Hebrews 11 3

Hebrews 11:3 kjv

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Hebrews 11:3 nkjv

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Hebrews 11:3 niv

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Hebrews 11:3 esv

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Hebrews 11:3 nlt

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

Hebrews 11 verses

Hebrews 11 3 Meaning

Hebrews 11:3 declares that through the eyes of faith, believers apprehend the fundamental truth that the entire universe, including all its ages and ordered systems, was formed by the authoritative command of God. This implies that the visible, material cosmos did not originate from pre-existing observable components but rather came into existence from that which does not appear, emphasizing divine creation ex nihilo or from an unperceivable source. It highlights the invisible power and reality of God's Word as the agent of creation, revealing that the ultimate reality is spiritual and originates from God's unseen realm.

Hebrews 11 3 Context

Hebrews 11 is renowned as the "faith chapter," serving as an exposition of faith introduced in 11:1. After defining faith as the "assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen," and stating that "by it the people of old received their commendation," verse 3 provides the first concrete example of faith in action, applied universally to the very understanding of existence. It sets the foundational premise that a true understanding of the cosmos requires faith, challenging the human tendency to limit reality to only what is empirically observable. The chapter then proceeds to illustrate faith through a roll call of Old Testament figures, demonstrating how faith empowered them to act in response to God's unseen realities and promises, enduring hardships for an ultimate unseen reward.

Hebrews 11 3 Word analysis

• By faith (Greek: Pistei, Πίστει): The dative case of pistis (faith), indicating the means or instrument. It is not by intellectual acumen or scientific observation alone, but through the lens of divinely granted conviction in unseen realities that one genuinely comprehends cosmic origins. Faith is not blind but a trust in God's revealed truth, enabling perception beyond physical limitations.
• we understand (Greek: Nooumen, Νοοῦμεν): From noeo, meaning to perceive, comprehend, or discern with the mind; it implies not just intellectual assent but a spiritual apprehension of truth. This understanding is illuminated by faith, allowing for an insight into how things truly are, beyond what sensory experience can convey.
• that the worlds (Greek: Tous aiōnas, Τοὺς αἰῶνας): The plural of aiōn, which can mean age, eternity, or the entire created order, including time and space. Here, it likely refers to the entire structured universe and all its eons, encompassing all created things both visible and invisible, over all periods of time. This signifies the vast scope of God's creation, not just the physical Earth.
• were framed (Greek: Katērtisthai, Κατηρτίσθαι): A perfect passive infinitive of katartizo, meaning to put in order, restore, prepare, equip, or perfectly adjust. It suggests divine craftsmanship, purposeful arrangement, and comprehensive structuring. It denotes that the universe was not chaotic but was perfectly ordered and prepared by God's design.
• by the word of God (Greek: Rhemati Theou, ῥήματι Θεοῦ): Rhema refers to the spoken word or utterance, distinct from logos which can denote an inherent thought or reasoning. This emphasizes the dynamic, active, and performative power of God's command. God simply spoke, and creation came into being and was ordered. This aligns with Gen 1, where creation occurs through divine pronouncements.
• so that things which are seen (Greek: eis to mē ek phainomenōn ta blepomema gegonenai, εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐκ φαινομένων τὰ βλεπόμενα γεγονέναι): A complex construction conveying purpose or result.
• things which are seen (ta blepomema): Refers to the visible, tangible, observable universe – everything that can be perceived by the senses.
• not made of things which do appear (mē ek phainomenōn gegonenai): This directly counters pagan and some philosophical beliefs (e.g., certain Greek philosophies like Atomism, which proposed eternal, uncreated matter as the origin of all things). Phainomenon (plural: phainomena) refers to that which appears or is visible. This clause asserts creation ex nihilo – out of nothing visible, or out of what does not appear to exist. It implies that God used no pre-existing visible or perceivable material to form the universe, but rather brought it forth from His unseen power and Word. The origin of the cosmos is not from within itself or from prior, discernible components.

Hebrews 11 3 Bonus section

This verse is a direct polemic against prevailing ancient Greek philosophical ideas that struggled with the concept of creation from nothing, often postulating eternal matter as the substratum of existence (e.g., Plato's Timaeus describing a divine craftsman imposing order on pre-existent chaotic matter, or atomist theories of self-organizing particles). Hebrews 11:3 boldly asserts the absolute transcendence of God's creative act, wherein His Word is the sole efficient cause, bringing into being what was not visible or existing beforehand. It also indirectly confronts any Gnostic tendencies or similar philosophies that might deny the goodness or reality of the material world, by affirming that the material cosmos was deliberately framed by the divine Word. This implies a purposeful, divinely ordered creation, setting the stage for humanity's place within it. The emphasis on "word of God" subtly echoes the Logos concept, pointing towards Christ's active role in creation, as later explicitly stated in John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16.

Hebrews 11 3 Commentary

Hebrews 11:3 is a profound statement of theological truth and a bedrock principle for understanding Christian cosmology. It establishes that the created order, the "worlds" (aiōnas), encompassing both material existence and the ages of time, owe their meticulous "framing" to the potent and authoritative "word of God." This understanding is accessible not through empirical observation or human reasoning alone, but fundamentally "by faith." This verse counters philosophical notions of eternal matter or a self-sustaining universe, declaring that the cosmos was "not made of things which do appear." This points to God's creative act being transcendent and originating from that which is beyond human perception, demonstrating that He is not dependent on pre-existing physical elements. The visible universe, therefore, finds its source in the invisible power and intention of the Creator, whose mere utterance brings forth all reality. This foundation lays the groundwork for the rest of Hebrews 11, where faith enables individuals to act in response to a God who, though unseen, sovereignly orders all things.