1 Therefore, leaving (laying aside) the principles (ABC's) of the doctrine (commandments) of Christ, let us go on unto perfection (maturity), not laying again (casting down) the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God. 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms (especially the washing of hands before eating or other ceremonial washings), and of laying on of hands (in ordinations; in blessings), and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment (condemnation). 3 And this will we do, if God permit (allows; gives liberty to do so).
4 For it is impossible (not possible; powerless) for those who were once enlightened (illuminated), and have tasted (eaten) of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, 6 If they shall fall away (commit apostasy), to renew (restore) them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify (raise up on a cross) to themselves the son of God afresh (again), and put him to an open shame (expose to public disgrace; embarrass publicly; hold up to infamy). 7 For the earth, which drinketh (absorbs) in the rain that cometh often upon it, and bringeth forth herbs (food; vegetables) fit for them by whom it is tilled, receiveth blessing (bounty) from God; 8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected (disqualified), and is near unto cursing (being accused), whose end is to be burned. 9 But, beloved, we are persuaded (assured or confident of) better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10 For God is not unrighteous (unjust) to forget (overlook) your work and labor of love, which ye have shown (demonstrated) toward his name, in that ye have ministered (served) to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that every one of you do show (display) the same diligence (earnest care) to the full assurance (confidence) of hope unto the end; 12 That ye be not slothful (sluggish), but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit (fall heir to) the promises.
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, 14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless (favor) thee, and multiplying I will multiply (increase) thee. 15 And so, after he had patiently endured (suffered long; persevered), he obtained (acquired; attained) the promise. 16 For men verily swear (give an oath) by the greater (higher), and an oath (sware) for confirmation is to them an end of all strife (contradiction; dispute). 17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability (changelessness) of his counsel, confirmed (guaranteed; mediated) it by an oath, 18 That by two immutable (unchanging) things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, 20 Where the forerunner (advance Man; Precursor; Waymaker) is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
1 - 3 "Therefore" in view of what has been said concerning the Hebrews unsatisfactory spiritual condition. The writer wants the Hebrews to graduate from the primary (arches meaning the beginning) doctrines; that is, the initial doctrines of Christ to more mature teachings. He wants them to leave the elementary principles of the teachings (logon from logos meaning commandments) of Christ and go on (pherometha from phero meaning move on; presson) to perfection (teleioteta from teleiotes meaning full moral and spiritual maturity). The author makes a plea in behalf of his readers to grow in knowledge and understanding of spiritual truths. "Let us press on; 'you are not ready for solid food yet, you still need milk; nevertheless, I am going to press on with the provision of solid food'...probably because their particular condition of immaturity is such that only an appreciation of what is involved in Christ's high priesthood will cure it" (Bruce, p. 111).
Kellar writes, "There has been some debate as just to whom the author has in mind in this exhortation. By some the advancement urged herein is upon the author himself. Accordingly, the writer would be quitting, in discussion, along with his readers, the elementary doctrines of the gospel, and proceeding to the higher. Others take it as an exhortation to the readers; that is, they are exhorted to leave their state of spiritual infancy for the maturity of Christian experience. It may be concluded that both elements of the exhortation are involved, while the author has, I believe, primarily in mind the spiritual development of his readers" (Notes, p. 22). He wants them to proceed instead of laying down (kataballomenoi from kataballo meaning to cast down or strike down) the elementary principles which have been thoroughly learned and go on from repentance of dead works to a more established faith in God. Of course, repentance and faith are inseparable; however, they are fundamental in the Christian life. The writer wants the Hebrews to carry on to the goal which he calls maturity. The Christian cannot make progress until he leaves the elementary doctrines (not repudiate them but rather teach some more advanced doctrines or principles).
In verse 2 he delineates those doctrines - repentance from dead works, baptisms, laying on of hands (ordinations), resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. There are higher doctrines to claim their attention; the writer probably had in mind the teachings concerning the High Priesthood of our Savior. It will take some intellectual study, but it will be rewarding and will result in mature Christians. The word baptismon probably means ceremonial washings or ablutions (immersing) of the hands or on some occasions the entire body, washing it of impurities they may have encountered in the marketplace. They would also immerse their cups, pots, vessels and tables (Mark 7:5). The word is so used in Mark 7:3 - 5. The Pharisee was so strict he would wash (immerse) his hands in water to cleanse them before eating. Also some of the mystery religions required for initiates, proselytes and worshipers in general to undergo ablutions. Yeager writes, "The deep water Baptist preachers will never build a mature church if they spend all of their preaching time proving that baptism is by immersion only and that it is only for born again people" (p. 199).
The laying on of hands, epitheseos from epi and tithemi, means putting hands on the head of an individual to denote blessing, healing, ordination, bestowal of spiritual gifts or the reception of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:18; I Timothy 4:14). These doctrines are parts of orthodox Christianity but are elementary when it comes to teachings and training that makes for mature growth. These six items of Christian foundational truth can be divided into three pairs: (1) repentance from dead works and faith toward God (these two are the believer's response to the gospel); (2) the second pair involve ordinances or ceremonies, such as instructions about washings and laying of hands; and (3) the third pair are resurrection and eternal judgment (condemnation) having to do with eschatological truths. All of these are foundational truths from which to build on in the Christian life.
In verse 3 the writer wants to lead the Hebrews into a more pronounced faith and practice if God permits (epitrepe from epitrepo meaning to give permission or liberty to do so). The writer means here that he will go on with the argument and not attempt to lay again the foundation. Moffat takes him to mean that he will teach them the elements at a later time if the way opens. This may be a less probable interpretation and open to further discussion. 4 - 6 Verse 4 begins one of the most beautifully balanced Greek sentences in all the Bible, so say Greek scholars. According to Yeager the subject is the infinitive anakainizein of verse 6 and the object is anakainizein in verses 4 and 5 and parapesontas of verse 6; he translates these verses thus: "Because it is impossible to renew again to repentance those who were once enlightened and have both tasted the heavenly gift and been made partakers of the Holy Spirit and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to came, but have fallen by the way, because they are crucifying again for their own advantage the Son of God and they are holding Him up to public ridicule" (pp. 202 - 205). The word adunaton is from a privative plus dunatos meaning powerless or impossible. The word photisthentas from photizo meaning illuminated, revealed or brought to light. Geusamenous is from geuomai meaning to taste, eat or imbibe of the heavenly gift. Genethentas from ginomai meaning to do, to have or to bring about a situation. Metochous from metecho means partner, fellow or partaker in this case of a heavenly gift. The sentence so far says that a person is powerless (or it impossible) after having been illuminated, and imbibed of the heavenly gift and become a partners or partakers of the Holy Spirit...(to be eternally lost). Yeager further writes, "The passage teaches the Arminian view that the context is to the believer, but it does not teach that 'falling away' means ultimate damnation. The believer can never lose his salvation, but he can lose everything else about his experience except his salvation. To 'fall by the roadside (parapipto) is to fall into a permanent condition of stunted spiritual growth that renders the 'baby' totally fruitless and unable to ever again grow in grace" (p. 202). There are many Scriptures which unmistakably teach the security of the believer - John 10:27 - 29; Romans 8:35, 38, 39; Philippians 1:6 and I Peter 1:4, 5.
Now verse 5 continues the circumstance, "tasted" (geusamenous same word as in verse 4 translated "tasted") the good word rhema meaning word, sayings or statement of God and the powers of the world eionos meaning ages, or eras to come... We can assume one thing - the person who has experienced these things is a person whom we could say has been born again. To be a partaker or partner of the Holy Spirit means for a person to be born again. Bruce cites our Lord's parable of the sower (seeds) (Mark 4:3ff and other parallels) to illustrate the above reference to salvation and apostasy (p. 119). The fact that the word of God tasted good when they ate it, indicates regeneration, since unregenerates according to the Apostle Paul consider God's word foolishness in I Corinthians 2:14 which reads, "But the natural man receivedth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned," and the eyes of the unsaved are blinded against any appreciation of God or the word according to II Corinthians 4:4 which reads, "In whom the god of this age, hath blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." Verse 6 says that if a person has experienced these circumstances - "If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." To fall away is the translation of the word paratesontas from parapipto meaning to commit apostasy; to fall by the wayside or backslide.
After experiencing all those things spoken of in verses 4 and 5, it is impossible for that person to be saved again. It would be necessary for Christ Jesus, our Sacrifice for sin to be crucified again. If a person apostatized ten times it would be necessary for Christ Jesus to be crucified ten times. That would put our Savior to an open shame paradeigmatizontas meaning to be held up to contempt, public disgrace or public embarrassment. "Notice the writer does not say that the true believer will fall away. He is merely citing a hypothetical case showing the result if such a thing could happen. The teacher who teaches apostasy can certainly get no comfort from this passage, for as one could fall away, it would be impossible for him to be saved again" (Kellar Notes, p. 23). We must keep in mind that the author's readers were converts from Judaism to Christianity; if they went back into Judaism, fell away from Christianity and died in that condition they would be saved but have no rewards for work for Christ while in the practices of Judaism. So far as their previous work for Christ their rewards would be what they could have been had they not gone back into Judaism.
"Since the English translation cannot gracefully follow the order of the Greek words in verses 4 - 6, we give here the translation without regard to word order: "Because it is impossible to renew again to repentance those who were once enlightened and have both tasted the heavenly gift and been made partakers of the Holy Spirit and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age, but have fallen by the way, because they are crucifying the Son of God again for their own advantage and are holding Him up to public ridicule" Yeager, Volume XVI, p. 205). If the blood shed on Calvary once cannot save eternally, there is no way that a person can be saved.
7, 8 An illustration is given to help to further convince the Hebrews, (they may compare to the parables of Jesus), it is as follows: the rain comes down from heaven to refresh the earth. The parched earth drinks in (piousa from pino meaning to be nourished of; absorb) the water and brings forth herbs (botanen meaning vegetation; food) to the vinedresser or gardener (the one who tills; dresses; cultivates the soil) and he and his family receive blessings (eulogias meaning bounty) from God in the form of food to eat. When God sends the refreshing rain and the gardener or farmer plants the seed, cultivates, and harvests the crop the farmer and his family enjoy the benefits of their work. Verse 8, however, gives another story - the uncultivated farm bears thorns and briers; they are rejected and are well nigh to cursing or almost cursed. The thorn and briers are gathered and burned. What is illustrated here? The healthy Christian grows spiritually and becomes a fruit-bearing Christian; however, the unhealthy Christian is disapproved (adokimos meaning unfruitful; rejected; unfit), he bears no fruit and is well nigh (eggus means near to) cursing (kataras meaning accused). Yeager writes, "The 'drinking in' and 'bearing' field is approved, but the 'thorn and brier patch' is disapproved...Thorns are the result of sin and a part of the curse (Genesis 3:18). Thus we see that the disobedient Christian of verse 6 is indeed producing the thorns (akanthas) for his own crucifixion of his Lord. Such a Christian must suffer the disapproval of the Judge (Hebrews 412) and suffer the fate that Paul sought to avoid (I Corinthians 9:27)" (p. 209). "So our author compares those believers who persevere in faith to fertile land which produces fruit, while those in whose lives the fruits of righteousness do not appear are compared to land which will never produce anything but thorns and thistles, to be kept down by burning, 'for our God is a consuming fire'" (Bruce, p. 125). A fruitless Christian whose life openly crucifies Christ again and again and publicly embarrasses Him, is close to cursing, but he is not cursed because that debt has been paid (Galatians 3:10, 13).
9 Now the Hebrews are called brethren or fellow-believers, and the writer is persuaded (pepeismetha from peitho meaning assured or confident of) better things, the things that accompany salvation. The writer's stern lecture is an attempt to inspire them to shake off their torpor and grow up in Christ. The reason we readers know that the writer believed that those possessing salvation would continue to persevere is that he writes that he is confident of better things for them; he is confident that their behavior patterns prove that they truly have been saved. It is a warning, however, that the readers should take to heart - if there are only professors in the group, they need to get right with the Lord. They desperately need salvation.
10 Certainly God knows the spiritual condition of every one; He cannot be fooled. He knows those who are His, and He rewards those who work and labor for Him in love. He is not an unrighteous (adikos or unjust) God, although many so-called Christians may live unrighteously and unjustly. Although there are many scriptures that clearly indicate that man cannot work his way to heaven, God knows those who are saved and the motives behind their work and labor for Him. He will never overlook (epilathesthai from epelathonto to forget); what is being done. Some have ministered (diakonesantes meaning to serve or care for others) in the past and some even now minister. "The author finds grounds for the assurance that God will not permit their final apostasy in the fact that His very justice is enlisted in their behalf, and in some sort pledged to reward their former fidelity and devotion" (Kellar Notes, p. 24). Jehovah God is righteous, and the result is that He has not forgotten their past record of service for Him.
11, 12 The writer is admonishing the Hebrews and prodding them onward as they work for the Lord; they are to show (endeiknusthai from endeiknumi meaning to display) diligence (spouden from spoude meaning earnest care or haste). They will persevere because of assurance (plerophorian from plerophoria meaning complete confidence) of hope. They will not dare to be slothful (nothroi meaning sluggish, dull or slow), but followers of Christ in faith and patience thus to inherit (kleronomounton meaning to be an heir for) the promises He has made. Kent writes, "Full assurance is probably the best translation of plerophoria in each of the four New Testament occurrences (Colossians 2:2; I Thessalonians 1:5; Hebrews 6:11; 10:22). It is a great aid to spiritual growth when the heart is fully persuaded that the Christian hope is a certainty...Without full assurance, the believer lacks the stability to make progress...One way to develop spiritual stability is to draw strength from the example of others who are not wavering" (p. 117).
13, 14 Jehovah God is a Sovereign God, and out of His sovereignty God chose Abraham. How much confidence can we put in the promises of Jehovah God? He made a promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1 - 3 which reads, "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Furthermore, Jehovah God made a promise to Abraham (Genesis 22:16 - 18 LXX) after he was willing to sacrifice Isaac his son by saying, "I have sworn by myself, says the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and on my account hast not spared thy beloved son, surely blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is by the shore of the sea, and thy seed shall inherit the cities of their enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast hearkened to my voice." Did God keep His promise? There is a Hebraism in this latter quotation, "Blessing I will surely bless thee, and multiplying I will surely multiply thee." God will surely or certainly bless Abraham, and He will surely or certainly multiply his seed. The word for blessing is eulogeo meaning to speak well of, favored or give praise; the word for multiply is plethuno meaning to abound, increase or grow. Did Jehovah God keep his word? The present blessing and multiplication is the same as the future blessing and multiplication. Jehovah God's faithfulness to Abraham is a token of His faithfulness in regard to any promises made and especially concerning Christ's Melchizedek priesthood. Abraham believed, and so should all His creation.
15 Abraham patiently endured (makrothumesas from makrothumeo meaning to suffer long or persevere), he waited twenty-five years for God's promise to be fulfilled, and he obtained (epetuchen from epitugchano meaning attained or achieved) the promise. The promise to Abraham was sure to be fulfilled because of God's oath, even though Abraham had made many mistakes. "The writer seems to be saying to his readers that their own lack of spiritual perception which he deplored in Hebrews 5:11 - 6:12 was also the experience of the father of the Chosen Elect Ones of God. Abraham failed to trust God's sovereign grace and substituted his own poor wisdom and efforts for 13 years" (Yeager, p. 217). That, however, did not annul God's promise; He stayed true to His oath as He always does.
16 When men take an oath, they sware by a higher (meizonos from meizon meaning greater) power than themselves and an oath (omnuousin from omnumi meaning to sware or make an oath) for confirmation is to them an end of all strife (antilogias meaning argument or contention).
17 - 20 Jehovah God desiring to show to the heirs of promise the immutability (ametatheton meaning unchangeableness) of His counsel, confirmed (emesiteusen from mesiteuo meaning to guarantee) His promise by an oath. Where two immutable things or facts are considered (1) in that it is impossible for God to lie, and (2) God swore by Himself, the believer can have full assurance that God will do what He says He will do. Jehovah God wanted to demonstrate to mankind that He was eager to show that His purposes are unalterable. Furthermore, the believer can flee for refuge in God and lay hold upon the hope he has in Jehovah God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. For hope is an anchor (agkuras) of the soul which is sure and steadfast. So once and for all time the Hebrews had fled from Judaism because they grasp a better hope. Fudge writes, "This hope is an anchor of the soul. The anchor was a symbol of hope in the ancient world as well as now. Our anchor is both sure or unfailing and steadfast or firmly fixed. We can have strong confidence in our hope. Within the veil indicates the most holy place of the tabernacle, into which only the high priest entered one day each year. The phrase here symbolizes the presence of God, and refers to the fact that Jesus has passed into heaven as the next verse (20) will state" (p. 67). This hope is in a Man, the God-man, Christ Jesus. He is our High Priest, a forerunner (prodromos meaning one who comes in advance to a place to which others follow) for us having entered heaven (which is spoken as behind the veil). Since He is our Forerunner or Precursor, we can approach the throne of Jehovah God though our Savior; He is also our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
So the historical facts are: "(1) God made a deal with Abraham (Genesis 22:17); (2) God sent Jesus to earth, the seed of Abraham, 'made of a woman, made under the law' by a virgin birth (Galatians 4:4); (3) God raised Jesus from the dead and thus designated Him universally as His son (Psalm 2:7; Acts 13:33); (4) God received Jesus back into the inner sanctuary and designated Him as King (Psalm 110:1); (5) God also designated Jesus as Priest and sealed it with an oath (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:21); (6) God invited the Priest to pray for the redeemed elect who will be born into His corporate Body from the uttermost parts of the earth (Psalm 2:8); finally (7) God also promised us in His Word that he would save us who believe (John 3:16; 5:24; 6:37; Romans 10:9, 10)...These historic facts, documented in His inspired Word are the stuff of Christian theology. Now the question remains - is Jesus, in His role as Melchizedek Priest, superior to Aaron in his role as a Levitical priest? Indeed, he is infinitely superior as the argument of chapters 7 - 10 shows" (Yeager, p. 224). Man has never had a better deal!
"No believer ought to doubt God's will to save him, for God gives him perfect assurance that the nature of God's purpose is unchanging. The believer, who has eternal security because of this unchanging will of God can sing Fanny Crosby's hymn:
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood."
(Kistemaker, p. 174)
| Heb. Intro. | Heb 1 | Heb 2 | Heb 3 | Heb 4 | Heb 5 |
| Heb 6 | Heb 7 | Heb 8 | Heb 9 | Heb 10 | Heb 11 |
| Heb 12 | Heb 13 | Heb Bib |
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