THE FIVE WARNINGS OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS

MBS135 By Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them.

Hebrews 2:1

INTRODUCTION

It is important to focus on the five warnings of the Book of Hebrews for two reasons. First, these are the passages that people generally use to teach that one can lose his salvation. The second reason is that these passages are usually interpreted from a modern Gentile perspective, even by those who believe in eternal security. But a proper understanding requires viewing these passages from a first-century Jewish perspective.

A. The Place of the Book

There are a total of twenty-one epistles in the New Testament. However, five of these epistles: Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude, were written specifically to Jewish believers, the Remnant of that day. This is an important point because the authors are specifically dealing with Jewish issues in these epistles. There are things that are said in these epistles that would certainly be true of all believers in general. But, at the same time, there are certain things in these epistles that are uniquely relevant only to Jewish believers. It is a common misconception to assume that what is said in these epistles is true of the Church at large, and this distortion has often led to Replacement Theology.

The Messianic Jewish Community of the first century was faced with two major problems. First, there was the problem of persecution. The second problem was that of false doctrine. These five epistles were written to deal with one or the other problem.

Concerning the problem of persecution, there was the persecution of Jewish believers in the Land of Israel itself, and there was also the persecution of Jewish believers in the Diaspora, those living outside the Land. The Book of Hebrews was written to deal with the problem of persecution in the Land. It was written by a Jewish believer in the Diaspora, to Jewish believers living in the Land. The books of James and 1 Peter were written to deal with the problem of persecution in the Diaspora. James was written by a Jewish believer in the Land, to Jewish believers outside the Land. 1 Peter was written by a Jewish believer in one part of the Diaspora to believers in another part of the Diaspora.

The books of 2 Peter and Jude concern the problem of false doctrine. 2 Peter was written by a Jewish believer in one part of the Diaspora to Jewish believers in another part of the Diaspora. Jude was written by a Jewish believer in the Land to Jewish believers in the Diaspora.

B. The Purpose of the Book

The Book of Hebrews was written to a body of Jewish believers in the Land of Israel, who were seriously considering going back into Judaism because of the severe persecution they were facing. They thought that they could give up their salvation temporarily and go back into Judaism until the persecution subsided. Then they could accept the Messiah all over again, and their new salvation would erase the sin of the previous apostasy. That was the option they thought they had. Therefore, the writer of Hebrews wanted to write to them and tell them that they do not have the option they thought they had. They do not have the option of giving up their salvation by going back into Judaism and then being saved again later.

They do have one of two options. The first is to go back into Judaism, but that would mean the loss of their physical lives. Often in Gentile thinking, the assumption is that the word “save” or “salvation” refers only to spiritual salvation. Frequently, however in Jewish writings, it has to do with physical salvation, and that is the way these passages in the Book of Hebrews need to be understood. As seen when the five warnings are given, each is correlated with physical judgment and physical death in the Old Testament. Hence, these Jewish believers did not have the option of giving up their salvation and being saved again later. If they did go back into Judaism, they would suffer the judgment of a.d. 70, the judgment for the Unpardonable Sin, and suffer in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. They would lose their physical lives, but they would not lose their salvation.

Their second option was to make the break from Judaism once and for all complete, and press on to spiritual maturity. The writer wants to encourage them to press on, so he shows how the Messiah is superior to three main pillars of Judaism: angels, Moses, and the Levitical System. To go back to Judaism is to go back to something inferior because what they have in the Messiah is so much more superior. The author basically follows a logical argument in the Book of Hebrews, however, five times he deviates from his topic to give a warning based upon what he has just said.

I. THE DANGER OF DRIFTING AWAY — HEBREWS 2:1–4

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them.

Hebrews 2:1
The first warning begins with the word Therefore which is a logical connective word. He is building on what he had just said in chapter 1 that Yeshua (Jesus) is superior to angels. Therefore, for that very reason, they must pay close attention to what he is about to say. Why? lest [they] drift away from them, just as a boat that is untied from its mooring will drift out to sea. The Greek word for drift away means “to flow beside or past,” “to slip off,” “to slip under,” “to slip into the wind,” “to disappear from memory.” The Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, uses the same word to translate Proverbs 3:21, which says that a father’s counsel should not “slip away” and in Isaiah 44:4 concerning running water. The emphasis is that they must not let that which they have learned flow away, disappear from memory, or slip away.

His point is that revelation through the mediation of the Son carries far more solemn obligations for the recipients than revelation that was mediated through angels or men. God used both men and angels to give revelation. In light of the fact that Yeshua is superior to angels, they must give more earnest heed to what He has revealed. The statement: the things that were heard, refers to the body of doctrinal truth in general, but especially the revelation that came by means of the Son.

Then, he warns against the impossibility of escaping in verses 2–3a:
For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?

Hebrews 2 – 3a
Verse 2 gives the reason they must pay very close attention. In Greek, it is a first-class condition: if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast which of course it did, it assumes a fulfilled condition, not merely a possibility. Did the revelation that came through angels prove steadfast? It certainly did, because God used angels in giving divine revelation. For example, while the Old Testament does not tell us that the Law was given by God to Moses through angels, this was part of an old rabbinic teaching that is affirmed by the New Testament in Acts 7:53 and Galatians 3:19. It is also found in this passage, and the implication here is that the revelation which Moses received did come through angels.

He then states that every sin received its just recompense of reward. It certainly did, but the punishment he is talking about is physical punishment. Why? Because the principle of the Law was that disobedience brought discipline; there were blessings for obedience, but curses for disobedience. The words just recompense or just punishment does not refer to the loss of salvation, but to the loss of temporal blessings in the form of divine discipline. There are some clear examples of this in the Old Testament. For example: in Leviticus 10, Nadab and Abihu sinned and they were stricken dead; in Numbers 16, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rebelled and they were stricken dead; in Joshua 7, Achan disobeyed and he was stricken dead. The punishment of the Law was not a loss of salvation, rather, the punishment of the Law was physical death. If that were true under the Law, how much more is it true of revelation given by the Son!

So he asks the question in verse 3a, “How can anyone escape if they neglect a salvation mediated through the Son?” The phrase how shall we escape implies that there is no escape possible from a just recompense of reward. It will mean discipline in this life according to Hebrews 12:5–11, and it will certainly mean physical death in the coming judgment. If a believer develops complete indifference to what he has received, if he becomes indifferent in carrying out what faith demands, then he is subject to divine discipline. The point is that salvation is in their possession, but they are neglecting it or becoming indifferent to it. By neglecting their salvation, believers may put themselves into a position requiring divine discipline. Under the Law, divine discipline came upon Israel as the Covenant People; but under grace, divine discipline comes upon individual believers who continue in a state of disobedience because they are the children of God. Therefore, the warning is that they must give heed to revelation given by the Son. Why? Because He is superior to angels. Disobedience will not result in a loss of spiritual salvation; disobedience will mean the loss of physical life.

He shows the superiority of the gospel to the Mosaic Law in verses 3b–4:
which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will.

Hebrews 3b-4
The superiority of the gospel can be seen in three ways. First, the original announcement was spoken through the Lord. Secondly, it was authenticated by those who heard. Thirdly, it was further authenticated by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit.

So in light of the uniqueness of the One who gave this revelation and in light of the uniqueness of how it was tested and authenticated and how it came to those who were the readers of this epistle, the author warns them to be careful that they do not neglect it to the point of becoming indifferent or apathetic. If God did not tolerate indifference to His revelation that came through angels, He certainly will not tolerate indifference to His revelation that came by means of the Son.

II. THE DANGER OF DISOBEDIENCE—HEBREWS 3:7–4:13

A. The Background

The background to the second warning is Numbers 13 and 14, which record a very crucial turning point in Israel’s history. Israel had arrived at the oasis of Kadesh Barnea, which was right on the border of the Promised Land. Once they passed Kadesh Barnea, they would be in the Promised Land. From that oasis, Moses sent out twelve spies who came back forty days later and all agreed on one issue: the Land was all that God had said it was, indeed, a land [flowing] with milk and honey. But then came a crucial point of disagreement in that two of the spies said they could take the Land, while the other ten said they could not possibly take the Land. The result was a massive rebellion against the authority of Moses and Aaron, who nearly lost their lives in a mob scene until God intervened. At that point, God entered into a specific judgment against the generation that came out of Egypt. The judgment was that all those who came out of Egypt would continue wandering in the wilderness until forty years had passed. During those forty years, all would die except the two good spies, Joshua and Caleb, and those under the age of twenty. Therefore, the “Exodus Generation” lost the privilege of entering the Land. It would be the next generation, the “Wilderness Generation,” that would be allowed to enter into the Land under Joshua.

The principle in Scripture is that, once a point of no return is reached, the offenders are subject to divine judgment; but the judgment is physical death, not spiritual judgment in the loss of salvation. In fact, Numbers 14:20 does say that the people repented; it even goes on to say that God forgave their sin. It did not affect anyone’s individual salvation, but the physical consequences of their sin did need to be paid. Once a point of no return is reached, no matter how much repenting one does thereafter, the fact of coming physical judgment cannot be changed. That is what happened in this case. Even Moses had to die outside the Land because of a specific sin he committed. Although this did not affect his individual salvation, he had to pay the physical consequences of his sin. Here again, the correlation is: in the Old Testament, the issue is physical death and the loss of temporal blessings, but not the loss of salvation.

In Hebrews 3:1–6, the writer pointed out that Jesus the Messiah is superior to Moses. The massive rebellion of Numbers 13–14 occurred under the ever-faithful Moses. Now, One greater than Moses has been here. Will there be another massive rebellion by the Jewish believers? That is the background to the second warning. This study will detail that which is directly relevant to the issue and survey that which is not relevant.

B. The Admonition Against Disobedience—Hebrews 3:7–19

1. The Old Testament Lesson—Hebrews 3:7–11

The author begins with a strong admonition against disobedience, starting with the Old Testament lesson of verses 7–11:
Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, Like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tried me by proving me, And saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was displeased with this generation, And said, They do always err in their heart: But they did not know my ways; As I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.

Hebrews 2: 2-11
There are two bases for this strong admonition against disobedience: first, the sin of Kadesh Barnea; and secondly, the fact that the Son is greater than Moses. He begins with the word Wherefore, meaning in light of the fact that Yeshua is greater than Moses, do not apostatize through disobedience. He quotes Psalm 95:7–11, a poetic account of the same Kadesh Barnea experience. The Greek word he uses for the provocation has become a technical word referring to the sin of Kadesh Barnea. The mention of forty years here is significant because the Book of Hebrews was written about forty years after the Crucifixion. The Exodus Generation, of course, failed to enter into the rest of the Promised Land. God manifested His wrath because of their continuous disobedience and sentenced them to physical death outside the Land. The Book of Hebrews treats the Promised Land as a type of rest, but not as a type or symbol of Heaven. The point is that a redeemed people may lose blessings, the enjoyment of which was based upon continuous faith. Although they were forgiven for the sin of unbelief, as Numbers 14:20 clearly states, they suffered the physical consequences of unbelief and forfeited the rest that they could have enjoyed in the Promised Land. The judgment was a physical judgment, physical death. Here again, the issue is not eternal salvation, rather, the issue is that disobedience may result in temporal physical judgment and the loss of future rewards.

2. The Application—Hebrews 3:12–15

Having dealt with the Old Testament lesson, he now gives the application of the lesson in verses 12–15:
Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: for we are become partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end: while it is said, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden, not your hearts, as in the provocation.

Hebrews 2:12-15
The Old Testament lesson is applied both negatively and positively. First, negatively in verse 12, believers ought to beware because they are responsible for their own conduct. They are warned against developing an evil heart of unbelief and parting from the living God as did the Exodus Generation. Furthermore, the word that is used implies the corrupting of others as well. The falling away here is the negative side of the “holding fast” of Hebrews 3:6.

Then positively in verse 13, believers were to exhort one another day by day. This emphasizes the responsibility to fellow believers who happen to be weak in the faith. The exhortation is against the sin of apostatizing from the faith. The sin of apostasy is deceitful because it tricks them into thinking this is the best way out of their present situation of being persecuted for the faith. The antidote for developing a hard heart is a caring and encouraging community of believers.

In verse 14, he gives the reason for the exhortation and shows why it is necessary. The issue here is not the retention of salvation based upon a persistence of faith, but the possession of salvation as evidenced by a continuation of faith. The Greek word for partakers means, “to have a share of,” “to share with,” “to take part in.” The “if” clause does not mean that they will become sharers if [they] hold fast [long enough]; in the Greek, it is a perfect tense, meaning they are already sharers. But how can one recognize true sharers of the Messiah? Only if they persist in the faith; otherwise, one can never really be sure. Thus, if they maintain their faith unto the end, they would prove they really were partakers of Christ. At present, they were partakers, but continuing to persist in the faith unto the end would be the final evidence of it. In other words, a true believer continues to believe even if he has sin in his life.

In verse 15, he quotes Psalm 95:7 once more to show the failure of the Exodus Generation. Again, the result was physical death.

3. The Interpretation—Hebrews 3:16–19

Then he gives us the interpretation of the lesson by asking three questions in verses 16–19:
For who, when they heard, did provoke? nay, did not all they that came out of Egypt by Moses? And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient? And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

Hebrews 3:19-16
In verse 16, the first question is, “Who were the provokers?” The answer is, “The very people God rescued are the ones who provoked Him.” The very ones who had been delivered from bondage and started out for the Promised Land by faith were the ones who missed the life and rest of the Land because of unbelief.

In verse 17, the second question is, “Who is it that sinned?” The answer is, “Those who died.” But, again, this was physical death. They sinned and suffered its physical consequences. Their punishment was physical death because, as already pointed out, not all who died were spiritually lost.

In verse 18, the third question is, “To whom did He say they would not enter into rest?” The answer is, “The Exodus Generation.” Disobedience brought rejection and they failed to enter into the rest of the Land. Disobedience is unbelief which, in turn, gave way to the act of rebellion.

In verse 19, he draws his conclusion: they could not reach the rest they started out for by faith because of unbelief. The rest is that of the Promised Land. Rebellion meant the loss of promised blessings. Notice that Israel did not lose its status as a redeemed people; they did not go back to become slaves of Egypt again. They were still the redeemed, chosen people of God, but they did lose the blessing of the Promised Land and a life of peace and rest in the Land.

In summarizing the argument of this passage, the generation of those who were redeemed from Egypt failed to enter the rest that was promised because they continued not in faith. Instead, they degenerated downward in three steps: first, they fell into unbelief; secondly, their unbelief issued in disobedience; thirdly, disobedience led to open sin. The application to the present readers of the Book of Hebrews is that they are in a very similar danger. It has been forty years since the Crucifixion, or close to it. Forty years in the wilderness meant that many had died. Will many die now in the a.d. 70 destruction? They will if they go back into Judaism just to escape persecution.

C. The Rest of Faith—Hebrews 4:1–10

He presents a detailed argument in this passage concerning the rest of faith and why it is important that they enter into the life of “faith-rest,” which is spiritual maturity. If they go back into Judaism now, they will stay in a state of spiritual immaturity, but if they break away and press on, then they will find true maturity.

D. The Exhortation to Enter the Rest—Hebrews 4:11–13

The second warning ends with a strong exhortation to enter into that rest. Again, the rest is spiritual maturity by making their break with Judaism once and for all complete. Thus, in verse 11, the exhortation is to press on; therefore, because of what he said in verses 1–10, they must enter into the present rest of faith. Let us therefore give diligence; let us be diligent, denoting a sense of urgency, attentiveness, and quickness. He is not talking about future glory, but this is a present emphasis because the danger is: lest anyone fall [according to] the same example of disobedience. Notice the term same example. For Israel, it was Kadesh Barnea and physical death outside the Land, not the loss of salvation. The present readers were in danger of losing their lives and their eschatological rewards in the Kingdom. Therefore, in verses 12–13, they must press on to maturity and not go back, or else they will someday be judged by the word of God, a judgment that will come at the Judgment Seat of the Messiah.

III. THE DANGER OF IMMATURITY—HEBREWS 5:11–6:20

A. The Fact of Stagnation—Hebrews 5:11–14

The author begins the third warning by pointing out the fact of their stagnation and that they have some spiritual problems in verse 11:
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing.

hebrews 5: 11
The phrase Of whom we have many things to say refers to the subject of Melchizedek in verse 10. He notes now in verse 11 that a discussion of this topic would be difficult for them to understand. His readers, he states, have become stagnant. The word for become dull means that they were not always this way. The obligation derived from this verse for all believers is to develop a sensitive hearing of things that are hard of interpretation.

The reason, which also shows that they have been believers for some time, is found in verse 12:
For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food.

Hebrews 5:12
By this time, they should have been teachers of the Word. While not everyone can have the gift of teaching, everyone should be able to teach on a one-to-one basis after reaching a level of spiritual maturity. But instead of being teachers of the Word, they need to be re-taught the first principles, the ABCs of doctrine. That they have need of milk shows a state of immaturity. In this context, milk refers to the ABCs of doctrine; solid food or “meat” is advanced doctrinal truths and their application to the issues of life. The Order of Melchizedek is in the meat category of the Word of God, thus it is not comprehensible to these immature believers. This is why the writer drops the subject of Melchizedek until later in chapter 7, pursuing instead his third warning to progress to maturity. The writer’s use of the term are become shows the regression of his readers; they were not this way in the past. Failure to progress does not mean one will maintain his present level of maturity; failure to progress always means regression. The obligation of this verse for all believers is to develop ability in teaching instead of being taught the same things over and over.

He gives a further explanation of what constitutes babyhood in verse 13:
For every one that partakes of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe.

Hebrews 5:13
Simply put, they failed to make practical use of the knowledge they had and this caused them to become unskilled. One who partakes of milk is one who is without experience of the word of righteousness. The principle is clear: use it or lose it. For example, in their case they knew the Messiah was the final sacrifice, and yet, they saw nothing wrong with going back to sacrifices and symbols. The problem was not knowledge, but a matter of exercising that knowledge in life situations to discern right and wrong. The very fact that they are considering going back into Judaism shows failure of discernment. The obligation of this verse for all believers is to display skill in discussing the major problems of biblical doctrine.

He next discusses the meaning of maturity in verse 14:
But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

Hebrews 5:14
The author states that solid food is the unrestricted diet for one who uses what he knows. Maturity is a result of careful exercise. A full-grown man is one who by reason of use [has his] senses exercised to discern good and evil; he is one who is able to make responsible decisions. The obligation contained in this verse for all believers is the proper use of what one knows.

In summarizing their spiritual state, the writer states that they have been believers for a long time; they have been taught sound doctrine in the past because by now they ought to be teachers. However, they have not retained or used the truth that they have been taught and need to relearn the first principles of the oracles of God. They have reverted from adulthood back into spiritual infancy. They have lapsed from maturity to immaturity and from “meat” to milk. Although the spiritual adult and the spiritual babe both have the Word of God, only one knows how to use it. Usage of the Word is what causes believers to progress from immaturity to maturity, but a lack of usage means regressing from maturity to immaturity.

B. The Necessity for Progression—Hebrews 6:1–8

Next, he deals with their need for progression because their condition shows the need for growth and the real danger of relapse.

This is perhaps the most controverted passage in the Book of Hebrews. It is probably the favorite passage used by those who teach that one can lose his salvation all the while ignoring the Jewish frame of reference when they do so. But this passage must be interpreted in light of the common principles always used elsewhere. First, in light of the book as a whole, it was written to a body of believers. Secondly, it was written to a body of Jewish believers who were contemplating going back into Judaism for the purpose of escaping persecution. Thirdly, it must be interpreted in light of the immediate context, which is trying to move them out of the state of immaturity to a state of maturity; it is addressed to regenerate people to motivate them to spiritual maturity. And fourthly, it must be in harmony with biblical truths taught elsewhere.

1. The Doctrine of First Principles—Hebrews 6:1–3

Earlier, he said that the immature believer is one who has to be re-taught the ABCs of doctrine, and here, we see the doctrine of the first principles that need to be left behind. Verse 1a reveals their problem: Wherefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on unto perfection.

They were “babes,” meaning that they did possess life and that they did not need more knowledge at this point. Rather, they needed to use what knowledge they had. They had lapsed into dullness because of disuse. Obviously, they have been saved, otherwise, they could not have been expected to be teachers as mentioned in 5:12. Therefore, they need to press on unto perfection, meaning, “to press on to maturity.” This is the goal that God has intended for them and this is the whole emphasis and theme of the Book of Hebrews. The emphasis is on their duty to progress because of the peril of relapse. He is going to teach them that it is going to be impossible to repeat the past. So the immature believer must leave the ABCs of doctrine and go on to maturity, passing from one phase of contemplation to another.

He mentions six of these ABCs of doctrine that they need to leave behind. There are three sets of these ABCs with two “baby doctrines” in each set: the first set deals with issues of conversion; the second set deals with issues of ceremonial elements; and the third set includes eschatology or prophetic things.

The first principles that need to be left behind are listed in verses 1b–2:
not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Hebrews 6: 1b–2
The first baby doctrine that needed to be left behind was: repentance from dead works. The negative side of conversion is repentance and dead works refer to the works of the Levitical System that became dead because the life in them was only temporary; they came to an end with the death of the Messiah. Therefore, they need to repent or change their minds about going back to a dead Levitical System.

The second baby doctrine that needed to be left behind was: faith toward God. This is the positive aspect of conversion and deals with the once-and-for-all commitment they made to the Messiah when they were saved.

The third baby doctrine that needed to be left behind was: the teaching of baptisms or, more correctly, “washings or immersions.” These are the ceremonial immersions of the Levitical System. The word baptisms is plural because there are all kinds of immersions; such as, proselyte baptism, John’s baptism, believer’s baptism, among others. Baptism by immersion marked the final point of separation from Judaism among Jewish believers.

The fourth baby doctrine that needed to be left behind was: the laying on of hands. This was the Old Testament means of imparting blessings and the way of appointing someone to an office. In the Old Testament system of identification, the priest would lay his hands upon the sacrifices (Lev. 16:21), and the individual would also lay his hands upon the sacrifice (Lev. 1:4). The animal was, therefore, identified with the sinner and would die in the sinner’s place.

The fifth baby doctrine that needed to be left behind was: resurrection of the dead. This, too, is an Old Testament doctrine, found in Job 19:25; Isaiah 26:19; and Daniel 12:2, that should be settled once-and-for-all. The fact is, there will be a resurrection, so they should not need to argue about or wrestle with this doctrine.

And the sixth baby doctrine that needed to be left behind was: eternal judgment; the judgment of the Great White Throne, which leads to the Lake of Fire. They should not be wrestling about whether unbelievers really have to suffer for eternity.

Thus, they do not need to wrestle with these six baby doctrines anymore, but they should leave these behind in order to progress from milk to meat.

He points out the importance of maturity in verse 3:
And this will we do if God permits.

Hebrews 6:3
This goal of maturity is achievable if the will of the believer and the will of God agree. Certainly, God wants them to press on to maturity, but will they agree? He says: this we will do if God permits. The expression if God permit is a first-class condition that assumes He does permit. When he says: if God permit, he means, “This is the will of God.” But God will not force them to go on to maturity. However, one cannot be brought to maturity without leaving behind the indifference of Hebrews 5:11–14. This shows their dullness is not yet irrevocable or irreversible; they could still choose to go on to maturity. They had not yet made the decision to go back to Judaism. However, it is still possible for them to regress so far that it will be impossible to make progress toward maturity.

2. The Danger of Relapse—Hebrews 6:4–6

This is the crucial passage, for this is where he deals with the danger of relapse and the impossibility of going back. We must remember that they thought they had the option of temporarily giving up their salvation by going back into Judaism, and then being saved again later; they thought that the new salvation would erase their sin of apostasy. But in fact, the writer is about to show them that this is not an option for them at all.

In some translations, the phrase it is impossible is in verse 6, but it is better to place it where it appears in the Greek text. He begins with an affirmation in verse 4: it is impossible. In the Greek text, the sentence begins with the phrase “It is impossible,” emphasizing that this is a situation where it is impossible to renew repentance. The point is that they did have specific spiritual privileges, but there is the danger of the occurrence of a relapse. Therefore, in light of their standing before God he is going to tell them that there is something that is impossible for them to do.

a. Five Spiritual Privileges—Hebrews 6:4–5

For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come.

Hebrews 6:4–5
He begins by showing that they did have five spiritual privileges that proved them to be true believers. And because they are true believers, there is something that they simply cannot do.

The first spiritual privilege is that they were once enlightened. This has to do with the decisive moment when “light” was perceived or grasped. It deals with their regeneration, their salvation, as we see from Hebrews 10:32 where the same term is also used. It refers to receiving a full knowledge of the truth. They had been once and for all enlightened with the gospel, and they became regenerated.

The second spiritual privilege is that they tasted of the heavenly gift. The word tasted refers to “a genuine experience,” “to come to know something.” It suggests a real, conscious enjoyment of the blessings apprehended as true nature and signifies the possession of spiritual life. The term “tasting” means “genuine appropriation.” Some people try to deny that these were true believers by saying, “Well, it says they only tasted of the heavenly gift but did not really swallow it, therefore, they were not truly saved.” But that cannot be the meaning of the term, because it says of Yeshua in Hebrews 2:9: he should taste of death for every man. Did He only “nibble at” death without actually undergoing physical death? By no means! The Bible makes it very clear that Jesus died a true physical death. Tasting does not mean only to nibble at so as to not really take it in; it means to really appropriate it. Tasting means in Hebrews 2:9, as it means here “a genuine appropriation,” holding something in common with someone else. They appropriated the heavenly gift: the Messiah Himself.

The third spiritual privilege is that they were made partakers of the Holy Spirit; this word means “true participation.” They have received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, becoming partners in the ministries of the Holy Spirit in relationship to their salvation.

The fourth spiritual privilege is that they tasted the good word of God. This has to do with their place in the present age. The Greek word for word is rhema meaning “the spoken word.” They did not simply participate, they had personal benefits from it all. They had specific answers that God gave them; they heard special utterances which they realized were from the true God. It was the good word of God like that in Hebrews 2:3.

And the fifth spiritual privilege is that they also tasted the powers of the age to come; they once-and-for-all tasted of the powers that will be manifested in the Messianic Kingdom. The word powers is the same word used of the miracles in Hebrews 2:4, which were part of the first warning. And tasted means that they experienced rebirth in their life, and they will someday enjoy the Messianic Kingdom.

b. The Impossibility—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 6:6
Now the author deals with this crucial verse. The point he is making is that for believers who have these five spiritual privileges that prove them to be true believers, there is something that is impossible for them to do. And that which is impossible controls both clauses: first, it is impossible for them to fall away and, therefore, secondly, it is impossible also to be renewed to repentance. The reason it is impossible is that for them to be able to lose their salvation and be saved again later would require the Son of God to be crucified afresh. Therefore, by their action, they re-identify themselves with the decision of that generation in rejecting Yeshua as the Messiah. Hence, it is impossible for them to fall away and to be saved again later because this would require a re-crucifixion of the Messiah. The reason He is not coming back to be crucified again is because it puts him to an open shame. It would mean that His first death did not provide complete salvation; that His first death did not save “to the uttermost.” To understand this verse correctly in the context of the first century Messianic Jewish situation, it is impossible for those who had experienced these five spiritual privileges to lose their salvation and to be saved again later.

It might help to make this clearer by giving several different paraphrases of this passage in context. The first paraphrase is:

“If you could fall away, and then, at some later time be saved again, thus, a new salvation would erase the responsibility and judgment of the relapse. But since you cannot fall away and be saved again, you must go on to maturity and bear fruit.”

The second paraphrase is:

“If it were possible to fall away and then be saved again, which it is not, then you could start all over and remove your past mistakes. But since it is not possible, you must be warned about how you are now living, and you must go on. The consequences of neglect will be dealt with at the Judgment Seat of the Messiah.”

The third paraphrase is:

“Because you have been privileged spiritually and enlightened by having tasted the heavenly gift, by being made partakers of the Holy Spirit, by having tasted the good word of God and powers of the age to come, you cannot retreat.”

The fourth paraphrase is:

“It is impossible for those who are saved to fall away and thus remove all the wasted years and failure and babyhood. This would require the Messiah to die again and put him to an open shame, because His first death was not sufficient. As all of this is impossible and we cannot remove the record of wasted years as a believer, there is only one thing for us to do: to go on to maturity.”

And the fifth paraphrase is:

“Leaving babyhood behind, let us go on to maturity. For it is impossible by means of a falling away to renew, that is, to make the whole record new by means of initial repentance through salvation, since this would necessitate the Messiah’s dying again and making His first death of no avail, and therefore, a mockery to those watching.”

To summarize this section: they thought they had an option that they did not have. They did not have the option of giving up their salvation, going back into Judaism and being saved again later, because that would require His re-crucifixion. However, Jesus will not be coming back to be re-crucified, because He has already saved to the uttermost; He has already saved completely. They did have two options. The first option was to go back into Judaism. This would not mean the loss of salvation, but it would mean the loss of their physical lives in the judgment of a.d. 70. The second option was to make their break from Judaism once-and-for-all complete. For Jewish believers, then and today, this comes by means of immersion or water baptism, and then pressing on to maturity. The rest of chapter 6 is trying to encourage them to do just that: to press on to maturity.

3. The Illustration—Hebrews 6:7–8

The emphasis of these verses is the law of human life: neglect of blessings is followed by condemnation.
For the land which has drunk the rain that comes oft upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God: but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned.

Hebrews 6:7–8
In verse 7, the author gives an illustration concerning the land or the earth. The rain falls on both good and bad ground and it is expected to produce herbs for those who tilled it. In the same way, the blessing from God falls upon all kinds of believers. But some believers produce fruit and some believers do not produce fruit, and there will be consequences for both. Producing fruit will result in rewards. But there will be two consequences for fruitlessness: first, discipline in this life, such as physical death in a.d. 70; and secondly, loss of rewards in the next life. There is no threat to anyone’s salvation contained anywhere in this passage. A summary of the illustration is: blessings from God may be used in producing a useful life or misused in producing a useless one for God. We have our salvation, but the question is, “What will we do with it?”

Verse 8 gives the result of fruitlessness. Land that bears thorns and thistles will be rejected, meaning, “to be disapproved” or “disqualified.” The same word is used in 1 Corinthians 9:27 in the context of faithfulness in the spiritual life and rewards. He also states: a curse; to go back to the Mosaic Law now is to go back to the curse of the Law according to Galatians 3:10 and 13. The end is to be burned. This is the consequence of disapproval at the Judgment Seat of the Messiah when there will be works that will be burned. The principle of the Law was blessing for obedience, but curses for disobedience. This does not mean that they will lose their salvation, only their reward. On the other hand, if they press on to maturity, they will produce fruit, have good works, and be rewarded.

C. The Encouragement—Hebrews 6:9–20

Having given this warning, he discusses the certainty of salvation and the spiritual action following salvation in verses 9–12:
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak: for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister. And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fulness of hope even to the end: that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:9– 12
In verse 9, the writer is persuaded that they will move out of their babyhood and press on to maturity and do the things that accompany salvation. They are already saved, but he has been forced to speak to them in harsh language. Furthermore, in verse 10, he reminds them that God is not unjust to forget their good works. In verse 11, he affirms his original desire for them to press on to maturity to the end. And verse 12 gives the admonition not to be sluggish, but to imitate those who inherit the promises through faith and patience.

To encourage them, he points out in verses 13–20 that God’s promises cannot fail. If they press on to spiritual maturity, they will be rewarded in due time. But failure means discipline.

IV. THE DANGER OF WILLFUL SIN—HEBREWS 10:19–31

A. The Bases for the Exhortations—Hebrews 10:19–21

The fourth warning begins with two bases for the exhortations:
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a great priest over the house of God.

Hebrews 10:19 -20
The first basis is free access to God in verses 19–20. The word therefore connects what he is about to say with the theological section of 1:1–10:18. His argument is based upon the fact that they have the privilege of access into the heavenly Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus. They not only have access, but they also have boldness to enter. He describes the way as a new and living way because it is based on the New Covenant and because it consists of a living fellowship with a living Person.

The second basis is the sovereign power of this High Priest in verse 21. This refers to the Melchizedekian Priesthood over the house of God.

B. The Exhortations—Hebrews 10:22–25

In these verses, there are four specific exhortations. The first is an exhortation to faith in verse 22:
let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:22
The phrase let us draw near is a ritual term, referring to worship. This is a call to move away from lukewarmness for the purpose of appropriating grace. The way to draw near is twofold: first, with a true heart; and secondly, in fulness of faith, which means “a vigorous faith with full assurance.” Next, he gives the way of approaching God: first, having our hearts sprinkled; this uses the imagery of sprinkling of blood in the Levitical system. This facet, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, looks at positional justification. It is in the perfect tense which means that it happened in the past when they first believed and continues into the present. Secondly, having our body washed with pure water refers to practical sanctification. This is also in the perfect tense; they have been bathed and are still being bathed. Practical sanctification continues throughout their earthly sojourn.

The second is an exhortation of hope in verse 23:
let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised.

Hebrews 10:23
The content of our hope is the fact that Yeshua really is the Messiah. It is God who keeps them saved, and His continuous cleansing is the divine side of eternal security. To hold fast is the human side of security, the outward evidence of salvation. The purpose of holding on is that it waver not. A lack of holding on does not mean they were not saved, only a lack of evidence of salvation. The reason they should hold on is because he is faithful that promised. Their eternal security is safe because it is dependent upon God’s power. They should hold on to Him without wavering since that will provide the conclusive evidence of their salvation and give them personal assurance of their salvation.

The third is an exhortation to love in verse 24:
and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works.

Hebrews 10:24
The exhortation is to consider one another. The Greek word for consider means “to make a careful investigation or careful study.” The purpose is to provoke unto love and good works, not to find fault and criticize. The inward attitude is love, but the outward actions are good works. Jesus said: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. They do not become lovers of Jesus by keeping His commandments, but they show their love for Him by keeping His commandments. The way they show their love for the brethren is by doing good works for them.

Then comes to the fourth exhortation, which actually leads to the fourth warning in verse 25:
not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.

Hebrews 10:25
The Greek word forsaking means “to completely abandon.” The word includes not only the act of assembling together but the assembly itself. The commandment for the Church is to come together. The Greek word for assembling here is episunagogei which contains the root for the word “synagogue.” This word is also found in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, where it is translated gathering, referring to the Rapture of the Church. Verse 25 sadly goes on to state: as the custom of some is. There were some already refusing to identify themselves with believers by not attending the congregational fellowships. While it is essential that believers gather together, the Bible does not dictate which day of the week this should take place, that decision is left up to each individual congregation. So the exhortation is not to forsake the assembling together for the purpose of exhorting one another.

The purpose of the exhortation is: as [you] see the day drawing nigh. The phrase so much the more shows the sense of urgency. The reason for the urgency is that the day is drawing nigh. The use of the definite article with the word day means it is the [specific] day and refers to a specific time of judgment. The phrase drawing nigh shows that it is on the verge of occurring. This is the coming judgment for the Unpardonable Sin, the judgment of a.d. 70; it is the judgment that will fall upon Jerusalem of which Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:1–2; Luke 19:41–44; and 21:20–24. His point is that they must continue coming together for mutual encouragement because judgment upon that generation is fast approaching.

C. The Warning Itself—Hebrews 10:26–31

The fourth exhortation of verse 25 leads the author to the fourth warning itself: the danger of willful sin.

1. The Principle for Rejection of the Truth—Hebrews 10:26

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins.

Hebrews 10:26
The fourth warning begins with the word For, connecting what he is about to say in light of what he has just said. The previous verse closed with an admonition to gather together. But in such circumstances, some may refuse to do so and apostasy might result. So another warning must now be given: if we sin; this is in the present tense, giving it a durative, continuous force. It is a continuous condition, not merely one isolated act of sin. In their case, to go back to Judaism and then continue in it is to go back permanently. The verse continues with the word wilfully in the empathic position, making the Greek text literally read “willfully if we sin.” The Greek word for wilfully means “deliberate itention.” Those who choose to sin in this way are doing it voluntarily, not by force. This shows that their action was not out of ignorance, but by deliberate intention; an action that is planned out, determined and done with forethought.

This verse gives a principle for those who reject the knowledge of the truth. The word for knowledge means “full or complete knowledge.” It is epignosis rather than merely gnosis. It is a full knowledge and through their reading of this epistle, they will receive full knowledge of the warnings and the consequences of their sin. If they go back wilfully, the first result of this apostasy will be that there remains no more a sacrifice for sins. Since Jesus was rejected, there is no other sacrifice for sin. This, again, is based on the Old Testament principle that there were no sacrifices for certain sins such as adultery, murder, and blasphemy. For these kinds of sins, one could not offer a sacrifice; instead, they were subject to the penalty of physical death. Once more, it would be physical death, not spiritual death. The nature of the sin is a voluntary sin that the believer wills to commit after he has been saved. The present tense means he keeps on sinning willfully, knowing it is wrong. The action involves the repudiation of former actions that were very good. The consequence of the sin is repudiating one’s former confession of the Messiah.

But what exactly is this sin of which he speaks? This can be deduced by comparing verses 23–25 with verses 26–29. It involves a separation of the believer from other believers permanently. It involves returning to Judaism, the Temple, and all that it entails in order to escape persecution. Even worse, this sin involves a denunciation of the three elements of verse 29: the work of the Son, the work of the Father, and the work of the Holy Spirit. For such there is no more a sacrifice for sins; but subject to judgment. The nature of the judgment is threefold: first, physical death (vv. 28–29); secondly, specifically death in the judgment of a.d. 70 (vv. 25, 27); and, thirdly, the loss of rewards in the next life (vv. 35–36).

2. Fearful Expectation of Judgment—Hebrews 10:27

but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries.

Hebrews 10:27
The second result of their apostasy is: a certain fearful expectation of judgment. Because judgment is the only result of rejecting the living way of Hebrews 10:20, there is no sacrifice for willful apostasy. The judgment is described as having a fierceness of fire or the fury that will consume the adversaries. Again, this will be the physical judgment of a.d. 70.

3. Physical Punishment Under the Law—Hebrews 10:28

A man that has set at nought Moses’ law died without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.

Hebrews 10:28
The author reminds them that under the Law, there was physical death at the word of two or three witnesses. Notice again that the issue here is physical death, not spiritual death. It will also be physical death in a.d. 70, which will be that fearful and final judgment.

4. Greater Punishment Under Grace—Hebrews 10:29

of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Hebrews 10:29
This verse is the application of all previous teachings. Because Yeshua is greater than Moses, if God punished disobedience under Moses, He will certainly punish it under the Messiah. He then shows exactly what is involved in apostatizing from the faith: to reject the work of the entire Trinity. First, the phrase trodden under foot the Son of God means “flagrant contempt,” “to have scorn,” “to count as worthless.” It means rejecting God the Father who declared Him to be the Son of God. Secondly, this offense involves considering the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified [as] an unholy thing. Notice that he is still sanctified. Thirdly, the sin had, but in this sin, he treats the blood of Jesus no differently than the blood of other men; it is treated as common blood, not better blood. This is a rejection of God the Son, as it is His blood that provided for the believer’s atonement and sanctification. Thirdly, the sin had done despite unto the Spirit of grace, meaning an assault of insolence against the Spirit; he insults the Holy Spirit. This is a rejection of the Holy Spirit and identifies him with those who are guilty of the Unpardonable Sin of Matthew 12, which is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

5. The Reason for the Judgment—Hebrews 10:30–31

For we know him that said, Vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 10:30–31
Next, he gives the reason for the judgment and why God must judge so severely: because of the character of God. In verse 30, he quotes two Old Testament passages: first, Deuteronomy 32:35, which teaches that Vengeance is the sole prerogative of God; and secondly, Deuteronomy 32:36, which teaches that God shall judge his people. His conclusion is in verse 31: It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Again, the threat is physical judgment, a physical death in a.d. 70. And once more, the correlation was with the Mosaic method of death by stoning.

V. THE DANGER OF INDIFFERENCE—HEBREWS 12:25–29

The fifth warning is an admonition against indifference in light of better blood in a better place. Earlier in verse 24, the writer spoke of the blood of the Messiah being in the New Jerusalem. In light of that, there is an obligation in verse 25:
See that ye refuse not him that speaks. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape who turn away from him that warns from heaven.

Hebrews 12:25
He reminds them that they had rejected an earthly Law in the past, but the One speaking now is from Heaven. Thus, the exhortation is: See that ye refuse not him that speaks. In other words, “Do not block your ears to the voice of God, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai.” The Greek text uses a very strong word for See, which means “Beware lest.” This emphasizes an obligation that they have in light of verses 18–24. The word refuse has the concept of “rejecting.” Beware, lest you refuse or reject Him. When he says: him that speaks, he uses the present tense in that God is speaking even right now. Yeshua is now warning from Heaven. The author is drawing a contrast between Heaven and earth. Those who reject him that warns from heaven are guilty of greater sin and subject to greater punishment. Here again, he is not talking about salvation, but temporal punishment. Those under the Law did not escape temporal punishment for disobeying the Law, so how can one turn away from the New Covenant and hope to escape physical judgment as well?

Next, he points out in verse 26 that the shaking of Mount Sinai in Exodus 19–20 was symbolic of the final shaking of the heavens and the earth:
whose voice then shook the earth: but now he has promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven.

Hebrews 12:26
The phrase Yet once more is a quote from Haggai 2:6 that deals with the final shaking of the earth just before the Second Coming. In the past, God shook only the earth, but in the future, God plans to shake both the heavens and the earth. Here he draws an application to a shaking to occur in the near future, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in a.d. 70. For the present, the One who spoke on Sinai and shook Sinai is now speaking from Heaven quietly in grace. In the future, He will speak loudly in judgment and with shaking.

Verse 27 states that someday God will introduce a brand new order that is unshakable:
And this word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.

Hebrews 12:27
He quotes Haggai again to draw the application: that which is shakable is temporary, but that which is unshakable is eternal. The Mosaic Law was temporary, therefore, shakable; the New Covenant will be unshakable, therefore, eternal. In this verse, he anticipates a coming destruction of Jerusalem which eventually will inaugurate the Messianic Kingdom. To go back to a shakable system, the Law, the Levitical system, and all it entails is to go to something destined to be destroyed.

He draws the conclusion in verse 28:
Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe.

Hebrews 12:28
Wherefore, because we are destined to receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken and that, in turn, will usher in the Eternal Order, let us have grace. He reemphasizes the point he made earlier: the need to appropriate grace. The purpose of appropriating grace is so that we may offer service that is well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe, meaning godly fear.

Why do they need to do this? The answer to this question is in verse 29:
for our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 12:29
In this verse, he quotes Deuteronomy 4:24, which points out that, while God is a God of grace, He is also a God of judgment for those who fail to appropriate grace. Rather than going back to Judaism, let them appropriate the grace they need to get them through because the alternative is divine judgment; again, the warning is discipline in this life.

CONCLUSION

The five warnings of Hebrews were addressed to Jewish believers specifically, and the warning was that of physical judgment in this life and loss of rewards in the next. However, it must be emphasized that there is no threat to one’s eternal security.

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