Passage interpretation: Hebrew 6:6-10

[Cathoholic]

therese14

Hebrews 6:6 describes people who are unrepentant and REMAIN unrepentant of their sin.

This is describing people who not only apostatize or “fall away” (parapesontas), but CONTINUE to apostatize (or continue to crucify the Lord within their flesh).

They CONTINUE to crucify the Lord or anastaurountas.

It is NOT IMPOSSIBLE to bring back someone who is in apostasy (with grace).

But it IS IMPOSSIBLE to bring back someone who is in apostasy (with grace), if he continues to refuse that grace of repentance and thus CONTINUES in his apostasy.

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HEBREWS 6:6** 6 if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt.

So it is POSSIBLE to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, if they then committed apostasy, but repent of their apostasy.

But it is IMPOSSIBLE to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, if they then committed apostasy, but refuse to repent of that apostasy and CONTINUE to commit apostasy CONTINUING or anew or anastaurountas or crucify afresh Christ in their flesh even unto their death.

HEBREWS 6:4-6 4 For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt.

If we throw in the language key to the text it becomes more clear:

HEBREWS 6:6 6 if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify (AND KEEP CRUCIFYING or “anastaurountas”) the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt.

As Robyn p said in post 7:

The only sin that can’t be forgiven is the one you don’t repent of.

You can reject God’s grace. You can refuse to cooperate with God’s grace.

2nd CORINTHIANS 6:1 1 Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain.

But that does not mean God’s grace in unavailable for you in this life to repent.

Repentance itself is a grace.

2nd TIMOTHY 2:24-26 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, 26 and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

The same concept as above would also apply to Hebrews 10:26 (see here and here).

See also CCC 679 and CCC 598 which have Hebrews 6:6 as footnotes for more insight into this verse.

I hope this helps answer your question.

God bless.

Cathoholic

 

[therese14]

From CCC 598

We must regard as guilty all those who continue to relapse into their sins. Since our sins made the Lord Christ suffer the torment of the cross, those who plunge themselves into disorders and crimes crucify the Son of God anew in their hearts (for he is in them) and hold him up to contempt. And it can be seen that our crime in this case is greater in us than in the Jews. As for them, according to the witness of the Apostle, “None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” We, however, profess to know him. And when we deny him by our deeds, we in some way seem to lay violent hands on him.391

391 Roman Catechism I, 5, 11; cf. Heb 6:6; 1 Cor 2:8.

Hi Cathocholic, please explain why in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, according to the footnotes Hebrew 6:6 is talking about relapse, not fallen away or apostasy?

 

[COPLAND_3]

As mentioned above the letter was written to the Hebrews and Paul has them in mind and making a point that you cant be Christian and practice the Law for salvation. Yet the Catechism makes reference to that passage not as an exegetical purpose but for practical application for Christians and their equally if not worse consequences of living like they have a license to sin. It brings to mind of when I was a Baptist and I heard many times that our past, present, and FUTURE sins are forgiven the moment we are “saved”, as if no matter what we do from that point we could do anything and still be saved based upon our little salvation prayer alone.