated, condemned, put asunder already, because he has not believed, trusted in, become convinced of the name, identity of the One and only begotten the Son of the God.” -John 3:18 (Author’s translation)
Righteous behaviour is an indictment against sin:
“Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for by doing so you will heap coals of fire on his head (judgement). Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” -Romans 12:20-21 (Author’s translation)
It is interesting to note that Jewish tradition records that Noah preached repentance to his generation (Mekhilta Shirah 5; Sifre Num. 23; Talmud Bavliy Sanhedrin 108a - b; Pirke R. El. 22.)
Noah is the first person that the Torah calls “righteous” (Gen. 6:9). Like Enoch, Noah “walked with God”, a phrase denoting right relationship.
We note that in one sense the ark or box built by Noah reflects a coffin and that Noah and his family passed through the waters (a symbol of the domain of the departed – Sheol) and into life. The history of Noah and the flood is one of the many immersions (baptisms) throughout Scripture that allude to death and resurrection, and point to the redemptive work of Yeshua the King Messiah.
8 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Avraham[H] (Father of a great people), when he was called (kaleō[G], nikra[H]), to go to the land (ha’aretz[H]) which he was to receive for an inheritance, obeyed (hupakouō[G]); and he left, not knowing where he was going. 9 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) he sojourned, lived as a foreigner (paroikeō[G]) in the land (be’eretz[H]) of the promise, message (epaggelia[G], hahavtachah[H]), as if in a foreign land (allotrios[G]), dwelling (katoikeō[G], vayishev[H]) in tents (skēnē[G], beohaliym[H]) with Yitzchak[H] [Isaac] (he laughs) and Yaakov[H] [Jacob] (follower), fellow heirs of the same promise, message (epaggelia[G], hahavtachah[H]);
8 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Avraham[H] (Father of a great people), when he was called, to go to the land which he was to receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he left, not knowing where he was going.
The prophet Nehemiah (Neh. 9:7-8) extols the faith of Avraham and shows that God’s promise of land as an inheritance is connected to that faith. In the context of the present text that inheritance is an everlasting land, the Ha Aretz of the new creation and the Olam Haba (world to come).
Avraham stepped out in faith, having already experienced the faithfulness of God, to go somewhere he wasn’t even sure existed, but trusted God for its existence. Therefore, our faith in God through Yeshua concerning the world to come is no different.
Avraham’s faithful obedience:
“Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.” -Genesis 12:1-4
Avraham, father of faith (Romans 4; Galatians 3)
9 In faith, trust, assurance, belief he sojourned, lived as a foreigner in the land of the promise, message, as if in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Yitzchak[H] [Isaac] and Yaakov[H] [Jacob], fellow heirs of the same promise, message;
Avraham is used as the ultimate example of true faith in the Jewish tradition (Sirach 44:19-21; 1 Macc. 2:52; Genesis Rabah 43; Mekhilta Mishpatim 18).
When Avraham arrived in Canaan God said, "I will give this land to your seed" (Gen. 12:7). Soon after God said, "I will give it to you and your seed forever" (Gen. 13:15).
God’s promise to give the ethnic-religious people of Israel the land of Israel is both for the present world and for the world to come. At the judgement, all the liberal Christian whining concerning the modern state of Israel will be silenced by this transcendent reality, when they discover that God invented Zionism (in the truest sense), and intends to perpetuate it in the world to come.
The text of Hebrews emphasises the future orientation of Avraham’s faith in God by highlighting his response to God’s call for Avraham to walk toward the unseen. Just as the Shabbat and the land of Israel are earlier used as metaphors for the world to come (Heb. 3 - 4), so too here Avraham’s faith journey is used as a metaphor for all believers, first the Jew and also the nations.
Avraham lived as a guest in the land that was to belong to his descendants, as did Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs to that same promise. This text affirms the passing on of the covenant made with Avraham to Isaac and Jacob and therefore, Israel. It also emphasises the fact that the fullness of the promise is yet to be realised. Therefore, like Avraham the first century Jewish followers of Messiah are living as guests in the land of Israel which will one day be theirs forever. Likewise, all believers are living as guests in a sin affected world that will one day be translated, a new creation, in which all believers will dwell forever in God through Messiah Yeshua.
Many are forcefully displaced, but Avraham, in faith chose to be displaced according to God’s promise of a better place.
“Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child.” -Acts 7:5 (ESV)
How can God fulfil His promise to Avraham if Avraham is dead?
“And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” -Matthew 22:31-32
10 for he was looking, expecting, waiting (ekdechomai[G], chikah[H]) for the city (polis
[G], laiyr[H]) which has foundations (themelios[G], yesudatah[H]), whose architect (technitēs[G]) and builder (dēmiourgos[G]) is the God (ho Theos[G], haElohiym[H]). 11 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) even Sarah[H] (princess, noble woman, woman ruler) herself received strength, ability, miraculous power (dunamis[G], koach[H]) to conceive, make the foundation of a child (katabolē[G]) being seeded (sperma[G], lehazriya[H]) brought forth (tiktō[G], vateiled[H]) when she was past age, because she considered (hēgeomai[G]) Him faithful (pistos[G], lene’eman[H]) Who had promised, messaged (epaggellō[G], hamavtiyach[H]).
10 for he was looking, expecting, waiting for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is the God.
The writer of the Book to the Hebrews inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh is thinking here as a Jew. He is acknowledging the p’shat (plain meaning) both as Avraham understood the promise to apply to the physical land and as the text explains that same promise. But he also sees a remez (hint) at a sod (mystery) that he believes Avraham also saw. That is, the promised transcendent city of God (the New Jerusalem [Heb. 12:22; 13:14; Rev. 21]) and the land it would inhabit in the Olam Haba (world to come).
Therefore, Avraham’s faith in God and His promise meant that Avraham saw the future physical fulfilment as well as the future and eternal metaphysical fulfilment. And, in order for this to be true Avraham must also have seen and received the King Messiah Yeshua through Whom the future fulfilment is made possible. Yeshua Himself confirms that this is so:
“Your father Avraham was overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.” So the Judean (leaders) said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Avraham?” Yeshua said to them, “B’emet, b’emet, amein, amein, it is certainly true, I say to you, before Avraham was born, I AM.” -John 8:56-58 (Author’s translation)
11 In faith, trust, assurance, belief even Sarah[H] herself received strength, ability, miraculous power to conceive, make the foundation of a child being seeded brought forth when she was past age, because she considered Him faithful Who had promised, messaged.
Ref. Genesis 18:9-15; 21:1-8
Although Sarah’s first response to the promised child was one of doubt, the Genesis account implies repentance on her part, a turning toward God in faith following her initial doubt. When challenged concerning her disbelief Sarah responded with integrity and chose faith. In many ways she is as great an example of faith as Avraham, for no one can be reconciled to God except in repentance. Great faith is repentant faith.
Here the faith of Sarah is attested to as being of the nature of Avraham’s faith. In faith Sarah received the ability to conceive. “she considered Him (God) faithful Who had promised…” Avraham physically seeded the egg in Sarah’s womb, but it was God Who made the pregnancy possible (though she had already gone through menopause) and Sarah accepted the possibility because she trusted God. If not for Sarah’s faith in God Avraham’s faith in God would not have seen it’s hope made certain.
“received strength” In Hebrew Scripture “strength” can be a euphemism for “seed/sperm” (ex. Prov. 31:3). Therefore, Sarah received the seed (sperm) of Avraham because she believed, trusted, had faith in God to do the miraculous. Notice then that it is the combined faith of Avraham and Sarah that God seeds the promised progeny (child). The birth of Isaac is evidence of the promise yet to be fulfilled.
It is foolish to argue as some do in favour of the present verse referring to Avraham’s faith (based on the vulgate and oriental translations – neither of which are original Scripture texts) because the authoritative text specifically says,“she considered Him (God) faithful Who had promised…”. It’s the worst kind of misogynistic foolishness to seek to rob Sarah of honour concerning her faith in HaShem. The promises of God are manifest in Adam and Eve, Avraham and Sarah, Joseph and Miriyam. Man is humanity, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” -Genesis 1:27 (NASB) Those who promote man over woman misrepresent God’s image and fail to properly understand the order and glory of creation.
12 Therefore even from one man (mei’echad[H]), and one who was as good as dead (nekroō[G], lamavet[H]), there were birthed (gennaō[G]) descendants who were as the stars of heavens (ouranos[G], hashamayim[H]) in multitudes (plēthos[G]), and as the sand (ammos[G]) by the seashore (al sefat hayam[H]), uncountable (anarithmētos[G]).
12 Therefore even from one man, and one who was as good as dead, there were birthed descendants who were as the stars of heavens in multitudes, and as the sand by the seashore, uncountable.
This verse implies that Avraham (as good as dead being a euphemism for low sperm count, impotence) was delivering sperm that could not seed an egg. But God miraculously strengthened Avraham’s sperm in order for Sarah to conceive.
From the union of an impotent man and a barren woman God birthed the father of a nation that still exists to this day (Rom. 4:19).
This example is used as evidence that God has, does and will do the impossible, just as the early Jewish believers had seen and heard with regard to the miracles of Yeshua.
13 All these died (apothnēskō[G], meitu[H]) in faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]), without receiving the promises (epaggelia[G], hahavtachot[H]), but having seen, known, understood (eidō[G]) from a distance, and were persuaded, had confidence, trusted (peithō[G]), and embraced, welcomed, greeted (aspazomai[G]) them, having professed (homologeō[G]) that they were strangers (xenos[G]) and exiles, resident foreigners (parepidēmos[G]) in the land (ho gē[G], ba’aretz[H]). 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a native land (patris[G], eretz[H]).
13 All these died in faith, trust, assurance, belief, without receiving the promises, but having seen, known, understood from a distance, and were persuaded, had confidence, trusted, and embraced, welcomed, greeted them, having professed that they were strangers and exiles, resident foreigners in the land.
“And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my dwelling and working as a foreigner are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their dwelling and working as a foreigners.” -Genesis 47:9 (Author’s translation)
All those mentioned and those yet to be mentioned died being assured in their faith in God that the promises they had not yet seen fulfilled would be fulfilled. This and the fact that it is appointed to all human beings to die once and then the judgement (Heb. 9:27), means that Enoch will one day die, as will Elijah (Rev. 11:7-14).
Therefore, they died believing in the resurrection and the world to come (Olam Haba). They understood, that having received God’s promised salvation from sin and everlasting death through the King Messiah Yeshua Who was yet to be born into time and space, that they would live eternally in God through Messiah in a world devoid of sin.
Therefore, being in a sin affected world they were by nature of their relationship in God no longer sons and daughters of sin affected creation but had become sons and daughters of the Creator whose new creation is promised to all who believe.
They were strangers on this land, this earth because they had turned away from the nature of this place and had been translated through Messiah, thus changing their nature.
In Messiah we have already passed from death into life (John 5:24). We are foreigners on this land, this earth. We are inheritors of the world everlasting.
14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a native land.
This is in reference to their belief in the fulfilment of the giving of the promised land of Israel to the Jewish people and in its metaphysical fulfilment in the Olam Haba.
Remember, that when Avraham arrived in Canaan God said, "I will give this land to your seed" (Gen. 12:7). Soon after God said, "I will give it to you and your seed forever" (Gen. 13:15).
God’s promise to give the ethnic-religious people of Israel the land of Israel is both for the present world and for the world to come.
15 And certainly if they had been remembering (mnēmoneuō[G]) the land (ha’aretz[H]) which they left, they would have had a season, opportunity, an affinity (kairos[G]) for returning (anakamptō[G], lashuv[H]). 16 But now (nuni[G]), they desire a better (tovah[H]) land, that is, a heavenly one (epouranios[G], vishmeiy[H]). Therefore the God (ho Theos[G], ha-Elohiym[H]) is not ashamed to be called their God (Theos[G], Eloheiyhem[H]); for He has prepared a city (polis[G], iyr shamah[H]) for them.
15 And certainly if they had been remembering the land which they left, they would have had a season, opportunity, an affinity for returning.
If they had kept thinking on and focusing their attention on where they had come from (out of lands of idolatry, slavery, paganism), they might have returned to that place and failed to receive the promise.
In this is a lesson for all believers. We are not to pine away for the past life of sin or focus on those things that we have left behind, rather we are to maintain our commitment to God in Messiah and keep our eyes on Him in Whom we will receive our everlasting inheritance.
16 But now, they desire a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore the God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
In Messiah God the Father (Creator) has adopted children of God from among the children of creation.
Land and heavens are seen as convergent concepts here. This indicates a future convergence of heaven and earth, a new heavens and a new earth which are recreated when the sin affected creation is consumed by the purifying fire of God and made new having been ignited by that same fire. The fire of God will purge all evil and purify the redeemed (Rev. 8:8; 9:18; 14:10, 18; 16:8; 17:16; 18:8; 19:20; 20:9-15; 21).
The promised land and city that await the faithful in the heavenlies are promised to descend (Rev. 21:2). Throughout, the writer makes “city” and “land” or “country” interchangeable terms in order to convey a holistic Hebraic understanding of convergent things. These things are distinct and one (echad).
“He has prepared a city for them” Note “has” before they existed “prepared a city for them”. The New Jerusalem, like the world to come, was prepared in Messiah Yeshua before the foundation of the world. God’s mercy precedes His judgement and is the result of it.
17 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Avraham[H] (Father of a great people), when he was examined, proved (peirazō[G]), brought up (prospherō[G]) Yitzchak[H] [Isaac] (he laughs), and the one who had received the promises (epaggelia[G], hahavtachot[H]) was offering up (prospherō[G]) his only son (monogenēs[G]); 18 it was he to whom it was said, “Through Yitzchak[H] (Isaac) your seed (sperma[G], zara[H]) shall be called.” [Gen. 21:12]
17 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Avraham[H], when he was examined, proved, brought up Yitzchak[H] [Isaac], and the one who had received the promises was offering up his only son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “Through Yitzchak[H] your seed shall be called.” [Gen. 21:12]
First, God does not test in order to discover, He is all knowing. Rather He proves, examines, in order that we might discover who we are in Him.
Please consider reading my commentary on Genesis 22 concerning Ha-Akeidah (the Binding) to gain a greater understanding of the present text.
https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary---15081497151214931513-1497150615111489/november-11th-2016
The actions of Avraham regarding the offering up of his son Isaac are the ultimate prefigure of God’s offering up of His only begotten Son Yeshua. We note that in both cases the sons are willing participants in the offering, both being adult men at the time of their calling to sacrifice, and both allowing themselves to be bound and offered.
Pirqe Rabbi Eliezer draws a connection between the Akeidah and resurrection which is also found in the High Holy Days liturgy of rabbinical Judaism.
19 He considered that the God (ho Theos[G], ha-Elohiym[H]) is able to raise people even from the dead (ho nekros[G], hamavet[H]), from which he also received him back as a type, figure, parable (parabolē[G], lemofeit[H], alt. mashal[H]). 20 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Yitzchak[H] [Isaac] (he laughs) blessed Yaakov[H] [Jacob] (follower) and Esav[H] [Esau] (hairy, rough), even regarding things to come.
19 He considered that the God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type, figure, parable.
Both Avraham and Isaac believed that God could raise the dead. This is clear, based on the fact that both Avraham and Isaac were aware of God’s promise to Avraham’s descendants and His assurance that those descendants would come through Isaac, who had been miraculously conceived.
God had shown through physical blessing the reality of His miraculous power to fulfil His promises. Therefore, an adult Isaac (37 years old, Sarah being 90 at his birth and on hearing the news that Avraham was taking Isaac to sacrifice him [re. rabbinic trad.] she died soon after aged 127), willingly allowed Avraham to bind him and offer him because Isaac believed God could raise the dead. And, Avraham bound and offered Isaac, his only true heir, because he believed that God could raise the dead.
"when he saw the sword over his neck, his breath fled from him, and came to the place of the soul, ‘as if he was at the point of giving up the ghost’.'' - Pirke Rabbi Eliezer, c. 31.
This entire historical account being a prophetic prefigure of what was to come in Yeshua the King Messiah. Therefore, as the text says, “from which he (Avraham) received him (Isaac) back as a parable (teaching story)”. This is a parable that is also an historical event.
Avraham received Isaac back because a Ram of God took Isaac’s place, and thus Jacob (Israel) who was at the time still in Isaac’s loins, was also delivered from death by the Ram of God that took his place. In the same way Yeshua took the place of all who would receive Him, He being both the Ram and the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:19-20; Rev. 13:8).
20 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Yitzchak[H] blessed Yaakov[H] and Esav[H], even regarding things to come.
Ref. Gen 27:1-40
Isaac continued to have faith in God for the promises yet to be fulfilled even in his old age with his vision waning. He blessed his sons though he could not see who he was blessing, and trusted God to bless according to His will rather than according to the will of Isaac’s flesh. As a result Jacob received the blessing and God conferred that blessing onto the 12 sons of Jacob the people of Israel through whom the King Messiah Yeshua was born into time and space in order to redeem human beings from the just punishment of sin, continually first for the Jews and also continually for the nations.
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown
It is for good reason that this chapter of the Book to the Hebrews is known as the faith chapter. The word faith is used 24 times and the phrase “in faith” (ba-emunah[H]) 21 times.
What is abundantly clear is that faith in God through the King Messiah was, is and until His return, will be the only assurance of the certain hope of everlasting life.
Without doubt faith cannot exist, but for the believer, even our temporal doubts point to faith. Therefore, Messiah in us firmly establishes that which we hope for in Him.
The One through Whom the seen things were created reveals to us the unseen reality of everlasting life through Him, in God the Father.
The writer of this work, inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh, gives numerous examples of the kind of faith he is speaking of, which is seen throughout Israel’s history and from before her inception in the lives of her God fearing forefathers.
This is an encouragement to those suffering at the time of the writing of this work because it is evidence of faith maintained through trials, difficult circumstances, exile, wandering and loss.
The first century Jewish followers of Yeshua are instructed by this work to remember their forebears and hold on to their faith, trusting in God for the promised Olam Haba (world to come) in spite of their ability to see that inheritance with corporeal human sight.
Last verses of Hebrews 10:
38 But My righteous one will live by faith; [Hab. 2:4] And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” [LXX and a summation of Hab. 2:5-20] [Hebrew text of Habakkuk 2:4: “Behold, now, pay attention, he is lifted up (has drawn back through pride) and is not upright in his soul, behold, and the just/righteous, by his faith shall he live.”] 39 But we are not among those who draw back [through pride per Heb. Hab. 2:4] to destruction, damnation, but of those who have faith, trust, belief for obtaining the salvation, preservation of our souls.
HEBREWS 11:1-20 (Author’s translation)
1Now the faith, trust, assurance, belief is hope established in the certainty of, that which stands under things that are evidence of what can’t be looked at with corporeal eyes. 2 For in it the elders, ancestors, fathers of old gained a good testimony. 3 In faith, trust, assurance, belief we understand that the worlds have been made, joined, perfected, framed in the spoken Word, essence of God so that what is seen with corporeal eyes, has not been made out of things that are visible. 4 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Hevel[H] [Abel] brought to the God a better sacrifice than Kayin[H] [Cain], through which he gained a good testimony that he was a righteous, just one, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith (it), though he is dead, he still speaks. 5 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Chanok[H] [Enoch] was translated, transferred so that he would not see, know death; and he was not found because God translated, transferred, took away him [Gen.5:24]; for before his translation, transference, he had this testimony that he pleased, was well with the God. 6 And without faith, trust, assurance, belief it is impossible to please, be well with God, for the one who comes near to the God must believe, trust that He exists, and that He proves to be a rewarder of those who diligently seek, search for Him. 7 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Noach[H], being warned by God about things not yet seen with corporeal eyes, in fear prepared an ark, box for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the wickedness of the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to the faith, trust, assurance, belief. 8 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Avraham[H] (Father of a great people), when he was called, to go to the land which he was to receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he left, not knowing where he was going. 9 In faith, trust, assurance, belief he sojourned, lived as a foreigner in the land of the promise, message, as if in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Yitzchak[H] [Isaac] and Yaakov[H] [Jacob], fellow heirs of the same promise, message; 10 for he was looking, expecting, waiting for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is the God. 11 In faith, trust, assurance, belief even Sarah[H] herself received strength, ability, miraculous power to conceive, make the foundation of a child being seeded brought forth when she was past age, because she considered Him faithful Who had promised, messaged. 12 Therefore even from one man, and one who was as good as dead, there were birthed descendants who were as the stars of heavens in multitudes, and as the sand by the seashore, uncountable. 13 All these died in faith, trust, assurance, belief, without receiving the promises, but having seen, known, understood from a distance, and were persuaded, had confidence, trusted, and embraced, welcomed, greeted them, having professed that they were strangers and exiles, resident foreigners in the land. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a native land. 15 And certainly if they had been remembering the land which they left, they would have had a season, opportunity, an affinity for returning. 16 But now, they desire a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore the God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. 17 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Avraham[H], when he was examined, proved, brought up Yitzchak[H] [Isaac], and the one who had received the promises was offering up his only son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “Through Yitzchak[H] your seed shall be called.” [Gen. 21:12] 19 He considered that the God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type, figure, parable. 20 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Yitzchak[H] blessed Yaakov[H] and Esav[H], even regarding things to come.
HEBREWS 11:1-20 (line upon line)
1Now the faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ha-emunah[H]) is hope (elpizo[G]) established in the certainty (hupostasis[G]) of, that which stands under things (pragma[G], devariym[H]) that are evidence (elegchos[G]) of what can’t be looked at with corporeal eyes (blepo[G], niriym[H]). 2 For in it the elders, ancestors, fathers of old (presbuteros[G], ha’avot[H]) gained a good testimony (martureō[G], shehuadah[H]). 3 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) we understand (noieo[G], naviyn[H]) that the worlds (aion[G], haolamot[H]) have been made, joined, perfected, framed (katartizō[G], na’asu[H]) in the spoken Word, essence (rhema[G], bidvar[H]) of God (Theos[G], ha-Elohiym[H]) so that what is seen with corporeal eyes (blepo[G], hanireh[H]), has not been made out of things that are visible (phainō[G], min-hanelam[H]).
1Now the faith, trust, assurance, belief is hope established in the certainty of, that which stands under things that are evidence of what can’t be looked at with corporeal eyes.
The Greek pistis is equivalent to the Hebrew emunah and conveys more than mental assent or belief in an idea. The faith being spoken of here is a committed, ongoing, assurance of belief and trust in God through Yeshua the King Messiah.
Faith in Yeshua does not fear doubt but consumes it turning it into fuel for the fire of certainty. Because faith is given to the believer by God it is returned to God in relationship. No one can come to the Father except through Yeshua and no one can receive Yeshua except by the revelation of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) Who is the Spirit of the Father and the Son. We love Him because He first loved us (with an everlasting love), we have faith in Him because He created in us the possibility of faith.
Faith, as the text says, is “hope established in certainty”! Certainty is possible only because God exists and has subjugated chaos, a symptom of rebellion, made possible by the need for freewill in order for love to be manifest and reciprocated.
Our hope in Messiah is established in the foundation of those things unseen, eternal, of the Creator, things preceding and succeeding or proceeding after the sin affected created order.
Faith in God through Yeshua is itself the evidence of the promised inheritance of eternal life in God. This sets the stage for the remainder of this chapter and a good portion of the following chapter.
This faith gives the believer the ability to see in spirit what cannot be seen with corporeal human sight.
Just as wind is evidence of the existence of unseen air, so faith is evidence of the life giving Spirit of God. Faith is the wind of the new creation, evidence of a form of air so pure that it cannot be polluted.
Put simply:
Faith, trust, committed belief, is being certain of what we hope for and convinced of what we cannot presently see with corporeal human sight.
As proof the writer of the Book to the Hebrews goes on to give examples of this same faith made manifest in the God fearing forefathers of Israel. Showing that the faith in question transcends the boundaries of time and space because the God in Whom this faith is placed is unbound by the sin affected created order.
2 For in it the elders, ancestors, fathers of old gained a good testimony.
The faith of the God fearing forefathers of Israel is a good testimony offered to encourage the recipients of this work. The faith of the forefathers, like the saving faith in Messiah Yeshua, is a faith that endures hardship, persecution, even disappointment of not seeing a certain thing come to pass in this temporal life. It is a transcendent faith that will yet see its reward.
The faith in question is faith in God through the King Messiah Yeshua. Therefore, when the text says, “For in it (faith) the fathers of old gained good report”, it means that the fathers of Israel had faith in the King Messiah prior to His entry into time and space as the virgin born Son of God. Just one of many instances where systematic dispensationalism falls apart at the seams.
The example of the forefathers affirms the teaching of the Book to the Hebrews, which makes a connection between faith and salvation (Heb. 11:7), and between faith and pleasing God (Heb. 11:5-6).
It is unwise to say as some do that “faith is the sole base for human merit”. This borders on blasphemy. Human merit results from Messiah’s merit and is made possible through faith, but not by it. We are saved “by grace through faith” (Eph. 2:8-9) and according to that faith we are accredited the righteousness of Messiah, and not our own righteousness.
When the Scripture says, “And he (Avraham) believed, trusted in the LORD and he (The Lord) counted it (faith in Messiah) to him for righteousness.” (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:3) It is saying that Avraham received God’s redemptive offer in Messiah before Messiah was born and that Avraham therefore received the righteousness of Messiah as a result of that faith. Faith was the vehicle, Messiah’s blood was the means.
3 In faith, trust, assurance, belief we understand that the worlds have been made, joined, perfected, framed in the spoken Word, essence of God so that what is seen with corporeal eyes, has not been made out of things that are visible.
“1In the beginning (En arkhay[G] In the Origin, Be’reishit[H] In the head/front/Leader) was the Word, Essence, Substance, Utterance, Manifestation (Logos[G], Davar[H], Memra[RA], Miltha[A]) and the Word was with the God (Ho-Theos[G], Ha-Elohim[H]), and God was that Word. 2 The same was in the beginning with the God.” -John 1:1-2 (Author’s translation)
Yochanan firmly anchors his Gospel account in the Torah (Books of Moses) and the wider body of Hebrew Scripture the Tanakh (OT).
Both Genesis (Tanakh) and John (NT) begin (no pun intended) with the phrase “In the Beginning”. This is why the Hebrew title of the book of Genesis is Be’reishit, which is the first word of Genesis, a compound word made up of Ba (In the) and Reishit (From Rosh, meaning head, leader, front).
It is interesting to note that this theme of beginning influenced the Egyptian Coptic order of the New Testament, which places John at the beginning. The Egyptian Coptic New Testament Gospels book order being John, Matthew, Mark, Luke.
With regard to the Hebrew text of both Be’reishit (Genesis) and Yochanan (John), we may read Be’reishit as, “In the Head”, the “Head” of the Universe (All creation) being YHVH, God Himself. Therefore, as in the case of Genesis, John’s Gospel begins in God, the Creator and Head of all things. This is of significance to Messiah followers, who have accepted that Yeshua our King Messiah is the “Head” of the body of believers (Ephesians 5:23).
“In the beginning was the Word” (John. 1:1) is synonymous with “In the beginning… Elohim said (spoken Word)” (Gen. 1:1, 3). Thus, John establishes the all existing, uncreated, pre-existent nature of the Word. The Word being the manifest essence of God Himself, anthropomorphically issuing from God’s mouth.
The alternative Orthodox Jewish English translation of Genesis 1:1, which reads, “When God began to create…” further establishing the existence of the Word prior to all of the created order.
The Hebrew text of Genesis 1:1 reads:
“Be’reishit In the beginning (head) bara creating (from nothing), Elohim God (Judge) et (Aleph-Tav, the Alphabet, that which forms all words), ha-shamayim the heavens v’et (and Aleph-Tav) ha-aretz the earth (land).”
“I am the Aleph and the Tav, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the goal… I, Yeshua, have sent my messenger to give you this testimony for the believing communities. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” - Revelation 22:13, 16 (Author’s translation)
Therefore, the remez (hint) found in the “et” (Aleph-Tav) of Genesis 1:1, is a further illumination of the words of Yochanan (John) 1:1, and points us to Yeshua.
God is seen throughout the Tanakh (OT) creating, calling, instructing and relating through His Word. Yishayahu (Isaiah) says:
“Kiy ka’asher yeireid For as the coming down of hageshem the rain vehasheleg and the snow min-hashamayim from the heavens ve’shamah and there lo yashuv do not return kiy until they hirvah satiate, satisfy the thirst of et-haaretz the earth (land), veholiydah and it brings forth vehitzmiychah and sprouts, venatan and gives zera seed lazoreia to the sower velechem and bread laocheil to the eater, Kein yihyeh So will it come to pass that Devariy My Word asher yeitzei which goes out mipiy from My mouth; lo-yashuv will not return eiliy to Me reiykam void, empty, vainly, kiy for im-asah rather, it will accomplish, make, fashion (asah, from something) that which chafatztiy I delight in, desire, am pleased with, take pleasure in, vehitzliyach and will rush, advance, prosper, succeed in asher that for which shelachtiyv I sent it.” -Isaiah 55:10-11 (Author’s translation)
“the Word was with the God, and God was that Word.” The writer is clear, the Word is both with God and at the same time God. Contrary to popular teaching, this was not an entirely alien concept in first century Judaism.
The idea of the Word (Logos[G], Davar[H] Memra[RA], Miltha[A]) being intrinsically linked to God was not a foreign concept to first century Judaism. Philo of Alexandria a.k.a Yedideyah Ha-Cohen (Jedidiah the priest), a Jewish philosopher who lived from 20 B.C.E (B.C) to 50 C.E (A.D) wrote:
“The most universal of all things is God; and in second place, the word of God.” -Philo of Alexandria Allegorical Interpretation II, 86
The Aramaic Jerusalem Targum, codified in the second century C.E (A.D) renders the text of Genesis 3:8 as:
“…they heard the voice of the word of the Lord God walking in the garden… and Adam and his wife hid themselves from before the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” -Jerusalem Targum (Genesis 3:8)
Using the Rabbinical Aramaic word Memra in place of the Hebrew Davar in the same Aramaic Targum, the writer renders Genesis 19:24 as:
“And the Word (Memra) of the Lord Himself had made to descend upon the people of Sodom and Gomora… fire from before the Lord from the heavens.” -Jerusalem Targum 19:24
The Talmud also understands the Messiah as pre-existent, though not all existing/uncreated:
“It was taught that seven things were created before the world was created; they are the Torah, repentance, the Garden of Eden, Gehinnom, the Throne of Glory, the Temple, and the name of the Messiah… The name of the Messiah, as it is written: ‘May his name (Messiah) endure forever, may his name produce issue prior to the sun’ (Psalm 72:17).” -Pesachim 54a, N’darim 39a; and Midrash on Psalm 93:3
The Jewish convert and commentator Onkelos wrote the following paraphrase (110 C.E/A.D) in his commentary on Genesis 28:20:
"if the word of the Lord will be my help, and will keep me, the word of the Lord shall be my God:” -Paraphrase Genesis 28:20 Onkelos (35-120 CE/AD)
The second century Targums of Yonatan and Yerushalayim paraphrase certain texts as referring to the Memra (Word[RA]):
"I will cause the glory of my Shekinah to dwell among you, and my word shall be your God, the Redeemer;” -Targum Yonatan Leviticus 26:12
"out of thee, before me, shall come forth the Messiah, that he may exercise dominion over Israel; whose name is said from eternity, from the days of old.” -Targum Yonatan Micah 5:2
"ye have made the word of the Lord king over you this day, that he may be your God:” -Targum Yerushalayim Deuteronomy 26:17
In stating that “the Word was with the God, and God was that Word” Yochanan is expressing the Hebrew understanding of “both and” rather than the limited Greco-Roman thinking of “either or”. In this respect Yochanan’s Gospel establishes itself in Biblical Hebrew thought from the outset. Therefore, failing to understand Yochanan’s words from a Hebraic mindset will lead to misinterpretation and limited understanding on the part of the student of this Gospel.
“He (Yeshua) is wrapped in a garment immersed in blood, and He is called by the name Ho-Logos[G] (Ha-Davar[H]) the Word, Ho-Theos[G] (Ha-Elohim[H]) the God.” -Revelation 19:13 (Author’s translation)
Yeshua (YHVH Saves), Ha-Davar (the Word, Essence) Ha-Elohim (the God, Judge, Ruler) Imanu (With us) El (God).
For further study see my article on the Gospel according to John Chapter 1:
https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary---15081497151214931513-1497150615111489/yochanan-the-good-news-according-to-john-introduction-chapter-1
so that what is seen with corporeal eyes, has not been made out of things that are visible.
God has neither beginning nor end, He is eternal, all existing, not created. Yeshua likewise is all existing, not created. God is one.
The things created within the created order have a beginning and must be made from something, matter, substance, something. But God created the natural order from nothing, the Latin ex nihilo describing well the meaning of the action described in Genesis 1:1 “Berieshit bara Elohiym”
The writer of the Book to the Hebrews explains that this cannot be understood by any other means than faith in God through Messiah. In other words, science can’t comprehend it, intellectual acumen can’t comprehend it, philosophy can’t comprehend it. Only the faith described here can comprehend the creation. We see the truth of this in the inability of scientists, even first cause scientists, to explain how something can be created out of nothing. They cannot, they will not. God has explained it already. It is an understanding of faith, something that all the intellectual prowess in the world put together could never conceive of.
4 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Hevel[H] [Abel] (vapour) brought (prospherō[G]) to the God (ho Theos[G], leiElohiym[H]) a better sacrifice (thusia[G], zevach tov[H]) than Kayin[H] (Cain) (spear), through which he gained a good testimony (martureō[G], l’eidot[H]) that he was (einai[G]) a righteous, just one (dikaios[G], tzadiyk[H]), God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) testifying (martureō[G], behaiyd[H]) about his gifts (dōron[G], al-minchotayv[H]), and through faith (it), though he is dead (apothnēskō[G], moto[H]), he still speaks (laleō[G], achareiy[H]).
4 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Hevel[H] [Abel] brought to the God a better sacrifice than Kayin[H] [Cain], through which he gained a good testimony that he was a righteous, just one, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith (it), though he is dead, he still speaks.
Genesis 4:1-16 gives the account of Cain and Abel.
The writer begins his list of faithful servants of God with Abel because he is the first example in Torah, following the fall of humanity, of one who acts in faith according to the redemptive purposes of God.
“In faith, trust, assurance, belief Abel brought to the God a better sacrifice than Cain” Abel’s sacrifice was of a first born of his flock and the fat (best) portions, a blood sacrifice for the atonement of sin, meaning that he understood that without the shedding of blood there could be no atonement. Therefore, his sacrifice was better than that of Cain, who brought vegetables, and by implication, not the best of his harvest.
Some protest the treatment of Cain, saying, “If all he had to give was fruit, why did the Lord not accept Cain’s offering?” (Gen. 4:4-5)The answer is not in the impugning of God’s character but in the evidence provided in the text concerning the fruit (pun intended) of the faith of Cain verses the fruit of the faith of Abel.
The text of the Torah explains that while Cain brought an offering “from the fruit of the ground”, Abel brought an offering “from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions.” By implication Cain did not bring the best of his produce whereas not only did Abel bring the best but he also understood by faith that blood atonement was needed.
The later instructions of Torah given at Sinai concerning offerings performed by the Levitical priesthood affirm the fact that with the exception of grain offerings, fruit and vegetables are not offered on the altar.
The spiritual knowledge Abel possessed could only have come from intimate relationship with God through faith, whereas the actions of Cain show him to be in rebellion against God. Nonetheless, God affords Cain and opportunity for repentance (Gen. 4:6-7), and Cain goes directly out after hearing the instruction from God to act rightly and instead murders his brother Abel (Gen. 4:8).
“10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: [d]anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister. 11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we are to love one another; 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.” -1 John 3:10-12 (NASB)
“God testifying about his gifts” (Gen. 4:4-5) God accepted Abel and his offering but did not accept the offering of unfaithful Cain.
“though he is dead, he still speaks.” His faithful actions still speak to us. Additionally, and metaphorically, the blood of Abel still cries out from the ground along with the blood of all those who have suffered death at the hands of the unjust (Gen. 4:10; Matt. 23:35; ).
The focus here is on the faith of Abel, and the unspoken counterpoint is that of the faithlessness of Cain.
Abel’s faith, trust and belief brought the kind of sacrifice that pointed to the coming of the Messiah and His eternally effective sacrifice. Therefore the good testimony and acceptance Abel received from God was not because of the sacrifice Abel offered, nor his faith but because he received God’s redemptive offer in Messiah before Messiah was born.
Abel therefore, received the righteousness of Messiah as a result of his faith. Faith and sacrifice were the response of Abel to the redemptive offer of God, Messiah’s blood was the means of Abel’s reconciliation. Faith in God is reliant on God, whereas faith in and of itself is incapable of producing a reliable result.
5 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Chanok[H] [Enoch] (dedicated, inaugurated) was translated, transferred (metatithēmi[G]) so that he would not see, know (eido[G], reoto[H]) death (Thanatos[G], hamavet[H]); and he was not found because God translated, transferred, took away (metatithēmi[G], lakach[H]) him [Gen.5:24]; for before his translation, transference (metathesis[G]), he had this testimony (martureō[G], vehuad[H]) that he pleased, was well with (euaresteō[G]) the God (ho Theos[G], haElohiym[H]). 6 And without faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], emunah[H]) it is impossible to please, be well with (euaresteō[G]) God, for the one who comes near (proserchomai[G]) to the God (ho Theos[G], haElohiym[H]) must believe, trust (pisteuō[G], sheya’amiyn[H]) that He exists, and that He proves to be a rewarder of those who diligently seek, search for (ekzēteō[G]) Him.
5 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Chanok[H] [Enoch] was translated, transferred so that he would not see, know death; and he was not found because God translated, transferred, took away him [Gen.5:24]; for before his translation, transference, he had this testimony that he pleased, was well with the God.
“And walked Chanok with the Elohiym and he was not, for Elohiym took him away” -Bereishit (Genesis) 5:24
The list of faithful ones began with Abel who offered a blood sacrifice acknowledging the need for atonement, and continues with an example of one who based on that atonement is translated so that death is overcome. This is the very essence of the Gospel played out in the historical account of individuals of true faith. Through His blood Messiah has swallowed up death with victory.
Chanok, whose name means “dedicated”, was both dedicated to God in relationship (the true definition of love) and is a sign for future believers of God’s dedication to them and His dedicating of a people redeemed through the blood of His son, prefigured in the sacrifice offered by Abel.
Many pause here to argue the finer details of Chanok’s translation in order to work out how they too might translate. That is a mistake. Becoming enamoured by the ability to transfer or translate is idolatry.
Chanok was not concerned with translating but with God.
The supernatural and miraculous signs that God performs upon, within and around the righteous are not the result of the practices of the righteous but of the relationship God has with those righteous ones, who have received righteousness in Messiah and not of their own works.
Those who seek to emulate miracles rather than focus on God in Messiah, will eventually, if unrepentant, become like those spoken of by Yeshua:
“22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [a]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” -Matthew 7:22-23 (NASB)
Motivation is key because it is the fruit of the heart (core being). A good tree cannot bear bad fruit.
With regard to lawlessness, the only thing worse than practicing witchcraft, is using the Scripture as a tool for practice witchcraft and then calling is Christianity.
Note that Chanok “was well with God”. This regards his relationship in God. God’s testimony of Chanok has to do with right relationship, not deeds.
The Jerusalem Targum (2nd Century Aramaic text) agrees that Chanok was translated by the Word (Yeshua) of God.
"and Enoch worshipped in truth before the Lord; and lo, he was not, for he was translated by the Word from before the Lord;'' -Targum Yerushalayim
As an aside, it is important to note that Chanok is not said to ascend but to have been “taken away”. Those who claim that he ascended are misreading the Biblical texts.
6 And without faith, trust, assurance, belief it is impossible to please, be well with God, for the one who comes near to the God must believe, trust that He exists, and that He proves to be a rewarder of those who diligently seek, search for Him.
“without faith, trust, assurance, belief it is impossible to please, be well with God,” The English word “please” and the phrase “be well with” are synonymous ways of translating the Greek euaresteō. In short, where the writer of this text uses the Greek euaresteō he is denoting right relationship in God rather than a form of pleasing that results from winning approval.
In Messiah we are approved and as a result we act in a pleasing way. The reverse is not true.
“for the one who comes near to the God must believe, trust that He exists” This is both simple and profound. The child comprehends it but the self-convinced atheist does not.
To call Atheism rational is delusional. It is entirely irrational to disregard even the smallest possibility of deity. Few things are as intellectually dishonest as the philosophy of Atheism. Even those who believe in a God or gods have their doubts. Without doubt faith is impossible. On the other hand Atheism claims no doubt, but is absolutely certain that what is possible (God) is impossible.
The agnostic may be slightly more honest but is nonetheless equally deluded. To be indefinitely undecided is as intellectually dishonest as being firmly convinced of a lie.
We note that belief in the One true God of Israel is being addressed here, and not belief in any other form of deity or first cause or science or philosophy.
“and that He proves to be a rewarder of those who diligently seek, search for Him.” Our faith in God through Messiah is never asked of us blindly. We have proof that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Throughout the history of the Jewish people we have seen God’s faithful acts of love and provision born of His holiness. “He proves to be a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”. And what is diligence? The practice of those who are committed to love relationship with Him through Messiah.
“28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, make, so that we may be working, trading in, performing the works, tasks, deeds of the God?” 29 Yeshua answered and said to them, “This is the work, task, deed of the God, that you continue to believe, trust, have faith in Him Whom He has sent.” -Habesorah Al Piy Yochanan 6:28-29 (YBY translation)
“Therefore” Because Yeshua had offered eternal life above and beyond the miraculous sign they had witnessed of Him. And, because they had some sense of Yeshua’s authority based on His signs and words.
“What shall we do, make, so that we may be working, trading in, performing the works, tasks, deeds of the God?” The question shows that they have not understood Yeshua at all. Yeshua is offering redemption, relationship, eternal life, the strength of God at work in them, a gift to be received, but the people are looking for something they can build, accomplish, achieve in their own strength in order to make them right with God. Their focus is on “doing” rather than “being”. They say, “What shall we do, so that we can accomplish the works of God” and Yeshua completely reverses their question and defeats their paradigm with a very simple and eternally profound instruction:
“The works of God are this, that you continue to believe in Him Whom He has sent”. In short, “Be in Me, don’t do for Me. Your doing must come from Me.” Objects are for use, persons are for relationship.
Many fall from the faith because they do not understand this simple truth. Many more retain faith but become burned out and unfruitful because they don’t understand this simple truth.
Yeshua is pointing His hearers back to the Torah and the Word (ha-Davar: John 1:1) of God spoken to their forebears through Moses:
“For near to you all is Ha-Davar (The Word), meod, very much so, in your mouth, and in your inner being, so that you might accomplish, do, act accordingly.” -D’variym (Words) Deuteronomy 30:14
Notice that The Word is offered to the inner person and that it is from the strength of The Word in each one that each one works, accomplishes, acts. Yeshua is Ha-Davar, the Word, Essence, Substance of God, with us.
It is interesting to note that by summing up the 613 commandments of the Torah with this one phrase “the just shall live by his faith” (Hab.2:4), the Talmud agrees with Yeshua’s assertion that to have faith is the work of God (Talmud Bavliy Makkot, fol. 23. 2. & 24. 1.)
“And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” -Jeremiah 29:13 (NASB)
7 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Noach[H] (rest), being warned (chrēmatizō[G]) by God about things (devariym[H]) not yet seen with corporeal eyes (blepo[G], niriym[H]), in fear (eulabeomai[G], nizhar[H]) prepared an ark, box (kibōtos[G]) for the salvation (sōtēria[G], l’hatziyl[H]) of his household (oikos[G], beiyto[H]), by which he condemned the wickedness of (katakrinō[G], vayarsha[H]) the world (kosmos[G], haolam[H]), and became an heir of the righteousness (hatz’dakah[H]) which is according to the faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ha-emunah[H]).
7 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Noach[H], being warned by God about things not yet seen with corporeal eyes, in fear prepared an ark, box for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the wickedness of the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to the faith, trust, assurance, belief.
God’s warning is evidence of His faithfulness. Noah’s obedience is evidence of his relational faith in God. Noah, living in a landlocked region, nonetheless obeyed God in spite of how foolish his actions may have seemed, even to his own family.
Like Noah the faith of the first century Jewish Messiah followers must grapple with the reality that they cannot see with human eyes what the future holds. This is also true of all believers today. We need not hear God’s audible voice or see some vision in order to determine what He is saying. His Word both written and living continues to speak to us. Are we listening and acting?
We note that Noah understood the building of the ark as a vehicle for the salvation of his household and that by building it in obedience to God his right action sealed the fate of the wicked.
Likewise, those who receive Messiah, by doing so affirm the fate of those who reject Messiah. This is why those who reject Messiah have such great hatred for the believer. Being aware of the emptiness of their own false deities and philosophies, they despise those who live lives of certain hope in Messiah.
“The believer in Him is not separated, condemned, put asunder: but the disbeliever, one who has chosen disbelief is separated, condemned, put asunder already, because he has not believed, trusted in, become convinced of the name, identity of the One and only begotten the Son of the God.” -John 3:18 (Author’s translation)
Righteous behaviour is an indictment against sin:
“Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for by doing so you will heap coals of fire on his head (judgement). Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” -Romans 12:20-21 (Author’s translation)
It is interesting to note that Jewish tradition records that Noah preached repentance to his generation (Mekhilta Shirah 5; Sifre Num. 23; Talmud Bavliy Sanhedrin 108a - b; Pirke R. El. 22.)
Noah is the first person that the Torah calls “righteous” (Gen. 6:9). Like Enoch, Noah “walked with God”, a phrase denoting right relationship.
We note that in one sense the ark or box built by Noah reflects a coffin and that Noah and his family passed through the waters (a symbol of the domain of the departed – Sheol) and into life. The history of Noah and the flood is one of the many immersions (baptisms) throughout Scripture that allude to death and resurrection, and point to the redemptive work of Yeshua the King Messiah.
8 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Avraham[H] (Father of a great people), when he was called (kaleō[G], nikra[H]), to go to the land (ha’aretz[H]) which he was to receive for an inheritance, obeyed (hupakouō[G]); and he left, not knowing where he was going. 9 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) he sojourned, lived as a foreigner (paroikeō[G]) in the land (be’eretz[H]) of the promise, message (epaggelia[G], hahavtachah[H]), as if in a foreign land (allotrios[G]), dwelling (katoikeō[G], vayishev[H]) in tents (skēnē[G], beohaliym[H]) with Yitzchak[H] [Isaac] (he laughs) and Yaakov[H] [Jacob] (follower), fellow heirs of the same promise, message (epaggelia[G], hahavtachah[H]);
8 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Avraham[H] (Father of a great people), when he was called, to go to the land which he was to receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he left, not knowing where he was going.
The prophet Nehemiah (Neh. 9:7-8) extols the faith of Avraham and shows that God’s promise of land as an inheritance is connected to that faith. In the context of the present text that inheritance is an everlasting land, the Ha Aretz of the new creation and the Olam Haba (world to come).
Avraham stepped out in faith, having already experienced the faithfulness of God, to go somewhere he wasn’t even sure existed, but trusted God for its existence. Therefore, our faith in God through Yeshua concerning the world to come is no different.
Avraham’s faithful obedience:
“Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.” -Genesis 12:1-4
Avraham, father of faith (Romans 4; Galatians 3)
9 In faith, trust, assurance, belief he sojourned, lived as a foreigner in the land of the promise, message, as if in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Yitzchak[H] [Isaac] and Yaakov[H] [Jacob], fellow heirs of the same promise, message;
Avraham is used as the ultimate example of true faith in the Jewish tradition (Sirach 44:19-21; 1 Macc. 2:52; Genesis Rabah 43; Mekhilta Mishpatim 18).
When Avraham arrived in Canaan God said, "I will give this land to your seed" (Gen. 12:7). Soon after God said, "I will give it to you and your seed forever" (Gen. 13:15).
God’s promise to give the ethnic-religious people of Israel the land of Israel is both for the present world and for the world to come. At the judgement, all the liberal Christian whining concerning the modern state of Israel will be silenced by this transcendent reality, when they discover that God invented Zionism (in the truest sense), and intends to perpetuate it in the world to come.
The text of Hebrews emphasises the future orientation of Avraham’s faith in God by highlighting his response to God’s call for Avraham to walk toward the unseen. Just as the Shabbat and the land of Israel are earlier used as metaphors for the world to come (Heb. 3 - 4), so too here Avraham’s faith journey is used as a metaphor for all believers, first the Jew and also the nations.
Avraham lived as a guest in the land that was to belong to his descendants, as did Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs to that same promise. This text affirms the passing on of the covenant made with Avraham to Isaac and Jacob and therefore, Israel. It also emphasises the fact that the fullness of the promise is yet to be realised. Therefore, like Avraham the first century Jewish followers of Messiah are living as guests in the land of Israel which will one day be theirs forever. Likewise, all believers are living as guests in a sin affected world that will one day be translated, a new creation, in which all believers will dwell forever in God through Messiah Yeshua.
Many are forcefully displaced, but Avraham, in faith chose to be displaced according to God’s promise of a better place.
“Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child.” -Acts 7:5 (ESV)
How can God fulfil His promise to Avraham if Avraham is dead?
“And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” -Matthew 22:31-32
10 for he was looking, expecting, waiting (ekdechomai[G], chikah[H]) for the city (polis
[G], laiyr[H]) which has foundations (themelios[G], yesudatah[H]), whose architect (technitēs[G]) and builder (dēmiourgos[G]) is the God (ho Theos[G], haElohiym[H]). 11 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) even Sarah[H] (princess, noble woman, woman ruler) herself received strength, ability, miraculous power (dunamis[G], koach[H]) to conceive, make the foundation of a child (katabolē[G]) being seeded (sperma[G], lehazriya[H]) brought forth (tiktō[G], vateiled[H]) when she was past age, because she considered (hēgeomai[G]) Him faithful (pistos[G], lene’eman[H]) Who had promised, messaged (epaggellō[G], hamavtiyach[H]).
10 for he was looking, expecting, waiting for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is the God.
The writer of the Book to the Hebrews inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh is thinking here as a Jew. He is acknowledging the p’shat (plain meaning) both as Avraham understood the promise to apply to the physical land and as the text explains that same promise. But he also sees a remez (hint) at a sod (mystery) that he believes Avraham also saw. That is, the promised transcendent city of God (the New Jerusalem [Heb. 12:22; 13:14; Rev. 21]) and the land it would inhabit in the Olam Haba (world to come).
Therefore, Avraham’s faith in God and His promise meant that Avraham saw the future physical fulfilment as well as the future and eternal metaphysical fulfilment. And, in order for this to be true Avraham must also have seen and received the King Messiah Yeshua through Whom the future fulfilment is made possible. Yeshua Himself confirms that this is so:
“Your father Avraham was overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.” So the Judean (leaders) said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Avraham?” Yeshua said to them, “B’emet, b’emet, amein, amein, it is certainly true, I say to you, before Avraham was born, I AM.” -John 8:56-58 (Author’s translation)
11 In faith, trust, assurance, belief even Sarah[H] herself received strength, ability, miraculous power to conceive, make the foundation of a child being seeded brought forth when she was past age, because she considered Him faithful Who had promised, messaged.
Ref. Genesis 18:9-15; 21:1-8
Although Sarah’s first response to the promised child was one of doubt, the Genesis account implies repentance on her part, a turning toward God in faith following her initial doubt. When challenged concerning her disbelief Sarah responded with integrity and chose faith. In many ways she is as great an example of faith as Avraham, for no one can be reconciled to God except in repentance. Great faith is repentant faith.
Here the faith of Sarah is attested to as being of the nature of Avraham’s faith. In faith Sarah received the ability to conceive. “she considered Him (God) faithful Who had promised…” Avraham physically seeded the egg in Sarah’s womb, but it was God Who made the pregnancy possible (though she had already gone through menopause) and Sarah accepted the possibility because she trusted God. If not for Sarah’s faith in God Avraham’s faith in God would not have seen it’s hope made certain.
“received strength” In Hebrew Scripture “strength” can be a euphemism for “seed/sperm” (ex. Prov. 31:3). Therefore, Sarah received the seed (sperm) of Avraham because she believed, trusted, had faith in God to do the miraculous. Notice then that it is the combined faith of Avraham and Sarah that God seeds the promised progeny (child). The birth of Isaac is evidence of the promise yet to be fulfilled.
It is foolish to argue as some do in favour of the present verse referring to Avraham’s faith (based on the vulgate and oriental translations – neither of which are original Scripture texts) because the authoritative text specifically says,“she considered Him (God) faithful Who had promised…”. It’s the worst kind of misogynistic foolishness to seek to rob Sarah of honour concerning her faith in HaShem. The promises of God are manifest in Adam and Eve, Avraham and Sarah, Joseph and Miriyam. Man is humanity, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” -Genesis 1:27 (NASB) Those who promote man over woman misrepresent God’s image and fail to properly understand the order and glory of creation.
12 Therefore even from one man (mei’echad[H]), and one who was as good as dead (nekroō[G], lamavet[H]), there were birthed (gennaō[G]) descendants who were as the stars of heavens (ouranos[G], hashamayim[H]) in multitudes (plēthos[G]), and as the sand (ammos[G]) by the seashore (al sefat hayam[H]), uncountable (anarithmētos[G]).
12 Therefore even from one man, and one who was as good as dead, there were birthed descendants who were as the stars of heavens in multitudes, and as the sand by the seashore, uncountable.
This verse implies that Avraham (as good as dead being a euphemism for low sperm count, impotence) was delivering sperm that could not seed an egg. But God miraculously strengthened Avraham’s sperm in order for Sarah to conceive.
From the union of an impotent man and a barren woman God birthed the father of a nation that still exists to this day (Rom. 4:19).
This example is used as evidence that God has, does and will do the impossible, just as the early Jewish believers had seen and heard with regard to the miracles of Yeshua.
13 All these died (apothnēskō[G], meitu[H]) in faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]), without receiving the promises (epaggelia[G], hahavtachot[H]), but having seen, known, understood (eidō[G]) from a distance, and were persuaded, had confidence, trusted (peithō[G]), and embraced, welcomed, greeted (aspazomai[G]) them, having professed (homologeō[G]) that they were strangers (xenos[G]) and exiles, resident foreigners (parepidēmos[G]) in the land (ho gē[G], ba’aretz[H]). 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a native land (patris[G], eretz[H]).
13 All these died in faith, trust, assurance, belief, without receiving the promises, but having seen, known, understood from a distance, and were persuaded, had confidence, trusted, and embraced, welcomed, greeted them, having professed that they were strangers and exiles, resident foreigners in the land.
“And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my dwelling and working as a foreigner are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their dwelling and working as a foreigners.” -Genesis 47:9 (Author’s translation)
All those mentioned and those yet to be mentioned died being assured in their faith in God that the promises they had not yet seen fulfilled would be fulfilled. This and the fact that it is appointed to all human beings to die once and then the judgement (Heb. 9:27), means that Enoch will one day die, as will Elijah (Rev. 11:7-14).
Therefore, they died believing in the resurrection and the world to come (Olam Haba). They understood, that having received God’s promised salvation from sin and everlasting death through the King Messiah Yeshua Who was yet to be born into time and space, that they would live eternally in God through Messiah in a world devoid of sin.
Therefore, being in a sin affected world they were by nature of their relationship in God no longer sons and daughters of sin affected creation but had become sons and daughters of the Creator whose new creation is promised to all who believe.
They were strangers on this land, this earth because they had turned away from the nature of this place and had been translated through Messiah, thus changing their nature.
In Messiah we have already passed from death into life (John 5:24). We are foreigners on this land, this earth. We are inheritors of the world everlasting.
14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a native land.
This is in reference to their belief in the fulfilment of the giving of the promised land of Israel to the Jewish people and in its metaphysical fulfilment in the Olam Haba.
Remember, that when Avraham arrived in Canaan God said, "I will give this land to your seed" (Gen. 12:7). Soon after God said, "I will give it to you and your seed forever" (Gen. 13:15).
God’s promise to give the ethnic-religious people of Israel the land of Israel is both for the present world and for the world to come.
15 And certainly if they had been remembering (mnēmoneuō[G]) the land (ha’aretz[H]) which they left, they would have had a season, opportunity, an affinity (kairos[G]) for returning (anakamptō[G], lashuv[H]). 16 But now (nuni[G]), they desire a better (tovah[H]) land, that is, a heavenly one (epouranios[G], vishmeiy[H]). Therefore the God (ho Theos[G], ha-Elohiym[H]) is not ashamed to be called their God (Theos[G], Eloheiyhem[H]); for He has prepared a city (polis[G], iyr shamah[H]) for them.
15 And certainly if they had been remembering the land which they left, they would have had a season, opportunity, an affinity for returning.
If they had kept thinking on and focusing their attention on where they had come from (out of lands of idolatry, slavery, paganism), they might have returned to that place and failed to receive the promise.
In this is a lesson for all believers. We are not to pine away for the past life of sin or focus on those things that we have left behind, rather we are to maintain our commitment to God in Messiah and keep our eyes on Him in Whom we will receive our everlasting inheritance.
16 But now, they desire a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore the God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
In Messiah God the Father (Creator) has adopted children of God from among the children of creation.
Land and heavens are seen as convergent concepts here. This indicates a future convergence of heaven and earth, a new heavens and a new earth which are recreated when the sin affected creation is consumed by the purifying fire of God and made new having been ignited by that same fire. The fire of God will purge all evil and purify the redeemed (Rev. 8:8; 9:18; 14:10, 18; 16:8; 17:16; 18:8; 19:20; 20:9-15; 21).
The promised land and city that await the faithful in the heavenlies are promised to descend (Rev. 21:2). Throughout, the writer makes “city” and “land” or “country” interchangeable terms in order to convey a holistic Hebraic understanding of convergent things. These things are distinct and one (echad).
“He has prepared a city for them” Note “has” before they existed “prepared a city for them”. The New Jerusalem, like the world to come, was prepared in Messiah Yeshua before the foundation of the world. God’s mercy precedes His judgement and is the result of it.
17 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Avraham[H] (Father of a great people), when he was examined, proved (peirazō[G]), brought up (prospherō[G]) Yitzchak[H] [Isaac] (he laughs), and the one who had received the promises (epaggelia[G], hahavtachot[H]) was offering up (prospherō[G]) his only son (monogenēs[G]); 18 it was he to whom it was said, “Through Yitzchak[H] (Isaac) your seed (sperma[G], zara[H]) shall be called.” [Gen. 21:12]
17 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Avraham[H], when he was examined, proved, brought up Yitzchak[H] [Isaac], and the one who had received the promises was offering up his only son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “Through Yitzchak[H] your seed shall be called.” [Gen. 21:12]
First, God does not test in order to discover, He is all knowing. Rather He proves, examines, in order that we might discover who we are in Him.
Please consider reading my commentary on Genesis 22 concerning Ha-Akeidah (the Binding) to gain a greater understanding of the present text.
https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary---15081497151214931513-1497150615111489/november-11th-2016
The actions of Avraham regarding the offering up of his son Isaac are the ultimate prefigure of God’s offering up of His only begotten Son Yeshua. We note that in both cases the sons are willing participants in the offering, both being adult men at the time of their calling to sacrifice, and both allowing themselves to be bound and offered.
Pirqe Rabbi Eliezer draws a connection between the Akeidah and resurrection which is also found in the High Holy Days liturgy of rabbinical Judaism.
19 He considered that the God (ho Theos[G], ha-Elohiym[H]) is able to raise people even from the dead (ho nekros[G], hamavet[H]), from which he also received him back as a type, figure, parable (parabolē[G], lemofeit[H], alt. mashal[H]). 20 In faith, trust, assurance, belief (pistis[G], ba-emunah[H]) Yitzchak[H] [Isaac] (he laughs) blessed Yaakov[H] [Jacob] (follower) and Esav[H] [Esau] (hairy, rough), even regarding things to come.
19 He considered that the God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type, figure, parable.
Both Avraham and Isaac believed that God could raise the dead. This is clear, based on the fact that both Avraham and Isaac were aware of God’s promise to Avraham’s descendants and His assurance that those descendants would come through Isaac, who had been miraculously conceived.
God had shown through physical blessing the reality of His miraculous power to fulfil His promises. Therefore, an adult Isaac (37 years old, Sarah being 90 at his birth and on hearing the news that Avraham was taking Isaac to sacrifice him [re. rabbinic trad.] she died soon after aged 127), willingly allowed Avraham to bind him and offer him because Isaac believed God could raise the dead. And, Avraham bound and offered Isaac, his only true heir, because he believed that God could raise the dead.
"when he saw the sword over his neck, his breath fled from him, and came to the place of the soul, ‘as if he was at the point of giving up the ghost’.'' - Pirke Rabbi Eliezer, c. 31.
This entire historical account being a prophetic prefigure of what was to come in Yeshua the King Messiah. Therefore, as the text says, “from which he (Avraham) received him (Isaac) back as a parable (teaching story)”. This is a parable that is also an historical event.
Avraham received Isaac back because a Ram of God took Isaac’s place, and thus Jacob (Israel) who was at the time still in Isaac’s loins, was also delivered from death by the Ram of God that took his place. In the same way Yeshua took the place of all who would receive Him, He being both the Ram and the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:19-20; Rev. 13:8).
20 In faith, trust, assurance, belief Yitzchak[H] blessed Yaakov[H] and Esav[H], even regarding things to come.
Ref. Gen 27:1-40
Isaac continued to have faith in God for the promises yet to be fulfilled even in his old age with his vision waning. He blessed his sons though he could not see who he was blessing, and trusted God to bless according to His will rather than according to the will of Isaac’s flesh. As a result Jacob received the blessing and God conferred that blessing onto the 12 sons of Jacob the people of Israel through whom the King Messiah Yeshua was born into time and space in order to redeem human beings from the just punishment of sin, continually first for the Jews and also continually for the nations.
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown
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