Hebrews 11

A. Perseverance in Faith ch. 11

The writer encouraged his readers in chapter 11 by reminding them of the faithful perseverance of selected Old Testament saints. The only other historical characters beside Jesus that the writer mentioned so far were Abraham, Melchizedek, Moses, Aaron, and Joshua. Of these the only one mentioned in connection with faith was Abraham (Hebrews 6:13-15). The section is expository in form but parenetic in function, inviting the readers to emulate the example of the heroes listed. The linking word that ties this section to what precedes is "faith" or "faithfulness," which the Habakkuk 2:4 quotation introduced (Hebrews 10:38-39; cf. Hebrews 10:20). The Habakkuk quotation gives "faith" the nuance of "faithfulness." The writer repeated this word (Gr. pistis) 24 times in chapter 11. It occurs in the first and last sentences of the section forming an inclusio. Classical orators and authors frequently used lists of examples to motivated their hearers and readers to strive for virtue. [Note: See M. R. Cosby, "The Rhetorical Composition and Function of Hebrews 11 in Light of Example-lists in Antiquity" (Ph.D. dissertation, Emory University, 1985), pp. 45-106.] These lists also appear in Jewish and early Christian literature indicating that this was a distinctive literary form. [Note: Ibid., pp. 114-61.]

"As J. W. Thompson has observed, ’a catalogue of heroes of pistis, introduced as patterns of imitation, is unthinkable in any Greek tradition.’ [Note: J. W. Thompson, The Beginnings of Christian Philosophy: The Epistle to the Hebrews, p. 53.] The reason for this is that to the formally educated person, pistis, ’faith,’ was regarded as a state of mind characteristic of the uneducated, who believe something on hearsay without being able to give precise reasons for their belief. The willingness of Jews and Christians to suffer for the undemonstrable astonished pagan observers. [Note: Cf. E. R. Dodds, Pagan and Christian in an Age of Anxiety, pp. 120-22.] Yet this is precisely the conduct praised in Hebrews 11:1-40. This fact constitutes the note of offense in this section of the homily." [Note: Lane, Hebrews 9-13, p. 316.]

Another feature of this chapter is the anaphoric use of pistis, "faith." Anaphoria is the rhetorical repetition of a key word or words at the beginning of successive clauses to give unity, rhythm, and solemnity to a discourse. Pistis occurs 18 times without an article (anarthrous) in Hebrews 11:3-31 but nowhere else in Hebrews. This literary device serves to stress the importance of faith and to unite the chapter. [Note: See also Victor (Sung Yul) Rhee, "Chiasm and the Concept of Faith in Hebrews 11," Bibliotheca Sacra 155:619 (July-September 1998):327-45.]

This chapter is one of the strongest proofs that eschatological reward is the full inheritance (rest) that the writer urged his readers not to sacrifice. The reward of these saints in the past lay beyond the grave (cf. Hebrews 11:1; Hebrews 11:13).