John Chrysostom : The first virtue, yea the whole of virtue, is to be a stranger to this world, and a sojourner, and to have nothing in common with things here, but to hang loose from them, as from things strange to us; as those blessed disciples did, of whom he says, "They wandered about in sheepskins, and in goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented: of whom the world was not worthy." They called themselves therefore "strangers"; but Paul said somewhat much beyond this: for not merely did he call himself a stranger, but said that he was dead to the world, and that the world was dead to him. "For the world" (he says) "has been crucified to me and I to the world." But we, both citizens and quite alive, busy ourselves about everything here as citizens. And what righteous men were to the world, "strangers" and "dead," that we are to Heaven. And what they were to Heaven, alive and acting as citizens, that we are to the world. Wherefore we are dead, because we have refused that which is truly life, and have chosen this which is but for a time. — Homily on Hebrews 24 John Chrysostom : The saints were "strangers and sojourners." How and in what way? And where does Abraham confess himself "a stranger and a sojourner"? Probably indeed he even himself confessed it: but David both confessed "I am a stranger" and what? "As all my fathers were." For they who dwell in tents, they who purchase even burial places for money, evidently were in some sense strangers, as they had not even where to bury their dead. What then? Did they mean that they were "strangers" from the land that is in Palestine? By no means: but in respect of the whole world: and with reason; for they saw therein none of the things which they wished for, but everything foreign and strange. They indeed wished to practice virtue: but here there was much wickedness, and things were quite foreign to them. They had no friend, no familiar acquaintance, save only some few. But how were they "strangers"? They had no care for things here. And this they showed not by words, but by their deeds. In what way? He said to Abraham, "Leave that which seems thy country and come to one that is foreign": And he did not cleave to his kindred, but gave it up as unconcernedly as if he were about to leave a foreign land. He said to him, "Offer up thy son," and he offered him up as if he had no son; as if he had divested himself of his nature, so he offered him up. The wealth which he had acquired was common to all passers-by, and this he accounted as nothing. He yielded the first places to others: he threw himself into dangers; he suffered troubles innumerable. He built no splendid houses, he enjoyed no luxuries, he had no care about dress, which all are things of this world; but lived in all respects as belonging to the City yonder; he showed hospitality, brotherly love, mercifulness, forbearance, contempt for wealth and for present glory, and for all else. And his son too was such as himself: when he was driven away, when war was made on him, he yielded and gave way, as being in a foreign land. For foreigners, whatever they suffer, endure it, as not being in their own country. Even when his wife was taken from him, he endured this also as being in a strange land: and lived in all respects as one whose home was above, showing sobermindedness and a well-ordered life. For after he had begotten a son, he had no more commerce with his wife, and it was when the flower of his youth had passed that he married her, showing that he did it not from passion, but in subservience to the promise of God. And what did Jacob? Did he not seek bread only and raiment, which are asked for by those who are truly strangers; by those that have come to great poverty? When he was driven out, did he not as a stranger give place? Did he not serve for hire? Did he not suffer afflictions innumerable, everywhere, as a stranger? — Homily on Hebrews 24 John Chrysostom : "These all died in faith," he says, "not having obtained the promises." At this place it is worth while to make two enquiries; how, after saying that God "translated Enoch, and he was not found, so that he did not see death," does he say, "These all died in Faith." And again, after saying, "they not having obtained the promises," he declares that Noah had received a reward, "to the saving of his house," and that Enoch had been "translated," and that Abel "yet speaks," and that Abraham had gained a hold on the land, and yet he says, "These all died in Faith, not having obtained the promises." What then is meant? It is necessary to solve the first difficulty, and then the second. "These all" (he says) "died in faith." The word "all" is used here not because all had died, but because with that one exception "all these had died," whom we know to be dead. And the statement "not having obtained the promises," is true: for surely the promise to Noah was not to be this which is here spoken of. But further, of what kind of "promises" is he speaking? For Isaac and Jacob received the promises of the land; but as to Noah and Abel and Enoch, what kind of promises did they receive? Either then he is speaking concerning these three; or if concerning those others also, the promise was not this, that Abel should be admired, nor that Enoch should be translated, nor that Noah should be preserved; but these things came to them for their virtue's sake, and were a sort of foretaste of things to come. For God from the beginning, knowing that the human race needs much condescension, bestows on us not only the things in the world to come, but also those here; as for instance, Christ said even to the disciples, "Whosoever hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, shall receive an hundredfold and shall inherit everlasting life." And again, "Seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you." Seest thou that these things are given by Him in the way of addition, that we might not faint? "But having seen them afar off," he says, "and embraced them." Here he hints at something mystical: that they received beforehand all the things which have been spoken concerning things to come; concerning the resurrection, concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, concerning the other things, which Christ proclaimed when He came, for these are "the promises" of which he speaks. Either then he means this, or, that they did not indeed receive them, but died in confidence respecting them, and they were thus confident through Faith only. "Having seen them afar off": four generations before; for after so many generations, they went up out of Egypt. "And embraced them," saith he, and were glad. They were so persuaded of them as even to "embrace them," from the metaphor of persons on ship-board seeing from afar the longed-for cities: which, before they enter them, they take and occupy by words of greeting. — Homily on Hebrews 23 Oecumenius : Two are sought here. How, having said above that God removed Enoch so that he would not see death, now has he said, "According to faith, all these died"? And again he said, "not having received the promises," although he said above that they had received the rewards of faith. For Noah was saved with his house. And Enoch was removed, and he did not see death. And Abel still speaks through his glory; and Abraham both took possession of the promised land and fathered from Sarah. — The solution. On the one hand, they all died, accept, with Enoch having been taken away. On the other hand, not having received the promises, it says about all, indicating that to those concerning Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, not only land was promised, but also, through their virtue, the heavenly things. This also applies to the others. For, he says, the generous God would not have released Abel for the sake of being glorified, Enoch for the sake of being removed, Noah for the sake of escaping immediate death, or Abraham for the sake of becoming a father of children, or to take hold of the land as in a sojourn. But these things were granted to them in part. And there was a taste of the truly promised things. For it indicates that they had learned beforehand concerning the kingdom of heaven, saying, having seen them from afar and greeted them. — The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews Oecumenius : "but having seen them from afar." Thus, he says, they believed in them, from afar by hope, that they also rejoiced in them, and not only were they embracing them. — The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews Oecumenius : The phrase, "having seen from afar," some say, refers to those around Abraham regarding the return of their descendants from Egypt. But this is unfitting. We say that they were evangelized concerning the kingdom of heaven, and all that Christ preached. For if they had not heard these things, why would they call themselves foreigners and sojourners? For they did not say these things longing for an earthly homeland, since they could have returned to their own land, but they were seeking heaven. Moreover, if this were not the case, both Abel and Enoch and Noah would be found, having not received the promise from God. For neither was anything earthly promised to them. Nor did it say to Noah that he would be saved in the promise. — "and greeted them." Being persuaded. "they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Not of the promised (for this is not great), but of the whole world. — The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews Philoxenus of Mabbug : And again he said, "In faith all these died, and did not receive their promises," for God considered aforetime help for us that they might not be perfected without us. And for their whole lives, according to the word of Christ, and until their departure from this world faith clave to them; by it they did mighty deeds while they were in the world, and by it they hoped and expected to receive the promises which were about to be, and to receive what had been promised to them for the sake of which they went forth after His word. — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 3 -- On Faith Photios I of Constantinople : So he says that they believed the promises, "having seen them from afar" through hope, because they also rejoiced in them and embraced them, all but wrapping themselves in them. — FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE Hebrews 11.13 Tertullian : Of course the houses of none but married men fare well! The families of celibates, the estates of eunuchs, the fortunes of military men, or of such as travel without wives, have gone to rack and ruin! For are not we, too, soldiers? Soldiers, indeed, subject to all the stricter discipline, that we are subject to so great a General? Are not we, too, travellers in this world? Why moreover, Christian, are you so conditioned, that you cannot (so travel) without a wife? "In my present (widowed)state, too, a consort in domestic works is necessary. — On Exhortation to Chastity Theodoret of Cyrus : The patriarch Abraham spoke in these terms to the Hittites, "I am a stranger and an alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying place, so that I may bury my dead out of sight." The one in receipt of the promise of the whole earth did not even own a plot three cubits long. — INTERPRETATION OF Hebrews 11