Lange Commentary - Hebrews 6:9 - 6:12

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Lange Commentary - Hebrews 6:9 - 6:12


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IV

But the readers are still in a condition which, by the grace of God, renders possible the attainment of the goal, for which they are earnestly to strive

Heb_6:9-12

9But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, 10though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of [om. labor of] love, which ye have [om. have] shewed toward his name, in that ye have [om. have] ministered to the saints, and do minister [are ministering]. 11And [But] we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to [in respect to] the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12That ye be [become=prove yourselves] not slothful, but followers [imitators] of them, who through faith and patience [long-suffering] inherit the promises.

[Heb_6:9.— ôὰ êñåßóóïíá êáὶ ἐ÷ ., the things which are better, and are connected with salvation. The article not repeated.— åἴ êáß , if also, or even=although.

Heb_6:11.— ἐðéèõìïῦìåí äÝ , But (better than and here as adversative) we desire.— ôὴí áὐôὴí óðïõäÞí , the same zeal, ðñüò , with reference to, in respect to, Eng. ver. inadequately simply to, and mars the sense by putting a comma after diligence.

Heb_6:12.— ἵíá ìὴ ãÝíçóèå , that ye may not became, or prove yourselves— ìéìçôáß , imitators.— ìáêñïèõìßá , long-suffering—K.].

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Heb_6:9. But we are persuaded better things, etc.—The epithet ἀãáðçôïß (beloved), so frequent with Paul, is found in our epistle only in this place, where the author, by the verb ðåðåßóìåèá , emphatically expresses his conviction that the terrible results which he has depicted will not be realized in the case of his readers. Ôὰ êñåßóóïíá is referred by some to a better destiny, by others to a better condition. The former, then, regard ἐ÷üìåíá óùôçñßáò chiefly as a periphrasis for óùôçñßá itself; while the latter refer this expression to that which tends to salvation. More exactly ἐ÷üìåíüí ôéíïò denotes that which stands connected with an object (whether outwardly or inwardly, locally or temporally), and belongs to it. The words are thus to be taken in a comprehensive sense, and stand parallel to the êáôÜñáò ἐããýò .

Heb_6:10. For God is not unrighteous, etc.—This verse contains the ground on which the author bases his persuasion. That ground is not properly the judicial and retributive justice of God, nor the anticipation of the reward which God, according to the Romish doctrine de merito condigno, might bestow on such good works as man is enabled to perform by the aid of Divine grace. It is rather that consistency and uniformity in God’s dealings, inseparable from His fidelity (1Jn_1:9), which would render it seemingly impossible for Him to withdraw His gracious assistance from those who in their life, walk, and conduct display the truth and power of their faith, and the genuineness and depth of their conversion. Ôὸ ἔñãïí denotes the moral conduct as a whole (1Th_1:3, Gal_6:4), in distinction from ôὰ ἔñãá , which denotes its manifold attestations (comp. Rom_2:6 with Heb_2:15). Åἰò ôὸ ὅíïìá Chrysostom regards as indicating purpose = for the glorifying of His name, so that it might also be taken = äéὰ ôὸ ὄíïìá , for the sake of the name of God. The majority, however, with Theophyl., take it as the object of ôῆò ἀãÜðçò = love toward His name. The Aor. Inf. ἐðéëáèÝóèáé expresses neither past time (Seb. Schmidt) nor future (Bisp.); but the mere action of the verb, without reference to the relation of time [thus not to have forgotten, nor to be going to forget, but simply to forget]. (Kühn., II. § 445, 2).

To the saints.—Köstlin (Tüb. Theol. Jahrb., 1854, Heft. 3, p. 373) maintains, after Credner, that the expression ôïῖò ἁãßïéò indicates that the “Hebrews,” to whom our epistle is directed, must be regarded as a non-Palestinian church which had rendered succor to the Christians of Palestine. But the words ôῶí ἐí ἹåñïõóáëÞì , which the apostle deemed it necessary to add, Rom_15:26, to ôῶí ἁãßùí , refutes his hypothesis, based on the opinion that the Christians of Palestine, and particularly those of Jerusalem, were regarded as ἅãéïé êáô ’ ἐîï÷Þí (saints par excellence), and passages like Rom_16:2, 1Co_6:1-2, in connection with the salutations in the epistles of Paul, show the groundlessness of the assumption that none other than the original Church could have been designated simply as ïἱ ἄãéïé . Moreover, Del. calls attention to the fact that this manifestation of love may very well have taken place within the limits of the readers’ own country, Heb_10:34; Heb_13:24; Act_4:32; Act_11:29.

Heb_6:11. The same zeal.—The author does not mean to say that all the members of the Church have a like loving zeal, nor that they must still not fail to evince the same loving zeal which they have hitherto manifested (Chrys., Grot., etc.), but rather that the like zeal which they have manifested in respect to love they must in future evince in regard to the ðëçñïöïñßá of Christian hope (so the majority since Beng.). The want of a “full assurance of faith” or of an assured conviction of the truth of the specifically Christian hope, is precisely the reason of the doubtful and unstable condition of the readers, who stand in peril of a defection from Christianity.

Heb_6:12. That ye do not prove sluggish, etc.—Here the author is speaking of growth in Christian hope, in a believing and assured hope; at Heb_5:11, on the contrary, he speaks of a like growth in the understanding of Christian truth. There is thus no contradiction in his using here ãÝíçóèå , may (not) become, and there ãÝãïíáôå , have become; and we need not, with Heinrichs, instead of íùèñïß conjecture according to Heb_12:8 íüèïé . [I doubt much if the author’s consistency requires precisely such a defence, substantially that of Lün., viz., that in the former case the author speaks of “sluggishness of Christian hearing, here of Christian practice.” It is scarcely possible that the hearers had fallen so low in spiritual understanding and brought themselves to the verge of apostasy without having become already liable to the charge of sluggishness in Christian practice. But in addressing a Christian body the author is not necessarily confined to a stereotyped style of expression. He may at one time charge them with actual backsliding, and at another, in a strain of tender exhortation, guard them against the danger of it, especially as what was true of some might not be true of all, and even of some only in a degree.—K.]. The inheriting the promises ( êëçñïíïìåῖí ôὰò ἐðáããåëßáò ) is designated as a consequence of faith ( ðßóôéò ) and long-suffering ( ìáêñïèõìßá ). It can thus not refer to receiving the words of promise (Bl.), but to the obtaining of its substance. The Pres. Part ôῶí êëçñïíïìïýíôùí who are inheriting, implies a continuous and abiding act, so that the reference can scarcely be exclusively to the Patriarchs (Bl., De W., Thol., Bisp., etc.). It is not until the following verse that the sentiment, here stated in general terms, is illustrated for the readers by the concrete example of Abraham.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

The personal conviction that the members of the Church have their desires still fixed on things which lie within the sphere of salvation, and have in them their supreme interest, does not release the teacher from the duty of emphatically warning against unfaithfulness and apostasy; from laying open truthfully its causes and consequences, and so depicting the magnitude and imminence of the danger as to penetrate and affect the conscience. But, on the other hand, also, even in the case of those who hold a questionable position in the Church, he is not to forget that God himself has pleasure in remembering that which deserves recognition, and will call it forth and render it productive of blessing. Such means of influence are least of all to be overlooked in the case of those who are in conditions of assault and peril; and the manifestation of personal sympathy along with an affectionate recognition of the attestations and works of Christian feeling and conduct which they have displayed are entirely in place after they have been previously rebuked from the Word of God, and been convinced of their wrong.

2. There is found not unfrequently a zealous and enduring manifestation of love not merely in general toward those who are in need, but in particular toward their oppressed and afflicted companions in faith, shown by those Christians who are partly insecure and weak in their recognition of Christian truth; partly wavering and feeble in the assurance of their Christian hope; partly neglectful and indolent in their striving specifically after a full assurance of faith. We are in this matter to insist that the one be done without the neglect of the other; and we are carefully to avail ourselves of the encouragement which lies in the fact that living service toward the members of the Church of Jesus Christ is regarded by God as a testifying of their love toward His own nature, Mat_25:31 ff.

3. From the holy nature of God there follows such a system of divine action as to insure that no attestation of love to Him shall remain unrewarded, but rather shall bring a blessing in return in our spiritual advancement. Under this state of the case, we may regard such a blessing also under the point of view of righteousness and of reward, as in fact the Scripture speaks even of a recompensing of the good. But we are not warranted in demanding this recompense on the basis of our claim to a reward for services rendered, nor in basing on it any alleged title to salvation; for every performance on the part of man of that which is acceptable to God, and which He has commanded, is only rendering the service which is due (Luk_17:10). Bernh. Weiss, in his stirring Treatise on Christ’s Doctrine of Reward (Deutsche Zeitsch. für christl. Wiss. und christl. Leben, 1853, Nr. 40–42), very significantly styles the relation of reward between God and man “an economical one, a matter of economy or arrangement, instituted by God for the realizing of His plan of salvation.”

4. The moral condition of the world and the state of the Christian Church may greatly contribute to the apparent impossibility of reaching the goal of perfection and of attaining the promised inheritance, or may at least render their attainment so difficult that many Christians become sluggish and grow cold in that zeal and fervor of faith which has approved itself in their previous walk, and which is still evinced in other spheres of action. In this case the example of those who by faith and enduring patience have reached the goal may prove greatly stimulating.

5. But it belongs essentially to the influence of examples that they be not merely held up to view, contemplated, and admired, but that they be imitated; and in this lies the difficulty and consequent rareness of genuine disciples’ life. For faith has to do with the invisible, heavenly, and future, which it is to apprehend and hold fast as the most absolutely certain and reliable of all things; and long-suffering patience, “without falling into despondency and despair, must await with cheerfulness and with equable, abiding courage, the yet lingering salvation.”

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Love must not cease to warn, to serve, and to hope.—We are not the first on the way to perfection; let us look well to it that we do not remain behind among the last.—Where there are still points of character that link us to salvation, God has long since had them in mind, and would fain make use of them.—Love seeks no reward; yet it finds it.—Services rendered to our companions in the faith are a work of faith with which God is well pleased, and a labor of love which God will reward.—The love that labors and sacrifices for the good of our neighbor is also a service rendered to God, but this only in connection with love to the name of God and with the faith of the saints.—How the striving after the anticipated inheritance of the promise is hindered in the world, but in the Church of God is at once demanded and promoted.

Starke: We must hope good of every one, and not easily despair of the salvation of any; for God is wont to go forth even “about the eleventh hour.”—Rebuke thy neighbor, if there is great need, at the right time and in the right place, with compassion, without too severe words, and without the spirit of detraction. Perchance thou gainest him.—A believing Christian may be indeed certain of his own felicity, but still not without a holy solicitude for his perseverance and steadfastness in what is good.—God rewards the good works which He demands of us from grace.—It is not merely in heaven that the saints are to be sought and found: they are to prove themselves saints on earth.—Our strengthening and support come indeed from the Lord; but we must industriously employ the means which strengthen and keep us unto eternal life.—Nothing so much favors backsliding as negligence and sloth.—Faith and Christian patience belong together; the former produces the latter, and the latter is a genuine test of faith.—Blessed is he who fails not of the eternal inheritance: he may have much, little, or nothing of temporal things: to have God is to have all.

Rieger: Though we may have good hope in regard to the majority, we should still give zealous attention to individuals, Act_20:31.—One may frequently be more ready to suffer for a good cause, and to perish with it, than to persevere in the hope of a victorious issue. Hence exhortation to equal diligence in hope is very needful; for unless hope were renewed the sparks of love would be entirely extinguished.—To mark the footsteps of those that have preceded us is on the race-course of faith a great advantage.—Faith first apprehends and seizes the promise; patience and long-suffering await it to the end.

Heubner: The picture of the wretchedness and ruin of apostates tends strongly to arouse the faithful and to guard them against security and remissness.—The thought of Divine aid should spur on and arouse us also to diligence, zeal, and perseverance.—So far from faith tending to check activity, it rather preserves us against sloth and gives us power for action.

Footnotes:

Heb_6:10.—The words ôïῦ êüðïõ before ôῆò ἀãÜðçò , noted by Beza, Mill, Bengel, and others, as spurious, have, since Griesbach, been properly cancelled as a gloss from 1Th_1:3.