Move Toward Maturity
A hard passage about falling away after tasting the real thing, softened at once, since the writer is convinced of better for them and says our Father will not forget their work. Because he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself. That oath is the anchor.
6 1So let's leave basic teaching about Christ and move toward maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward our Father, 2of instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And this we will do, if our Father permits. 4For it is impossible for those once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, shared in the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the goodness of our Father's word and the powers of the age to come, 6and, having fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify the Son of our Father anew to their own harm, holding him up to contempt. a a v6 "The Son of our Father" renders what other translations give as "the Son of God" — when Scripture distinguishes God from Christ, the "God" in view is the Father. 7Land that drinks the rain often falling on it, and yields a useful crop for its farmers, receives a blessing from our Father. 8But if it produces thorns and thistles, it's worthless, close to a curse, and ends in burning.
9But about you, beloved, we're convinced of better things—things tied to salvation—even though we speak this way. 10For our Father is not unjust—he won't forget your work and the love you've shown for his name, serving our Father's people, as you still do. 11We want each of you to show the same diligence for full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you don't become lazy, but imitate those who inherit the promises through faith and patience.
The Father's Promise to Abraham
13For when our Father promised Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself,
14saying, "I will surely bless you and surely multiply you."
15And so Abraham, after waiting patiently, received the promise. 16People swear by someone greater, and the oath settles every dispute. 17Wanting to show the heirs of the promise even more clearly that his purpose never changes, our Father guaranteed it with an oath, 18so that, through two unchangeable things in which our Father cannot lie, we who fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to grasp the hope set before us. 19This hope is an anchor for the soul, safe and firm, entering the inner place behind the curtain, b b v19 The 'curtain' is the veil that separated the outer courts from the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle — the innermost chamber of God's presence. 20where Jesus entered as forerunner on our behalf, becoming high priest forever in Melchizedek's order. c c v20 Melchizedek was a mysterious priest-king from Genesis 14; the author unpacks this comparison fully in chapter 7.
