Hebrews 11: 15
CHAPTER 11
herein in general they declare a sense of want, of an indigent condition; that it is not with them as with others, who have their portion in this life. And whoever declares a sense of want, at the same time declares a desire of a suitable supply of that want; which is included in the sense of it. And the want which they so declared consisting in this, that in this world they were "strangers and pilgrims,"—the only supply whereof is a country of their own for them to inhabit and enjoy, with all its rights and privileges,—they declared plainly therein that they sought a country: that alone is wanting to any as they are strangers and pilgrims; that alone will cause them to cease so to be. Most men do meet with and are sensible of sundry wants, yet they are such as may be supplied in the place where they are in this world; and their great desire, with their utmost endeavour, is, that they may be here supplied. Such persons, be they never so poor, so indigent, so harbourless, are not "pilgrims on the earth;" this is their home, although they are but ordinarily provided for. Much less are they so who have an affluence of all things unto their satisfaction, though they sometimes meet with a pinch or loss. They only are so who live always in a sense of such wants as this world cannot supply.
Hebrews 11: 15
Whereas these patriarchs did thus express their desire of a country, and diligently sought after it, it may be because, having lost their own country, their relations, and enjoyments, meeting with the difficulties of a wandering course of life, they had a desire to return home again, where they might have quiet habitations. This objection, which, if of force, would overthrow his present design, the apostle obviates and removes in this verse.
Ver. 15.—Καὶ εἰ μὲν ἐκείνης ἐμνημόνευον ἀφʼ ἧς ἐξῆλθον, εἶχον ἂν καιρὸν ἀνακάμψαι.
Ver. 15.—And truly, if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
There is in the words, 1. A supposition that these pilgrims had originally a country of their own whereunto they did belong. 2. An assertion, first, That they left this country of their own accord; secondly, That in the profession they made of their being strangers and pilgrims, they had no respect unto the country they left, nor desire to return unto it. Which, 3. Is proved by the possibility and facility of such a return.
CHAPTER 11
Εἰ μὲν ἐκείνης. 1. Originally they had a country of their own. This was Ur of the Chaldees, Gen. 11:31; called also Mesopotamia, Acts 7:2, Gen. 24:10; the country "on the other side of the flood," Josh. 24:2. Wherefore respect may be had either unto Ur of the Chaldees, which Abraham first left with his father; or unto Haran on the other side of Euphrates, where he first dwelt.
Ἀφʼ ἧς ἐξῆλθον. 2. From this country they went out; they left it, they departed from it upon the command of God. That is, Abraham and Sarah did so; and Isaac with Jacob continuing to follow them in obedience unto the same call, are said to do so also. And they went forth of it not for want, or to increase their riches, for Abraham had possessions and goods therein; nor were they driven out by external force or persecution, as the Jews fancy; but in an obediential compliance with the call of God. And this secured them from all desires of a return.
Εἰ ἐμνημόνευον. 3. In their profession of being strangers and pilgrims, they had not respect unto this country. Εἰ ἐμνημόνευον, "si meminissent," "si memores fuissent," "si recordarentur," "si mentionem fecissent." Syr., "si quaerentes essent." We render it well, "if they had been mindful;" that is, remembered it with a mind and desire after it. It is natural unto all men to remember, to mind and desire their own country. Nothing is more celebrated amongst all sorts of ancient writers, nor more illustrated by examples, than the love of men unto their country, and their fervent desire after the enjoyment of it. Especially it was made evident in many when they came to die:—
"——Et dulces moriens reminiscitur Argos."—Virg. Æn. x. 782.
This love unto, this desire after their native soil, was mortified in these holy persons by faith, acting in obedience to the call of God, so as that no remembrance of their first enjoyments, no impressions from their native air, no bonds of consanguinity among the people, no difficulties they met withal in their wanderings, could kindle in them any peculiar love unto or desire after this country. They minded it not.
Obs. I. It is in the nature of faith to mortify not only corrupt and sinful lusts, but our natural affections, and their most vehement inclinations, though in themselves innocent, if they are any way uncompliant with duties of obedience unto the commands of God.—Yea, herein lies the principal trial of the sincerity and power of faith. Our lives, parents, wives, children, houses, possessions, our country, are the principal, proper, lawful objects of our natural affections; but when they, or any of them, stand in the way of God's commands, if they are