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.

Hebrews 11:15. Καὶ εἰ μὲν ἐκείνης ἐμνημόνευον ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐξῆλθον, ει῏χον ἅν καιρὸν ἀνακάμψαι.

Hebrews 11:15. 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.

1. Originally they had a country of their own. This was Ur of the Chaldees, Genesis 11:31; called also Mesopotamia, Acts 7:2; Genesis 24:10; the country “on the other side of the flood,” Joshua 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.

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.

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. AEn. 10:782.

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. 1. 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 hinderances unto the doing or suffering any thing according to his will, faith doth not only mortify, weaken, and take off that love, but gives us a comparative hatred of them, Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26; John 12:25.

4. That they had not respect unto this country in the profession they made, the apostle proves from hence, that they might have returned unto it if they had had any mind thereunto. Wherefore should they thus complain, when they might have gone home when they would? Ει῏χον ἄν, “they might have had;” or, as some copies read, only ει῏χον, they “had;” which better expresseth the mind of the apostle; for not only they might have had, but really they had (as we shall see), sundry opportunities of returning. Καιρόν, “tempus.” Vulg. Lat., “opportunitatem;” “a season,” a fit and meet time so to do. For,

(1.) From the call of Abraham to the death of Jacob there were two hundred years; so that they had time enough for a return, if they had had a mind unto it.

(2.) There was no external difficulty thereunto, by force or opposition.

(3.) The way was not so far, but that Abraham sent his servant thither out of Canaan; and Jacob went the same journey with his staff. But they gave sundry evidences also that they would not, on any opportunity, return thither; for the text in the best reading grants that such opportunities they had. So when Abraham sent his servant to take a wife for Isaac from thence, upon his servant's inquiry whether, if the woman would not come with him, he should engage his son to return thither, when so great an opportunity was offered, replied, “Beware that thou bring not my son thither,” namely; ‘unto the land from whence I came,' Genesis 24:5-6. And afterwards, when Jacob, going thither on the like occasion, was increased there greatly, with a numerous family, wives, children, goods, riches and cattle in abundance; yet there he would not stay, but through innumerable hazards returned again into Canaan, Genesis 31. It is therefore most evident, that no opportunity could draw them to think of a return into their own country; and therefore it could not be that with respect whereunto they professed themselves to be strangers and pilgrims, that was not the country which they did seek and desire.

Obs. 2. And it appears hence, that when the hearts and minds of believers are fixed on things spiritual and heavenly, as theirs were, it will take them off from inordinate cleaving unto things otherwise greatly desirable.