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Heb_6:8. The contrast.
Ἐκφέρουσα ] as to its signification not different from the preceding τίκτουσα . Without justification by usage is it supposed by Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Theophylact, Cornelius a Lapide, Grotius, Wittich, Valckenaer, Klee, and Bloomfield, that the word is to be taken in malam partem, namely, in the sense: “Ejicere quasi abortus.”
ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους ] Thorns and thistles. Proverbial designation of rankly springing weeds and wild growth. Comp. Gen_3:18; Hos_10:8 ( ÷å̇õ åÀãÇøÀãÌÇø ); Mat_7:16.
ἀδόκιμος ] sc. ἐστίν , it fails to stand the test, is rejected, namely, in the judgment of God, as is self-evident from the ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ in the preceding clause. Wrongly, therefore, Hofmann: it is unworthy to be treated as arable land.
καὶ κατάρας ἐγγύς ] and near to the curse, i.e. not: devoted to the execration of men (Hofmann), but exposed to the peril of being abandoned by God to everlasting barrenness and desolation. Enhancement of ἀδόκιμος . At the same time, however, there is to be found in ἐγγύς a softening of the expression, manifestly with a reference to the fact that it is not yet too late for the readers to combat their lustings after defection, and to return fully into the right way (comp. Heb_6:9 ff.). Chrysostom: Βαβαί , πόσην ἔχει παραμυθίαν ὁ λόγος . Κατάρας γὰρ εἶπεν ἐγγύς , οὐ κατάρα · ὁ δὲ μηδέπω εἰς τὴν κατάραν ἐμπεσὼν ἀλλʼ ἐγγὺς γενόμενος καὶ μακρὰν γενέσθαι δυνήσεται .
ἧς τὸ τέλος εἰς καῦσιν ] sc. ἐστίν , and its ultimate fate issues in burning. ἧς is referred by Camerarius, Abresch, Heinrichs, Stuart, Bleek, to κατάρας ; but more correctly by Chrysostom, Theophylact, Luther, Seb. Schmidt, Bengel, Carpzov, Schulz, Böhme, Kuinoel, Stengel, Bisping, Delitzsch, Riehm (Lehrbegr. des Hebräerbr. p. 773), Alford, Maier, Kurtz, Ewald, Woerner, and the majority, to the main subject; in such wise that the relative is to be complemented by γῆς , ἐκφερούσης ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους . In connection therewith, however, to take εἶναι εἰς , with Carpzov, Böhme, Kuinoel, Ebrard, Bisping, Maier, and others, as a Hebraism ( äÈéÈä ìÀ ), is inadmissible. See Winer, Gramm., 7 Aufl. p. 173.
The understanding, moreover, of a burning of the field, or of its produce, in order that the land may be improved, as that which is intended by καῦσις (Schlichting, Bloomfield, and others), is forbidden by the connection, since no other than the divine punitive judgment bursting in upon it has to be described. What is meant is the burning up of the field itself by fire and brimstone coming down from heaven; by which, e.g., the soil of Sodom and Gomorrha was rendered for ever incapable of tillage (Bleek, Tholuck, Ebrard, Alford, Maier, Moll, al.). Comp. Gen_19:24; Deu_29:23; also Heb_10:27 : πυρὸς ζῆλος ἐσθίειν μέλλοντος τοὺς ὑπεναντίους .