Hebrews 6:13-20
God’s
word is true and his promises are secure.
God’s nature is unchanging.
We can know these truths and establish our hope in his word.
This information then is our security.
Hebrews
6:13-20 reestablishes the authors direction toward the topic of Melchizedec (5:10,
11) and serves as a prelude to 7:1
Hebrews 6:13
“When God made his promise to Abraham,
since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,”
τω γαρ αβρααμ επαγγειλαμενος ο θεος επει
for to
Abraham making promise God
since
κατ ουδενος ειχεν μειζονος ομοσαι ωμοσεν καθ εαυτου
by no one he had greater to swear swore by himself
The
promise was given to Abraham several times:
1) Genesis 12:1-7
2) Genesis 15:5
3) Genesis 17:5-8
4) Genesis 22:15-18
“Swearing”
or taking oaths is a practice among men to give their words backing for
trustworthiness.
An
oath is the final statement. A man’s
statement under oath is his last word on the subject. All previous statements or following
statements can not change his sworn testimony.
Abraham
took oaths in God’s name: Genesis 14:22; 21:23-24; 24:3
Abraham
was last mentioned in 2:16
In Genesis 22:16 the angel of the Lord says to Abraham, “I swear by myself . .
. I will surely bless you an dake your descendants as numerous as the stars. .
. and as the sand. . . and through your offspring all nations on earth will be
blessed. . .”
Hebrews 6:14
“saying, ‘I will surely bless you and
give you many descendants.’ “
λεγων εἰ μην ευλογων ευλογησω σε και
saying if
surely
blessing I will bless you
and
πληθυνων πληθυνω σε
multiplying I will multiply you
Hebrews 6:15
“And so
after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. “
και ουτως μακροθυμησας επετυχεν
and so being longsuffering he obtained
της επαγγελιας
the promise
“Waiting patiently” refers
to
This is an example of someone inheriting what God promised through “faith and
patience” as mentioned in 6:12.
Conflict? Here it says Abraham obtained the promise but
in Hebrews 11:13 it says Abraham died in faith “not having received the
promise”.
1) The received promise refers to Abraham having received his son Isaac.
2) Not receiving the promise refers to Abraham dyed before he could see the fulfillment of the
fullness of the promise.
Abraham died knowing that
the God who gave a portion of the promise would ultimately fulfill all of it.
Hebrews 6:16
”Men swear by someone greater than
themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all
argument.”
ανθρωποι μεν γαρ κατα του μειζονος ομνυουσιν
men for by
the greater swear
και πασης αυτοις αντιλογιας περας εις
and of all to them contradiction an
end for
βεβαιωσιν ο ορκος
confirmation the
oath
αντιλογιας
or “antilogiai” means “dispute,
controversy, contradiction”.
βεβαιωσιν
“bebaiwsin” means “confirming,
confirmation, legal guarantee” The word
was a technical expression for a legal guarantee
Hebrews 6:17
”Because God wanted to make the
unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,
he confirmed it with an oath.”
εν ω περισσοτερον βουλομενος ο θεος επιδειξαι
wherein more
abundantly resolving God
to show
τοις κληρονομοις της επαγγελιας το αμεταθετον
to the heirs of
the promises the
unchangeableness
της βουλης αυτου εμεσιτευσεν ορκω
of the resolve of
him interposed by an oath
Why did God take
an oath? Is God’s word not
trustworthy? This verse says “God wanted
to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear.” God took a human convention of swearing or
oath taking to demonstrate and communicate to man God’s intention. God was not indicating he was not trustworthy
but was showing Abraham (and all of Abraham’s heirs) that this promise was not
going to change. God’s statement on this
matter was now in the books, an official document that was God’s sworn
testimony. Anything said after this
could not change this promise.
The sworn
promise was for the benefit of “the heirs”.
The heirs of the promise that Abraham received are all who have the
faith of Abraham and not only Jews and in some cases, not even Jews. See these verses:
1) John 8:39 2) Romans
4:16 3) Galatians
βουλομενος
or “Boulomenos” is a stronger
Greek word “thelein”. The word becomes
even more forceful when the adverb περισσοτερον
(“perissotepon” – “more
convincingly”) is used. God makes his
word doubly convincing.
In chapter one it is taught
that God’s word is unchanging.
Here it is taught that God’s purpose is unchanging.
αμεταθετον
or “ametatheton”
(“unchangeableness) is used on here and in verse 6:18 in the entire NT.
God is working a plan and
he has a goal and a purpose. He will not
be redirected by world events or historical personalities. The pagan gods had to respond and adjust to
other forces such as other gods, other nations, world events, time, etc. Not so with God.
Hebrews 6:18
”God did this so that, by two
unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled
to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.”
ινα δια δυο πραγματων αμεταθετων εν
In order that through
two things unchangeable in
οις αδυνατον ψευσασθαι θεον ισχυραν
which impossible
to lie God a
strong
παρακλησιν εχωμεν οι καταφυγοντες κρατησαι
consolation we may have the ones
having fled to lay hold
της προκειμενης ελπιδος
of the set before us hope
“two unchangeable things” are:
1) The promise (or, the character of God)
2) The oath
The “heirs”, which include
the writer and the reader of this letter, are described as “we who have
fled to take hold of the hope offered to us”.
The heirs are described as being
fugitives or refuges.
Paul uses the word καταφυγοντες
or “kataphugontes”
1) In Acts 14:6 when he fled from persecution.
2) In LXX Deuteronomy 4:42 and 19:5 for fleeing from the avenger to the asylum
of the cities of refuge. There were six
cities of refuge in
3) In LXX Joshua 20:9
But, these people are fleeing to “hope” not physical safety or a shelter.
They are being encouraged with purpose and direction in the eternal sense.
The heirs then are fleeing form discouragement and apathy. They are fleeing the hopelessness of the
present age for something with eternal purpose and meaning.
There is a sense of urgency as they are described as “fleeing” not “strolling”
or “walking” toward “hope”.
κρατησαι
or “kratasai” means “to
seize” It is aorist active. This word means to lay hold on and cling to
that which has been taken. This is
exactly NOT what the readers of this Letter to the Hebrews are doing.
Hebrews 6:19
”We have this hope as an anchor for the
soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,”
ην ως αγκυραν εχομεν της ψυχης ασφαλη
which as
an anchor we have
of the soul safe
τε και βεβαιαν και εισερχομενην εις το
both and firm and
entering into the
εσωτερον του καταπετασματος
inner of the veil
Our hope is in God, his
word and his plan.
Our hope is not in our faith
αγκυραν or “agkuran” means “anchor”. In the Greek world the anchor represented
hope. The image of an anchor is only
used here in the NT. An anchor remains
unmoved and stable deep in the sea even while the ship is bounced around or
tossed by the wind and waves up on the surface.
This illustration really needs no explanation.
This truth, this hope keeps
us encouraged and focused.
It keeps us from becoming “nothroi”
Hope keeps the heirs of the
promise:
1) ασφαλη
“safe”
2) βεβαιαν “firm or secure”
The anchor or hope enters
the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.
The metaphor has gone from an anchor in the bottom of the sea to hope in God’s
word in our soul to hope that takes into the inner sanctuary of God’s temple.
With this we are back to the topic of entering into God’s presence by way of
our high priest Jesus.
And concerning the High Priesthood of Jesus there is still something we need to
learn from the example of Melchizedek in the OT
Our hope is based on the
finished work of Christ and the his continuing work as our high priest.
In 6:20 Jesus is the προδρομος
or “prodromos” which means
“forerunner”.
Jesus has gone in first and we have the hope of following him.
Hebrews 6:20
”where Jesus, who went before us, has
entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of
Melchizedek.”
οπου προδρομος υπερ ημων εισηλθεν
where a forerunner on behalf of us entered
ιησους κατα την ταξιν μελχισεδεκ
Jesus according
to the order of Melchizedek
αρχιερευς γενομενος εις τον αιωνα
a high priest becoming
unto the age