In Matthew 8, Jesus is recorded as miraculously healing several distinct individuals that represent three classification of people who were viewed with lesser status in Jewish eyes. The first is a leper, who is considered unclean for a Jewish man to touch (vv. 1-4). Next is a servant of a Roman centurion, who was a Gentile foreigner and likely part of the oppressive Roman Empire, which Jews considered to be their enemy (vv. 5-13). Lastly, Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law (vv. 14-15), which is unique as women were not looked upon with much recognition or significance in Jewish society. In addition, the passage also reveals that Jesus healed numerous other people who were demon-possessed around Capernaum as well (vv. 16-17).
In verses 5-10 when Jesus is approached by the centurion, he concedes to the centurion’s request to come and heal his servant. Jesus’ agreement to come to the centurion’s home is quite a startlingly turn of events in this passage as a Jewish person would be deemed ceremonially unclean if they entered the house of a Gentile (cf. Jn 18:28; Acts 10:28). But nevertheless, Jesus humbly agrees to go and heal the man (vv. 5-7).
But the centurion replies quickly to Jesus expressing his “unworthiness” for Jesus to make the effort to come to his house. Rather, the centurion reveals a keen understanding of Jesus’ authority to speak with the power of God. The centurion explains that he knows what authority means because he speaks, and someone obeys, and the task is accomplished. In the same way, he claims that Jesus only needs to speak the “word,” and according to the authority of his “word,” the centurion’s servant will be healed (v. 8).
This proclamation amazes Jesus because the centurion understood the power and authority of God that Jesus represented. And in response to the centurion’s understanding of this reality, Jesus declares, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith” (v. 10). What an unsuspecting pronouncement—that Jesus would confess such a great faith from this Gentile that superseded any he had seen in all of Israel. The emphasis here is that even a Gentile, who was not considered a member of God’s people, will see the power of God at work when they trust in Jesus, God’s Anointed.
What the passage can teach us is that God’s power flows in response to the exercising of faith (trust) in God as the source of all power and in Jesus as God’s Messiah. If we want to see God’s power at work in our lives, it begins by recognizing that God moves when we believe and trust in him, knowing that he is able to do even what may seem impossible in our eyes. Our trust in God doesn’t make God move; rather, God responds when we trust in him. And we must also trust in his character—that he responds as the good and loving God that we know he is.
-Jerry Wierwille
(originally posted on March 11, 2018 for SeekGrowLove)
Reflection Questions
What do you learn about Jesus in Matthew 8? What makes him worthy of celebrating and following?
What has Jesus done that his followers ought to do too? How can you do that this week? What did Jesus do that only he could do?
Revelation is one of my favorite books in the Bible. It’s weird. It’s full of metaphor and symbolism. There is warfare, warriors, and a dragon defeated by a King upon a horse.
But you just read all this!
I want to end our week on thanks with the words of Revelation 11.
At the end, when the kingdom comes at the sounding of the last trumpet, the voices in heaven say “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” There is no wait, no delay, no other kingdoms. Every kingdom good or bad, across all of time and around the world, will now be the righteous, holy, eternal kingdom of God.
Of course the elders fall on their faces and worship God with thanks! Notice what they call the Lord God Almighty, “who is and who was”. No longer is the the one who is coming; he is HERE! He has taken power, he is going to reign. There will be judgment, yes, but it is also time for the saints, the prophets, and the God-fearers from every time and place to be rewarded.
My friends, you who desire to seek God through his word, grow through the word you read, and love God, his Christ, and your brothers and sisters because of what you read, you are in this promise. Today, I ask that you thank God not for what he has done or even what he is doing, but what he will do. In Revelation 11, we get to see a glimpse of the joy of those who love God because the God of all joy has arrived to be with his people.
Give thanks that God in the ages past created a good world, with great care, empowering humanity to carry his image.
Give thanks that God gives faith, hope, and love through Jesus Christ and salvation in his name, and that God takes the the brokenness and pain of life and turns it into something beautiful.
Give thanks that God will rule over the world, that God will destroy all wickedness, death, destruction, and pain, and that God will allow only righteousness, life, flourishing and joy to remain.
Give thanks to God today!
Reflection Questions
How long did you spend in prayerful thanksgiving this week? Did you keep track of everything for which you gave thanks? How many different items did you think of?
How many of the things for which you gave thanks were about what God has done in the past? What God is doing now? What about what God is going to do in the future?
-Jake Ballard
Jake Ballard is pastor at Timberland Bible Church. If you’d like to hear more from him, you can find Timberland on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TimberlandBibleChurch/ ) and on Instagram (https://instagram.com/timberlandbiblechurch?igshid=t52xoq9esc7e). The church streams the Worship Gathering every Sunday at 10:30. Besides studying and teaching God’s word, he is raising three beautiful children with the love of his life, is a big nerd who likes fantasy (Pendragon), sci-fi (Star Wars) , and board games (Dungeons and Dragons). If you’d like to reach out to talk Bible, talk faith, or talk about your favorite nerdy things, look Jacob Ballard up on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/jacob.ballard.336 ) or email him at jakea.ballard@yahoo.com. God bless you all!
Revelation 17 begins a section about “the great harlot,” or Babylon the great (17:1) which finishes in chapter 18. One of the seven angels from the seven bowls introduces the topic, and later John is shown the bride of Christ, meaning the new Jerusalem (21:9‑10, perhaps by the same angel). So, in these chapters John sees two cities portrayed as women, one a pure bride partnered with Christ, and the other an immoral prostitute partnered with the antichrist. God is making the sides in the conflict clear and wants us to be clear about our choice.
Babylon’s fall had been announced in 14:8 and 16:19 – from those verses alone we know that it made nations drunk on the wine of its immorality and was given the wine of God’s wrath to drink. Revelation is picking up from Old Testament texts about Babylon with a somewhat different feel, there Babylon brought punishment on countries for God in war. Babylon was described as itself being the cup of God’s wrath which those nations drank from, maddening them. But after its work was done God turned against Babylon, and the city was also defeated (Jeremiah 25:15ff; 51:7, 11). With Revelation Babylon the great’s immorality is key, and it brings destruction to others by association; it is then destroyed for what it did to God’s servants, and the destruction comes at the hands of its allies.
The vision shows Babylon as a wealthy, richly dressed prostitute, drunk on the blood of God’s servants and offering her immorality from a valuable cup. She is sitting on “a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns,” which is a simple depiction of the Beast from Revelation 13:1. We may be meant to see Babylon as trying to use the Beast, in riding on it, but the Beast uses Babylon, gaining influence from it. In 17:18 we are told that Babylon is the “great city” that reigns (or “has a kingdom”) over the kings of the earth. The identity of the city remains in dispute, but like so much about Revelation it should become much clearer later. The city is presented like an imperial capital, though some authors want to treat it as a culturally unifying site important for its influence in other ways.
People often question how ‘literally’ to take things in scripture, particularly if they don’t see how events favor a near-term fulfillment. The reestablishment of Israel in 1948, for example, was highly significant for earlier generations in the Church of God but many other groups doubted it would ever take place. As another example, when the two witnesses die their bodies are seen by “the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations” and “those who dwell on the earth rejoice over them” (11:9, 10). In 1962 the communications satellite Telestar I launched, and it was hailed as allowing live broadcasts to be relayed around the world. A few years earlier people would have thought in terms of the witnesses’ photos being published in newspapers. And technology keeps advancing, along with the speed at which changes increase. The iPhone was introduced in 2007, and it is thought that already over two‑thirds of the world’s population has a smartphone – a much simpler way for ‘everyone’ to be shown events happening anywhere in the world. I’ve begun to wonder if the fact that those devices permit use of translation services, which at least partially undo God’s choice to confuse the languages at Babel/Babylon (the name through Hebrew and Greek) could end up relevant to the fact of Babylon the great being the name given for the city, and an aspect of its influence. What is a global false religion without the ability to communicate globally, after all? It’s just a thought.
I find it disturbing to think that the corruption pictured in Revelation 17 with Babylon the great could come to pass through human failings. But I think that may be part of what God wanted us to recognize, that even before any supernatural power got involved the situation was awful. And that could be why the end of the age comes when it does, because things reach the point that it is time for change.
Lord, I do not feel endangered today, where I am, but I know you have servants who face risks in many countries around the world today. Please strengthen the hearts of your people, and protect them. They are faithful, help them to remain faithful. Let them trust you and stand firm. Keep them from the evil one, and sanctify them in the truth. And Lord, as I do not feel endangered, let me be bold for you. Let me not forget what your son has done for me. In his name I pray this, Amen.
-Daniel Smead
Reflection Questions
Do you ever struggle over whether a scripture ought to be seen as literal or figurative? What helps you to make up your mind about that?
Is there a Christian or a ministry that you regularly pray on behalf of? If so, consider writing them a note today to share your appreciation for them. If not, consider saying a prayer today for someone whose ministry matters to you who you haven’t seen in a while.
Ezekiel 18 describes three generations of men in a family, the first generation is righteous and follows God, the second generation is evil and does everything that God detests, and the third generation is Godly just like the grandpa. According to the thinking of the Jews of that time each person inherits God’s blessings from their parents, so the evil man would be blessed by God and live a happy and fruitful life because of the righteousness of his father, while the son of the evil man will have a miserable and cursed life because of the evil of his father. God is going to make it very clear to them that their thinking is fundamentally faulty, because obviously a person who goes around robbing the poor, sleeping with his friends’ wives, and worshiping false gods is going to have a miserable life. He won’t have friends, and will never be trusted, no matter how great his father was. How is that a blessed life?
The opposite is also true, if the evil man has a son and that man lives a Godly life and helps the poor, and gives money to the needy, and keeps all of God’s laws he will have a full and blessed life. People might remember how horrible his father is, but his own actions will speak for themselves, and God will also see his actions and bless him.
This is summed up perfectly in Ezekiel 18:30-32.
“30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”
This verse is a great blessing, but also a warning. It is a blessing if you or your family has a past that is full of sin and brokenness and you want to break the cycle, repent and live! It doesn’t matter what your parents did, good or bad, God will judge you for your own actions. This makes it very important to make our faith our own, because even though my Mom had and Dad has faith that can move mountains, that does not make me a Christian by default, I still have to work hard at it and build my own faith up. Just like how knowledge will never transfer from your textbook to your brain when you use the textbook as a pillow, righteousness will not transfer from your parents to you when you sit next to them at church, you have to open the book and read for yourself.
Chris and Katie-Beth Mattison
(originally posted August 31, 2020 for SeekGrowLove)
Reflection Questions
How are you like your parents and grandparents? How are you different?
When have a seen an individual completely different (in regards to righteousness and wickedness) than his or her parents or offspring? What does God’s righteousness and justice mean to you?
Ezekiel 18:29 says, “But the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Are My ways not right, house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?” Like the house of Israel, have you ever accused the Lord of having a way that is ‘not right’? Who was right and who was not right?
James has focused his entire letter on Christian maturity — both in our faithfulness to God and in our conduct toward others. It’s not enough to just call ourselves Christ followers; we must be continually striving to grow closer to Him in our behavior, our morality, and our internal attitudes. Now James concludes his letter, and he does so by talking about where we place our trust in this life. This is very much a continuation of the thoughts James shares in chapter 4:7–12: Trusting God instead of the world.
“Therefore, brothers, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near. Brothers, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!
Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. See, we count as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
Now above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. Your “yes” must be “yes,” and your “no” must be “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment.”
James 5:7–12
The impatience and callousness that can come from trusting in our wealth compared with the patience and strength that comes with trusting in God is the theme of chapter 5 of James. He puts this patience in the context of a farmer who has to keep a long-term view of their work, knowing that a lack of patience could result in a ruined crop. Our trust in God encourages us to be patient with Him as well as with one another.
Take people like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Job as examples of this kind of patience and trust. Their examples testify to us that our patient faith can endure anything through the Father. These people should be role models to us, not simply icons of faith. We should look at the way they endured their trials, at the ways they overcame discouragement and outright persecution, and strive to do the same.
Then we get to the “above all” statement. This is the sum of everything James has written so far regarding our mature faith. Putting God’s word into action, showing generosity, overcoming prejudice, taming our tongues, growing in humility, and putting our trust where it belongs — all of this boils down to a very simple principle: be honest.
· If we are honest with our perspective about suffering, we will understand that pains of this life are temporary and look to God’s greater purpose for us.
· If we are honest with God’s word, then we will put it into practice when it tells us to change things in our lives.
· If we are honest with the example Jesus has left us, then we will put others before self, discard prejudice, and seek mercy before judgments.
· If we are honest with ourselves, we will be mindful of the ways we use our words and control our language even when angered or frustrated.
· If we are honest about our place in Creation, we will be humble before God and put His will before our own.
· If we are honest in humility, then we will place our trust in the Creator rather than the perishable things He has created.
Applying the wisdom in James takes time. God has not left you alone in this but will work this out for you if you are humble and honest. May you be blessed this week and always seek the Kingdom.
-Andy Cisneros
Reflection Questions
Honestly evaluate what you most often put your trust in. Your wealth, the world, your job, your family, your Creator? How can you display more trust in God Almighty? What would that look like?
How mature is your Christian faith? What would help you grow even more mature?
How would you rate yourself on each of the “If we are honest…” statements above? Which one do you think God would most like you to work on right now? What would be a great first step? Pray and tell God about the change and action steps you would like to make.
This will be a shorter one and something to reflect on throughout the day. Something that can be applied to everyone’s life in a different way. In this chapter there is a great windstorm. Personally, I hate storms, ask anyone who’s been near me when one happens, I tense up and want to just get away from it, they terrify me. And it terrified the disciples too. They proceed to wake Jesus up who calmed the storm. He asks them after “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”.
If we look at our own lives, we also have storms. Most of them won’t be actual storms that can shake a house or uproot a tree, but things in our own lives that cause worry and doubt. They will differ from person to person and even day to day. I’m also sure some of my storms would look like little spouts of rain compared to the hurricanes others face. But look at what Jesus said, “Why are you so afraid?”. I can’t pretend to know what everyone who reads this is going through. But ask yourself – why are you so afraid? Is what you’re afraid of that important in the grand scheme? Take a step back and look at it.
And the second thing Jesus asks them, “Have you still no faith?”. Have you no faith that you can prevail? Have you no faith that there is one greater than us who cares for each one of us personally, one who loves each of us? Have you no faith there is a Kingdom coming that will put an end to every storm you face? You can prevail. Have faith in that, and have faith there is and always will be one stronger than you that you can always trust to be there.
As you go through your day reflect on your own storms and ask yourself “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
-Philip Kirkpatrick
Reflection Questions
What do you find yourself afraid of? Why? What causes you to worry or doubt? Why? Is there a better way to look at what causes you fear, worry and doubt?
Do you know “someone” larger than your fears that you can always trust? How has he proven he is trustworthy?
How can we each work at growing our faith so it is stronger in the storms?
Who do you know who has a strong faith you can learn from?
When I was a young pastor’s wife in my 20’s and 30’s, I had many older role models in our congregations. These special saints had been faithful through the years despite the challenges and sorrows of our present world. They trusted God’s direction and His goodness, and they were still devotedly serving Him at church and in their everyday lives.
I, (and my pastor-husband), valued and yes, cherished the encouragement and support they lovingly gave us. How I long to see them again!
Various dear ones come to mind—the balding Wisconsin farmer, cracking jokes, yet tender-hearted; the precious old Indiana couple who held hands in church, except when they held my year-old son while I played the piano for the worship service; dear Missouri ladies who “loved” on my children and us; the welcoming Minnesota saint who hugged me at our first meeting, and could outwork women thirty years younger!
Psalm 71, one of our readings for today, has brought to mind these beloved individuals, as well as many others, who we were blessed to know and love in the pastorates we served. An apt title for this Psalm could be “Prayer of an Aged Saint.”
The writer of this Psalm begins by saying he has taken refuge in God, and he asks for deliverance. He turns to God to rescue him, basing his trust on the help he has received from Him down through the years.
“For You are my hope; Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth. I have leaned on you since my birth; You are He who took me from my mother’s womb; My praise is continually of You.” Verses 5 and 6
Then, the Psalmist confirms he is no longer a youth.
“Do not cast me away at the time of my old age; Do not abandon me when my strength fails.” Verse 9
Even at his advanced age, our writer once again faces an enemy. “Wrong doer, ruthless man”, (verse 4); “adversaries” (verse 13) are some of the words used to describe this enemy.
And yet his ultimate trust in God’s intervention in his life is evident.
“But as for me, I will wait continually, And will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And of Your salvation all day long; For I do not know the art of writing. I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.” Verses 14-16
The Psalmist’s worship turns into a declaration, a witness of the greatness of God. And it doesn’t end there.
“God, You have taught me from my youth, And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
And even when I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.” Verses 17 and 18
Throughout the writer’s entire life, from his youth to his old age, God has been present and working in his life. And now, as he nears the end of that life, his firm desire is to declare God’s strength and faithfulness to succeeding generations. He wants the younger individuals that are part of his life, or simply have observed his life, to understand the ultimate “goodness of God.”
Once, I too, was young. Now, I can identify with the writer of this Psalm. How good and faithful our mighty God has been to me. He has rescued me from troubles. He has daily strengthened me. He has been my Rock (verse 3) when all else failed.
The dear saints in our pastorates that I grew to love, left a legacy of faith for me and others. I pray my life is also “declaring God’s strength to this generation.”
Paula Kirkpatrick
Reflection Questions
Do you have an older Christian who is a role model to you?
Have you told those role models what they mean to you?
The Psalmist says he doesn’t know the art of writing, so he needs to make mention, to declare, God’s righteousness and strength. Think about ways you can talk about and show your friends and loved ones what God has done in your life.
In Mark 1 Jesus calls his first disciples. He calls four people. Now these four are all fisherman with jobs and lives. But they leave those lives and jobs to follow Jesus. Take a second to really think about how much they’re giving up there. They’re losing their job, their lifestyle and leaving their own homes. All to follow someone after he says just one thing to them. Now it doesn’t say that they stopped ,thought about it, and followed Jesus, but that “At once they left their nets and followed him” (Mark 1:18 NIV) and “Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and follow him” (Mark 1:20 NIV). They left immediately to follow Jesus; they were willing to give up their own lives which they had plans for. They gave that all up to follow Jesus. They did it quickly and without hesitation. Now they could have had insight like in Matthew 16:17, “Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven’”. I would think that they did but we can still learn from their example here.
Another thing to notice here is that Jesus is not calling scribes or priests who might know the old testament the best and who are the most well educated. There is plenty of reasons for this. He is calling fishermen as his first. The first time something is done it’s setting a precedent. Everything Jesus did set a precedent for us to follow. But he’s showing us here that you don’t need to be the most educated, or the smartest to follow and serve him. That is the precedent he is setting for us. The precedent that continues even to this day. And he took these fishermen and made them into the vessels he would use to spread the gospel even after he was gone, when they were no longer fishermen, but fishers of men.
Now we can apply this to our own lives as well. We’ve all been called to follow Jesus just as the first disciples were. Yet so many times we hesitate, because we don’t want to give up things, or we’re too scared. Take a page from these disciples, they left their lives and their homes to follow. We should be willing to do what is asked of us as well. Most of the time what we are called to give up isn’t even as much as they gave up. Not only that, but when we are called to do something, we should be doing it right away. They didn’t have the full picture of who he was and were willing to follow, we should be able to as well. Let me qualify all that by saying we should give thought and prayer if we’re going to do something, and if we are called to do something that doesn’t mean you have to give up everything you know like the disciples, they were after all in a different situation than most of us.
And if you’re stuck thinking that “I’m not qualified” or “Someone else better can do it because I’m not good enough” you should forget those thoughts. Because Jesus set the precedent that we all, no matter how skilled or unskilled, can serve. Just like the disciples he equips us for what we are called to do. You don’t need to be the best to serve. Moses who is famous for leading the Israelites out of Egypt was a flawed person. And if you’re saying “I’m not ready yet because I’m too young, not good enough, etc yet” then when do you become ready. Setting a random age where you say that you know enough now? We are called to serve, not called to serve in 20 years.
Don’t be afraid to serve in what way you are called and do it without delay when you are called.
-Philip Kirkpatrick
Reflection Questions
What do you feel the Lord has called you to do? How are you being called to follow Jesus? If you are unsure, pray to hear directions more clearly.
What excuses have you given in the past for not following the calling right away?
Would Jesus think any of these excuses are valid?
What are you willing to give up in order to follow Jesus well?
Chapter 13 closes out the book of Hebrews. Here Herb (my name for the author of Hebrews, for simplicity) states concerns for his audience, along with a blessing. Without this last section it would be difficult to see Hebrews as a letter, rather than a sermon. But he comments about the needs of the people he is writing to, and gives a benediction, as is the normal pattern for New Testament letters. Herb’s comments show that false teachings were affecting the people the letter went to, “varied and strange teachings” that must not be allowed to carry them away (v. 9). The specifics are not made very clear for us.
Before Herb raised the issue of false teaching he advised: “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” (v. 7). We aren’t told the roles of these leaders, they could be everyone these people ever encountered who guided them and have died, whether apostles, traveling missionaries, disciples in their own congregations, etc. (The term “led” here is a different form of the Greek word translated “leaders” in 13:17 and 24.) They spoke the word of God to them. They told them the truth. So now the idea is to consider the outcome of these people’s conduct – the end of each one’s life – and based on that imitate their faith. In a way Herb is asking for his audience to work out Hebrews 11 on a small scale, thinking about the faithful of the recent past who they have known. We can do the same with people we have known, evaluating if they held true to the end, which was a big concern expressed by Herb in his book, and if they did hold true we should imitate their faith.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (v. 8). Jesus Christ doesn’t change. The truth about him doesn’t change. Those who were trustworthy about him before would be trustworthy now, were they alive to still be saying the same things. The faith they held in Jesus before was well founded before, and it would continue to be well founded if they were still alive to continue advocating it. So, you can take up that belief and take up that faith for yourself and hold firm in it. Jesus Christ doesn’t change. And, to the extent that we have obtained to the Christian maturity we ought to hold, neither should we change.
Lord, let me have proper firmness. Let me care deeply. Let me be willing to give the sacrifices of praise and of doing good. Please help me to be who I ought to be, with faith like that of the loving leaders I have known. Please guide me with your Spirit, and work what is pleasing in your sight. And may your blessings also go to the readers of these words who seek your guidance. In the name of your blessed son Jesus, I pray these things, Amen.
-Daniel Smead
Reflection Questions
1. What do you figure happens if a whole congregation of people take up the faithful attitudes of their leaders (or former leaders)?
2. Perhaps most of us had some familiarity with Hebrews before we read it these last weeks, and anyway we were able to back up and re-read sections if we wished to. Most of Herb’s audience was first exposed to his letter when it was read aloud. Probably it was then repeated so they could go over it again. Perhaps a group of leaders read it first to understand it better so they could address questions for the group. They may have wanted to look at related Old Testament texts, as well. Thinking about these scenarios, how many times through do you think it would take before they “got” the message of Hebrews?
3. Do you expect that Hebrews succeeded with encouraging its first audience and bringing them to a new commitment? Has it succeeded in encouraging you?
On a personal note, I wanted to ask for prayer because I have been suffering from migraine issues for just over 48 months. Basically, a constant migraine began in August 2019. I had suffered from migraines before then, just not so badly. Yes, I’ve been seeing a neurologist. Yes, I’m on drugs for this (several drugs). I’ve made lifestyle changes, including ones to reduce stress and relieve eye strain (like hardly reading from paper books anymore). The pain is not as bad now as it was three years ago, though it fluctuates, but I would appreciate it if the headache stopped at some point. Thank you.
Hebrews chapter 11 is very well known and a powerful and beautiful piece of writing, maybe on a level with 1 Corinthians 13. What Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13 about love is more often quoted in wedding services, out of context, than used to discuss the situation at Corinth. Something similar may be true with what Hebrews 11 says regarding faith. Good use is made of the passage to discuss faith, but perhaps comparatively not much of the time in the context of what Hebrews is about. It is extremely easy to break this passage away from the rest of what was written by Herb (my name for the author of Hebrews, for simplicity).
New Testament Greek had no chapter breaks, or even paragraph breaks. When authors of that time wanted to establish a change in topic they needed to do so with their words. Herb does a lot with inclusio, also called bracketing, which used repeated words to emphasize a section of text. The presence of these repetitions helped people who were following along with a work while hearing it out loud – and those attempting to memorize it. For hundreds of years very few people had access to written copies of these works and often they depended on listening to them spoken aloud, perhaps even from memory. (In seminary I had a teacher who assigned students to memorize a Psalm and recite it. Part of the point was to gain some sense of what it was like to hold scripture in your mind and speak it aloud. He was pleased and surprised when a student took up the challenge of learning Psalm 119 and succeeded.) There is an inclusio in Hebrews 11:2 and 39 created with the Greek for “to witness” which sets apart that chapter and shows our chapter break to be reasonable.
But Herb did not discuss “faith” only in chapter 11. The Greek word for “faith” appears in Hebrews a total of 32 times: in 4:2; 6:1, 12; 10:32, 38, 39; then in chapter 11 (24 times); 12:2; and 13:7. Outside chapter 11 the references to faith almost all involve Herb expressing concern about believers having proper faith in Christ. You can also see a cluster of four references around chapter 11 which show how Herb set up that chapter and then picked up from it to move into the next part of the letter.
For these devotions we generally read a single chapter but if you wish after reading this devotion you could reread the text, backing up a few verses to include part of chapter 10 as a lead-in to chapter 11. First, I want to highlight a few more words to pay attention to that appear in both Hebrews 10 and 11.
In Hebrews 10:34 a Greek word for “better” appears which Herb uses 13 times in Hebrews. That is far more than elsewhere in the New Testament, but It obviously fits with the tone of the book, which keeps saying that Jesus is better than one thing or another. The word then gets used in 11:16, 35, and 40.
In Hebrews 10:36 a Greek word for “receive” appears for the first time in Hebrews. It will be used twice more, in 11:19 and 39.
Also in Hebrews 10:36, a Greek word for “promise” appears, the eighth of 14 uses. The remaining six times are in 11:9 (twice), 13, 17, 33, 39.
Breaking down the list, “faith” is mentioned in the end of chapter 10, all through chapter 11, and at the start of chapter 12. Three other words connect the end of chapter 10 to chapter 11, suggesting that Herb set up points he was going to make in the faith chapter: “receive,” “better,” “promise.” You could back up to Hebrews 10:32 and read on through 12:2 to see how these words are emphasized together.
If you choose to, you could also do a second exercise, for a different way of looking at things, considering these facts:
In Hebrews 10:32 a Greek word for “endured” / “endure” appears. It is used four times in Hebrews, here and in 12:2, 3, and 7.
In Hebrews 10:36 a Greek word for “patient endurance” or “perseverance” appears. It is used only here and 12:1.
So two words about ‘endurance’ bridge the end of chapter 10 to the start of chapter 12, for a total of six appearances. This suggests that while Herb didn’t choose to emphasize endurance on the part of the Old Testament figures chapter 11 discusses he wanted to emphasize endurance on the part of the Christians he wrote to. This will become very clear if you try another read through starting at Hebrews 10:32 perhaps, but this time skip over chapter 11 entirely and read to 12:7.
Hebrews 11 has a remarkable message about many great examples of faithfulness from the past who trusted God to be reliable and now serve as examples to us. Many people speak of the great acts of faith that these people engaged in, but that is not how the chapter describes them. It says that they “gained approval” from God for their faithfulness (v. 2, 39). In terms of Herb’s actual message these figures from the past are case studies in endurance, people who did not shrink back. Herb finally emphasizes not what they received through faith but what they did not receive, because none of them got what they were waiting for, which is interesting as it shows their common understanding of what to expect and that they did not allow thousands of years of waiting to throw off their patience (v. 39). We also see that the list of named figures stops with David and Samuel, in the time of the tabernacle. Some of the other figures are identifiable as from later times, such as the reference in verse 33 to “shut the mouths of lions,” which is plainly Daniel, but they remain unnamed.
Verse 40 is the kicker for this chapter, of course. “God provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.” This is now the twelfth of fourteen uses of this language about perfection in Hebrews (the next will be in 12:2, the last in 12:23). It is remarkable the lengths that have been gone to in some interpretations to have this language make sense, without having the return of Christ and the resurrection hope be significant for the Old Testament saints and the church, together. But the repeated (and, in my Bible, underlined) words of the chapter prompt us and we can’t ignore them – receive better promises – there is no reasonable explanation where some part of the Church has already inherited what God planned to give us. We are a body, undivided, faithful, and patient. “Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at his coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:23).
Lord, you have made lovely poetry, and remarkable prose. Yours are the greatest inventions, incredible art, the purest flavors, colors and lightning. I praise your creativity, and I await the wonders of the more perfect world that awaits when your son returns to earth. All I know now is the damaged version of what you intended. Some of what you first made still shines through, and it is amazing to me. Let me grow in faith in you always, for you are almighty and perfectly trustworthy. Amen.
-Daniel Smead
Reflection Questions
1. Imagine if chapter 11 really were not in Hebrews. What would we be missing?
3. Have you ever tried to memorize part of Hebrews 11? With its repeated pattern about “faith” it seems set up for that purpose, but modern Americans don’t tend to try memorizing much. What advantages do you see to memorizing scripture? How do you decide what scripture to memorize?
3. Do you expect that faith is easier to hold to if you have people encouraging you to be faithful? How have you tried to be encouraging today? What things do you find encouraging?
Seek Grow Love 