The Nature and Importance of Faith

The mention of the importance of faith in the last two verses of the preceding chapter leads naturally to this famous chapter on faith. It is impossible to know whether the author is making use of a source, which he now takes over in part or totally, or whether he is composing a fresh catalogue of heroes on the model of existing examples. Extensive reviews of the history of Israel had been composed to substantiate a warning or to provide encouragement, and some of these would have been known to our author. As examples, we may mention Psalm 78; Wisdom of Solomon 10; Sirach 44–50; 1 Maccabees 2:51–64; and Acts 7.

The author’s purpose in this magnificent section of his letter is to encourage his readers to emulate these heroes and heroines of faith, who on…