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Commentary on Hebrews 6 verses 9–20
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.
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.
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.
“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.
“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.
"That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible that God should lie." What are these two? The speaking and promising; and the adding an oath to the promise. For since among men that which is confirmed by an oath is thought more worthy of credit, on this account He added that also.
Seest thou that He regardeth not His own dignity, but how He may persuade men, and endures to have unworthy things said concerning Himself. That is He wishes to impart full assurance. And in the case of Abraham indeed the Apostle shows that the whole was of God, not of his patient endurance, since He was even willing to add an oath, for He by whom men swear, by Him also God "sware," that is "by Himself." They indeed as by one greater, but He not as by one greater. And yet He did it. For it is not the same thing for man to swear by himself, as for God. For man has no power over himself. Thou seest then that this is said not more for Abraham than for ourselves: "that we" (he says) "might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us." Here too again, "after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise."
"Now" he means, and he did not say "when He swore." But what the oath is, he showed, by speaking of swearing by a greater. But since the race of men is hard of belief, He condescends to the same things with ourselves. As then for our sake He swears, although it be unworthy of Him that He should not be believed, so also did the Apostle make that other statement "He learned from the things which He suffered," because men think the going through experience more worthy of reliance.
What is "the hope set before us"? From these past events (he says) we conjecture the future. For if these came to pass after so long a time, so certainly the others will. So that the things which happened in regard to Abraham give us confidence also concerning the things to come.
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.
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.
“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.
By “curtain” he referred to heaven: the Lord promised to give the kingdom of heaven to those believing in him.
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.
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.
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.
It was necessary, therefore, he says, to believe in God who had promised without an oath, but since God wanted to do something more, he mediated the promise by an oath.
"to show the firmness of His counsel." He also came to us. For we are the heirs of the promise, being the seed of Abraham; and if we are the seed, then we are also heirs.
“He mediated with an oath.” See what he prepares. That the Son was thereafter the mediator of God and men (for he has also become a mediator in the incarnation); and then he mediated with the Father and with Abraham, confirming him with an oath; for the Word was he who both spoke to Abraham and swore. The meaning of the interpretation is well-founded, so that it may be thus. God, that is, the Word, wanting to show the unchangeable nature of those glorifying the Father, mediated with the Father and with Abraham with an oath, that is, he became a mediator in the oath. For through him, as the Word, God and the Father swore.
"that by two unchangeable things." Two things, both that God has promised, and that He has added an oath to the promise. For since among men the oath seems more trustworthy, on account of this He also added it Himself.
"In which it is impossible." In which, instead of "from which," from these two things, the promise is shown to be most trustworthy, and it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, just as He swore by us (although it is unworthy of Him to swear), so also understand the "from which" He learned what He suffered. For men also consider it more credible to come through experience.
"we might have a strong encouragement," That is, a great exhortation and urging.
"who have fled." To him, he says. "to hold,” let us have strong encouragementto lay hold to the hope set before us. From those, he says, that were said to Abraham, let us be faithful also to the things to come, and to the kingdom of heaven. For this is our hope, which now is set before us in expectation, but then will be realized, as it was said; From those things, this will be understood. There it was made true, that in these things we may believe. And that for this reason he swore then, that now we may believe concerning the things to come. For there was nothing else, he says, and the things then promised with oaths, or the future hope of the faithful.
"we have as an anchor," which stabilizes the wavering ships, and hope makes those who are shaken by temptations brave, committed, and patient.
"safe and committed." Not simply an anchor, but also safe and secure. For there is an anchor that does not keep the ship unshaken when it is smaller than it ought to be.
"which enters." In order that, he says, while we are still here, hope may enter into the kingdom of heaven, that is, so that we may already be in our hopes. See what hope does. It anticipates what is to come.
“enters into the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.” The inner part of the curtain is called heaven.
“where Jesus has entered as a forerunner on our behalf.” Having said that our hope enters into heaven, he confirms what has been said, trusting this by the facts. For Christ himself entered there; and not only did he enter, but he entered on our behalf. And where our forerunner has entered, there it is necessary for us also to enter. For the forerunner is the forerunner of those who follow; and the difference between the forerunner and those who follow is not very great, just as between John and Christ. Do not be disturbed, then; as long as we have not yet entered, we will enter where our forerunner is. The "on our behalf" is extended so that he may be called our forerunner. The fact that he entered in the flesh is on our behalf, so that we also, having flesh, may obtain entrance.
“Having become a high priest.” And this is a great encouragement, if indeed our high priest is above and much better than those among the Jews; first, in manner; for he is not according to their order, but according to the order of Melchizedek; then, in place and tabernacle; for he is above and in heaven; third, in the covenant; for it is upon greater and more perfect promises; likewise, in permanence; for he is eternal, and not temporary; lastly, in person; for he is the Son of God. Therefore, do not lose heart. And well is the term "having become," because it was according to the flesh that he became a high priest.
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SUMMARY
Hebrews 6:18 powerfully asserts the absolute certainty of God's promises, grounded in two unchangeable realities: His promise and His oath. This divine immutability provides an unshakable foundation for believers, offering a profound and strong consolation to those who have actively sought refuge in Him. It encourages a steadfast grasp of the hope of salvation, which is not a mere wish but a secure expectation rooted in God's unwavering character and His covenant faithfulness, serving as an anchor for the soul amidst life's uncertainties.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Hebrews 6:18 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of assurance. The most prominent is Imagery, particularly the vivid metaphor of "fled for refuge." This immediately calls to mind the Old Testament cities of refuge, providing a concrete and relatable picture of seeking safety and security in a designated sanctuary. This imagery highlights the active, decisive nature of faith—a deliberate movement towards God for protection. Following this, the "hope set before us" is implicitly connected to the Imagery of an anchor in the very next verse (Hebrews 6:19), which further solidifies the idea of stability and security. The phrase "two immutable things" uses Merism by referring to God's promise and oath, encompassing the totality of His divine assurances. The declaration that "it was impossible for God to lie" is an example of Apotheosis (in a theological sense), emphasizing God's absolute moral perfection and distinguishing His nature from that of fallible humanity. The entire verse functions as a powerful Argumentation for the certainty of God's promises, building from His character to the resulting consolation and firm hope for believers.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Hebrews 6:18 serves as a theological cornerstone, firmly establishing the unshakeable foundation of Christian faith and hope in the immutable character of God. It underscores that our assurance is not based on our fluctuating feelings or performance, but on the inherent truthfulness and faithfulness of the Almighty. God's promise and His oath are not merely words, but expressions of His very being, making them utterly reliable. This divine integrity provides a "strong consolation" that transcends earthly uncertainties, offering profound peace and steadfastness to those who have committed their lives to Him. It is a powerful antidote to doubt and despair, reminding believers that their future is secure because it rests on the unchanging God.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Hebrews 6:18 offers profound encouragement and a vital anchor for our souls in a world characterized by constant change and uncertainty. When life's storms rage, when doubts creep in, or when our own faith feels weak, this verse reminds us that our ultimate security rests not on our strength, but on the unchangeable character of God Himself. His promises are not subject to the whims of human fallibility or the passage of time; they are as steadfast as His very being. This truth empowers us to persevere, knowing that the hope we cling to is not a fleeting wish but a guaranteed reality. It calls us to actively "flee for refuge" to Him, making a conscious decision to place our trust and dependence entirely on His faithfulness, finding in Him the ultimate sanctuary and source of unwavering comfort. This understanding should inspire us to live with greater confidence, courage, and unwavering hope, knowing that God's word is our sure foundation.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What are the "two immutable things" mentioned in Hebrews 6:18?
Answer: The "two immutable things" refer to God's promise and His oath. As explained in the preceding verses (Hebrews 6:13-17), God first made a promise to Abraham (e.g., to multiply his descendants and bless him). To provide even greater assurance and underscore the absolute certainty of His word, God then reinforced this promise by swearing an oath by Himself, as there was no one greater by whom to swear. Both the promise and the oath are expressions of God's unchanging nature and His perfect integrity, making them completely reliable and unalterable.
Why is it significant that "it was impossible for God to lie"?
Answer: This statement highlights a core attribute of God's character: His absolute truthfulness and moral perfection. It's not merely that God chooses not to lie, but that lying is fundamentally contrary to His holy nature. Because God is inherently truthful, His promises are completely trustworthy. This divine inability to lie provides the ultimate guarantee for believers, ensuring that everything God has spoken, especially concerning salvation and eternal life, will certainly come to pass. It is the bedrock of our "strong consolation" and the reason we can "lay hold upon the hope set before us" with unwavering confidence.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Hebrews 6:18 finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in Jesus Christ. The "hope set before us" is not an abstract concept but a living reality embodied in Christ, who is "the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). The "two immutable things"—God's promise and oath—culminate in the New Covenant, which is guaranteed by Christ Himself. He is the "surety of a better testament" (Hebrews 7:22), having offered a perfect, once-for-all sacrifice that truly takes away sin (Hebrews 9:26). Our "fleeing for refuge" is a decisive turning to Christ, who serves as our ultimate High Priest, having entered "into that within the veil" (Hebrews 6:19)—the very presence of God—on our behalf. Thus, the strong consolation and secure hope described in this verse are inextricably linked to Christ's finished work, His ongoing intercession, and His promise of eternal life for all who believe in Him (John 3:16). He is the living embodiment of God's unchangeable faithfulness.