Faith in Hebrews: Definition and Significance
The Epistle to the Hebrews defines faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1 NASB) [1]. This definition is not presented as a comprehensive theological statement on the entire nature of faith, but rather as a description of its characteristics relevant to the epistle's exhortation for perseverance [4].
Faith, in this context, involves a firm persuasion and expectation that God will fulfill all His promises made in Christ. This strong conviction gives believers a sense of present possession and fruition of these future things, providing a "subsistence in the soul" through initial experiences and foretastes [5]. John Gill notes that the faith discussed in Hebrews 11:1 is not merely a moral virtue, a bare assent to revealed truths, a faith for performing miracles, an implicit faith, or a temporary profession. Instead, it is the kind of faith by which the righteous live and which leads to the salvation of the soul, as mentioned in the preceding chapter (Hebrews 10:39) [7].
Easton's Bible Dictionary broadly defines faith as the mind's persuasion that a statement is true, with its primary idea being trust. It suggests that faith is a result of teaching and that knowledge is an essential component, sometimes even used interchangeably with faith in scripture (John 10:38; 1 John 2:3). However, faith also includes assent, which is an active mental agreement [2]. The term "faithful" when applied to Christians means "full of faith" or "trustful," rather than simply trustworthy (Acts 10:45; Colossians 1:2). When applied to God's word or covenant, it signifies truthfulness and reliability (Psalm 119:86; Isaiah 25:1) [3].
The author of Hebrews emphasizes that "it is impossible to please God without faith" (Hebrews 11:6). This faith must include the belief that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. In the face of life's difficulties, readers are challenged to trust God and anticipate the fulfillment of His promises [8]. This aligns with the idea that faith substantiates God's promises, making future fulfillments real in the present [4]. Hope is closely linked with faith, resting upon it and quickening it, forming the basis of a bold confession (1 Peter 3:15). Hope is also connected with purification (1 John 3:3) [10].
Following this definition, Hebrews 11 proceeds to illustrate faith through numerous examples from the Old Testament [6]. These examples serve to encourage perseverance in faith [4]. Matthew Henry divides these examples into two categories: those whose names are mentioned with specific acts of faith, and those whose names are briefly mentioned with general accounts of their faithful exploits [9]. These historical figures demonstrate how faith operates as the "substance of things hoped for" and the "conviction of things not seen" by acting on divine promises and unseen realities.
Sources
- Hebrews “Hebrews 11:1 (NASB) — Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Faith — Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Phil. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of many degrees up to full assurance of faith, in accordance with the evidence on which it rests. Faith is the result of teaching (Rom. 10:14-17). Knowledge is an essential element in all faith, and is sometimes spoken of as an equivalent to faith (John 10:38; 1 John 2:3). Yet the two are distinguished in this respect, that faith includes in it assent, which is an act ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Faithful — As a designation of Christians, means full of faith, trustful, and not simply trustworthy (Acts 10:45; 16:1; 2 Cor. 6:15; Col. 1:2; 1 Tim. 4:3, 12; 5:16; 6:2; Titus 1:6; Eph. 1:1; 1 Cor. 4:17, etc.). It is used also of God's word or covenant as true and to be trusted (Ps. 119:86, 138; Isa. 25:1; 1 Tim. 1:15; Rev. 21:5; 22:6, etc.).”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 11 (introduction): DEFINITION OF THE FAITH JUST SPOKEN OF (Heb 10:39): EXAMPLES FROM THE OLD COVENANT FOR OUR PERSEVERANCE IN FAITH. (Heb. 11:1-40) Description of the great things which faith (in its widest sense: not here restricted to faith in the Gospel sense) does for us. Not a full definition of faith in its whole nature, but a description of its great characteristics in relation to the subject of Paul's exhortation here, namely, to perseverance. substance, &c.--It substantiates promises of God which we hope for, as future in fulfilment, making them”
- Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 11:1: Here we have, I. A definition or description of the grace of faith in two parts. 1. It is the substance of things hoped for. Faith and hope go together; and the same things that are the object of our hope are the object of our faith. It is a firm persuasion and expectation that God will perform all that he has promised to us in Christ; and this persuasion is so strong that it gives the soul a kind of possession and present fruition of those things, gives them a subsistence in the soul, by the first-fruits and foretastes of them: so that believers in the exercise ”
- Hebrews (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Hebrews 11 (introduction): A definition of faith, Heb 11:1, Heb 11:2. What are its immediate objects, Heb 11:3. What are its effects, instanced in Abel, Heb 11:4. In Enoch, Heb 11:5, Heb 11:6. In Noah, Heb 11:7. In Abraham, Heb 11:8-10. In Sara, Heb 11:11. In their righteous posterity, Heb 11:12-16 In Abraham's offering of his son Isaac, Heb 11:17-19. In Isaac, Heb 11:20. In Jacob, Heb 11:21. In Joseph, Heb 11:22. In Moses, Heb 11:23-28. In the Israelites in the wilderness, Heb 11:29. In the fall of Jericho, Heb 11:30. In Rahab, Heb 11:31. In several of the judges, and in David,”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,.... The "faith" here spoken of is not a mere moral virtue, which is a branch of the law; nor a bare assent to anything revealed, declared, and affirmed in the Gospel; nor a faith of doing miracles; nor an implicit one; nor a mere profession of faith, which sometimes is but temporary; nor the word or doctrine of faith; but that which is made mention of in the preceding chapter, by which the just man lives, and which has the salvation of the soul annexed to it: and it does not so much design any particular branch, or act ”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 11:6: 11:6 it is impossible to please God without faith: The author alludes to 10:38, which quotes Hab 2:4. • Faith must include believing that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. In life’s difficulties, readers are challenged to trust in God and to anticipate the fulfillment of his promises.”
- Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 11:4: The apostle, having given us a more general account of the grace of faith, now proceeds to set before us some illustrious examples of it in the Old Testament times, and these may be divided into two classes: - 1. Those whose names are mentioned, and the particular exercise and actings of whose faith are specified. 2. Those whose names are barely mentioned, and an account given in general of the exploits of their faith, which it is left to the reader to accommodate, and apply to the particular persons from what he gathers up in the sacred story. We have here those”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 10:23: (Heb 3:6, Heb 3:14; Heb 4:14.) profession--Greek, "confession." our faith--rather as Greek, "our hope"; which is indeed faith exercised as to the future inheritance. Hope rests on faith, and at the same time quickens faith, and is the ground of our bold confession (Pe1 3:15). Hope is similarly (Heb 10:22) connected with purification (Jo1 3:3). without wavering--without declension (Heb 3:14), "steadfast unto the end." he--God is faithful to His promises (Heb 6:17-18; Heb 11:11; Heb 12:26, Heb 12:28; Co1 1:9; Co1 10:13; Th1 5:24; Th2 3:3; see a”