By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
A sacrifice. Literally, a greater sacrifice than his brother Cain, offering to God the best and fattest cattle he had, by which he obtained a testimony (a mark of God's approbation) that he was just, and his piety pleasing to God. St. Jerome, from a tradition among the Hebrews, thinks that this mark was, that fire descended from heaven upon Abel's sacrifice and not upon that of Cain.
And by it, he being dead, yet speaketh. By it, in construction, may be either referred to his faith or to his sacrifice. Some expound it, that by reason of his faith, or of his sacrifice, his memory still lives after his death, and he is commended by all good men. Others think that the apostle alludes to the words which God spoke to Cain, (Genesis iv. 10) "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the earth "and that in this manner he is said to have spoken after his death. (Witham)
Men of all religions, whether true or false, have offered sacrifices, as being the supreme act of religion; and th...
And by a more excellent sacrifice in this place, he means that which is more honorable, more splendid, more necessary.
And we cannot say (he says) that it was not accepted. He did accept it, and said unto Cain, [Have you] not [sinned], if you rightly offer, but dost not rightly divide? Genesis 4:7, Septuagint So then Abel both rightly offered, and rightly divided. Nevertheless for this, what recompense did he receive? He was slain by his brother's hand: and that sentence which his father endured on account of sin, this he first received who was upright. And he suffered so much the more grievously because it was from a brother, and he was the first [to suffer].
And he did these things rightly looking to no man. For to whom could he look, when he so honored God? To his father and his mother? But they had outraged Him in return for His benefits. To his brother then? But he also had dishonored [God]. So that by himself he sought out what was good.
And he that is worthy of so great...
