Глава VI

Drive to excellence (1–3). The uselessness of these motives for those who have fallen away (4–6). The sad fate of the latter (7–8). Hope for better condition of listeners (9–12). The certainty of God's promises for faith and patience (13-20). Hebrews 6:1. Therefore, having left the beginnings of the teaching of Christ, let us hasten to perfection; and let us not again lay the foundation for turning from dead works and believing in God, “Having left the beginnings of the teaching of Christ,” that is, without dwelling in detail on the beginnings of the teaching—on what is more or less known and understandable—“let us hasten to perfection,” that is, the knowledge of the teaching of Christ, which leads to the moral perfection of people. – “We will not believe again” is a thought that explains the first sentence (“having left the beginnings”) in a negative form. Among the issues that the apostle now considers unnecessary to deal with, postponing, however, only until another convenient time, are listed: repentance (“turning from dead works”), faith, baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. - “Conversion from dead works” is actually the abandonment of Jewish rituals or the fruitless works of the law (Rom. 3:20), and then in general the abandonment of sinful deeds, to which the name of the dead befits because they lead to eternal death, moving away from true life (cf. Heb. 9:14). Hebrews 6:2. the doctrine of baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. "The Doctrine of Baptisms". The plural is probably used in relation to the multitude of those baptized, and perhaps because the apostle is thinking here of Jewish cleansings (βαπτισμοί) and John’s baptism, different from Christian baptism, the difference of which from the Christian sacrament is assumed to be known. By “laying on of hands”, undoubtedly, we mean the sacrament of anointing that followed baptism, which was then performed on everyone through the laying on of hands with the sending down of the Holy Spirit on those being baptized. - “About the resurrection of the dead and about eternal judgment,” the apostle finds it possible not to speak, because the teaching about this should also be sufficiently known both from the oral preaching of the apostles and from their epistles, especially the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 15:1; 1 Thess. 4, etc.). Hebrews 6:3. And we will do this, if God allows. Hebrews 6:4. For it is impossible - once enlightened, and having tasted the heavenly gift, and becoming partakers of the Holy Spirit, In verse 3, the apostle promises to speak in more detail about everything mentioned, and this promise begins to be partially fulfilled, speaking of repentance (in accordance with Heb. 6:1) after the supposed falling away, which he portrays as a terrible and terrible thing in all respects. Apparently, he saw some signs of this falling away in the readers, and therefore speaks with such force against him, expressing confidence that his interlocutors adhere to the right path (Heb. 6:9). - “Enlightened”, that is, by the grace of the Holy Spirit and the teaching of the Gospel (cf. Heb 6:4, 10:32; John 1:9; 2 Cor 4:4, 6). - “Those who have tasted the gift of heaven...” - justification given by God to those who believe in Christ and also called by the Apostle - “an ineffable gift” (2 Cor 9:15; Rom 5:17; cf. Heb. 2:4, 10:20), and in general the grace of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 6:5. and having tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, “Those who have tasted the good word of God,” that is, who have experienced with their own direct feeling the power and sweetness of the Gospel truth. - “Forces of the Future Century”. Here we mean not only the extraordinary gifts of the apostolic time, but also all those powers of sanctification and glorification that even now give the Christian victory over death. By experiencing the action of these forces, the Christian anticipates the glory of eternal life, the life of the next century. Hebrews 6:6. and those who have fallen away, to renew them again with repentance, when they again crucify the Son of God within themselves and curse Him. “Those who have fallen away...”, which is always combined with bitterness against Christ and His Church (cf. Heb. 10:29), making this falling away a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which cannot be forgiven either in this age or in the next (Matthew 12:31), because for people of this kind correction is impossible. Heb.6:7. The earth, which drinks the rain that falls on it many times and produces grain useful to those for whom it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God; Hebrews 6:8. but the thorns and thistles that produce are worthless and are close to a curse, the end of which is burning. Comparing people with the earth, good people with fruitful land, evil people with worthless land. The first receives both human labor for cultivation and God’s blessing, the second receives neither one nor the other, and even curses and burning threaten it, because it produces “thorns and thistles” - harmful to humans (cf. Matthew 15:13; John 15:2; Matthew 3:10). Hebrews 6:9. However, for you, beloved, we hope that you are in better condition and hold on to salvation, although we say this, Hebrews 6:10. For God is not unjust to forget your work and the labor of love that you have shown in His name, serving and serving the saints. “Beloved...” – cf. Rom 9:3. The apostle bases his confidence that his listeners are not in danger of suffering the fate of those who have fallen away just described on their Christian love, manifested in works of mercy towards their brothers in faith (saints) (cf. Heb 13:24; Rom 15:25, 31; 1 Cor 16:1; 2 Cor 8:4). Hebrews 6:11. We wish that each of you, for complete confidence in hope, will show the same zeal to the end, Hebrews 6:12. lest you become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. By wishing that in the future the listeners would succeed in zeal for virtue, the apostle obviously encourages them, pointing out that virtue is an indispensable condition for receiving God’s promises, like faith and patience in general, with which it is inextricably united. Hebrews 6:13. God, giving a promise to Abraham, as he could not swear by anyone higher, swore by Himself, Having mentioned faith and patience, the Apostle brings to the memory of his listeners the greatest example of these virtues - the father of believers Abraham, who is at the same time an example of the immutability of Divine promises to believers (Gen. 22:16-18). Hebrews 6:14. saying: By blessing I will bless you, and by multiplying I will multiply you. Hebrews 6:15. And so Abraham, being patient, received what was promised. Hebrews 6:16. People swear by the highest, and an oath as confirmation ends every dispute between them. Hebrews 6:17. Therefore, God, wanting more to show the heirs of the promise the immutability of His will, used an oath as a medium, “Heirs of the promise,” that is, those who believe in Christ, as spiritual children of Abraham (Rom. 9:7–8). Hebrews 6:18. so that in two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have firm consolation, having come running to take hold of the hope set before us, “So that in two immutable things”, in the promise in itself and the oath, as the immutable acts of God... - “We who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may have firm consolation,” that is, so that not only without any doubt, but even with firm consolation, we would look for the fulfillment of God’s promises to those who believe. Hebrews 6:19. which for the soul is like an anchor, safe and strong, and enters into the interior behind the veil, Hebrews 6:20. where Jesus entered as a forerunner for us, becoming a High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Holding on to this hope like an anchor, safe and strong, we safely pass through the stormy sea of ​​life and reach our pier, which extends into the heavenly Holy of Holies, where our High Priest, Jesus, entered for us as the Forerunner. With this method of speech, the apostle again returns to the most important subject of his message - the high priesthood of Christ. - “He entered as a forerunner for us” - he entered as the first to show us the way there and make it easier. You might be interested in: