By James Riley Strange, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of New Testament, Samford University
Faith
Hebrews 11:1–6
This week we discuss the word “faith,” a word that any ancient Greek speaker would have used regularly. The noun often referred to being persuaded of the truth in a rhetorical argument.
Like many words that became part of early Christian vocabulary, it took on a more specialized meaning in the Greek Jewish Bible, where it often translated the Hebrew word for “steadfastness” or “faithfulness.” Non-Jewish Romans mostly used “faith” to mean being rightly persuaded, whereas Roman Jews could understand it to mean trustworthy character and conduct. God was faithful, and Israel was expected to be faithful in return.
Christians applied these notions to Christ and the church: Christ was faithful, and the Church was to be faithful in return. That faithfulness, however, was rooted in faith in and trust of God and in what He accomplished through the faithful obedience of Jesus Christ.
Jesus spoke about faith and early Christian writers wrote about the role faith plays in God’s salvation. Today we read a famous passage from one of those writers.
Recall the translation challenge we talked about last week. Because English has no verb for “faith,” our Bibles most often use the verb “believe” (see v. 6, for example). But as we shall see, “believe” does not carry the richness of the biblical idea of faith.
Read Hebrews 10:19–12:2 for context. Some Christians must have been abandoning their faith out of fear of persecution. The author exhorts them to remain faithful.
Faith leads us to believe and rely on God. (1–3)
Translations of verse 1 vary because some Greek words can mean more than one thing. Hence, some translations talk about faith as evidence, as if in a courtroom, and others emphasize human conviction.
We usually find these options: “Now faith is the [substance, reality or assurance] of things hoped for, the [evidence, proof or conviction] of things not seen.” What is clear is that because of faith, we do not have to see things to be convinced of their substance.
In verse 3, the author reviews a past event: God made the visible creation through His invisible word. Starting in verse 8, the author talks about the future: through his invisible promise, God will bring the faithful to the not yet visible “homeland” (v. 14).
Faith responds with worship of God. (4)
Genesis 4 suggests that God “regarded” Abel’s sacrifice over Cain’s because Cain did not “do well,” but offers no clarification.
The author of Hebrews says Abel’s sacrifice was more acceptable (literally “greater”) because of his faith. The key comes at Hebrews 11:6: it is impossible to please God without faith.
We find this idea in Jewish texts and in Jesus’ teachings: God wants more than righteous behavior; He wants our intentions to match our conduct (see Matt. 5:21–48). The implication is Cain did not match his sacrifice with an intention to be faithful to God.
Faith responds with obedience that pleases God. (5–6)
Obedience becomes explicit starting in verse 8. In 5–6 it is implicit.
Many Jewish interpreters read the unique language of Genesis 5:24 to mean that Enoch did not die but was taken bodily into heaven. This was evidence that he had pleased God.
Indeed, although the Hebrew Bible says that Enoch “walked with God” (Gen. 5:22–24), the Greek translation that our author read says that Enoch “pleased God.” Certainly, the faithful Israelites of Hebrews 11 are presented as examples of obedience.
According to Hebrews, therefore, faith combines conviction, character and conduct. And it is one of God’s gifts (1 Cor. 12:9). That is, the God who requires faith makes it possible for His children to be faithful. Thanks be to God.
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