College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Hebrews 6:4-8
C.
The awful consequences of falling away. Hebrews 6:4-8.
Text
Hebrews 6:4 For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, Hebrews 6:5 and tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the age to come, Hebrews 6:6 and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. Hebrews 6:7 For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessings from God: Hebrews 6:8 but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned.
Paraphrase
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for us to restore a second time, by repentance, those who have been once enlightened by believing the Gospel; and have tasted of the heavenly gift of freedom from the yoke of the law of Moses, and from the grievous superstitions of heathenism, which is bestowed on Jews and Gentiles under the Gospel; and have been made partakers of the gifts of the Holy Ghost at their baptism;
Hebrews 6:5 And have perceived the excellence of the Word of God, the doctrines and promises of the Gospel; and have seen the efficacy of the powers of the Gospel dispensation in reforming sinners;
Hebrews 6:6 And yet have renounced the Gospel, in the imagination that Jesus was justly punished with death as an imposter, crucifying a second time in their own mind, and making a public example of the Son of God, by inwardly approving of, and consenting to His punishment.
Hebrews 6:7 In giving up such wilful sinners as incorrigible, we act as men do in cultivating their fields. For the land which drinketh in the rain which often falleth upon it, and produceth fruits fit for the use of them by whom it is cultivated, continueth to be cultivated, and receiveth a blessing from God:
Hebrews 6:8 But that which, being duly cultivated and watered, produceth only thorns and briars, is reprobated by the husbandman as not worthy of culture, and soon will fall under the curse, and in the end will be burnt up with drought.
Comment
For as touching those who were once enlightened
Obviously, full Christians are up for discussion.
a.
Clarke's commentary: I do not consider them as having any reference to any person professing Christianity. They are not applicable to backsliders of any kind.
b.
Enlightenment refers to those who have known.
c.
This expression is the mark of a true Christian.
1.
Hebrews 10:32: Paul points out that the Hebrew brethren were once enlightened and endured affliction.
2.
Ephesians 5:8 Now are ye light in the Lord.
3.
Colossians 1:12: Saints in the light.
4.
1 Thessalonians 5:5: Sons of light.
5.
1 Peter 2:9: Into His marvelous light.
6.
1 John 2:10: He that loveth his brother abideth in light, If once enlightened does not refer to Christian people, how many repetitions of enlightenment does it take to make one a Christian?
Notice the word impossible appears in this expression in the King James version.
a.
In the American Standard it appears in Hebrews 6:6.
b.
In the Greek it is in Hebrews 6:4: For impossible (it is) those once for all enlightened
and tasted of the heavenly gift
God's word should always be sweet to us, but to some it is not.
a.
Milligan: The word -tasted-' means to experience, partake.
b.
Newell: makes a difference in tasting and drinking. (p. 187)
1.
A person can taste and be lost, he says.
2.
The drinkers are truly saved.
a)
The drinker commits himself to what he drinks and is therefore saved.
b)
He says thousands taste of the heavenly gift, eternal life, who never drink that water.
c)
The context shows that he is desperate for a point of view. What is meant, the heavenly gift?
a.
See the scriptures that offer suggestions.
1.
John 6:51: Christ, the Living Bread that came down from heaven.
2.
1 Peter 2:3: ... if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
3.
Psalms 104:34: Meditation of Him shall be sweet.
b.
Others say it refers to the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38.
c.
Others say it refers to the new life.
1.
John 6:33: The bread of God is He who cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world.
2.
John 4:1-14: To the woman at the well.
3.
4.
1 John 5:12: He who hath the Son hath life.
Salvation in Christ is most likely meant, for in this section he names the word of God, Holy Spirit; so salvation remains.
a.
Christ is a gift; grace is a gift.
b.
The gift of salvation and Christ were experienced by these Hebrews.
and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit
We are made partakers when we confess Jesus as Lord.
1 Corinthians 12:3: No man can say Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit. John 14:17: Even the Spirit of Truth whom the world can not receive; for it beholdeth Him not. John 7:39: But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believed on Him were to receive, for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
We are made partakers when we are baptized. Acts 2:38: Gift of the Holy Spirit: Galatians 4:6: Because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Newell says this is not the same as sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30.
Ephesians 4:30: Grieve not the Holy Spirit in whom ye are sealed.
Ephesians 1:13-14: Ye were sealed.
He says we can be a partner but never sealed, and uses Judas as an illustration.
Who but a Christian has been a partaker of the Holy Spirit?
and tasted the good word of God
Taste is a wonderful ability and is appreciated the most spiritually, for the Word of God is sweet. Psalms 19:10: Thy word is sweeter than honey. Psalms 119:103: words sweeter than honey to my soul.
John speaks of the Word, Revelation 10:10: It was in my mouth sweet as honey.
and the powers of the age to come
By faith we see in spirit the blessed immortality that is hid from our physical senses.
a.
Milligan says this is the highest stage of Christian experience.
1.
Enlightened.
2.
Tasted of the heavenly gift.
3.
Made to partake of the influences of the Holy Spirit.
4.
Experience of the excellence of God's Word.
5.
Participation in the full powers of the new dispensation.
b.
The pull of eternity, longing for heaven, is an experience that the redeemed feel.
c.
Clarke suggests two opinions:
1.
It perhaps refers to all the miracles that Jesus did.
2.
The communications and foretastes of eternal blessedness and joys of the world to come.
d.
It must refer to the experience of divine things to the end that you feel a powerful longing for heaven. Philippians 1:23: But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for it is very far better, 24 yet to abide in the flesh is far more needful for your sake.
and then fell away
Here we have a warning that much experience may be lost.
a.
Let no man blame God after experiencing all this.
b.
When we go astray, we are rushing headlong into ruin of our own accord.
c.
Overconfidence may cause one to fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12. What is the meaning of fall away?
a.
This is not a participation in some sin in which a person has been tempted.
1.
It is a renouncing of the grace of God.
2.
It is a forsaking of the Word of God, extinguishing the light.
3.
It is a relinquishing of a participation of the Holy Spirit.
4.
It is an abandonment of desire for the advocate.
b.
When a person comes to the place where he can be shown a passage of scripture and says, I don-'t care, then he has fallen.
Jesus taught that men could fall away. John 15:6: If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
having fallen away is a translation of this, as seen by the Word.
a.
The Greek word is parapesontas.
1.
It is an aorist participle of parapipto.
2.
The word is parapiptofall away.
a)
The word is compounded from para meaning alongside, and piptein, to fall.
3.
Thayer: Hence to deviate from the right path, to turn aside, to wander, In scripture to fall away from the true faith, from Christianity.
4.
This is the only place in the New Testament that this word appears.
b.
A second Greek word for falling away is aphistemi.
1.
It means to separate from, either by one's will (voluntarily) or by the will of another.
2.
Observe the use of the word, Newell, p. 192.
a)
Four times in Luke: Luke 2:37: Anna departed not from the temple. Luke 4:13: And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from Him for a season. Luke 8:13: Those on the rocky ground in time of temptation fall away, Luke 13:27: Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity. Observe here the will of another.
c.
Other uses: Acts 19:9: Pauldeparted from them (the Jews) and separated the disciples, 1 Timothy 4:1: And in later times some shall fall away from the faith. 1 Timothy 6:5: From such withdraw thyself. 2 Timothy 2:19: Let every one that nameth the Name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.
d.
A very specific use is in Hebrews 3:12.
1.
The Greek is apostenai.
a)
From this word we get the word apostasy.
b)
Apostasy, Webster: Abandonment of what one has voluntarily professed; total desertion of principles or faith.
2.
The noun is apostasia. It appears twice: Acts 21:21: Here Paul is accused of abandoning Moses. 2 Thessalonians 2:3: Here is a general apostasy from God to the antichrist.
What is the extent of falling away?
a.
What it is not.
1.
It is not a falling into sin.
2.
The sinner can return and be forgiven, if he has only sinned.
a)
1 John 2:1: If any man sin, we have an advocate.
b.
It is a falling away from God, from Christ, from salvation; a renouncing of the truth.
1.
The once of Hebrews 6:4 shows these acts to have been done in the past.
2.
These referred to here have turned back to the sin they once loved.
3.
These have turned away from the light and have come to hate it.
4.
See Hebrews 10:26-31.
Life of repentance
Life of unwilling sin
1.
Enlightened.
2.
Tasted of the heavenly gift.
3.
Made partakers of the Holy Spirit.
4.
Tasted the good Word of God.
5.
Tasted the powers of the age to come.
1 John 2:1AdvocateGOD
for one who willingly sins, it is impossible to renew him again unto repentance. There is no more sacrifice for high-handed sin.
it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance
Observe that the word impossible appears in Hebrews 6:4 in the Greek and in the King James version.
What is meant by renew?
a.
It may be rendered, restore.
b.
Josephus used the word, and applies it to the restoration or renovation of the temple.
Does God cut them off, or is it that the sinner is too hardened to be restored?
a.
There are arguments for both answers.
1.
Old Testament scripture:
a)
Those that say God gives man up: Genesis 6:3: My spirit will not strive with man forever. Numbers 15:30-31: soul that doeth aught with a high handshall be cut off. Proverbs 1:26: I also will laugh in the day of your calamity. Proverbs 1:28: They will call upon me, but I will not answer. Joshua 24:19: He will not forgive your.. sins.
b)
Those that say God will forgive: Numbers 30:5: Lord will forgive, Hosea 4:16: Israel had behaved like a backsliding heifer, but God promises He will feed them as sheep.
2)
New Testament passages:
a)
That God will give man up: Romans 1:24: Wherefore God gave them up, Romans 1:28: Even as they refused. God. God gave them up, 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12: God sendeth them a working of error.
b)
Those that say God will forgive: John 3:16: whosoever. John 6:37: I will in no wise cast out. 2 Timothy 2:25: If peradventure God may give them repentance.
b.
Obviously the negative verses qualify the positive. God's grace can be extended only so far.
1.
The reason why it is impossible is found in the word rejected of Hebrews 6:8.
They have crucified Christ, put Him to an open shame, and God is unwilling for them to repent.
2.
Of course, there is the possibility that such people will not want to repent.
seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh
When a person turns back to sin, it appears that he professes that Christ deserved to be crucified as an imposter.
a.
They put a living Christ out of their life, and He is dead to them.
b.
Notice that they who make sin their choice are the ones here discussed.
What actually takes place?
a.
Their manner of life cuts off prayer and repentance.
b.
They cut off His table for the table of demons.
c.
Christian fellowship is replaced by that of the world.
d.
Growth in grace is substituted by a sinking into sin.
The atheist or infidel cannot do this; only the Christian can crucify the Son of God afresh.
and put Him to an open shame.
The person who goes back to the world brings shame upon Christ.
a.
Christianity becomes a joke to the world when it is given up by a Christian.
b.
It makes Christianity appear powerless.
c.
Christianity appears as hypocrisy to the unbelieving when the believer denounces it.
If Christianity does not save one from sinning, the critic says, I told you so.
For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it
Soil is used here to illustrate the Christian, of which much is expected.
a.
The Christian drinks, tastes the good Word of God. But it does not always last.
b.
The Christian should be like the good soil in Jesus-' parable. Luke 8:4-8.
The Christian receives so much from God that it is inexcusable for him to do less than to produce fruit.
and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God
God's seed should strike root at once in our lives. Herbs is symbolic of the fruit desired in the life of the Christian.
a.
Good seed and good soil, with refreshment from God, should produce a good harvest.
b.
Let us consider how great an advantage the Christian has over the world.
Only good fruit may have the blessing of God.
But if it beareth thorns and thistles
Christian growth is the point of this parable, and thorns and thistles are the opponents of growth.
a.
Herbs are the things that accompany salvation in Hebrews 6:9.
b.
Thorns and thistles result when God is not allowed to be the husbandman.
The seed of the Gospel is sometimes destroyed by indifference and corrupt affections.
it is rejected
God cannot accept thorns and thistles, so rejection is needful.
a.
The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment in failure.
b.
Thorns and thistles give no encouragement of harvest, so they must be rejected.
We must examine our lives to see if God will reject us.
and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned
The rejected may look forward only to destruction.
a.
Unless repentance takes place, the lake of fire will be their end.
b.
Burning or blessing is our choice to make.
The only alternative for a good husbandman is destruction of the evil.
Study Questions
924.
What is meant by, for as touching?
925.
What kind of persons are referred to in Paul's discussion here?
926.
Who is referred to by persons once enlightened?
927.
Could it be persons who heard and saw the light, but did not embrace it?
928.
What other part of the verse seems to indicate that Christian people are referred to?
929.
Does not Hebrews 10:32 make it specific that Christians are up for discussion?
930.
Compare Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 2:10 to see whether enlightenment is a mark of a Christian.
931.
If enlightened is not referring to a Christian, how many times must one be illumined before he can become one?
932.
In the King James Bible where does the word impossible appear? In the American Standard? In the original language?
933.
What does impossible mean? Is it a final state?
934.
What does the word tasted mean?
935.
Is there a difference between tasters and drinkers?
936.
Is it possible to taste, but not be a drinker of eternal life?
937.
Why do some try to make such close distinction here?
938.
Observe that some commentators think that tasters can be lost but not drinkers.
939.
What possible explanations have been given for the expression, heavenly gift?
940.
Why could it refer to water or bread of life as in John 6:51 and John 4:1-14?
941.
What is the evidence in this verse that would rule the Holy Spirit and Word of God out as being the tasted gift?
942.
Define the word partakers. Is it the same as tasting? When are we made partakers?
943.
Compare 1 Corinthians 12:3 and Acts 2:38 and Galatians 4:6 to find when we experience the Holy Spirit.
944.
Is partaking the same as being sealed? Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 1:13-14.
945.
Who but a Christian could be a partaker of the Holy Spirit?
946.
Why do some try to teach that partaking and sealing are not the same?
947.
Is it fair to speak of Judas as being a partaker, but not being a sealed one to illustrate the Christian state referred to here?
948.
Is the word, taste, here the same word of Hebrews 6:4?
949.
Do people consider God's words good tasting without accepting them?
950.
Compare some attitudes found in Psalms 19:10; Psalms 119:103; Revelation 10:10.
951.
Do the words good Word of God imply that some of it is not good?
952.
Does the expression powers of the age to come refer to the very highest experience yet named in Hebrews 6:4-5? Observe that four things are experienced ahead of this.
953.
What could powers of the age to come refer to?
954.
Could it be the experience of heavenly blessings of joy while we are yet on earth?
955.
Why do you think it might be an experience similar to that faced by Paul in Philippians 1:23-24?
956.
Is there any significance in the fact that he does not specifically say fallen from the faith?
957.
Can a person lose all the former things named, at least for a time, according to Hebrews 6:6?
958.
What is this falling away? Is it a falling into some specific sin?
959.
What is falling away? What is Thayer's definition?
960.
Does the context suggest that it is serious?
961.
Is this a common word in the New Testament?
962.
What is a second Greek word for falling away?
963.
Does aphistemi refer to a separate state that is voluntary, or one forced?
964.
Compare Luke 13:27 for falling away by the will of another.
965.
Compare the Word with Jesus-' statement in regard to soil in Luke 8:13.
966.
Is the word aphistemi always used to indicate fall away? Cf. Acts 19:9; 1 Timothy 6:5; 2 Timothy 2:19.
967.
Compare the word as Paul used it in reference to falling from the faith in 1 Timothy 4:1.
968.
Which Greek word is used in Hebrews 3:12?
969.
Which one of the Greek words is the root word for our word apostasy?
970.
Notice that in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 an apostasy from God to the antichrist is pointed out.
971.
Notice that in Acts 21:21 Paul is accused of falling from Moses.
972.
Describe fallen away in relationship to each of the five experiences previously named.
973.
A most important question here: is this falling away a permanent condition?
974.
If it is not permanent, then what does the word impossible mean in Hebrews 6:4 of the King James version or Hebrews 6:6 in the American Standard?
975.
If fall away means to deviate from the right path, to turn away, etc., can we justly infer that once they were in the Way?
976.
Can you infer that falling away is to fall out of the Way?
977.
If the word appears only this one time, can we be sure of its meaning when we can-'t judge its meaning by other texts?
978.
Is there another word for falling away?
979.
Is this the same condition as in Hebrews 10:26-31? Why do you think so?
980.
Could you say that the fallen one is no longer enlightened, but is in the dark?
981.
Of what is such a one tasting in the fallen state?
982.
Of what is he partaker?
983.
Is he still tasting the Word of God?
984.
Is he able to feel power?
985.
Is he powerless, like a motor without electricity?
986.
Does not God say we have an Advocate in 1 John 2:1 if we sin?
987.
What kind of sin is the kind that makes a permanent barrier between God and Man?
988.
Are there two kinds of sin involved in the ability to repent, and the inability to be restored?
989.
Define the word renew in this expression, renew again unto repentance.
990.
Have the translators in the American Standard version made an error by placing the word impossible here, obviously teaching that some cannot be restored?
991.
Do you feel that you have the right to conclude that some have fallen away, and therefore refuse any effort to restore them?
992.
Where is the impossibility to be placed, in the heart of man, or in the attitude of God?
993.
Cite some New Testament verses where God gives men up. Romans 1:24-26; 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12.
994.
Does God give men up? Note rejected in Hebrews 6:8.
995.
Cite instances in the Old Testament where He gave men up. Genesis 6:3; Proverbs 1:28; Joshua 24:19.
996.
Does He always give them up?
997.
Observe that Numbers 15:30-31 may be the clue as to why God cuts some off and does not others.
998.
In this sixth verse, is the fault with man, that he is in such a state that he cannot be appealed to for repentance?
999.
Is it in the mind of God? What does Paul think of God's mind in the matter? Cf. Hebrews 6:10.
1000.
What have such persons done to Christ in Hebrews 6:6?
1001.
Can the infidel or atheist crucify Christ afresh?
1002.
Isn-'t the Christian the only one who can crucify Him afresh?
1003.
Does this mean that they put a living Christ out of their life and make Him as one dead?
1004.
Does it indicate that such ones consider Christ to be deserving of crucifixion as an imposter?
1005.
What actually takes place in the life of such people who crucify Christ afresh and put Him to an open shame?
1006.
Do they cut off Bible study, prayer, communion, fellowship, etc.?
1007.
Could we say that growth in grace is substituted by sinking into sin?
1008.
What is meant by the expression, put Him to open shame?
1009.
If Christianity does not save the Christian from sinning, does it make Christ seem powerless and impotent?
1010.
What illustration does the author use in Hebrews 6:7-8?
1011.
Could the land here be likened to Christ's parable in Luke 8?
1012.
Should seed take permanent lodging and bring forth fruit?
1013.
What does the rain compare to in our lives?
1014.
Should showers of blessing not help us to be steadfast?
1015.
What does Romans 2:4 say concerning God's goodness? Cf. Exodus 34:6; Psalms 33:5.
1016.
In this verse, what replaces herbs?
1017.
Who does the rejecting?
1018.
If we are thistles, can we expect God to accept us?
1019.
We are burned or blessedis this Paul's teaching?
1020.
Does the burning indicate finality in this impossible renewal state?
1021.
Is burning a familiar expression in the New Testament? Cf. Matthew 3:11-12; 2 Peter 3:8-13.