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HUGHES, PHILIP, EDGCUMBE (1990) A Commentary On The Epistle To The Hebrews, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Admittedly, a very complex subject, with varying interpretations over the centuries, but Hughes summarizes Hebrews 6.
This was my Hebrews commentary text at Columbia Bible College.
Hughes explains in regard to Hebrews 6:
It is a irremediable (no remedy) state for those persons, who have publicly confessed a Christian faith, in baptism and then in the future reject the gospel. (221). This expressed in verses 4-6, in particular. (221). These people have renounced their baptism and the gospel. These are not genuine branches of Jesus Christ. (221). In other words, these people never were regenerated Christian believers.
Those truly redeemed through the atoning and resurrection work of Christ, will not fall away into apostasy. (221).
Hughes opines that being enlightened (v4) may be a connection to Christian baptism. The idea of having 'tasted the heavenly gift' is a description of the eucharist. (208). 'Enlightenment' may be interpreted as the equivalent of catechetical instruction. (208). But these are not universal interpretations, admits Hughes. (208). Despite, these spiritual interactions with the biblical, triune, God, Hughes reasons that the apostasy is real and not hypothetical. (212).
I reason this is likely an accurate interpretation as those in Jesus Christ may, at certain points not be in a proper state of repentance, but this never leads to a public or private apostasy. The impossibility of repentance here according to Hughes, is absolutely real in this context. (213).
Hughes, is correct in stating that God's work, through the Holy Spirit, cannot and will not fail in achieving salvific purpose. (221). The mystery of divine election is that Jesus Christ will never have died in vain for anyone. (221). This view is in agreement with Reformed theology.
Those who reject Jesus Christ after partaking in the gospel, reject the crucifixion of Christ in atonement and his resurrection. These people are within the ranks of those that crucified Jesus Christ. (221).
Interestingly:
1 Corinthians 3: 14-15 New American Standard Bible
14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
These verses are often interpreted in context as being in regard to believers and in particular Church leaders. Fee states that there are biblical warnings 'against those who would take the church lightly and and destroy it by worldly wisdom and division.' (146).
Hebrew 6: 7-8
7 For ground that drinks the rain which often [e]falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close [f]to being cursed, and [g]it ends up being burned.
This is often interpreted as being non-believing, apostates, as noted from Hughes' view.
katakahsetai (1 Corinthians 3: 14: Marshall 489)
This is defined as ‘will be consumed’. This is burned up work that is considered loss.
kausin ( Hebrews 6: 8: Marshall 649)
This is defined as ‘burning’. The end
of those being judged as apostates.
Apostates are figuratively burned waste according to Hughes. (223). If indeed, the 1 Corinthians section is in regard to Christians/Church leaders and the Hebrews section is in regard to apostates, in can be concluded that useless work is useless work, whether from believers or non-believers.
Apostates are figuratively burned waste according to Hughes. (223). If indeed, the 1 Corinthians section is in regard to Christians/Church leaders and the Hebrews section is in regard to apostates, in can be concluded that useless work is useless work, whether from believers or non-believers.
For balance, I should state that from the similarities of the verses, it is also plausible that the same group of persons in being discussed, that being non-repentant, believers. But, in agreement with Hughes, this is a problematic interpretation. To be clear, I do not reason that anyone that publicly denies the gospel is a true Christian believer. For a believer, to not always be completely repentant of sin is biblically possible and theologically tenable. Apostasy is in non-belief. Non-belief places a person outside of the Kingdom of God.
BOICE, JAMES, MONTGOMERY (1981) Foundations of the Christian Faith, Downers Grove, IVP Press.
COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.
DUNNETT, WALTER M. (2001) Exploring The New Testament, Wheaton, Crossway Books.
ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It?, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
FEE, GORDON (1987) The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.
GUNDRY, ROBERT (1981) A Survey of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
HUGHES, PHILIP, EDGCUMBE (1990) A Commentary On The Epistle To The Hebrews, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
MARSHALL, ALFRED (1975)(1996) The Interlinear KJV-NIV, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
