Hebrews 6

Heb 6:1-14.

WARNING AGAINST

RETROGRADING,

WHICH

SOON

LEADS TO

APOSTASY;

ENCOURAGEMENT TO

STEADFASTNESS FROM

GOD'S

FAITHFULNESS TO

HIS

WORD AND

OATH.

1. Therefore--Wherefore: seeing that ye ought not now to be

still "babes"

(Heb 5:11-14).

leaving--getting further forward than the elementary

"principles." "As in building a house one must never leave the

foundation: yet to be always laboring in 'laying the foundation' would

be ridiculous" [CALVIN].

the principles of the doctrine--Greek, "the word

of the beginning," that is, the discussion of the "first

principles of Christianity

(Heb 5:12).

let us go on--Greek, "let us be borne forward," or "bear

ourselves forward"; implying active exertion: press on. Paul, in

teaching, here classifies himself with the Hebrew readers, or (as they

ought to be) learners, and says, Let us together press forward.

perfection--the matured knowledge of those who are "of full age"

(Heb 5:14)

in Christian attainments.

foundation of--that is, consisting in "repentance."

repentance from dead works--namely, not springing from the

vital principle of faith and love toward God, and so counted,

like their doer, dead before God. This repentance from dead

works is therefore paired with "faith toward God." The three pairs

of truths enumerated are designedly such as JEWISH

believers might in some degree have known from the Old Testament, but

had been taught more clearly when they became Christians. This accounts

for the omission of distinct specification of some essential

first principle of Christian truth. Hence, too, he mentions "faith

toward God," and not explicitly faith toward

Christ (though of course included). Repentance and faith were

the first principles taught under the Gospel.

2. the doctrine of baptisms--paired with "laying on of hands,"

as the latter followed on Christian baptism, and answers to the rite of

confirmation in Episcopal churches. Jewish believers passed, by

an easy transition, from Jewish baptismal purifications

(Heb 9:10,

"washings"), baptism of proselytes, and John's baptism, and legal

imposition of hands, to their Christian analogues, baptism, and

the subsequent laying on of hands, accompanied by the gift of

the Holy Ghost (compare

Heb 6:4).

Greek, "baptismoi," plural, including Jewish and

Christian baptisms, are to be distinguished from

baptisma, singular, restricted to Christian baptism. The

six particulars here specified had been, as it were, the Christian

Catechism of the Old Testament; and such Jews who had begun to

recognize Jesus as the Christ immediately on the new light being shed

on these fundamental particulars, were accounted as having the

elementary principles of the doctrine of Christ [BENGEL]. The first and most obvious elementary

instruction of Jews would be the teaching them the typical

significance of their own ceremonial law in its Christian fulfilment

[ALFORD].

resurrection, &c.--held already by the Jews from the Old

Testament: confirmed with clearer light in Christian teaching or

"doctrine."

eternal judgment--judgment fraught with eternal consequences

either of joy or of woe.

3. will we do--So some of the oldest manuscripts read; but

others, "Let us do." "This," that is, "Go on unto perfection."

if God permit--For even in the case of good resolutions, we

cannot carry them into effect, save through God "working in us both to

will and to do of His good pleasure"

(Php 2:13).

The "for" in

Heb 6:4

refers to this: I say, if God permit, for there are cases where

God does not permit, for example, "it is impossible," &c. Without God's

blessing, the cultivation of the ground does not succeed

(Heb 6:7).

4. We must "go on toward perfection"; for if we fall

away, after having received enlightenment, it will be impossible

to renew us again to repentance.

for those--"in the case of those."

once enlightened--once for all illuminated by the word of God

taught in connection with "baptism" (to which, in

Heb 6:2,

as once for all done," once enlightened" here answers); compare

Eph 5:26.

This passage probably originated the application of the term

"illumination" to baptism in subsequent times. Illumination,

however, was not supposed to be the inseparable accompaniment of

baptism: thus CHRYSOSTOM says, "Heretics

have baptism, not illumination: they are baptized in

body, but not enlightened in soul: as Simon Magus was baptized, but not

illuminated." That "enlightened" here means knowledge of the word of

truth, appears from comparing the same Greek word

"illuminated,"

Heb 10:32,

with Heb 10:26,

where "knowledge of the truth" answers to it.

tasted of the heavenly gift--tasted for themselves. As

"enlightened" refers to the sense of sight: so here taste

follows. "The heavenly gift"; Christ given by the Father and

revealed by the enlightening word preached and written: as conferring

peace in the remission of sins; and as the Bestower of the gift of the

Holy Spirit

(Ac 8:19, 20),

made partakers of the Holy Ghost--specified as distinct from,

though so inseparably connected with, "enlightened," and "tasted of the

heavenly gift," Christ, as answering to "laying on of hands" after

baptism, which was then generally accompanied with the impartation of

the Holy Ghost in miraculous gifts.

5. tasted the good word of God--distinct from "tasted

OF (genitive) the heavenly gift"; we do not yet

enjoy all the fulness of Christ, but only have a taste

OF Him, the heavenly gift now; but believers may

taste the whole word (accusative case) of God already, namely,

God's "good word of promise." The Old Testament promise of

Canaan to Israel typified "the good word of God's" promise of the

heavenly rest

(Heb 4:1-16).

Therefore, there immediately follows the clause, "the powers of the

world to come." As "enlightening" and "tasting of the heavenly gift,"

Christ, the Bread of Life, answers to FAITH: so

"made partakers of the Holy Ghost," to CHARITY,

which is the first-fruit of the Spirit: and "tasted the good word of

God, and the powers of the world to come," to HOPE. Thus the triad of privileges answers to the

Trinity, the Father, Son, and Spirit, in their respective works toward

us. "The world to come," is the Christian dispensation, viewed

especially in its future glories, though already begun in grace

here. The world to come thus stands in contrast to course of

this world, altogether disorganized because God is not its spring

of action and end. By faith, Christians make the world to come a

present reality, though but a foretaste of the perfect future. The

powers of this new spiritual world, partly exhibited in outward

miracles at that time, and then, as now, especially consisting in the

Spirit's inward quickening influences are the earnest of the coming

inheritance above, and lead the believer who gives himself up to the

Spirit to seek to live as the angels, to sit with Christ in heavenly

places, to set the affections on things above, and not on things on

earth, and to look for Christ's coming and the full manifestation of

the world to come. This "world to come," in its future aspect, thus

corresponds to "resurrection of the dead and eternal life"

(Heb 6:2),

the first Christian principles which the Hebrew believers had

been taught, by the Christian light being thrown back on their Old

Testament for their instruction (see on

Heb 6:1,2).

"The world to come," which, as to its "powers," exists already in the

redeemed, will pass into a fully realized fact at Christ's coming

(Col 3:4).

6. If--Greek, "And (yet) have fallen away";

compare a less extreme falling or declension,

Ga 5:4,

"Ye are fallen from grace." Here an entire and wilful apostasy is

meant; the Hebrews had not yet so fallen away; but he warns them that

such would be the final result of retrogression, if, instead of "going

on to perfection," they should need to learn again the first principles

of Christianity

(Heb 6:1).

to renew them again--They have been "once"

(Heb 6:4)

already renewed, or made anew, and now they need to be

"renewed" over "again."

crucify to themselves the Son of God--"are crucifiying to

themselves" Christ, instead of, like Paul,

crucifying the world unto them by the cross of Christ

(Ga 6:14).

So in

Heb 10:29,

"trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the

covenant, wherewith . . . sanctified, an unholy thing." "The

Son of God," marking His dignity, shows the greatness of their offense.

put him to an open shame--literally, "make a public example of"

Him, as if He were a malefactor suspended on a tree. What the carnal

Israel did outwardly, those who fall away from light do inwardly, they

virtually crucify again the Son of God; "they tear him out of the

recesses of their hearts where He had fixed His abode and exhibit Him

to the open scoffs of the world as something powerless and common"

[BLEEK in ALFORD]. The

Montanists and Novatians used this passage to justify the lasting

exclusion from the Church of those who had once lapsed. The Catholic

Church always opposed this view, and readmitted the lapsed on their

repentance, but did not rebaptize them. This passage implies that

persons may be in some sense "renewed," and yet fall away finally; for

the words, "renew again," imply that they have been, in

some sense, not the full sense, ONCE

RENEWED by the Holy Ghost; but certainly not that they are "the

elect," for these can never fall away, being chosen unto everlasting

life

(Joh 10:28).

The elect abide in Christ, hear and continuously obey His voice, and do

not fall away. He who abides not in Christ, is cast forth as a withered

branch; but he who abides in Him becomes more and more free from sin;

the wicked one cannot touch him; and he by faith overcomes the world. A

temporary faith is possible, without one thereby being

constituted one of the elect

(Mr 4:16, 17).

At the same time it does not limit God's grace, as if it were

"impossible" for God to reclaim even such a hardened rebel so as

yet to look on Him whom he has pierced. The impossibility rests in

their having known in themselves once the power of Christ's sacrifice,

and yet now rejecting it; there cannot possibly be any new means

devised for their renewal afresh, and the means provided by God's love

they now, after experience of them, deliberately and continuously

reject; their conscience being served, and they "twice dead"

(Jude 12),

are now past hope, except by a miracle of God's grace. "It is the curse

of evil eternally to propagate evil" [THOLUCK].

"He who is led into the whole (?) compass of Christian experiences, may

yet cease to abide in them; he who abides not in them, was, at the very

time when he had those objective experiences, not subjectively

true to them; otherwise there would have been fulfilled in him,

"Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more

abundance"

(Mt 13:12),

so that he would have abided in them and not have fallen away"

[THOLUCK]. Such a one was never truly a Spirit-led

disciple of Christ

(Ro 8:14-17).

The sin against the Holy Ghost, though somewhat similar, is not

identical with this sin; for that sin may be committed by those

outside the Church (as in

Mt 12:24, 31, 32);

this, only by those inside.

7. the earth--rather as Greek (no article), "land."

which drinketh in--Greek, "which has drunk in";

not merely receiving it on the surface. Answering to those who have

enjoyed the privilege of Christian experiences, being in some sense

renewed by the Holy Ghost; true alike of those who persevere and those

who "fall away."

the rain that cometh oft upon it--not merely failing over

it, or towards it, but falling and resting upon it so as

to cover it (the Greek genitive, not the accusative). The

"oft" implies, on God's part, the riches of His abounding grace

("coming" spontaneously, and often); and, on the apostate's part, the

wilful perversity whereby he has done continual despite to the

oft-repeated motions of the Spirit. Compare "How often,"

Mt 23:37.

The rain of heaven falls both on the elect and the apostates.

bringeth forth--as the natural result of "having drunk

in the rain." See above.

herbs--provender.

meet--fit. Such as the master of the soil wishes. The opposite

of "rejected,"

Heb 6:8.

whom," namely, the lords of the soil; not the laborers, as English

Version, namely, God and His Christ

(1Co 3:9).

The heart of man is the earth; man is the dresser; herbs are brought

forth meet, not for the dresser, by whom, but for God, the owner of the

soil, for whom it is dressed. The plural is general, the owners

whoever they may be; here God.

receiveth--"partaketh of."

blessing--fruitfulness. Contrast God's curse causing

unfruitfulness

(Ge 3:17, 18);

also spiritually

(Jer 17:5-8).

from God--Man's use of means is vain unless God bless

(1Co 3:6, 7).

8. that which--rather as Greek (no article), "But if

it (the 'land,'

Heb 6:7)

bear"; not so favorable a word as "bringeth forth,"

Heb 6:7,

said of the good soil.

briers--Greek, "thistles."

rejected--after having been tested; so the Greek

implies. Reprobate . . . rejected by the Lord.

nigh unto cursing--on the verge of being given up to its own

barrenness by the just curse of God. This "nigh" softens the severity

of the previous "It is impossible," &c.

(Heb 6:4, 6).

The ground is not yet actually cursed.

whose--"of which (land) the end is unto burning," namely,

with the consuming fire of the last judgment; as the land of Sodom was

given to "brimstone, salt, and burning"

(De 29:23);

so as to the ungodly

(Mt 3:10, 12; 7:19; 13:30;

Joh 15:6;

2Pe 3:10).

Jerusalem, which had so resisted the grace of Christ, was then nigh

unto cursing, and in a few years was burned. Compare

Mt 22:7,

"burned up their city" an earnest of a like fate to all wilful

abusers of God's grace

(Heb 10:26, 27).

9. beloved--appositely here introduced;

LOVE to you prompts me in the strong warnings I

have just given, not that I entertain unfavorable thoughts of you; nay,

I anticipate better things of you; Greek "the

things which are better"; that ye are not thorn-bearing, or

nigh unto cursing, and doomed unto burning, but heirs of

salvation in accordance with God's faithfulness

(Heb 6:10).

we are persuaded--on good grounds; the result of proof. Compare

Ro 15:14,

"I myself am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye are full of

goodness." A confirmation of the Pauline authorship of this

Epistle.

things that accompany--Greek, "things that hold by," that

is, are close unto "salvation." Things that are linked unto salvation

(compare

Heb 6:19).

In opposition to "nigh unto cursing."

though--Greek, "if even we thus speak." "For it is better

to make you afraid with words, that ye may not suffer in fact."

10. not unrighteous--not unfaithful to His own gracious

promise. Not that we have any inherent right to claim reward;

for (1) a servant has no merit, as he only does that which is

his bounden duty; (2) our best performances bear no proportion to what

we leave undone; (3) all strength comes from God; but God has

promised of His own grace to reward the good works of His people

(already accepted through faith in Christ); it is His promise,

not our merits, which would make it unrighteous were He not to

reward His people's works. God will be no man's debtor.

your work--your whole Christian life of active obedience.

labour of love--The oldest manuscripts omit "labor of," which

probably crept in from

1Th 1:3.

As "love" occurs here, so "hope,"

Heb 6:11,

"faith,"

Heb 6:12;

as in

1Co 13:13:

the Pauline triad. By their love he sharpens their

hope and faith.

ye have showed--(Compare

Heb 10:32-34).

toward his name--Your acts of love to the saints were

done for His name's sake. The distressed condition of the Palestinian

Christians appears from the collection for them. Though receiving

bounty from other churches, and therefore not able to minister much by

pecuniary help, yet those somewhat better off could minister to

the greatest sufferers in their Church in various other ways (compare

2Ti 1:18).

Paul, as elsewhere, gives them the utmost credit for their graces,

while delicately hinting the need of perseverance, a lack of which had

probably somewhat begun to show itself.

11. And--Greek, "But."

desire--Greek, "earnestly desire." The language of

fatherly affection, rather than command.

every one of you--implying that all in the Palestinian

churches had not shown the same diligence as some of those whom he

praises in

Heb 6:10.

"He cares alike for great and small, and overlooks none." "Every one of

them," even those diligent in acts of LOVE

(Heb 6:10),

needed to be stimulated to persevere in the same diligence with

a view to the full assurance of HOPE unto the end. They needed, besides

love, patient perseverance, resting on hope and faith

(Heb 10:36; 13:7).

Compare "the full assurance of faith,"

Heb 10:22;

Ro 4:21;

1Th 1:5.

unto the end--the coming of Christ.

12. be not--Greek, "become not." In

Heb 5:11,

he said, "Ye have become dull (Greek, 'slothful') of

hearing"; here he warns them not to become "slothful

absolutely," namely, also in mind and deed. He will not become

slothful who keeps always the end in view; hope is the

means of ensuring this.

followers--Greek, "imitators"; so in

Eph 5:1,

Greek;

1Co 11:1.

patience--Greek, "long-suffering endurance." There

is the long-suffering patience, or endurance of

love,

1Co 13:4,

and that of faith,

Heb 6:15.

them who . . . inherit the promises--Greek,

"who are inheriting," &c.; to whom the promises are their

inheritance. Not that they have actually entered on the

perfect inheritance, which

Heb 11:13, 39, 40

explicitly denies; though doubtless the dead in Christ have, in the

disembodied soul, a foretaste of it; but "them (enumerated in

Heb 11:2-40)

who in every age have been, are, or shall be, inheritors of the

promises"; of whom Abraham is an illustrious example

(Heb 6:13).

13. For--confirming the reasonableness of resting on "the

promises" as infallibly sure, resting as they do on God's oath, by the

instance of Abraham. "He now gives consolation, by the oath of God's

grace, to those whom, in the second, third, and fourth chapters, he

had warned by the oath of God's 'wrath.' The oath of wrath did

not primarily extend its force beyond the wilderness; but the oath of

grace is in force for ever" [BENGEL].

14. multiplying . . . multiply--Hebraism for

superabundantly multiply.

thee--The increase of Abraham's seed is virtually an increase of

himself. The argument here refers to Abraham himself as

an example; therefore Paul quotes

Ge 22:17,

"thee," instead of "thy seed."

15. so--thus relying on the promise.

16. for confirmation--not to be joined, as English

Version, to "an oath"; but to "an end"

[ALFORD]. I prefer, "The oath is to them, in

respect to confirmation (of one's solemn promise or covenant; as here,

God's), an end of all contradiction (so the Greek

is translated,

Heb 12:3),

or "gainsaying." This passage shows: (1) an oath is sanctioned even in

the Christian dispensation as lawful; (2) that the limits to its use

are, that it only be employed where it can put an end to

contradiction in disputes, and for confirmation of a solemn

promise.

17. Wherein--that is, Which being the case among men,

God, in accommodation to their manner of confirming covenants,

superadded to His sure word His oath: the "TWO immutable things"

(Heb 6:18).

willing . . . counsel--Greek, "willing

. . . will"; words akin. Expressing the utmost

benignity [BENGEL].

more abundantly--than had He not sworn. His word would have been

amply enough; but, to make assurance doubly sure, He "interposed with

an oath" (so the Greek). Literally, He acted as Mediator,

coming between Himself and us; as if He were less, while He swears,

than Himself by whom He swears (for the less among men usually swear by

the greater). Dost thou not yet believe, thou that hearest the promise?

[BENGEL].

heirs of promise--not only Abraham's literal, but also his

spiritual, seed

(Ga 3:29).

18. immutable--Translate, as in

Heb 6:17,

"unchangeable."

impossible . . . to lie--"ever to lie"; this is

the force of the Greek aorist [ALFORD].

His not being able to deny Himself is a proof, not of weakness, but of

strength incomparable.

consolation--under doubts and fears, and so "encouragement,"

literally, "exhortation."

fled for refuge--as if from a shipwreck; or, as one fleeing to

one of the six cities of refuge. Kadesh, that is, holy, implies

the holiness of Jesus, our Refuge. Shechem, that is, shoulder,

the government is upon his shoulder

(Isa 9:6).

Hebron, that is, fellowship, believers are called into the

fellowship of Christ. Bezer, that is, a fortress, Christ is so

to all who trust in Him. Ramoth, that is, high, for Him hath God

exalted with His right hand

(Ac 5:31).

Golan, that is, joy, for in Him all the saints are justified and

shall glory.

lay hold upon the hope--that is, the object of our hope, as upon

a preservative from sinking.

set before us--as a prize for which we strive; a new image,

namely, the race course

(Heb 12:1, 2).

19. Hope is found represented on coins by an

anchor.

sure and steadfast--sure in respect to us:

steadfast, or "firm" [ALFORD], in

itself. Not such an anchor as will not keep the vessel

from tossing, or an anchor unsound or too light [THEOPHYLACT].

which entereth into that--that is the place

within the veil--two images beautifully combined: (1) The

soul is the ship: the world the sea: the

bliss beyond the world, the distant coast; the

hope resting on faith, the anchor which prevents the

vessel being tossed to and fro; the encouraging consolation

through the promise and oath of God, the cable connecting

the ship and anchor. (2) The world is the fore-court: heaven, the Holy

of Holies; Christ, the High Priest going before us, so as to enable us,

after Him, and through Him, to enter within the veil.

ESTIUS explains, As the anchor does not stay in

the waters, but enters the ground hidden beneath the waters, and

fastens itself in it, so hope, our anchor of the soul, is not satisfied

with merely coming to the vestibule, that is, is not content with

merely earthly and visible goods, but penetrates even to those which

are within the veil, namely, to the Holy of Holies, where it lays hold

on God Himself, and heavenly goods, and fastens on them. "Hope,

entering within heaven, hath made us already to be in the things

promised to us, even while we are still below, and have not yet

received them; such strength hope has, as to make those that are

earthly to become heavenly." "The soul clings, as one in fear of

shipwreck to an anchor, and sees not whither the cable of the anchor

runs--where it is fastened: but she knows that it is fastened behind

the veil which hides the future glory."

veil--Greek, "catapetasma": the second veil

which shut in the Holiest Place. The outer veil was called by a

distinct Greek term, calumma: "the second (that is, the

inner) veil."

20. The absence of the Greek article requires

ALFORD'S translation, "Where. As forerunner for us

(that is, in our behalf), entered Jesus" [and is now: this last

clause is implied in the 'where' of the Greek, which implies

being IN a place: 'whither' is understood to

'entered,' taken out of 'where'; whither Jesus entered, and

where He is now]. The "for us" implies that it was not for

Himself, as God, He needed to enter there, but as our High Priest,

representing and introducing us, His followers, opening the way to us,

the Holiest Place once a year to make propitiation for the people. The

first-fruits of our nature are ascended, and so the rest is sanctified.

Christ's ascension is our promotion: and whither the glory of the Head

has preceded, thither the hope of the body, too, is called. We ought to

keep festal day, since Christ has taken up and set in the heavens the

first-fruit of our lump, that is, the human flesh [CHRYSOSTOM]. As John Baptist was Christ's forerunner on

earth, so Christ is ours in heaven.