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 speaketh.
More excellent sacrifice - because in faith. Now faith must have some revelation of God on which it fastens. The revelation was doubtless God's command to sacrifice animals ('the firstlings of the flock') in token of the forfeiture men's life by sin, and as a type of the promised bruiser of the serpent's head (Genesis 3:15), Himself to be bruised as the one sacrifice: this command is implied in God's having made coats skin for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21); for these must have been taken from animals slain in sacrifice, as it was not for food they were slain, animal food not being permitted until after the flood: nor for clothing, as clothes might have been made of the fleeces without the needless cruelty of killing the animal; but a coat of skin put on Adam from a sacrificed animal typified the covering or atonement х kaapar (H3722)] (atone means to cover) resulting from Christ's sacrifice. х Pleiona (G4119) is well rendered by Wycliffe, 'a much more sacrifice.'] A fuller sacrifice, which partook more largely of the true virtue of sacrifice (Dr. Magee). It was not intrinsic merit in 'the firstling of the flock' above "the fruit of the ground." It was God's appointment that gave it all its excellency; if it had not been so, it would have been presumptuous will-worship (Colossians 2:23), and taking of a life which man had no right over before the flood (Genesis 9:2-4). The sacrifice was probably a holocaust, and the sign of the divine acceptance was its consumption by fire (Genesis 15:17). Hence, 'to accept' a burnt offering is in Hebrew 'to turn it to ashes' (margin, Psalms 20:3). A flame perhaps issued from the shechinah or cherubim, east of Eden ("the presence of the Lord," Genesis 4:16), where the first sacrifices were offered. Cain, in unbelieving self-righteousness, presented merely a thank-offering, not like Abel, feeling his need of the propitiatory sacrifice appointed for sin. God "had respect (first) unto Abel and (then) to his offering" (Genesis 4:4). Faith causes the person to be accepted, then his offering. Even an animal sacrifice, though of God's appointment, would not have been accepted had it not been in faith.
God testifying - by fire.
His gifts - the common term for sacrifices, implying they must be freely given.
By it - by faith exhibited in his sacrifice.
Dead, yet speaketh - His blood crying from the ground to God shows how precious, because of his "faith," he was still in God's sight (Genesis 4:10; Psalms 116:15; Revelation 6:10). So he becomes a witness to us of faith's blessed effects.