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“The Certainty of God's Promise”· Hebrews 6:13–20
Translation
King James Version
Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Saying G3004, Surely G2229 G3375 blessing G2127 I will bless G2127 thee G4571, and G2532 multiplying G4129 I will multiply G4129 thee G4571.
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Complete Jewish Bible
and said,

“I will certainly bless you,
and I will certainly give you many descendants”;
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Berean Standard Bible
saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.”
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American Standard Version
saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
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World English Bible Messianic
saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Saying, Surely I wil aboundantly blesse thee and multiplie thee marueilously.
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Young's Literal Translation
saying, `Blessing indeed I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee;'
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In the KJVVerse 30,059 of 31,102 · 96.6%

Study This Verse

Summary

Hebrews 6:14 presents a powerful affirmation of God's unwavering faithfulness, quoting His solemn oath to Abraham from Genesis 22:17. This verse encapsulates the divine guarantee of abundant blessing and multiplication, serving as a foundational pillar for the believer's hope and assurance. It underscores the immutable nature of God's word and His absolute commitment to fulfilling His covenant promises, providing an unshakable ground for faith amidst life's uncertainties.

Context

Literary Context

This verse is strategically placed within a crucial section of the Epistle to the Hebrews, specifically Hebrews 6:13-20. Following a stern warning against spiritual immaturity and the danger of apostasy (as seen in Hebrews 5:11-14 and Hebrews 6:1-12), the author pivots to offer profound encouragement and a firm basis for Christian hope. By recalling God's oath to Abraham, the writer provides a concrete example of divine reliability, demonstrating that God's promises are utterly trustworthy, thereby strengthening the audience's resolve to persevere in faith. This transition from warning to assurance highlights the dual nature of the author's pastoral concern: to admonish against complacency and to bolster confidence in God's steadfast character.

Historical & Cultural Context

The original recipients of the Epistle to the Hebrews were likely Jewish Christians facing significant challenges, possibly persecution or social ostracism, which tempted them to revert to Judaism. In their cultural milieu, oaths and covenants held immense weight and were considered binding agreements, especially when sworn by a higher authority. For God to swear an oath by Himself (as explained in Hebrews 6:13), there was no higher authority to invoke, making His promise absolutely unbreakable. This cultural understanding of oaths would have profoundly resonated with the audience, emphasizing the absolute certainty of God's word and providing a powerful antidote to their wavering faith. The reference to Abraham, the patriarch of their nation, further connected God's ancient faithfulness to their present struggles.

Key Themes

Hebrews 6:14 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the epistle. Firstly, it reinforces the theme of God's Unwavering Promise, demonstrating His steadfast commitment to His word, regardless of time or human circumstances. The quotation from Genesis 22:17 serves as a historical anchor for God's reliability. Secondly, it highlights the Divine Oath and Certainty, emphasizing that God's promise is not merely a declaration but a solemn, irrevocable oath, as further expounded in Hebrews 6:17-18. This dual assurance provides an unshakeable foundation for hope. Thirdly, the terms "blessing" and "multiplying" point to the comprehensive nature of God's covenant with Abraham, encompassing not only numerous descendants (the people of God) but also spiritual flourishing and the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan through Abraham's seed, culminating in Christ. This promise of Blessing and Multiplication is a testament to God's abundant grace.

Exposition and Analysis

Key Word Analysis

Saying légō G3004

This verb, G3004, means "to lay forth" or "relate in words," often implying a systematic or set discourse. Here, it introduces God's direct, authoritative declaration, emphasizing that the words that follow are not casual but a deliberate and weighty pronouncement from the divine. It highlights the intentionality and certainty behind God's promise.

blessing eulogéō G2127

Derived from "good" (εὖ) and "word" (λόγος), means "to speak well of," or "to bless." In a religious context, it signifies invoking a benediction, bestowing favor, or causing prosperity. The repetition of this term in the infinitive absolute construction (as explained under Literary Devices) underscores the absolute certainty and abundance of the blessing God intends to bestow. It's not just a blessing, but a most certain and complete blessing.

multiplying plēthýnō G4129

Meaning "to increase" (transitive or intransitive), signifies abundance and growth. Like "blessing," its repetition in the infinitive absolute form emphasizes the certainty and vastness of the increase God promises. This refers not only to numerical increase (descendants) but also to the expansion of God's influence and the spiritual flourishing that flows from His covenant.

Verse Breakdown

"Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee,"

This phrase introduces God's solemn declaration. The word "Surely" (a combination of G2229 ē and G3375 mḗn) acts as a double affirmation, emphasizing the absolute certainty and immutability of what follows. The construction "blessing I will bless thee" is a direct translation of the Hebrew infinitive absolute, a powerful grammatical device that intensifies the verb. It conveys an unequivocal and abundant promise of divine favor and prosperity, indicating that God will not merely bless, but will most certainly, abundantly, and completely bless Abraham.

"and multiplying I will multiply thee."

Connected by "and" (G2532 kaí), this clause parallels the first, extending the promise to include vast increase. The phrase "multiplying I will multiply thee" similarly employs the infinitive absolute, signifying an exceedingly great and certain multiplication. This promise encompasses a multitude of descendants, which, in the broader theological context, extends to the spiritual offspring of Abraham—all who believe in Christ. Together, these two clauses form a robust and unbreakable divine pledge of comprehensive favor and exponential growth.

Literary Devices

The primary literary device employed in Hebrews 6:14 is Repetition, specifically through the use of the infinitive absolute construction, which is a direct translation from the Hebrew original in Genesis 22:17. This grammatical structure, where a verb is repeated with its infinitive form ("blessing I will bless," "multiplying I will multiply"), serves to create intense Emphasis. It is not merely a statement of future action but a declaration of absolute certainty, completeness, and abundance. This emphatic repetition leaves no doubt about the fulfillment of God's promise and highlights the divine resolve behind His word. Additionally, the verse functions as a direct Quotation, embedding an ancient divine promise within the New Testament text to underscore the continuity and reliability of God's character across redemptive history.

Theological and Thematic Connections

Hebrews 6:14 deeply intertwines with the overarching biblical narrative of God's faithfulness and His covenant promises. The verse anchors the New Testament believer's hope in the same immutable character of God demonstrated to Abraham. It highlights that God's promises are not contingent on human merit or performance but are rooted in His own nature and sealed by His divine oath, providing an unshakable foundation for faith. This truth assures believers that just as God was utterly faithful to Abraham through long periods of waiting, He will be equally faithful to His promises concerning their salvation, sanctification, and ultimate hope in Christ. The blessing and multiplication promised to Abraham ultimately find their spiritual and redemptive fulfillment in the vast spiritual family of God's people, drawn from every nation through faith in Jesus.

Reflection and Application

Hebrews 6:14 offers profound encouragement and a steadfast anchor for faith in the life of every believer. In a world characterized by uncertainty and shifting foundations, this verse reminds us that our hope is not built on fleeting circumstances, personal feelings, or human promises, but on the unchangeable character of God Himself. Just as Abraham, through patient endurance, inherited the promise (as noted in Hebrews 6:15), we too are called to cultivate perseverance, trusting that God's timing is perfect and His word will never fail. This divine assurance should empower us to live with confident expectation, knowing that the God who swore an oath to Abraham is the same God who has promised us eternal life and abundant spiritual blessings in Christ. It calls us to rest in His faithfulness, even when the path ahead seems unclear, and to find our security in His unfailing love and unwavering commitment.

Questions for Reflection

  1. How does understanding God's oath to Abraham strengthen your personal trust in His promises for your life today?
  2. In what areas of your life are you currently called to exercise patient endurance, knowing that God's promises are "surely" fulfilled?
  3. How does the immutability of God's character, as highlighted in this verse, provide comfort and stability amidst life's challenges?

FAQ

Why does God use such emphatic language ("Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee") when making His promise?

God uses this emphatic language, which is a direct translation of the Hebrew infinitive absolute construction, to convey absolute certainty and an overwhelming abundance. In ancient Hebrew, repeating a verb with its infinitive form was a powerful way to intensify the action, signifying that the promise would be fulfilled "most certainly," "abundantly," or "exceedingly." This linguistic device leaves no room for doubt about God's commitment and the comprehensive nature of the blessing. Furthermore, as Hebrews 6:17 explains, God "interposed with an oath" so that those who receive the promise "might have a strong encouragement." The emphatic language, combined with the oath, provides a double assurance of the immutability of His counsel.

How does this ancient promise to Abraham apply to Christians today, who are not his biological descendants?

While the original promise was given to Abraham, the New Testament reveals its spiritual fulfillment in Christ, extending its blessings to all believers. Galatians 3:7-9 clarifies that "those who are of faith are sons of Abraham," and that "the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you all the nations shall be blessed.'" Therefore, the "blessing" and "multiplication" are not solely physical but primarily spiritual, encompassing salvation, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and inclusion into the vast family of God, which is the church. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we become spiritual heirs of Abraham and partake in the very blessings promised to him.

Christ-Centered Fulfillment

Hebrews 6:14, by quoting God's emphatic promise to Abraham, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The "blessing" and "multiplication" promised to Abraham are not merely for his physical descendants but point forward to a spiritual lineage that culminates in the vast family of God's people, drawn from every nation through faith in Christ. As the true "seed" of Abraham (as articulated in Galatians 3:16), Jesus Himself is the ultimate recipient and mediator of God's covenant promises. It is through His atoning work that the blessing of Abraham—justification by faith and the gift of the Holy Spirit—is extended to all who believe, Jew and Gentile alike (Galatians 3:14). Moreover, the "multiplication" finds its reality in the church, the body of Christ, which grows exponentially as the gospel spreads and more are brought into God's family. Thus, the unchangeable promise and oath of God, so emphatically declared to Abraham, serve as a divine guarantee of the security of our salvation and the certainty of our hope, anchored firmly in the person and work of Jesus, our great High Priest who has entered behind the veil (Hebrews 6:19-20).

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Public-domain commentary

Matthew Henry

From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Hebrews 6:9–20. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.

1662–1714 · 12 verses
Passage under commentHebrews 6:9–20
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points(1.) (2.) Details[1.] [2.] Fine details

The apostle, having applied himself to the fears of the Hebrews, in order to excite their diligence and prevent their apostasy, now proceeds to apply himself to their hopes, and candidly declares the good hope he had concerning them, that they would persevere; and proposes to them the great encouragements they had in the way of their duty.

I.He freely and openly declares the good hope he had concerning them, that they would endure to the end: But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, Heb 6:9. Observe,

1.There are things that accompany salvation, things that are never separated from salvation, things that show the person to be in a state of salvation, and will issue in eternal salvation.

2.The things that accompany salvation are better things than ever any hypocrite or apostate enjoyed. They are better in their nature and in their issue.

3.It is our duty to hope well of those in whom nothing appears to the contrary.

4.Ministers must sometimes speak by way of caution to those of whose salvation they have good hopes. And those who have in themselves good hopes, as to their eternal salvation, should yet consider seriously how fatal a disappointment it would be if they should fall short. Thus they are to work out their salvation with fear and trembling.

II.He proposes arguments and encouragements to them to go on in the way of their duty.

1.That God had wrought a principle of holy love and charity in them, which had discovered itself in suitable works that would not be forgotten of God: God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love, Heb 6:10. Good works and labour proceeding from love to God are commendable; and what is done to any in the name of God shall not go unrewarded. What is done to the saints, as such, God takes as done to himself.

2.Those who expect a gracious reward for the labour of love must continue in it as long as they have ability and opportunity: You have ministered to the saints, and you do minister; and we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence.

3.Those who persevere in a diligent discharge of their duty shall attain to the full assurance of hope in the end. Observe,

(1.)Full assurance is a higher degree of hope, is full assurance of hope; they differ not in nature, but only in degree.

(2.)Full assurance is attainable by great diligence and perseverance to the end.

III.He proceeds to set before them caution and counsel how to attain this full assurance of hope to the end.

1.That they should not be slothful. Slothfulness will clothe a man with rags: they must not love their ease, nor lose their opportunities.

2.That they would follow the good examples of those who had gone before, Heb 6:12. Here learn,

(1.)There are some who from assurance have gone to inherit the promises. They believed them before, now they inherit them; they have got safely to heaven.

(2.)The way by which they came to the inheritance was that of faith and patience. These graces were implanted in their souls, and drawn forth into act and exercise in their lives. If we ever expect to inherit as they do, we must follow them in the way of faith and patience; and those who do thus follow them in the way shall overtake them at the end, and be partakers of the same blessedness.

IV.The apostle closes the chapter with a clear and full account of the assured truth of the promises of God, Heb 6:13, to the end.

They are all confirmed by the oath of God, and they are all founded in the eternal counsel of God, and therefore may be depended upon.

1.They are all confirmed by the oath of God. He has not only given his people his word, and his hand and seal, but his oath. And here, you will observe, he specifies the oath of God to Abraham, which, being sworn to him as the father of the faithful, remains in full force and virtue to all true believers: When God made a promise unto Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself. Observe,

(1.)What was the promise: Surely, blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. The blessing of God is the blessedness of his people; and those whom he has blessed indeed he will go on to bless, and will multiply blessings, till he has brought them to perfect blessedness.

(2.)What was the oath by which this promise was ratified: He swore by himself. He staked down his own being and his own blessedness upon it; no greater security can be given or desired.

(3.)How was that oath accomplished. Abraham, in due time, obtained the promise. It was made good to him after he had patiently endured.

[1.]There is always an interval, and sometimes a long one, between the promise and the performance.

[2.]That interval is a trying time to believers, whether they have patience to endure to the end.

[3.]Those who patiently endure shall assuredly obtain the blessedness promised, as sure as Abraham did.

[4.]The end and design of an oath is to make the promise sure, and to encourage those to whom it is made to wait with patience till the time for performance comes, Heb 6:16. An oath with men is for confirmation, and is an end of all strife. This is the nature and design of an oath, in which men swear by the greater, not by creatures, but by the Lord himself; and it is to put an end to all dispute about the matter, both to disputes within our own breasts (doubts and distrusts), and disputes with others, especially with the promiser. Now, if God would condescend to take an oath to his people, he will surely remember the nature and design of it.

2.The promises of God are all founded in his eternal counsel; and this counsel of his is an immutable counsel.

(1.)The promise of blessedness which God has made to believers is not a rash and hasty thing, but the result of God's eternal purpose.

(2.)This purpose of God was agreed upon in counsel, and settled there between the eternal Father, Son, and Spirit.

(3.)These counsels of God can never be altered; they are immutable. God never needs to change his counsels; for nothing new can arise to him who sees the end from the beginning.

3.The promises of God, which are founded upon these immutable counsels of God, and confirmed by the oath of God, may safely be depended upon; for here we have two immutable things, the counsel and the oath of God, in which it is impossible for God to lie, contrary to his nature as well as to his will. Here observe,

(1.)Who they are to whom God has given such full security of happiness.

[1.]They are the heirs of the promise: such as have a title to the promises by inheritance, by virtue of their new birth, and union with Christ. We are all by nature children of wrath. The curse is the inheritance we are born to: it is by a new and heavenly birth that any are born heirs to the promise.

[2.]They are such as have fled for refuge to the hope set before them. Under the law there were cities of refuge provided for those who were pursued by the avenger of blood. Here is a much better refuge prepared by the gospel, a refuge for all sinners who shall have the heart to flee to it; yea, though they have been the chief of sinners.

(2.)What God's design towards them is, in giving them such securities - that they might have strong consolation. Observe,

[1.]God is concerned for the consolation of believers, as well as for their sanctification; he would have his children walk in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost.

[2.]The consolations of God are strong enough to support his people under their strongest trials. The comforts of this world are too weak to bear up the soul under temptation, persecution, and death; but the consolations of the Lord are neither few nor small.

(3.)What use the people of God should make of their hope and comfort, that most refreshing and comfortable hope of eternal blessedness that God has given them. This is, and must be, unto them, for an anchor to the soul, sure and stedfast, etc., Heb 6:19. Here,

[1.]We are in this world as a ship at sea, liable to be tossed up and down, and in danger of being cast away. Our souls are the vessels. The comforts, expectations, graces, and happiness of our souls are the precious cargo with which these vessels are loaded. Heaven is the harbour to which we sail. The temptations, persecutions, and afflictions that we encounter, are the winds and waves that threaten our shipwreck.

[2.]We have need of an anchor to keep us sure and steady, or we are in continual danger.

[3.]Gospel hope is our anchor; as in our day of battle it is our helmet, so in our stormy passage through this world it is our anchor.

[4.]It is sure and stedfast, or else it could not keep us so. First, It is sure in its own nature; for it is the special work of God in the soul. It is a good hope through grace; it is not a flattering hope made out of the spider's web, but it is a true work of God, it is a strong and substantial thing. Secondly, It is stedfast as to its object; it is an anchor that has taken good hold, it enters that which is within the veil; it is an anchor that is cast upon the rock, the Rock of ages. It does not seek to fasten in the sands, but enters within the veil, and fixes there upon Christ; he is the object, he is the anchor - hold of the believer's hope. As an unseen glory within the veil is what the believer is hoping for, so an unseen Jesus within the veil is the foundation of his hope; the free grace of God, the merits and mediation of Christ, and the powerful influences of his Spirit, are the grounds of his hope, and so it is a stedfast hope. Jesus Christ is the object and ground of the believer's hope, and so it is a stedfast hope. Jesus Christ is the object and ground of the believer's hope in several respects. 1. As he has entered within the veil, to intercede with God, in virtue of that sacrifice which he offered up without the veil: hope fastens upon his sacrifice and intercession. 2. As he is the forerunner of his people, gone within the veil, to prepare a place for them, and to assure them that they shall follow him; he is the earnest and first fruits of believers, both in his resurrection and in his ascension. 3. And he abides there, a high priest after the order of Melchisedec, a priest for ever, whose priesthood shall never cease, never fail, till he has accomplished its whole work and design, which is the full and final happiness of all who have believed on Christ. Now this should engage us to clear up our interest in Christ, that we may fix our hopes in him as our forerunner, that has entered thither for us, for our sakes, for our safety, to watch over our highest interest and concerns. Let us then love heaven the more on his account, and long to be there with him, where we shall be for ever safe, and for ever satisfied.

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Historical interpretation

Nine Centuries of Reception

13 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.

13 quotes · AD 99–990
Ante-NicenePost-NiceneEarly Medieval
1002003004005006007008009001000

Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.

AD 99Clement of RomeAnte-NiceneSource1 CLEMENT 27.1-2
With this hope, then, let us attach ourselves to the one who is faithful to promises and just in judgments. The one who bids us to refrain from lying is all the less likely to lie. For nothing is impossible to God, save lying.
AD 373Athanasius of AlexandriaPost-NiceneSourceFESTAL LETTERS 19.4
Through Moses God gave commandments about sacrifices, and the whole book of Leviticus is taken up with acceptable ways for them to be carried out. The Lord, through the prophets, found fault with those who contemptuously misstated these things, calling them disobedient to the commandment. He told them, “I have not asked you to do these things!… Neither did I speak to your fathers about sacrifices, nor give them commands about whole burnt offerings.”Some have put forth the opinion that either the Scriptures do not agree or that God, who gave the commandment, is a liar. But in this there can be no disagreement—far from it. The Father, who is truth, cannot lie, “for it is impossible for God to lie,” as Paul affirms. Actually, these things are plain to those who accept the writings of the law with faith and look at them in the right way. Here is my explanation, and may God grant by your prayers that I am not too far from the truth. It does not appear to me that God gave the commandments and the law concerning sacrifices right away when he led them out of Egypt. Nor did he who gave the law really pay any attention to the whole burnt offerings, as such. He was looking ahead to those things that were prefigured and pointed out by them. “For the law has but a shadow of the good things to come.” And “Those regulations were set forth until the time of reformation.”9
That is why the whole law did not deal with sacrifices, although it did include commands concerning them. By means of these commands it began to teach people, calling them away from idols and drawing them to God, giving them proper teaching for the times in which they lived. So you see, God did not give the people those commands about sacrifices and offerings when he brought them out of Egypt, nor even when they first came to Mount Sinai. God is not like people, that he should want those things for himself. No, he gave the commandment so that they might know him and his Word (the Son)—and forget about those so-called gods that do not really exist but appear to do so because of the show people put on.
AD 373Ephrem the SyrianPost-NiceneSourceCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS
“Through two unchangeable things” … the former is that he swore by himself. The latter is that David said, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, that you are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” It is by this means that we who have been made coheirs of his promise “might have strong encouragement.” We “have fled for refuge” in order to protect ourselves, not for God’s justice, in order that God may draw and drive us away from the evils of this world, and may open for us the way “into the inner shrine behind the curtain.” We do not go in first. We do not go into the shrine of the tabernacle, where Moses went, but into the inner shrine in heaven, “where Jesus has gone as a forerunner, having become a high priest forever,” not in order to offer the victims of sacrifices, like Aaron, but to offer the word for all nations, like Melchizedek.
AD 373Ephrem the SyrianPost-NiceneSourceCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS
“Through this” oath “God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise” that God’s promise, because indeed it is God’s, will never be changed. God’s oath was infallible in its being interposed, that is, between God, the angel and Abraham.
Having boldly reflected on the faults of the Hebrews, and sufficiently alarmed them, he consoles them, first, by praises, and secondly (which also is the stronger ground), by the thought that they would certainly attain the object of their hope. Moreover he draws his consolation, not from things future, but again from the past, which indeed would the rather persuade them. For as in the case of punishment, he alarms them rather by those things future, so also in the case of the prizes set before them, he encourages them by these things past, showing herein God's way of dealing. And that is, not to bring in what has been promised immediately, but after a long time. And this He does, both to present the greatest proof of His power, and also to lead us to Faith, that they who are living in tribulation without having received the promises, or the rewards, may not faint under their troubles.

And omitting all the rest, though he had many whom he might have mentioned, he brought forward Abraham both on account of the dignity of his person, and because this had occurred in a special way in his case.

And yet at the end of the Epistle he says, that "all these, having seen the promises afar off, and having embraced them, received them not, that they without us should not be made perfect." "For when God made promise to Abraham" (he says) "because He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." How then does he say at the end of the Epistle that "he received not the promises," and here, that "after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise"? How did he not receive? How did he obtain? He is not speaking of the same things in this place and in the other, but makes the consolation twofold. God made promises to Abraham, and after a long space of time He gave the things spoken of in this place, but those others not yet.

"And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." Seest thou that the promise alone did not effect the whole, but the patient waiting as well? Here he alarms them, showing that oftentimes a promise is thwarted through faintheartedness. And this he had indeed shown through the instance of the Jewish people: for since they were faint-hearted, therefore they obtained not the promise. But now he shows the contrary by means of Abraham. Afterwards near the end of the Epistle he proves something more also: that even though they had patiently endured, they did not obtain; and yet not even so are they grieved.
AD 425Severian of GabalaPost-NiceneSourceFRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.17
When he said above, “the full assurance of the hope,” he made clear that God furnished to Abraham “full assurance,” not that which belonged to his conduct through works but that which belonged to him through God’s redemptive plan.
AD 428Theodore of MopsuestiaPost-NiceneSourceFRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.20
Paul added that “Christ” has become “an eternal high priest” for us, in that Christ leads all those believing through him in each generation to God based on the hope of the resurrection.
AD 428Theodore of MopsuestiaPost-NiceneSourceFRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.18
“Through two unchangeable things,” namely, that God would never be able to lie about what had been promised and that he made the promise with an oath.
AD 458Theodoret of CyrusPost-NiceneSourceINTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 6
By “curtain” he referred to heaven: the Lord promised to give the kingdom of heaven to those believing in him.
AD 458Theodoret of CyrusPost-NiceneSourceINTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 6
He augmented their confidence with the name forerunner: if he is our forerunner and has gone up for us, we too must follow and be granted ascent.
AD 458Theodoret of CyrusPost-NiceneSourceINTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 6
As God has no one superior to him (he is saying), his oath was witness; he swore by himself, in fact. Yet though making a promise and doing it with an oath, he did not immediately fulfill the promise; instead, the patriarch needed great patience, and only with the passage of a great length of time did he thus see the realization of the promise.
AD 458Theodoret of CyrusPost-NiceneSourceINTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 6
He is a high priest forever, not in offering sacrifices (having offered his own body once), but in being a mediator leading the believers to the Father; through him (he says, remember) we both have had access to the Father. The Lord himself says in the sacred Gospels, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” We must be aware, of course, that the divine apostle made mention of the oaths sworn to Abraham so that the unchanging character of the divine will should be brought out; it endures in advance the stability of high priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek, the oath being linked to the word at this place.
Of those who through faith inherited the promises, many have died, but they were kept safe for others; he only remembers Abraham, both because of the dignity of his person and because he especially was deemed worthy and attained the promises. And through this, he shows that one should not be faint-hearted, but should wait for God, having the habit not to hastily bring about the promised things, but through a long time.
“He swore by Himself.” When did God swear by himself? In those very words, in which he says, "By myself I have sworn." (Gen. 22:16) Perhaps also the word "Amen" could be considered a divine oath; for "Amen," truly "Amen," signifies nothing else but a confirmation of the truth; and what else could truth be but God? Therefore, when you see Christ saying, "Amen, amen, I say to you," understand that he swears by having no one greater than himself, and the "Amen" is an oath, just as the Father also swears. Yet some have thought that the Son swears to Abraham; for the Word swears, "Amen, I will bless you." For Scripture says that the angel spoke to Abraham. But nowhere do they say that the Father is an angel, but the Son is the angel of the great counsel.
"And so, having patiently." You see that the patience of Abraham accomplished something? He said that by being patient he obtained the promise, in order to show the great power of patience, and that it was not the promise alone that accomplished everything; but also patience.
"he attained the promise." And yet in the end, it says that all these, having seen them from afar and embraced them, did not receive the promises, so that they would not be made perfect apart from us. How then does he say here, "he attained the promise?" And we say, he did not speak about the same things. For the things here he has given to him, concerning which he now spoke, but those there, he keeps, concerning which he says at the end of the Epistle, "And the end of all their opposition." (Heb. 12:3) And the end of all opposition and dispute to confirm the things spoken by him is the oath. Both, however, the obtaining and the not yet obtaining, serve as encouragement to the faint-hearted; the one, that we also, if we endure patiently, will obtain; the other, that, since he has not yet obtained it, though perfected many years ago, we who are still struggling are not foolish because we have not yet obtained it.
“an end of all dispute.” And the conclusion of all contradiction and dispute to confirm what is said is the oath. For indeed many things are spoken and disputed on each side; but the oath, coming last and confirming, resolves all doubts.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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