Chapter 6

Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews — Chapter Six

¹ Wherefore, leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us be borne on unto perfection. He said above that “ye have become dull,” and that “ye are babes,” and that you came to have need of learning again the first elements of the faith; and so now he says that, You ought henceforth to be minded as perfect, and to pass beyond the word of the beginning of Christ—that is, the first principles of the faith—and to be borne on unto perfection—that is, to be receptive of the loftier things. Or you will understand this also thus: that since these men seemed to be lame in their manner of life, he now speaks to them concerning a blameless life, as though saying this: It is not necessary for you always to be turning about the beginning—that is, to be taught concerning faith, like certain beginners—but also to be borne on unto perfection—that is, unto the best life. For he is perfect who, together with faith, has also an upright life. For faith is the beginning and foundation, and without it nothing will be made firm, just as without the elements no one would become skilled in letters. Yet one must neither always be turning about the elements, nor always be taught concerning faith as babes and imperfect. But if anyone accepts the former interpretation, yet rejects this one as being inconsistent with the things foretold by Paul, let him consider that it is his custom, when speaking of one thing, to leap over to other things; as in the Epistle to the Corinthians, speaking concerning the suppers, he cast himself into the discourse concerning the mysteries. So, then, here too, reproaching these men at the outset for their dullness and weakness to receive the more perfect things, he plunges into the discourse concerning the manner of life, calling them imperfect, and on this account—because they had not added the life to the faith.

² Not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God. That is, not again from the beginning doing such things as you did when you were about to be baptized—such as the repentance from dead works, that is, the renunciation of the works of Satan. For he who draws near to Christ does so, clearly, repenting of his former life as well; thus he comes. If not in both respects, how is he worthy of the former? But being of the former, how is he in need of the second discourse? “And of faith toward God.” For after the repentance over dead works, then comes faith. It is not necessary to teach you concerning faith now; for you have already believed. And through these things he hints that they were also being shaken, and on this account had need of a foundation.

³ Of the teaching of baptisms. Not as though the baptisms were many did Paul say this in the plural; for there was One baptism; but he said it as a consequence. For if one were again to catechize, and again to baptize—and again to baptize those who had fallen—then again baptisms would be necessary; but this is absurd. Therefore one must not re-baptize you, but remain upon the former baptism. Perhaps these men, as clinging to the law, were advocating many baptisms in Jewish fashion even within grace. And observe that after repentance comes baptism. For since repentance by itself was not strong enough to show men clean, on this account we are baptized, that the whole may be of the grace of Christ.

⁴ And of the laying on of hands. Through which they received the Spirit, so as to prophesy and to work wonders. For when Paul laid his hands upon them, he says, they received the Holy Spirit.

⁵ And of the resurrection of the dead. For this too comes to pass in baptism, through the figure of the coming-up from the water, and is confirmed in the confession; for we confess that we believe in the resurrection of the dead.

⁶ And of eternal judgment. That is, of the judgment which gives either eternal good things or eternal punishments. These things he seems to say because it was likely that they were being shaken, although they had already believed, or were living wickedly and slothfully. Be sober, he is saying. It is not possible to say that, if we live slothfully, or fall from the faith, we shall be baptized again, and shall again be able to wash away our sins and to obtain the same things as before. For you err, he says, in supposing these things.

⁷ And this will we do, if God permit. “This will we do”—what? The being borne on unto perfection, if God also will. And this he said, not as though God did not permit these things, but as we are accustomed to say, that, If God also will, I purpose to do such a thing; and at the same time he teaches us thereby to make the whole depend on his will, and not, even in things confessedly good, to be confident in one’s own judgment and power. And this the apostle Jude also expressly admonishes.

⁸ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened. He did not say that it is inexpedient, or unseemly, but, impossible; so as to cast them into despair of hoping for a second laver.

⁹ And have tasted of the heavenly gift. That is, of the forgiveness of sins. For no one is able to give such things, save God alone.

¹⁰ And have become partakers of the Holy Spirit. After the forgiveness of sins, then comes the partaking of the Holy Spirit; for he does not dwell in a body that is in debt to sins. And it was given through the laying on of hands, as has also been said above.

¹¹ And have tasted the good word of God. He did not say openly what this is; he gives us, however, to understand that he says this concerning all spiritual teaching.

¹² And the powers of the age to come. Either he so calls the working of wonders, or the living angelically, by needing nothing of things present, but looking toward the things to come, and already having, as a pledge of the life to come, the prize here below, which is also spiritual.

¹³ And to renew again unto repentance those who have fallen away. That is, through repentance. What then? Has repentance been cast out? God forbid; but what is cast out is the renewal through a second laver. For to renew belongs to the laver alone, as also the prophet says: Your youth shall be renewed as the eagle’s; but it belongs to repentance to release from the oldness, and to make men firm. To lead them back, however, unto that former brightness is not possible. For grace had the whole of it. “Unto repentance,” then, he says—the repentance of baptism. For first one repents over his former life, then is baptized, as he himself also said before, “Of repentance from dead works.” And it is clear also from what follows, that it is in forbidding the second laver that he says these things.

¹⁴ Crucifying afresh to themselves the Son of God. Baptism is a cross. For our old man was crucified together with him, and we have become planted together in the likeness of his death. And again: We were buried together with him through baptism. For just as that One died on the cross in the flesh, so we in baptism died to sin. He, therefore, who is baptized a second time, so far as in him lies, crucifies Christ a second time. But indeed this is absurd. For once he died and rose, and death no longer has dominion over him. There is, then, no second baptism, since neither is there a second cross. For what hinders a third also and a fourth, and this unto infinity? And he did not say, “crucifying afresh,” and stop there; but he added also the “to themselves,” that he might show that, ordering our life slothfully, we transact all things as though there were another baptism, having established in ourselves this wicked opinion.

¹⁵ And putting him to open shame. That is, triumphing over him, shaming him; and this you will understand in two ways: either that those who then crucified the Lord devised such a manner of death for his shame—the accursed and reproachful one, namely, set apart for malefactors; or that Christ, having once been crucified, is thereafter believed to be immortal. He, therefore, who crucifies him afresh makes this a falsehood; which brings shame to Christ, who after dying once has thereafter tasted immortality. In two ways, then, he says the thing is impossible: first, because he who has been counted worthy of such things, and has cast all away, is not worthy to enjoy the same again; and by the other, the more dreadful, because it is impossible for the Son of God to be crucified afresh.

¹⁶ For the earth which has drunk the rain that comes often upon it. By “earth” he calls the soul, and by “rain” the teaching, as also elsewhere, I will command the clouds, says God, that they rain no rain upon the vineyard. And again: The river of God was filled with waters, that is, he who has been graced by God in the matter of teaching has been filled with the waters from above, namely, the gifts of grace. And he hints also at these men, as having both received and drunk in the word, and having often obtained it, and not even so having profited—which he also said above: “Owing to be teachers by reason of the time.”

¹⁷ And brings forth herbage fit for use. That is, a virtuous life. For nothing is so fit—that is, becoming and well-suited—as purity of life.

¹⁸ For those on whose account it is also tilled. The herbage, he says—that is, the good manner of life—the earth brings forth for those on whose account it is also tilled, and to those it is fit for use. For those very ones who bear the fruit of virtue shall also enjoy it. But some understood the “for those” as meaning “for the teachers”; for indeed the best manner of life is tilled on their account also, inasmuch as they too partake of the virtue of the disciples.

¹⁹ Partakes of blessing from God. Here he gently strikes at the Greeks, who ascribe the bearing of the fruits to the power of the earth. For it is not the husbandman’s hands that make the fruits, but the whole, he says, is of God; he it is who blesses, and gives the good yield.

²⁰ But that which bears thorns and thistles. He did not say “brings forth,” as above concerning the herbage, but “bears up,” as one might say, casting up and throwing off as it were a kind of refuse. And thorns and thistles are the cares of life, and the deceit of wealth, and simply every sin; as David also says: I was turned to misery while a thorn was fixed in me. For it does not simply come upon one, but is fixed in; and though we pluck not out all of it, but a little remain within, it pains, and there is need of healing and of care. But it is also a thistle; from wherever you take hold of it, it pricks, and on every side it is unpleasant, both here bringing shame, and most of all in the age to come.

²¹ Is rejected, and nigh unto a curse. The good earth he said was blessed by God; but the unfruitful one he did not call simply accursed, but nigh unto a curse, that we might not despair. For he who is nigh unto a curse will be able also to come to be far from it.

²² Whose end is unto burning. This too, that we might not despair. For he did not say, “which shall be burned up,” but, “whose end is unto burning”—that is, if it persist in unfruitfulness unto the end. So that it is possible to stand off from unfruitfulness, and to put a stop to the thorns, and to become approved, and to partake of blessing.

²³ But we are persuaded concerning you, beloved, the better things, and things that belong to salvation, though we thus speak. Having laid hold of them sufficiently and frightened them, he again heals them, lest he render them altogether supine. For he who strikes the sluggish man too hard makes him more sluggish. He says, then, that, Not as condemning you do I say these things, nor as supposing you to be full of thorns, but fearing lest this come to pass. And he did not say, We expect concerning you, but, We are persuaded—that is, We are in certainty concerning you, that you are not so disposed, but better, and that you take thought for your own salvation, even though we have thus spoken strikingly. Either, then, he says this concerning their manner of life, that, You are not such thorny ones; or concerning recompense, that, You are not nigh unto a curse, nor unto burning, but some other reward is laid up for you. And observe what is added.

²⁴ For God is not unjust to forget your work. See how he recovered them and strengthened them to hope for the better things, by reminding them of their former deeds, and of the righteousness of God. For if God is righteous, he will not forget your work—that is, your compassion, your love of the brethren—but will recompense you. So that, be not faint-hearted, but by all means hope for the better things, since God is also by all means righteous. So then, concerning you I said what I said, strikingly; for I know that you are not worthy of a curse.

²⁵ And the labor of the love which ye showed toward his name, having ministered to the saints, and ministering. He bears them great witness, not of works only, but of works with eagerness. For ministering is a sign of eagerness. By “love” he means also the almsgiving which they displayed, not toward the brethren merely, but toward the name of God. Observe the greatest exhortation, that we do it not to men, but to God; as also Christ in the Gospel: Ye did it unto me, he says. For he who cares for his brother on account of the name of God does this unto God. And “to the saints”—that is, to the faithful. For every faithful man is a saint, even though he be a worldling. For the unbelieving husband, he says, is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Faith, then, here works the sanctification. So that let us be zealous not toward those in the desert alone, as saints, but also toward the worldly; for those indeed are saints both by faith and by life; but the laity also are saints by faith, and many also by life. And observe how he heals them. For he did not say, “having ministered,” and stop; but he added, “and ministering”—that is, and still doing the same thing.

²⁶ But we desire that each one of you show the same diligence unto the full assurance of hope unto the end. As though someone said: For what reason, then, did you say these things, O Paul, if you were not going to strike us? he says that, These things I said, desiring that you may run well toward the future also; not as condemning the former things, but as fearing on behalf of the things to come. And he did not say, “I will,” which would have belonged to a teacher; but, “I desire,” which belongs to fatherly tenderness. For I do not wish this merely as far as words, but my soul is on fire on your behalf. For understand the “I desire” to mean some such thing. And not simply on behalf of you all, but on behalf of each single one; thus he cared for all, both small and great, and knew them all. He desires this, that you may be diligent unto the full assurance of hope—that is, that you may show your hope full and perfect, and not be despoiled of it. And observe how he does not strike openly, nor say that, You have despaired, and recover yourselves henceforth; but as though he says some such thing: I wish you to be ever diligent, and such as you were before, to be such also now and in the time to come.

²⁷ That ye become not dull. This too is toward their healing; for he carries it over into the time to come. And yet above he had said, “Since ye have become dull”—but “in your hearing”; for he limited the dullness as far as the hearing. But now, he says, I take forethought lest this lay hold of your soul. For just as idleness and immobility harm the body, so also does idleness in good things make the soul more supine.

²⁸ But imitators of those who through faith and long-suffering inherit the promises. He reminded them above of the things which they themselves had set right before, bringing them the examples from their own house. But now he leads them up also to the patriarch. For lest they should suppose that, as worthy of no account, they had been despised by God and forsaken, he shows that it belongs most of all to noble men—this, the being tried—and that God has so dealt with great men. For if he had straightway given the things he had promised, their faith would not have been displayed; but now he defers the gifts, that their faith may appear through their endurance. For then is a man shown to believe the one who promised, when, much time having passed without his receiving, he nevertheless believes that he will receive, and does not slumber. On this account, then, I speak to you these striking things, that I may rouse you up, and that you may become imitators also of those who inherited the promises through faith and long-suffering. And who these are, he will say hereafter. And observe how he first named faith, then long-suffering, because long-suffering is from faith. For unless a man believe that the one who promised will by all means give, neither does he show long-suffering.

²⁹ For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you. Though there were many who through faith inherited the promises, the others he passes by for the present, reserving them for what follows, and makes mention of Abraham alone, both on account of the dignity of the person, and because this man especially was both counted worthy of a promise and obtained it. And on this account he shows that one must not be faint-hearted, but await God, who has the custom not to bring quickly to pass the things promised, but to bring them after a long time. But when did God swear by himself? Either in the very words in which he says, By myself have I sworn; and perhaps also the “Surely,” one might say, is an oath of God by himself; for the “verily” signifies “in very truth.” Which is nothing else than a confirmation of the truth; and what other truth could there be, save God? Thus also in the Gospels the Lord, saying “Verily, verily,” swears the same oath, namely by himself, from his not having any greater to swear by—swearing by himself, as also the Father. And yet some understood that the Son himself then conversed with Abraham; for the Scripture says that, The angel said to Abraham. And this one, they say, would be the Father—the Angel of great counsel.

³⁰ And so, having long-suffered, he obtained the promise. How is it that toward the end of the Epistle he says that all these did not receive the promises, but saw them from afar and greeted them; but now he says that Abraham obtained the promise? He does not speak of the same things here and there, but here concerning the things promised in this life, which Abraham obtained after a little while; and there concerning the heavenly things, which he has not yet obtained. Both, however—both his obtaining, and his not yet obtaining—are for the consolation of the faint-hearted: the one, that we too, if we long-suffer, shall attain; the other, that, since that man, perfected so many years ago, has not yet attained, we are thereafter senseless in being vexed that we attain in such a manner. And observe how he said that, “having long-suffered, he obtained the promise,” that he might show the great power of long-suffering, and that it was not the promise alone that wrought the whole, but also the long-suffering. And here he also frightens them, giving them to understand from the contrary, that the promise is hindered through faint-heartedness. And this very thing happened to the people of old in the wilderness, who, being faint-hearted, did not attain the promise at all. One might say, then: And how is it that the saints, although they long-suffered, did not attain, as he says toward the end? But they shall by all means attain. The murmurers of the people, however, neither attained, nor shall attain.

³¹ For men swear by the greater, and the oath for confirmation is to them an end of all gainsaying. That is, by the oath the dispute of all gainsaying is resolved. For indeed many things are said, and gainsaid on either side, but the oath, coming in last and confirming, resolves all things doubtful.

³² Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath. That is, because—since to men also the oath brings all credence—on this account God too swears. Or, “wherein,” instead of “in the swearing,” he says: God, by himself, out of abundance showed us that he will by all means and immutably do the things he promised. For it was necessary that God be believed even without an oath, but nevertheless on our account he condescends, and does not regard his own dignity, but, that he may persuade us, endures to have things unworthy of himself said concerning him. For we, the faithful, are the heirs of the promise—we who are blessed in his seed, which is Christ. Observe how here too he says that the Son became mediator of God and men. For through him, as his Word, did God and Father swear.

³³ That through two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie. Which two? Both the simply saying and promising, and the adding of an oath to the promise. For since among men the oath seems more to be trusted, on this account he too added this. “In which,” instead of “from which”—from these two—the promise is shown most trustworthy, and it is shown impossible for God to lie. As, then, he swore on our account, although swearing is unworthy of him, so understand also the “he learned from the things he suffered.” For men too account this more worthy of credit—the coming through experience.

³⁴ We might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. That is, a great exhortation and encouragement. For this is said not so much on account of Abraham as on account of us, who have fled for refuge unto him—that is, who have hoped. And wherein have we the encouragement? Unto the laying hold of the hope set before us—that is, that from those things given to Abraham we may be fully assured also concerning the things that pertain to us, and may not doubt concerning the things to come and heavenly, which we hope for, but may firmly and securely lay hold of this hope, and not let it go. For indeed the promise to Abraham is also to us, and properly to us who have believed in Christ, as has been said above.

³⁵ Which we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast. Which hope we have as an anchor. For just as that one holds the ships steady in time of storm, so also hope makes those who are tossed by trials steadfast and patient. And he did not simply say “anchor,” but “sure and steadfast.” For there is an anchor that does not keep the vessel unshaken, either when it is rotten, or when it is too light. And fittingly he made mention not of a foundation, but of an anchor; because the one is set as a figure for those who are exceedingly firm and philosophical, but the anchor for those who are in a storm, such as these men were, tossed by trials.

³⁶ And entering into that which is within the veil. He said above, “Wait; for the things hoped for shall come to pass”; now, giving fuller assurance, he says that even already we have them by hope. For this hope, having entered within heaven, made us to be already among the things promised, even though we are still below, even though we have not yet received them. So great is the strength of hope, that it makes those of earth heavenly. And just as in the Old Covenant the veil separated the holy place from the rest of the tabernacle, so also heaven is for us a veil, separating the things below from the more divine and supercelestial things.

³⁷ Whither as forerunner Jesus entered on our behalf. Having said that our hope enters into heaven, he confirms what was said, assuring it by the very facts. For Christ himself entered there; and not simply entered, but entered as a forerunner—that is, as we too being bound to enter. For the forerunner is a forerunner of certain who follow, and the space between the forerunner and those who follow is not very great, just as neither between John and Christ. Be not, then, vexed; very soon we shall enter where our forerunner is. And he was not content to say “forerunner,” but added also the “on our behalf,” for greater assurance, as though saying this: He himself had no need to go thither—for how, being God?—but just as he took flesh on our account, so also on our account he entered within heaven, that he might open for us the way. So that we too shall of necessity enter. Or the “on our behalf” means “that he may intercede on our behalf with the Father,” as the high priest also entered into the Holy place once a year, making propitiation on behalf of the people.

³⁸ After the order of Melchizedek, having become a High Priest forever. This too is the greatest consolation, seeing that our High Priest is above, and far better than those among the Jews. And in manner: for he is not after their order, but after the order of Melchizedek. And in place and in tabernacle: for he is above and in heaven. And in covenant: for it rests upon greater and more perfect things; and in permanence: for he is eternal, and not temporary; and in person: for he is Son of God. So that, be not despondent. And all these things are said on account of the flesh; for according to this he became High Priest.