John Calvin Commentary Hebrews 11:8

"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." — Hebrews 11:8 (ASV)

By faith Abraham, etc. He now comes to Abraham, who is the chief father of God’s church on earth, and in whose name the Jews gloried, as though by the distinction of being the holy race of Abraham alone, they were removed from the common order of men. But he now reminds them of what they should possess as the main thing, so that they might be counted among his children. He therefore calls their attention to faith, for Abraham himself had no excellency which did not proceed from faith.

He first teaches us that faith was the reason he immediately obeyed God when he was commanded to remove from his own country; and then that through the same faith he went on without wavering, according to what he was called to do, even to the end. By these two things—his promptness in obeying and his perseverance—Abraham’s faith was most clearly proved.

When he was called, etc. The old Latin translator and Erasmus apply this to his name, which is extremely tame and frigid. On the contrary, I refer it to the oracle by which he was called from his own country. He indeed did in this way undergo a voluntary exile, yet he did nothing but by God’s command. And no doubt it is one of the chief things which belong to faith: not to move a step unless God’s word shows us the way and, like a lantern, gives us light, according to what David says (Psalms 119:105). Let us then learn that it is something to be observed throughout life, that we are to undertake nothing to which God does not call us.

To go out into a place, etc. To the command was added a promise that God would give him a land for an inheritance. This promise he immediately embraced and hastened as though he was sent to take possession of this land. It is no ordinary trial of faith to give up what we have in hand in order to seek what is far off and unknown to us.

For when God commanded him to leave his own country, he did not point out the place where he intended him to live but left him in suspense and perplexity of mind. "Go," he said, "into the place that I will show thee" (Genesis 12:1). Why did he delay pointing out the place, except so that his faith might be more and more exercised?

Besides, the love of his native land might not only have slowed Abraham’s promptness but also held him so bound to it that he might not have left his home. His faith then was not of an ordinary kind, which thus broke through all hindrances and carried him where the Lord called him to go.