Hebrews 6 Study Part One
The Peril of Not Progressing
6 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to [a]perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this [b]we will do if God permits.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 [c]if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
A Better Estimate
9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and [d]labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become [e]sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
NOTES HEBREWS 6 STUDY (PART ONE – vv. 1-4, v. 1, v. 2, vv. 4-6, v. 4, v. 5, v. 6, vv. 7-8, v. 10, v. 12)
6:1-4: A glimpse at some features of oral apostolic tradition …
6:1: PERFECTION is Christian maturity, the result of spiritual growth … DEAD WORKS are done without God’s grace and without faith … Works of the Law are dead to those who know the new covenant … Good works are done in FAITH TOWARD GOD …
6:2: BAPTISMS are all the rites of washing, including those of the OT and of John the Baptist, fulfilled by Christ in the Sacrament of holy baptism … LAYING ON OF HANDS has several uses in the NT, such as for healing, prophetic commission, ordination, and reception of the Holy Spirit – (Chrismation) …
6:4-6: This passage refers to those who have apostatized, that is, those who, after baptized, have rejected Christ and His saving power … Historically speaking, these verses have been used in discussions of repentance … Here are two examples, Tertullian, the Montanists and other ancient schismatics used these verses to argue there is no repentance from apostasy – (FALLING AWAY) …
6:4: The basic sacraments are crucial to salvation: ONE IS ONCE ENLIGHTENED in baptism, which is unrepeatable and called the sacrament of illumination – (see also, Ephesians 5:14) … TASTED THE HEAVENLY GIFT – (see also, 1Peter 2:3) may refer to the grace of baptism – St. John Chrysostom says the gift is especially the forgiveness of sin experienced in baptism – and it most certainly refers to the Eucharist … BECOME PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT refers to the fruit of chrismation, the experience of knowing the HOLY SPIRIT …
Ephesians 5:14: Therefore, He says:
“Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
1Peter 2:3: if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
6:5: Besides the sacraments – (v. 4), belief and life experience are also essential: TASTED THE GOOD WORD OF GOD refers to the message of the gospel and the true doctrine of the Church, especially the confession of faith … THE POWERS OF THE AGE TO COME are manifold: incorruption and eternal life, the presence of the future Kingdom of God here and now, and miracles and spiritual gifts – (Matthew 7:22-23; Matthew 12:28) …
Matthew 7:22-23: Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 12:28: But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
6:6: Those who revert to Judaism CRUCIFY CHRIST AGAIN – They become like those who hung Christ on the Cross, who denied His deity and His saving power … They put themselves in a position of needing to be baptized again, which us impossible, for baptism is death and the dead cannot be put to death … To deny one’s baptism is to mock Christ’s death … Such may not be renewed AGAIN TO REPENTANCE …
6:7-8: These verses are reminiscent of John the Baptist and Jesus’ images and parables of trees and their fruit – (Matthew 3:8-10; and Matthew 7:16-20; Matthew 12:33; and Matthew 21:19) …
Matthew 3:8-10: Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matthew 7:16-20: You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them
Matthew 12:33: “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
Matthew 21:19: And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
6:10: TO MINISTER is to serve someone else’s will … It has liturgical dimension … In part, ministry flows out of the liturgical worship – (see, 2Corinthians 9:12, where “THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS SERVICE is better translated “The service of this worship”) prayer leads to action: The supreme NT example is the collection for the church in Jerusalem – (Romans 15:25, 31; and 2Corinthians 8:4) …
2Corinthians 9:12: For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,
Romans 15:23: But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you,
Romans 15:31: that I may be delivered from those in Judea who [a]do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,
2Corinthians 8:4: imploring us with much urgency [a]that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
6:12: For examples, see vv. 13-15 and read Hebrews 11 …
PSALM 110 (111) STUDY & BREAKDOWN
I WILL READ IT FROM STUDY BIBLE IT’S 10 VERSES AND FROM THERE I WILL BREAK IT DOWN FOR SUMMARY …