Faith and ‘things not seen’ - Hebrews 11:1

I was recently asked to explain the second part of Hebrew 11:1 as it does not seem to easily fit with the Hebraic Mindset.

The question was essentially:
“Regarding Hebrews 11:1, how can explain this in the Hebrew way, since the Hebrew language and mindset is supposed to be a concrete language, that is, something that can be seen, or touched, or smelt or viewed by the senses. How then can this test state the ‘faith’ is the conviction of things not seen?”

So the verse in question is: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Heb 11:1 NASB

To help try to answer this question, I believe we need to first appreciate what ‘faith’ in Hebraic actually is though. The Hebrew word אֱמוּנָה is (transliterated to ‘emunah’), translated into the Greek ‘pisti’ or ‘pistis’, and then into English as ‘faith’ or ‘belief’ or ‘trust’, and even ‘faithfulness’.

Consider these two translations of Hebrews 11:1:

Heb 11:1 “Trusting is being confident of what we hope for, convinced about things we do not see.” – CJB.

Here the idea of ‘trusting’ or faith (emunah) comes from Habbakuk 2:4 “Look at the proud: he is inwardly not upright; but the righteous will attain life through trusting faithfulness (בֶּאֱמוּנָתוֹ). (CJB), where the root word is ‘emunah’ but the sense is clearly more ‘faithfulness’ or ‘trust’.

Also consider: “And ‘belief’ (trust) is the substance of what is expected, the proof of what is not seen.” Heb 11:1 - The Scriptures 98

So firstly ‘emunah’ whether translated as faith, or belief, or trust, really means ‘faithfulness’ or trusting in YHVH. We see this in at least 7 places in the NT where we read the phrase ‘faith of Yeshua’ meaning to have the same ‘trust’ or faithfulness in YHVH, that Yeshua had.

Please see my ‘Faith of Jesus’ article for more on this - http://circumcisedheart.info/Christian%20site/Whats%20in%20a%20word%20-%20the%20Faith%20of%20Yeshua.pdf 

I also like the explanation given at the Hebrew 4 Christians site:

“The term emunah (translated as "faith" in many English translations) occurs for the first time in the Torah in connection with Abraham (Gen. 15:6). What was the nature of Abraham's faith that God reckoned it as tzedakah ("righteousness)"? It is evident from the context that it was not merely a matter of accepting a series of propositions as being true (i.e., the Greek view of truth as "justified true belief").

Abraham did not encounter God as a Platonic Idea or an Aristotelian Unmoved Mover.... No, the context (the promise to the old man that he would be father of a multitude of nations) makes it clear that Abraham was declared tzaddik (righteous) because he trusted in God to do what He said.

The word emunah itself comes from aman, which means to securely trust or rely upon (and from which we get the word "Amen"). Abraham believed in a future state of affairs (a future-tense proposition) as expressed in his present trust in the Person and Promise of God. He foresaw the redemption of the world (the Messiah) and believed in God's promise of salvation (John 8:56).

Emunah is more like faithfulness than a static state of mind (i.e., the Greek concept of ascertaining truth). It is more "belief in" than "belief that."

… Emunah represents active trust in the goodness of the LORD and expresses itself as loyalty to His will.” – from http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Articles/Emunah/emunah.pdf

Note the term ‘active trust’. The real thrust of faithfulness, within the Hebraic perspective, must be that it is seen to be outworked in actions.

So now we come to the second half of the first verse of Hebrews 11:1. I think the CJB version helps explain the reality: “And ‘belief’ (trust) is the substance of what is expected, the proof of what is not seen.”.

That is, the proof of what is not seen and can’t be touched, the proof of the future, the reality of the promises of God is that He delivered to those who trusted Him in the past. We can read and ‘look upon’ the promises the Almighty has come through on in the past, the promises of the Land, of the blessings and even the cursings, the  promise of children to barren woman, of a Temple, of return from exile and of a Messiah, all act as concrete examples upon which those who trust God.

Those who ‘trust’ God or ‘lean on’, or ‘mentally dwell on the promises of God’ (have the ‘mind’ or spirit of Yeshua), which convinces them that He will in the same way fulfill His promises in the future.

Such faith and such certain expectation (hope) for the future rests on the past, on the Almighty’s past relationship with His people, Israel. 

Therefore, it is possible, even with the 'concrete' nature of the Hebraic Mindset to visualise 'things not seen' because they are yet future. While future and therefore not physically present, they can, through such trust in the Almighty be seen as just as real. 

This is also why we can still trust Him today. 

He has not deserted His people, He is fulfilling His promises to them at this very hour as daily miracles occur in the Land of Israel. Thus, we who follow Yeshua may also trust, as he trusted (Romans 3:22) and know with the same certain expectation that the great Day and the Redemption draws near.