The Grace Commentary – Your free verse-by-verse Bible commentary Hebrews 6

Hebrews 6:1

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

(a) Elementary teaching. “The foundational teachings of the old covenant regarding the coming Messiah.”

(b) A foundation. The six foundational teachings listed here would have been familiar to any first-century Jew. They are teachings for spiritual “infants,” meaning those unacquainted with the word of righteousness (Heb. 5:13). Although some Christians may be unacquainted with the gift of righteousness, the author was writing specifically to Jews.

(c) Repentance from dead works. The rules and rituals of the old covenant served as signposts to the coming Messiah, but now that Christ had come those practices served no further purpose.

It’s not hard to imagine that many Jews were in two minds about Jesus. On the one hand, they had been raised with the treasured traditions of their fathers; on the other, the apostles were proclaiming the old ways were now fulfilled in Christ. It was time to let go of Moses and lay hold of Jesus. The religion of the temple and the bringing of sacrifices no longer had any value, said the apostles. They had become dead works.

(d) Dead works are those things people do to improve their standing before God.

Dead works can be contrasted with good works. Good works, or works of faith, are things we do in response to the goodness of God. In contrast, dead works are things we do in response to unbelief. Helping the poor because the love of God compels you is a good work. Helping the poor because you hope to impress God or earn accolades from men is a dead work.

Many dead works are good works done with the wrong motives. Dead works include circumcision, law-keeping, confession of sin, regular church attendance, daily Bible study, missions, philanthropy, tithing, sacrificial giving, and fasting. Works of self-righteousness are called dead works because they lead to death (Pro. 14:12).

(e) Faith in God. The Jews were famous for their faith in the one true God. “You believe that God is one,” said James. “You do well” (Jas. 2:19). Faith in God is a good starting point. But faith that saves must also do the work of God and believe in the Son he sent (John 6:29).

See entry for Faith.

Hebrews 6:2

of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

(a) Washings. Ceremonial ablutions were an important part of the Jewish religion (e.g., Matt. 15:2). The “various washings” (Heb. 9:10) of the old covenant foreshadowed the cleansing of our sins done by Christ (Heb. 9:14, 10:1–2).

(b) Laying on of hands. In the old covenant, the laying on of hands in connection with sacrifices symbolized the transfer of sin. A sinner at the tabernacle would lay hands on the head of a sacrifice (Lev. 1:4, 4:24, 33), the elders would lay hands on the head of a sacrificial bull (Lev 4:14–15), and the high priest would annually lay both hands on the head of the scapegoat who was then sent into the wilderness (Lev. 16:20–22). These rituals foreshadowed the sacrifice of Christ. Our sins were laid on him (Is. 53:6, 1 Pet. 2:24), and like the scapegoat he bore our sins away (John 1:29, Heb. 9:28).

(c) The resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. Long before the coming of Christ, the Jews believed in the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment (Isa. 26:19. Dan. 12:2, Zeph. 1:14–18, Mal. 4:1). Jesus also preached this (John 5:28–29), but revealed that eternal life was only promised to those who believe in him (John 3:16).

Hebrews 6:3

And this we will do, if God permits.

“If you fence sitters are able to grasp what Christ has done – how he fulfilled the requirements of law on our behalf and concluded the old covenant – we will move on to the better message of the new covenant.”

Hebrews 6:4-5

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

(a) Those who have once been enlightened… and then have fallen away. “Those who have heard the gospel and rejected it.”

No other generation in history had such an intimate exposure to the ministry of Christ than the Jews, yet most of them rejected him and his message (John 1:11, 5:43, Rom. 10:3). They heard his teachings and witnessed his miracles, yet they refused to believe him. They saw the light of God and tasted the heavenly gift, but they shut their eyes and wanted nothing to do with him.

Some debate whether this passage is describing believers or unbelievers, but the context plainly indicates the latter. The author is talking about people who are slow to learn and dull of hearing (Heb. 5:11). They have heard and rejected the gospel. They have not responded with faith (Heb. 4:2) but remain unacquainted with the teaching about righteousness (Heb. 5:13). His message to them is “pay closer attention to what you heard” and don’t neglect God’s offer of salvation (Heb. 2:1, 3). Don’t be one of those who has “an evil and unbelieving heart” (Heb. 3:12), but consider Jesus our great high priest (Heb. 3:1).

It’s important to remember that Hebrews, like the epistle of James, was written to a broad Jewish audience. The author was writing to both encourage Jews who were believers (e.g., Heb. 12:1–2) and warn those who were still making up their minds (e.g., Heb. 3:8, 12). The following verses are directed towards those in the latter group – the undecideds.

(b) Have tasted of the heavenly gift… and have tasted the good word of God. The Jews tasted the good things of God but spat them out. They saw the light but preferred the darkness. They heard the gospel but the seed never took root and grew (Luke 8:13). They tasted but did no consume the bread of life.

(d) The word of God and the heavenly gift refer to Jesus. See entry for Word of God.

(e) Been made partakers of the Holy Spirit. The Jews saw Jesus and the apostles ministering with supernatural signs and wonders. Many experienced healing and deliverance, and some even saw the risen Lord. They had a ring-side seat to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

(f) The age to come, a.k.a. the eternal age, the future era that commences when Christ returns in glory, the heavens and the earth are made new (2 Pet. 3:13), and death is no more (Mark 10:30).

Hebrews 6:6

and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

(a) Have fallen away. This is not talking about believers who stumble in sin, but unbelievers who come short of the grace of God (see Heb. 12:15). They’ve heard the gospel and tasted the good word, but they have rejected it. In context, it’s referring to Jews who rejected Jesus and his sacrifice. They witnessed the supernatural ministry of Holy Spirit, but turned back to the old ways of the temple. They had more faith in their dead works than in Christ’s finished work. They put their trust in dead sacrificial animals instead of a risen Savior.

(b) It is impossible to renew them again to repentance. Those who have never heard the good news of God’s grace may yet receive it. But those who have heard and hardened their hearts to the gospel, who have encountered the Savior and rejected him, are truly lost. Salvation is found in no other name (Acts 4:12). God does not have a Plan B or a back-up Savior.

Repentance is the ability to receive the truth that sets us free. It’s a change of mind that causes us to see as God sees and think as God thinks. Repentance isn’t doing something about your sin. Repentance is responding positively to God’s kindness and grace. Our repentance does not move God to forgive us. Rather, our repentance is a response to the love and forgiveness he has shown us through his Son. Repentance is a normal part of the Christian life. It’s how we renew our minds and align ourselves with God’s ways.

The original noun metanoia means a changed mind. It implies a reversal or turning around. When Jesus came preaching, “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15), he was saying “Change your unbelieving mind and believe the glad tidings of the kingdom which is at hand.”

In the old covenant, repentance usually meant turning from your sins (see for example; 1 Kgs. 8:35, 2 Chr. 7:14, Eze. 18:30). But in the new covenant, repentance always means turning to God (Acts 20:21). Paul preached that we should “repent and turn to God” (Act 26:20). Turning from sin versus turning to God may seem like splitting hairs, but it’s the difference between life and death. Someone who turns to God automatically turns from sin and dead works, but someone who turns from sin does not automatically turn to God. Consider the religious Pharisees. They turned from sin on a regular basis yet they did not turn to the One whom God sent.

See entry for “Repentance”

(d) They again crucify to themselves the Son of God. Those whose actions say Christ’s sacrifice was not enough are essentially demanding that he be crucified again.

(e) They again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put him to open shame. The Jews saw the cross and the sacrifice of Jesus, yet many of them headed back to the temple with their animal sacrifices. By their actions they were saying, “Jesus is not the Messiah. I’m going to put my faith in the blood of goats and bulls.” It was a shameful dismissal of God’s Son.

Hebrews 6:7-8

For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

(a) Ground that drinks. Here is a mini-parable that reminds us of the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3–9). Ground that receives seed or rain will produce a good harvest. But seed will never grow on bad, dry ground. Those who do not receive what God pours out (the gospel seed or righteous rain) will never reap lasting life.

(b) A blessing from God. God pours out his righteousness like rain (Is. 45:8), and he sends his rain to all (Matt. 5:45). But we will never be righteous unless we receive it. If we receive his righteousness, we become fruitful and blessed. But if we reject what God offers we become worthless and in danger of being cursed.

Hebrews 6:9

But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

(a) Beloved. The original word (agapetos) means dearly loved, esteemed, favorite and worthy of love.

(b) Better things concerning you. “I am convinced you are not like those who turn their back on God’s Son. I know you have received the blessings that accompany salvation.”

Hebrews 6:10

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

(a) God is not unjust. “God has not forgotten you. He sees the good work you have done and the love you express in his name.”

(b) Saints. Christians. The word “saint” in popular culture is often used to describe a certain kind of person (e.g., a kind person, or a miracle-worker). But in the New Testament, the word “saint” describes a new kind of species, namely the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17, Gal. 3:28). A saint is someone who has died, been buried and raised to new life with Christ (Rom. 6:3–5, Eph. 2:5–6). A saint is no longer part of Adam’s family, but has become a member of God’s family and a co-heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17, Eph. 2:19, 3:6). Throughout the New Testament, Christians are consistently referred to as saints (see entry for Acts 26:18).

Hebrews 6:11-12

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

(a) Imitators. The original noun (mimētēs) described a performer who mimicked characters on stage. Paul encouraged others to imitate his faith. “Become as I am” (Gal. 4:12; see also 1 Cor. 11:1, Php. 3:17, 1 Th. 1:6, 2 Th. 3:7, 9). He also encouraged believers to imitate God as beloved children (Eph. 5:1).

(b) Inherit the promises. Some use this passage to promote dead works, but the promises of God are inherited, not earned.

Hebrews 6:17

In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath,

His purpose. God’s purpose, a.k.a. the mystery of his will, a.k.a. the restoration of all things, is to reconcile all things in heaven and earth under the headship of his Son (Acts 3:21, Eph. 1:9–10). God’s purpose is not merely to rescue you; he plans to restore all that was lost. Everything in the spiritual and physical realms will be made new and filled with the presence of God. In the eternal age of the new creation, there will be healing, harmony, and everlasting peace (2 Pet. 3:13).

Hebrews 6:19

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,

The soul. Your soul is you. It is that part of you that contains your personality, memories, and intentions. Metaphorically, it is your heart and mind. The Greek word for soul, psuche, is related to the word psychology, which has to do with the mind. We might say the soul resides in your mind – or perhaps your mind resides in your soul – and it is that part of you that thinks, feels, and remembers. Your soul can be contrasted with your body (see entry for Matt. 10:28) and your spirit (see entry for Luke 1:46–47).

Hebrews 6:20

where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

(a) A priest forever; see entry for Hebrews 7:17.

(b) The order of Melchizedek; see entry for Hebrews 7:11.

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Hebrews 6