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Heb_11:17-19. The author returns once more specially to Abraham, in that he further, by way of addition, dwells on the most distinguished act of faith on the part of this patriarch, that he had not refused at God’s behest to offer his only son as a sacrifice; comp. Gen_22:1 ff.
προσενήνοχεν ] not: “he was on the point of offering,” against which stands the perfect. It can only signify: he offered (made an offering of). The author could thus express himself, since the offering was really intended by Abraham, although it afterwards came, it is true, to a bloodless issue. Comp. Jam_2:21 : Ἀβραὰμ … ἀνενέγκας Ἰσαὰκ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον .
πειραζόμενος ] when he was tempted, i.e. was put to the test by God with regard to his faith. Comp. Gen_22:1. πειραζόμενος belongs still to προσενήνοχεν , not, as Hofmann quite unnaturally requires, to προσέφερεν .
καὶ τὸν μονογενῆ … σπέρμα , Heb_11:18] Unfolding of the greatness of the act. It was (1) his only son whom he gave up, (2) the son whose life was necessary, if the promises given to Abraham were to receive their fulfilment.
καί ] and of a truth.
τὸν μονογενῆ ] No respect is had to Ishmael, since he was not of equal birth, and stood outside of all relation to the divine promises.
προσέφερεν ] here the imperfect; since the author now presents to himself, as though he were a spectator, the act of the offering itself.
ὁ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀναδεξάμενος ] he who had believingly embraced the promises. With Schulz, Heinrichs, Bengel, Ebrard, Bisping, and others, to find indicated by ἀναδεξάμενος the mere having received, contradicts the ordinary use of the word, instead of which λαβών must have been placed.