By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.
the worlds were prepared - "Lit., the ages have been prepared (cf. 1:2). This refers to the preparation of all that the successive periods of time would contain." (Ryrie)
by faith - Abel came by faith; Cain did not.
through faith - "It is important to note and remember that 'through faith' and 'by faith' are different. 'Through' is used as an adverb and communicates that something is imputed to the believer as a result of having faith. 'By' is used as a preposition and communicates that the believer performs as a result of having faith. Here is an example that should clarify this important distinction: Romans 3:30: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. By faith, the circumcision (covenant Israel) performed in a manner pleasing to God. Through faith in Christ's performance, the uncircumcision (the body of Christ, having no covenant) is justified without works (Rom 4:5). Understanding (verse three above) was through faith. Performance (verses four through forty below) was by faith." (McLean)
Abel - "Actually nothing is said here or in Gen 4:3-5 as to why Abel's sacrifice in itself was more acceptable, though the fact that it involved blood sacrifice is significant (see 12:24)." (Ryrie)
"It is significant that the writer chooses Abel as the first example of what faith can do for the one who exercises it. In the case of Abel, it was the matter of his personal salvation which was in view, as was also the case with the recipients of the letter to the Hebrews. If Abel's appropriation of salvation was by means of faith, that would mean that if the first-century Jew wanted to be saved, he would have to exercise faith. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. That which made Abel's sacrifice more excellent than Cain's, was not it quantity but its quality. It quality inhered in the fact that it was the offering which God had prescribed, a blood offering. Abel had learned this from his father Adam. The word 'which' could refer grammatically either to the sacrifice or the faith. The context decides. God testified of his gifts, namely, the sacrifice. All of which means that it was by means of the blood sacrifice that he obtained witness that he was righteous." (Wuest)
though he is dead, he still speaks - "as a witness to succeeding generation, or possibly speaking to God for ultimate vindication at the coming judgment (like the martyrs in Rev 6:9-11)" (Ryrie)
"Though Abel is dead, yet 'by it' (the sacrifice) he yet speaks, telling to all that live after, that salvation is through sacrificial blood. In Heb 12:24, the statement is made that Jesus's blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel. It is not Abel's own blood which is in view here, but the blood of the offering Abel presented to God. The blood of Abel's offering spoke symbolically of a Sacrifice for sin that God would one day offer. But Jesus' blood is the actual sacrifice, and speaks of the salvation which He procured for us on the Cross ... Cain followed his reason and ignored revelation. He argued that his own good works as manifested by the produce which he had grown, would please God rather than a blood sacrifice. Abel accepted revelation instead, and had faith in the divine acceptability of the offering prescribed by God. His own reason may have argued otherwise, but his faith in what God had said, won the day. Here was the example which this first-century Jew should follow in his appropriation of the salvation which Messiah procured for him on the Cross, not the way of Cain, which he had been taught by the first-century religious leaders in Israel." (Wuest)
Enoch - Enoch was saved from death by being taken up (Gen 5:22-24).
v 6 - "To please God, one must believe that the true God (not a god) exists and that He rewards." (Ryrie)
Noah - "His reverence was fear of God, or piety (Gen 6:13-22)." (Ryrie)
city - the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb 12:22)
"Abraham and his sons are still awaiting in the patience of faith the promises made to them. They are not dead, for God is not ashamed to be called their God. It does not say that He was not ashamed, but that He is not ashamed. He is not the God of the dead but of the living (Heb 11:8-22). 'He obtained the promise' (Heb 6:15) — 'He received not the promises' (Heb 9:13). He received the promise but not the things promised. He will receive them. (Heb 9:15 and Heb 11:17 and Gen 22, are here brought together." (Williams)
"Both the words 'city' and 'foundations' are preceded by the definite article in the Greek text. Abraham looked for the city which had the foundations. It was a particular city with particular foundations. He was look for the heavenly Jerusalem. The idea of the heavenly Jerusalem was familiar to the Jews. See Heb 12:22, 13:14; Gal 4:26. But we must not confuse this city, namely, the heavenly dwelling of the saved to which Abraham was looking forward, with the heavenly Jerusalem of Rev 3:12, 21:2, which is the home of the Bride of Christ, the Church." (Wuest)
Sarah - see Gen 21:1-5
as good as dead - because Abraham was 100 years old
the worlds were prepared - "Lit., the ages have been prepared (cf. 1:2). This refers to the preparation of all that the successive periods of time would contain." (Ryrie)
by faith - Abel came by faith; Cain did not.
through faith - "It is important to note and remember that 'through faith' and 'by faith' are different. 'Through' is used as an adverb and communicates that something is imputed to the believer as a result of having faith. 'By' is used as a preposition and communicates that the believer performs as a result of having faith. Here is an example that should clarify this important distinction: Romans 3:30: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. By faith, the circumcision (covenant Israel) performed in a manner pleasing to God. Through faith in Christ's performance, the uncircumcision (the body of Christ, having no covenant) is justified without works (Rom 4:5). Understanding (verse three above) was through faith. Performance (verses four through forty below) was by faith." (McLean)
Abel - "Actually nothing is said here or in Gen 4:3-5 as to why Abel's sacrifice in itself was more acceptable, though the fact that it involved blood sacrifice is significant (see 12:24)." (Ryrie)
"It is significant that the writer chooses Abel as the first example of what faith can do for the one who exercises it. In the case of Abel, it was the matter of his personal salvation which was in view, as was also the case with the recipients of the letter to the Hebrews. If Abel's appropriation of salvation was by means of faith, that would mean that if the first-century Jew wanted to be saved, he would have to exercise faith. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. That which made Abel's sacrifice more excellent than Cain's, was not it quantity but its quality. It quality inhered in the fact that it was the offering which God had prescribed, a blood offering. Abel had learned this from his father Adam. The word 'which' could refer grammatically either to the sacrifice or the faith. The context decides. God testified of his gifts, namely, the sacrifice. All of which means that it was by means of the blood sacrifice that he obtained witness that he was righteous." (Wuest)
though he is dead, he still speaks - "as a witness to succeeding generation, or possibly speaking to God for ultimate vindication at the coming judgment (like the martyrs in Rev 6:9-11)" (Ryrie)
"Though Abel is dead, yet 'by it' (the sacrifice) he yet speaks, telling to all that live after, that salvation is through sacrificial blood. In Heb 12:24, the statement is made that Jesus's blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel. It is not Abel's own blood which is in view here, but the blood of the offering Abel presented to God. The blood of Abel's offering spoke symbolically of a Sacrifice for sin that God would one day offer. But Jesus' blood is the actual sacrifice, and speaks of the salvation which He procured for us on the Cross ... Cain followed his reason and ignored revelation. He argued that his own good works as manifested by the produce which he had grown, would please God rather than a blood sacrifice. Abel accepted revelation instead, and had faith in the divine acceptability of the offering prescribed by God. His own reason may have argued otherwise, but his faith in what God had said, won the day. Here was the example which this first-century Jew should follow in his appropriation of the salvation which Messiah procured for him on the Cross, not the way of Cain, which he had been taught by the first-century religious leaders in Israel." (Wuest)
Enoch - Enoch was saved from death by being taken up (Gen 5:22-24).
v 6 - "To please God, one must believe that the true God (not a god) exists and that He rewards." (Ryrie)
Noah - "His reverence was fear of God, or piety (Gen 6:13-22)." (Ryrie)
city - the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb 12:22)
"Abraham and his sons are still awaiting in the patience of faith the promises made to them. They are not dead, for God is not ashamed to be called their God. It does not say that He was not ashamed, but that He is not ashamed. He is not the God of the dead but of the living (Heb 11:8-22). 'He obtained the promise' (Heb 6:15) — 'He received not the promises' (Heb 9:13). He received the promise but not the things promised. He will receive them. (Heb 9:15 and Heb 11:17 and Gen 22, are here brought together." (Williams)
"Both the words 'city' and 'foundations' are preceded by the definite article in the Greek text. Abraham looked for the city which had the foundations. It was a particular city with particular foundations. He was look for the heavenly Jerusalem. The idea of the heavenly Jerusalem was familiar to the Jews. See Heb 12:22, 13:14; Gal 4:26. But we must not confuse this city, namely, the heavenly dwelling of the saved to which Abraham was looking forward, with the heavenly Jerusalem of Rev 3:12, 21:2, which is the home of the Bride of Christ, the Church." (Wuest)
Sarah - see Gen 21:1-5
as good as dead - because Abraham was 100 years old
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