Lon was recovering from oral surgery this week. That is why he loses his place, takes breaks, and the audio cuts out 3 sections and a supplementary slide early.
V.
The Danger of Apostasy (5:12–6:20)
C.
No Second Beginning ()
1.
() This verse indicates the reasonableness of what follows: Had his readers really fallen away, there would be no point in talking to them. (; cf. ; ) The word "enlightened" affirms that those who are admitted to the Christian faith are brought to that light that is "the Light of the world" (). To abandon the Gospel would be to sin against the light they had received.
a.
"The heavenly gift" is not closely defined. The thought is of God's good gift, and we cannot be more precise than this. The Holy Spirit is active among all believers and for that matter to some extent beyond the church, in His work of "common grace." Some activity of the Spirit is in mind. Yet once more our author does not define it closely.
2.
() The people in question have "tasted the good word of God." While some limit this to the Gospel, there seems to be no need to do this. Any word that God has spoken is a good gift to people, and those the writer has in mind here have come to hear something of God's Word to people. They have also experienced something of "the powers of the age to come." The "age to come" is the Second Coming of Christ with blessings for the saved and judgment for the unsaved. "Powers" indicates that that age puts at God’s people's disposal powers they do not have of themselves, but they will experience as those living on earth at the return of Christ to move heavenward in glorified bodies suitable for eternity. The Great White Throne Judgment of Christ will then bring judgment on a great number of people who are vessels of wrath. They will spend an eternity in Hell.
3.
() "If they have fallen away" clearly means " fallen away from Christianity." The writer is envisaging people who have been numbered among the followers of Christ but now leave that company. Such cannot be brought back to repentance. The author does not say "cannot be forgiven" or "cannot be restored to salvation" or the like. It is repentance that is in mind, and the writer says that it is impossible for these people to repent. This refers to a repentance that means leaving the sinful state into which the person has fallen. Such a person cannot bring himself or herself to this repentance because he or she is only a professing Christian and not a possessing one, who only tasted what salvation is about but never entered a saving relationship with Christ. (Phony Christians are energized by Satan, so they won’t repeat what they are deluded they have done.)
a.
The verb phrase rendered "again crucify" means that those who deny Christ in this way are really taking their stand among those who crucified Jesus. In heart and mind, they make themselves one with those who put Him to death on the cross at Calvary. They are deluded Christians who only profess Christianity and are not saved.
b.
There has been much discussion of the significance of this passage. Some think that the author is speaking about genuine Christians who fall away and that he denies that they may ever come back. This view sets the writer of the letter in contradiction with other New Testament writers for whom the perseverance of the saints is something that comes from God and not from our own best efforts (e.g., ; ). () Also, the case of Simon Magus springs to mind. He is said to have believed, to have been baptized, and to have continued with Philip. Presumably he shared in the laying on of hands and the gift given by it. Yet after all this Peter could say to him, "Your heart is not right before God . . . you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity" (). The writer is saying that when people have entered into the Christian experience far enough to know what it is all about (in a profession of saving faith like that for Simon Magus, who looked like a true Christian to Philip, who baptized him and made him part of his team) and have then turned away (showing that all they have is a profession of faith), then, as far as they themselves are concerned, they are crucifying Christ again. In that state, they will not repent because they are Christians in name only but are deluded by Satan that they are saved.
4.
() This process is now illustrated from agriculture. Land drinks in rain and as a result brings forth a crop. The rain comes first. The land does not produce the crop of itself. The spiritual parallel should not be overlooked. The word translated "vegetation" is a general term for herbage; it does not mean any specific crop. "Useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled" means that the beneficiaries are saved people.. This land, then, receives God's blessing for it is true-Christian land. The Farmer is God; the farm workers are spiritually grown servants of the Farmer.
5.
() We should not miss the point that this is the same land as in verse 7 but a portion of the land not blessed by God. We should probably place a comma at the end of verse 7 and proceed thus: "but if it yields . . ." The reference to producing "thorns and thistles" reminds us inevitably of the curse of — a curse on that very creation of which it had been said, "God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good" (). This land then, producing only what is worthless, awaits the curse. "Close to being cursed" gives the impression that the land neared being cursed but just escaped. The author is saying that at the time of which he speaks the curse has not yet fallen, certain though it is. Such a field "ends up being burned." Any land that produced nothing but weeds faced nothing but fire. The warning to professing Christians (Jewish Christians) whose lives produce only the equivalent of weeds (seeing nothing wrong with anti-Christian Judaism) is plain. To continue in this way (blessing the ground of apostate Judaism by merging it with Christianity) is to bring God’s curse upon you.
D.
Exhortation to Perseverance ()
The preceding sections have contained salutary warnings about the dangers of apostasy. The readers have had it made clear to them that they must make progress along the Christian way or suffer disaster. There are no other possibilities. Now the writer indicates that he has confidence in his correspondents. He has felt it necessary to warn them, but he does not really think they all will fall away. So, he speaks encouragingly and warmly, at the same time using the occasion to exhort them to go forward.
1.
() For the only time in this letter, the writer addresses the readers as "beloved". He has a tender concern for his correspondents, even though he has had to say some critical things about them. "We are convinced" carries a note of certainty ("we" is a plural of authorship and means "I"). He is sure that there are "better things" about them than the kind of disaster he has been speaking about (the writer is fond of the word "better"). He does not say what these good things are better than, but it is clearly implied that it is the cursing and the like that he has been speaking of. He does not think that in the end all of them will be caught in the condemnation he has referred to. He goes on with "accompany salvation." This unusual expression might mean "things that lead to salvation" or "things that follow from salvation." He expects them to give evidence of their salvation. Those who are true Christians will demonstrate their salvation.
2.
() This verse begins with the Greek word meaning "for" and introduces the grounds for his confidence — a confidence that rests basically on God's constancy. In a masterly understatement, the writer refers to God as "not unjust." It is the character of God as the perfectly just Judge of all that gives rise to the author's confidence. This God will not forget what the readers have done. The statement is not an intrusion of a doctrine of salvation by works. Rather, the Christian profession of some of the readers had been more than formal, and they had shown in changed lives what that profession meant. This, the writer is saying, would not go unnoticed with God. He adds, "And the love which you have shown toward His name." The following words show that it is deeds of kindness to people that are in mind. Such deeds, proceeding from loving hearts as they do, demonstrate that the doers have a real affection for God. Showing love to others is proof for a real love for God (cf. ). These Christians have served God's people in the past, and they continue with this kind of service. However, not all the Christian Jews are blessed by God. Some still meld Christianity and Judaism of the first century. Our divine author does not indicate how many exceptions there are for his strong words of condemnation to those who mix first century Judaism with Christianity.
3.
() "We desire" refers to strong desire. The writer was passionately concerned for his friends (see vs. 9), and we see it again in his desire for "each" of them. No one (of the exceptions) is excluded. He calls on them to show "this same diligence." The past had set a standard, and he looks for it to be maintained "until the end," bringing before them the importance of perseverance. "To realize the full assurance of hope" renders a somewhat unusual expression (lit., "to the fullness of the hope"). This phrase suggests the full development of the hope. In these verses, we have love (vs. 10), hope (vs. 11) and faith (vs. 12). (; ; ; ; ) These three are often joined in the New Testament. In the twenty-first century, we would easily think of faith and love. How about hope? Hope is important, for no movement ever grips the hearts of people if it does not give them certain hope.
4.
() The divine writer continues with the purpose behind his instruction: he does not want them to "become sluggish (lazy)." The readers are to be "imitators" of those who get the promises — "imitators" and not simply "followers." It is uncertain whether he is alluding to the great ones of the past (see chap. 11) or to outstanding contemporaries. Perhaps the present tense in "inherit" tips the scale in favor of those then living. The readers had good examples. "Faith" in God is important throughout this letter, and it is not surprising to have it included here as an important part of the Christian life. "Patience" points to a quality of being undismayed in difficulties. Faith has a steadfastness about it that sees it through whatever difficulties present themselves. The verb "inherit" () here means "to have sure possession of" without specifying the means.
E.
God's Promise Is Sure (6:13-20)
1.
() The author is fond of Abraham, whom he refers to ten times. He is the supreme example of one who continued to trust God and to obey Him even though the circumstances were adverse and gave little support to faith. (; ; ; ) The New Testament often speaks of God's promise in connection with this man. His greatness and the frequency with which God's promise was linked with his name made him a natural example for the author. It is the fact of the promise rather than its content that the author appeals to — especially that God confirmed it with an "oath" (). The oath implies delay in fulfilling the promise. If God had been about to fulfill it immediately, there would have been no place for an oath. So, from the first, Abraham was faced with the prospect of waiting in hope and faith. God swore the oath by Himself, for there was no one greater to swear by — a point that is significant to the author.
2.
() The quotation is from . "I will surely bless you" conveys the ideas of emphasis and certainty (the first of seven occurrences of "bless" in this letter). Sometimes it is used of people, meaning "to invoke blessings on." But where God is the subject, the meaning is "prosper." Here the blessing refers to Abraham's descendants who would form a great nation, possess the land, and in due course be the source of blessing to others.
3.
() "So" should not be taken too closely with "patiently waited." It is not so much "waiting thus" as "thus [confident in God's promise], he waited patiently." Abraham was content to await God's time for the fulfillment of the promise. (; ) This meant real patience, because Isaac was not born till twenty-five years after the promise was first given and long after Sarah could have been expected to bear children.