Heb 6:1-5
From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.
The New Testament > To the Hebrews > Chapter 6
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Contents |
Questions
- In verses 1-2 the author recapitulates the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. Why is the order of repentance and faith reversed from what we see in the Articles of Faith?
Lexical notes
Verse 2
- "laying on of hands": This likely refers to the gift of the Holy Ghost or the ordination of the priesthood. Some suggest it could refer to the sacrifice of animals (see John Gill reference below).
Verse 4
- "impossible": The Greek word adunatos is usually translated impossible as it is here in the KJV (and every other translation listed at Crosswalk). However, it can also mean "without strength, impotent, powerless, weakly, disabled", a slightly softer connotation. This verse may be referring to the unpardonable sin (see links below for cross references) or, esp. if the softer connotation is applied, it could be referring to how much more difficult it is for those who have once been righteous to repent, than it is for those who have never been righteous to repent (see 2 Pet 2:21, Alma 24:30, Hel 7:24, 3 Ne 6:18, and D&C 82:3.)
Exegesis
Verses 1-2: Principles of the doctrine of Christ
Some have speculated that the list of "principles of the doctrine of Christ" contained here was an early catechism or statement of belief, analogous perhaps to the "first principles and ordinances of the Gospel" refered to in the Articles of Faith. The list seems to be:
-
- Repentance
- Faith
- Baptism
- The Laying on of Hands
- Resurrection
- Eternal Judgment
The grammar of verse 2 also allows for an interpretation where the last four items modify the first two (see Bruce reference below). On this view, the last four items form a foundation of doctrine and ordinances upon which the principles of repentance and faith are built.
Verse 1
- JST: The JST inserts the word "not" in front of "leaving." This insertion suggests a connotation of "leaving" that implies abandoning or jettisoning. However, one could also read "leaving" in the unaltered KJV as simply turning to something else, without jettisoning the first. Notice that the author suggests that the "foundation" he references is not sufficient for "perfection," which requires the greater teachings that he is about to impart.
- "not laying again the foundation": This phrase parallels "leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ". The writer has already indicated a desire to talk about meatier doctrines (cf. Heb 5:12-14), he may be reiterating the desire to talk about such doctrines rather than addressing the topics of repentance and faith again.
- "dead works": This phrase (which recurs in Heb 9:14) could refer to sinful works, or it could refer to righteous works (either ordinances like baptism or the laying on of hands or, more generally, any righteous act). If referring to righteous acts, the deadness of such acts could mean either that they do not lead to eternal life without the intervention of Christ, the great high priest, or that works performed with "artificial or servile legalism" are "worthless and pernicious" as Paul and Christ describe them (see discussion in the Bruce reference below).
Verse 2
- Why is baptisms plural? According to Bruce (see reference below), "Commentators generally concur . . . [that] the writer has in view not merely Christian baptism, but all the symbolic uses of water with which Jewish converts might be familiar."
Verse 3-6: Apostacy
In these verses, the author justifies leaving behind the discussion of the first principles—"This we will do" (v. 3)—by launching into an aside on the doctrine of apostacy. This discussion seems to be meant to justify why the audience of the letter cannot fall away from the truth. The move, however, is a rhetorical trick. The audience has in fact fallen away from the gospel, or at any rate is threatening to do so. Hence, the author uses his demonstration of the impossiblity of apostacy for his audience as an excuse to preach against apostacy precisely because it seems to be a real problem for his hearers.
Verse 4
- Tasted: The image of tasting the good word of God is striking. Joseph Smith employed the same image in the King Follett Discourse, where he refered to the truth as tasting good. There may be an oblique reference to the sacrament here, as the "word of God" could be a reference to Christ as the Word (see John 1:1) with our tasting being a reference to the Lord's Supper where he told his disciples that the bread has become his flesh and the wine his blood.
Related links
Verse 1
- "perfection": John W. Welch provides a short word study on teleios.
Verse 2
- Alexander Bruce: For more on Alexander Bruce's take on how the principles of repentance and faith are modified by the four subsequent ordinances and doctrines, see The Epistle to the Hebrews: The First Apology for Christianity (An Exegetical Study), 2nd edition (first published 1899; reprinted in 1980, ISBN 0-86524-028-0), pp. 202-204. For more on Burce's discussion of why "baptisms" is plural, see pp. 205-6. For more on the phrase "dead works" see p. 204 and p. 352.
- "laying on of hands": John Gill suggests this might refer to animal sacrifice.
Verse 4
- Impossible: See entry on Unpardonable Sin in the Guide to the Scriptures for cross-references.
Verse 5
- "Endocannibalism in Sacrament Meeting" at Times & Seasons (discussing the imagery of eating the body of Christ in the sacrament).
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