Hebrews 11:4

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Hebrews 11:4

Hebrews 11:4. By faith In the divine command or appointment, signified unto him by some supernatural revelation, and by faith in the future Redeemer; Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice The firstlings of his flock, implying both a confession of what his own sins deserved, and a desire of sharing in the great atonement; than Cain Whose offering testified no such faith, but was merely a bare acknowledgment of God as the Creator. Macknight, after Kennicott, translates πλειονα θυσιαν , ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Hebrews 11:1-22

Examples of true faith (11:1-22)In the previous chapter the writer asserted that people must join faith to perseverance if they are to enjoy the thing hoped for. He now supports this statement with illustrations from the Old Testament. If people have faith, it means they believe that things hoped for according to God’s promises will be achieved and that unseen powers of God are real. Those with faith look beyond what they see. They know that they cannot explain the existence of the world solely... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Hebrews 11:4

Abel . Abel illustrates faith's worship. unto = to. than . Greek. para . App-104 . obtained witness . Greek. marlureo , as in Hebrews 11:2 . righteous . Greek. dikaios. App-191 . testifying . Greek. martureo, as above. of = upon. Greek. epi . App-104 . speaketh . Greek. laleo . App-121 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Hebrews 11:4

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh.ADAM; WHERE ART THOU?First of all, there is in this verse the glaring omission of the name of Adam, the mighty progenitor of the human race, neither he nor Eve, the mother of all living, being mentioned; and the circumstances that makes this omission so eloquent is that the... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Hebrews 11:4

Hebrews 11:4. Abel offered, &c.— The divine original sacrifice seems not only strongly insinuated, but plainly demonstrable from this place. It has been inferred from the words πλειονα θυσιαν,— which may be rendered a greater, or fuller sacrifice,—that Cain contented himself with presenting only the mincha,—a bread-offering without a victim; whereas Abel sacrificed both; and by presenting a lamb, shewed his faith in the great sacrifice of the Lamb of God. There can be no doubt from the... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Hebrews 11:4

4. more excellent sacrifice—because offered in faith. Now faith must have some revelation of God on which it fastens. The revelation in this case was doubtless God's command to sacrifice animals ("the firstlings of the flock") in token of the forfeiture of men's life by sin, and as a type of the promised bruiser of the serpent's head (Genesis 3:15), the one coming sacrifice: this command is implied in God's having made coats of skin for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21): for these skins must have... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Hebrews 11:1-7

1. Faith in the Antediluvian Era 11:1-7The writer began by stating three facts about faith. These are general observations on the nature of faith, some of its significant features. He then illustrated God’s approval of faith with examples from the era before the Flood. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Hebrews 11:1-13

IV. THE PROPER RESPONSE 11:1-12:13"In chapter Hebrews 10:22-25 there were three exhortations, respectively to Faith, Hope and Love. These are elaborated in turn: chapter 11 dealing with Faith; chapter 12 with Hope; chapter 13 with Love." [Note: Thomas, p. 140.] In this fourth major section of the epistle, the writer concentrated on motivating his readers to persevere in their faith with steadfast endurance. He continued the idea that he introduced in Hebrews 10:35-39. Some writers do not... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Hebrews 11:4

The readers could identify with Abel because he, too, had a better sacrifice. Those who based their hope of God’s acceptance on an inferior sacrifice, as in Judaism, would experience disappointment, as Cain did.By the way, what made Abel’s offering superior to Cain’s was evidently its being an offering of the "firstlings" (first-born) and its including the "fat" (Genesis 4:4). Ancient Near Easterners commonly held that a deity deserved the first of whatever man, beast, or crop brought forth.... read more

John Darby

Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament - Hebrews 11:4

11:4 yet (a-33) He alludes. I judge, to the voice which called to God from the ground (Genesis 4:10 ), but supposes the voice still heard as witnessing to Abel's faith. read more

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