Introduction

There are many different ways to view this Bible passage.  My views on this passage are influenced by my belief this passage is addressed to believers (the uses of “we” and “us” thus far in the book, and 6:9’s use of “beloved,” generally used in the epistles to refer to believers).  This forms the third of our letter’s warning passages, warning us not to depart from God’s words. 

Immediate Background

After showing that Christ is better than angels, prophets, and Moses, our writer moves to tell us Christ’s ministry is superior to any other priest.  He’s said Christ priesthood takes the mantle of Melchizedek’s, but then stops (5:1-10).  He begins to criticize his readers not progressing on in their faith as they should (5:11-14).  He tells them they resemble “infants” in Christ, not the teachers they should be.  They’ve not used what God’s given them as they should.  He’s hesitant to go on and explain what’s he’s trying to say; they may not understand it.

Our Text

Our writer begins in verses 1-3 by challenging his readers to go beyond the basics (principles) of their faith and move on to maturity (perfection).  He wants them to move beyond three areas of discussion:  repentance and faith, washings and laying on of hands, the resurrection and eternal judgment.  Moving to maturity requires them to put their faith to use in works.  He started this discussion in 5:11-14, and moves forward to a discussion of those that “fall away” in verses 4-6.  He illustrates his meaning from nature in verses 7-8.  Verses 9-12 teach he believes his readers have not made this error, but should be careful to show diligence not to make this error.  Finally, verses 13-20 remind us about our hope of entering “within the veil,” heaven, because our high priest Jesus, after the order of Melchizedek, has entered in ahead of us.

Interpretive Issues

The key issues in this section revolve around verses 4-6, and how they impact the rest of the passage.  Some see these verses presenting merely a hypothetical possibility, others see a possibility of losing salvation.  I believe the Bible presents a real warning to believers, but not of losing salvation.  The danger is discovering our faith and thus our lives are fruitless and devoid of power.  We will examine the text to see how this conclusion displays itself.

Verses 4-6

The warning in verses 4-6 is addressed to people who have received four things.  First, they were enlightened (v. 4).  This word appears again in 10:32 describing individual salvation. Their description as having tasted the heavenly gift (v. 4) describes knowing or experiencing salvation’s grace.  The word for taste is used of Christ’s death in 2:9. Christ really did die when he “tasted death.”  Being described as “partakers of the Holy Ghost” reminds us of 3:1’s words of these same people as partaking the heavenly calling and finding Christ as their “Apostle and High Priest.” 6:5 goes on to say the people described had tasted the good word and the coming powers.  2:3-4 describe the words and miracles that accompanied the arrival of the gospel message in Acts. 

The concern begins with verse 6, that some might fall away.  This particular term for fall away is used only here in the New Testament.  What had happened is not exactly described here in the passage. Some of its results are described.  It becomes impossible to renew them again to repentance.  Since the topic in the chapter is maturity and growth (the reason for this entire discussion), it follows that this is the meaning of repentance.  The danger the readers face is not moving on in their faith.  They become left as “infants,” unable to understand or use the tools God has given them for their lives. These ones are an embarrassment to Christ, shaming Him as if He was crucified again.

The Illustrations in vv. 7-8

The Illustrations from nature point to results and judgment (verses 7-8).  The same ground is viewed in both verses.  Both receive rain. The difference is in what growth occurs.  Good ground brings forth intended results and is blessed by God.  Other ground that brings forth thorn and briers, is rejected, cursed, and those results are going to be burned.  The cursed ground failed to give the good results expected.

The challenge in vv. 9-13

The readers were encouraged that as believers (beloved by God), better things than the ones discussed are true of them. They had not entered a state of permanent dulling of their faith.  They worked and labored from love.  They served other believers.  Nevertheless, they were challenged to show diligence to not be slothful (sluggish).  This would happen if they did not move forward in imitating those who have previously inherited God’s promises by using their faith and patience. 

An Interpretation

These readers should be concerned if their faith was not growing to maturity.  They should have been moving on beyond the basics of their faith (milk vs. meat meaning depth of understanding teaching?), but there was a danger they would stay infants in growth.  They had received everything necessary to grow, and should be careful not to fall away from the path to maturity.  Otherwise, they may become permanently dull of hearing (5:11), unable to hear use God’s words in their lives.  They would shame Christ by bearing His name, yet fall away from His plan for growth and maturity in life.  Their lives would bear useless fruits, useless to them now, only worthy of burning before Christ’s judgment seat. 

We too need to be wary of being satisfied to live a life characterized by spiritual dullness.  We overcome these things by using what God’s given us to make good decisions about right and wrong (5:11).  We overcome by bringing out fruit in our lives now from what God gives (6:7-8).  We overcome by demonstrating love and service to other believers (6:9-10).  We overcome by keeping faith in God and patiently enduring while we wait for Him to keep His promises (6:11-13).  We overcome by looking forward to being in heaven with our high priest Jesus, a priest after the order of Melchizedek (6:14-20).

Hebrews 6

1) Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3) And this will we do, if God permit.
4)For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6) 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.
7) For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8) But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9) But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10) For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11) And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12) That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
13) For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
14) Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
15) And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16) For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
17) Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18) That by two immutable 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 stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.