11 

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 

11:32 After Samuel, the prophets are properly mentioned. David also was a prophet; but he was a king too. The prophets - Elijah, Elisha, etc , including likewise the believers who lived with them.

11:33 David, in particular, subdued kingdoms.Samuel (not excluding the rest) wrought righteousness.The prophets, in general, obtained promises, both for themselves, and to deliver to others. Prophets also stopped the mouths of lions, as Daniel; and quenched the violence of fire, as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. To these examples, whence the nature of faith clearly appears, those more ancient ones are subjoined, (by a transposition, and in an inverted order,) which receivelight from these. Jephthah escaped the edge of the sword; Samson out of weakness was made strong; Barak became valiant in fight; Gideon put to flight armies of the aliens.Faith animates to the most heroic enterprises, both civil and military. Faith overcomes all impediments effects the greatest things; attains to the very best; and inverts, by its miraculous power the very course of nature. Sa2 8:1, etc; Sa1 8:9, etc; Sa1 13:3, etc; Dan 6:22; Dan 3:27; Jdg 12:3; Jdg 15:19, etc; Jdg 16:28, etc; Jdg 4:14, etc; Jdg 7:21.

11:34 See note at Heb 11:33

11:35 Women - Naturally weak. Received their dead - Children.Others were tortured - From those who acted great things the apostle rises higher, to those who showed the power of faith by suffering. Not accepting deliverance - On sinful terms.That they might obtain a better resurrection - An higher reward, seeing the greater their sufferings the greater would be their glory. Ki1 17:22; Ki2 4:35

11:36 And others - The apostle seems here to pass on to recent examples.

11:37 They were sawn asunder - As, according to the tradition of the Jews, Isaiah was by Manasseh. Were tempted - Torments and death are mentioned alternately.Every way; by threatenings, reproaches, tortures, the variety of which cannot be expressed; and again by promises and allurements.

11:38 Of whom the world was not worthy - It did not deserve so great a blessing. They wandered - Being driven out from men.

11:39 And all these - Though they obtained a good testimony, Heb 11:2, yet did not receive the great promise, theheavenly inheritance.

11:40 God having provided some better thing for us - Namely, everlasting glory. That they might not be perfected without us - That is, that we might all be perfected together in heaven.

12 

12:1 Wherefore, being encompassed with a cloud - A great multitude, tending upward with a holy swiftness. Of witnesses - Of the power of faith. Let us lay aside every weight - As all who run a race take care to do. Let us throw off whatever weighs us down, or damps the vigour of our Soul. And the sin which easily besetteth us - As doth the sin of our constitution, the sin of our education, the sin of our profession.

12:2 Looking - From all other things. To Jesus - As the wounded Israelites to the brazen serpent. Our crucified Lord was prefigured by the lifting up of this; our guilt, by the stings of the fiery serpents; and our faith, by their looking up to the miraculous remedy. The author and finisher of our faith - Who begins it in us, carries it on, and perfects it. Who for the joy that was set before him - Patiently and willingly endured the cross, with all the pains annexed thereto.And is set down - Where there is fulness of joy.

1 

1:45 Jesus of Nazareth - So Philip thought, not knowing he was born in Bethlehem. Nathanael was probably the same with Bartholomew, that is, the son of Tholomew. St. Matthew joins Bartholomew with Philip, Mat 10:3, and St. John places Nathanael in the midst of the apostles, immediately after Thomas, Joh 21:2, just as Bartholomew is placed, Act 1:13.

1:46 Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? - How cautiously should we guard against popular prejudices? When these had once possessed so honest a heart as that of Nathanael, they led him to suspect the blessed Jesus himself for an impostor, because he had been brought up at Nazareth. But his integrity prevailed over that foolish bias, and laid him open to the force of evidence, which a candid inquirer will always be glad to admit, even when it brings the most unexpected discoveries. Can any good thing - That is, have we ground from Scripture to expect the Messiah, or any eminent prophet from Nazareth? Philip saith, Come and see - The same answer which he had received himself from our Lord the day before.

1:48 Under the fig tree I saw thee - Perhaps at prayer.

1:49 Nathanael answered - Happy are they that are ready to believe, swift to receive the truth and grace of God. Thou art the Son of God - So he acknowledges now more than he had heard from Philip: The Son of God, the king of Israel - A confession both of the person and office of Christ.

1:51 Hereafter ye shall see - All of these, as well as thou, who believe on me now in my state of humiliation, shall hereafter see me come in my glory, and all the angels of God with me.This seems the most natural sense of the words, though they may also refer to his ascension.