Hebrews
6
New
American Standard Bible (NASB)
The
Peril of Falling Away
6
Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to
maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of
faith toward God, 2 of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and
the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if
God permits. 4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have
tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5
and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and
then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance,
since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open
shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings
forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a
blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and
close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.
Better
Things for You
9
But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that
accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10 For God is not
unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His
name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. 11 And we
desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full
assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but
imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
13
For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one
greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and I will
surely multiply you.” 15 And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the
promise. 16 For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath
given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17 In the same way God,
desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of
His purpose, interposed with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in
which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have
strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we
have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which
enters within the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us,
having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Matthew
Henry's Commentary
Verses
1-8
We
have here the apostle’s advice to the Hebrews—that they would grow up from a
state of childhood to the fullness of the stature of the new man in Christ. He
declares his readiness to assist them all he could in their spiritual progress;
and, for their greater encouragement, he puts himself with them: Let us go on.
Here observe, In order to their growth, Christians must leave the principles of
the doctrine of Christ. How must they leave them? They must not lose them, they
must not despise them, they must not forget them. They must lay them up in
their hearts, and lay them as the foundation of all their profession and
expectation; but they must not rest and stay in them, they must not be always
laying the foundation, they must go on, and build upon it. There must be a
superstructure; for the foundation is laid on purpose to support the building.
Here it may be enquired, Why did the apostle resolve to set strong meat before
the Hebrews, when he knew they were but babes? Answer. 1. Though some of them
were but weak, yet others of them had gained more strength; and they must be
provided for suitably. And, as those who are grown Christians must be willing
to hear the plainest truths preached for the sake of the weak, so the weak must
be willing to hear the more difficult and mysterious truths preached for the
sake of those who are strong. 2. He hoped they would be growing in their
spiritual strength and stature, and so be able to digest stronger meat.
The
Bible Panorama
Hebrews 6
V
1–3: PROGRESS The readers are urged to progress from the foundational truths of
the gospel in order to get to know God better. They are not told to abandon
those truths, but to go on from them, as a boat would leave the harbour. It
still needs that harbour! V 4–6: PARTAKERS There are those who come to the very
edge of faith in Christ and even partake of some of the Holy Spirit’s blessings
(partake literally means ‘to go along with’) without ever having turned to
Christ. Their hearts have become hardened by tasting God’s Word without taking
it in, and by skirmishing around the border instead of entering into the
blessing. V 7–8: PARABLE The parable used here, of thorns and brambles coming
up from the ground, reminds us that our fruit will show whether we are truly
saved or not. V 9–12: PERSUADED The writer, however, tells his readers that he
is confident that they are saved and that there are things that accompany their
salvation that he has noticed. This includes labouring in love for other
Christians. He urges them to be diligent to walk with God day by day, through
faith and patience, inheriting God’s promises. V 13–18: PURPOSE Just as God
confirmed His word and intentions through Abraham, He has confirmed it through
His promise and His oath, fulfilled in Jesus Christ. V 19–20: PRESENCE The
Christian’s sure hope is anchored, as is his soul, in the presence of Jesus
Christ in heaven. Like an anchor securing a boat, Jesus is there to ensure that
those who trust in Him will be there with Him.
The
Bible Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One Publications.
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