herbs--provender.
meet--fit. Such as the master of the soil wishes. The opposite of "rejected," [He 6:8].
by whom--rather as Greek, "for (that is, on account of) whom," namely, the lords of the soil; not the laborers, as English Version, namely, God and His Christ ([1Co 3:9]). The heart of man is the earth; man is the dresser; herbs are brought forth meet, not for the dresser, by whom, but for God, the owner of the soil, for whom it is dressed. The plural is general, the owners whoever they may be; here God.
receiveth--"partaketh of."
blessing--fruitfulness. Contrast God's curse causing unfruitfulness ([Ge 3:17], ); also spiritually ([Jr 17:5-8]).
from God--Man's use of means is vain unless God bless ([1Co 3:6], ).
8. that which--rather as Greek (no article), "But if it (the 'land,' [He 6:7]) bear"; not so favorable a word as "bringeth forth," [He 6:7], said of the good soil.
briers--Greek, "thistles."
rejected--after having been tested; so the Greek implies. Reprobate ... rejected by the Lord.
nigh unto cursing--on the verge of being given up to its own barrenness by the just curse of God. This "nigh" softens the severity of the previous "It is impossible," &c. ([He 6:4], ). The ground is not yet actually cursed.
whose--"of which (land) the end is unto burning," namely, with the consuming fire of the last judgment; as the land of Sodom was given to "brimstone, salt, and burning" ([De 29:23]); so as to the ungodly ([Mt 3:10], ; ; ; [Joh 15:6]; [2Pe 3:10]). Jerusalem, which had so resisted the grace of Christ, was then nigh unto cursing, and in a few years was burned. Compare [Mt 22:7], "burned up their city" an earnest of a like fate to all wilful abusers of God's grace ([He 10:26], ).
9. beloved--appositely here introduced; LOVE to you prompts me in the strong warnings I have just given, not that I entertain unfavorable thoughts of you; nay, I anticipate better things of you; Greek "the things which are better"; that ye are not thorn-bearing, or nigh unto cursing, and doomed unto burning, but heirs of salvation in accordance with God's faithfulness ([He 6:10]).
we are persuaded--on good grounds; the result of proof. Compare [Ro 15:14], "I myself am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye are full of goodness." A confirmation of the Pauline authorship of this Epistle.
things that accompany--Greek, "things that hold by," that is, are close unto "salvation." Things that are linked unto salvation (compare [He 6:19]). In opposition to "nigh unto cursing."
though--Greek, "if even we thus speak." "For it is better to make you afraid with words, that ye may not suffer in fact."
10. not unrighteous--not unfaithful to His own gracious promise. Not that we have any inherent right to claim reward; for (1) a servant has no merit, as he only does that which is his bounden duty; (2) our best performances bear no proportion to what we leave undone; (3) all strength comes from God; but God has promised of His own grace to reward the good works of His people (already accepted through faith in Christ); it is His promise, not our merits, which would make it unrighteous were He not to reward His people's works. God will be no man's debtor.
your work--your whole Christian life of active obedience.
labour of love--The oldest manuscripts omit "labor of," which probably crept in from [1Th 1:3]. As "love" occurs here, so "hope," [He 6:11], "faith," [He 6:12]; as in [1Co 13:13]: the Pauline triad. By their love he sharpens their hope and faith.
ye have showed--(Compare [He 10:32-34]).
toward his name--Your acts of love to the saints were done for His name's sake. The distressed condition of the Palestinian Christians appears from the collection for them. Though receiving bounty from other churches, and therefore not able to minister much by pecuniary help, yet those somewhat better off could minister to the greatest sufferers in their Church in various other ways (compare [2Ti 1:18]). Paul, as elsewhere, gives them the utmost credit for their graces, while delicately hinting the need of perseverance, a lack of which had probably somewhat begun to show itself.
11. And--Greek, "But."
desire--Greek, "earnestly desire." The language of fatherly affection, rather than command.
every one of you--implying that all in the Palestinian churches had not shown the same diligence as some of those whom he praises in [He 6:10]. "He cares alike for great and small, and overlooks none." "Every one of them," even those diligent in acts of LOVE ([He 6:10]), needed to be stimulated to persevere in the same diligence with a view to the full assurance of HOPE unto the end. They needed, besides love, patient perseverance, resting on hope and faith ([He 10:36]; ). Compare "the full assurance of faith," [He 10:22]; [Ro 4:21]; [1Th 1:5].
unto the end--the coming of Christ.
12. be not--Greek, "become not." In [He 5:11], he said, "Ye have become dull (Greek, 'slothful') of hearing"; here he warns them not to become "slothful absolutely," namely, also in mind and deed. He will not become slothful who keeps always the end in view; hope is the means of ensuring this.
followers--Greek, "imitators"; so in [Ep 5:1], Greek; [1Co 11:1].
patience--Greek, "long-suffering endurance." There is the long-suffering patience, or endurance of love, [1Co 13:4], and that of faith, [He 6:15].
them who ... inherit the promises--Greek, "who are inheriting," &c.; to whom the promises are their inheritance. Not that they have actually entered on the perfect inheritance, which [He 11:13], 39, 40 explicitly denies; though doubtless the dead in Christ have, in the disembodied soul, a foretaste of it; but "them (enumerated in [He 11:2-40]) who in every age have been, are, or shall be, inheritors of the promises"; of whom Abraham is an illustrious example ([He 6:13]).
13. For--confirming the reasonableness of resting on "the promises" as infallibly sure, resting as they do on God's oath, by the instance of Abraham. "He now gives consolation, by the oath of God's grace, to those whom, in the second, third, and fourth chapters, he had warned by the oath of God's 'wrath.' The oath of wrath did not primarily extend its force beyond the wilderness; but the oath of grace is in force for ever" [Bengel].
14. multiplying ... multiply--Hebraism for superabundantly multiply.
thee--The increase of Abraham's seed is virtually an increase of himself. The argument here refers to Abraham himself as an example; therefore Paul quotes [Ge 22:17], "thee," instead of "thy seed."
15. so--thus relying on the promise.
16. for confirmation--not to be joined, as English Version, to "an oath"; but to "an end" [Alford]. I prefer, "The oath is to them, in respect to confirmation (of one's solemn promise or covenant; as here, God's), an end of all contradiction (so the Greek is translated, [He 12:3]), or "gainsaying." This passage shows: (1) an oath is sanctioned even in the Christian dispensation as lawful; (2) that the limits to its use are, that it only be employed where it can put an end to contradiction in disputes, and for confirmation of a solemn promise.
17. Wherein--that is, Which being the case among men, God, in accommodation to their manner of confirming covenants, superadded to His sure word His oath: the "TWO immutable things" ([He 6:18]).
willing ... counsel--Greek, "willing ... will"; words akin. Expressing the utmost benignity [Bengel].
more abundantly--than had He not sworn. His word would have been amply enough; but, to make assurance doubly sure, He "interposed with an oath" (so the Greek). Literally, He acted as Mediator, coming between Himself and us; as if He were less, while He swears, than Himself by whom He swears (for the less among men usually swear by the greater). Dost thou not yet believe, thou that hearest the promise? [Bengel].
heirs of promise--not only Abraham's literal, but also his spiritual, seed ([Ga 3:29]).
18. immutable--Translate, as in [He 6:17], "unchangeable."
impossible ... to lie--"ever to lie"; this is the force of the Greek aorist [Alford]. His not being able to deny Himself is a proof, not of weakness, but of strength incomparable.
consolation--under doubts and fears, and so "encouragement," literally, "exhortation."
fled for refuge--as if from a shipwreck; or, as one fleeing to one of the six cities of refuge. Kadesh, that is, holy, implies the holiness of Jesus, our Refuge. Shechem, that is, shoulder, the government is upon his shoulder ([Is 9:6]). Hebron, that is, fellowship, believers are called into the fellowship of Christ. Bezer, that is, a fortress, Christ is so to all who trust in Him. Ramoth, that is, high, for Him hath God exalted with His right hand ([Ac 5:31]). Golan, that is, joy, for in Him all the saints are justified and shall glory.
lay hold upon the hope--that is, the object of our hope, as upon a preservative from sinking.
set before us--as a prize for which we strive; a new image, namely, the race course ([He 12:1], ).
19. Hope is found represented on coins by an anchor.
sure and steadfast--sure in respect to us: steadfast, or "firm" [Alford], in itself. Not such an anchor as will not keep the vessel from tossing, or an anchor unsound or too light [Theophylact].