Hebrews 6
Big idea: The letter's hardest passage, and its gentlest, in the same chapter. Verses 4–6 describe people who were enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, shared in the Spirit — and then fell away, of whom it says it is IMPOSSIBLE to renew them to repentance. Readers have divided over that sentence for centuries. And then, without softening a word of it, verse 9 turns: but beloved, we are persuaded of BETTER THINGS FOR YOU. The chapter ends on an oath and an anchor.
Chapter 6 clears the ground and ends with Jesus entering behind the veil as a forerunner. Chapter 7 finally takes up Melchizedek, the subject 5:11 postponed.
6:1–8 — It is impossible to renew them again
The preacher refuses to re-lay a foundation and presses on — and then states the warning that has divided readers ever since. Four things are said of the people in view, and all four sound like genuine Christian experience: enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, made partakers of the Spirit, tasted the good word of God. What is disputed is what the passage is describing, and the letter does not settle it.
1 Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let’s press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God, 2 of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 This will we do, if God permits. 4 For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame. 7 For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
6:9–20 — An anchor of the soul
The turn is immediate and it is addressed: BUT, BELOVED. Having issued the warning, the preacher tells these particular readers he does not think it describes them — and the evidence he cites is not their doctrine but their service, which God is 'NOT UNRIGHTEOUS SO AS TO FORGET'. Then an argument from Abraham: God swore an oath, not because his word needed reinforcing but because the heirs needed reassuring.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this. 10 For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them. 11 We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end, 12 that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises. 13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation. 17 In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge 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 entering into that which is within the veil, 20 where as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).