Page 88 - Hebrews- Student Textbook

"if" This is a SECOND CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE called "contrary to fact." They did go out and they did not
go back!

11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises
was in the act of offering up his only son,

"he was tested" When one compares Gen. 22:1 with Matt. 6:13 and James 1:13-14, there is a seeming
contradiction. However, there are two words in Greek for "test" with different connotations. One is to
test toward destruction (peiraz ō) and the other is to test with a view to approval and strengthening
(dokimazō).

God provides opportunities for His children to demonstrate and grow their faith (cf. Gen. 22:1;
Exod.15:25; 16:4; 20:20; Deut. 8:2,16; 13:3; Jdgs. 2:22; 2 Chr. 32:31). Tests become either a stumbling
block or a stepping stone.

"was offering up his only begotten son" The level of Abraham's faith is seen in his willingness to give
back to God the child of promise he had waited for for thirteen years (cf. James 2:21).

The use of monogenēs ("only begotten") in relation to Isaac cannot mean "only begotten" since
Abraham had other children. It surely means "the child of promise," "the unique child." This is also the
meaning of John 3:16.

11:19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively
speaking, he did receive him back.

"raise men from the dead" Abraham expected Isaac to return with him (cf. Gen. 22:5). The text does not
state how this would happen. Hebrews asserts that he may have expected a resuscitation.

"as a type" The author has been using the OT as a type or foreshadowing of current reality (cf. 9:9; 10:1;
11:19). Here the type seems to be that as Abraham offered the son of promise, so too, did God offer His
Son as a demonstration of His love, mercy, and grace!

11:20 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head
of his staff.

Isaac's blessing of his sons is found in Gen. 27:27ff, while Jacob's first blessing is in Gen. 48:14 for
Joseph's sons and later his second blessing in Genesis 49 for his other sons. The blessing once given was
not revocable. This is an example of how the author is treating OT history in a selective way (like
Chronicles). He is only mentioning the positive aspects.

11:21 "leaning on the top of his staff" This is a quote from the Septuagint of Gen. 47:31. The Masoretic
Hebrew Text has "bowed at the head of the bed." The Hebrew words for "bed" and "staff" have the
same Hebrew consonants, (mth), only the later vowel points are different. From the OT context Jacob is
somehow recognizing the fulfillment of Joseph's dream (cf. Gen. 37:5-11), thereby recognizing Joseph's
civil authority through prophecy or acknowledging Joseph as a "deliverer" of His people, as Moses and
Joshua and the coming Messiah.

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