Hebrews 11:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land." Again he compares an entire people with an entire people, so that we may not say that we cannot be saints. "By faith," he says, "they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land, which the Egyptians attempted and were drowned." Here he brings the Egyptian calamities to their remembrance. How was this "by faith"? They hoped to pass through the sea and prayed for it, or rather, Moses prayed. Do you see how faith always surpasses human reasoning, weakness, and nothingness? Do you see that as soon as they believed, they were delivered from calamity, both at the anointing of the doors with blood and at the Red Sea? Clearly this was water, since the Egyptians entered it and drowned. Therefore it was not an apparition, but reality.

So that they might not say, "Why do you set forth inimitable men?" he also brought the people as an example. Imitate, he says, at least those from the multitude who believed that the water would not drown them. Thus they took courage, hoping in God that they would pass through the midst of the sea as on dry land (Ex 14:21-22). In this way faith makes the impossible possible. Why, then, do you not believe? "When the Egyptians attempted this, they were drowned." And no one, he says, can claim that this was imagination, as though there were no water. For the Egyptians proved that it was the sea. Although they tried to enter the sea, they were drowned by it. The water suddenly rushed against them, while during the Hebrews' crossing it stood as a wall. Thus later the flame directed against the three youths showed that it was truly flame when it destroyed the Babylonians. Likewise the lions prepared against Daniel tore his slanderers to pieces.

By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through dry land. When the Egyptians attempted this, they were drowned.

"By faith they passed through the Red Sea." That is, the people believed that, having entered the sea, they would pass through its midst as on dry land. By contrast, the Egyptians entered it without faith and found in its midst the recompense for their transgressions (Ex. 14:22).

With faith Moses struck the waters with the staff and prepared for the people that extraordinary path, which became a tomb for the Egyptians.

"By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land." For when God, after dividing the water, gave the command to cross, Moses believed that the people would certainly pass over. And they crossed boldly, going through the sea as through dry land. "When the Egyptians attempted to do the same, they were drowned." "The same" means the sea. Thinking that this crossing had been formed by nature, and not supernaturally by some divine power, they approached it as passable also for them. Having entered it, or rather, having descended into it, they perished.

The whole people of Israel also showed faith by following Moses into the sea, by going around the walls of Jericho for seven days, and by thus performing a deed which, to all appearances, could in no way have brought about their fall.