Rose Murdock's Notes on The Epistles

17: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18: it was he to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED.” 19: He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.  20: By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21: By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22: By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones. ***  Paul went back to Abraham in his continuation of examples of faith, still considering that the righteous shall live by faith (Hebrews 10:38). This is what pleases God and was not a new thing introduced by Jesus when He came to earth. Faith has been around since the beginning, and throughout history. Paul gave these examples o...

23: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.  24: By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,  25: choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26: considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.  27: By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.  28: By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.  29: By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned. 30: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days....

32: And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33: who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34: quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.  35: Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;  36: and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37:  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated  38: (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 39: And all these, having gained ...

1: Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  2: fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3: For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4: You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;  5: and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;  6: FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” 7: It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for wh...

12: Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,  13: and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. 14: Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. 15: See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; 16:  that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17: For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. ***    Therefore—or because the discipline of the Lord is for our good, and leads us to share in His holiness (verse 10)—strengthen the weak hands and feeble knees. Make straight paths so you can walk straight, not crooked, not out of joint, but properly and r...

18: For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,  19: and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. 20: For they could not bear the command, “IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.”  21: And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.” 22: But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,  23: to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,  24: and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. 25: See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who ...

1: Let love of the brethren continue.  2: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.  3: Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body. 4: Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.  5: Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”  6: so that we confidently say, THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?” ***  Paul began his closing remarks by encouraging his readers to continue in brotherly love—always an important topic with Paul. He also said not to neglect being hospitable to strangers either because many had encountered angels without realizing it (Genesis 18:1-5, 19:1)...