希伯来书 11:8

8 亚 伯 拉 罕 因 着 信 ， 蒙 召 的 时 候 就 遵 命 出 去 ， 往 将 来 要 得 为 业 的 地 方 去 ； 出 去 的 时 候 ， 还 不 知 往 那 里 去 。

希伯来书 11:8 Meaning and Commentary

Hebrews 11:8

By faith, Abraham, when he was called
The Alexandrian copy and the Vulgate Latin version read, "by faith he who was called Abraham"; but this call is not to be understood of his name; for though his first name Abram might be given him, in the faith of his being a great man, and his second name Abraham, when he himself was a believer; yet this change was made some years after the call referred to; which is that in ( Genesis 12:1 ) when he was called out of his own country, kindred, and father's house; which was an emblem of the call of God's people out from among the men of the world, and from their friends, relations, and acquaintance, and even out of themselves; and as Abraham was called from "Ur" of the Chaldees, so they from darkness, bondage, idolatry, and communion with wicked men; that, as he, they might not perish with idolaters, being chosen vessels, and for whom God has peculiar blessings in store: and so the grace of God is seen in calling them, without any respect to their deserts, as in calling Abraham: and the care and goodness of God may be observed, in raising up fit instruments to propagate his cause and interest. Now Abraham, being called

to go out into a place;
from Ur of the Chaldees, to the land of Canna;

which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance;
not in his own person, but in his seed and posterity, unless after the resurrection, in the New Jerusalem church state, and which inheritance was typical of heaven;

obeyed
the divine call; and which was a fruit and evidence of his faith, and may he called the obedience of faith:

and he went out, not knowing whither he went:
for though he went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan he came, ( Genesis 12:5 ) , yet, when God called him to go forth, and he prepared to obey his call, he knew not what land he was to go into; for it is only said, ( Genesis 12:1 ) ,

unto a land that I will show thee:
upon which words a Jewish commentator ^F18 has this note;

``he (God) did not immediately make known the land unto him, that so it might be lovely in his eyes;''

and it is, elsewhere, said by the Jews ^F19, that Abraham

``came from Aspamia (i.e. Mesopotamia), and its companions, (Nkyh edwy hyh alw) , "and he knew not where" he was, as a man that is in the dark;''

all which agrees with our apostle: and, from hence, it may be observed, that God sometimes leads his people in ways they have not known, though they are known to him, and are always right; and that it is the property of faith to follow God, when it cannot see its way; and a great mercy it is to have God for a guide. This also shows, that Abraham's faith agrees with the apostle's definition of it, ( Hebrews 11:1 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

F18 Jarchi in Gen. xii. 1.
F19 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 60. fol. 52. 3.

希伯来书 11:8 In-Context

6 人 非 有 信 ， 就 不 能 得 神 的 喜 悦 ； 因 为 到 神 面 前 来 的 人 必 须 信 有 神 ， 且 信 他 赏 赐 那 寻 求 他 的 人 。

7 挪 亚 因 着 信 ， 既 蒙 神 指 示 他 未 见 的 事 ， 动 了 敬 畏 的 心 ， 预 备 了 一 只 方 舟 ， 使 他 全 家 得 救 。 因 此 就 定 了 那 世 代 的 罪 ， 自 己 也 承 受 了 那 从 信 而 来 的 义 。

8 亚 伯 拉 罕 因 着 信 ， 蒙 召 的 时 候 就 遵 命 出 去 ， 往 将 来 要 得 为 业 的 地 方 去 ； 出 去 的 时 候 ， 还 不 知 往 那 里 去 。

9 他 因 着 信 ， 就 在 所 应 许 之 地 作 客 ， 好 像 在 异 地 居 住 帐 棚 ， 与 那 同 蒙 一 个 应 许 的 以 撒 、 雅 各 一 样 。

10 因 为 他 等 候 那 座 有 根 基 的 城 ， 就 是 神 所 经 营 所 建 造 的 。