Hebrews 6

Hebrews 6:4 – 6  “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”

Several explanations have been offered:

1. This paragraph refers to people with miraculous powers, not to ordinary Christians.
   • Essentially the same as blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31 – 32, Mark 3:28 – 30, Luke 12:10)
   • Refers to attributing the power of God to the power of Satan (Mark 3:30)
   • Those with miraculous powers were held to a higher standard (g., James 3:1)
2. They “fall” but do not lose their salvation.
   • The context is about the weak (5:12 – 14).
   • They will be disciplined by God (12:3 – 11)
3. The references to “impossible” is in human terms.
   • The same word is used in different ways
     • Romans 15:1 “…bear with the impossible of the weak.”
     • Acts 14:8 “A certain man, impossible in his feet, was sitting…”
     • Romans 8:3 “What the Law could not do in the impossible of the flesh…”
   • The results of faith are impossible for the natural man
     • Luke 18:27, Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27 “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
     • Matthew 17:20 “If you had faith as a mustard seed… nothing will be impossible”
     • Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”
     • Hebrews 10:4 “Not possible for the blood of bulls and goats…”
     • Matthew 19:26 “With [rich] men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
   • Nothing is impossible with God that is within His character
     • Hebrews 6:18 “Impossible for God to lie.”
     • Luke 1:37 The conception of Jesus: “With God nothing is impossible”
4. The key word is “since,” which gives the reason that repentance becomes impossible.
   • The impossibility is a result of the human attitudes of
     • Crucifying Jesus as the Jewish leaders did
     • Putting Jesus to open shame through their desertion.
   • The New Testament speaks of people being “dark” with regard to the gospel
     • Romans 1:21 – 32 Darkened themselves, so God gave them up.
     • Ephesians 4:17 – 19 Darkened, given themselves over.
     • Romans 11:10 Unbelieving Jews were darkened but can be grafted back in (v14 – 15, 20, 23)