Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 6:13

"For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself," — Hebrews 6:13 (ASV)

The author is fond of Abraham, whom he refers to ten times. He is the supreme example of one who continued to trust God and to obey him even though the circumstances were adverse and gave little support to faith. The NT often speaks of God’s promise in connection with this man (Acts 3:25; Acts 7:17; Romans 4:13; Galatians 3:8, 14, 16, 18). His greatness and the frequency with which God’s promise was linked with his name made him a natural example for the author. It is the fact of the promise rather than its content that the author appeals to— especially in that God confirmed it with an oath. The oath in itself implies delay in fulfilling the promise. If God had been about to fulfill it immediately, there would have been no place for an oath. So from the first Abraham was faced with the prospect of waiting in hope and faith. God swore the oath by himself, for there was no one greater to swear by—a point that is significant to the author.