The Word Made Fresh
1So, let’s move toward that perfection that goes beyond the basic teachings about Christ, and not just lay the foundation again – repenting dead works, faith in God, 2teaching about baptism and laying on of hands and the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment. 3If God allows it, we will do this. 4But it is not possible for those who have been enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift to be restored again to repentance. They have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5and have experienced the goodness of God’s word and the powers of the age to come, 6but then have fallen away by crucifying the Son of God again and holding him up to contempt. 7A field that soaks up the rain falling on it again and again and produces a crop that feeds those for whom it was plowed is blessed by God. 8But if it grows only thorns and thistles it’s good for nothing and likely to be cursed in the end by being burned over.
9Even though we say this, friends, we are confident of better things from you, the things that are the evidence of salvation. 10God is not unfair, after all, and will not overlook the work you have done and the love that you demonstrated for his sake in serving the saints, as you still are. 11And we want each of you to demonstrate the same devoted attention so that you will experience the full assurance of hope to the very end. 12Don’t become lazy, but imitate those who inherit what has been promised through faith and patience.
13God, because there was no one greater by whom to swear, swore a promise to Abraham, 14and said, “I will bless you and give you many descendants.” 15Abraham experienced the promise through patient endurance. 16Of course, we swear by someone greater than ourselves – a confirming oath puts an end to dispute. 17Just so, when God wanted to show the heirs of the promise the unchangeable nature of his purpose more clearly, he guaranteed it 18in two ways in which it is impossible that God would prove false. So, we who take refuge in him are strongly encouraged to seize the hope that is presented to us. 19And we have this hope as a sure and dependable anchor of the soul – a hope that is secure in the inner shrine behind the curtain, 20where Jesus, our forerunner, has entered and has become a high priest forever, following the order of Melchizedek.
Commentary
1-8: Having told them that they are still living on “milk” and aren’t ready for “solid food,” he now urges them to advance in their understanding. They should now be done with the basic teachings and move on. After all, they repented. If, having repented, they fall back on their old ways, they are in effect crucifying Christ again and they are lost. I think the author is too strict in this because I believe one might have to repent more than once and I believe God is always ready to receive a repentant sinner even if he or she is a repeat offender. Burning over a field that produces thorns does not destroy the field but merely readies it for future use.
9-12: The author is certain, though, that his readers aren’t among those who fall away. Their support of “the saints,” meaning the truly holy men and women among them or those who have passed their way, is evidence that they are made of good stuff, he says.
13-20: God has given promises of blessings through Abraham and through Jesus. These two ways (verse 18) give us hope for salvation. The author pictures hope as a tangible asset that is “secure in the inner shrine behind the curtain” where Jesus is the great high priest. Our hope is in Jesus, in other words. The imagery of the inner shrine is a reference to the arrangement of the tabernacle in the wilderness and the later temples in Jerusalem.
Takeaway
We can fall away from faith, but God never falls away from us. We can always confess, repent, and be forgiven.