The immaturity discussed at the end of chapter 5 is expanded upon at the start of this chapter. The encouragement here is to stop debating the basics, that they repent from posturing and have faith in God, follow the example and instruction of Jesus in baptism (“washings”), and be confident in the resurrection of the dead and God’s ultimate justice. (Ha! Are these not still the same things some Christians are squabbling about? Faith v. works, the importance of baptism, the existence of hell, and the resurrection? Some things don’t change I guess.)
We need to get beyond it, for by this time we ought to be teachers! Most Christians are overweight by about 500 Bible verses for the amount of application they actually do with it. But the writer intends to fill this gap, to help them get beyond this, to help them move from milk to meat. And that’s exactly what is happening in the often tough verses that follow. He told them they have to get to the meat and he’s giving it to them directly.
The description of the Christian life that follows is awesome. The followers of Jesus are those who have seen the light, who have had the reality of the world, of creation, of God! revealed to them, exposed for them to understand and live within. Think about it, rejecting Jesus and the truths of God means that someone is purposefully choosing to see the world with a blindfold on. No wonder we find ourselves often in conflict on basic things with others in the world. It’s why we can’t seem to agree on the sanctity of life, whether something or other is actually true, etc. As we accept the truths of God, the world opens up, what was dark comes into relief and can be understood in ways that those who reject God will never see.
Christians also get the heavenly gift, a changed life that finds peace where it is hiding, joy where it is buried, love broader and deeper than previously possible. And we have shared in the Holy Spirit, God himself living within us as a helper to get the most of the gift he has given. We have been comforted and convicted by the word of God, it has brought us encouragement and edification and proper warning. We have been witness to or heard tell of the power of the age to come (yes, we see glimpses of renewal that we don’t yet dare to believe can actually be true for the whole world. But it will be. The power of God to change hearts, renew and restore His creation. That is the power of the age to come.)
And then the trouble…it is impossible for those who have been part of these things to be restored again when they walk away and reject Jesus and join the crowds who mock and spit on him and declare his death that of a worthless man. The illustration that follows, that of the ground that drinks the rain and either produces a crop or bears thorns and thistles, puts the issue into contrast. Both grounds take in freely that which God provides to produce a bountiful harvest, but only one uses it for good. The other takes in the rain but produces thistles and thorns, worthless things.
Now, the writer of Hebrews doesn’t seem to think it necessary to dive into the theological argument he has just started. Paul does, in Romans 5-8, and the previous points of a perfect high priest who is in service of those who obviously need a high priest shouldn’t be discarded. Neither should the things that follow in this chapter, including the just nature of God and the work that these folks are doing by loving God and serving His people. Further, the last part of the chapter focuses on the faithful promises of God, and a “…sure and steadfast anchor of the soul”. I mean, that sounds promising.
Broadly, although I think we can safely back away from some sort of standard that implies Christians do not still sin, even in their posturing to God (there is no NT letter that would permit us to believe in our own perfection), this is most certainly a stern warning. Two different situations seem viable to me (although other commentators would expand upon this list.) I think the warning can apply to those who are basically soaking up the environment, wandering over the Kingdom boundaries and trying to pass themselves off as citizens even though they haven’t really pledged fealty to the King. They drank the rain and then just flat out decided that they didn’t want it, produced nothing that the Kingdom wanted and decided to bail, joining in the crowds who called Jesus a fraud. That’s a tough reality.
The second option has a little more nuance but it would read the “they are crucifying once again the Son of God…” as more of a nonchalant action that should be understood that they obviously cannot be convinced to repent while they are acting this way vs. the lack of repentance being a permanent state of their heart.
The writer does, on the way out of this quandary, seem to focus on output; how they serve the saints, showing earnestness so they can have full assurance of hope, not being lazy but imitating those who through faith and patience get to partake in all God has promised. The connection here may inform our previous understanding in that you have folks that simply soak in all God has promised but never actually live as though it is true. That’s a shallow religion, and frankly doesn’t share a definition with Christianity.
Hebrew writer-man expands upon the surety of the promise by connecting long-term commitments that God has made (that they already trust) and connecting them to the work of Jesus. In this example, the Hebrews are to put themselves in the position of Abraham, trusting in God to fulfill that which his oath has guaranteed. Except that promise is being kept through Jesus. They appear to need more information on how to understand this (as the author promised more meat) so chapter 7 will really explore the continued use of Jesus as High Priest and the link to the mysterious man of the night, Melchizedek.