Before continuing the lofty topic about Christ being a priest like Melchizedek, the author pauses for a moment to focus on the state of mind or heart of the readers.
This section gives four marks of spiritual immaturity: laziness (dullness) toward the Word (v. 11), inability to teach the Word to others (v. 12), a diet of only elementary truths in the Word (vv. 12–13), and lack of skill in applying the Word (v. 14). As with the muscles in our bodies, if we do not use what we have gained spiritually we will lose it (cf. 2 Pet. 3:18).
5:11 “Him” refers to Melchizedek (v. 10; cf. 6:20—10:18). Evidently the original readers had begun to let their minds wander as they heard the same things repeatedly. Rather than listening carefully, hearing completely, and comprehending clearly, they had become mentally and spiritually dull in their hearing. They were not slow learners but had allowed themselves to grow lazy. A spiritual callus was growing over their ears.
“One of the first symptoms of spiritual regression, or backsliding, is a dullness toward the Bible. Sunday School class is dull, the preaching is dull, anything spiritual is dull. The problem is usually not with the Sunday School teacher or the pastor, but with the believer himself.”[171]
5:12 Every Christian becomes capable of instructing others when he or she learns the elementary truths of the faith. This is true whether one has the gift of teaching (i.e., the ability to communicate with unusual clarity and effectiveness) or not. However when we fail to pass on what we know we begin to lose what we know.
5:13 Immature babies consume only milk. Similarly immature Christians take in only the basics of the gospel because they cannot receive and assimilate the more advanced aspects of the faith.
This is a picture of Christians who have been content to know and practice only the most elementary lessons of their faith. They are too lazy to do what is necessary to grow.
5:14 The writer’s point in these verses is not just that spiritual babies lack information, which they do, but that they lack experience. A person becomes a mature Christian not only by gaining information, though that is foundational, but by using that information to make decisions that are in harmony with God’s will. “The word of righteousness” (v. 13) is the solid food that results in righteous behavior. In this context the “solid food” must refer to instruction about the high priestly office of Jesus Christ (cf. 7:1—10:18). Practice is essential for maturity. Consequently a new Christian cannot be mature even though he or she follows the leading of the Spirit (i.e., is “spiritual,” cf. 1 Cor. 2:14—3:3).
“As we grow in the Word, we learn to use it in daily life. As we apply the Word, we exercise our ‘spiritual senses’ and develop spiritual discernment. It is a characteristic of little children that they lack discernment. A baby will put anything into its mouth. An immature believer will listen to any preacher on the radio or television and not be able to identify whether or not he is true to the Scriptures.”[175]
In these two points we have a basic catechetical teaching of baptism - die to sin and live for God.
These six aspects constitute the foundation of Christian doctrine. But, the author wants to move to the teaching on “perfection” (see 1 Cor 12:31–13:1).
It is difficult to interpret these verses, but we have here five factors that describe the beauty of Christian life:
Here, the meaning points to a conscious rejection of Jesus Christ and His salvation after experiencing so much before. They repeat the crucifixion of Christ.
A metaphor taken from the agriculture. A soil that does not produce fruits is “near” of cursing. If “near” but not yet there, there is always a chance for repentance (see Luke 13:8).
6:9 - After painting rather scary picture of possible damnation, now the author assures them that he is confident that it does not apply to them. He calls them “beloved” and is sure that they will continue along the way of salvation.
“Salvation” refers to the full salvation ahead of them about which he had been speaking throughout this epistle (cf. 1:14).
“The things to which he refers are defined in the following verses (6:10–12): work and love, diligence to the end, and faith and patience. Salvation is the victorious participation with Christ in the coming kingdom as it is in Heb. 1:14, which only those who persevere as companions of the King will inherit. The writer obviously expects that his readers will persevere to the end, enter into rest, and obtain these blessings.”[215]
This is the only place in the epistle where the writer referred to his readers as “beloved” (dear friends). This affectionate address softens the severity of the warning just given (vv. 4–8).
6:10 That is a beautiful passage. The readers are not entirely bad. The history of their lives show that they acted in Christian way before. Perhaps, now they lost their fist fire, but God had taken note of the readers’ commendable Christian conduct and would justly reward them for it.
God is “Not unjust” is understatement; God is eminently just.
6:11–12 - From this springs an encouragement to revive their dropping spirit and continue acting the way they acted before. It is a call to persevere till the end.
Earlier the writer had described his readers as being sluggish (lit. lazy, 5:11). Now he urged them to be diligent and to stop being lazy (v. 12; cf. Prov. 24:30–34; 2 Pet. 1:5, 10). The same Greek word (nothroi) occurs in both places. He wanted them to remain faithful to God while waiting patiently for Him to fulfill His promises to them regarding their future inheritance.
Note the linking of love (v. 10), hope (v. 11), and faith (v.12) here (cf. 10:22–24). This triad occurs often in the New Testament epistles (cf. Rom. 5:2–5; 1 Cor. 13:13; Gal. 5:5–6; Col. 1:4–5; 1 Thess. 1:3; 5:8; 1 Pet. 1:21–22).
Our hope relies on God’s faithfulness (James 1:17).
6:13–15 The writer offered Abraham as an encouraging and supreme example of one who was strong in faith and patience.
“There is in Hebrews a sustained interest in Abraham (2:16; 6:13–15; 7:4–5; 11:8–19). The appeal to Abraham as a prototype of faithful endurance in vv 13–15 gives specific content to the exhortation in v 12.”[220]
The promise to which the writer referred was the one God gave Abraham after he had obeyed God by offering up Isaac (cf. James 2:21). Abraham trusted God to fulfill His former promise regarding his descendants by raising Isaac from the dead (Gen. 22:16–17). The writer was calling his readers to do what God called Abraham to do when He instructed him to go to Mt. Moriah. They too needed to continue to trust and obey, as they had done in the past, even though it looked as if perseverance would result in tragedy. Having patiently waited and remained steadfast in the face of trying circumstances, Abraham received everything God wanted to give him (cf. Col. 1:11; Heb. 12:1–3, 7; James 5:11).
6:16–18 When a person wants to end an argument, one way to do so is to appeal to a higher authority with an oath. For example, some people do this by saying, “I am telling the truth so help me God.” Even God used an oath to guarantee His promise to bless Abraham greatly (Gen. 22:16; cf. Exod. 32:13; Isa. 45:23; Jer. 22:5; 49:13). God swearing by Himself signifies that He binds His word to His character. Thus God gave Abraham double assurance that He would indeed deliver what He had promised. He gave him the assurance of the promise of the God who does not lie and the assurance that God specially guaranteed that particular promise. The two unchangeable things are God’s promise and His oath. God’s strong promise to Abraham then can be a great encouragement to us now because God has also promised us future blessings. Specifically, He has promised us the possibility of receiving rewards when we see Him if we persevere faithfully now (cf. 2 Tim. 2:12).
The figure that closes verse 18 is an Old Testament one. In our times of temptation to apostatize we can flee to the promises of God. We can take hold of them as a fearful person in Israel could flee to the altar of burnt offerings, take hold of its horns, and be safe from his assailants. The cities of refuge also provided safety for the Israelites (Num. 35:9–15; Josh. 20). We have a better refuge than the Israelites did in Judaism.
6:19–20 These verses provide another illustration of our security. When Jesus Christ entered heaven at His ascension, He took our hope of future reward with Him. In the first century, sailors would carry their ship’s anchor in a small boat and deposit it on the shore so the ship would not drift away as waves beat against it (cf. Acts 27:29–30). Likewise the hope that Jesus Christ has planted firmly in heaven should serve as an anchor for our storm-tossed souls. It should keep us from drifting away from God (cf. 2:1). Our anchor rests firmly in the holy of holies, in God’s presence in heaven.
The writer returned here to his view of the universe as the true tabernacle of God (3:1–6). He also returned to the thought of Jesus Christ as our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek (5:10).
The writer was ready now to proceed to serve the solid food he said his readers needed to eat (5:14—6:1). This spiritual meat was exposition concerning the present high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ.