God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Provided - with divine forethought from eternity (cf. Genesis 22:8; Genesis 22:14).
Some better thing for us (Hebrews 7:19) - than they had here. They had not in this world, 'apart from us' х chooris (G5565) heemoon (G2257), "without us" - i:e., they had to wait for us], the revelation of the promised salvation actually accomplished, as we now have it in Christ: their souls probably attained an increase of heavenly bliss on the death and ascension of Christ: they shall not attain the full glory in body and soul (the regeneration of the creature) until the full number of the elect (including us with them) is completed (1 Thessalonians 4:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:17): all together, no one preceding the other. Chrysostom, etc., restricted Hebrews 11:39-40 to this last truth. 'You, Hebrews, may more easily exercise patience than Old Testament believers: they had much longer to wait, and are still waiting, until the elect are all gathered in: you have not to wait for them' (Estius). I think his object is to warn Hebrew Christians against relapsing into Judaism. Though the Old Testament worthies attained such eminence by faith, they are not above us in privileges, but the reverse. It is not we who are perfected with them, but they with us. They waited for His coming: we enjoy Him, having come (Hebrews 1:1; Hebrews 2:3). Christ's death, the means of perfecting what the Jewish law could not, was reserved for our time. Compare Hebrews 12:2, 'perfecter (Greek) of our faith,' and Hebrews 11:23, end: however, see note there. Hebrews 9:12: the blood of Christ, brought into the heavenly holy place by Him, first opened an entrance into heaven (cf. John 3:13). Still the fathers were in blessedness by faith in the Saviour to come at death (Hebrews 6:15; Luke 16:22).