² For by it the men of old gained approval.

Beginning the long, illustrious list of faithful men, we have a general statement about faithful men. One thing they have in common, though their particular circumstances and the content of their faith may vary, they all attained a certain status of respect, they “gained approval.” We will soon see that what they were called upon to believe differed depending upon what God was doing in their lives and what He wanted them to do. But their faith was the one central character that defined them and put them into the status of men who “received their commendation (ESV, see also NIV). According to the NLT, they “earned a good reputation.”

The NET Bible renders it, “they received God’s commendation,” but the word “God” is actually not present in the Greek, but was added by the translators according to their interpretation. The wording of the original language does not indicate specifically in whose eyes the faithful men are commended. It seems better to see it simply as the “commendation of a good reputation.” Their actions and lives speak for themselves.

The “men of old” certainly included those to whom God spoke long ago through the prophets (1:1). In fact, we will see that it begins as far back as Abel. Tragically absent from the list are Adam and Eve, the very first ones created in God’s image. The content of the faith required of them was to simply believe God’s word that they were not to eat of the tree of good and evil. But they chose to believe the word of the serpent: “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings” (Gen 3:6-7). They chose a faith in what they could see, and not in God’s word. And they died spiritually. Driven from the garden they lost their direct access to God (Gen 3:24). And so Adam became the antithesis of faith, and in fact, the antithesis of Christ. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor 15:22).

Down through the ages, against all odds, against everything they could see and experience, some chose to believe God, to not eat the fruit of temptation, that is, to not ignore the word of God. And that is the faith we are about to see illustrated by a diverse group of individuals. Is that the faith you want to life?

Lord, help me be a person of faith, willing to believe, to follow You where ever You lead me.