Hebrews 11:37
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Prophetic martyrdom features throughout Israel's history. During Jezebel's reign, she killed YHWH's prophets while Obadiah hid 100 in caves (1 Kings 18:4, 13). Elijah fled to wilderness, living in caves and fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:2-6; 19:9). The intertestamental period saw intense persecution, including Antiochus Epiphanes' campaign against Torah-observant Jews (167-160 BC). Jewish tradition recorded many martyrdoms not detailed in canonical Scripture but known through oral tradition and writings like 2 Maccabees. These accounts formed collective memory of suffering for faith, preparing readers to understand their own persecution as continuation of historical pattern rather than aberration.
Questions for Reflection
- How does this catalog of suffering challenge any expectation that faithfulness guarantees earthly comfort and safety?
- What does the world's violent hostility to God's faithful witnesses teach about the nature of spiritual warfare?
- In what ways should remembering martyrs' sacrifices strengthen your own willingness to suffer smaller discomforts for faith?
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Analysis & Commentary
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; This verse intensifies the catalog of suffering. 'Stoned' references martyrdoms like Zechariah son of Jehoiada, stoned by royal command for rebuking idolatry (2 Chronicles 24:20-22)—Jesus references this martyr (Matthew 23:35). Stephen became first Christian martyr by stoning (Acts 7:58-60). 'Sawn asunder' likely references tradition that Isaiah was killed this way during Manasseh's persecution, recorded in extra-biblical sources familiar to first-century Jews.
'Were tempted' (epeirasthēsan, ἐπειράσθησαν) could mean 'tested' or specifically tempted to renounce faith under torture. 'Slain with the sword' describes violent death like Urijah the prophet murdered by Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:20-23). These martyrdoms demonstrate the world's ultimate hostility to faithful witnesses—when mockery and imprisonment fail to silence truth, the world resorts to killing God's messengers.
'Wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented' describes prophets like Elijah who fled persecution, living as fugitives in wilderness. The rough garments indicate poverty and contrast with false prophets who profited from their office. These faithful witnesses endured homelessness, poverty, and constant hardship for proclaiming God's word. Their suffering wasn't punishment for sin but consequence of righteousness in an unrighteous world.