Matthew Henry Commentary Hebrews 11

Faith has always been the mark of God's servants, from the beginning of the world. When this principle is planted by the regenerating Spirit of God, it will cause the truth to be received, concerning justification by the sufferings and merits of Christ. And the same things that are the object of our hope are also the object of our faith. It is a firm persuasion and expectation that God will perform all He has promised to us in Christ. This persuasion allows the soul to enjoy those things now; it gives them a present reality in the soul through the first-fruits and foretastes of them.

Faith proves to the mind the reality of things that cannot be seen by the bodily eye. It is a full approval of all God has revealed, as holy, just, and good. This view of faith is explained by many examples of people in former times, who obtained a good report, or an honorable character in the word of God. Faith was the principle of their holy obedience, remarkable services, and patient sufferings.

The Bible gives the most true and exact account of the origin of all things, and we are to believe it, and not to wrest the Scripture account of the creation because it does not suit the differing speculations of people. All that we see of the works of creation were brought into being by the command of God.

Here are some illustrious examples of faith from the Old Testament. Abel brought a sacrifice of atonement from the firstlings of the flock, acknowledging himself a sinner who deserved to die, and only hoping for mercy through the great Sacrifice. Cain's proud rage and enmity against the accepted worshipper of God led to the awful effects that these same principles have produced in every age: the cruel persecution and even murder of believers.

By faith Abel, being dead, yet speaketh; he left an instructive and speaking example. Enoch was translated, or removed, so that he would not see death; God took Him into heaven, as Christ will do for the saints who will be alive at His second coming. We cannot come to God unless we believe that He is what He has revealed Himself to be in the Scripture.

Those who would find God must seek Him with all their heart. Noah's faith influenced his practice; it moved him to prepare an ark. His faith condemned the unbelief of others; and his obedience condemned their contempt and rebellion. Good examples either convert sinners or condemn them.

This shows how believers, being warned by God to flee from the wrath to come, are moved with fear, take refuge in Christ, and become heirs of the righteousness of faith.

We are often called to leave worldly connections, interests, and comforts. If heirs of Abraham's faith, we will obey and go forth, though not knowing what may happen to us; and we will be found in the way of duty, looking for the fulfillment of God's promises. The trial of Abraham's faith was that he simply and fully obeyed the call of God. Sarah received the promise as the promise of God. Being convinced of that, she truly judged that He both could and would perform it.

Many, who have a part in the promises, do not soon receive the things promised. Faith can take hold of blessings at a great distance, can make them present, and can enable us to love them and rejoice in them, though we are strangers—saints whose home is heaven, pilgrims traveling toward their home. By faith, they overcome the terrors of death and bid a cheerful farewell to this world, and to all its comforts and crosses.

And those once truly and savingly called out of a sinful state have no desire to return to it. All true believers desire the heavenly inheritance; and the stronger their faith is, the more fervent those desires will be. Despite their humble state by nature, their vileness by sin, and the poverty of their outward condition, God is not ashamed to be called the God of all true believers; such is His mercy, such is His love for them. Let them never be ashamed of being called His people, nor of any of those who are truly so, however much they are despised in the world.

Above all, let them take care that they are not a shame and reproach to their God. The greatest trial and act of faith on record is Abraham's offering up Isaac (Genesis 22:2). In that account, every word reveals a trial. It is our duty to reason down our doubts and fears by looking, as Abraham did, to the almighty power of God. The best way to enjoy our comforts is to give them up to God; He will then give them to us again in the way that will be best for us.

Let us examine how far our faith has produced similar obedience when we have been called to lesser acts of self-denial or to make smaller sacrifices for our duty. Have we given up what was called for, fully believing that the Lord would make up for all our losses and even bless us through the most painful trials?

Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. Present things are not the best things; no one knows love or hatred by having them or lacking them. Jacob lived by faith, and he died by faith, and in faith. Though the grace of faith is always useful throughout our whole lives, it is especially so when we come to die. Faith has a great work to do at last: to help the believer die to the Lord, so as to honor Him, by patience, hope, and joy.

Joseph was tried by temptations to sin and by persecution for keeping his integrity; he was also tried by honors and power in the court of Pharaoh, yet his faith carried him through. It is a great mercy to be free from wicked laws and edicts; but when we are not, we must use all lawful means for our security. In this faith of Moses' parents, there was a mixture of unbelief, but God was pleased to overlook it.

Faith gives strength against the sinful, slavish fear of men; it sets God before the soul, shows the vanity of the creature, and reveals that all must give way to the will and power of God. The pleasures of sin are, and will be, only short-lived; they must end either in speedy repentance or in speedy ruin. The pleasures of this world are, for the most part, the pleasures of sin; they are always so when we cannot enjoy them without deserting God and His people.

Suffering is to be chosen rather than sin, as there is more evil in the least sin than there can be in the greatest suffering. God's people are, and always have been, a reproached people. Christ considers Himself reproached in their reproaches; and thus these reproaches become greater riches than the treasures of the richest empire in the world. Moses made his choice when he was mature in judgment and capable of enjoyment, able to know what he did and why he did it.

It is necessary for people to be seriously religious and to despise the world when most capable of relishing and enjoying it. Believers may and ought to have respect for the recompense of the reward. By faith, we may be fully sure of God's providence and of His gracious and powerful presence with us. Such a sight of God will enable believers to persevere to the end, whatever they may encounter on the way.

It is not due to our own righteousness or best performances that we are saved from the wrath of God, but to the blood of Christ and His imputed righteousness. True faith makes sin bitter to the soul, even while it receives pardon and atonement. All our spiritual privileges on earth should spur us on in our way to heaven. The Lord will make even Babylon fall before the faith of His people, and when He has some great thing to do for them, He raises up great and strong faith in them.

A true believer desires not only to be in covenant with God but also in communion with the people of God, and is willing to fare as they fare. By her works, Rahab declared herself to be righteous. That she was not justified by her works appears plainly, because the work she did was faulty in its manner and not perfectly good; therefore, it could not measure up to the perfect justice or righteousness of God.

After all our searches into the Scriptures, there is more to be learned from them. We should be pleased to think how great the number of believers was under the Old Testament, and how strong their faith was, even though its objects were not then as fully made known as they are now. And we should lament that now, in gospel times, when the rule of faith is clearer and more perfect, the number of believers is so small, and their faith so weak.

It is the excellence of the grace of faith that, while it helps people to do great things, like Gideon, it keeps them from having high and great thoughts of themselves. Faith, like Barak's, turns to God in all dangers and difficulties, and then offers grateful returns to God for all mercies and deliverances. By faith, the servants of God will overcome even the roaring lion that goeth about seeking whom he may devour.

The believer's faith endures to the end and, in dying, gives the believer victory over death and all his deadly enemies, like Samson. The grace of God is often bestowed upon very undeserving and ill-deserving people, to do great things for them and through them. But the grace of faith, wherever it is, will lead people to acknowledge God in all their ways, as Jephthah did. It will make people bold and courageous in a good cause.

Few ever faced greater trials, or showed more vibrant faith, than David; and he has left a testimony to the trials and acts of faith in the book of Psalms, which has been, and always will be, of great value to the people of God. Those who begin early to exercise their faith, like Samuel, are likely to grow up to be distinguished for it. And faith will enable a person to serve God and their generation, in whatever way they may be employed.

The interests and powers of kings and kingdoms are often opposed to God and his people; but God can easily subdue all who set themselves against him. It is a greater honor and happiness to work righteousness than to work miracles. By faith we have comfort from the promises; and by faith we are prepared to wait for the promises and, in due time, receive them. And though we do not hope to have our dead relatives or friends restored to life in this world, yet faith will support us in their loss and direct us to the hope of a better resurrection.

Should we be more amazed at the wickedness of human nature, that it is capable of such awful cruelties to fellow creatures, or at the excellence of Divine grace, that it is able to sustain the faithful under such cruelties and carry them safely through it all? What a difference between God's judgment of a saint and human judgment! The world is not worthy of those scorned, persecuted saints, whom their persecutors consider unworthy to live.

They are not worthy of their company, example, counsel, or other benefits. For they do not know what a saint is, nor the worth of a saint, nor how to rightly relate to one. They hate and drive such people away, just as they reject the offer of Christ and his grace (Hebrews 11:39).