One of the most well-known biblical definitions of faith can be found in Hebrews 11:1. Even though there are additional definitions and descriptions of the meaning of faith, we will concentrate in this Q&A strictly on the above-referenced passage.
The New King James Bible renders it as follows:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
This translation uses some words or expressions which may be difficult to comprehend.
Let us begin with the word “substance” in the phrase, “the substance of things hoped for.” When you check the meaning of this word in dictionaries, you get a confusing panorama of diverse “explanations.” It is described as “that which exists independently, supporting its own attributes or accidents without needing anything else to exist.” Or, as “having real importance, independence, or value.” A “person of substance” is described as “someone who has intelligence, integrity, or significant means.” It is also defined as “core message, main idea, or true reality of an argument as opposed to its superficial presentation.”
From these examples, we see that the word “substance” can be quite confusing in the context of Hebrews 11:1. It gets even more confusing when looking at commentaries explaining the biblical definition of the word, stating, for example, “In the Bible, ‘substance’ has three primary definitions: physical wealth and possessions, spiritual or foundational reality, and the divine essence of God. Depending on the passage, the original Hebrew and Greek terms shift focus from material goods to theological truths” (compare Bible Study Tools). Again, not very helpful for understanding the meaning of the word in Hebrews 11.
The Greek word for “substance” is hupostasis. It is defined by Strong’s as “a setting under (support), i.e. (fig.) concr. essence, or abstr. assurance (obj. or subj.) – confidence, confident, person, substance.”
A little bit better, but still not very clear.
It becomes really “inventive” when we read the following “explanation” about the meaning of the Greek word hupostasis: “In the Bible, [it] generally means ‘underlying reality,’ ‘substance,’ or ‘confidence.’ While the word itself only appears five times in the New Testament, it forms the foundational basis for major Christian doctrines like the Trinity and the dual nature of Jesus.”
Of course, the Bible nowhere teaches the concept of a Trinity consisting of three Hypostases or Persons. When applied to Jesus, we read in Hebrews 1:3 that He is the “express image” of God the Father, showing that He is the second Person in the God Family. (The Holy Spirit is not a person.)
Regarding the dual nature of Christ, please note that Christ, who WAS God, BECAME man (John 1:14), and we read in Philippians 2:5-7: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.”
The concept that Christ was fully God and fully man, when He was here on earth, is totally false.
The other three usages of the word hupostasis can be found in Hebrews 3:14; 2 Corinthians 9:4 and 11:17 (rendered as “confidence” or “confident” in the New King James Bible).
It is therefore helpful to see how other translations render the word for “substance” in Hebrews 11:1.
The New International Version reads:
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for…”
The New American Standard Version is much stronger, stating,
“Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for…”
The Christian Standard Bible and the Neue Luther Bibel 2009 read:
“Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for…”
The Luther Bibel from 1984 reads:
“Faith, however, is a firm confidence in what one hopes for…”
The Menge Bibel says:
“Faith, however, is a confident trust in what one hopes for…”
Finally, the Neue Genfer Übersetzung states:
“What, then, is faith? It is counting on the fulfillment of what one hopes for…”
To summarize the statements in the foregoing renditions, faith is the firm confidence and the confident trust in the fulfillment of God’s promises and what we hope to obtain; it is counting on its fulfillment, and it is therefore already reality for us.
As stated above, the New King James Bible continues Hebrews 11:1 with this phrase in defining faith: It is “the evidence of things not seen.”
This rendition is equally confusing.
Let us evaluate the word “evidence.” It is only used one other time in the New Testament—in 2 Timothy 3:16, where the New King James Bible renders it as “reproof.” The Greek word iselegchos, and Strong’s defines the word as “proof, conviction—evidence, reproof.” It is related to the word elegcho which is defined by Young’s as “convict, convince, rebuke and reproof.”
In the context of Hebrews 11:1, “reproof” might be difficult to understand, but it has meaning, as we will see.
“Evidence” would be better rendered as “proof”—causing us to believe something is true or actually exists.
Again, it is helpful to see how other translations render the word for “evidence” in Hebrews 11:1:
The Revised English Bible says:
“Faith… convinces us of realities we do not see.”
The Luther Bibel from 1984 and the Neue Luther Bibel 2009 say that faith is “an absence of doubt regarding what one does not see.”
The Menge Bibel says that faith is “a firm conviction regarding things (or: facts) that one does not see (with one’s eyes).”
The Zürcher Bibel says that faith is “the proof of things not seen.”
The Neue Genfer Übersetzung says that faith is “a conviction of the reality of things unseen.”
Based on these renditions, we understand that faith is a firm conviction of realities which we cannot see with our eyes. Faith is the proof to us that they do exist, and in the context of Hebrews 11, it is the proof that what God has promised, He WILL do, even though we do not see the fulfillment of the promises yet. We walk by faith, and not by sight (that is, not by what we can already see). It is the absence of doubt in God and His Word. Doubt can destroy faith.
We should also note why the rendition “reproof” is applicable in the context of Hebrews 11:1. It reproves the idea that we must doubt the existence of things, facts, or realities we cannot (yet) see with our eyes. It reproves and thereby disproves the idea that unseen realities don’t exist; that God’s promises, which have not been manifested yet to our eyes, will not come to pass. Rather, faith is the firm conviction that they will happen.
This firm conviction, without doubting, is already contained in the Greek word for faith which is pistis, describing “persuasion or conviction.”
What, then, is faith?
Focusing on Hebrews 11:1, faith is the conviction, firm confidence and the confident trust in the fulfillment of God’s promises and what we hope to obtain; before we have obtained it. Faith is counting on the fulfillment of God’s promises, and they are therefore already reality for us. Faith is the doubtless proof to us that what God has promised, He WILL do, even though we do not see the fulfillment of His promises yet.
Lead Writer: Norbert Link