John Chrysostom

"For they looked" (he says) "for the city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Seest thou that they received them in this sense, in their already accepting them and being confident respecting them. If then to be confident is to receive, it is in your power also to receive. For these, although they enjoyed not those blessings, yet still saw them by their longing desire. Why now do these things happen? …

Homily on Hebrews 23 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Therefore, he says, they settled in that land in tents having no foundation, because they were awaiting the heavenly city with true foundations, always firm and never perishing. This is also why God, seeing that they despised the promises of earthly goods, set those aside and prepared better things for them, as for those worthy of such things rather than earthly ones. Furthermore, they, having received the earthly promise, disregarded it and strove for the heavenly. …

Commentary on Hebrews ↗

Oecumenius

"For he waited." And by what word, he says, did these not weaken in faith, as if dwelling in a foreign land concerning the promised land? For, he says, they were not concerned with the earth, but indeed having received the land of promise, they sought the greater things and were expecting the heavenly city. For if they had been attached to the earth, they would have been shaken by not receiving it. Thus, he says, we also ought to seek the things above, and not have a word about those here. …

The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews ↗

Thomas Aquinas

585. – Then when he says, he looked forward to the city which has foundations, he shows why he lingered there as a stranger, namely, because he did not consider himself as having anything on earth, but was seeking a heavenly city as his inheritance: 'Our feet were standing on your courts, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem, which is built as a city' (Ps. 121:2); 'your eyes which see Jerusalem, a rich habitation, a tabernacle that cannot be removed' (Is. 33:20). …

Commentary on Hebrews ↗