Hebrews 6:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

That is, we say this not because we have despaired of you, or because we consider you full of thorns. We say it because we fear lest this happen.

It is better to make you afraid by words than to suffer grief in reality.

This especially shows Paul's wisdom. He did not say, "we think," "we suppose," "we expect," or "we trust." What did he say? "We hope."

So also in the Epistle to the Galatians he says, "I have confidence in you in the Lord, that you will think no otherwise" (Gal. 5:10).

He did not say, "you understand," but "you will think no otherwise." Since the Galatians were then very worthy of condemnation, the Apostle could not praise them for present deeds.

Therefore he praises them for the future: "You will not," he says, "think otherwise."

But here he praises the Hebrews for present deeds: "We hope that you are in a better state and hold fast to salvation, though we speak thus."

Having sufficiently reproved and frightened them, he again comforts them, lest he make them altogether careless. For one who punishes a lazy man severely makes him still lazier.

Therefore he says: I say this not because I have condemned you, nor because I consider you full of thorns, but because I fear lest this happen to you.

He did not say, "we expect of you," but "we hope," that is, we have firm confidence concerning you.

We are confident that you do not live in this way, but in a better state, and that you care for your own salvation, even though we have spoken so strongly.

Thus he says this either about their life, namely that they are not so thorny, or about their recompense.

In that case, he means that they are not near to the curse and to burning, but that another recompense is appointed for them.

Pay attention also to what follows.

After the Apostle said this to frighten them, so that they would not sin and need a new cleansing, he now turns to strengthening them. If, he says, there is no other baptism for your second cleansing, then let your works and your love be a continual baptism for you. Although, he says, we speak thus and close the door of mercy before the righteous so that they may not sin, nevertheless the door of mercy is open to those who repent.

And lest he seem to flatter rather than be guided by the truth, he reminds them of what they had already attained, thereby making them more zealous for the work of God.

Although we speak precisely as has already been said, we do not speak this because we despise you, nor because we consider you full of thorns. For we have a far better opinion of you, namely that you do good and saving works, so that you may be saved.

"But concerning you, beloved, we are confident of better things, and things that accompany salvation." Consolation is joined to grief. The Apostle regards them as holding fast to salvation and calls them beloved.

Nevertheless, concerning the Hebrews to whom he writes the epistle, the Apostle hopes "that they are in a better state, though he speaks thus." Therefore he invites them to labor patiently for their salvation, like Abraham, who "after long patience obtained the promise" given to him by God with an oath (Heb 6:9-15).

But lest he strike his readers too hard by depicting the terrible consequences of falling away, the Apostle considers it necessary to explain that he does not regard them as already fallen and lost.

God is just and will not forget to help those who have done much good in His name.

The Apostle only desires that each of them cultivate hope as firm as their Christian love had formerly been strong.

They must not grow weak in Christian hope. Rather, they must imitate those fellow Christians who, for their faith and steadfastness in sufferings, receive what was promised to them.