John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain , etc..] The apostle proceeds to examples of faith, and begins with Abel: it may seem strange that Adam and Eve are not mentioned; this omission is not because they were not believers; but either because of the fall and ruin of mankind by them; or because the apostle speaks only of such who had received some eminent testimony by faith, and therefore passes by many believers, and hastens to Abraham, the father of the Jews.
The superior excellency of Abel's sacrifice to Cain's, lay both in the matter, and in the manner of it; the one was offered heartily to the Lord, the other only in show; the one was offered in faith, the other not; Abel looked through his sacrifice to the sacrifice of Christ, not so Cain. Abel's sacrifice was a lamb, a type of Christ, the Lamb of God; a firstling, a figure of him who is the firstborn of every creature; one of the fattest of his flock, expressive of the excellency of Christ; and this was offered up at the end of days, as Christ at the end of the world; and the superior excellency of the sacrifice of the one to that of the other, appears from God's regard to the one, and not to the other, ( Genesis 4:3-5) from whence it may be observed, that sacrifices were of divine institution, and were very early types of Christ; and that there always were two sorts of worshippers, spiritual and carnal ones, whom God can distinguish, for he seeth not as man seeth; that the acceptance of persons is in Christ, and is previous to their offerings; that whatsoever works do not spring from faith are unacceptable to God; that no dependence is to be had on birth privileges, or outward actions; and that electing and distinguishing grace very early took place, and appeared. By which he obtained witness that he was righteous ; not righteous by his offering, nor by his faith, but by the righteousness of Christ, which his faith in his sacrifice looked unto; though it was by his faith that he obtained, or received a witness in his own conscience, from the Spirit of God, testifying that he was a justified person; and in consequence of this, he had an outward testimony bore to him in the Scriptures, that he was a righteous person hence he is called righteous Abel, ( Matthew 23:35). God testifying of his gifts : not of his own gifts, temporal or spiritual, but of Abel's gifts, which he offered to the Lord; that is, his sacrifices; of these he testified, when he showed respect either by an audible voice, declaring his acceptance of them; or by sending down fire from heaven, upon his sacrifice, which in later times was a symbol of acceptance. And by it, he being dead, yet speaketh ; good men die, and some of them die a violent death, as did Abel, yet he speaks in the Scriptures, which have a voice in them, ( Luke 16:29) or by his blood, which calls for vengeance; or rather by, or because of his faith, though he is dead, he is yet spoken of, as the word may be rendered.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4-7 - Here follow some illustrious examples of faith from the Old Testament Abel brought a sacrifice of atonement from the firstlings of the flock acknowledging himself a sinner who deserved to die, and only hoping for mercy through the great Sacrifice. Cain's proud rage and enmity agains the accepted worshipper of God, led to the awful effects the sam principles have produced in every age; the cruel persecution, and eve murder of believers. By faith Abel, being dead, yet speaketh; he lef an instructive and speaking example. Enoch was translated, or removed that he should not see death; God took him into heaven, as Christ wil do the saints who shall be alive at his second coming. We cannot com to God, unless we believe that he is what he has revealed himself to be in the Scripture. Those who would find God, must seek him with all their heart. Noah's faith influenced his practice; it moved him to prepare an ark. His faith condemned the unbelief of others; and his obedience condemned their contempt and rebellion. Good examples eithe convert sinners or condemn them. This shows how believers, being warne of God to flee from the wrath to come, are moved with fear, take refug in Christ, and become heirs of the righteousness of faith.
Greek Textus Receptus
πιστει 4102 N-DSF πλειονα 4119 A-ASF-C θυσιαν 2378 N-ASF αβελ 6 N-PRI παρα 3844 PREP καιν 2535 N-PRI προσηνεγκεν 4374 5656 V-AAI-3S τω 3588 T-DSM θεω 2316 N-DSM δι 1223 PREP ης 3739 R-GSF εμαρτυρηθη 3140 5681 V-API-3S ειναι 1511 5750 V-PXN δικαιος 1342 A-NSM μαρτυρουντος 3140 5723 V-PAP-GSM επι 1909 PREP τοις 3588 T-DPN δωροις 1435 N-DPN αυτου 846 P-GSM του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ δι 1223 PREP αυτης 846 P-GSF αποθανων 599 5631 V-2AAP-NSM ετι 2089 ADV {VAR1: λαλειται 2980 5731 V-PMI-3S } {VAR2: λαλει 2980 5719 V-PAI-3S }
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. Abel offered unto God (Abel proshnegken tw qew). For the phrase see ch. ix. 14.A more excellent sacrifice (pleiona qusian). Greater in value in God's eyes. For pleiwn in this sense, see ch. iii. 3; Matt. vi. 25; Luke xi. 31; xii. 23. In Paul never in this sense. Others explain a more abundant sacrifice, referring to the material character of the offerings. See Genesis iv. 4. But the difference between the offerings of Abel and Cain, considered in themselves, is largely a matter of speculation, and, as Lnemann justly remarks, such an interpretation accentuates unduly a purely external feature. 227 By which he obtained witness (di hv emarturhqh). Lit. was witnessed to, as ver. 2. The pronoun which may refer either to the sacrifice or to faith. Better the latter, as is apparent from ver. 2, and probably from ver. 7, although the relation there is somewhat different.
Righteous (dikaiov). Abel is called righteous by Christ himself. Matt. xxiii. 35. Comp. 1 John iii. 12. See on Rom. i. 17.
God testifying of his gifts (marturountov epi toiv dwroiv autou tou qeou). Defining more specifically the general was witnessed to. God bore witness by his acceptance of the gifts. jEpi marks the fact on which the witness was based.
Yet speaketh (eti lalei). Comp. Gen. iv. 10. Still, although ages have passed since his death. Comp. ch. xii. 24. Not that his voice still cries to God (so Bleek and others), but that by his faith he still speaks to us in the O.T. Scriptures, though dead. Const. eti yet with lalei speaketh; not with being dead, in the logical sense, "even being dead," as Rom. iii. 7.
