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NOTES for Heb 11:1

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1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
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Today we understand faith in very different ways. Most often the matter is a firm confidence in the truth of something, whether a theory, concept, views, or convictions. Even faith in God today, for many sincerely religious people, is reduced to confidence that God exists and that He is exactly as the sacred books of the corresponding religion describe Him. Meanwhile, the author of the letter is speaking about something else.

He speaks about the realization of what we expect according to our faith, and about proof of the existence of invisible things, "assurance of things unseen," as the Synodal translation renders it. It turns out that faith begins with a certain confidence, and with confidence based on experience; the corresponding Greek word literally means "proof," something whose existence can be verified precisely by experience. This, however, is no surprise: real faith, which presupposes real communion with God, is impossible without experience.

Of course, trust is no less important here, both toward God and toward oneself - naturally, toward one's true self, toward one's heart, which becomes the spiritual organ that makes real communion with God possible. But trust opens precisely the possibility of real, experientially lived communion with God, who just as really and tangibly enters a person's life, renewing it. And the renewal of life changes it both inwardly and outwardly, often quite radically, as is evident from the examples given by the author of the letter.

Yet all such changes are a divine-human process; they are impossible without the active and conscious participation in them of the person led by God. This is how the realization of what is expected, of which the author speaks, takes place. Faith now turns out to be not only convictions or confidence in God's being; it becomes, on the one hand, a process, and on the other, a spiritual path. A process connected with the realization of God's plans, and a path of spiritual becoming walked by the person participating in God's plans. This process and this path are true faith - the very faith that leads to salvation.

Other notes

 
For Heb 11:1
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
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The author of the epistle calls faith "the basis of our hopes and the invisible foundation of what is manifested", calling the "manifesting" what formerly remaining invisible, now reveals itself...  Read more

The author of the epistle calls faith "the basis of our hopes and the invisible foundation of what is manifested", calling the "manifesting" what formerly remaining invisible, now reveals itself. Of course if he understood by faith a certain theological concept or even just an ideology, this phrase would have sounded mysteriously. But, according to the context, the author of the epistle understands by faith, above all, an unconditional faithfulness to God and the alliance once concluded with Him. With such understanding of faith several things become more comprehensible.

Certainly, if we based our hopes only on something human, even if it is a deep faith, these hopes would always be suspended in the air: for the course of the history would hardly change radically because of our faith, even the deepest, and the Kingdom wouldn’t come nearer us, even for an iota. It is a different thing, faithfulness towards the relations with the One, on Whom depend and the earthly history, and the Kingdom. Such faithfulness becomes indeed the pledge of the fact that all which was promised to us by God, everything we hope on, from His words, will really become one day a reality of life.

And will not just become in the future, but already becomes: because faithfulness to God also means participating in the realization of His plans, these same plans, with which are connected the promises made by Him. Our faithfulness becomes His instrument, and then turns out that God's formerly invisible projects come true and become visible, and this also thanks to our faithfulness. And this faithfulness opens to us the way to the Kingdom, becoming the pledge of the realization of our main hope.

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For Heb 11:1-2
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
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Paul calls faith that which, having previously remained invisible, now reveals itself. Of course, if by faith he meant some theological concept or even simply a worldview, this phrase would sound mysterious. But judging by the context, by faith the author of the letter understands, first of all...  Read more

Paul calls faith that which, having previously remained invisible, now reveals itself. Of course, if by faith he meant some theological concept or even simply a worldview, this phrase would sound mysterious. But judging by the context, by faith the author of the letter understands, first of all, unconditional faithfulness to God and to the covenant once concluded with Him. With this understanding of faith, much becomes clearer. Of course, if we based our hopes only on something human, even deep faith, these hopes would still hang in the air: for the course of history would hardly change radically because of our faith, even the deepest, and the Kingdom would not draw one iota closer to us.

Faithfulness to relationships with the One on whom both earthly history and the Kingdom depend is another matter. Such faithfulness truly becomes a pledge that everything promised to us by God, everything we hope for on the basis of His words, will one day truly become the reality of our life. And not simply become so in the future, but is already becoming so: for faithfulness to God also means participation in the fulfillment of His plans, those very plans with which the promises He has given are connected. Our faithfulness becomes His instrument, and then it turns out that the formerly invisible designs of God are being fulfilled and becoming visible, including through our faithfulness. And this faithfulness opens the road into the Kingdom for us, becoming the pledge of the fulfillment of our chief hope.

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For Heb 11:1-12
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 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 testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
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Speaking about faithfulness to God ("faith"), the author of the letter calls it "the foundation of what we hope for and assurance of things...  Read more

Speaking about faithfulness to God ("faith"), the author of the letter calls it "the foundation of what we hope for and assurance of things unseen" (v. 1; in the Synodal translation, "the realization of what is hoped for and assurance of what is unseen"). This definition of faithfulness implies not only trust in God, but also a certain activity on the person's part within the context of the relationship that binds him to God. The author of the letter gives examples of this kind of relationship, which he finds in the Old Testament books (vv. 2-5, 7-12). All of them are united by that attitude toward God which he calls "faithfulness" (the corresponding Greek word means first of all "faithfulness," although it can also be translated as "faith") and without which one who comes to God cannot become worthy of Him (v. 6; in the Synodal translation, "please God").

Continuing his thought, the author of the letter rightly observes that, when coming to God, it is important not only to believe that He exists, but also to believe that He rewards those who seek God's will; and here what is needed is not only belief in God's existence, but also trust in Him, unthinkable without a personal relationship with Him. Only such a relationship can give the faithful both the firm foundation for hope of which the author of the letter reminds his fellow believers, and confidence in what has not yet come, but will certainly come because God has promised it.

Of course, no deeds or acts in themselves can make a person worthy of God in the sense in which a person can become worthy of a human reward. Speaking about rewards for those who seek God and about those who deserve them, the author of the letter has in mind first of all precisely the fact of trust in God, which gives meaning to everything done in fulfillment of God's will. All the examples he gives are vivid witnesses to this: neither Abel, nor Noah, nor Abraham, with all that they did, can be imagined without complete and unconditional trust in the God who revealed Himself to them and whom they knew. Like his teacher, the author of the letter understands that the righteous person becomes righteous only through a trusting relationship with God, while his deeds are only the outward expression of this relationship. Such was the path of the ancient righteous, and such is the path of those who seek the Kingdom now, when the One who opened it to every seeker ready to trust and follow Him has come into the world.

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For Heb 11:1-19
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 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 testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
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How impoverished our concept of faith has become. We call someone a believer if they declare that they belong to a particular...  Read more

How impoverished our concept of faith has become. We call someone a believer if they declare that they belong to a particular religion or simply believe that God exists. In many passages of Scripture, faith is spoken of in an entirely different way. Faith is our openness to God, a channel of communion with Him through which we receive His revelation. What is beyond comprehension becomes known to us with certainty. Paul calls this “the assurance of things not seen.” More than that, through this connection God's active power can pour into this world, and then things happen in it that we could only dream of. The Apostle says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for.” Thus, faith is a living connection with God through which we come to know Him, while He acts in us and in the world.

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