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,
THEREFORE - Wherefore: seeing that ye ought not to be still 'babes'
(Hebrews 5:11).
LEAVING - getting further than e... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of
resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS - paired with "laying on of hands," as the
latter followed Christian baptism, and answers to confirmation in
Episcopal churches. Jewish believers passed, by a... [ Continue Reading ]
And this will we do, if God permit.
WILL WE DO. So 'Aleph (') B f, Vulgate, read. But A C Delta, 'let us
do.' "This," i:e., 'go on unto perfection.'
IF GOD PERMIT - for even good resolutions we cannot carry into
effect, except through God 'working in us both to will and to do of
His good pleas... [ Continue Reading ]
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,
We must 'go on toward perfection;' "For," if we fall away, after
having received enlightenment, God will not "permit" - it will be
impossible to renew us agai... [ Continue Reading ]
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to
come,
TASTED THE GOOD WORD OF GOD - distinct from "tasted OF (genitive) the
heavenly gift." We do not yet enjoy all the fullness of Christ, but
only a taste OF "the heavenly gift;" but believers may taste the whole
of God's "goo... [ Continue Reading ]
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.
IF, [ kai (G2532) parapesontas (G3895)] - 'And (yet) have fallen
away' (cf. a less extreme declension, Galatians 5:4). Here a total
apostasy is mea... [ Continue Reading ]
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:
THE EARTH - rather (no article), 'land.'
WHICH DRINKETH IN - not merely receiving it on the surface: those who
enjoy, objectively, Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh
unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
THAT WHICH rather (Greek, no article), 'but if it (the "land,"
Hebrews 6:7) bear' [ ekferousa (G1627), not so good as tiktousa
(G5088)]; "bringeth forth," Hebrews 6:7; said of the good soil... [ Continue Reading ]
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that
accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
BELOVED. Appositely introduced: LOVE prompts me in the strong
warnings I have just given; not that I entertain unfavourable thoughts
of you; nay, I anticipate better things of you ('th... [ Continue Reading ]
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.
NOT UNRIGHTEOUS - not unfaithful to His promise. Not that we have any
inherent right to claim reward; because:
(1) a servant has no... [ Continue Reading ]
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the
full assurance of hope unto the end:
AND, [ De (G1161)] - 'But.'
DESIRE, [ epithumoumen (G1937)] - 'earnestly desire.' The language of
fatherly affection, rather than command.
EVERY ONE OF YOU - implying that all had not sh... [ Continue Reading ]
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and
patience inherit the promises.
BE NOT, [ geneesthe (G1096)] - 'become not.' In Hebrews 5:11, 'ye
have become dull [ noothroi (G3576), "slothful" of hearing];' here he
warns them not to become "slothful" absolutely-namely, also... [ Continue Reading ]
For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no
greater, he sware by himself,
FOR - Reasonableness of resting on "the promises" as infallibly sure;
for they rest on God's oath: instance of Abraham. 'Consolation, by the
oath of God's grace, to those whom, in Hebrews 3:1; Hebrew... [ Continue Reading ]
Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will
multiply thee.
MULTIPLYING ... MULTIPLY - Hebraism for superabundantly multiply.
THEE. The increase of Abraham's seed is virtually an increase of
himself. Paul's argument refers to Abraham himself: therefore he
quotes , "thee,... [ Continue Reading ]
And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
SO - relying on the promise.... [ Continue Reading ]
For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is
to them an end of all strife.
FOR CONFIRMATION. Greek order, 'Of all contradiction (among) them an
end unto (with a view to) confirmation (of one's solemn covenant: as
God's) (is) the oath.' So [ antilogia (G485)], 'contradicti... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of
promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
WHEREIN - i:e., Which being the case among men, God, in accommodation
to their manner of confirming covenants, added to His word His oath:
the "TWO immutable things" ... [ Continue Reading ]
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:
IMPOSSIBLE ... TO LIE - `ever to lie' [ pseusasthai (G5574): the
Greek aorist] (Alford). His not being able to deny Himse... [ Continue Reading ]
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast,
and which entereth into that within the veil;
Hope is represented on coins by an anchor.
SURE AND STEDFAST - sure [ asfalee (G804): not disappointing] in
respect to us: stedfast [ bebaian (G949)] in itself. Not an anchor
that... [ Continue Reading ]
Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high
priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
The absence of the Greek article requires (Alford) 'Where, AS
forerunner in behalf of [ huper (G5228)] us, entered Jesus' (and is
now; implied in the 'where' [ hopou (G3699)]: "Whith... [ Continue Reading ]