The recipients of this letter are Christians. They are “brethren” and “better things” are expected of them, “things that accompany salvation” (Heb. 6:9). They are also being persecuted by their Jewish kin, and are wondering if they should not go back to the temple worship. Maybe that would reduce their affliction.
There are two
problems with doing that. First, it
would subject them to the wrath of God through the coming Roman destruction of
the city and nation. Jesus had warned “those
who are in Judea” about this, that they should flee to the mountains and get out
of Jerusalem (Luke 21:20-24). The second
problem is that a return to temple worship would deny the work of our great High
Priest. The offerings for sin had become
empty. There was no longer a need for them.
How wonderful is our
High Priest? Let me draw attention to
two words. In Heb. 4:15 we learn that
our Priest can “sympathize” with us in all points of being tested. “Sym-pathy” means He suffers with us. He also has “compassion” on us (Heb. 5:2). “Metrio-pathy” means He has measured suffering. He knows how much we are suffering and our
weaknesses, and He is able to help us (Heb. 2:18) in the best way. He knows their suffering and He is with them
in it.
Thus, the “Hebrews”
are considering a plan that makes no sense and that will get them into greater
trouble. This leads to the third warning
passage of Hebrews (5:12-6:20), in which the Spirit has two concerns.
·
The first is that they had “become dull of
hearing” (5:11, literally sluggish, as in 6:12), so that the normal
process of spiritual growth was being impeded.
By now they should have been of full age, experienced believers who could
“discern both good and evil” (5:14). Instead,
they were spiritual infants in need of “the first principles of the oracles of
God” (5:12). These “first principles”
are the “milk and not solid food” (5:12). It is what new Christians need, not
an unsaved person or an “adult” believer.
These “principles” are mentioned in 6:4-5.
·
The second concern of the Spirit is that they
are “laying again the foundation.” This
foundation refers to the Old Testament religion and is described in 6:1-2. The “dead works” are the sacrifices and offerings
of the temple, rendered meaningless by the sacrifice of Christ (Heb.
9:14). The “baptisms” refer to Jewish
traditions, where the “mikveh” (ceremonial washings) were essential before
entering the temple. The “laying on of
hands” refers to what temple worshipers did when they brought animals for
sacrifice (Lev. 1:4). The OT certainly
spoke of a future life and God’s judgment, though not with the detail of the
NT. All this OT truth was the foundation
for these Jewish believers. Having come
to Christ, they did not need to lay again that foundation.
Have we become content to stay young in Christ? Are we dull of hearing, happy to be led and
fed rather than to lead by example and teach?
As in the physical world, so in the spiritual: to be a 25-year-old bottle-fed
infant is never a good thing!
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