Now those who say such things
This phrase refers to the faithful individuals mentioned earlier in Hebrews 11, often called the "Hall of Faith." These are the patriarchs and matriarchs of the faith, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who lived as sojourners on earth. The Greek word for "say" (λέγουσιν, legousin) implies a continuous action, suggesting that their lives consistently testified to their faith. This testimony was not just in words but in actions, demonstrating a deep conviction and trust in God's promises. Historically, these figures lived in a time when verbal declarations were powerful, often serving as covenants or declarations of intent. Their lives were a testament to their belief in something greater than the temporal world.

show that they are seeking
The word "show" (ἐμφανίζουσιν, emphanizousin) means to make visible or manifest. It indicates that their actions and lives made it evident to others that they were in pursuit of something beyond the immediate and visible. The term "seeking" (ἐπιζητοῦσιν, epizētousin) is a strong verb in Greek, suggesting an earnest and diligent search. This is not a passive longing but an active pursuit. In a historical context, this reflects the nomadic lifestyle of the patriarchs, who were constantly moving towards the fulfillment of God's promises, demonstrating their faith through their journey.

a country of their own
The phrase "a country of their own" (πατρίδα, patrida) refers to a homeland or a fatherland. In the context of Hebrews 11, this is not merely a physical territory but a spiritual and eternal homeland. The patriarchs were looking beyond the physical land of Canaan to a heavenly country, as later verses in Hebrews 11 clarify. This reflects the biblical theme of pilgrimage, where believers are seen as travelers on earth, seeking a heavenly home. Historically, this resonates with the experience of the Israelites, who were often in search of a promised land, a theme that is deeply embedded in the Jewish consciousness and narrative. Theologically, it underscores the Christian belief in heaven as the ultimate destination and home for believers, a place prepared by God for those who have faith in Him.

(14) Such things.--"I am a stranger and a sojourner with you" (Genesis 23:4). "The days of the years of my pilgrimage. . . . the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage" (Genesis 47:9).

Declare plainly that they seek a country.--Rather, make it plain that they are seeking a home, or fatherland.

Verses 14-16. - For they that say such things declare plainly (or, make manifest ) that they seek a country (i.e. a native country, a fatherland, πατρίδα). And truly if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now (i.e. as it is) they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God (see refs. under ver. 9): for he hath prepared for them a city. In consideration of the drift of the whole of this interesting and suggestive passage (vers. 9, 10, 13-17), the question arises whether the patriarchs are represented as actually themselves looking forward to a heavenly inheritance. In their history as given in Genesis, as, indeed, in the Old Testament generally (at any rate, in the earlier books), there is, as is well known, no distinct recognition of the life to come. The promise to Abraham seems to imply only an innumerable seed, its possession as a great nation of the earthly land of promise, and through it some undefined blessing to all the families of the earth. Nor are the patriarchs represented as looking forward to a fulfillment of the promise beyond the limits of the present world. Even so their history is singularly instructive. They lived in hope of things not seen through faith in the Divine promise. The very fact that they were content to die without themselves attaining, if so God's purpose might be accomplished to their seed, invests them with a peculiar grandeur of unselfishness. Their faith was essentially the same principle as that of Christians, even though the final object of Christian hope were hidden from their eyes; while their dwelling in tents as strangers, and the home and city seen afar off, are apt emblems of the present life and the heavenly citizenship of Christians. It may be that this is all that is intended in the Epistle, the history being allegorized, as that of Isaac and Ishmael is in the Epistle to the Galatians. If so, the apparent attribution of a heavenly hope to the patriarchs themselves must be accounted for by a blending of the actual history with its ideal meaning, such as was observed in the chapter about Melchizedek. But it is difficult to understand the expressions used as implying no more than this. Abraham is said to have himself looked for the "city that hath the foundations," of which God is the Builder - a description which cannot but denote the "heavenly Jerusalem," of which the city whose foundations were on the holy hills below is regarded elsewhere as but a type and emblem (cf. Hebrews 12:22; Hebrews 13:14; Galatians 4:26; Revelation 21:14; also infra, Hebrews 8:2, where η}ν ἔπηξεν ὁ Θεὸς is said of the heavenly tabernacle). This interpretation is further supported by our finding in Philo similar views of a heavenly counterpart to Jerusalem as the final object of Israel's hope. Again, the country desired by the patriarchs is, in ver. 16, distinctly called a heavenly one. Nor is the view at all untenable that, notwithstanding the silence of the ancient record on the subject, they did look forward to a life after death with God, seeing in the promised earthly inheritance an emblem and earnest of a heavenly one. Well known is Bishop Warburton's argument that a belief in a future state, which was so ancient and universal, and so prominent especially in the religion of Egypt must almost of necessity have been shared in by the race of Abraham, and hence that the silence about it in the Mosaic record must be due, not to its absence from the creed of Israel, but to the peculiar purpose of the Mosaic dispensation. Worthy of attention also are Dean Stanley's words (Lect. 7. on 'Jewish Church') "Not from want of religion, but (if one might use the expression) from excess of religion, was this void left. The future life was not denied or contradicted, but it was overlooked, set aside, overshadowed, by the consciousness of the living, actual presence of God himself." But though such void there is, however to be accounted for, there are still, even in the Pentateuch (as certainly in the Psalms and prophets), occasional glimpses of the hope of immortality. The mystic tree of life in the midst of the garden, the predicted bruising, of the serpent's head, the mystery of Enoch's departure from the world, and notably (as our Lord himself points out) God still calling himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob after they had been long ago gathered to their fathers, are intimations, even in the Pentateuch, of a belief in man's immortal hopes. And it may be added, with reference to the history immediately before us, that Jacob's application of the idea of his being a" sojourner " - used by Abraham with reference to the abode in Palestine - to the whole course of his life upon the earth, in itself suggests the meaning attached to such language in the Epistle. Hence no violence is done to the meaning of the history rather it may be that its deeper meaning is brought out, if the patriarchs are regarded as entertaining a hope of a heavenly inheritance to themselves, and seeing beyond the earthly types. But even f we suppose such immortal hopes as having been in them at the most but vague and dim, still their faith in and longing for a fulfillment of the promise in any sense was really a longing and reaching after the eternal realities which the first fulfillment typified. Compare the view taken in Hebrews 4. of the meaning of "God's rest." Delitzsch thus enunciates this view of the passage before us: "The promise given to the patriarchs was a Divine assurance of a future rest. That rest was connected, in the first instance, with the future possession of an earthly home; but their desire for that home was at the same time a longing and a seeking after Him who had given the promise of it, whoso presence and blessing alone made it for them an object of desire, and whose presence and blessing, however vouchsafed, makes the place of its manifestation to be indeed a heaven. The shell of their longing might thus be of earth; its kernel was heavenly and Divine, and as such God himself vouchsafed to honor and reward it." From the general mode of life of the patriarchs the review now passes to particular acts of faith, beginning with Abraham's memorable one, the offering of Isaac.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Now
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

those who
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

say
λέγοντες (legontes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

such things
τοιαῦτα (toiauta)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5108: (including the other inflections); from toi and houtos; truly this, i.e. Of this sort (to denote character or individuality).

show
ἐμφανίζουσιν (emphanizousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1718: To make visible (manifest); hence: I report (inform) against; pass: I appear before. From emphanes; to exhibit or disclose.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

they are seeking
ἐπιζητοῦσιν (epizētousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1934: To seek after, desire, search for, make inquiries about. From epi and zeteo; to search for; intensively, to demand, to crave.

a country of their own.
πατρίδα (patrida)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3968: Fatherland, one's native place. From parasemos; a father-land, i.e. Native town; heavenly home.


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NT Letters: Hebrews 11:14 For those who say such things make (Heb. He. Hb)