John Calvin Commentary Hebrews 11

Now faith, etc. (Hebrews 11:1). Whoever made this the beginning of the eleventh chapter has unwisely disconnected the context, for the Apostle's object was to prove what he had already said—that there is a need for patience. He had quoted the testimony of Habakkuk, who says that the just lives by faith; he now shows what remained to be proved—that faith can no more be separated from patience than from itself. The order then of what he says is this: “We shall not reach the goal of salvation unless we have patience, for the Prophet declares that the just lives by faith; but faith directs us to things far away which we do not yet enjoy; it then necessarily includes patience.” Therefore, the minor proposition in the argument is this: Faith is the substance of things hoped for, etc. (Hebrews 11:1). It is therefore also evident that greatly mistaken are those who think that an exact definition of faith is given here; for the Apostle does not speak here of the whole of what faith is, but selects that part of it which was suitable to his purpose, namely, that it always has patience connected with it. Let us now consider the words.

He calls faith the hypostasis,—the substance of things hoped for. We indeed know that what we hope for is not what we have, so to speak, in hand, but what is still hidden from us, or at least the enjoyment of which is delayed to another time. The Apostle now teaches us the same thing as what we find in Romans 8:24, where it is said that what is hoped for is not seen, and therefore the inference is drawn that it is to be waited for in patience. So the Apostle here reminds us that faith does not regard present things, but such as are waited for. Nor is this kind of contradiction without its force and beauty. Faith, he says, is the hypostasis, the prop, or the foundation on which we plant our foot—the prop of what? Of things absent, which are so far from being really possessed by us that they are far beyond the reach of our understanding.

The same view is to be taken of the second clause, when he calls faith the evidence or demonstration of things not seen; (Hebrews 11:1) for demonstration makes things appear or be seen, and it is commonly applied to what is subject to our senses.

Then these two things, though apparently inconsistent, yet perfectly harmonize when we speak of faith, for the Spirit of God shows us hidden things, the knowledge of which cannot reach our senses.

Promised to us is eternal life, but it is promised to the dead. We are assured of a happy resurrection, but we are still involved in corruption. We are pronounced just, yet sin dwells in us. We hear that we are happy, but we are still in the midst of many miseries. An abundance of all good things is promised to us, but we still often hunger and thirst. God proclaims that he will come quickly, but he seems deaf when we cry to him.

What would become of us if we were not supported by hope, and if our minds did not emerge from the midst of darkness above the world through the light of God’s word and of his Spirit? Faith, then, is rightly said to be the subsistence or substance of things which are still the objects of hope and the evidence of things not seen.

Augustine sometimes renders “evidence” as “conviction,” which I do not disapprove, for it faithfully expresses the Apostle’s meaning; but I prefer “demonstration,” as it is more literal.

For by it the elders, etc. He handles this subject to the end of the chapter — that the fathers obtained salvation and were accepted by God in no other way than by faith.

The Jews indeed had some reasons for paying great deference to the fathers; but a foolish admiration of the fathers had so prevailed among them, that it proved a great hindrance to a thorough surrender of themselves to Christ and to his government. It was occasioned either by ambition or superstition, or by both. For when they heard that they were the blessed and holy seed of Abraham, inflated with this distinction, they fixed their eyes on men rather than on God.

Then added to this was a false emulation, for they did not consider what was mainly worthy of imitation in their fathers. It thus happened that they became attached to the old ceremonies, as though the whole of religion and perfect holiness consisted in them. This error the Apostle exposes and condemns; and he shows what was the chief excellency of the fathers, in order that their posterity might understand how they might become really like them.

Let us then bear in mind that the main point and the very hinge on which the Apostle’s argument turns is this — that all the fathers from the beginning of the world were approved by God in no other way than by being united to him by faith; and this he shows, so that the Jews might know that by faith alone they could be bound together in holy unity with the fathers, and that as soon as they renounced faith, they became banished from the Church, and that they were then no longer the legitimate children of Abraham, but a degenerate race and bastards.

Through, or by, faith we understand, etc. This is a most striking proof of the last verse, for we are no different from the brute creation if we do not understand that the world has been created by God. For what purpose have humans been endowed with understanding and reason, except that they might acknowledge their Creator? But it is by faith alone that we know that it was God who created the world. No wonder then that faith shone forth in the fathers above all other virtues.

But it may be asked here, why does the Apostle assert that what even infidels acknowledge is only understood by faith? For the very appearance of heaven and earth constrains even the ungodly to acknowledge some Maker; and hence Paul condemns all for ingratitude, because they did not, after having known God, give Him the honor due to Him (Romans 1:25). And no doubt religion would not have prevailed so much among all nations if people's minds had not been impressed with the conviction that God is the Creator of the world. It thus appears then that this knowledge, which the Apostle ascribes to faith, exists without faith.

To this I reply that, although there has been an opinion of this kind among heathens that the world was made by God, it was still very fleeting. For as soon as they formed a notion of some God, they instantly became vain in their imaginations, so that they groped in the dark, having in their thoughts a mere shadow of some uncertain deity, and not the knowledge of the true God.

Besides, as it was only a transient opinion that flitted in their minds, it was far from being anything like knowledge. We may further add that they assigned to fortune or chance the supremacy in the government of the world, and they made no mention of God’s providence, which alone rules everything.

People's minds, therefore, are wholly blind, so that they do not see the light of nature which shines forth in created things, until, being illuminated by God’s Spirit, they begin to understand by faith what they otherwise cannot comprehend. Hence, the Apostle most correctly ascribes such an understanding to faith; for they who have faith do not entertain a slight opinion as to God being the Creator of the world, but they have a deep conviction fixed in their minds and behold the true God.

And further, they understand the power of His word, not only as manifested instantaneously in creating the world but also as put forth continually in its preservation. Nor is it His power only that they understand, but also His goodness, wisdom, and justice. And hence they are led to worship, love, and honor Him.

Not made of things which do appear. As to this clause, all interpreters seem to me to have been mistaken; and the mistake has arisen from separating the preposition from the participle φαὶνομένων. They give this rendering: “So that visible things were made from things which do not appear.” But from such words, hardly any sense can be elicited, at least a very meager sense; and further, the text does not admit of such a meaning, for then the words must have been, ἐκ μὴ φαινομένων: but the order adopted by the Apostle is different.

If, then, the words were rendered literally, the meaning would be as follows: “So that they became the visible of things not visible,” or, “not apparent.” Thus the preposition would be joined to the participle to which it belongs. Besides, the words would then contain a very important truth: that we have in this visible world a conspicuous image of God.

And thus the same truth is taught here as in Romans 1:20, where it is said that the invisible things of God are made known to us by the creation of the world, they being seen in His works. God has given us, throughout the whole framework of this world, clear evidences of His eternal wisdom, goodness, and power; and though He is in Himself invisible, He in a manner becomes visible to us in His works.

Correctly then, this world is called the mirror of divinity; not that there is sufficient clearness for humans to gain a full knowledge of God by looking at the world, but that He has thus far revealed Himself, so that the ignorance of the ungodly is without excuse. Now the faithful, to whom He has given eyes, see sparks of His glory, as it were, glittering in every created thing. The world was no doubt made that it might be the theater of the divine glory.

By faith Abel offered, etc. The Apostle’s object in this chapter is to show that however excellent the works of the saints were, it was from faith they derived their value, their worthiness, and all their excellencies; and hence follows what he has already intimated, that the fathers pleased God by faith alone.

Now he commends faith here on two accounts—it renders obedience to God, for it attempts and undertakes nothing except what is according to the rule of God’s word—and it relies on God’s promises, and thus it gains the value and worth that belongs to works from his grace alone. Hence, wherever the word faith is found in this chapter, we must bear in mind that the Apostle speaks of it so that the Jews might regard no other rule than God’s word, and might also depend only on his promises.

He says, first, that Abel’s sacrifice was preferable to that of his brother for no other reason than that it was sanctified by faith. For surely the fat of brute animals did not smell so sweetly that it could, by its odor, pacify God. The Scripture indeed shows plainly why God accepted his sacrifice, for Moses’s words are these: God had respect to Abel, and to his gifts. It is hence obvious to conclude that his sacrifice was accepted because he himself was graciously accepted. But how did he obtain this favor, except that his heart was purified by faith?

God testifying, etc. He confirms what I have already stated: that no works coming from us can please God until we ourselves are received into favor, or, to speak more briefly, that no works are deemed just before God except those of a just man; for he reasons thus—God bore a testimony to Abel’s gifts; then he had obtained the praise of being just before God.

This doctrine is useful and ought especially to be noticed, as we are not easily convinced of its truth. For when anything splendid appears in any work, we are immediately rapt in admiration, and we think that it cannot possibly be disapproved of by God. But God, who regards only the inward purity of the heart, does not heed the outward masks of works. Let us then learn that no right or good work can proceed from us until we are justified before God.

By it he being dead, etc. To faith he also ascribes this—that God testified that Abel was no less the object of his care after his death than during his life. For when he says that though dead, he still speaketh, he means, as Moses tells us, that God was moved by his violent death to take vengeance. When, therefore, Abel or his blood is said to speak, the words are to be understood figuratively. It was yet a singular evidence of God’s love towards him that God cared for him when he was dead; and it hence appears that he was one of God’s saints, whose death is precious to him.

By faith Enoch, etc. He chose a few of the most ancient, so that he might make a transition to Abraham and his posterity. He teaches us that it was through faith that Enoch was translated.

But we should especially consider the reason why God removed him from the earth in such an unusual manner. The event was remarkable, and therefore all may know how dear he was to God. Impiety and all kinds of corruptions then prevailed everywhere. If he had died like other men, it would not have occurred to anyone that he was thus preserved from the prevailing contagion by God’s providence; but, since he was taken away without dying, the hand of God from heaven, removing him as it were from the fire, was openly manifested.

It was not, then, an ordinary honor with which God had favored him. Moses indeed tells us that he was a righteous man and that he walked with God; but since righteousness begins with faith, it is justly ascribed to his faith, that he pleased God.

As for the subtle questions that curious people usually raise, it is better to pass over them without taking much notice of them. They ask, what became of these two men, Enoch and Elijah? And then, so that they may not appear merely to be asking questions, they imagine that they are reserved for the last days of the Church, that they may then come forth into the world; and for this purpose, the Revelation of John is referred to. Let us leave this airy philosophy to those flighty and vain minds that cannot be satisfied with what is solid. Let it suffice us to know that their translation was a type of extraordinary death; nor let us doubt that they were divested of their mortal and corruptible flesh, so that they might, with the other members of Christ, be renewed into a blessed immortality.