Der er forskellige udlægninger af denne passage - nogen mener der er tale om
rigtige kristne som helt og holdent har forladt troen og blevet så
forhærdede at de ikke kan omvendes. Andre mener at der er tale om mennesker
som kun i det ydre var kristne, men som ikke var født påny. Andre igen taler
om at der er tale om en hypotetisk situation, som ikke ville kunne forekomme
i praksis.
1.
On to Maturity: Hebrews 5:11–6:8
The writer was discouraged. If only these Jewish believers could grasp the
import of Christ’s High Priesthood! If only they would grasp these basic
truths, apply them, and by “constant use [application]” go on to maturity!
But these Christians are immature, and “slow to learn,” not having grasped
even the elementary truths of the Gospel.
Deep controversy has raged over what the writer is about to say in Hebrews
6. There are few passages that have stimulated more debate. Over the years,
four main interpretations of Hebrews 6 have been suggested:
(1) These verses speak of Jews who had professed Christ but stopped short of
true faith.
(2) These verses refer to believers who have fallen into sin, and will lose
their reward.
(3) These verses refer to believers who have slipped back into unbelief, and
have lost their salvation.
(4) These verses give a hypothetical case, used to demonstrate the
foolishness of a panic which insists “hold on” when Christians should
instead “go on.”
Before we select one of these, let’s look carefully at what verses 1–4 call
elementary teaching, or if you will, foundation truths.
Foundation truths. It is important to see these truths for what they
are—truly foundational. Remember that a foundation is a solid and secure
base on which one can build. Once the foundation has been laid, we can trust
ourselves to it and get on with the business of construction. What the
writer identified for these panicky Jewish believers who look back to the
Old Testament faith and lifestyle are foundational truths that should
provide security. Grasping them, feeling secure, these believers should have
gone on to maturity.
What are the foundation truths on which we can rely?
• Repentance from dead works. Coming to Christ we realize that our works had
nothing to do with salvation or the life Jesus offers. We turn away from a
“works righteousness” in the Christian life as well.
• Faith in God. Trust in God is the key to salvation. That transaction of
saving faith is complete.
• Instruction about baptisms. In the early church, careful instruction
preceded baptism. It is likely this refers to the basic doctrines taught and
accepted before baptism took place.
• Laying on of hands. This may refer to church discipline (leaders were
appointed with the laying on of hands) or perhaps to teaching about the Holy
Spirit (whose entry into the believer was so symbolized).
• Resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. These doctrines summarize
the believer’s hope.
The writer, then, is asking us to believe so fully that when Christ came
into our lives all these things were settled that we no longer worry about
our relationship with the Lord. We know that He loves us. We know that we
are saved.
The emphasis on an already laid foundation, and the Hebrews’ tendency to
look away, leads us to conclude that the fourth suggestion best explains the
teaching of verses 4–10. The writer is posing a hypothetical case to
demonstrate just how foolish the Hebrews’ panic and uncertainty are. The
writer says, “Let’s not go back again as if there were no foundation to rest
on.” The fact is that the basic issues of death, faith, and resurrection
have been settled by the finished work of Christ. So the writer asks:
What would you want to do? View your failure as a falling away of God, so
access is now lost? How then would you ever be restored—you who have been
enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, shared in the Holy Spirit, and known
the flow of resurrection power? Do you want to crucify Jesus all over again,
and through a new sacrifice be brought back to repentance? How impossible!
What a disgrace, this hint that Jesus’ work for you was not enough.
Hebrews 6:4–6, author’s paraphrase
The point here is simple. God wants us to know that Jesus’ death is enough.
There is no more need for sacrifices for sin. By His one sacrifice Jesus
made “perfect forever those who are being made holy” (10:14). You and I,
like the Hebrews, are free to get on with the business of living for Jesus
because He has resolved forever the question of our relationship with God.
Two brief paragraphs that follow reinforce this understanding. From 6:7–8 we
learn that the issue is one of fruitfulness. God is (and we are to be)
concerned with the products of maturity.
Verses 9–12 are words of encouragement. Calling the readers, “dear friends,”
the writer looks at the fruit they have already produced. Their work, their
love for God, and love for God’s people, show that they have taken first
steps, and are making progress. But how we each need, not hesitant progress,
but a full commitment to that obedience which brings us maturity.
Richards, Lawrence O., The Teacher’s Commentary, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
1987.
2.
Matthew Henry uddrag :
"...These great things are spoken here of those who may fall away; yet it is
not here said of them that they were truly converted, or that they were
justified; there is more in true saving grace than in all that is here said
of apostates. [2.] This therefore is no proof of the final apostasy of true
saints. These indeed may fall frequently and foully, but yet they will not
totally nor finally from God; the purpose and the power of God, the purchase
and the prayer of Christ, the promise of the gospel, the everlasting
covenant that God has made with them, ordered in all things and sure, the
indwelling of the Spirit, and the immortal seed of the word, these are their
security. But the tree that has not these roots will not stand..."
3.
Jamieson, Fausset , Brown uddrag :
"...The Montanists and Novatians used this passage to justify the lasting
exclusion from the Church of those who had once lapsed. The Catholic Church
always opposed this view, and readmitted the lapsed on their repentance, but
did not rebaptize them. This passage implies that persons may be in some
sense "renewed," and yet fall away finally; for the words, "renew again,"
imply that they have been, in some sense, not the full sense, ONCE RENEWED
by the Holy Ghost; but certainly not that they are "the elect," for these
can never fall away, being chosen unto everlasting life (John 10:28). The
elect abide in Christ, hear and continuously obey His voice, and do not fall
away. He who abides not in Christ, is cast forth as a withered branch; but
he who abides in Him becomes more and more free from sin; the wicked one
cannot touch him; and he by faith overcomes the world. A temporary faith is
possible, without one thereby being constituted one of the elect (Mark
4:16,17). At the same time it does not limit God's grace, as if it were
"impossible" for God to reclaim even such a hardened rebel so as yet to look
on Him whom he has pierced. The impossibility rests in their having known in
themselves once the power of Christ's sacrifice, and yet now rejecting it;
there cannot possibly be any new means devised for their renewal afresh, and
the means provided by God's love they now, after experience of them,
deliberately .and continuously reject; their conscience being served, and
they "twice dead" (Jude 1:12), are now past hope, except by a miracle of
God's grace. "It is the curse of evil eternally to propagate evil"
[THOLUCK]. "He who is led into the whole (?) compass of Christian
experiences, may yet cease to abide in them; he who abides not in them, was,
at the very time when he had those objective experiences, not subjectively
true to them; otherwise there would have been fulfilled in him, "Whosoever
hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance" (Matthew
13:12), so that he would have abided in them and not have fallen away"
[THOLUCK]. Such a one was never truly a Spirit-led disciple of Christ
(Romans 8:14-17). The sin against the Holy Ghost, though somewhat similar,
is not identical with this sin; for that sin may be committed by those
outside the Church (as in Matthew 12:24,31,32); this, only by those inside."
jørgen.
|