Hebrews Chapter 6

(Tap footnote to read it.  Old Testament quotations/allusions are underlined.  "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.^fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love".  However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior.  It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings.  (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".)  Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé".  Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing.  It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. Verbs with an asterisk (*) are in the Greek perfect tense.^fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)

Press on to perfect maturity

1. Therefore, having left the elementary teaching of the Anointed, we should press on toward perfect maturity, not again laying a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith in God,
2. or instruction about washings^fn“washings” could also be translated “baptisms”, and the laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and the judgement of ages.
3. And we will do this if God allows.
4. For it’s impossible for the men who were once enlightened – who tasted both the heavenly gift and became partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5. and tasted both God’s good word and the powers of the coming age
6. and then defected^fn“defected” this Greek word literally means to “fall away” with the implication of an intentional turning away, possibly with treachery involved. – it’s impossible to restore them to repentance again while^fn“while” could also be translated “since” because neither is explicit in Greek, and either could be implied from the participle “re-crucifying”.  The “since” understanding takes it in a causal sense, which explains the reason that restoration is impossible, which by entailment makes it impossible for such a person to repent.  The “while” understanding says that repentance is impossible during the time that the person has defected, which leaves open the possibility (though not the certainty) that repentance is possible if the person ceases their defection.  Notably, the temporal sense (“while”) is considered the default sense of participles like this one, giving “while” a slightly stronger claim, though not a certain one.  The allowance for repentance also appears to better fit the multitude of forgiveness verses in scripture (such as Isaiah 55:7).  The temporal sense (“while”) was chosen for those reasons, though the causal sense is still entirely legitimate. they’re re-crucifying the Son of God for themselves and publicly shaming Him.
7. For the land which drank the rain often coming upon it, and producing forage useful for the men for whom it’s also tilled, partakes of a blessing from God.
8. But the land bearing thorns and thistles is worthless and near a curse,^fnquotation/allusion to Genesis 3:17-18 the end of which leads into burning.
9. But beloved, we are *convinced of better things concerning you, and of you having salvation, even though we speak like this.
10. For God isn’t unjust, so as to overlook your work and the ^love that you showed toward His name, having served the holy ones and still serving them.
11. Now we yearn for each of you to show the same diligent zeal toward the full assurance of the hope until the end,
12. so you might not become dull, but imitators of the men inheriting the promises through faith and patience.

God’s promises are sure

13. For having made the promise to Abraham – since God had no one greater to swear by – He swore by Himself,
14. saying: “I will surely bless you exceedingly^fn“exceedingly” is literally “blessing”, using Hebraic repetition for emphasis and magnitude and I will multiply you exceedingly^fn“exceedingly” is literally “multiplying”, using Hebraic repetition for emphasis and magnitude.”^fnquotation/allusion to Genesis 22:17
15. And having patiently endured in this way, he obtained the promise.
16. For men swear an oath by one who’s greater, and confirmation of the oath brings every dispute of theirs to an end.
17. In this way – being abundantly determined to prove the unchangeableness of His plan to the heirs of the promise – God guaranteed it with an oath,
18. so that through two unchangeable matters in which it’s impossible for God to lie, we – the men who fled to Him for refuge – might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us,
19. which we have like an anchor of the soul, both firm and steadfast, even entering into the inner veil,^fn“veil” this Greek word is used in other places to refer to the veil in the temple which separated the Holy place from the Most Holy Place.
20. where our forerunner – Jesus – entered for our sake, having become a high priest through the ages^fn“ages” is literally “age” according to the order of Melchizedek.^fnquotation/allusion to Psalm 110:4

 

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