This chapter introduces the final section of the epistle which could be called "Faith—A Superior Principle." The fact that Christ is a Superior Person (Chapters l-6) and that He exercises a Superior Priesthood (Chapters. 7-10) ought to encourage us to put our trust in Him. The readers of this letter were being tempted to go back into Judaism and put their faith in Moses and animal sacrifices.
Their confidence was in the visible things of this world, not the invisible realities of God. Instead of going on to perfection (maturity), they were being tempted to go "back into perdition (waste)."
Hebrews 6:1, 2, "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us
go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead
works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of
hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."
Hebrews 10:38-39, "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draws back,
my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back
unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."
In the first ten chapters, the writer proved one thing to be true. The New Testament (Covenant) in Jesus' blood is superior to and takes the place of the Old Testament (Covenant) in animal sacrifices.
He has proven this proposition twice. First, by comparing the relative merits of the founders of the covenants, arguing that a superior workman turns out a superior product (Chapters 1:1-8:16), and second, by comparing the relative merits of the Testaments (Covenants) themselves. (Chapters 8:7-10:39).
A study of the Gospels reveals the fact that the Judaism of the first century was not the supernatural system given by God whereby the sinner was given a salvation in answer to his faith in the Offering for sin which God would someday set forth, the animal sacrifice he offered being an outward testimony of his inward faith in the Sacrifice it symbolized. The Judaism of that day as an ethical cult. It taught salvation by works. The sacrifices were a mere form on the altars of Judaism.
It was therefore necessary for the writer to prove to the Jews that salvation was by faith, not by works. In Chapter 11:1-3, the writer describes faith. In Chapter 1:4-40 he illustrates the efficacy of faith by sing examples of Old Testament saints. Then, he exhorts the Jews to the act of faith (Chapter 12:1, 2).
THIS IS MORE OF A DESCRIPTION THAN IT IS A DEFINITION OF FAITH
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Vs l-3: 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not
seen. 2For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3Through faith we understand
that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen
were not made of things which do appear.
It tells what faith does and how it works. True Bible faith is not blind optimism or a manufactured
"hope-so" feeling. Neither is it n intellectual assent to a doctrine. It is certainly not believing in spite of the evidence. That would be superstition. True Bible faith is a confident obedience to God's Word in spite of the circumstances and consequences.
THIS FAITH OPERATES QUIET SIMPLY
God speaks, and we hear His Word. We trust His Word and act on it no matter what the circumstances are or what the consequences may be. The circumstances may be impossible, and the consequences may be frightening and unknown; but we obey God's Word just the same and believe him to do what is right and what is best.
The world fails to realize that faith is only as good as its object, and the object of our faith is God.
Faith is not some "feeling” that we manufacture. It is our total response to what God has revealed in His Word.
THERE ARE THREE WORDS IN HEBREWS 1:1-3 THAT SUMMARIZE WHAT TRUE
BIBLE FAITH IS.
Substance
It comes from the Greek word "hupostasis". It is made up of "stasis", to stand, and "hupo' under; thus, it means "that which stands under, a foundation." It speaks of the ground or basis upon which one builds a hope. Faith is to a Christian what a foundation is to a house. It gives confidence and assurance that he will stand. Moulton and Milligan report its use as a legal term. They say that it stands for "the whole body of documents bearing on the ownership of a person's property, deposited in archives, and forming the evidence of ownership. In the case of the first century Jew, his act of faith in the Messiah as High Priest would be the title which God would give him, guaranteeing to him the possession of salvation for which he trusted God. In other words, when a believer has faith, it is God's way of giving him confidence and assurance that what is promised will be experienced.
Evidence
It comes from the Greek word "elegchos" which means "a proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested." Thayer, in commenting on its usage here, defines it as follows: "that by which invisible things are proved and we are convinced of their reality." His second definition of the word is
"conviction."
Vincent says: "Observe that hupostasis (substance) and elegchos (evidence) are not two distinct and independent conceptions, in which case kai (and) would have been added; but they stand in apposition. Elegchos (evidence) is really included in hupostasis (substance) but adds to the simple 171
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idea of assurance, a suggestion of influences operating to produce conviction which carry the force of demonstration."
This is the inward conviction from God that what He has promised, He will perform. The presence of God-given faith in one's heart is conviction, enough that God will keep His Word.
Witness
It comes from the Greek "matureo" which means to bear witness to." This verb is in the passive voice. Verse 2, "For by it the elders were borne witness to." The KJV reads, "obtained a good
report." This word is used in Verse 2, twice in Verse 4, and once in Verse 5 and Verse 39. In Verse 2 it reads obtained a good report; in Verse 4 obtained witness, testifying; Verse 5, testimony; Verse 39, obtained a good report. The summary in Hebrews 12:1 calls this list of men and women
"so great a cloud of witnesses." They are witnesses to us because God witnessed to them. In each example cited, God gave witness to that person's faith.
Conclusion
Faith enables us to understand what God does for us (Verse 3). Faith enables us to please God (Verse 6). Faith enables us to see what others cannot see (Verses 7, 13, 27). As a result, faith enables us to do what others cannot do. Faith comes from the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
A good way to grow in faith is to walk with the faithful. The remainder of Chapter 11 is devoted to a summary of the lives and labors of great men and women of faith found in the Old Testament.
In each of their instances is found the same elements of faith.
God spoke to them through His Word. Their inner selves were stirred in different ways. They obeyed God. He bore witness about them (Romans 8:16).
Romans 8:16: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the
children of God:
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