6:1 Therefore leaving the a principles of the doctrine of
Christ, let us go on unto perfection; 1 not laying again
the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God,
(a) The first principle of Christian religion, which we call
the catechism.
(1) Certain principles of a catechism, which comprehend the sum
of the doctrine of the gospel, were given in few words and
briefly to the poor and unlearned, that is, the profession
of repentance and faith in God. The articles of this
doctrine were required from those who were not yet members
of the Church on the days appointed for their baptism. Of
those articles, two are by name recited: the resurrection
of the dead, and eternal judgment. (Ed.)
6:42 For [it is] b impossible for those who were once
enlightened, and have c tasted of the heavenly gift, and
were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
(2) He adds a vehemency to his exhortation, and a sharp
threatening of the certain destruction that will come to
them who fall away from God and his religion.
(b) He speaks of a general backsliding and those who fall
away from the faith completely, not of sins committed
through the weakness of a man against the first and the
second table of the law.
(c) We must note the force of this word, for it is one thing
to believe as Lydia did, whose heart God opened in
(Ac 16:13) and another thing to have some taste.
6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto
repentance; seeing they d crucify to themselves the Son of
God afresh, and put [him] to an open shame.
(d) As men that hate Christ, and as though they crucified
him again, making a mockery of him to all the world, to
their own destruction, as Julian the Apostate or
backslider did.
6:73 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft
upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it
is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
(3) He lays out the former threatening with a comparison.
6:94 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and
things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
(4) He moderates and calms all that sharpness, expecting better
things of those to whom he writes.
6:105 For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and
labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in
that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
(5) He praises them for their charity, by this encouraging them
to go forward, and to hold out to the end.
6:126 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who
through faith and patience inherit the promises.
(6) He shows in these verses that they need to go forward
constantly, for their own good: that is, of charity, and
patience; and lest any man should object and say that these
things are impossible to do, he asks them to consider the
examples of their ancestors and to follow them.
6:137 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could
swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
(7) Another encouragement, to push them onward because the
hope of the inheritance is certain, if we continue to the
end, for God has not only promised it, but also promised it
with an oath.
6:14 Saying, Surely e blessing I will bless thee, and
multiplying I will multiply thee.
(e) I will heap many benefits on you.
6:17 Wherein God, willing more f abundantly to shew unto the
heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed
[it] by an oath:
(f) More than was needed, were it not for the wickedness of
men who do not believe God, even though he swears.
6:198 Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both
sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the
veil;
(8) He compares hope to an anchor because in the same way that
an anchor when cast into the bottom of the sea secures the
whole ship, so hope also enters even into the very secret
places of heaven. He makes mention of the sanctuary,
alluding to the old tabernacle and by this returns to the
comparison of the priesthood of Christ with the Levitical
priesthood.
6:209 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus,
made an high priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedec.
(9) He repeats David's words, in which all those comparisons
that he mentioned before are signified, as he declares in
all the next chapter.
