Hebrews 11:3 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hebrews 11:1-3

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... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Hebrews 11:1-3

11:1-3 Faith means that we are certain of the things we hope for, convinced of the thing we do not see. It was because of faith that the men of old time had their record attested. It is by faith that we understand that the world was fashioned by the word of God, so that what is seen came into being out of what is unseen. To the writer to the Hebrews faith is absolutely certain that what it believes is true and that what it expects will come. It is not the hope which looks forward with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 11:3

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God ,.... The celestial world, with its inhabitants, the angels; the starry and ethereal worlds, with all that is in them, the sun, moon, stars, and fowls of the air; the terrestrial world, with all upon it, men, beasts, &c.; and the watery world, the sea, and all that is therein: perhaps some respect may be had to the distinction of worlds among the Jews; See Gill on Hebrews 1:2 , though the apostle can scarce be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 11:3

Through faith we understand - By worlds, τους αιωνας , we are to understand the material fabric of the universe; for αιων can have no reference here to age or any measurement of time, for he speaks of the things which are Seen; not being made out of the things which do Appear; this therefore must refer to the material creation: and as the word is used in the plural number, it may comprehend, not only the earth and visible heavens, but the whole planetary system; the different worlds... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 11:3

Verse 3 3.Through, or by, faith we understand, (205) etc. This is a most striking proof of the last verse; for we differ nothing from the brute creation, if we understand not that the world has been created by God. To what end have men been endued with understanding and reason, except that they might acknowledge their Creator? But it is by faith alone we know that it was God who created the world. No wonder then that faith shone forth in the fathers above all other virtues. But it may be here... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 11:1-3

The nature and power of faith. In the close of the previous chapter, the apostle has spoken of faith as the principle of spiritual life, and the spring of patient endurance. He has quoted a great saying from Habakkuk, "The just shall live by faith;" and he now proceeds to vindicate its truth in a series of brilliant biographical illustrations. First of all, however, the apostle supplies a theoretic definition or description of saving faith. I. THE NATURE OF FAITH . (Verse 1)... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 11:3

By faith we perceive that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen (or, that which is seen ) have (or, has ) not been made of things which do appear. "By the word of God" has reference to "and God said," of Genesis 1:1-31 ., which chapter enunciates the primary article of all definite religions faith, viz. the existence and operation of God, as the unseen Author of the visible universe. Even without a revelation to declare this, faith's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 11:3

The creation of the visible universe. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed," etc. The text suggests: 1. That God existed before the visible universe. As the architect must have lived before the edifice which he designed was built, so he who designed and "built all things" existed before any of his creations. "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world," etc. 2. That God ' s existence is distinct from and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 11:3

Faith beginning where science ends. In the first verse of the chapter things not seen are spoken of. Faith is the evidence of these things not seen. There can be no other evidence, for things not seen are eternal; they are beyond the ken of our senses; if we cannot be certified of them by spiritual intuitions, we cannot be certified of them at all ( 2 Corinthians 4:18 ). But the things that are seen have also to be dealt with; we want to know the connection of the seen with the unseen;... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hebrews 11:3

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed - The first instance of the strength of faith which the apostle refers to is that by which we give credence to the declarations in the Scriptures about the work of creation; Genesis 1:1. This is selected first, evidently because it is the first thing that occurs in the Bible, or is the first thing there narrated in relation to which there is the exercise of faith. He points to no particular instance in which this faith was exercised - for... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hebrews 11:1-3

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Hebrews 11:1-3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 11:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 11:3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 11:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 11:1-3

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 11:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 11:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 11:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hebrews 11:3

Group of Brands