Hebrews 6:5

And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

And {G2532} have tasted {G1089} the good {G2570} word {G4487} of God {G2316}, and {G5037} the powers {G1411} of the world {G165} to come {G3195},

and tasted the goodness of God’s Word and the powers of the ‘olam haba —

who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age—

and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come,

Context of Hebrews 6:5

Hebrews 6:5 is part of a crucial passage (Hebrews 6:4-6) addressing the serious spiritual state of those who have genuinely experienced Christian truth but are in danger of falling away. The author of Hebrews, writing to Jewish believers who were perhaps tempted to revert to Judaism, describes a profound level of spiritual enlightenment and experience. This verse highlights the spiritual privileges granted to these individuals, emphasizing how deeply they were involved in the Christian faith before potentially departing from it.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Experiential Knowledge of God's Word: The phrase "have tasted the good word of God" signifies more than mere intellectual understanding. The Greek word for "tasted" (geuomai) implies a personal, sensory, and transformative experience. It suggests having embraced, assimilated, and found delight in the divine revelation, much like tasting that the Lord is gracious. This refers to the Gospel message and the entirety of God's truth revealed through Christ.
  • Foretaste of Future Realities: "And the powers of the world to come" refers to a present experience of the supernatural realities and blessings of the eschatological age—the age of the Messiah's full reign. These "powers" (Greek: dynameis) are manifestations of God's divine energy and authority, often associated with the work of the Holy Spirit, such as miracles, spiritual gifts, and the transformative presence of God's Kingdom. This means those described had a genuine encounter with the spiritual forces that will fully characterize the new heaven and new earth.
  • Profound Spiritual Engagement: The verse paints a picture of individuals who were not superficial converts but had deeply partaken in the spiritual blessings of the Christian covenant. They had seen, heard, and felt the reality of God's presence and power.

Linguistic Insights

The term "tasted" (Greek: geuomai) is significant. It implies a direct, personal encounter rather than just observation. While it can mean a brief sample, in this context, coupled with the other descriptors in Hebrews 6:4-5 (enlightened, partakers of the Holy Ghost), it suggests a profound and genuine engagement with the truth. The "world to come" (Greek: mellontos aiōnos) refers to the age of salvation and the Messianic Kingdom, which has already broken into the present through Christ's first coming and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, offering a down payment of future glory.

Practical Application and Significance

Hebrews 6:5 reminds believers of the immense privilege of experiencing God's truth and power. For us today, it underscores that genuine faith involves more than intellectual assent; it includes a personal, transformative encounter with God's word and the active presence of the Holy Spirit. It challenges us to reflect on the depth of our own spiritual experience and to cherish the foretaste of the glorious future God has promised. This verse, in its broader context, also serves as a solemn warning against the danger of turning away from such profound spiritual realities, emphasizing the seriousness of apostasy after having been so richly blessed.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Luke 8:13

    They on the rock [are they], which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

  • 1 Peter 2:3

    If so be ye have tasted that the Lord [is] gracious.

  • Matthew 13:20

    But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

  • Matthew 13:21

    Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

  • Mark 4:16

    And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

  • Mark 4:17

    And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

  • 2 Peter 2:20

    For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
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