(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
What does Hebrews 11:38 mean?
After all our searches into the Scriptures, there is more to be learned from them.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Hebrews 11:35-39 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Hebrews 11:38
Of whom the world was not worthy - The world was so wicked that it had no claim that such holy men should live in it. These poor, despised, and persecuted people, living as outcasts and wanderers, were of a character far elevated above the world. This is a most beautiful expression. It is at once a statement of their eminent holiness, and of the wickedness of the rest of mankind. They wandered in deserts ... - On the Scripture meaning of the word "desert" or wilderness, see the notes on Matthew 3:1 . This is a description of persons driven away from their homes, and wandering about from place to place to procure a scanty subsistence; compare 1 Macc.
Key words
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Of whom the world was not worthy,.
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Of whom the world was not worthy,.
Context in Hebrews 11
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Hebrews 11 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as faith, endurance, and final exhortation. Hebrews presents Jesus as the final revelation of God, the great high priest, the once-for-all sacrifice, and the mediator of the better covenant. Read this chapter with the wider themes of Christology, priesthood, and sacrifice in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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Passages on trusting God, receiving Christ, persevering without sight, and the relation between faith and lived obedience.