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From a general declaration of the nature of faith in the foregoing verses, our apostle proceeds to give instances of the efficacy and power of faith in particular persons, in this and the following verses. And he begins here with Abel.
But why not with Adam?
Because Adam was the first sinner, and the greatest of sinners; and although received to grace and mercy, yet after his fall Moses speaks little of him, nothing very notable; neither did Almighty God put that honour upon Adam which he put upon his son Abel; he had the honour to shed his blood for Christ, and for testifying his faith in him; and accordingly Abel is here represented as the first evangelical believer, By faith Abel, &c.
Observe farther, 1. The action which Abel performed, he offered sacrifice to God; he offered a sacrifice most excellent and he offered it by faith.
But did not Cain bring his offering of faith too?
Yes, no doubt, he believed the being of God, and considered him as a Creator and Preserver, and accordingly offered the fruits of the earth, as an acknowledgment that all these things were made, preserved, and bestowed on man by God. But Abel's faith was fixed on God, not only as a Creator, but as a Redeemer also, accompanied with a sense of sin and guilt, trusting in the ways of redemption and recovery which God hath provided.
Here note, That the performance of the outward duties of divine worship, is not the rule of the acceptance of men's persons with God, but a difference and distinction is made from the inward principle, whence those duties do proceed. Cain and Abel both offered sacrifice, but not from a like principle, nor yet for a like end.
Observe, 2. The effect and fruit of Abel's faith, it procured a testimony and witness from God himself that he was righteous; he testified that he had respect to his person by the approbation of his suffering. Our persons must be justified before our performances can be accepted. God has first respect to the offerer, then to the offering; for the person must recommend the gift, not the gift recommend the person.
Observe, lastly, the privilige of Abel's faith; by it, being dead, he yet speaketh. Some understand the words in a passive sense, he is spoken of; he being dead, there is an honourable mention of him. Religion is the truest honour, and the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.
Others in an active sense, and so the words import, that the dead saints do yet speak, and that somewhat worthy to be heard and observed; they speak by the precious graces with which they by the good works they wrought, by the eminent services they did for God and man, by their sharp trials, by their bitter sufferings; by these they speak, to the honour of religion, and to the furtherance of the gospel. God's Abels, his dead saints, do thus speak when laid in the dust.