What is the faith of the Patriarchs, and what is our faith in comparison with it? But perhaps we simply do not quite understand...
What is the faith of the Patriarchs, and what is our faith in comparison with it? But perhaps we simply do not quite understand what faith is. It appears to us that faith, especially the faith of the patriarchs, is something unshakable, a certain rest for their great souls that enables them to do their great deeds. But let us look more closely at what the Apostle tells us today: "...they said of themselves that they were strangers and exiles on the earth; for those who speak this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland." In these words, on the contrary, there is a certain unrest, a search. And according to the logic of our language, this is something opposite to faith. Searching is associated more with doubt than with faith. We even have expressions such as "established in faith" and "firm faith." And although in the first word the root is "firm," not "faith," this consonance shapes us apart from our conscious awareness.
But in reality, the faith of our fathers consisted precisely in not letting their thought find rest in anything earthly, and in general in not letting it rest in anything at all. For "if they had had in mind that homeland from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return." If we have something formed in our thoughts, not necessarily something strictly defined, concrete, and material, even if it is only an idea, it draws our actions toward itself, and we find time to realize it. But faith is something else. Faith is always striving; it is dynamism, impulse, and at times even wandering, but not meaningless wandering; it is wandering with hope in Him. And this very hope must be our stronghold. As soon as we stop hoping, we cut ourselves off from the vine and dry up. We shut off the oxygen of grace for ourselves.
And therefore doubts must exist. But these must be doubts not about God, but about our idea of Him. This small clarification is always forgotten when people speak of doubts in faith. Only one thing must be unshakable: the One who created me loves me, because: "You love all things that exist, and loathe nothing that You have made, for You would not have made anything if You had hated it" (Wis 11:25). What is there to doubt here? The fact that I exist, and therefore someone wanted me to exist, is obvious. It is also clear that He created responsibly, not as a childish amusement: since such a complex world stands, and everything in it is so beautiful, its Creator cannot be irresponsible. Therefore, He loves. That is all. That is all of faith.
And doubts about dogmas, about people, even those vested with rank, about the structure of the Church... all this is the very wandering of which the Apostle speaks to us today when he speaks about the descendants of the patriarch Abraham and his wife Sarah. And let us not cling too tightly to the earthly, for "they desired a better country, that is, a heavenly one; therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."
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11:13 All these - - Mentioned Heb 11:7-11. Died in faith - In death faith acts most vigorously. Not having received the promises - The promised blessings. Embraced - As one does a dear friend when he meets him.
11:14 They who speak thus show plainly that they seek their own country - That they keep in view, and long for, their native home.
11:15 If they had been mindful of - Their earthly country, Ur of the Chaldeans, they might have easily returned.
11:16 But they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly - This is a full convincing proof that the patriarchs had a revelation and a promise of eternal glory in heaven.Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: seeing he hath prepared for them a city - Worthy of God to give.
11:17 By faith Abraham - When God made that glorious trial of him. Offered up Isaac - The will being accepted as if he had actually done it. Yea, he that had received the promises - Particularly that grand promise, "In Isaac shall thy seed becalled." Offered up - This very son; the only one he had by Sarah. Gen 22:1,etc
11:18 In Isaac shall thy seed be called - From him shall the blessed seed spring. Gen 21:12.
11:19 Accounting that God was able even to raise him from the dead - Though there had not been any instance of this in the world. From whence also - To speak in a figurative way. He did receive him - Afterwards, snatched from the jaws of death.
11:20 Blessed - Gen 27:27, Gen 27:39; prophetically foretold the particularblessings they should partake of. Jacob and Esau - Preferring the elder before the younger.
11:21 Jacob when dying - That is, when near death.Bowing down on the top of his staff - As he sat on the side of his bed. Gen 48:16; Gen 47:31
11:22 Concerning his bones - To be carried into the land of promise.
11:23 They saw - Doubtless with a divine presage of things to come.
11:24 Refused to be called - Any longer.
11:26 The reproach of Christ - That which he bore for believing in the Messiah to come, and acting accordingly.For he looked off - From all those perishing treasures, and beyond all those temporal hardships Unto the recompence of reward - Not to an inheritance in Canaan; he had no warrant from God to look for this, nor did he ever attain it; but what his believing ancestors looked for, - a future state of happiness in heaven.
11:27 By faith he left Egypt - Taking all the Israelites with him. Not then fearing the wrath of the king - As he did many years before, Exo 2:14. Exo 14:15, etc
11:28 The pouring out of the blood - Of the paschal lamb, which was sprinkled on the door - posts, lest the destroying angel should touch the Israelites. Exo 12:12-18.
11:29 They - Moses, Aaron, and the Israelites.Passed the Red Sea - It washed the borders of Edom, which signifies red. Thus far the examples are cited from Genesis and Exodus; those that follow are from the former and the latter Prophets.
11:30 By the faith of Joshua.
11:31 Rahab - Though formerly one not of the fairest character.