Vincent Word Studies - Hebrews 11:7 - 11:7

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Vincent Word Studies - Hebrews 11:7 - 11:7


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Noah

Genesis 6.

Being warned of God (χρηματισθεὶς)

Of God is not in the text. See on Mat 2:12; see on Luk 2:26; see on Act 11:26; and comp. Heb 8:5.

Of things not seen as yet (περὶ τῶν μηδέπω βλεπομένων)

Const. with εὐλαβηθεὶς, and rend. “by faith Noah, being warned, having reverent care concerning things not seen as yet, prepared an ark,” etc. Thus χρηματισθεὶς warned is taken absolutely. The things not seen were the well-known contents of the revelation to Noah, Gen 6:13 ff., as apprehended by Noah's faith.

Moved with fear (εὐλαβηθεὶς)

N.T.o. Often in Class. and lxx. See on εὐλάβεια godly fear, Heb 5:7. The A.V. gives the impression that Noah acted under the influence of fright. Rev. improves on this a little by rendering godly fear. The true idea is pious care, a reverent circumspection with regard to things enjoined by God, and as yet unseen, yet confidently expected on the strength of God's word.

Prepared (κατεσκεύασεν)

Built and equipped. See on Heb 3:3.

An ark (κιβωτὸν)

Originally, a wooden chest Also of the ark of the covenant in the temple and tabernacle, as Heb 9:4; Rev 11:19. Of Noah's ark, Mat 24:38; Luk 17:27; 1Pe 3:20 Λάρσαξ a chest is found in Class. in the same sense. Every classical scholar will recall the charming fragment of Simonides on Danae and her infant son Perseus exposed in an ark:

Ὁτε λάρνακι ἐν δαισαλέᾳ ἄνεσμος

βρέμε πνέων κ. τ. λ.

Also of the ark of Deucalion, the mythic Noah.

By the which (δι' ἧς)

By faith: although some refer it to the ark.

He condemned the world (κατέκρινεν τὸν κόσμον)

His faith was exhibited in building the ark on the mere strength of God's declaration, while as yet there were no signs of the flood. By his faith thus manifested he announced the condemnation of the world to destruction. World is to be taken as in 2Pe 2:5. It is not used in Hebrews in the ethical sense so common in John and Paul - the world as alien from God. The meaning of the statement is not that Noah condemned the conduct of his contemporaries by the contrast presented by his own faith, after the analogy of Mat 12:41; Rom 2:27.

And became heir (καὶ - ἐγένετο κληρονόμος)

This is not an independent clause, but is dependent on δι' ἧς by which. It is connected by καὶ with the preceding clause, and the two clauses are parallel, describing the lot of Noah and his family. Became heir is practically = became partaker of. The literal sense of heir must not be pressed. Certainly not “inherited the righteousness of Abel and Enoch.” But righteousness came to Noah in virtue of his intimate fellowship with God. Of him as of Enoch, it is said that “he walked with God,” Gen 6:9. Because of this fellowship he was a son of God and an heir of righteousness.

Of the righteousness which is by faith (τῆς κατὰ πίστις δικαιοσύνης)

In the O.T. Noah is the first to receive the title of δίκαιος righteous, Gen 6:9; comp. Eze 14:14, Eze 14:20; Sir. 44:17. Κατὰ πίστιν, lit. according to faith, comp Mat 9:29; Tit 1:1, Tit 1:4. Paul has δικαιοσύνη and δίκαιος from or out of faith (ἐκ πίστεως), by faith (διὰ πίστεως), founded on faith (ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει), and of faith (πίστεως), none of which are found either in Hebrews or in the Pastorals. Κατὰ πίστιν signifies according to faith as a standard; but the conception at bottom is not essentially different from Paul's, unless there be imported into his conception the scholastic fiction of imputed righteousness. Paul, in Romans 4 is at pains to show that the Christian conception of righteousness by faith has its parallel in Abraham, and that the doctrine of justification by faith is no new thing. Faith is the ground and the germ of righteousness. Our writer here lays down the absolute and universal standard of righteousness for the men of both dispensations - according to faith. Hence, like Paul, he cites the words of Hab 2:4. See Heb 10:38.