Lesson Themes: If one must look for a biblical definition of faith, one need not look further than Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (NRSV). The whole chapter explains and exemplifies what it means to hold on to God’s promises, despite not having visible evidence for our faith. The faith chapter is introduced with a quote from Habbakuk 2:2–4. Habakkuk asks God why He does not intervene in the destruction of the righteous by the wicked (Hab. 1:13; Hab. 2:1). In response, God reminds Habakkuk that there will be a lapse of time before He acts. Contrary to appearances, this lapse constitutes no delay on God’s part. In the meantime, the prophet needs to exercise faith. Faith goes hand in hand with endurance (Heb. 10:36–38). The heroes of Hebrews 11 showed endurance and faith in the unseen. Abraham believed that God could resurrect Isaac from the dead (Heb. 11:19) because Abraham was as good as dead when he became the father of Isaac (Heb. 11:12). Moses, though destined to become the monarch of the greatest empire in antiquity since the Flood, chose ill-treatment, abuse, and suffering with God’s people rather than the fleeting palace pleasures of the pharaohs. Moses made this decision because he looked to the future reward promised by God (Heb. 11:25, 26). The audience of Hebrews could identify with Moses because they were going through similar circumstances. They, too, needed to look toward the future reward. The next rather remarkable example in Hebrews 11 is Rahab, a Gentile prostitute. Though a Gentile, she hears about God’s actions, believes in Him, and acts on her belief when hiding the Hebrew spies (Josh. 2:8–11). Similarly, the audience of Hebrews does not see Jesus but is called to believe and act in faith in response to God’s Word.
Part II: Commentary
Creatio ex Nihilo (Latin for Creation From Nothing): This phrase portrays the view that the universe was created by God out of nothing. One of the classical texts to support a creatio ex nihilo is Hebrews 11:3: “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible” (NRSV). This passage can be interpreted that way. We will, however, look at an alternative understanding of this text.
After the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1, Paul moves to the people of old who were commended for their faith (Heb. 11:2). The catalog of the faithful does not begin with Abel, surprisingly, but with us (that is, “we,” the audience) and Paul, the author. “By faith we understand” (Heb. 11:3, NRSV) expresses the intellectual outlook of a faith reality. We understand that the universe (literally the worlds) were created by God’s Word. Creation can be grasped only by faith, Paul asserts. Furthermore, that which is visible was not made from things that are visible. In other words, the world of Creation is visible, but its origin is not. Its origin is intellectually comprehended only by faith.
What is this invisible origin? Is it ex nihilo, “out of nothing,” that God created the visible worlds? The text says, “What is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Heb. 11:3, ESV), which means that the things that are not visible are not necessarily nonexistent. For example, just because we do not see the wind does not mean the wind is nonexistent. Could it be that the invisible things out of which the visible worlds were made are a reference to the spoken “word of God”? If so, this is a clear allusion to the Creation account in Genesis 1, where God’s Word is the source of Creation. (“And God said” is repeated in Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26.) In other words, the sensory world is derived from a power that remains inaccessible to our senses—God’s powerful creative Word. If this is true, a better explanation of verse 3 emerges.
Instead of referring to creatio ex nihilo, Paul uses a parallel structure to underscore the invisibility of God’s Word. Notice the three sets of corresponding, interrelated ideas in Hebrews 11:3:
A “the worlds” (3a) A' “what is seen” (3b)
B “were prepared” (3a) B' “was made” (3b)
C “the word of God” (3a) C' “that are not visible” (3b)
Or to write the structure another way: [A] “By faith we understand that the worlds [B] were prepared [C] by the word of God, [A'] so that what is seen [B'] was made from things [C'] that are not visible” (Heb. 11:3, NRSV). Thus, we see that God’s invisible spoken Word creates visible worlds. This understanding of the verse corroborates Paul’s concern that his audience orient their lives to the things not seen but, rather, hoped for. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1, NRSV). In sum, we can say that God’s invisible Word produces visible worlds and our universe. This does not mean that God did not, or could not, create ex nihilo, but only that this text seems to be saying something else.
Thought Questions: By faith we, as well as Paul and the audience of Hebrews, understand that God created the worlds through His powerful yet invisible word.
What do you think motivated Noah to build an ark in spite of no previous floods or even any rain?
What do you think motivated Abraham to set out for a country he had not previously seen or explored?
What do you think motivated Moses to exchange a “prestigious” life in the palace of Egypt for a “miserable” life with the Exodus generation?
Esau Found No Repentance Though He Sought It With Tears: Hebrews 12:17 says of Esau: “For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears” (NKJV). This verse, like others in Hebrews (Heb. 6:4–6, Heb. 10:26–29), seems to speak in favor of no possible repentance. (In lesson 7, you can find a treatment of Hebrews 6:4–6: “The Impossibility of Repentance.”) Did God really reject Esau?
Hebrews 12 talks about running the race in which Christ is our Example of endurance. Endurance comes through discipline, and discipline strengthens weak hands and feeble knees. In addition, Paul admonishes his audience to pursue peace and holiness, “without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14, NRSV). Every Christian is exhorted to live in peace and maintain harmony with everyone as far as it lies within his or her power (Rom. 12:18). Not only peace but also holiness is an essential attribute Christians are to pursue. What is the goal of the discipline that God inflicts upon His children? He wants them to share in His own holiness (Heb. 12:10). The absence of holiness and peace equals the absence of seeing the Lord. The absence of holiness is illustrated in the life of the sexually immoral person (Greek: pornos) and godlessness of Esau (Heb. 12:16). Paul comments on both Esau’s despising the birthright (Gen. 25:29–34) and losing the firstborn blessing (Gen. 27:1–40). With this context in mind, we will address the question: Did Esau find no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears?
The KJV, NKJV, ESV, NIV, and NASB give the impression that Esau found no repentance even though he sought it with tears. Furthermore, these versions impress upon us the idea that Esau desired repentance, but for whatever reason, God denied him this chance. To solve the problem, we need to ask the following question: What does the pronoun “it” refer to in the phrase “he sought it with tears”? Is its antecedent “repentance” or “blessing”? In Greek, the pronoun “it” is feminine. Therefore, the antecedent of “it” must be a feminine noun also. In the English translation, the closest noun in proximity to “it” is “repentance”: this proximity is the reason for the confusion. In Greek, both “repentance” and “blessing” are feminine nouns. However, the noun “repentance” is part of a fixed idiom and goes together with “place”/“opportunity,” which is why we translate the phrase in question as an “opportunity for repentance.” So, if Esau did not find an “opportunity for repentance,” what, then, did he seek with tears? Because the noun “place”/“opportunity” is a masculine noun, the feminine pronoun “it” cannot refer to the masculine noun “place.” Thus, the only other option is the somewhat further placed noun “blessing.” Esau could not find an opportunity to repent, although he sought the blessing with tears. Some translations, such as the NRSV, capture the Greek grammar correctly by translating the verse: “You know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, even though he sought the blessing with tears” (Heb. 12:17, NRSV).
Such a translation also concurs with the narrative in Genesis 27:34–38. The narrative tells us that Jacob deceived his father by pretending to be Esau. When Esau came to his father with the savory food, Isaac was surprised because he thought he had just blessed his firstborn son Esau. Once Isaac realized that he had been cheated by his son Jacob, he “trembled violently” (Gen. 27:33, NRSV). Esau, on the other hand, realizing that the blessing had been given away, “cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, ‘Bless me, me also, father!’ ” (Gen. 27:34, NRSV). After the dialogue with his father, “Esau lifted up his voice and wept” (Gen. 27:38, NRSV). In sum, we can say that Esau did not weep for an opportunity to repent of all the things he did in his godless lifestyle; rather, he wept for the lost blessing, which his brother stole from him. That is exactly what Paul means when he says: “He found no place for repentance, though he sought it [the blessing] diligently with tears” (Heb. 12:17, NKJV). God offers opportunity for repentance to everyone who wants to repent (Rom. 2:4; 2 Cor. 7:9, 10; 2 Tim. 2:25; 2 Pet. 3:9).
Part III: Life Application
In the span of its history, our church has survived several crises. During the twentieth century, we faced controversies over the issues of inspiration, the role of Ellen G. White, the nature of Christ, the Godhead, the remnant church, Creation versus evolution, et cetera. The twenty-first century seems to have brought these issues back and more.
What would be the consequences if we as Seventh-day Adventists gave in to the belief system of evolution or theistic evolution? Discuss.
Does the biblical Creation account necessitate a creation ex nihilo?
Why is it important to consult more than one translation when encountering a difficult text?
Notes
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Key Texts: Heb. 10:32–39; Rom. 1:17; Hebrews 11; Gen. 22:1–14; Josh. 2:8–11; Heb. 12:1–3.
Lesson Themes: If one must look for a biblical definition of faith, one need not look further than Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (NRSV). The whole chapter explains and exemplifies what it means to hold on to God’s promises, despite not having visible evidence for our faith. The faith chapter is introduced with a quote from Habbakuk 2:2–4. Habakkuk asks God why He does not intervene in the destruction of the righteous by the wicked (Hab. 1:13; Hab. 2:1). In response, God reminds Habakkuk that there will be a lapse of time before He acts. Contrary to appearances, this lapse constitutes no delay on God’s part. In the meantime, the prophet needs to exercise faith. Faith goes hand in hand with endurance (Heb. 10:36–38). The heroes of Hebrews 11 showed endurance and faith in the unseen. Abraham believed that God could resurrect Isaac from the dead (Heb. 11:19) because Abraham was as good as dead when he became the father of Isaac (Heb. 11:12). Moses, though destined to become the monarch of the greatest empire in antiquity since the Flood, chose ill-treatment, abuse, and suffering with God’s people rather than the fleeting palace pleasures of the pharaohs. Moses made this decision because he looked to the future reward promised by God (Heb. 11:25, 26). The audience of Hebrews could identify with Moses because they were going through similar circumstances. They, too, needed to look toward the future reward. The next rather remarkable example in Hebrews 11 is Rahab, a Gentile prostitute. Though a Gentile, she hears about God’s actions, believes in Him, and acts on her belief when hiding the Hebrew spies (Josh. 2:8–11). Similarly, the audience of Hebrews does not see Jesus but is called to believe and act in faith in response to God’s Word.
Part II: Commentary
Creatio ex Nihilo (Latin for Creation From Nothing): This phrase portrays the view that the universe was created by God out of nothing. One of the classical texts to support a creatio ex nihilo is Hebrews 11:3: “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible” (NRSV). This passage can be interpreted that way. We will, however, look at an alternative understanding of this text.
After the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1, Paul moves to the people of old who were commended for their faith (Heb. 11:2). The catalog of the faithful does not begin with Abel, surprisingly, but with us (that is, “we,” the audience) and Paul, the author. “By faith we understand” (Heb. 11:3, NRSV) expresses the intellectual outlook of a faith reality. We understand that the universe (literally the worlds) were created by God’s Word. Creation can be grasped only by faith, Paul asserts. Furthermore, that which is visible was not made from things that are visible. In other words, the world of Creation is visible, but its origin is not. Its origin is intellectually comprehended only by faith.
What is this invisible origin? Is it ex nihilo, “out of nothing,” that God created the visible worlds? The text says, “What is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Heb. 11:3, ESV), which means that the things that are not visible are not necessarily nonexistent. For example, just because we do not see the wind does not mean the wind is nonexistent. Could it be that the invisible things out of which the visible worlds were made are a reference to the spoken “word of God”? If so, this is a clear allusion to the Creation account in Genesis 1, where God’s Word is the source of Creation. (“And God said” is repeated in Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26.) In other words, the sensory world is derived from a power that remains inaccessible to our senses—God’s powerful creative Word. If this is true, a better explanation of verse 3 emerges.
Instead of referring to creatio ex nihilo, Paul uses a parallel structure to underscore the invisibility of God’s Word. Notice the three sets of corresponding, interrelated ideas in Hebrews 11:3:
A “the worlds” (3a) A' “what is seen” (3b)
B “were prepared” (3a) B' “was made” (3b)
C “the word of God” (3a) C' “that are not visible” (3b)
Or to write the structure another way: [A] “By faith we understand that the worlds [B] were prepared [C] by the word of God, [A'] so that what is seen [B'] was made from things [C'] that are not visible” (Heb. 11:3, NRSV). Thus, we see that God’s invisible spoken Word creates visible worlds. This understanding of the verse corroborates Paul’s concern that his audience orient their lives to the things not seen but, rather, hoped for. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1, NRSV). In sum, we can say that God’s invisible Word produces visible worlds and our universe. This does not mean that God did not, or could not, create ex nihilo, but only that this text seems to be saying something else.
Thought Questions: By faith we, as well as Paul and the audience of Hebrews, understand that God created the worlds through His powerful yet invisible word.
What do you think motivated Noah to build an ark in spite of no previous floods or even any rain?
What do you think motivated Abraham to set out for a country he had not previously seen or explored?
What do you think motivated Moses to exchange a “prestigious” life in the palace of Egypt for a “miserable” life with the Exodus generation?
Esau Found No Repentance Though He Sought It With Tears: Hebrews 12:17 says of Esau: “For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears” (NKJV). This verse, like others in Hebrews (Heb. 6:4–6, Heb. 10:26–29), seems to speak in favor of no possible repentance. (In lesson 7, you can find a treatment of Hebrews 6:4–6: “The Impossibility of Repentance.”) Did God really reject Esau?
Hebrews 12 talks about running the race in which Christ is our Example of endurance. Endurance comes through discipline, and discipline strengthens weak hands and feeble knees. In addition, Paul admonishes his audience to pursue peace and holiness, “without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14, NRSV). Every Christian is exhorted to live in peace and maintain harmony with everyone as far as it lies within his or her power (Rom. 12:18). Not only peace but also holiness is an essential attribute Christians are to pursue. What is the goal of the discipline that God inflicts upon His children? He wants them to share in His own holiness (Heb. 12:10). The absence of holiness and peace equals the absence of seeing the Lord. The absence of holiness is illustrated in the life of the sexually immoral person (Greek: pornos) and godlessness of Esau (Heb. 12:16). Paul comments on both Esau’s despising the birthright (Gen. 25:29–34) and losing the firstborn blessing (Gen. 27:1–40). With this context in mind, we will address the question: Did Esau find no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears?
The KJV, NKJV, ESV, NIV, and NASB give the impression that Esau found no repentance even though he sought it with tears. Furthermore, these versions impress upon us the idea that Esau desired repentance, but for whatever reason, God denied him this chance. To solve the problem, we need to ask the following question: What does the pronoun “it” refer to in the phrase “he sought it with tears”? Is its antecedent “repentance” or “blessing”? In Greek, the pronoun “it” is feminine. Therefore, the antecedent of “it” must be a feminine noun also. In the English translation, the closest noun in proximity to “it” is “repentance”: this proximity is the reason for the confusion. In Greek, both “repentance” and “blessing” are feminine nouns. However, the noun “repentance” is part of a fixed idiom and goes together with “place”/“opportunity,” which is why we translate the phrase in question as an “opportunity for repentance.” So, if Esau did not find an “opportunity for repentance,” what, then, did he seek with tears? Because the noun “place”/“opportunity” is a masculine noun, the feminine pronoun “it” cannot refer to the masculine noun “place.” Thus, the only other option is the somewhat further placed noun “blessing.” Esau could not find an opportunity to repent, although he sought the blessing with tears. Some translations, such as the NRSV, capture the Greek grammar correctly by translating the verse: “You know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, even though he sought the blessing with tears” (Heb. 12:17, NRSV).
Such a translation also concurs with the narrative in Genesis 27:34–38. The narrative tells us that Jacob deceived his father by pretending to be Esau. When Esau came to his father with the savory food, Isaac was surprised because he thought he had just blessed his firstborn son Esau. Once Isaac realized that he had been cheated by his son Jacob, he “trembled violently” (Gen. 27:33, NRSV). Esau, on the other hand, realizing that the blessing had been given away, “cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, ‘Bless me, me also, father!’ ” (Gen. 27:34, NRSV). After the dialogue with his father, “Esau lifted up his voice and wept” (Gen. 27:38, NRSV). In sum, we can say that Esau did not weep for an opportunity to repent of all the things he did in his godless lifestyle; rather, he wept for the lost blessing, which his brother stole from him. That is exactly what Paul means when he says: “He found no place for repentance, though he sought it [the blessing] diligently with tears” (Heb. 12:17, NKJV). God offers opportunity for repentance to everyone who wants to repent (Rom. 2:4; 2 Cor. 7:9, 10; 2 Tim. 2:25; 2 Pet. 3:9).
Part III: Life Application
In the span of its history, our church has survived several crises. During the twentieth century, we faced controversies over the issues of inspiration, the role of Ellen G. White, the nature of Christ, the Godhead, the remnant church, Creation versus evolution, et cetera. The twenty-first century seems to have brought these issues back and more.
What would be the consequences if we as Seventh-day Adventists gave in to the belief system of evolution or theistic evolution? Discuss.
Does the biblical Creation account necessitate a creation ex nihilo?
Why is it important to consult more than one translation when encountering a difficult text?
Notes