The Strand Study Bible

HEBREWS

HEBREWS

2066

In affirming this, the author’s words suggested a deep hardening of their hearts against all efforts to win them back, not to the Christian conversion, but to Christian commitment. 1

NOTE –According to Jesus in Matthew 6:23 , if the spiritual insight of a believer grows dim due to a preoccupation with the world, allowing the old nature to take control ( Gal 5:16-17 ), then according to Jesus his insight will be as dark, if not darker (Deut 28:15,28-34,45 and II Chro 33:9), than that of an unsaved person. No believer can get away with shaming the Son of God while the Spirit of God lives within him. To do so is to greatly insult the light (Spirit) that you were given the day you got saved ( I Jn 5:16a,b ). Question: How dark can a Christian go? Answer: Darker than he ever thought he could go… 6:4b This word ( once ) is the Greek word ‘ DSD[ ( hapax ) and means “ once-for-all .” Hapax describes for us the “one-time” birth of the salvation experience (Jn 3:1-3). Thus, the writer here is speaking to believers, not people who professed to be saved but never were. The whole context deals with the immaturity of a believer, not the insecurity of a believer. 6:4c This word ( enlightened ) is the Greek word SZοτLσθHQτD9 ( photisthentas ). It is a participle and aorist in tense and means “at once to become illuminated ” (spiritually enlighted; saved - Heb 10:32). This word refers to regeneration (the new birth - Titus 3:5). 6:4d This word ( have tasted ) is the Greek word JHXσDPHQοX9 ( geusamenous ). It too is a participle and aorist in tense and means at once “ to fully partake of the gift ” (to experience salvation in its entirety - Heb 2:9) (Rom 6:23 and Eph 2:8-9). This word also refers to regeneration. Lawrence O Richards in Bible Reader’s Companion notes: Some argue that “taste” here implies the writer is addressing unbelievers. But in O.T. and N.T. “taste” is used of the conscious experience of divine realities. Thus the psalmist says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8). “Taste” is not used in contrast with “partake”; these are true believers. 7 Hebrews 6:9 makes it clear that the writer does not view these believers as lost. But he does confront them. 6:4e This word ( made ) is the Greek word JHQKθHQτD9 ( genethentas ). It too is a participle and aorist in tense and means at once “ to become real sharers (partakers) of the Holy Ghost ” (Jn 6:63, Ezk 37:1-10 and Eph 2:1,5). 6:5 This word ( have tasted ) is the same Greek word used in verse 4. It is the word JHXσDPHQοX9 ( geusamenous ). It is a participle and aorist in tense and means at once “ to fully partake (in its entirety - Heb 2:9) the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come ” (speaking of the salvation experience - Rom 10:17). 6:6a This word ( fall away ) is the Greek word SDUDSHσοQτD9 ( parapesontas ), not DSοστDσLD ( apostasia ). Parapesontas is also a participle and aorist in tense and means at once “ to fall aside from known truth; to take a false step; to sin a sin that could lead to an untimely death for a Christian ” (I Cor 11: 26-30, Acts 5:1-11 and I Jn 5:16). NOTE - Although some Bible commentators want to associate this portion of Scripture with “apostasy” the Greek word DSοστDσLD ( apostasia ) is not used here. Again, the entire context relates to believers who err (make false steps) because of immaturity, not believers who have fallen from salvation because they crossed some line. 6:6b According to the Bible, there are two kinds of repentance : (1) One for the unsaved (for salvation purposes - Mt 3:2,8,11); and (2) One for the saved (for sanctification purposes - Lk 17:3-4 and II Cor 12:21). NOTE - The call here for repentance is aimed at the saved (beloved – vs 9), for the purpose of sanctification . 6:8 This word ( rejected ) is the Greek word DGοNLPο9 ( adokimos ) and means “ not able to hold up when tested, and therefore cast away; a reprobate .” Paul uses this same exact word in I Cor. 9:27 to describe the fate of those believers who fail to finish their race. 6:13 The reason God can swear by Himself is because God’s character is based on His unchanging nature ( Rom 1:20b – points #4,5), which elevates His Word above all His name (Psa 138:2). God is not a man that He should lie (Num 23:19), nor can He repent of some evil thought and change His mind like we humans (I Sam 15:29 and Exo 32:10-14 ). His character speaks for itself ( Colo 2:9 ). The immutability of God’s character means that He never loses his own integrity or lets others down (He is not indifferent to human activity or need - Jere 26:13). Unlike man, God can change His mind without changing who He is. NOTE - The doctrine of the Sabbath is but one example of God changing His mind without changing Who He is ( Gen 2:2 ). 6:18 There are two unchangeable elements ( two immutable things ) to God’s covenant with Abraham: * God’s character; His Person ( because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself – vs. 13) God’s character is governed by His eternal immutability (the fact that He never differs from Himself – Rom 1:20b – point #4, Jms 1:17, Psa 139:24 , Heb 13:8 , Heb 9:14 and Psa 9:14 ). * God’s Word; His Promise ( in which it was impossible for God to lie – vs 18) 7:3 There are three offices ( Rev 1:5 ), commonly set forth in the Scriptures as being the channels of CHRIST’S work for lost men: (1) Prophet (Deut 18:15,18,19/Acts 3:22-23 and Jn 1:19-21); (2) Priest (Psa 110:4/Heb 5:6 & 7:17,21); and (3) King (Zeph 3:15/ Mt 2:2 & 27:42, Jn 1:49, I Tim 6: 14- 15 b and Rev 19:16). Whereas Jesus ministered after the order of Melchisedec, a non-Jewish universal priest who represented an eternal priesthood (vs 17,21) and was a type of CHRIST (or, a theophany –a preincarnate appearance of Jesus – Gen 14:18 a ), Aaron ministered after the order of sinful men (Jewish priests who represented a temporal priesthood, meant only for the nation of Israel - vs 11,28). Jesus is therefore superior to the Levitical Priesthood, which could only offer sacrifices, but not make intercession. Jesus, our High Priest, can do both (vs 24-28).

1 John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. The Bible Knowledge Commentary , USA, Scripture Press Pub., 1983. Print. 2 Rogers, Adrian. What Every Christian Ought to Know . Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers. 2005. Print. 3 Ellicott, Charles John. Ellicott’s Bible Commentary , Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 1971. Print. 4 Falwell, Jerry. Liberty Bible Commentary , Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983. Print. 5 McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible , (I Cor. -Rev.), Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson, 1983. Print. 6 Lucado, Max. The Devotional Bible , Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson, 2003. Print. 7 Richards, Lawrence O. Bible Reader’s Companion , Colorado Springs, CO, Cook Communications, 1991,2004. Print.