A Torah Verse By Verse Commentary Of Paul's Epistles by Re'tzon Ha'El - HTML preview

Chapter 11

V1 This verse defines what faith is and the succeeding verses expand on this concept utilizing historical examples to qualify the definition. Hupostasis translated substance is better rendered confidence or assurance cf Heb 3:14. Faith is finding assurance in something that has not been seen, yet hoped for. We have not seen Yeshua as Christians yet we have a great deal of evidence from history and the laws of nature, coupled with supernatural workings to believe in His existence and power and ultimately His promises. Modern definitions of faith exclude evidential support. The biblical definition stresses that faith has irrefutable evidence attached to it and simply requires endurance to attain the promises entangled in it to the very end cf Heb 12:1. The Hebrew for faith is emunah which means steadfastness, which means more than just believing cf Ps 119:86 where we are told that Torah is emunah/stability, faithfulness.

V2 The presbuteros/elders refers to the patriarchs and matriarchs of Old Testament times who martureo/bore witness by their steadfastness too i.e. they endured till the end as an example for us.

V3 The rhema/word, utterance brought everything into being. Scientists may foolishly speculate that a big bang started everything, yet cannot explain what started the so-called big bang. It is foolishness to not believe in an unseen creator who brought about the cosmos and maintains its equilibrium, that from ancient times until recently, the only debate was who this creator is. We live in times where false science denies a creator outright, ultimately blotting out the concept of faith to the detriment of the peddlers and recipients of such absurdity 1 Tim 6:20. Only an equally foolish mind dwells on such debates of which my rational mind refuses to give further attention. Rom 1:18-22 is a fitting scripture for such deluded souls.

V4 cf 1 Jn 3:12. pleion translated more excellent is Greek for greater quantity or quality. Abel did not hold back in quantity or quality of his sacrifice to Elohim, and by so doing was observing the Torah, leading to Elohim’s witness. Unlike Cain, Abel offered the best i.e. the firstborn of his animals as Torah prescribed Ex 13:12. This proves that Torah began at Adam. By the time of Moses, it was simply brought to the remembrance and codified for the Israelites, who would have forgotten or lost it in their Egyptian bondage. The fat was considered the best part of the animal too of which Abel offered to Elohim Lev 3:9,14;4:31. The word translated righteous is the Greek dikaios which means law-abiding. Hence the phrase the just shall live by faith Rom1:17 actually means the law-abiding shall live by faith. To say justification abolishes Torah is hence a nonsensical oxymoron. Abel ultimately bore witness of faith through his law-abiding offering i.e. he was a just man living by faith.

V5-6 Enoch on the other hand lived by faith throughout his whole life that it pleased Elohim so greatly that he translated him to heaven, never seeing death. He and Elijah, outside of our perfect Saviour Yeshua, clearly were the closest example of perfect endurance in faith. The ultimate goal of fervent endurance through trial and tribulation for Elohim’s sake is guaranteed reward of communion with Him forever in heaven as Enoch lived to see.

V7 eulabeeomai translated fear actually reflects apprehension or one being circumspect through reverence. We must live as Noah did with a great respect and reverence of Elohim’s commandments enduring to the end where the promise lies.

V8 Faith further requires an element of obedience to the end as Abraham demonstrated, which culminates in great reward.

V9 Interestingly all 3 patriarchs dwelt together at some point in time.

V10 It is not an earthly city that Abraham sought, as he knew he was but a pilgrim on this earth Gen 47:9, Heb 11:13. Rather he looked forward to the new Jerusalem which is yet to come, built by the very hands of Elohim Rev 21:2,19.

V11 In our Christian walk, like Sarah we must hegeomai/count, think, esteem Elohim as faithful too i.e. as steadfast in His promise. In essence as long-suffering as we should be in our walk, we should be rest assured that YHVH is also long-suffering in His grace and mercy, by virtue of Him promising us that desired eternal life, which we do not deserve.

V12 cf Gen 15:5. At 100 Abraham had the child of promise, Isaac and succeeding multitudes of descendants.

V13 The promises of earthly prosperity falsely taught by the prosperity gospel using Abraham and the patriarchs as references, is a doctrine of demons. Our faith is supposed to be endurance in our Christian walk, resisting earthly temptations of temporary riches, used by Satan and his cohorts to suck us into evil. This arduous walk should be conducted in hope of the heavenly reward of eternal life that is promised throughout scripture, and has thus far been repeated by the author incessantly.

V14-16 With the mindset of the vanity of embracing our earthly sojourn, we should never be perturbed by any lack nor resistance from the devil that we may encounter. We should remain focused on the heavenly rewards that await us which far exceed that which shall be cast away Jm 1:11; 1 Pet 1:24; Lk 12:28; Jn 14:1-3.

V17-19 cf Gen 21:12. The seed being Yeshua Gal 3:16. Abraham had been promised that the Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac his only begotten son. His faith i.e. steadfastness in the trial he endured was so great clearly proving that Abraham believed in the resurrection, seeing as he was prepared to sacrifice his son. V19 confirms that this was a foreshadowing of Yeshua’s sacrificial death and resurrection yet future.

V20-22 Death did not diminish the faith of the patriarchs, as they knew that the promises given to Abraham lay in the afterlife i.e. eternal life. Earthly prosperity was not considered the endgame.

V23 asteios/comely is tov/beautiful, fair in the Hebrew cf Ex 2:2. Moses’ parents, Amram and Jochebed, endured through faith disregarding diabolical earthly commandments, preferring to trust in the promise of Elohim. With Elohim on our side, no matter how tough the persecution, we should have no reason to fear evil cf Acts 4:19, 5:29, Rev 14:9-12.

V24-25 Moses also saw the futility and vanity of earthly treasures which beget sin, giving them up in preference of the trying walk of faith in YHVH. 

V26 We tend to fall short of the knowledge that these men and women of old had Messiah on their minds in their conduct. It should be easier for us whose existence has come into being after the advent of Messiah, to have faith and endure all manner of trial, since we have record of the power of Messiah and His Holy Spirit, our succourer whom He left us. We have record of His redemptive work for us on the cross, and also of the mystery of redemption of all mankind Jew and Gentile, through His victory over death and Hades, a mystery that behooved even the underworld including Satan himself. Yet these men and women of old seem to have had even greater faith than most born after Yeshua’s ascension, despite having had far less evidence for their faith to hinge on. We truly have no excuse to take for granted the promise of reward that lies before us Rom 1:20.

V27-29 Like his parents, Moses feared not the visible and terrifying Pharaoh, placing his complete trust and faith in the invisible yet omnipotent YHVH Elohim, obeying His instructions to place the blood on the doorpost for Gershom’s sake, as did the other obedient inhabitants of Egypt to protect their firstborn from YHVH’s wrath. When all hope seemed lost, the Egyptian army close on their heels, Moses and the faithful multitudes had a perfectly dry path opened up to cross the Red Sea. Historical evidence hidden from mainstream media is abundant of these occurrences from remnants and location of Noah’s Ark, to the remains of Sodom and Gomorrah, chariot wheels in the Red Sea to a myriad of artefacts from the 40 year wilderness wanderings, that a half curious eye can readily source the evidence to more than amplify one’s faith and complete trust in the all-powerful YHVH Elohim whose promises are assured to those who persevere to the end. Even when all hope seems lost, we must never turn back.

V30-34 The conquests of judges and kings are categorized together with those of a harlot, which gives us reassurance that we do not need titles nor official posts to be promised eternal life. The faith required of us does not see Jew nor Gentile, servant nor master. Elohim is no respecter of people Acts 10:34; Rom 2:11-15.

V35-38 The ultimate price to pay in this cruel anti-Christian world is death itself. As daunting as it may sound, we must all be prepared to face death for our faith, under no circumstances denying Yeshua, as Peter did. He truly did repent, having died on a cross upside down. Every single New Testament apostle excluding John the revelator died a cruel death according to Foxe’s book of Martyrs. This book gives a graphic history of martyrs throughout the early Christian age, which details how cruel the human emissaries of Satan tormented the saints, especially through the Roman empire and the Roman Catholic church. This is historical fact and not an attempt to attack the Roman Catholic institution’s massive following, the greater majority of whom are ignorant of these past atrocities. It is truthfully stated in v38 that this fleeting world does not deserve us, hence we should be encouraged ever-the-more to shun the waterfalls and bright lights that lead to the broad path of destruction Matt 7:13.

V39 Despite having braved all manner of peril and some ultimately paying the greatest price with their lives, these grand individuals bore witness for us how great faith they exhibited, despite having not lived to see the promise of eternal life, which is yet to come.

V40 This closing verse appears senseless in the English as a rather curious verbiage has been utilized. The word teleioo in Greek is translated they and made perfect. It means complete or perfect. ‘Tis’ is the Greek word translated as ‘some’ and ‘thing’. It means someone or something. The verse in order to make sense could be better written ‘Elohim having provided someone or something better for us, that the perfect (in reference to the saints of old), without us should not be made complete. The gist being that the men of old could not receive eternal life until that better High priest for us all be provided in order to complete us i.e. give us that promise of eternal life when He returns for us all.