For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.(ESV)
"This much-debated passage has been understood in several ways. (1) Armenians hold that the people described in these verses are Christians who actually lose their salvation. If this be so, notice that the passage also teaches that it is impossible to be saved a second time. (2) Some hold that the passage refers not to genuine believers but to those who only profess to be believers. Thus the phrases in verses 4-5 are understood to refer to experiences short of salvation (cf. v. 9). The 'falling away' is from the knowledge of the truth, not personal possession of it. (3) Other understand the passage to be a warning to genuine believers to urge them on in Christian growth and maturity. To 'fall away' is impossible (since, according to this view, true believers are eternally secure), but the phrase is placed in the sentence to strengthen the warning. It is similar to saying something like this to a class of students: 'It is impossible for a student, once enrolled in this course, if he turns the clock back [which cannot be done,] to start the course over. Therefore, let all students go on to deeper knowledge.' In this view the phrases in verses 4-5 are understood to refer to the conversion experience. Notice how the words 'enlightened' (10:32), 'taste' (2:9), and 'partakers' ('share,' 12:10) are used elsewhere in Hebrews of genuine experiences." (Ryrie)
those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit - "These facts would be true in regard to all Hebrews who had been influenced by the testimony and power of the gospel, but had not done more than make a profession of faith, and were inclined to return to Judaism, the power of which remained very strong among the people. There is nothing in the details in this and v. 5 but what could take place in the experience of one who was drawn to Christianity without being born again and becoming possessed of eternal life. To be enlightened comes short of conversion. To taste of the heavenly gift is far short of receiving it in its fullness. To be a partaker of the Holy Spirit is not becoming indwelt by Him through faith in Christ." (Vine)
"They had been made partakers of the Holy Ghost. We must be careful to note that the Greek word translated 'partakers' does not mean 'possessors,' in the sense that these Hebrews possess the Holy Spirit as an indwelling Person who had come to take up His permanent abode in their hearts. The word is a compound of the Greek verb 'to have or hold' (echo), and a preposition meaning 'with' (meta), thus 'to hold with.' It is used in Luke 5:7 where it is translated 'partners,' signifying one who co-operates with another in a common task or undertaking. It is used in Hebrews 1:9 where the angels are 'fellows' of our Lord, partners or associates with Him in the work of salvation. It is used in Hebrews 3:1 where the recipients of this letter are called participators in the heavenly calling. That is, they participated together in the heavenly calling. These Hebrews had left the earthly calling of the nation Israel, and had identified themselves with the Church which has a heavenly calling. It is used in Hebrews 3:14, where it speaks of those who participate together in the Lord Jesus...
"These Hebrews became participators in the Holy Spirit insofar as an unsaved person can do so, namely, in the sense that they willingly co-operated with Him in receiving His pre-salvation ministry, that of leading them on step by step toward the act of faith. He had led them into the act of repentance. The next step would be that of faith. Here they were in danger of turning their backs upon the Spirit and returning to the sacrifices." (Wuest)
have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come - "What has just been said of the details of v. 4 likewise holds good in these two matters. Hebrews who had never actually obeyed the word of God in the gospel and been saved, could taste the word and could experience the powers of the future age, without having become children of God." (Vine)
and then have fallen away - "That is to say, abandoning even their profession of faith and falling back to Judaism." (Vine)
it is impossible...restore them again to repentance - "That was the great sin of which the nation had been guilty. Those who had been simply drawn to the Christian faith might have regarded themselves as repudiating the crime of their fellow nations. They would not realize, but are now warned, that to go back to Judaism was necessarily to identify themselves again with those who had crucified the Son of God. There was no neutral ground. It must either be a case of definite reception of Christ with its evidential effects, or that of being again guilty of the one great damning sin here mentioned. For such a procedure there was no possibility of another renewal to repentance. There was no means of restoring the soul...
"Note: This passage does not touch the question of eternal life, it presents a contrast between true Christianity, with its realities, and Judaism; between what was revealed in the former periods and the full revelation of and in Christ; between what was possessed before Christ was glorified and what was possessed after. The warning in vv. 6-8 is not applied to actual Hebrew Christians." (Vine)
"The language of verses 4 and 5 describes Pentecostal experience. It gave the Hebrew people 'a taste' of the powers of the world to come, i.e., the millennial kingdom that was offered by the Apostle Peter to the nation (2:4). These power, and the public manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, were an earnest of the good Word of God, which would be perfected in the promised kingdom. Ananias and others, like Balaam, were made partakers of these gifts and so tasted the good things promised by the word of God. But this did not necessarily involve the New Birth.
"So the argument of verses 6-8 is that if, having come so far as to acknowledge a crucified Jesus as Messiah, they turned back from these realities to Mosaic rudiments, it would be impossible that they should restart at John's baptism and once again advance to Christ's salvation, for they had abandoned that one road, and there was for them no other way of life and blessing. They were comparable to land which had received every possible blessing from God and in response produced thorns and briers. The only fitting end for such ground was judgment (v. 8)." (Williams)
vs 7-8 - "Not to go on to fruitful maturity will result in loss of reward (1 Cor 3:15)." (Ryrie)
"To those enlightened Hebrew people who have left the rudimentary and understand that which is better, there is no second chance should they fall away. They: not we who constitute the Body of Christ.
"After all, they were baptized by Christ with the heavenly gift of the Holy Spirit starting at Pentecost and continuing until Israel fell. They were the ones who had tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, which happens to be the focus of the book of Hebrews according to chapter 2 verse 5. These Hebrew people are the ones with the God-given ability to walk in God's statutes (Ezekiel 36:27) because the law of God is written in their hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:8-10) and they have no need that any man teach them (1 John 2:27).
"For the Holy Ghost-baptized Hebrew people to fall away from what their Messiah had provided them would be to put Christ to an open shame and would contribute blasphemy on the level of blaspheming the Holy Ghost Himself." (McLean)
"The book of Hebrews is written to Hebrews enduring to the end of their time of Tribulation while looking forward to their time of rest in the world to come. Getting that right saves us from joining the convolutions of the commentaries and the errors of the exegetes who attempt to conform the doctrine in the book of Hebrews to people who are not the subject of that book, namely the Body of Christ in this dispensation.
"The rain is literal rain, whether the early or the latter, as it falls nurturing good fruit for the kingdom and leaving the chaff for the fire, just as the Lord said:
"Matthew 3:12: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire...
"The literal rain confirms Israel's inheritance: Psalm 68:9: Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.
"The literal rain is a blessing to kingdom Israel: 2 Samuel 23:4: And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
"The point of this passage is for Tribulation Israel to give due diligence to its situation. These are the people of Matthew 24:13: who must endure to the end (of the Tribulation) so as to enjoy the rain rather than suffer the fire." (McLean)
**Not agreeing much with Ryrie, Vine and Wuest here; Williams makes the most sense to me, though McLean's explanations are rather compelling.
No comments:
Post a Comment