Hebrews 6:4

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, 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 again to repentance. But see Luke 18:27. FOR THOSE -`in the case of those.' FOR THOSE - `in the case of those.' ONCE ENLIGHTENED - once for all illuminated by the Word of God, taught in connection with 'baptism' (to which, in Hebrews 6:2, as once for all done, "once enlightened" here answers) (cf. Ephesians 5:26). This passage originat...

4._For it is impossible, etc. _This passage has given occasion to many to repudiate this Epistle, especially as the Novatians armed themselves with it to deny pardon to the fallen. Hence those of the Western Church, in particular, refused the authority of this Epistle, because the sect of Novatus annoyed them; and they were not sufficiently conversant in the truth so as to be equal to refute it by argument. But when the design of the Apostle is understood, it then appears evident that there is nothing here which countenances so delirious an error. Some who hold sacred the authority of the Epistle, while they attempt to dissipate this absurdity, yet do nothing but evade it. For some take “impossible” in the sense of rare or difficult, which is wholly different from its meaning. Many confine it to that repentance by which the catechumens in the ancient Church were wont to be prepared for b...

1-8 Every part of the truth and will of God should be set before all who profess the gospel, and be urged on their hearts and consciences. We should not be always speaking about outward things; these have their places and use, but often take up too much attention and time, which might be better employed. The humbled sinner who pleads guilty, and cries for mercy, can have no ground from this passage to be discouraged, whatever his conscience may accuse him of. Nor does it prove that any one who is made a new creature in Christ, ever becomes a final apostate from him. The apostle is not speaking of the falling away of mere professors, never convinced or influenced by the gospel. Such have nothing to fall away from, but an empty name, or hypocritical profession. Neither is he speaking of partial declinings or backslidings. Nor are such sins meant, as Christians fall into through the streng...

Verse Hebrews 6:4. _FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO WERE ONCE_ _ENLIGHTENED_] Before I proceed to explain the different terms in these verses, it is necessary to give my opinion of their design and meaning: 1. I do not consider them as having any reference to any person _professing Christianity_. 2. They do not belong, nor are they applicable, to _backsliders_ of any kind. 3. They belong to _apostates_ from Christianity; to such as reject the whole _Christian system_, and its _author_, the Lord Jesus. 4. And to those of them only who join with the blaspheming Jews, call Christ an impostor, and vindicate his murderers in having crucified him as a malefactor; and thus they render their salvation impossible, by _wilfully_ and _maliciously_ rejecting the Lord that bought them. No man believing in t

FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE - It is needless to say that the passage here Hebrews 6:4, has given occasion to much controversy, and that the opinions of commentators and of the Christian world are yet greatly divided in regard to its meaning. On the one hand, it is held that the passage is not intended to describe those who are true Christians, but only those who have been awakened and enlightened, and who then fall back; and on the other it is maintained that it refers to those who are true Christians, and who then apostatize. The contending parties have been Calvinists and Arminians; each party, in general, interpreting it according to the views which are held on the question about falling from grace. I shall endeavor, as well as I may be able, to state the true meaning of the passage by an examination of the words and phrases in detail, observing here, in general, that

EXPOSITION HEBREWS 6:1, HEBREWS 6:2 WHEREFORE (since it is so incumbent on us to advance out of the state of milk-fed infants), LEAVING THE PRINCIPLES OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, LET US PRESS ON UNTO PERFECTION (τελειότητα_, _continuing the image of maturity). The proper translation of τὸν τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ λόγον is doubtful, the question being whether τῆς αρχῆς_ _is to be connected with λόγον as an adjective genitive (so taken, as above, in the A.V; cf. Hebrews 5:12, στοιχεῖα τῆς ἀρχῆς)_, _or with τοῦ Χριστοῦ_, the word of the beginning of Christ, _meaning discourse concerning

FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO WERE ONCE ENLIGHTENED,.... The Syriac and Ethiopic versions render it, "baptized"; and the word is thought to be so used in Hebrews 10:32. And indeed baptism was called very early "illumination" by the ancients, as by Justin Martyr i, and Clemens Alexandrinus k, because only enlightened persons were the proper subjects of it; and the word once here used seems to confirm this sense, since baptism, when rightly administered, was not repeated; but then this sense depends upon an use of a word, which it is not certain did as yet obtain; nor does the apostle take notice of baptism in a parallel place, Hebrews 10:26. This gave rise to, and seems to favour the error of Novatus, that those who fall into sin after baptism are to be cut off from the communion of the church, and

In the previous chapter, Paul was writing to some who ought to have been teachers, but who needed still to be taught the first principles of the gospel; they were such babes in grace that they needed the milk of the Word, the very simplest elements of gospel truth, and not the strong meat of solid doctrine. The apostle, however, desires that the Hebrew believers should understand the sublimer doctrines of the gospel, and so be like men of full age who can eat strong meat. In this chapter he exhorts them to seek to attain to this standard. Hebrews 6:1. _Therefore leaving the principles_ The rudiments, the elementary truths, Hebrews 6:1. _Of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;_ Let us go from the school to the university, let us have done with

IMPOSSIBLE (Hebrews 6:4) presents the case of Jewish professed believers who halt short of faith in Christ after advancing to the very threshold of salvation, even "going along with" the Holy Spirit in His work of enlightenment and conviction. (John 16:8). It is not said that they had faith. This supposed person is like the spies at Kadesh-barnea (Deuteronomy 1:19) who saw the land and had the very fruit of it in their hands, and yet turned back. PARTAKERS (Greek, "metochos", "going along with")....

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. Return to Judaism the crucifixion of the Son of God afresh (Hebrews 6:1)_ 2. Persuaded of better things: Comfort and hope (Hebrews 6:9) Hebrews 6:1 A solemn warning follows, addressed to these Hebrews who were halting and in danger of turning back to Judaism, and doing so would crucify the Son of God afresh. “Therefore leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to full growth; not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith in God, of a teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” It is of much importance to see that these things are not “the principles of the doctrine of Christ” (as the