whom the promise was first committed, the writer goes on to give special illustrations of the power of faith, as the promise was seen to advance towards fulfilment through trial. Thus he notices
( a ) The primary trial (11:17-19). That through which God works is first wholly surrendered to Him.
(
b
) The patriarchal blessings. The natural order reversed: Isaac, Jacob
(vv. 20, 21). (
g
) The world abandoned (Heb. 11:22). In the former paragraph the personal triumph of faith over death has been described: here faith is seen to look through death to the later issue for others.
17 By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up (hath offered up) Isaac; yea, he that had gladly received the promises prepared to offer up his only son; 18 he to whom it was said In Isaac shall thy seed be called; 19 accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead, whence he also in a figure received him.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau and that concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and he worshipped , leaning upon the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
( a ) The trial of Abraham (11:17-19). The references to Abraham in the O. T. are fewer than might have been expected. There appears to be no mention of his sacrifice unless it is implied in Is. 41:8 ( Abraham that loved me ). It is referred to in Ecclus. 44:20 ejn peirasmw'/ euJrevqh pistov" ; and the same words are found in 1 Macc. 2:52. Compare Wisd. 10:5; James 2:21.
The trial of Abraham was not so much in the conflict of his natural affection with his obedience to God, as in the apparent inconsistency of the revelations of the will of God which were made to him.
Thus the greatness of Abraham's Faith was shewn by the fact that he was ready to sacrifice his only son, though it had been before declared that the fulfilment of the promise which he had received was to come through him. His obedience therefore included the conviction of some signal and incomprehensible work of God whose promise could not fail. At the same time the nature of the trial left an opportunity for the right exercise of Faith. The specific command could be fulfilled only in one way: the promise might be fulfilled in more ways than one. So Faith triumphed.
Chrysostom calls attention to this feature in Abraham's trial as involving an apparent conflict in the divine will towards him: ta; ga;r tou' qeou' ejdovkei toi'" tou' qeou' mavcesqai, kai; pivsti" ejmavceto pivstei, kai; provstagma ejpaggeliva/ ... ejnantiva tai'" uJposcevsesi prosetevtakto poiei'n kai; oujde; ou{tw" ejqorubhvqh oujde; ijliggivasen oujde; hjpath'sqai ejnovmisen . And so Theophylact more tersely: ejntau'qa ouj movnon fuvsi" ejmavceto ajlla; kai; lovgo" qeou' qeivw/ prostavgmati .
Heb. 11:17. pivstei ... peirazovmeno" ] By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up (literally hath offered up ) Isaac. The contrast between