Глава 6

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 conversion from dead works and faith in God. Hebrews 6:2. The doctrine of baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. Hebrews 6:3. And we will do this, if God allows. “Let us then leave the beginning of Christ’s word and let us pursue it. What is the beginning of Christ's word? Not again, the foundation of repentance is laid on dead works, and faith in God,” “baptismal teachings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.” “And we will do this if God commands.” Having reproached them for wavering in faith (for the Apostle called this “milk”), he advises to strive for perfection and to edify the rest on the foundations already laid, and not to lay another foundation again. “Foundation” he called faith, and “dead works” - wickedness. For those who believe, abhorring their stench and resorting to repentance, approach divine baptism, from the priestly hand they receive the grace of the Spirit and, having received the prototype of the resurrection in divine baptism, await the general resurrection and future judgment of all. Therefore, the divine Apostle says that one should desire what is most perfect, and not again first learn the letters of piety. The words: “And this we will do, if God commands,” the Apostle put in connection with what was said above: “The same, having left the beginning of Christ’s word, let us be led to do it. And we will do this if God commands,” that is, we will try, we will desire to love all work for the sake of perfection. Usually the Apostle delivers everything depending on God’s providence, which is why he added: “if God commands.” So in the Epistle to the Corinthians he said: “I will come... to you if the Lord pleases” (1 Cor. 4:19). The Apostle put the word “baptism” in the plural, not teaching that there are many baptisms, but because many enjoy the grace of baptism. And what he preached one baptism, he teaches the following. Hebrews 6:4. For it is impossible - once enlightened, and having tasted the heavenly gift, and becoming partakers of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 6:5. And those who have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come. Hebrews 6:6. And those who have fallen away should again be renewed with repentance, when they again crucify the Son of God within themselves and curse Him. “It is impossible for those who have been enlightened by one and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have been partakers of the Holy Spirit,” “and have tasted the good word of God and the power of the coming age,” “and those who have fallen away, again renewed into repentance, and again crucify the Son of God to themselves and reprove.” It is an extremely impossible task, says the Apostle, for those who have approached all-holy baptism, who have partaken of the grace of the Spirit of God, who have received the prototype of eternal blessings, to begin again and be worthy of another baptism. For this means nothing other than nailing the Son of God to the cross again and again inflicting the reproach that was inflicted on Him. For just as He endured suffering once, so it is fitting for us to join Him in suffering once; “Let us be buried in Him through baptism” (Rom. 6:4) and rise together with Him. Therefore, it is impossible for us to use the gift of baptism again. For “Christ, having risen from the dead, no longer dies; death does not possess Him. For even if I die, I die through sin alone: ​​but if I die, I live because of God” (Rom. 6:9-10). “And our old man will be crucified with Him” in baptism, taking on the image of death. “And the good word of God” the Apostle called the promise of good things. And he called baptism and the grace of the Spirit “the powers of the coming age,” because through them the promised benefits can be achieved. The Apostle said this, teaching those who believed among the Jews not to regard all-holy baptism as similar to Jewish baptisms. For those did not resolve sins, but purified the imaginary defilement, and therefore were performed repeatedly and often, but our baptism is one, as serving as an image of saving suffering and resurrection and prescribing for us a future resurrection. Novatov's followers arm themselves with these apostolic sayings against the truth, not understanding that the divine Apostle did not prohibit the healing of repentance with them, but taught where the limit of Divine baptism is. Therefore, he added: “the second is those who crucify the Son of God to themselves and expose them.” For to partake of the Divine Sacrament twice means to “reprove” it. And that the Apostle everywhere preaches repentance, what he wrote to the Corinthians testifies to this, and what he wrote to the Galatians also testifies, and he sows the teaching about this everywhere. But we will proceed to continue the interpretation. Heb.6:7. The land that drinks the rain that falls on it repeatedly and produces grain that is 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. “The earth, which drinks the rain that descends upon it in abundance and gives birth to former good things, in the same way it is done, receives a blessing from God”: “but the one that wears out thorns and thistles is indecent and there are oaths near, even death in burning.” By this similitude the Apostle showed what blessings those who bear the ripe fruits of piety enjoy, and what those who produce thorns will endure. In a figurative sense he called the teaching rain. So the prophet Isaiah, or better yet, God Himself, through the mouth of the Prophet, said: “And the cloud commanded that no rain should fall on it” (Is. 5:6); and in the Divine Gospel it is said: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37) since the Apostle used harsh words, mentioning thorns and fire, he consoles with the praise he writes down. Hebrews 6:9. However, for you, beloved, we hope that you are in better condition and are holding on to salvation, although we say so. “We hope for you, beloved, that you are better and hold fast to salvation, even if we say so.” And so that it does not seem that it is more flattering than being guided by the truth, it reminds them of what they have already succeeded in, thereby making them more zealous for the work of God. 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. “For God will not offend you, forget your deeds and labors of love, which you showed in His name, serving the saints and serving.” So, recognizing this in them, why do you call them weak, infants, and of little value? 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. So that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. “We wish that every one of you be diligent in making known the hope even to the end,” “that you may not be lazy, but imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and patience.” With these words the Apostle makes it clear that at the beginning they showed greater generosity, but it was dulled by the incessant and continuous waves of contrary circumstances. But he also showed his compassion. For he says: “It is desirable and highly desirable for me to always see this zeal in you. And this will happen if, without any doubt, you hold within yourself the hopes given to you about the future, looking at those saints, glorified by their faith, who, for their great patience, enjoyed the promised blessings.” And for comparison he makes a mention of many, but for now he brings out the patriarch Abraham and shows that although he accepted God’s promises, he saw the end of them after a very long time. Hebrews 6:13. God, giving a promise to Abraham, as he could not swear by anyone higher, swore by Himself. Hebrews 6:14. Saying: By truly blessing I will bless you, and by multiplying I will multiply you. Hebrews 6:15. And so Abraham, being patient, received what was promised. “For God promised Abraham, before he swears by any greater name, he swears by himself,” “the verb: I will bless thee indeed, and multiply I will multiply thee.” “And being so patient, receive the promise.” The Apostle showed the truth of the Promiser, because, he says, the Promiser was God, having nothing higher than Himself, and the oath served as a witness, since He swore by Himself. However, having promised and confirmed it with oaths, he did not immediately fulfill the promises. On the contrary, the patriarch needed a lot of patience and only after a very long time did he see the truth of the promise. The Apostle teaches why God swore, and swore by Himself. Hebrews 6:16. People swear by the highest, and an oath as confirmation ends every dispute between them. “Men swear by the greatest, and every contradiction of theirs comes to an end with the announcement of an oath (there is).” It is the custom of people to confirm words with an oath, and it is also their custom to swear more. Hebrews 6:17. Therefore, God, wanting to better show the heirs of the promise the immutability of His will, used an oath as a medium. “In this case, it is unnecessary for God to show the heir of the promise of His immutable counsel, intercession with an oath.” Therefore, God added an oath to the word, wanting to show the truthfulness of the promise and the fact that after the oath it is impossible to put anything else in the advice of God. 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. “Yes, two immutable things, in which it is impossible to lie to God, are strong consolation for the imams who have resorted to the hope set before them. “Two things” the Apostle called a word and an oath. For even by using one word, God fulfills the promise, and even more so by adding an oath to the word. This, says the Apostle, He did, giving us firm confidence, teaching us to expect God's promises and not fall into unbelief if we do not see the fulfillment of what was promised. For “the hope that is seen is not hope” (Rom. 8:24). Hebrews 6:19. Which for the soul is like an anchor, safe and strong, and enters the innermost part behind the veil. “It is like the kotva of the imams of the soul,” that is, hope “is firm and known, and enters into the innermost part of the veil.” The Apostle called heaven a veil, because the Lord promised to give the Kingdom of Heaven to those who believed in Him. We hope for these blessings, says the Apostle, and we adhere to this hope as a sacred anchor. For even the anchor hidden in the depths does not allow our souls to rush here and there. But the Apostle proves in a different way the indisputability of the hope of good things. Hebrews 6:20. Where Jesus entered as a forerunner for us, becoming a High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. “Where Jesus is the forerunner of us.” For our sake, says the Apostle, he became man, for our sake he gave up his body to death and, having crushed death, ascended into heaven, “he became the firstfruits of those who died” (1 Cor. 15:20). He increased this confidence by our name: forerunner. For if He is our “forerunner” and ascended for us, then it is necessary for us to follow and receive the right to ascend. This and the Lord said to the apostles: “Many are the mansions of My Father, and if not, I would say to you: I will go and prepare a place for you. (John 14:2-3) So he said here: where Jesus is the forerunner for us. But the Apostle again turns to the word about the high priesthood. “According to the order of Melchizedek he became a High Priest forever.” He took this from the prophetic testimony. It is said: “You are the Arch-Priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 109:4). Christ is the “High Priest forever,” not as a sacrificer, because He offered His body once, but as an Intercessor, leading those who believe to the Father. For it is said: “Those imams bring the wallpaper to the Father” (Eph. 2:18). And the Lord Himself is in the Sacred. The Gospel says: “no one will come to the Father except by Me” (John 14:6). It is necessary to know that the divine Apostle mentioned the oaths given to Abraham as proof of the “immutability of God’s counsel”, so that the firmness of the high priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek was visible. For as soon as he touched it, it is added to the word. oath. The comparison, which the Apostle was ready to make many times, is made only now, and first of all he brings to mind the story of Melchizedek. In Greek παρασεργματίσαι - to expose to shame. You might be interested in: