Chapter 11

Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews — Chapter Eleven

¹ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. He sketches faith for us, and says that it is a giving of being to things that do not yet exist, and a substance of things that do not yet subsist. For example, the resurrection does not yet subsist, but faith gives it subsistence and sets it before our eyes.

² The proof of things not seen. “Proof”—that is, a showing, a manifestation of things unseen. For it makes these to be seen by our mind as though present. If, then, faith can do such things, why do you wish to see them in actual fact, that you may fall away from faith? And this is nothing other than to fall away from being righteous. For the righteous shall live by faith.

³ For in it the elders were borne witness to. That is, in this same faith all the ancients were borne witness to by God; it was acknowledged of them that they served him.

⁴ By faith we understand that the ages were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which appear. Since faith is slandered by those who do not perceive its power—who call it a thing undemonstrable and a manifest deception—he shows that the greatest things are accomplished through faith, and not through reasonings. For that God by his word made the things that are out of things that are not, what demonstration has set before us? None at all, but faith alone. By faith, then, we understand that the ages were framed—that is, came to be—by the word of God. Why “by faith”? Because the things that are seen came to be out of things that do not appear; which is a matter requiring faith. Or thus also: that they came to be by the word of God, in that the things that are were brought forth out of things that are not. And when you hear “ages,” understand also the things contained in them to be everlasting, and indeed times too and all things in time—the term “ages” by an extension of usage signifying the times as well; since the age in the proper sense is something other than time, and is one, not many.

⁵ By faith Abel offered to God a fuller sacrifice than Cain. Since faith is a great thing, and needs a noble soul, and the Hebrew believers had grown faint—at the beginning indeed they had displayed faith, but afterward, from the continuance of their afflictions, they were becoming faint-hearted—he encouraged them, both from the things they themselves had accomplished and from the Scripture, saying, that the righteous shall live by faith; and from reasonings, saying, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; and now from the great men of old. For whenever a man finds those who share his sufferings, he is given rest and breathes again. He brings forward, then, Abel, and says that by faith he offered a fuller sacrifice—that is, a more honorable one than his brother’s. For whom else had he seen before him? His father, or his mother—and indeed they too offered to God—but his brother; and this one dishonored God. By faith alone, then, was he guided to offer the better of what he had, believing that he would receive his reward.

⁶ Through which he was borne witness to as being righteous, God bearing witness over his gifts. For the God who said to Cain, If you offer rightly, but do not rightly divide, bore witness to Abel, that he both offered rightly, in that he brought it to the Giver from whom he had it, and divided rightly, in that he brought the better portion, as to a Master. And it is said that fire also came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, and from this Cain too recognized that Abel had been preferred. For how else? Wherefore one of those who translated the Hebrew tongue into Greek rendered it thus: The Lord looked upon the sacrifices of Abel, and set them on fire.

⁷ And through it he, being dead, still speaks. That is, through this same faith he still speaks; that is, faith made him to be still living, and to be set up as a teacher to all, all but saying aloud: “Imitate me, O men, and be well-pleasing to the One who fashioned you, by becoming righteous.” He speaks, then—that is, being glorified, being spoken of, being remembered, he speaks; just as the heaven also speaks, merely by being seen. For a word does not accomplish so much as does that man’s suffering. And this he said in order to show the faint-hearted that even here the righteous man enjoys honor in part. So that you too shall enjoy it. But some of the copies have “is spoken of,” not well, I think.

⁸ By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death, and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this witness, that he had pleased God. This man displayed a greater faith than Abel. For the things that befell Abel were enough to scandalize him, that being righteous he was permitted to be slain by his brother. For what, if the murderer was punished? What benefit was that to the one who had been put out of the way? A great faith, then, did he display, believing that God is a rewarder in the age to come, even if not now; and through it he pleased God, and having pleased him he was translated. By faith, then, he was translated—that is, faith translated him, through which he pleased God. And observe how through Abel God showed the sentence concerning death to be true, but through Enoch he showed again that the sentence is temporary and shall be done away. That he was translated alive, then, and that he still lives, we know; but where, or how, is uncertain, since the Scripture did not say.

⁹ But without faith it is impossible to please him. For if one does not believe that there is a recompense of good things and of evil, he will not please God. For how should he tread the toilsome road of virtue, if he is not persuaded that in the age to come the rewards are many times greater and more abiding? But hear also what follows.

¹⁰ For he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he becomes a rewarder to those who seek him out. That God is, and becomes a rewarder, we hold by faith; for some say that the things that are came to be of themselves. But what he is according to his essence is altogether not to be attempted, at least by those who are sober-minded. And what is meant by “those who seek him out”? That is, those who are eager throughout their life to please him, not those who busy themselves through outward wisdom. And observe Paul’s wisdom, how everywhere he sows underneath the word “rewarder,” on account of the faint-hearted Hebrew believers.

¹¹ By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not yet seen, moved with reverent fear, prepared an ark for the salvation of his house. Noah, he says, was warned by God—that is, was instructed concerning things unseen—and did not disbelieve. But although the sky was clear, and all were living in luxury and expecting nothing dreadful—for nor was any such thing to be seen—nevertheless he, believing God, took reverent heed of the flood, and prepared an ark, through which he saved from the flood all those of his house. And note that God gives warning, and the Spirit also gives warning, according to what is written concerning Simeon: It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit, therefore, is God.

¹² Through which he condemned the world. That is, he showed them to be worthy of punishment, who, even when they saw the ark being prepared over so long a time, did not come to any awareness, nor believe that there would be a flood.

¹³ And became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. That is, he gained this, to be shown righteous before God; which name of righteousness, he says, faith bestowed upon him.

¹⁴ By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. Since the believers from among the Hebrews looked to this man and the rest of the patriarchs as having enjoyed countless good things, he is about to show that no one yet has received anything. He says, then, that by faith Abraham obeyed when he was commanded to leave his fatherland. For whom had he seen, that he should emulate him? His father was an idolater, and of the prophets he heard nothing. So that it belonged to faith to obey God as one who spoke truly concerning what he promised, and to leave the things at hand.

¹⁵ And he went out, not knowing where he was going. And yet, even if he had known, who compelled him, leaving the things ready to hand, to pursue the things not ready? But he did not even know at all what that land was to which he was called.

¹⁶ By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land. That land, he says, which God promised to give to him and to his seed, this he dwelt in as in a foreign land. How “as foreign”? For indeed he even bought the burial-place of Sarah; and yet he did not waver, nor say, “God has lied,” but believed that, beyond all doubt, the One who had spoken would give it.

¹⁷ Dwelling in tents. So far did he dwell in it as in a foreign land, that he did not even have a house, but dwelt in tents, which belongs to strangers, to those who move now to one place and now to another, because they have nothing of their own.

¹⁸ With Isaac and Jacob, the fellow-heirs of the same promise. Both Isaac, he says, and Jacob, dwelt in it thus, as in a foreign land. Isaac, being envied by the Philistines, and having his wells taken away by those around Abimelech, and his very wife also, and moving now to one place and now to another. And Jacob, not only as one driven by fear of Esau, but because also, having come up from Mesopotamia, he bought the place and pitched his tent; and now he moved to Bethel, now to Ephrath, unsettled like a sojourner. And yet they too were heirs of the promise, as was their father also. For to you will I give it, and to your seed. But nevertheless they did not disbelieve.

¹⁹ For he was awaiting the city which has the foundations. For this reason, he says, they sojourned in the land in tents, which have no foundation, because they were awaiting the heavenly city, which has true foundations, unbending and never to be made to totter. Wherefore God also, seeing them despise the earthly promises, deferred these, preparing for them the greater ones, as for those worthy of them, and not of the things of earth. Then those men, though receiving a promise of earth, despised it and reached after heaven. But you, O believers, having received a heavenly promise, desire earth; and how are you not ashamed?

²⁰ Of which God is the craftsman and maker. Ah, what an encomium of that city is this—to have God as its master-builder!

²¹ By faith Sarah herself also, being barren. The phrase “Sarah herself also” is meant to shame, as though he said: The woman believed, and are you not ashamed, if you are found more faint-hearted than a woman? But how did she believe, who laughed? Yes, she believed, even though she laughed; for afterward, being rebuked, she was afraid; which belonged to faith. For it is plain that she believed the One who conversed with her to be someone great and above man.

²² She received power to conceive seed. That is, she was empowered to receive and to hold fast the seed of Abraham that was sown into her. Or, since those who have examined these matters closely say that the woman too contributes from herself a kind of seed, perhaps “to conceive seed” is to be understood thus, as meaning “to cast down seed herself also.”

²³ And beyond the season of age she gave birth. He said above that she was barren; now he says that she gave birth even beyond the season of age. So that she had a double disability—the one from nature, in that she was barren, and the one from old age.

²⁴ Since she counted him faithful who had promised. “Faithful”—that is, true. For he had promised: At this season I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.

²⁵ Wherefore also there sprang from one, and that one as good as dead, descendants as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand which is by the shore of the sea, innumerable. Not this alone did faith accomplish—the begetting—but that he begot also so many as not even fruitful women do. So that there were two wonders. But how were they innumerable? For they were numbered many times. Either, then, this is said hyperbolically, according to the custom of Scripture, as the saying, Cities up to heaven; or, on account of those ever being added in succession, he called them innumerable.

²⁶ These all died according to faith, not having received the promises. Two things are inquired into here. How, having said concerning Enoch that he was translated, that he should not see death, does he now say, These all died? And again, how does he now say that they did not receive the promises, when yet he said that Abel still speaks, through being glorified among all; and that Enoch was translated, that Noah received a reward, namely to be saved with his house, and to be called righteous; and that Abraham begot children from Sarah? Now the phrase “These all died” take as meaning “those who have died,” excepting, of course, the one who did not see death. But that they did not receive the promises is said truly of them all. For it was not upon these things alone that the bountiful God paid out the rewards of the great labors of faith—to Abel, glory among men; to Enoch, the translation; to Noah, the salvation from the flood; and to Abraham, the begetting of children—but it is plain that these are foretastes and pledges of the true promises, granted beforehand to us who are faint-hearted, for the sake of the holy ones, that from these we may believe concerning those also. But certain other great things, even things which have not entered into the heart of man, have been prepared for them, which they have not yet received; just as the Lord also says in the Gospel, that in this present age he who has renounced shall receive a hundredfold, and in the age to come life everlasting.

²⁷ But having seen them from afar and greeted them. Here he hints at their having both seen and greeted the mysteries concerning the kingdom of heaven, and the resurrection, and the unspeakable good things—that is, having delighted in them—by a metaphor from sailors, who even from afar behold the longed-for cities, and before they enter into them, anticipating, make them their own by the greeting. Or he means those around Abraham, that they themselves did not receive the promises concerning the land, but foresaw them from afar—that is, before four generations—namely, that their descendants, coming up out of Egypt, would inherit them. But this interpretation does not follow upon what was said in the words “These all,” since it suits only those around Abraham.

²⁸ And having confessed that they are strangers and sojourners upon the earth. Not only of the promised land, but of the whole inhabited world. For this reason they did not even deem it worthy to receive this; for they were not worthy of it, but of heaven. And their descendants received it; for those were worthy of the earth. And Abraham confessed that he was a stranger and a sojourner to the Hittites, in these very words. But indeed all of them were such, and David also bears witness: I am a sojourner, he says, as all my fathers were.

²⁹ For those who say such things make it plain that they seek after a fatherland. And if indeed they had been mindful of that from which they came out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they reach after a better one, that is, a heavenly one. By calling themselves strangers, he says, they make it plain—that is, they show—that they seek after a fatherland. Let us see, then, what sort of fatherland they seek: the earthly one which they left, as Abraham left Mesopotamia? And indeed it was possible for him to return to that one. But since he did not return, it is manifest that he neither was mindful of it, nor was it a fatherland to him, but he desired another, a better one—that is, a heavenly one—into which he did not yet have opportunity to go up.

³⁰ Wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God. On account of such a desire of theirs, God, he says, holds them so great that, being God of the whole world, both the invisible and the visible, he is not ashamed to be called especially their God, as though they were of equal honor with all creation; or rather, of the visible world God is called God as its Maker and Lord—and in this sense he is God of the Greeks also—but of these he is God as a friend, which is the greater thing.

³¹ For he prepared for them a city. So far is he from being ashamed of them, but holds them as his own, that he prepared for them even the city which they desired, the one in the heavens.

³² By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac. Greatest of all in faith was Abraham. For here not only did nature do battle, but also the word of God by a divine command did battle against itself. For the One who said, To you and to your seed will I give the land, this same One commands, “Slay your child.” Wherefore Abraham is said to be tried, not as though God needed to learn his virtue, but that we, by the very trial and by the deeds, might learn his virtue. And note that trials are so profitable, that not only does God permit them to be brought upon the faithful by others, but he himself also tries them, that he may show them more approved.

³³ And he who had received the promises offered up his only-begotten, to whom it was said, In Isaac shall your seed be called; reckoning that God was able to raise him up even from the dead. This is the marvel, that having no other child, through whom he expected the promise to come to pass, but this one alone, he nevertheless offered him up. Whence, then? From great faith. For he believed that God was able, even after the slaying, by raising him from the dead, to fulfill the promise, and through him restored to life to multiply the seed. But how was Isaac the only-begotten, seeing that he had Ishmael also? Only-begotten, that is, as far as concerns the word of the promise; for this one is also seed in the proper sense. For in Isaac shall your seed be called.

³⁴ Whence also he received him back in a parable. What is the meaning of “in a parable”? It stands for “in a figure,” for the showing forth of the mystery concerning Christ. For just as then Isaac was let go, but the ram was slain, so the one Christ, being God and the same also man, according to the human was sacrificed for us, while the Godhead remained impassible. And in another way: Abraham was a figure of God and Father, Isaac of the Son of God; since God was about to dispense this great mystery that surpasses understanding, and to give his Son for us, being exceedingly loving toward mankind, he did not even will to give this as a private favor of his own, but to pay it back as a debt. As though saying such things as these: “I give nothing new to human nature in sacrificing my Son on its behalf. For Abraham offered up his son to be sacrificed for me. So that I pay back the debt; I do not give a favor.” Or “in a parable” stands for “in the ram”—Abraham received him back, that is, in the recompense of the ram, which ram was a figure of Isaac; that is, as the antitype of Isaac was the ram slain.

³⁵ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. For whence did he promise to his sons so many good things, himself sitting in a foreign land, unless he believed that God would give the things promised? And what is meant by “concerning things to come”? Either that the blessings were of the things in the age to come—for they knew the resurrection, and the blessings were spiritual—or concerning the good things on earth, which either they themselves were to receive, or those who should be born of them. And he sets Jacob before Esau, as the virtuous one, and as one who had received the birthright, and as worthy to be set first in all things.

³⁶ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped upon the top of his staff. The sons of Joseph were Manasseh and Ephraim; and Manasseh was the elder, Ephraim the younger; yet Jacob blessed Ephraim with the greater blessings, and with the crosswise laying-on of his right hand, and he so believed that the blessings would come to pass, and that the tribe of Ephraim would reign, that he showed it even by the very deeds. For he worshipped toward Joseph, signifying the worship of all the people; which worship he did upon the top of his staff—that is, leaning upon the staff because of his old age. But some say that he worshipped upon the top of the staff of Joseph, signifying that the scepter of the kingdom would, through the staff, come to be worshipped.

³⁷ By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention concerning the departure of the sons of Israel, and gave commandment concerning his bones. So greatly, he says, did he believe that the Israelites would be set free from Egypt, that he even put them under oath to carry up his bones with them. And this he did, not because he was concerned about monuments—for who that was so wise did not know that the earth is the Lord’s?—but that he might give the people full assurance that the promise of God would by all means come to pass, and that they would go out. And that it is so pleasing to God that they should not remain behind in Egypt because of the impiety there, that not even to himself was the laying of his bones in Egypt acceptable.

³⁸ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they did not fear the decree of the king. Having recounted great men who by faith wrought what they did, he speaks also concerning the parents of Moses, certain obscure persons, putting to shame those faint-hearted ones, since they carry off the second place to such men. And going on, he brings even a harlot into the midst, that he may shame them the more. He says, then: For what reason did they hide him three months, and that too when there was a command that the males be killed? How did they not fear? Clearly because they believed that he would be saved. And whence did they believe that he would be saved? Because they saw that the child was beautiful—that is, comely, graceful to the sight—and they believed that God had graced it from the very swaddling-clothes. For they say indeed that they were even about to cast it away, but it smiled with grace, and they let it be; so wholly divine were all things about it.

³⁹ By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin. He came to the example most especially proper to them, Moses, wherefore he also dwells at length, enlarging upon his matters. And the construction is thus: By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. When? When he was grown—that is, having already come to manhood. For it is plain that he expected to receive in return something greater. And the word “refused” shows the intensity of his hatred, and the inward estrangement from the royal household. And observe how he names it sin, not to suffer affliction together with one’s brethren. This God also reproaches through the prophets: They were not grieved at all over the affliction of Joseph. And again: He did not go forth to stay the house that bordered upon her. And to those who groan, in Ezekiel the sign is given; but those who suffer nothing of the kind the angels are commanded to cut down. And if those who do not willingly suffer affliction together with the afflicted are sinning, what must be thought concerning those who afflict and do evil? “The temporary enjoyment of sin,” then, signifies the participation in the luxury of the kingdom.

⁴⁰ Counting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. He did not say “the good things laid up in heaven,” but, both showing that man’s virtue and winning them over, he said “the reproach of Christ.” For just as later those who were benefited by Christ reproached him, and at the last crucified him, so also formerly those benefited by Moses reproached him. For the Hebrew who had been delivered from the Egyptian by Moses, that very man on the morrow said to him: Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian? For, in general, to be reproached or ill-treated by one’s own people and by those one has benefited is a reproach of Christ. And every reproach that comes against the doer of a good deed on account of that good deed, and simply every unjust assault, is a reproach of Christ. For so the Lord too was ill spoken of, being called a friend of tax-collectors, because he ate with them for their salvation. As, then, ease belongs to sin, so reproach belongs to Christ. Do not, therefore, be vexed, you who are afflicted by your fellow-countrymen, looking to Moses who was so glorious, and, what is greater, to Christ. A reproach of Christ also was the murmuring against Moses at the rock. For Christ was the rock.

⁴¹ For he looked away to the recompense of reward. With the eyes of faith, that is.

⁴² By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king. What do you say? And yet in Exodus it is written: And Moses was afraid, because the matter had become known. But “not fearing” here take with reference to his standing again over Egypt, and undertaking the leadership of the Hebrews. For it would have belonged to one who feared not to return at all, nor to take in hand those whom he had before. But since he did return, he showed that he believed God. How, then, did he not remain in Egypt, but left Egypt, if indeed he did not fear? Because to throw oneself into manifest danger, and to say, “If perhaps God will save me,” belongs to one who tempts God, and is of the devil; just as the devil also said to the Lord, Cast yourself down. Or “not fearing the wrath of the king” understand thus: that he fled, believing that he would escape, and that the king would not pursue him, as being enraged against him, nor, even if he should pursue, would overtake him. And a sign of this is that he chose to dwell even among his neighbors, and was not detected. So that this belonged to faith.

⁴³ For he endured as seeing the Invisible. For as though seeing God present with him, so he endured all things. For it is productive of great endurance to have God ever in mind; as David also says: I foresaw the Lord ever before me; and what follows.

⁴⁴ By faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them. Everywhere Paul, in passing, inserts a mystery, just as here too, in the manner of an exhortation, he recounts the mystery of the Passover. For the sprinkling of that blood—that is, the smearing of the doorposts—signified the smearing with the Master’s blood, by which, being anointed, we flee from the one who, in the darkness of this life, destroys the firstborn of the unanointed. Moses, then, believing at that time that the smearing of the blood would guard the firstborn, charged the people to do this. And yet that was the blood of a lamb; but nevertheless, in that it was a figure of the blood of Christ, it displayed so great a power. But you, having been anointed with the true blood, do you not take courage to be walled about by it? Yes indeed. And he accomplished the Passover—that is, the eating both of the unleavened bread and of the bitter herbs—and he believed that the people, going out of Egypt, would be brought safely through. For the manner of that supper was one of departure.

⁴⁵ By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through dry land. That they might not say, “Why do you bring into the midst men who cannot be imitated?” he brought forward a whole people also as an example. “For imitate,” he says, “at least these of the multitude, who believed that the water would not overwhelm them, and so dared, taking courage in God, that they would go through as on dry land.” So does faith make the impossible possible; and how is it that you disbelieve?

⁴⁶ Of which the Egyptians, having made trial, were swallowed up. And no one can say, he says, that it was according to appearance, that there was no water; for that it was a sea the Egyptians showed, when they made trial of entering, but were swallowed up by it, when it was moved all at once against them—the sea which, in the crossing of the Hebrews, stood like a wall; just as later the flame in the case of the three children showed that it was flame, when it passed over the Babylonians; and the lions in the case of Daniel devoured his accusers.

⁴⁷ By faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been encircled for seven days. By faith; for, God having commanded it, neither Joshua nor the people wavered, nor said, “What is this? Does the sound of trumpets have a nature to cast down stones and battlements?” But they believed that it would be, and it came to pass.

⁴⁸ By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish together with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace. Behold, as I said also above, he brings forward a most dishonored person, that through this too he may shame them, if indeed they should appear inferior to such a woman, and at the same time may show the power of faith to be great, if indeed it accomplishes such things even among the condemned. Faith, then, did this woman also display, hiding the men who were sought as spies. And she would not have hidden them, had she not believed that the city would be taken. For thus she said: I know that you will take this land; for we have heard of your works. And she indeed believed the things she had heard; but those who did not believe the wonders of God perished.

⁴⁹ And what more shall I say? Having brought his discourse down to the harlot, and having sufficiently put them to shame by the quality of the person, he no longer, for the sake of brevity, goes through them all in detail, lest he should seem tasteless; yet neither does he keep wholly silent, but, seeming to pass them over, he does not pass them over; and thus he neither wears out the hearer, nor any the less establishes, through many instances, what he wishes.

⁵⁰ For the time would fail me to tell. The whole of it; or all of it. And this is said, as it is our custom to speak, hyperbolically; or the time commensurate with the Epistle.

⁵¹ Of Gideon, and Barak, and Samson, and Jephthah, of David also, and Samuel, and the prophets. Some inquire for what reason he places Jephthah and Samson and Barak here. What do you say? Having placed the harlot, will he not place these? Do not tell me of any other matter of their life, but consider only this—whether they shone in faith. For he does not make an examination of lives, but a showing forth of faith.

⁵² Who through faith subdued kingdoms. Those around Gideon.

⁵³ Wrought righteousness. Who? These same men and Samson. For they avenged their kinsmen and fellow-tribesmen against their enemies, showing themselves kind toward their own, but going forth against the enemies who did them wrong. And this belongs to righteousness, to render to each according to his desert.

⁵⁴ Obtained promises. Such as David. For the Lord swore, he says, to David: Of the fruit of your body will I set upon your throne. Which came to pass perceptibly indeed in Solomon, but spiritually in the Lord Jesus, the true Solomon, the peaceable one, who is peace itself. For Solomon is interpreted “peaceable.”

⁵⁵ Stopped the mouths of lions. Daniel and Samson.

⁵⁶ Quenched the power of fire. The three children. And he did not say “Quenched fire,” but “the power of fire,” which is greater; for though it was kindled, it had no power at all to burn against them.

⁵⁷ Escaped the edge of the sword. The three children also, or rather Elijah, more properly to speak, from Jezebel, and David himself from the sword of Saul.

⁵⁸ Out of weakness were made strong. Those also who returned from Babylon; for they differed nothing from dead bones, as is said in Ezekiel. But indeed Hezekiah also, having fallen sick, received an addition of life.

⁵⁹ Became mighty in war, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. These things fit those very men who returned from Babylon. For though the neighboring nations were ever envious of them, and assailed them the more at that time, yet taking courage in the power of God, through faith they warred them down. And it fits Samson most especially.

⁶⁰ Women received their dead by resurrection. The woman of Zarephath through Elijah, and the Shunammite through Elisha.

⁶¹ And others were tortured. That is, were cut off, as John, as James the son of Zebedee. But some said that “to be tortured” meant to be beaten with cudgels.

⁶² Not accepting deliverance. That is, they were able not to reprove those whom they reproved, and to be ransomed from the punishment brought upon them, but they did not will this.

⁶³ That they might obtain a better resurrection. A better one—not such as that of the children of the women, but better than that of the rest of mankind. For the holy ones shall be caught up in splendor in the clouds to meet the Lord, which elsewhere he names a rising-out; and in another way, because it is unto life everlasting. But the rest shall both remain below, and theirs is a resurrection unto punishment.

⁶⁴ And others had trial of mockings. As Elisha, mocked by the children, or Samson by the foreigners, after his eyes had been put out.

⁶⁵ And had trial of scourges. Many of the prophets also, and Peter later, and John.

⁶⁶ And moreover of bonds and imprisonment. As Jeremiah and Micaiah, and the apostles later.

⁶⁷ They were stoned. As Naboth, and Stephen also later.

⁶⁸ They were sawn asunder. Among whom was Isaiah, by Manasseh, who they say was sawn even with a wooden saw, that the punishment might be more painful to him, being chastised the longer.

⁶⁹ They died by the slaughter of the sword. As Micaiah, Zechariah, and John, and James. And observe that some, from faith, escaped the edge of the sword, but others died by the slaughter of the sword. For such is faith: it both accomplishes great things, and suffers great things, and thinks it suffers nothing. How then is it that you, having not yet suffered any such thing, are in distress?

⁷⁰ They went about in sheepskins, in goatskins. As those around Elijah, so destitute of possessions were they. For since they did not yet hold so great an opinion concerning the apostles, after making mention of them, he comes to the glorious prophet who was taken up. And “they went about” signifies their being persecuted and unsettled. And a sheepskin is the skin of a sheep, that is, of the flock.

⁷¹ Being destitute. As this same Elijah and Elisha. For women fed them.

⁷² Afflicted, ill-treated. For Jezebel afflicted Elijah not a little, persecuting him.

⁷³ Of whom the world was not worthy. You cannot say, he says, that being sinners they suffered such things, but they were such men as to be even better than the world itself. And Scripture calls the world both the multitude and the creation. Here, then, it means both. If, therefore, he says, you set the whole creation, together with the men in it, over against these, you will find nothing worth as much as these. And here he rouses up their hearts, so that they should seek nothing of the things in the world, if indeed the world is not worthy of the holy ones. For it is an outrage to you, if here you should receive your reward; for you would show yourself to be worth nothing at all. If the whole world is not worthy of one holy man, why do you seek a portion of it?

⁷⁴ Wandering in deserts, and in mountains, and in caves, and in the holes of the earth. As Elijah, and the prophets too who were fed by Obadiah, hidden in the cave. They were not even permitted, he says, to inhabit the desert in security, but from there too they were driven by fear, and wandered now to one place, now to another. But nevertheless they believed that they would receive everlasting consolation from God, and endured these things.

⁷⁵ And these all, having been borne witness to through their faith, did not receive the promise. Why, he says, are you faint-hearted, that being still in the contest you have not yet received the rewards? All the holy ones aforesaid, although already borne witness to through their faith as having pleased God, have not yet obtained the promises in the heavens. For there were some below who obtained promises, as David. But this is not the thing in question; for the things in the heavens, these are truly the promises.

⁷⁶ God having provided some better thing concerning us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. “Some better thing”—that is, for our honor. For that they might not seem to have the advantage over us by being crowned first, he appointed one season of the crowns for all. And he did not say, “That they should not be crowned,” but, “That they should not be made perfect.” So that even then they are shown to be perfect. Besides, even now they have the pledges of the honor. For whence comes to them the power to help those who call upon them? Whence the boldness to intercede? But the perfect thing they shall receive then. Does God, then, not do those men wrong, if indeed they went before in the labors, but in the crowns await us? Nay, but to them too this is welcome, to be made perfect together with their brethren. We are all one body; and the pleasure is greater to the body when it is crowned in common. God is a tender-loving Father, having different sons: some returned from the fields sooner, having finished their work; others still remain there laboring. He has given to those who have labored a kind of foretaste, telling them to await their brethren for the perfect banquet; and they, being loving toward mankind, await with rejoicing, that they may also be gladdened in common.