Chapter Six
1. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2. Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Wherefore having left the elementary teaching of Christ, we should be moving on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God, of teaching about washings, the laying on of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead and of everlasting judgment (literal).1
The writer is letting his readers know that he will not be providing them with instruction in the basic elements of the Christian faith; even as spiritual infants, they should be aware of these. However, in a cursory fashion, he provides a review of what they should not be needing to learn again. Let’s consider them for a moment.
Repentance from dead works and faith in God are two elements of a single act: at conversion, there is a turning away from dead works and a turning to God (faith). To the Colossians, Paul wrote: “[God] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). Outside of the Lord, we are all under the power of darkness, “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), and, therefore, coming to faith in Christ involves turning from death, and turning to life in Him – both take place at the same time. Paul warned Timothy that a day is coming when people will turn away from the truth and be turned unto myths (lies) (2 Timothy 4:4); even in this, as they are turning away from the truth, they are turning to lies. What becomes evident is that it is not possible to occupy both darkness and light, or truth and error, at the same time; you are either in the one or the other, never both. James clarifies this for us by stating that no fountain will send forth both salty and sweet waters (James 3:12) – it will be either one or the other. Evangelicalism is filled with those who sincerely think that they are able to live in the light (they suppose that their destiny is heaven and the Lord) even as they continue to enjoy the pleasures of darkness. The writer of Hebrews is revealing that one of the basic principles of the Gospel is that faith in God necessitates a turning away from dead works – those things that do not have life, which is everything that we endeavor without His guidance. Jesus was very clear as to how we are to practice this principle: if ye are loving Me, then My commandments ye are to obey (John 14:15, literal); if ye obey My commandments, then ye will remain in My love (John 15:10a, literal).2 Obedience to the Lord’s commands is a departure from dead works into the good works that God has prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Unless we are living in obedience to the Lord, we are still abiding in dead works; once again, obedience to the Lord is essential!
Of teaching about washings is an interesting phrase. The Greek word for baptisms (washings) is baptismon, and it is plural.3 However, as we consider the Scriptures regarding baptism, it is evident that there is only one: Ephesians 4:5 – “One Lord, one faith, one baptism”; “Therefore we are buried with him [Christ] by baptism [singular] into death …” (Romans 6:4a). To understand this phrase correctly, we must consider Jewish traditions. The scribes and Pharisees found fault with Jesus’ disciples because they ate bread without having first washed their hands. The explanation given is this: for the Pharisees and all of the Jews, unless they diligently wash [from nipto, a ritual washing] the hands, they eat not – holding fast to the tradition of the elders; also [coming] from the market, unless they purify by washings [baptizontai (plural)], they eat not, and many other things there are which they learned by tradition, holding fast the washings [baptismous (plural)] of cups, and of pitchers and brass kettles, and dining couches (Mark 7:3-4, literal).4 The context clarifies that the Jews did not immerse themselves totally in water when they came from the market, but they would baptize (wash) their hands, and they had many other traditions related to ritual cleansings. These are traditions that the Jewish leaders had developed over the generations, but they are not a part of the Mosaic Law. From this we understand that the Jews who came to Christ, would have to learn to place many Jewish traditions into a proper perspective – they were traditions, and not something that was required by God.
Within the Mosaic Law, the washing symbolized spiritual cleansing; the Tabernacle included a brass laver that contained water for the priests to wash their hands and feet before entering into the Holy Place to minister – the Lord promised death to the one who failed to do so (Exodus 30:18-21). The priests were required to wash parts of some sacrifices for them to be pleasing to the Lord (Leviticus 1:9). If anyone carried what was unclean (even a bug), they were required to wash their clothes, and they remained unclean until evening (Leviticus 11:25). Clearly, the Mosaic Law included many washings that were required by God; but with the Lord’s sacrifice on the cross, the Mosaic Law, including its many washings, was ended; furthermore, the washings that were only Jewish traditions lost their foundation – it is safe to say that most of their traditions were based upon someone going beyond the Mosaic Law.
The laying on of hands within the NT, is something that only took place within the book of Acts, and was used by the Apostles to commission someone for a specific responsibility (Acts 6:6), and, on two occasions, to have the Holy Spirit enter into those who had just come to faith in Christ (Acts 8:17, 19:6). Within the OT, it was also used when commissioning someone to a task (Moses laid his hands upon Joshua as his replacement – Numbers 27:22-23), but, more frequently, placing the hands upon the head of a sacrificial animal, symbolized identification with the sacrifice to be made (Leviticus 8:14). Jewish Christians would have received early instruction regarding the laying on of hands so that they would know that there were some differences.
The final areas that the writer mentions pertain to the resurrection of the dead and everlasting judgment. The OT really does not have any clear teaching on the resurrection of the dead; it is in the NT that it becomes a significant doctrine. Elijah raised a lad from the dead, but he would have died again (1 Kings 17:21); within the concept of a general resurrection of the dead, there is really nothing definite. Job seems to have had some idea on this matter: “So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep” (Job 14:12); it seems that he believed that the dead would be raised at the end of time – a rather vague understanding at best. The Psalms express a difference between the death of the wicked and the righteous: “The wicked shall be turned into hell [shᵉ’owl], and all the nations [the peoples] that forget God” (Psalm 9:17); “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave [shᵉ’owl]: for he shall receive me” (Psalm 49:15).5 Sheol is primarily translated as grave or hell;6 it speaks of the underworld, that place of no return, but, as we can see from the Psalmist, the destiny of those who call upon the Lord will be different from those who do not. Although the expression is not clear, God destines the righteous (those who have faith in His promises) to a place where He is present; Jesus expressed this as being in Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22) or Paradise (Luke 23:43); the unrighteous are destined for Hades, a place of torment (Luke 16:23).
Clearly, among the elementary teachings of the Gospel was an explanation of the destiny of those who are in Christ by faith, and our eternal state. What is also implied is that such teaching also included a comparable instruction on the destiny of the unrighteous. In the phrases that are used (resurrection of the dead and everlasting judgment) there is nothing that particularly identifies them as being negative, as in the condemnation of the wicked. Everyone will be raised from the dead (some to glory with the Lord, and others to stand before the Lord to hear their punishment), and there is a judgment that comes to everyone at the time of death (some to glory, and others to Hades); the words that are used are general in nature.
The writer has named several subjects that he considered to be among the early teachings that should be understood: those fundamental matters that will result in spiritual growth, leading to maturity. These form part of the milk that is to lead to the solid food that his readership is still unable to bear.
3. And this will we do, if God permit.
And this we will do, if indeed God is permitting (literal).
The writer’s goal is to move on from these doctrines into the solid food of God’s teaching, but only according to His guidance. In other words, his desire is to proceed with instruction in the deeper spiritual matters, leaving it to his readers to catch up, but, even in this, he will follow the Lord’s leading – if God wants him to review some of these more elementary principles, then he will do so.
4. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5. And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6. If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
[It is] impossible for those who have one-time been enlightened, who did taste of the heavenly gift, and who did become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and who did taste of the good Word of God, and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away, to renew [them] once more unto repentance, who, to themselves, the Son of God are crucifying again and holding [Him] up to public shame (literal).7
The writer describes something that is impossible for those who have been enlightened one-time. Therefore, it is very important that we understand the full meaning of enlightened. The Greek root word is photizo, which comes from phos, or light; within a spiritual application (such as this), it means to bring a full understanding, to impart a complete knowledge, or to be thoroughly instructed.8 The context tells us that this enlightenment is in the salvation that the Lord freely offers in the Gospel; these enlightened ones are in Christ, for it is not possible for anyone to have such a thorough understanding of the Gospel and not be in Christ. To the Corinthians, Paul explained: “But the natural man receiveth not [cannot accept] the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [understand] them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14);9 discerned (judged) is in the passive voice, the understanding comes through the working of the Holy Spirit. It is very safe to say that the enlightened ones have been born from above; it is important to recognize this reality before proceeding.
These people have been enlightened one-time (once). Such a saving understanding will take place only once; this is a second principle that needs to be kept in mind as we proceed.
These enlightened ones did taste of the heavenly gift. Earlier we saw that Jesus tasted death (Hebrews 2:9): He experienced death, even though it did not hold Him. From this we conclude that such a taste is more than a sip from a drink or a nibble of food, since such small portions often lead to a false assessment of what has been sampled. Therefore, we know that these, who have been enlightened, have experienced, or have obtained, the heavenly gift.10 There are two Greek words that are primarily translated as gift: the first (and what we find in our text) is dorea, which, in the NT, refers to a free, spiritual gift, or benefit, that comes from God for the one who is born again (it is a general gift); the second is charisma, which is also a free gift but centers on grace (charis), or favor, and does not come to everyone in the same way (it is an individual gift).11 As we consider the use of this word (gift/dorea) within the NT, we come away with some understanding of this heavenly gift that the enlightened have received. The most significant gift (dorea) that is given by God to the one who is born again through faith in Christ, is the Holy Spirit. When Peter provided a brief explanation of the Gospel to Cornelius and those who were gathered with him (Gentiles), they understood the Message, and the Spirit of God came upon them: “And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift [dorea] of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 10:45). To the Romans, Paul wrote that it is in Christ that an abundance of grace (charis) and the gift (dorea) of righteousness is being received (Romans 5:17). To the Ephesians, Paul spoke of the gift (dorea) of grace that is given by Christ (Ephesians 4:7). To the one who has placed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, God’s righteousness and His grace will freely be given; it is through His grace (charis) that we are given the free gift (charisma) that expresses His favor toward us individually. Without question, the heavenly gift (dorea) that the enlightened one has received is the Holy Spirit.
Who did become partakers of the Holy Spirit seems to remove all doubt about the heavenly gift. Again, we have the Greek word metochos, which we learned earlier means sharing in:12 these enlightened ones came to be sharing in the Holy Spirit – the Spirit was present in them.
Who did taste of the good Word of God; the word taste, as we have come to learn, means to experience something. The primary illustration is that Jesus tasted death for us: He experienced death in its fullness before He gained the victory over it (Hebrews 2:9); therefore, we know that this phrase is telling us of something else that the enlightened ones have experienced, namely the good Word of God. Word (rhema) is in the singular, and is generally considered to be a collective application: i.e., the complete Gospel, at the very least, or the Scriptures as a whole.13 Good, from the Greek kalos, speaks of that which is inherently good; Jesus said, “I am the good (kalos) Shepherd …” (John10:11a), representing the full measure of goodness.14 The enlightened ones have experienced the full measure of the Gospel as God’s Message to humanity.
The powers of the coming age is an interesting phrase. Age (from the Greek aion) can speak of the world, or of eternity.15 Many consider this to be a reference to the time of the Messiah (something that the Jews are still anticipating);16 however, if we carefully consider the context, then that does not fit. Since these have experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, the writer would not now speak of traditional Jewish beliefs, but, in reality, he looks forward to the coming eternity that the Lord is preparing. The presence of the Spirit of God brings an assurance of abiding in the presence of the Lord because our sin has been cleansed through the blood of Christ – we are abiding in Him now, and will abide with Him in eternity! This rounds out the spiritual experience of the enlightened ones, and it is all good.
After outlining all of the good things that characterized the enlightened ones, the writer now adds something that tells us of their present condition: having fallen away. Despite the KJV beginning this phrase with the word if, there is nothing in the Greek to support its use. The reality is that the writer is speaking of someone who was truly born again, but is now fallen away. The Greek for this phrase (fallen away) is from parapipto, and literally means to fall from, or to fall beside; however, its use within the NT speaks of abandoning a relationship, or turning away from it.17 Although the word fall might insert an aspect of it being unintentional, or that this descent was accidental, the Greek grammar removes this as a possibility. The Greek verb is in the active voice: the subject is the doer of this action – in this case, it is the enlightened ones who, by their own choice, have become apostate!18
Let’s take a moment to consider what has been written, because it is at this point that modern Evangelicals become very creative in how they try to skew what the text is making so clear. First of all, they reduce the enlightenment to an intellectual perception of spiritual truth, they declare that the heavenly gift is salvation, partakers is reduced to being around when the Spirit of God is present in others, and to taste is to merely sample.19 MacArthur summarizes his case for this interpretation this way: “… it is the opportunity for receiving salvation, not salvation itself, that can be lost”; he considers the choice that the enlightened ones face as being: “… either to go on to full knowledge of God through faith in Christ or else turn away from Him, to become apostate and be lost forever.”20 Elsewhere, MacArthur has defined apostasy this way: “it speaks of abandonment, a separation, a defection – the abdication of truth altogether,”21 and, interestingly, this is an acceptable definition of apostasy; it is in his application of this definition that MacArthur fails miserably. Within his interpretation of this text in Hebrews, the enlightened ones have not placed their faith in Christ; therefore, we can safely say that, within his estimation, they are not in Christ. Therefore, since they are not in Christ, then their rejection of Him cannot be defined as apostasy (using his definition) – they are simply living in accordance with their sinful hearts, which do not belong to Christ. In typical Evangelical fashion, MacArthur subtly speaks with a forked tongue (with the “intent to mislead or deceive”):22 he is either lying when he provides an acceptable definition of apostasy, or he is lying when he says that someone who cannot abandon Christ (because they are not in Him), is an apostate; clearly, he cannot have it both ways because his definition and application of that definition are in contradiction to one another. In simple terms, you cannot abandon something/someone to which/whom you have had no commitment. The subtly is that when he presents such conflicting positions, he buries them in lengthy explanations so that, as you follow his elaborate reasoning, the contradiction is largely lost from sight, unless you are paying very close attention. Since we recognize the error in which MacArthur (and many other Evangelicals) is caught, we can easily set aside his feeble efforts to protect his doctrine of “the believer need never fear he will lose his salvation.”23
What is difficult to comprehend is how someone as well educated and studied as John MacArthur, can present such contradictions without seeing them. To complicate the matter even further, he also claims to hold to a Reformed theology that says that God has already chosen who will be saved, and there is nothing that you can do about it. When you add this to the contradictions that we have just considered, it only serves to further complicate the matter; the only explanation seems to be this: since he has refused the Truth, and has chosen error for such a long time, God has sent him a strong delusion so that he believes and teaches all manner of contradictions and lies (2 Thessalonians 2:10). We must beware of false proclaimers of “the Truth,” whom the devil will use to totally deceive those who refuse to measure everything according to God’s Word (Matthew 24:11; 1 John 4:1).
Now we learn what is impossible; under consideration, at this moment, are those who were enlightened and have turned away from that enlightenment to become apostate. The writer has taken careful measures to ensure that we know that the enlightened were truly born again, and have abandoned their faith in Christ (they are fallen away). What is impossible is to restore such a one to repentance in Christ. Why is this impossible? The writer has already given us a hint: they are once enlightened, or one-time they have become enlightened. Coming to salvation through faith in Christ can happen only once, and the writer is about to explain why.
If it was possible to bring an apostate Christian back into a relationship with Christ (repentance), then that would mean that Jesus would be crucified again for them. To the Romans, Paul wrote: “For in that he died, he died unto sin once [one-time only] …” (Romans 6:10).24 In coming to faith in Christ, His one-time payment for sin is applied to the repentant heart; when that individual turns away from Christ, he has not only rejected Christ, but through unbelief (he has turned from belief to unbelief) he has lost the Mark of his redemption, the Spirit of God (Hebrews 3:12; Ephesians 1:13), and has had his name removed from the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5). As Peter explained: “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them” (2 Peter 2:21). For the pagan, there is always the hope that they will be convinced of the truth of what Jesus has done for humanity, and that they will turn to Him in faith; for the apostate, Peter clarifies that it would have been better for them to have remained a pagan with hope, than to have become an apostate without hope.
It is impossible to bring an apostate back to a place of faith in Christ; Christ died only once, and the application of His payment can only be made once. There are some within the Evangelical community who have “accepted Jesus” many times, and no one seems to teach that this is not possible – Jesus died only once, and you can place your faith in Him only one time. Granted, with this community there is no understanding of what it means to believe in Christ; in their minds, to believe means to pray a prayer to accept Jesus into your heart – that is not what the Bible teaches! With no understanding of the elementary principles of the Gospel, Evangelicals are free (they love that word!) to create their own perversion of truth, and pass it off as the gospel. However, by doing so they are making a mockery of Christ and what He has done. It is essential that the message of the Gospel be made Biblically clear, and that the one who is hearing be permitted time to examine and evaluate that Message, and count the cost of following the Lord. That is not something that can be done under the influence of any form of pressure tactic (whether the proverbial “altar call,” or persuasive eloquence at the door), which will only lead to numerous “responses” to Jesus. Evangelicals have departed from the mandates that Jesus taught, and, by doing so, they subject the Lord to the derision of those who are watching them.
The writer of Hebrews makes it very clear that 1) it is very possible to turn away from the Lord, and 2) that there is no restoration for the one who does so. Having turned away from Christ’s redemption, there is no way for them to be restored; if they should attempt to do so, they are then seeking to crucify the Lord again (which is not possible) and expose Him, again, to public shame.
Jesus used the parable of the soils to illustrate this situation. And some [Seed] fell on the rock, and it did grow: it dried up because of not having moisture. And some [Seed] fell in the midst of the thorns, and [the thorns] grew with it [and] did choke it (Luke 8:6-7, literal).25 Then Jesus provided the interpretation of this parable: and they on the rock, when they hear, with joy they are receiving the Word, and these, having no root, who for a time are believing, and in a time of temptation they become apostate. And [the Seed] into the thorns did fall: these are those who have heard [with understanding] and go on their ways, and by cares and wealth and pleasures of life they are being choked and bear no fruit to maturity (Luke 8:13-14, literal).26 There are two things that are noteworthy: 1) those on the rock are believing, and 2) the spiritual life (they are believing) of those in the thorns was ended (choked) by outside influences. Both of these responded to the Word of God (the Seed), which resulted in spiritual life, yet neither life survived: the first perished under the heat of testing; the second was gradually overwhelmed by life in the world. Beware, brethren, that there never be in anyone of you a wicked heart of unbelief, to become apostate from the God Who is living (Hebrews 3:12, literal).27 It is evident that it is very possible to abandon our faith in Christ, but, what is not possible, is to be restored after such a departure.
7. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
For the soil that does drink the rain that is often coming upon it, and it is bringing forth vegetation useful for those by whom [the soil] is being tilled, is receiving a blessing from God (literal).28
The writer now embarks on a seemingly unrelated matter; however, it is being used as an illustration of the truths that were just taught. The rain falls upon the soil, and this describes a place where it results in an abundance of vegetation that is useful to the one who is tilling the soil; the ground, in this case, is receiving a blessing from God because it is fulfilling its intended purpose: to provide food for the farmer. We have just considered the enlightened ones who have experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit, the fullness of the Gospel, and a relationship with Christ; this is what God intended for humanity, and they have been blessed by God to experience it: that is the parallel that the writer is drawing.
8. But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
But [the soil] that is bringing forth thorns and thistles [is] rejected and close to being cursed, of which the end [is] burning (literal).29
This stands in contrast to the soil that benefits from the rains and produces valuable vegetation; this produces thorns and thistles – that which is not only of no value, but is actually detrimental to producing a crop. This soil is rejected because it produces nothing of any value.
Jesus used the illustration of the Vine and branches to express a similar truth. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away [is removing]: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth [is pruning] it, that it may bring forth more fruit … I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth [is remaining] in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth [is bearing] much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not [does not remain] in me, he is cast forth as a branch [removed by the Father], and is withered; and angels are gathering them [Matthew 13:40-42] and into the fire casting [them], and it [the removed branch] is burning” (John 15:1-2, 5-6, literal in italics and underline).30 He went on to clarify what it takes to remain in Him: if My commandments ye obey, [then] ye will remain in My love … (John 15:10a, literal);31 the key to remaining in Christ is to live in obedience to Him! If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch; Jesus said that if someone does not remain in Him, which is an apt description of an apostate, that person is cast out and will ultimately be burning. What does it take to become apostate? – disobedience to the Lord!
As we, through obedience, remain faithfully in the Lord as His enlightened ones, we are bearing much fruit; the soil that received the rain and brought vegetation forth also received the blessing of God. However, through disobedience, the apostate bears no fruit, is removed and cast into the fire; the soil that did not receive the rain brought forth thorns and thistles, and is fit for nothing but to be burned. As we bring these various Scriptures together, it becomes very evident that the one who is no longer in Christ (the apostate) cannot be restored, and is destined for the flames. It is for us to learn from this teaching and to commit to living in faithful obedience to Jesus, Who bought us out of sin.
9. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
But, beloved, we have been convinced of better things concerning you and that which is belonging to salvation, even though we are speaking in this way (literal).32
The writer injects a sense of optimism regarding his readers. He has taught, in some detail, that it is possible for someone who is in Christ to turn away from Him and be lost forever; then he illustrated this with the soil that receives the rain and produces useful crops, and compared that to a parched land that produces nothing of value and is destined to be burned. However, he has been convinced that his readers will not turn away from Christ and will produce that which is beneficial to them and others – works that are in keeping with the saving grace that they receive through faith in Christ. What has just been presented has been given as a warning of the danger of failing to follow the Lord faithfully; he is exhorting his audience to not become lax in their life in Christ, but to take heed that unbelief does not settle into their hearts (Hebrews 3:12). He already issued a call to vigilance, but now he has taken the time to elaborate on just how serious this matter really is in the light of eternity.
Despite the writer’s careful attention to detail as he expanded on his earlier alert, Evangelical theologians, for the most part, have dismantled the warning that has been given, and teach nothing regarding the matter of apostasy. We have already seen the efforts of John MacArthur to entirely discount the relevancy of this book, and, more specifically, he manipulated and twisted these teachings until they appear to fit within his accepted theology, which, as we revealed earlier, is a confusing mixture of conflicting Evangelical thinking and Reformed doctrines. There is a dire need to return to God’s Word alone, permitting His Spirit to guide us into all truth – after all, that is why He has come to us (John 16:13).
It seems that there is an often unspoken fear that the Lord will require more of us than we are prepared to give, which is quite telling, in and of itself. One fellow told me that he didn’t want to read my study on the Sabbath because he was isolated enough as a Christian, and didn’t think that he could handle any more change; ignorance of God’s truth was preferable to growing in Him, all for personal comfort. Another told me that even if I proved to him that I was Biblically correct on the subject of separation from error, that it wouldn’t change his mind or life. There is a deliberate blindness within Evangelicals that leaves them content to remain in their error – there is absolutely no thirst for the Truth of God. My suspicion is that they are caught on the heretical doctrine of once-saved-always-saved, and so what they believe, and how they live, is of no real eternal consequence anymore. The writer of Hebrews seeks to break through this heresy, and present the truth of God that it matters a great deal what we believe and how we live. If we desire to know God’s Truth (and we must), then we must be living in obedience to His commands. “He that saith, I know him [God], and keepeth [tereo – obey: present tense (a continuous action), active voice (he carries the action out)] not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).33 Within this is the demise of most Evangelicals: they claim to know the Lord, yet they refuse to obey the commands that He has given – they prefer their theologies that require nothing of them. We must be sure that we are among those of whom the writer anticipates better things – things that accompany faith in the Lord, and spiritual growth that leads to solid food.
10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shown for His name, to serve the saints, and ye are serving [them] (literal).34
The writer is now drawing particular attention to activities in which his readers have been involved. Work (ergou) speaks merely of things that are done; labor (kopou) is similar to work, except that it involves an intensity of effort that can lead to weariness.35 Their work and labor have been done in God’s name, and the objects of their activities have been, and continue to be, the saints – those who are in Christ.
One of the conditions that the Jerusalem leaders placed upon Paul and those who were bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles, was that they should be mindful of the needs of the poor (Galatians 2:10, and other passages indicate that these poor were among the saints in Judea [Acts 11:29-30; Romans 15:25-26]). “But whoso hath this world’s good [that which provides a living], and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (1 John 3:17). These Jews were expressing God’s love toward their brethren in the faith by reaching out to serve them in their areas of need, and this is a reminder to them that God will not forget their service. This is a principle that Solomon recognized: “He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him [his Maker] hath mercy on the poor” (Proverbs 14:31). Compassion for others (particularly those who are in the family of Christ, Galatians 6:10) flows from a proper understanding of God and the mercy that He shows to us.
11. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
And we desire each one of you to demonstrate the same sincerity regarding the certainty of hope, unto the end (literal).36
The central thought of this is the certainty of hope, which rests entirely in Christ and His redemptive work for humanity. With this as the focus, the writer expresses his desire that everyone who reads/hears this letter will earnestly show forth his commitment to Christ. In the example just cited, they revealed their devotion through continually being of service to their brethren. The writer has subtly shifted the focus from the saints to the certainty of hope, which is in Christ; he has thereby issued a call for each one to serve Christ with the same commitment that he has shown toward the saints. The important question then becomes: what is the service that Christ requires of those who are His? Jesus did not keep this hidden, but was very clear: if ye are loving Me, then My commandments ye must be obeying (John 14:15, literal).37 Therefore, the writer is calling upon each individual in his audience to earnestly commit to obeying the Lord in all things.
A small phrase completes this thought: unto the end. The end for us comes at one of two events: either our death, or the Lord’s return in the clouds (the rapture). It is at either of these two that our work for the Lord on earth comes to an end – there is nothing more that we can do; our eternal destiny has been determined. Jesus said, “And ye will be hated by all on account of My name; but he who has endured unto the end, this one will be saved” (Matthew 10:22, literal).38 The writer of Hebrews is echoing Jesus’ words: faithful service (obedience) must continue unto the end; Jesus adds that it is this faithful one who will be saved – yes, salvation is affirmed at the end. As the writer made very clear, it is possible for someone who has been born again to fall away from Christ; therefore, in this life, we must commit to being faithful to Christ (obedient to Him), for then will His salvation become ours. No, this is not working for our salvation, but, rather, working out our future salvation through the enabling guidance of the Spirit of God within. “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Notice that Paul equates obedience (ye have always obeyed) with work out; Jesus said that our obedience must follow our love for Him (John 14:15), and, as such, the working out is the expression of us permitting the Lord to work in us and through us.
Evangelicals understand very clearly that we cannot work for our salvation, but, unfortunately, they have attached this to their doctrine of eternal security that is obtained by a simple prayer for salvation. Consequently, they will loudly proclaim that they are free: free from sin (because they prayed and asked Jesus into their hearts), free from all Law (because that was removed by Christ at the cross), free under God’s grace (a grace that is able to cover any sin), and free from any guilt of sin; so they are free to live carelessly and without any further thought. Regrettably, they have not been taught what it means to be free in Christ, nor do most of their teachers and preachers understand it. Paul wrote: And ye, set free from sin, have become enslaved to righteousness (Romans 6:18, literal);39 that is the balance that Evangelicals choose to ignore. Let’s take a moment to consider just how significant this is from God’s perspective.
As John received the Revelation of Jesus Christ, he was given much information about the spiritual activities that take place within this present world. In one case, a messenger was sent to him to show him the judgment of Babylon the Great, described as a great whore who is sitting upon the peoples (waters) of this earth (Revelation 17:1, 15). Ancient Babylon (meaning, Gate of the Gods) was a port city located on the Euphrates River; it was very powerful and influential for many centuries BC – not only as the ruling power, but also as the center for commerce, religion, wealth and architectural marvels.40 The religious flavor of Babylon was polytheistic, every natural phenomenon was controlled by a god or spirit, and the rulers of Babylon would often claim that they had received special authority from the gods.41 Therefore, everyone’s focus was on appeasing the gods (or obeying the king) in order to receive the desired benefits.
John tells us that those who are dwelling on the earth have become intoxicated (been made drunk) with the wine of her fornication (Revelation 17:2). Fornication is used here in a metaphorical sense; it is speaking of spiritual fornication, which is a turning away from God’s authority to whatever is justifiably acceptable at the time. Jesus has a Bride, the ekklesia, who is His wife (Ephesians 5:25-27); Satan, who aspires to be like unto Jehovah, has counterfeited this relationship with the whore of Babylon. This woman is a false religious system that stands against the ekklesia – the called-out ones who remain faithful to the Lord.42 When the children of Israel entered into the Promised Land under the guidance of Jehovah, they were warned against the religion of the people whom they were replacing (Deuteronomy 12:2). Yet, many years later, Jeremiah recorded this about Israel: “The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding [apostate] Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot” (Jeremiah 3:6).43 Israel had turned away from Jehovah to the idolatry of the nations that they dispossessed – that is apostasy! However, before apostasy, comes spiritual fornication: dabbling in the idolatry of Satan’s bride. The whore of Babylon is described as sitting upon many peoples (being a global religious system), but also as the city that was ruling over the nations at the time of John, namely Rome (Revelation 17:18).
At this point, there are many who will name the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) as the great whore, and then relax because they are not part of this Church. What they have forgotten too quickly, is that she is sitting upon the peoples of the earth – her influence is woven throughout the religions of the world. In 1986, the pope of Rome hosted a day of prayer that was attended by 160 religious leaders from all over the world: Quakers, Mennonites, Baptists, Lutherans, Anglicans, those holding to Reformed theology, as well as Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims and animists.44 Although subsequent popes stopped these radical Ecumenical gatherings, they have continued to work to bring their “wayward children” home; their focus has been more toward undoing the Reformation, and, more lately, to wooing the Muslims. The whore sitting upon the peoples of the world is no longer just the RCC (to be sure, it is there), but it is the Ecumenical community: those who are willing to close their eyes to the religious beliefs of others in order to embrace them as their brothers. This has become accepted among Evangelicals as normal; they will join with their Anglican, Catholic, Pentecostal, and Reformed brothers to share in the “spiritual” work within their area – this is Ecumenism, and is only possible by each ignoring their differences and adhering to a general consensus. This is the influence of the whore of Babylon who seeks to erase all differences by providing justification for committing spiritual fornication: beginning with a small compromise that leads to a greater fellowship, learning to ignore terms that will cause offense to others, and basking in the broader unity that is achieved. When the Lord of heaven calls, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4), that is not a call to His children to come out of the RCC, which is apostate; it is His call for His children to remove themselves from the whore of Babylon: those Ecumenical activities that may appear to be benign and even spiritually good. Paul wrote: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers … for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you …” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17). Everything that is Ecumenical is unclean; notice that unless we are separated from what is unclean (Ecumenism in any form), the Lord will not receive us.
The writer is exhorting his readers to remain faithful, separated unto the Lord, unto the end. It is easy to be enticed by eloquent teachers who do not have a hold on God’s Truth, and be lured into their freedom. We are free in Christ: free from sin and enslaved to His righteousness (Romans 6:18). For our spiritual wellbeing, we must avoid those who do not teach Biblical truth (Romans 16:17)! “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8); his target is the child of God, and compromise is his lure. Be warned!
12. That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
In order that ye will not become lazy, but imitators of those who through faith and longsuffering are inheriting the promises (literal).45
This builds upon the exhortation of the previous verse: remain faithfully in Christ (in Whom is our hope) unto the end. It is interesting to see an exhortation that they are not to become lazy; earlier, he assessed his readers as still drinking spiritual milk at a time when they should be teachers of the truth and feeding spiritually on solid food (Hebrews 5:11). Consider the exhortation that is given here: remain faithfully in Christ unto the end, so that ye will not become lazy; the antidote against becoming spiritually lazy is to remain faithfully in Christ! Put another way, if you are becoming spiritually lazy, then you are failing to remain in Christ: you are dabbling in spiritual fornication, and have embarked on the downward slide into apostasy. Unless the dabbling is repented of quickly, apostasy is a certainty.
To the elder (messenger) of Sardis, Jesus made this observation: I know thy works, that you have a reputation that you are living, and yet you are dead (Revelation 3:1b, literal). This elder was occupied with things that gave the impression of spiritual life, yet the Lord saw beneath his works to see the spiritual dearth that was there. The Lord’s challenge to the elder was this: become alert and so strengthen what is remaining, which is about to die … recall, then, how you accepted and heard [the Gospel], not only pay attention to it, but also repent (Revelation 3:2a-3a, literal).46 This elder stands on the brink of apostasy, yet if he is quick to respond to this challenge, he is still able to repent and return to fellowship with the Lord. However, this requires something of him, and it will not happen if he is lazy.
The exhortation given here is to be imitators of those who are inheriting the promises. An imitator is someone who mimics the actions of another; the Greek word is mimetai, and, clearly, a source for our English word mimic. Who are inheriting the promises? Those who remain faithful to the One Who made the promises. The writer inserts the essential presence of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (that should be understood by now), and longsuffering, a strong commitment to the faith that is expressed through patience toward those who are of a contrary position. As we know from Paul’s letter to the Galatians, there were many Jews who held a view of the Gospel that was not accurate; those who are inheriting hold an unwavering faith in Christ, yet they do so with grace toward those who do not, in the hope that they will come to a proper knowledge of the Lord. Earlier we looked at Jesus’ words: “And ye will be hated by all on account of My name; but he who has endured unto the end, this one will be saved” (Matthew 10:22, literal).47 This theme of remaining faithful is similar to our verse, but the emphasis is just slightly different. In our text, the Greek word used for longsuffering (patience) is makrothumia, which comes from two Greek words makro meaning long, and thumos meaning passion: hence, long-passioned, or not easily provoked to respond against someone for a wrong.48 In Matthew, endured is from the Greek hupomeno, which means to remain, or endure, in the face of trials and opposition.49 The difference between these two has to do with the setting: makrothumia will typically have to do with people, rather than situations, and is an attribute of God (1 Peter 3:20); hupomeno, on the other hand, can mean to remain behind, but, more frequently, it means to persevere, to remain steadfast, unwilling to flee in the face of oppression (situations, rather than people); although this is used of Jesus as He faced the cross (His humanity cringing at the suffering to be endured, Hebrews 12:2-3), it is not applied to God.50 Within our text, the exhortation is to be gracious in disagreement, particularly when you hold the Biblical position; however, longsuffering does not include the acceptance of error, or its tolerance. Moreover, without some indication of an acknowledgement of the truth, it will require us to separate from those who hold to error. The Scriptures are clear that we are to avoid those who teach that which is not in keeping with God’s Word (Romans 16:17); if they refuse to move from their error, the only recourse is to separate from them. Nevertheless, the exhortation is to express the truth with grace, thereby permitting the other person to respond with thoughtfulness, rather than simply being defensive.
Those who are inheriting God’s promises have a firm faith in Christ, but they also bear patiently with those who are not there, in the hope of bringing them to that place of maturity. The old adage, honey catches more flies than vinegar, would apply here. My experience with those who are of the Reformed persuasion is that they have not learned this truth; they are typically harsh, argumentative, and will, without a second thought, sacrifice a relationship when they encounter those who disagree with them – they are not longsuffering!
So, what are the promises? Since this is a letter addressed to the Hebrews, there is a temptation to call to mind the promises that the Lord made to Abraham. However, we must keep in mind that the overwhelming theme of this book, so far, has been the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ and His redemptive sacrifice. Therefore, we must look to the promises that are a part of the Gospel message that went out into all of the world (Colossians 1:5-6).
One of the first things that the Lord promised to His disciples was the Holy Spirit: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26). Jesus promised to send the Comforter (Parakletos) after He had left this earth (John 16:7); this is a significant promise because this Spirit of God is prepared to remain with us (John 14:16), He will instruct us (John 14:26), guide us into all Truth (John 16:13), and intercede with the Father on our behalf (Romans 8:27). Parakletos literally means one who is called alongside to provide aid; in a general sense, it means Helper and Intercessor.51 Although this promise has been fulfilled (the Spirit of God came initially on Pentecost), there is a continual fulfillment as the Spirit abides within us (Romans 8:9) and intercedes for us. As we come to faith in Christ, the Spirit is bestowed as a mark (seal) that we are God’s and the down payment (earnest) made by God toward our eternal inheritance with Him, which we will inherit if we remain faithful to Him (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Jesus also said: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions [rooms]: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3).52 As Jesus spoke with His disciples just before the cross, His command was that they were to be continually believing in Him; they believed in God (through their times of exile, the Jews had forsaken idolatry, for the most part), but that belief now needed to include the Son of God. With that believing in place, Jesus promised that He would prepare a room for them in His Father’s house, and one day they would live there with Him – this is a promise of heaven with the Lord! To the Colossians, Paul summarized it this way: Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27b). It is as we live in Christ (and He in us, John 15:4) that we can have the hope of glory – the expectation of heaven (glory), is ours.
As we hold this hope of glory in the light of what the writer has just taught, we can hear his exhortation to be careful that we not entertain anything that would cause us to fall away from the Lord. It is through a strong commitment to the Lord (an active faith and obedience) that we mimic those who are inheriting the promises of the Lord: the Spirit of God now, and the glory of heaven in the Lord’s time.
13. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14. Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
For to Abraham God did make a promise, [and] because He was able to swear by no one greater, He did swear by Himself saying, “Certainly, blessing, I will bless thee, and multiplying, I will multiply thee” (literal).53
The writer now turns to that which was very familiar to all Jews: the Lord’s promise that He made to Abraham. The occasion for this blessing upon Abraham was after he had willingly placed Isaac upon the altar as God had instructed him: “And [the angel from heaven] said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee [singular], and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” (Genesis 22:16-18). The Lord binds Himself with an oath that He will bless Abraham, multiply his descendants, and bless all people through the Seed Who will be his descendant; as God Almighty, He guarantees to do what He promised to Abraham – that is a surety like no other! It is noteworthy that even though the promise that God gave to Abraham was reiterated to Isaac, the oath of surety was not repeated (Genesis 26:4, 24) – the strong affirmation that He gave to Abraham was sufficient to see the promises fulfilled. It is interesting that when the Lord promised to bless Abraham, that blessing was given to Abraham alone (singular); the Lord repeated this for Isaac (also singular). However, we do not read of the Lord promising to bless Jacob in this way; He only reiterated the promise to multiply his descendants and to bring a blessing to all people through them (Genesis 28:14).
Interestingly, at this point, the writer only records the Lord’s promise to bless and multiply Abraham. From this “blessed” beginning, blessings have held a very significant place within the Jewish culture for millennia, and, even today, they consider blessings to be a “portal to the Infinite” – unfortunately, modern Jews have absorbed many New Age concepts, so that Jehovah is referred to in such nebulous terms as the Infinite and the Universe.54 The Lord’s promises to Abraham, reiterated here, would have struck a chord with the writer’s Hebrew audience – it all began with promises!
15. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
And so, having waited expectantly, he obtained the promise (literal).55
This cannot be a reference to Isaac, because what was just quoted took place when Abraham willingly offered Isaac to the Lord. It cannot be that Abraham was blessed with wealth, for we are told that he was very rich in cattle, silver and gold before Isaac was born (Genesis 13:2). It cannot be a reference to the Lord Jesus through Whom all peoples would be blessed, for His arrival would not come for many, many generations. However, consider a very simple timeline of Abraham’s latter days: Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5), Isaac was 60 years old (so Abraham was 160) when Jacob and Esau were born (Genesis 25:26); since Abraham lived to the age of 175 (Genesis 25:7), he witnessed the beginning of the fulfillment of the multiplication of his seed. Yet Abraham had to trust that the Lord would remain faithful to His promise, and the Lord tested his endurance of patience with that next generation as well, because Isaac was forty when he married Rebekah (Genesis 25:20), and twenty years passed before Jacob and Esau were born (Genesis 25:26).
16. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
For, indeed, men do swear by the greater, and, for them, an oath serves as confirmation, the end of every dispute (literal).56
This harkens back to verse 13, where it is noted that God swore by Himself to accomplish His promise to Abraham. Among men, the sworn oath is accepted as a guarantee of the veracity of a position or statement, because it is made on appeal to something, or someone, greater. However, when God swore to Abraham that He would bless him, multiply his descendants, and that the Redeemer would come through his descendants, He swore by Himself – there is no one greater by whom He could swear. I, Jehovah, there is none beside (Isaiah 45:6b, literal).57 This was the Lord’s guarantee to Abraham that He would fulfill what He declared to him; even before the oath was given and before Isaac was born, Abraham believed God and his belief was accounted to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).
17. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
In that God, Who is desiring even more to prove to the heirs of the promise the immutability of His purpose, did guarantee by an oath, so that by two immutable things, in which [it is] impossible for God to lie, we, having a strong encouragement, did flee to hold fast to the hope that is set before [us] (literal).58
The writer now reveals why the Lord confirmed His promises to Abraham with an oath: it was to demonstrate to Abraham’s descendants, who were heirs of the promise, the unwavering surety that God would do what He said. The promise was two-fold, but with a singular purpose: 1) their descendants would multiply greatly and provide the family-line for the second, and 2) out of those descendants would come One Who would be a blessing to all of humanity. Throughout the generations, the children of Israel could look forward with the assurance that God would use them to bring about a world-wide blessing.
God desired the heirs of the promise to understand that His purpose, as it was presented to Abraham, was unchangeable. Notice that the promise went to the heirs of the promise. Abraham had several children: Ishmael, his first-born by Hagar, Isaac by Sarah, as well as six other sons by Keturah (Genesis 25:2); yet it was Isaac who carried the promise to the next generation. To his other sons, Abraham gave gifts and sent them away from where he was living and from Isaac, but to Isaac he gave all that he had (Genesis 25:5-6). Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau, and it was through Jacob that the promise was carried; the Lord gave His promise of many descendants and of the Coming One to Jacob, who was heir to the promise given to Abraham and Isaac. As Jacob blessed his sons, to Judah he gave this blessing: “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh [meaning, He Whose it is; a reference to the Messiah] come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10).59 The family line of the Promised One came through Judah, and then through David (Psalm 89:3-4); as the generations passed, the promise continued but always through an individual, thereby narrowing the family line of the Messiah (Matthew 1:2-16) – the heirs of the promise.
To the heirs of the promise, who came from Abraham, God desired to show the unchangeable nature of the promise given, and so He made the promise and confirmed it by an oath – two immutable things. The promise of God is unchangeable in itself, but the oath serves to heighten its unalterable state. These two (the promise and the oath) are assuredly unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie; another promise is that liars are destined for the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). Impossible is from the Greek word adunaton, which is the same as used in Hebrews 6:4; as impossible as it is for God to lie, it is equally impossible to restore an apostate to faith in Christ. The promise that Abraham received from the Lord was fully guaranteed, and the heirs to the promise understood its unchangeable nature.
The writer then draws the guaranteed promise that was given to Abraham into the present by introducing something that we have done: we did flee for the purpose of finding refuge.60 We are holding a strong encouragement, which has come to us through the guaranteed promise of God to the heirs of the promise. The one promise (of the three that the Lord gave to Abraham) that continued through the generations that followed Abraham, was that through his family line would come a Blessing for all of humanity – namely, the Messiah, Jesus. It is through the sacrificial work of Jesus, in fulfillment of the sure promise given to Abraham, that we are enjoying such a strong encouragement, for He has paid the price for our sins, and, through faith in Him, we are able to be cleansed from sin.
Again, the hope that we have is in Christ. The writer includes our need to hold fast to that hope, the hope of the ages that has been revealed to (set before) us is in Christ. Paul wrote of the mystery that had been hidden in God through the OT ages, but has now been revealed by the Spirit of God: all of those who are in Christ are of one household in God (Ephesians 2:18-19). To the Colossians, he summarized this former mystery, now revealed, as being: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27b). We must continue firmly in (hold fast to) the hope that we have in Christ: the Gospel is an unveiling of Christ and all that He has done for the sins of humanity. He is our Hope, and we must remain in Him in order to gain the glory that He has promised; we are only able to remain in Him through obedience to His commands (John 14:15). Whoever is obeying His Word, in this the love of God has been made perfect, in this we are understanding that we are in Him (1 John 2:5, literal).61 Obedience to the Lord’s commands is of utmost importance, and we must commit to living in obedience to Him (faithfulness) all of the days of our lives.
19. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Which we have as an anchor of the soul, [that] will not fail and [is] secure – it even enters into that beyond the vail (literal).62
Which refers to the hope that we have in Christ, and this Hope serves as an anchor for our souls. Hope is defined as a desire for good with an expectation (great or small) that it is attainable.63 It is because our hope rests in Christ and what He has done for us, that it is likened unto an anchor – that is a surety similar to the Lord’s promise to Abraham that He confirmed with an oath.
What is the hope that is in Christ? Earlier we looked at the promise that Jesus gave to His disciples that, after He left them, He would return one day for them so that they would be together with Him (John 14:1-3). This is the promise that He gave, and it is one that generates hope within us of when we will be with Him in heaven. One of the promises that we receive in Christ is that the Spirit of God will dwell within us. Consider Paul’s words to the Ephesians: In Whom [Christ] ye did understand the word of truth (the Gospel of your salvation), in Whom ye did believe and were marked with the Holy Spirit of promise; Who is the pledge for our inheritance, for the deliverance of the acquired possession, to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:13-14, literal).64 It is in Christ that we understand the Truth (the Spirit comes to guide us into all truth – John 16:13), and upon believing in Him, the presence of His Spirit is given, not only to mark us as belonging to Him, but also as a pledge of the inheritance that we will have in Christ, if we remain faithful to Him. In Christ we receive the Spirit as a deposit toward the time when we will be with Him for eternity, but, in Him, we also understand the truth concerning our salvation. Jesus said, “The one who endures unto the end, this is the one who will be saved (Matthew 24:13, literal)65 – this is the word of truth that we must understand! Our salvation is not eternally secured until we have remained faithful to the Lord unto the end! The “faithful enduring” takes place in this life, but it is not until the end has come that salvation will be achieved. What spiritual chaos has been created by not understanding this truth! The most common belief today is that if you pray for salvation, then your salvation has been irrevocably secured; Jesus said that we must remain faithful to Him unto the end (endure), and then we will be saved. The Spirit of God abides within us as a pledge toward the day when our salvation will be secured; nevertheless, we should all understand by now that apostasy is possible, and, in that case, the Pledge will be withdrawn. We can all understand that when a deposit is made to purchase a home or car, unless the terms of the agreement are met, that home or car will not become ours; so, too, unless we remain faithful to the Lord unto the end, that pledged salvation will not become ours. It is not the Pledge that fails; rather, we choose to depart from the Truth into apostasy, from which there is no recovery (as we have come to know).
The hope that we have in Christ is described in two ways: 1) it will not fail; the Greek word used is asphales, the a- applying a negative to sphallo, to fail – hence, it is sure, it won’t fail,66 and 2) bebaian, it is strong, firm and stable.67 In essence, these two Greek words point to exactly the same thing: the security of our hope in Christ – one as a negative (it won’t fail), and the other as a positive (it is steadfast). Together, they form a double assurance that the hope that we have in Christ (our anchor) is completely dependable. As we know full well by now, this dependability is not because we hold it, but because it is in Christ; the writer has made it abundantly clear that we need to guard against turning away from Christ into apostasy.
The last phrase forms a very interesting word-picture: it even enters into that beyond the vail. This is a reference to the vail of the temple that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. It is this vail that God tore apart from the top to the bottom when Jesus died for the sins of the world (Matthew 17:50-51), thereby providing an indisputable sign that the way into the Holiest had been opened. Under the Mosaic Law, the high priest would enter into this inner sanctuary only once each year on the Day of Atonement, and then, adhering to a very strict protocol, he would sprinkle the blood of the bullock that would bring cleansing from sin for himself and his household, and then the blood of a goat for the children of Israel (Leviticus 16:11-15). It was in this sanctuary beyond the vail that atonement was made for the sins of the children of Israel; Jesus’ shed blood provided atonement for the sins of the whole world: “For this is My blood of the New Covenant for many it is being poured out for the purpose of sins forgiven” (Matthew 26:28, literal);68 the many stands in contrast to the few (only Israel) who were able, through faith, to have their sins remitted under the Old Covenant (OC). “And He is the means of forgiveness for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2, literal);69 under the New Covenant (NC) that was opened through Jesus’ shed blood, the Scriptures make it clear that Matthew’s many must be understood as being all – He shed His blood so that everyone could have their sins forgiven; the contrast is not between few and many, but between a few and all of humanity!70 Moreover, the forgiveness of sins that comes through the New Covenant is complete, whereas the atonement that was made by the high priest through the OC sacrifices was only temporary – it had to be repeated every year.
Under the OC, the high priest would kill the sacrifice (a bullock for himself and his family, followed by a goat for the people), and then he would enter the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood as required. Jesus, the Lamb of God, died upon the cross as the final sacrifice for sin, and, upon His death, the vail of the temple was torn apart because the work of the high priest was no longer required – the way into the presence of God was opened through Christ! What was required now was not faith in God’s promise (as under the OC), but faith in His Promised One Who paid the debt of sin and made atonement available to everyone!
The hope that we have in Christ has been secured by His full payment for the sins of the world: He fulfilled the sacrifices of the OC. The Lord promised Abraham (with an oath) that through his Seed, all of the people of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16). The blessing was that Jesus paid the price for the sins of the world, and, through faith in Him, cleansing from sin was now available to everyone, not just the Jew. For the Jew under the OC, on the Day of Atonement the blood was sprinkled for the cleansing of his sins, yet if he did not, by faith, consider it to be for his sins, then the atoning work of the high priest was without effect for him. In the same way, Jesus paid the price for all of sin, yet if we do not appropriate that payment as being for our sins, then we remain in our sin.
20. Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Where Jesus, going before on behalf of us, did enter, to become a high priest forever, according to the nature of Melchizedek (literal).71
Where refers to that place beyond the vail, where the high priest would enter once each year in order to make an atonement for sins. In the temple, beyond the vail, was the presence of God between the cherubim and above the mercy seat (Exodus 25:22). Since the tabernacle/temple was an image of the heavenly (Hebrews 8:5), the Holy of Holies was the earthly image of the presence of God in heaven; Jesus did not enter into the earthly sanctuary, but into the very presence of God in heaven, after paying the price for the sins of the world, in order to obtain eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12). Jesus accomplished two things that together form the message of the Gospel: 1) He died once for sin, and 2) He was raised to never-ending life. As significant and amazing as the first is, without the second we are without hope: “And if Christ was not raised, then your faith [is] worthless: ye are yet in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17, literal).72 Baptism is a picture of this amazing truth: “Therefore, we were buried together with Him by baptism into death in order that, even as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4, literal).73 We must account ourselves to be dead to sin but alive unto God through Christ (Romans 6:11); being made free from sin through His death, we now become enslaved to His righteousness through our new life in Him (Romans 6:18). To the Colossians, Paul explained it this way: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). Christ entered into the presence of God in heaven in order to complete our redemption: He died, bearing the sins of the world, and He was resurrected so that we are now able to live in Him. His death paid for our sins, but His raised life brings us not only a new life on earth, but the very real hope of an eternity with Him.
Christ became the High Priest of an endless life. The OC high priest would enter into the Holiest in order to atone for sin, but it was only a temporary atonement. Jesus was the sacrifice, and He was the High Priest: He made the final payment for sin and His resurrection brings the promise of life without end. The priesthood and sacrificial system, ordained by the Law of Moses, was but a glimpse of what its fulfillment would become through Christ: Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27b).
Wherefore having left the elementary teaching of Christ, we should be moving on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God, of teaching about washings, the laying on of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead and of everlasting judgment (literal).1
The writer is letting his readers know that he will not be providing them with instruction in the basic elements of the Christian faith; even as spiritual infants, they should be aware of these. However, in a cursory fashion, he provides a review of what they should not be needing to learn again. Let’s consider them for a moment.
Repentance from dead works and faith in God are two elements of a single act: at conversion, there is a turning away from dead works and a turning to God (faith). To the Colossians, Paul wrote: “[God] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). Outside of the Lord, we are all under the power of darkness, “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), and, therefore, coming to faith in Christ involves turning from death, and turning to life in Him – both take place at the same time. Paul warned Timothy that a day is coming when people will turn away from the truth and be turned unto myths (lies) (2 Timothy 4:4); even in this, as they are turning away from the truth, they are turning to lies. What becomes evident is that it is not possible to occupy both darkness and light, or truth and error, at the same time; you are either in the one or the other, never both. James clarifies this for us by stating that no fountain will send forth both salty and sweet waters (James 3:12) – it will be either one or the other. Evangelicalism is filled with those who sincerely think that they are able to live in the light (they suppose that their destiny is heaven and the Lord) even as they continue to enjoy the pleasures of darkness. The writer of Hebrews is revealing that one of the basic principles of the Gospel is that faith in God necessitates a turning away from dead works – those things that do not have life, which is everything that we endeavor without His guidance. Jesus was very clear as to how we are to practice this principle: if ye are loving Me, then My commandments ye are to obey (John 14:15, literal); if ye obey My commandments, then ye will remain in My love (John 15:10a, literal).2 Obedience to the Lord’s commands is a departure from dead works into the good works that God has prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Unless we are living in obedience to the Lord, we are still abiding in dead works; once again, obedience to the Lord is essential!
Of teaching about washings is an interesting phrase. The Greek word for baptisms (washings) is baptismon, and it is plural.3 However, as we consider the Scriptures regarding baptism, it is evident that there is only one: Ephesians 4:5 – “One Lord, one faith, one baptism”; “Therefore we are buried with him [Christ] by baptism [singular] into death …” (Romans 6:4a). To understand this phrase correctly, we must consider Jewish traditions. The scribes and Pharisees found fault with Jesus’ disciples because they ate bread without having first washed their hands. The explanation given is this: for the Pharisees and all of the Jews, unless they diligently wash [from nipto, a ritual washing] the hands, they eat not – holding fast to the tradition of the elders; also [coming] from the market, unless they purify by washings [baptizontai (plural)], they eat not, and many other things there are which they learned by tradition, holding fast the washings [baptismous (plural)] of cups, and of pitchers and brass kettles, and dining couches (Mark 7:3-4, literal).4 The context clarifies that the Jews did not immerse themselves totally in water when they came from the market, but they would baptize (wash) their hands, and they had many other traditions related to ritual cleansings. These are traditions that the Jewish leaders had developed over the generations, but they are not a part of the Mosaic Law. From this we understand that the Jews who came to Christ, would have to learn to place many Jewish traditions into a proper perspective – they were traditions, and not something that was required by God.
Within the Mosaic Law, the washing symbolized spiritual cleansing; the Tabernacle included a brass laver that contained water for the priests to wash their hands and feet before entering into the Holy Place to minister – the Lord promised death to the one who failed to do so (Exodus 30:18-21). The priests were required to wash parts of some sacrifices for them to be pleasing to the Lord (Leviticus 1:9). If anyone carried what was unclean (even a bug), they were required to wash their clothes, and they remained unclean until evening (Leviticus 11:25). Clearly, the Mosaic Law included many washings that were required by God; but with the Lord’s sacrifice on the cross, the Mosaic Law, including its many washings, was ended; furthermore, the washings that were only Jewish traditions lost their foundation – it is safe to say that most of their traditions were based upon someone going beyond the Mosaic Law.
The laying on of hands within the NT, is something that only took place within the book of Acts, and was used by the Apostles to commission someone for a specific responsibility (Acts 6:6), and, on two occasions, to have the Holy Spirit enter into those who had just come to faith in Christ (Acts 8:17, 19:6). Within the OT, it was also used when commissioning someone to a task (Moses laid his hands upon Joshua as his replacement – Numbers 27:22-23), but, more frequently, placing the hands upon the head of a sacrificial animal, symbolized identification with the sacrifice to be made (Leviticus 8:14). Jewish Christians would have received early instruction regarding the laying on of hands so that they would know that there were some differences.
The final areas that the writer mentions pertain to the resurrection of the dead and everlasting judgment. The OT really does not have any clear teaching on the resurrection of the dead; it is in the NT that it becomes a significant doctrine. Elijah raised a lad from the dead, but he would have died again (1 Kings 17:21); within the concept of a general resurrection of the dead, there is really nothing definite. Job seems to have had some idea on this matter: “So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep” (Job 14:12); it seems that he believed that the dead would be raised at the end of time – a rather vague understanding at best. The Psalms express a difference between the death of the wicked and the righteous: “The wicked shall be turned into hell [shᵉ’owl], and all the nations [the peoples] that forget God” (Psalm 9:17); “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave [shᵉ’owl]: for he shall receive me” (Psalm 49:15).5 Sheol is primarily translated as grave or hell;6 it speaks of the underworld, that place of no return, but, as we can see from the Psalmist, the destiny of those who call upon the Lord will be different from those who do not. Although the expression is not clear, God destines the righteous (those who have faith in His promises) to a place where He is present; Jesus expressed this as being in Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22) or Paradise (Luke 23:43); the unrighteous are destined for Hades, a place of torment (Luke 16:23).
Clearly, among the elementary teachings of the Gospel was an explanation of the destiny of those who are in Christ by faith, and our eternal state. What is also implied is that such teaching also included a comparable instruction on the destiny of the unrighteous. In the phrases that are used (resurrection of the dead and everlasting judgment) there is nothing that particularly identifies them as being negative, as in the condemnation of the wicked. Everyone will be raised from the dead (some to glory with the Lord, and others to stand before the Lord to hear their punishment), and there is a judgment that comes to everyone at the time of death (some to glory, and others to Hades); the words that are used are general in nature.
The writer has named several subjects that he considered to be among the early teachings that should be understood: those fundamental matters that will result in spiritual growth, leading to maturity. These form part of the milk that is to lead to the solid food that his readership is still unable to bear.
3. And this will we do, if God permit.
And this we will do, if indeed God is permitting (literal).
The writer’s goal is to move on from these doctrines into the solid food of God’s teaching, but only according to His guidance. In other words, his desire is to proceed with instruction in the deeper spiritual matters, leaving it to his readers to catch up, but, even in this, he will follow the Lord’s leading – if God wants him to review some of these more elementary principles, then he will do so.
4. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5. And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6. If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
[It is] impossible for those who have one-time been enlightened, who did taste of the heavenly gift, and who did become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and who did taste of the good Word of God, and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away, to renew [them] once more unto repentance, who, to themselves, the Son of God are crucifying again and holding [Him] up to public shame (literal).7
The writer describes something that is impossible for those who have been enlightened one-time. Therefore, it is very important that we understand the full meaning of enlightened. The Greek root word is photizo, which comes from phos, or light; within a spiritual application (such as this), it means to bring a full understanding, to impart a complete knowledge, or to be thoroughly instructed.8 The context tells us that this enlightenment is in the salvation that the Lord freely offers in the Gospel; these enlightened ones are in Christ, for it is not possible for anyone to have such a thorough understanding of the Gospel and not be in Christ. To the Corinthians, Paul explained: “But the natural man receiveth not [cannot accept] the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [understand] them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14);9 discerned (judged) is in the passive voice, the understanding comes through the working of the Holy Spirit. It is very safe to say that the enlightened ones have been born from above; it is important to recognize this reality before proceeding.
These people have been enlightened one-time (once). Such a saving understanding will take place only once; this is a second principle that needs to be kept in mind as we proceed.
These enlightened ones did taste of the heavenly gift. Earlier we saw that Jesus tasted death (Hebrews 2:9): He experienced death, even though it did not hold Him. From this we conclude that such a taste is more than a sip from a drink or a nibble of food, since such small portions often lead to a false assessment of what has been sampled. Therefore, we know that these, who have been enlightened, have experienced, or have obtained, the heavenly gift.10 There are two Greek words that are primarily translated as gift: the first (and what we find in our text) is dorea, which, in the NT, refers to a free, spiritual gift, or benefit, that comes from God for the one who is born again (it is a general gift); the second is charisma, which is also a free gift but centers on grace (charis), or favor, and does not come to everyone in the same way (it is an individual gift).11 As we consider the use of this word (gift/dorea) within the NT, we come away with some understanding of this heavenly gift that the enlightened have received. The most significant gift (dorea) that is given by God to the one who is born again through faith in Christ, is the Holy Spirit. When Peter provided a brief explanation of the Gospel to Cornelius and those who were gathered with him (Gentiles), they understood the Message, and the Spirit of God came upon them: “And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift [dorea] of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 10:45). To the Romans, Paul wrote that it is in Christ that an abundance of grace (charis) and the gift (dorea) of righteousness is being received (Romans 5:17). To the Ephesians, Paul spoke of the gift (dorea) of grace that is given by Christ (Ephesians 4:7). To the one who has placed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, God’s righteousness and His grace will freely be given; it is through His grace (charis) that we are given the free gift (charisma) that expresses His favor toward us individually. Without question, the heavenly gift (dorea) that the enlightened one has received is the Holy Spirit.
Who did become partakers of the Holy Spirit seems to remove all doubt about the heavenly gift. Again, we have the Greek word metochos, which we learned earlier means sharing in:12 these enlightened ones came to be sharing in the Holy Spirit – the Spirit was present in them.
Who did taste of the good Word of God; the word taste, as we have come to learn, means to experience something. The primary illustration is that Jesus tasted death for us: He experienced death in its fullness before He gained the victory over it (Hebrews 2:9); therefore, we know that this phrase is telling us of something else that the enlightened ones have experienced, namely the good Word of God. Word (rhema) is in the singular, and is generally considered to be a collective application: i.e., the complete Gospel, at the very least, or the Scriptures as a whole.13 Good, from the Greek kalos, speaks of that which is inherently good; Jesus said, “I am the good (kalos) Shepherd …” (John10:11a), representing the full measure of goodness.14 The enlightened ones have experienced the full measure of the Gospel as God’s Message to humanity.
The powers of the coming age is an interesting phrase. Age (from the Greek aion) can speak of the world, or of eternity.15 Many consider this to be a reference to the time of the Messiah (something that the Jews are still anticipating);16 however, if we carefully consider the context, then that does not fit. Since these have experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, the writer would not now speak of traditional Jewish beliefs, but, in reality, he looks forward to the coming eternity that the Lord is preparing. The presence of the Spirit of God brings an assurance of abiding in the presence of the Lord because our sin has been cleansed through the blood of Christ – we are abiding in Him now, and will abide with Him in eternity! This rounds out the spiritual experience of the enlightened ones, and it is all good.
After outlining all of the good things that characterized the enlightened ones, the writer now adds something that tells us of their present condition: having fallen away. Despite the KJV beginning this phrase with the word if, there is nothing in the Greek to support its use. The reality is that the writer is speaking of someone who was truly born again, but is now fallen away. The Greek for this phrase (fallen away) is from parapipto, and literally means to fall from, or to fall beside; however, its use within the NT speaks of abandoning a relationship, or turning away from it.17 Although the word fall might insert an aspect of it being unintentional, or that this descent was accidental, the Greek grammar removes this as a possibility. The Greek verb is in the active voice: the subject is the doer of this action – in this case, it is the enlightened ones who, by their own choice, have become apostate!18
Let’s take a moment to consider what has been written, because it is at this point that modern Evangelicals become very creative in how they try to skew what the text is making so clear. First of all, they reduce the enlightenment to an intellectual perception of spiritual truth, they declare that the heavenly gift is salvation, partakers is reduced to being around when the Spirit of God is present in others, and to taste is to merely sample.19 MacArthur summarizes his case for this interpretation this way: “… it is the opportunity for receiving salvation, not salvation itself, that can be lost”; he considers the choice that the enlightened ones face as being: “… either to go on to full knowledge of God through faith in Christ or else turn away from Him, to become apostate and be lost forever.”20 Elsewhere, MacArthur has defined apostasy this way: “it speaks of abandonment, a separation, a defection – the abdication of truth altogether,”21 and, interestingly, this is an acceptable definition of apostasy; it is in his application of this definition that MacArthur fails miserably. Within his interpretation of this text in Hebrews, the enlightened ones have not placed their faith in Christ; therefore, we can safely say that, within his estimation, they are not in Christ. Therefore, since they are not in Christ, then their rejection of Him cannot be defined as apostasy (using his definition) – they are simply living in accordance with their sinful hearts, which do not belong to Christ. In typical Evangelical fashion, MacArthur subtly speaks with a forked tongue (with the “intent to mislead or deceive”):22 he is either lying when he provides an acceptable definition of apostasy, or he is lying when he says that someone who cannot abandon Christ (because they are not in Him), is an apostate; clearly, he cannot have it both ways because his definition and application of that definition are in contradiction to one another. In simple terms, you cannot abandon something/someone to which/whom you have had no commitment. The subtly is that when he presents such conflicting positions, he buries them in lengthy explanations so that, as you follow his elaborate reasoning, the contradiction is largely lost from sight, unless you are paying very close attention. Since we recognize the error in which MacArthur (and many other Evangelicals) is caught, we can easily set aside his feeble efforts to protect his doctrine of “the believer need never fear he will lose his salvation.”23
What is difficult to comprehend is how someone as well educated and studied as John MacArthur, can present such contradictions without seeing them. To complicate the matter even further, he also claims to hold to a Reformed theology that says that God has already chosen who will be saved, and there is nothing that you can do about it. When you add this to the contradictions that we have just considered, it only serves to further complicate the matter; the only explanation seems to be this: since he has refused the Truth, and has chosen error for such a long time, God has sent him a strong delusion so that he believes and teaches all manner of contradictions and lies (2 Thessalonians 2:10). We must beware of false proclaimers of “the Truth,” whom the devil will use to totally deceive those who refuse to measure everything according to God’s Word (Matthew 24:11; 1 John 4:1).
Now we learn what is impossible; under consideration, at this moment, are those who were enlightened and have turned away from that enlightenment to become apostate. The writer has taken careful measures to ensure that we know that the enlightened were truly born again, and have abandoned their faith in Christ (they are fallen away). What is impossible is to restore such a one to repentance in Christ. Why is this impossible? The writer has already given us a hint: they are once enlightened, or one-time they have become enlightened. Coming to salvation through faith in Christ can happen only once, and the writer is about to explain why.
If it was possible to bring an apostate Christian back into a relationship with Christ (repentance), then that would mean that Jesus would be crucified again for them. To the Romans, Paul wrote: “For in that he died, he died unto sin once [one-time only] …” (Romans 6:10).24 In coming to faith in Christ, His one-time payment for sin is applied to the repentant heart; when that individual turns away from Christ, he has not only rejected Christ, but through unbelief (he has turned from belief to unbelief) he has lost the Mark of his redemption, the Spirit of God (Hebrews 3:12; Ephesians 1:13), and has had his name removed from the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5). As Peter explained: “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them” (2 Peter 2:21). For the pagan, there is always the hope that they will be convinced of the truth of what Jesus has done for humanity, and that they will turn to Him in faith; for the apostate, Peter clarifies that it would have been better for them to have remained a pagan with hope, than to have become an apostate without hope.
It is impossible to bring an apostate back to a place of faith in Christ; Christ died only once, and the application of His payment can only be made once. There are some within the Evangelical community who have “accepted Jesus” many times, and no one seems to teach that this is not possible – Jesus died only once, and you can place your faith in Him only one time. Granted, with this community there is no understanding of what it means to believe in Christ; in their minds, to believe means to pray a prayer to accept Jesus into your heart – that is not what the Bible teaches! With no understanding of the elementary principles of the Gospel, Evangelicals are free (they love that word!) to create their own perversion of truth, and pass it off as the gospel. However, by doing so they are making a mockery of Christ and what He has done. It is essential that the message of the Gospel be made Biblically clear, and that the one who is hearing be permitted time to examine and evaluate that Message, and count the cost of following the Lord. That is not something that can be done under the influence of any form of pressure tactic (whether the proverbial “altar call,” or persuasive eloquence at the door), which will only lead to numerous “responses” to Jesus. Evangelicals have departed from the mandates that Jesus taught, and, by doing so, they subject the Lord to the derision of those who are watching them.
The writer of Hebrews makes it very clear that 1) it is very possible to turn away from the Lord, and 2) that there is no restoration for the one who does so. Having turned away from Christ’s redemption, there is no way for them to be restored; if they should attempt to do so, they are then seeking to crucify the Lord again (which is not possible) and expose Him, again, to public shame.
Jesus used the parable of the soils to illustrate this situation. And some [Seed] fell on the rock, and it did grow: it dried up because of not having moisture. And some [Seed] fell in the midst of the thorns, and [the thorns] grew with it [and] did choke it (Luke 8:6-7, literal).25 Then Jesus provided the interpretation of this parable: and they on the rock, when they hear, with joy they are receiving the Word, and these, having no root, who for a time are believing, and in a time of temptation they become apostate. And [the Seed] into the thorns did fall: these are those who have heard [with understanding] and go on their ways, and by cares and wealth and pleasures of life they are being choked and bear no fruit to maturity (Luke 8:13-14, literal).26 There are two things that are noteworthy: 1) those on the rock are believing, and 2) the spiritual life (they are believing) of those in the thorns was ended (choked) by outside influences. Both of these responded to the Word of God (the Seed), which resulted in spiritual life, yet neither life survived: the first perished under the heat of testing; the second was gradually overwhelmed by life in the world. Beware, brethren, that there never be in anyone of you a wicked heart of unbelief, to become apostate from the God Who is living (Hebrews 3:12, literal).27 It is evident that it is very possible to abandon our faith in Christ, but, what is not possible, is to be restored after such a departure.
7. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
For the soil that does drink the rain that is often coming upon it, and it is bringing forth vegetation useful for those by whom [the soil] is being tilled, is receiving a blessing from God (literal).28
The writer now embarks on a seemingly unrelated matter; however, it is being used as an illustration of the truths that were just taught. The rain falls upon the soil, and this describes a place where it results in an abundance of vegetation that is useful to the one who is tilling the soil; the ground, in this case, is receiving a blessing from God because it is fulfilling its intended purpose: to provide food for the farmer. We have just considered the enlightened ones who have experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit, the fullness of the Gospel, and a relationship with Christ; this is what God intended for humanity, and they have been blessed by God to experience it: that is the parallel that the writer is drawing.
8. But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
But [the soil] that is bringing forth thorns and thistles [is] rejected and close to being cursed, of which the end [is] burning (literal).29
This stands in contrast to the soil that benefits from the rains and produces valuable vegetation; this produces thorns and thistles – that which is not only of no value, but is actually detrimental to producing a crop. This soil is rejected because it produces nothing of any value.
Jesus used the illustration of the Vine and branches to express a similar truth. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away [is removing]: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth [is pruning] it, that it may bring forth more fruit … I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth [is remaining] in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth [is bearing] much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not [does not remain] in me, he is cast forth as a branch [removed by the Father], and is withered; and angels are gathering them [Matthew 13:40-42] and into the fire casting [them], and it [the removed branch] is burning” (John 15:1-2, 5-6, literal in italics and underline).30 He went on to clarify what it takes to remain in Him: if My commandments ye obey, [then] ye will remain in My love … (John 15:10a, literal);31 the key to remaining in Christ is to live in obedience to Him! If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch; Jesus said that if someone does not remain in Him, which is an apt description of an apostate, that person is cast out and will ultimately be burning. What does it take to become apostate? – disobedience to the Lord!
As we, through obedience, remain faithfully in the Lord as His enlightened ones, we are bearing much fruit; the soil that received the rain and brought vegetation forth also received the blessing of God. However, through disobedience, the apostate bears no fruit, is removed and cast into the fire; the soil that did not receive the rain brought forth thorns and thistles, and is fit for nothing but to be burned. As we bring these various Scriptures together, it becomes very evident that the one who is no longer in Christ (the apostate) cannot be restored, and is destined for the flames. It is for us to learn from this teaching and to commit to living in faithful obedience to Jesus, Who bought us out of sin.
9. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
But, beloved, we have been convinced of better things concerning you and that which is belonging to salvation, even though we are speaking in this way (literal).32
The writer injects a sense of optimism regarding his readers. He has taught, in some detail, that it is possible for someone who is in Christ to turn away from Him and be lost forever; then he illustrated this with the soil that receives the rain and produces useful crops, and compared that to a parched land that produces nothing of value and is destined to be burned. However, he has been convinced that his readers will not turn away from Christ and will produce that which is beneficial to them and others – works that are in keeping with the saving grace that they receive through faith in Christ. What has just been presented has been given as a warning of the danger of failing to follow the Lord faithfully; he is exhorting his audience to not become lax in their life in Christ, but to take heed that unbelief does not settle into their hearts (Hebrews 3:12). He already issued a call to vigilance, but now he has taken the time to elaborate on just how serious this matter really is in the light of eternity.
Despite the writer’s careful attention to detail as he expanded on his earlier alert, Evangelical theologians, for the most part, have dismantled the warning that has been given, and teach nothing regarding the matter of apostasy. We have already seen the efforts of John MacArthur to entirely discount the relevancy of this book, and, more specifically, he manipulated and twisted these teachings until they appear to fit within his accepted theology, which, as we revealed earlier, is a confusing mixture of conflicting Evangelical thinking and Reformed doctrines. There is a dire need to return to God’s Word alone, permitting His Spirit to guide us into all truth – after all, that is why He has come to us (John 16:13).
It seems that there is an often unspoken fear that the Lord will require more of us than we are prepared to give, which is quite telling, in and of itself. One fellow told me that he didn’t want to read my study on the Sabbath because he was isolated enough as a Christian, and didn’t think that he could handle any more change; ignorance of God’s truth was preferable to growing in Him, all for personal comfort. Another told me that even if I proved to him that I was Biblically correct on the subject of separation from error, that it wouldn’t change his mind or life. There is a deliberate blindness within Evangelicals that leaves them content to remain in their error – there is absolutely no thirst for the Truth of God. My suspicion is that they are caught on the heretical doctrine of once-saved-always-saved, and so what they believe, and how they live, is of no real eternal consequence anymore. The writer of Hebrews seeks to break through this heresy, and present the truth of God that it matters a great deal what we believe and how we live. If we desire to know God’s Truth (and we must), then we must be living in obedience to His commands. “He that saith, I know him [God], and keepeth [tereo – obey: present tense (a continuous action), active voice (he carries the action out)] not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).33 Within this is the demise of most Evangelicals: they claim to know the Lord, yet they refuse to obey the commands that He has given – they prefer their theologies that require nothing of them. We must be sure that we are among those of whom the writer anticipates better things – things that accompany faith in the Lord, and spiritual growth that leads to solid food.
10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shown for His name, to serve the saints, and ye are serving [them] (literal).34
The writer is now drawing particular attention to activities in which his readers have been involved. Work (ergou) speaks merely of things that are done; labor (kopou) is similar to work, except that it involves an intensity of effort that can lead to weariness.35 Their work and labor have been done in God’s name, and the objects of their activities have been, and continue to be, the saints – those who are in Christ.
One of the conditions that the Jerusalem leaders placed upon Paul and those who were bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles, was that they should be mindful of the needs of the poor (Galatians 2:10, and other passages indicate that these poor were among the saints in Judea [Acts 11:29-30; Romans 15:25-26]). “But whoso hath this world’s good [that which provides a living], and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (1 John 3:17). These Jews were expressing God’s love toward their brethren in the faith by reaching out to serve them in their areas of need, and this is a reminder to them that God will not forget their service. This is a principle that Solomon recognized: “He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him [his Maker] hath mercy on the poor” (Proverbs 14:31). Compassion for others (particularly those who are in the family of Christ, Galatians 6:10) flows from a proper understanding of God and the mercy that He shows to us.
11. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
And we desire each one of you to demonstrate the same sincerity regarding the certainty of hope, unto the end (literal).36
The central thought of this is the certainty of hope, which rests entirely in Christ and His redemptive work for humanity. With this as the focus, the writer expresses his desire that everyone who reads/hears this letter will earnestly show forth his commitment to Christ. In the example just cited, they revealed their devotion through continually being of service to their brethren. The writer has subtly shifted the focus from the saints to the certainty of hope, which is in Christ; he has thereby issued a call for each one to serve Christ with the same commitment that he has shown toward the saints. The important question then becomes: what is the service that Christ requires of those who are His? Jesus did not keep this hidden, but was very clear: if ye are loving Me, then My commandments ye must be obeying (John 14:15, literal).37 Therefore, the writer is calling upon each individual in his audience to earnestly commit to obeying the Lord in all things.
A small phrase completes this thought: unto the end. The end for us comes at one of two events: either our death, or the Lord’s return in the clouds (the rapture). It is at either of these two that our work for the Lord on earth comes to an end – there is nothing more that we can do; our eternal destiny has been determined. Jesus said, “And ye will be hated by all on account of My name; but he who has endured unto the end, this one will be saved” (Matthew 10:22, literal).38 The writer of Hebrews is echoing Jesus’ words: faithful service (obedience) must continue unto the end; Jesus adds that it is this faithful one who will be saved – yes, salvation is affirmed at the end. As the writer made very clear, it is possible for someone who has been born again to fall away from Christ; therefore, in this life, we must commit to being faithful to Christ (obedient to Him), for then will His salvation become ours. No, this is not working for our salvation, but, rather, working out our future salvation through the enabling guidance of the Spirit of God within. “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Notice that Paul equates obedience (ye have always obeyed) with work out; Jesus said that our obedience must follow our love for Him (John 14:15), and, as such, the working out is the expression of us permitting the Lord to work in us and through us.
Evangelicals understand very clearly that we cannot work for our salvation, but, unfortunately, they have attached this to their doctrine of eternal security that is obtained by a simple prayer for salvation. Consequently, they will loudly proclaim that they are free: free from sin (because they prayed and asked Jesus into their hearts), free from all Law (because that was removed by Christ at the cross), free under God’s grace (a grace that is able to cover any sin), and free from any guilt of sin; so they are free to live carelessly and without any further thought. Regrettably, they have not been taught what it means to be free in Christ, nor do most of their teachers and preachers understand it. Paul wrote: And ye, set free from sin, have become enslaved to righteousness (Romans 6:18, literal);39 that is the balance that Evangelicals choose to ignore. Let’s take a moment to consider just how significant this is from God’s perspective.
As John received the Revelation of Jesus Christ, he was given much information about the spiritual activities that take place within this present world. In one case, a messenger was sent to him to show him the judgment of Babylon the Great, described as a great whore who is sitting upon the peoples (waters) of this earth (Revelation 17:1, 15). Ancient Babylon (meaning, Gate of the Gods) was a port city located on the Euphrates River; it was very powerful and influential for many centuries BC – not only as the ruling power, but also as the center for commerce, religion, wealth and architectural marvels.40 The religious flavor of Babylon was polytheistic, every natural phenomenon was controlled by a god or spirit, and the rulers of Babylon would often claim that they had received special authority from the gods.41 Therefore, everyone’s focus was on appeasing the gods (or obeying the king) in order to receive the desired benefits.
John tells us that those who are dwelling on the earth have become intoxicated (been made drunk) with the wine of her fornication (Revelation 17:2). Fornication is used here in a metaphorical sense; it is speaking of spiritual fornication, which is a turning away from God’s authority to whatever is justifiably acceptable at the time. Jesus has a Bride, the ekklesia, who is His wife (Ephesians 5:25-27); Satan, who aspires to be like unto Jehovah, has counterfeited this relationship with the whore of Babylon. This woman is a false religious system that stands against the ekklesia – the called-out ones who remain faithful to the Lord.42 When the children of Israel entered into the Promised Land under the guidance of Jehovah, they were warned against the religion of the people whom they were replacing (Deuteronomy 12:2). Yet, many years later, Jeremiah recorded this about Israel: “The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding [apostate] Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot” (Jeremiah 3:6).43 Israel had turned away from Jehovah to the idolatry of the nations that they dispossessed – that is apostasy! However, before apostasy, comes spiritual fornication: dabbling in the idolatry of Satan’s bride. The whore of Babylon is described as sitting upon many peoples (being a global religious system), but also as the city that was ruling over the nations at the time of John, namely Rome (Revelation 17:18).
At this point, there are many who will name the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) as the great whore, and then relax because they are not part of this Church. What they have forgotten too quickly, is that she is sitting upon the peoples of the earth – her influence is woven throughout the religions of the world. In 1986, the pope of Rome hosted a day of prayer that was attended by 160 religious leaders from all over the world: Quakers, Mennonites, Baptists, Lutherans, Anglicans, those holding to Reformed theology, as well as Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims and animists.44 Although subsequent popes stopped these radical Ecumenical gatherings, they have continued to work to bring their “wayward children” home; their focus has been more toward undoing the Reformation, and, more lately, to wooing the Muslims. The whore sitting upon the peoples of the world is no longer just the RCC (to be sure, it is there), but it is the Ecumenical community: those who are willing to close their eyes to the religious beliefs of others in order to embrace them as their brothers. This has become accepted among Evangelicals as normal; they will join with their Anglican, Catholic, Pentecostal, and Reformed brothers to share in the “spiritual” work within their area – this is Ecumenism, and is only possible by each ignoring their differences and adhering to a general consensus. This is the influence of the whore of Babylon who seeks to erase all differences by providing justification for committing spiritual fornication: beginning with a small compromise that leads to a greater fellowship, learning to ignore terms that will cause offense to others, and basking in the broader unity that is achieved. When the Lord of heaven calls, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4), that is not a call to His children to come out of the RCC, which is apostate; it is His call for His children to remove themselves from the whore of Babylon: those Ecumenical activities that may appear to be benign and even spiritually good. Paul wrote: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers … for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you …” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17). Everything that is Ecumenical is unclean; notice that unless we are separated from what is unclean (Ecumenism in any form), the Lord will not receive us.
The writer is exhorting his readers to remain faithful, separated unto the Lord, unto the end. It is easy to be enticed by eloquent teachers who do not have a hold on God’s Truth, and be lured into their freedom. We are free in Christ: free from sin and enslaved to His righteousness (Romans 6:18). For our spiritual wellbeing, we must avoid those who do not teach Biblical truth (Romans 16:17)! “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8); his target is the child of God, and compromise is his lure. Be warned!
12. That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
In order that ye will not become lazy, but imitators of those who through faith and longsuffering are inheriting the promises (literal).45
This builds upon the exhortation of the previous verse: remain faithfully in Christ (in Whom is our hope) unto the end. It is interesting to see an exhortation that they are not to become lazy; earlier, he assessed his readers as still drinking spiritual milk at a time when they should be teachers of the truth and feeding spiritually on solid food (Hebrews 5:11). Consider the exhortation that is given here: remain faithfully in Christ unto the end, so that ye will not become lazy; the antidote against becoming spiritually lazy is to remain faithfully in Christ! Put another way, if you are becoming spiritually lazy, then you are failing to remain in Christ: you are dabbling in spiritual fornication, and have embarked on the downward slide into apostasy. Unless the dabbling is repented of quickly, apostasy is a certainty.
To the elder (messenger) of Sardis, Jesus made this observation: I know thy works, that you have a reputation that you are living, and yet you are dead (Revelation 3:1b, literal). This elder was occupied with things that gave the impression of spiritual life, yet the Lord saw beneath his works to see the spiritual dearth that was there. The Lord’s challenge to the elder was this: become alert and so strengthen what is remaining, which is about to die … recall, then, how you accepted and heard [the Gospel], not only pay attention to it, but also repent (Revelation 3:2a-3a, literal).46 This elder stands on the brink of apostasy, yet if he is quick to respond to this challenge, he is still able to repent and return to fellowship with the Lord. However, this requires something of him, and it will not happen if he is lazy.
The exhortation given here is to be imitators of those who are inheriting the promises. An imitator is someone who mimics the actions of another; the Greek word is mimetai, and, clearly, a source for our English word mimic. Who are inheriting the promises? Those who remain faithful to the One Who made the promises. The writer inserts the essential presence of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (that should be understood by now), and longsuffering, a strong commitment to the faith that is expressed through patience toward those who are of a contrary position. As we know from Paul’s letter to the Galatians, there were many Jews who held a view of the Gospel that was not accurate; those who are inheriting hold an unwavering faith in Christ, yet they do so with grace toward those who do not, in the hope that they will come to a proper knowledge of the Lord. Earlier we looked at Jesus’ words: “And ye will be hated by all on account of My name; but he who has endured unto the end, this one will be saved” (Matthew 10:22, literal).47 This theme of remaining faithful is similar to our verse, but the emphasis is just slightly different. In our text, the Greek word used for longsuffering (patience) is makrothumia, which comes from two Greek words makro meaning long, and thumos meaning passion: hence, long-passioned, or not easily provoked to respond against someone for a wrong.48 In Matthew, endured is from the Greek hupomeno, which means to remain, or endure, in the face of trials and opposition.49 The difference between these two has to do with the setting: makrothumia will typically have to do with people, rather than situations, and is an attribute of God (1 Peter 3:20); hupomeno, on the other hand, can mean to remain behind, but, more frequently, it means to persevere, to remain steadfast, unwilling to flee in the face of oppression (situations, rather than people); although this is used of Jesus as He faced the cross (His humanity cringing at the suffering to be endured, Hebrews 12:2-3), it is not applied to God.50 Within our text, the exhortation is to be gracious in disagreement, particularly when you hold the Biblical position; however, longsuffering does not include the acceptance of error, or its tolerance. Moreover, without some indication of an acknowledgement of the truth, it will require us to separate from those who hold to error. The Scriptures are clear that we are to avoid those who teach that which is not in keeping with God’s Word (Romans 16:17); if they refuse to move from their error, the only recourse is to separate from them. Nevertheless, the exhortation is to express the truth with grace, thereby permitting the other person to respond with thoughtfulness, rather than simply being defensive.
Those who are inheriting God’s promises have a firm faith in Christ, but they also bear patiently with those who are not there, in the hope of bringing them to that place of maturity. The old adage, honey catches more flies than vinegar, would apply here. My experience with those who are of the Reformed persuasion is that they have not learned this truth; they are typically harsh, argumentative, and will, without a second thought, sacrifice a relationship when they encounter those who disagree with them – they are not longsuffering!
So, what are the promises? Since this is a letter addressed to the Hebrews, there is a temptation to call to mind the promises that the Lord made to Abraham. However, we must keep in mind that the overwhelming theme of this book, so far, has been the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ and His redemptive sacrifice. Therefore, we must look to the promises that are a part of the Gospel message that went out into all of the world (Colossians 1:5-6).
One of the first things that the Lord promised to His disciples was the Holy Spirit: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26). Jesus promised to send the Comforter (Parakletos) after He had left this earth (John 16:7); this is a significant promise because this Spirit of God is prepared to remain with us (John 14:16), He will instruct us (John 14:26), guide us into all Truth (John 16:13), and intercede with the Father on our behalf (Romans 8:27). Parakletos literally means one who is called alongside to provide aid; in a general sense, it means Helper and Intercessor.51 Although this promise has been fulfilled (the Spirit of God came initially on Pentecost), there is a continual fulfillment as the Spirit abides within us (Romans 8:9) and intercedes for us. As we come to faith in Christ, the Spirit is bestowed as a mark (seal) that we are God’s and the down payment (earnest) made by God toward our eternal inheritance with Him, which we will inherit if we remain faithful to Him (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Jesus also said: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions [rooms]: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3).52 As Jesus spoke with His disciples just before the cross, His command was that they were to be continually believing in Him; they believed in God (through their times of exile, the Jews had forsaken idolatry, for the most part), but that belief now needed to include the Son of God. With that believing in place, Jesus promised that He would prepare a room for them in His Father’s house, and one day they would live there with Him – this is a promise of heaven with the Lord! To the Colossians, Paul summarized it this way: Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27b). It is as we live in Christ (and He in us, John 15:4) that we can have the hope of glory – the expectation of heaven (glory), is ours.
As we hold this hope of glory in the light of what the writer has just taught, we can hear his exhortation to be careful that we not entertain anything that would cause us to fall away from the Lord. It is through a strong commitment to the Lord (an active faith and obedience) that we mimic those who are inheriting the promises of the Lord: the Spirit of God now, and the glory of heaven in the Lord’s time.
13. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14. Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
For to Abraham God did make a promise, [and] because He was able to swear by no one greater, He did swear by Himself saying, “Certainly, blessing, I will bless thee, and multiplying, I will multiply thee” (literal).53
The writer now turns to that which was very familiar to all Jews: the Lord’s promise that He made to Abraham. The occasion for this blessing upon Abraham was after he had willingly placed Isaac upon the altar as God had instructed him: “And [the angel from heaven] said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee [singular], and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” (Genesis 22:16-18). The Lord binds Himself with an oath that He will bless Abraham, multiply his descendants, and bless all people through the Seed Who will be his descendant; as God Almighty, He guarantees to do what He promised to Abraham – that is a surety like no other! It is noteworthy that even though the promise that God gave to Abraham was reiterated to Isaac, the oath of surety was not repeated (Genesis 26:4, 24) – the strong affirmation that He gave to Abraham was sufficient to see the promises fulfilled. It is interesting that when the Lord promised to bless Abraham, that blessing was given to Abraham alone (singular); the Lord repeated this for Isaac (also singular). However, we do not read of the Lord promising to bless Jacob in this way; He only reiterated the promise to multiply his descendants and to bring a blessing to all people through them (Genesis 28:14).
Interestingly, at this point, the writer only records the Lord’s promise to bless and multiply Abraham. From this “blessed” beginning, blessings have held a very significant place within the Jewish culture for millennia, and, even today, they consider blessings to be a “portal to the Infinite” – unfortunately, modern Jews have absorbed many New Age concepts, so that Jehovah is referred to in such nebulous terms as the Infinite and the Universe.54 The Lord’s promises to Abraham, reiterated here, would have struck a chord with the writer’s Hebrew audience – it all began with promises!
15. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
And so, having waited expectantly, he obtained the promise (literal).55
This cannot be a reference to Isaac, because what was just quoted took place when Abraham willingly offered Isaac to the Lord. It cannot be that Abraham was blessed with wealth, for we are told that he was very rich in cattle, silver and gold before Isaac was born (Genesis 13:2). It cannot be a reference to the Lord Jesus through Whom all peoples would be blessed, for His arrival would not come for many, many generations. However, consider a very simple timeline of Abraham’s latter days: Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5), Isaac was 60 years old (so Abraham was 160) when Jacob and Esau were born (Genesis 25:26); since Abraham lived to the age of 175 (Genesis 25:7), he witnessed the beginning of the fulfillment of the multiplication of his seed. Yet Abraham had to trust that the Lord would remain faithful to His promise, and the Lord tested his endurance of patience with that next generation as well, because Isaac was forty when he married Rebekah (Genesis 25:20), and twenty years passed before Jacob and Esau were born (Genesis 25:26).
16. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
For, indeed, men do swear by the greater, and, for them, an oath serves as confirmation, the end of every dispute (literal).56
This harkens back to verse 13, where it is noted that God swore by Himself to accomplish His promise to Abraham. Among men, the sworn oath is accepted as a guarantee of the veracity of a position or statement, because it is made on appeal to something, or someone, greater. However, when God swore to Abraham that He would bless him, multiply his descendants, and that the Redeemer would come through his descendants, He swore by Himself – there is no one greater by whom He could swear. I, Jehovah, there is none beside (Isaiah 45:6b, literal).57 This was the Lord’s guarantee to Abraham that He would fulfill what He declared to him; even before the oath was given and before Isaac was born, Abraham believed God and his belief was accounted to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).
17. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
In that God, Who is desiring even more to prove to the heirs of the promise the immutability of His purpose, did guarantee by an oath, so that by two immutable things, in which [it is] impossible for God to lie, we, having a strong encouragement, did flee to hold fast to the hope that is set before [us] (literal).58
The writer now reveals why the Lord confirmed His promises to Abraham with an oath: it was to demonstrate to Abraham’s descendants, who were heirs of the promise, the unwavering surety that God would do what He said. The promise was two-fold, but with a singular purpose: 1) their descendants would multiply greatly and provide the family-line for the second, and 2) out of those descendants would come One Who would be a blessing to all of humanity. Throughout the generations, the children of Israel could look forward with the assurance that God would use them to bring about a world-wide blessing.
God desired the heirs of the promise to understand that His purpose, as it was presented to Abraham, was unchangeable. Notice that the promise went to the heirs of the promise. Abraham had several children: Ishmael, his first-born by Hagar, Isaac by Sarah, as well as six other sons by Keturah (Genesis 25:2); yet it was Isaac who carried the promise to the next generation. To his other sons, Abraham gave gifts and sent them away from where he was living and from Isaac, but to Isaac he gave all that he had (Genesis 25:5-6). Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau, and it was through Jacob that the promise was carried; the Lord gave His promise of many descendants and of the Coming One to Jacob, who was heir to the promise given to Abraham and Isaac. As Jacob blessed his sons, to Judah he gave this blessing: “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh [meaning, He Whose it is; a reference to the Messiah] come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10).59 The family line of the Promised One came through Judah, and then through David (Psalm 89:3-4); as the generations passed, the promise continued but always through an individual, thereby narrowing the family line of the Messiah (Matthew 1:2-16) – the heirs of the promise.
To the heirs of the promise, who came from Abraham, God desired to show the unchangeable nature of the promise given, and so He made the promise and confirmed it by an oath – two immutable things. The promise of God is unchangeable in itself, but the oath serves to heighten its unalterable state. These two (the promise and the oath) are assuredly unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie; another promise is that liars are destined for the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). Impossible is from the Greek word adunaton, which is the same as used in Hebrews 6:4; as impossible as it is for God to lie, it is equally impossible to restore an apostate to faith in Christ. The promise that Abraham received from the Lord was fully guaranteed, and the heirs to the promise understood its unchangeable nature.
The writer then draws the guaranteed promise that was given to Abraham into the present by introducing something that we have done: we did flee for the purpose of finding refuge.60 We are holding a strong encouragement, which has come to us through the guaranteed promise of God to the heirs of the promise. The one promise (of the three that the Lord gave to Abraham) that continued through the generations that followed Abraham, was that through his family line would come a Blessing for all of humanity – namely, the Messiah, Jesus. It is through the sacrificial work of Jesus, in fulfillment of the sure promise given to Abraham, that we are enjoying such a strong encouragement, for He has paid the price for our sins, and, through faith in Him, we are able to be cleansed from sin.
Again, the hope that we have is in Christ. The writer includes our need to hold fast to that hope, the hope of the ages that has been revealed to (set before) us is in Christ. Paul wrote of the mystery that had been hidden in God through the OT ages, but has now been revealed by the Spirit of God: all of those who are in Christ are of one household in God (Ephesians 2:18-19). To the Colossians, he summarized this former mystery, now revealed, as being: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27b). We must continue firmly in (hold fast to) the hope that we have in Christ: the Gospel is an unveiling of Christ and all that He has done for the sins of humanity. He is our Hope, and we must remain in Him in order to gain the glory that He has promised; we are only able to remain in Him through obedience to His commands (John 14:15). Whoever is obeying His Word, in this the love of God has been made perfect, in this we are understanding that we are in Him (1 John 2:5, literal).61 Obedience to the Lord’s commands is of utmost importance, and we must commit to living in obedience to Him (faithfulness) all of the days of our lives.
19. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Which we have as an anchor of the soul, [that] will not fail and [is] secure – it even enters into that beyond the vail (literal).62
Which refers to the hope that we have in Christ, and this Hope serves as an anchor for our souls. Hope is defined as a desire for good with an expectation (great or small) that it is attainable.63 It is because our hope rests in Christ and what He has done for us, that it is likened unto an anchor – that is a surety similar to the Lord’s promise to Abraham that He confirmed with an oath.
What is the hope that is in Christ? Earlier we looked at the promise that Jesus gave to His disciples that, after He left them, He would return one day for them so that they would be together with Him (John 14:1-3). This is the promise that He gave, and it is one that generates hope within us of when we will be with Him in heaven. One of the promises that we receive in Christ is that the Spirit of God will dwell within us. Consider Paul’s words to the Ephesians: In Whom [Christ] ye did understand the word of truth (the Gospel of your salvation), in Whom ye did believe and were marked with the Holy Spirit of promise; Who is the pledge for our inheritance, for the deliverance of the acquired possession, to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:13-14, literal).64 It is in Christ that we understand the Truth (the Spirit comes to guide us into all truth – John 16:13), and upon believing in Him, the presence of His Spirit is given, not only to mark us as belonging to Him, but also as a pledge of the inheritance that we will have in Christ, if we remain faithful to Him. In Christ we receive the Spirit as a deposit toward the time when we will be with Him for eternity, but, in Him, we also understand the truth concerning our salvation. Jesus said, “The one who endures unto the end, this is the one who will be saved (Matthew 24:13, literal)65 – this is the word of truth that we must understand! Our salvation is not eternally secured until we have remained faithful to the Lord unto the end! The “faithful enduring” takes place in this life, but it is not until the end has come that salvation will be achieved. What spiritual chaos has been created by not understanding this truth! The most common belief today is that if you pray for salvation, then your salvation has been irrevocably secured; Jesus said that we must remain faithful to Him unto the end (endure), and then we will be saved. The Spirit of God abides within us as a pledge toward the day when our salvation will be secured; nevertheless, we should all understand by now that apostasy is possible, and, in that case, the Pledge will be withdrawn. We can all understand that when a deposit is made to purchase a home or car, unless the terms of the agreement are met, that home or car will not become ours; so, too, unless we remain faithful to the Lord unto the end, that pledged salvation will not become ours. It is not the Pledge that fails; rather, we choose to depart from the Truth into apostasy, from which there is no recovery (as we have come to know).
The hope that we have in Christ is described in two ways: 1) it will not fail; the Greek word used is asphales, the a- applying a negative to sphallo, to fail – hence, it is sure, it won’t fail,66 and 2) bebaian, it is strong, firm and stable.67 In essence, these two Greek words point to exactly the same thing: the security of our hope in Christ – one as a negative (it won’t fail), and the other as a positive (it is steadfast). Together, they form a double assurance that the hope that we have in Christ (our anchor) is completely dependable. As we know full well by now, this dependability is not because we hold it, but because it is in Christ; the writer has made it abundantly clear that we need to guard against turning away from Christ into apostasy.
The last phrase forms a very interesting word-picture: it even enters into that beyond the vail. This is a reference to the vail of the temple that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. It is this vail that God tore apart from the top to the bottom when Jesus died for the sins of the world (Matthew 17:50-51), thereby providing an indisputable sign that the way into the Holiest had been opened. Under the Mosaic Law, the high priest would enter into this inner sanctuary only once each year on the Day of Atonement, and then, adhering to a very strict protocol, he would sprinkle the blood of the bullock that would bring cleansing from sin for himself and his household, and then the blood of a goat for the children of Israel (Leviticus 16:11-15). It was in this sanctuary beyond the vail that atonement was made for the sins of the children of Israel; Jesus’ shed blood provided atonement for the sins of the whole world: “For this is My blood of the New Covenant for many it is being poured out for the purpose of sins forgiven” (Matthew 26:28, literal);68 the many stands in contrast to the few (only Israel) who were able, through faith, to have their sins remitted under the Old Covenant (OC). “And He is the means of forgiveness for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2, literal);69 under the New Covenant (NC) that was opened through Jesus’ shed blood, the Scriptures make it clear that Matthew’s many must be understood as being all – He shed His blood so that everyone could have their sins forgiven; the contrast is not between few and many, but between a few and all of humanity!70 Moreover, the forgiveness of sins that comes through the New Covenant is complete, whereas the atonement that was made by the high priest through the OC sacrifices was only temporary – it had to be repeated every year.
Under the OC, the high priest would kill the sacrifice (a bullock for himself and his family, followed by a goat for the people), and then he would enter the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood as required. Jesus, the Lamb of God, died upon the cross as the final sacrifice for sin, and, upon His death, the vail of the temple was torn apart because the work of the high priest was no longer required – the way into the presence of God was opened through Christ! What was required now was not faith in God’s promise (as under the OC), but faith in His Promised One Who paid the debt of sin and made atonement available to everyone!
The hope that we have in Christ has been secured by His full payment for the sins of the world: He fulfilled the sacrifices of the OC. The Lord promised Abraham (with an oath) that through his Seed, all of the people of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16). The blessing was that Jesus paid the price for the sins of the world, and, through faith in Him, cleansing from sin was now available to everyone, not just the Jew. For the Jew under the OC, on the Day of Atonement the blood was sprinkled for the cleansing of his sins, yet if he did not, by faith, consider it to be for his sins, then the atoning work of the high priest was without effect for him. In the same way, Jesus paid the price for all of sin, yet if we do not appropriate that payment as being for our sins, then we remain in our sin.
20. Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Where Jesus, going before on behalf of us, did enter, to become a high priest forever, according to the nature of Melchizedek (literal).71
Where refers to that place beyond the vail, where the high priest would enter once each year in order to make an atonement for sins. In the temple, beyond the vail, was the presence of God between the cherubim and above the mercy seat (Exodus 25:22). Since the tabernacle/temple was an image of the heavenly (Hebrews 8:5), the Holy of Holies was the earthly image of the presence of God in heaven; Jesus did not enter into the earthly sanctuary, but into the very presence of God in heaven, after paying the price for the sins of the world, in order to obtain eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12). Jesus accomplished two things that together form the message of the Gospel: 1) He died once for sin, and 2) He was raised to never-ending life. As significant and amazing as the first is, without the second we are without hope: “And if Christ was not raised, then your faith [is] worthless: ye are yet in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17, literal).72 Baptism is a picture of this amazing truth: “Therefore, we were buried together with Him by baptism into death in order that, even as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4, literal).73 We must account ourselves to be dead to sin but alive unto God through Christ (Romans 6:11); being made free from sin through His death, we now become enslaved to His righteousness through our new life in Him (Romans 6:18). To the Colossians, Paul explained it this way: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). Christ entered into the presence of God in heaven in order to complete our redemption: He died, bearing the sins of the world, and He was resurrected so that we are now able to live in Him. His death paid for our sins, but His raised life brings us not only a new life on earth, but the very real hope of an eternity with Him.
Christ became the High Priest of an endless life. The OC high priest would enter into the Holiest in order to atone for sin, but it was only a temporary atonement. Jesus was the sacrifice, and He was the High Priest: He made the final payment for sin and His resurrection brings the promise of life without end. The priesthood and sacrificial system, ordained by the Law of Moses, was but a glimpse of what its fulfillment would become through Christ: Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27b).
END NOTES:
1 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
2 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
3 Stephanus 1550 NT.
4 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Strong’s Online.
5 Strong’s Online.
6 Ibid.
7 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
8 Friberg Lexicon; Strong’s Online.
9 Friberg Lexicon.
10 Gingrich Lexicon.
11 Friberg Lexicon.
12 Gingrich Lexicon.
13 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
14 Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
15 Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
16 Barnes’ Notes, ESword.
17 Friberg Lexicon; Strong’s Online.
18 Friberg Lexicon.
19 John MacArthur, Hebrews, p. 142-145.
20 Ibid, p. 146-147.
21 John Mac Arthur, The Truth War, p. 43.
22 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forked tongue.
23 MacArthur, Hebrews, p. 146.
24 Friberg Lexicon.
25 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
26 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Vine’s “go.”
27 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon.
28 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Vine’s “till.”
29 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
30 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
31 Stephanus 1550 NT.
32 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
33 Friberg Lexicon.
34 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
35 Friberg Lexicon.
36 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
37 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
38 Ibid.
39 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
40 https://www.worldhistory.org/babylon/.
41 https://ancientspast.com/history-of-babylonian-religion-uncovering-the-ancient-faiths-of-mesopotamia/.
42 Strong’s Online.
43 BDB.
44 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_Prayer.
45 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
46 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
47 Ibid.
48 Strong’s Online.
49 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
50 Friberg Lexicon.
51 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
52 Gingrich Lexicon.
53 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
54 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/blessings-a-conduit-of-infinite-potential/.
55 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
56 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
57 BDB.
58 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon; https://www.ntgreek.org/learn_nt_greek/subj-purpose.htm.
59 Strong’s Online.
60 Friberg Lexicon.
61 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
62 Stephanus 1550 NT; Strong’s Online; Friberg Lexicon.
63 https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/hope.
64 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
65 Ibid.
66 Strong’s Dictionary, ESword.
67 Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
68 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
69 Ibid.
70 In the Friberg Lexcion this is referred to as being “the Semitic inclusive sense,” of which I’ve not been able to discover anything more; however, it is very clear from other Scriptures that an inclusivity is required.
71 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
72 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
73 Ibid.
1 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
2 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
3 Stephanus 1550 NT.
4 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Strong’s Online.
5 Strong’s Online.
6 Ibid.
7 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
8 Friberg Lexicon; Strong’s Online.
9 Friberg Lexicon.
10 Gingrich Lexicon.
11 Friberg Lexicon.
12 Gingrich Lexicon.
13 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
14 Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
15 Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
16 Barnes’ Notes, ESword.
17 Friberg Lexicon; Strong’s Online.
18 Friberg Lexicon.
19 John MacArthur, Hebrews, p. 142-145.
20 Ibid, p. 146-147.
21 John Mac Arthur, The Truth War, p. 43.
22 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forked tongue.
23 MacArthur, Hebrews, p. 146.
24 Friberg Lexicon.
25 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
26 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Vine’s “go.”
27 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon.
28 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Vine’s “till.”
29 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
30 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
31 Stephanus 1550 NT.
32 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
33 Friberg Lexicon.
34 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
35 Friberg Lexicon.
36 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
37 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
38 Ibid.
39 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
40 https://www.worldhistory.org/babylon/.
41 https://ancientspast.com/history-of-babylonian-religion-uncovering-the-ancient-faiths-of-mesopotamia/.
42 Strong’s Online.
43 BDB.
44 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_Prayer.
45 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
46 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
47 Ibid.
48 Strong’s Online.
49 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
50 Friberg Lexicon.
51 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
52 Gingrich Lexicon.
53 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
54 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/blessings-a-conduit-of-infinite-potential/.
55 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
56 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
57 BDB.
58 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon; https://www.ntgreek.org/learn_nt_greek/subj-purpose.htm.
59 Strong’s Online.
60 Friberg Lexicon.
61 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
62 Stephanus 1550 NT; Strong’s Online; Friberg Lexicon.
63 https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/hope.
64 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
65 Ibid.
66 Strong’s Dictionary, ESword.
67 Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
68 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
69 Ibid.
70 In the Friberg Lexcion this is referred to as being “the Semitic inclusive sense,” of which I’ve not been able to discover anything more; however, it is very clear from other Scriptures that an inclusivity is required.
71 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
72 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
73 Ibid.