There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawn in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and ill-treated – 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. (The Message).

This has a strangely contemporary ring to it. Nothing has changed since the time Hebrews was written Still today, millions of Christians suffer great privations (at the very least), just because they dare to follow Jesus.

Warren Wiersbe writes:

”…nowhere in Hebrews 11 will you find a record of any failure because of unbelief. Faith records only victories.’ ‘New Testament Commentary’, p.837.

However, we note the paradox that whereas some people are brought out of trouble by faith (32-35a), others are enabled to go through by faith. Both groups are victorious, but in different ways. Our Christian stories are written by the same Author, and they share a common ending. They also have similar, although not identical, beginnings. But the details in the middle chapters differ. Peter must not expect to live the same life as John. Rather, let him keep his eyes on Jesus. What the Master does with John is none of the fisherman’s business (see John 21:20-22).

This also causes me to think about Acts 12 where we read that James, the brother of John, was put to death, but Peter was miraculously delivered from prison. They shared the same Author but they were reading from different scripts. This is the paradox of faith.

‘…it takes more faith to endure than it does to escape. Like the three Hebrew children, we should trust God and obey Him even if He does not deliver us (Dan 3:16-18).’ ‘New Testament Commentary’, p.838.