Hebrews 6:3

And this will we do, if God permit.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) And this will we do, if God permit.—There may be some with whom it will be impossible for him thus to press on to maturity of teaching and of Christian experience. There is a case excepted by God Himself from all efforts of the Christian teacher; in this case, though nothing can avail except the laying of a new foundation of repentance, God has appointed no agencies by which such foundation can be laid.

Benson Commentary

Hebrews 6:3-5. And this we will do — We will go on to perfection; if God permit — That is, afford assistance and opportunity. And we will do this the rather, and the more diligently, because it is impossible for those who were once enlightened — With the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, (Ephesians 4:21,) and have been made free thereby from the bondage of sin and Satan, John 8:31-36; and have tasted the heavenly gift — The gift of righteousness imputed to them, Romans 5:17; faith counted for righteousness; or the remission of sins through faith in Christ, sweeter than honey to the taste; and have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost — Of the witness and fruits of the Spirit of God; and have tasted the good word of God — Have had a relish for and delight in the doctrine of the gospel, have fed upon it, and been nourished by it; and the powers of the world to come — Μελλοντος αιωνος, of the future age, as the Christian dispensation was termed by the Jews, the Messiah being called by the LXX. in their interpretation of Isaiah 9:6, (instead of the everlasting Father, which is our translation of the clause,) πατηρ του μελλοντος αιωνος, the Father of the age to come. If the expression be thus taken, by the powers, here spoken of, we are to understand the privileges and blessings of the gospel dispensation in general, including, at least with regard to some, the miraculous gifts conferred on many of the first Christians. But as the future state, or future world, may be meant, the expression may be understood of those earnests and anticipations of future felicity which every one tastes who has a hope full of immortality. “Every child that is naturally born, first sees the light, then receives and tastes proper nourishment, and partakes of the things of this world. In like manner the apostle, comparing spiritual with natural things, speaks of one born of the Spirit as seeing the light, tasting the sweetness, and partaking of the things of the world to come.” — Wesley.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:1-8 Every part of the truth and will of God should be set before all who profess the gospel, and be urged on their hearts and consciences. We should not be always speaking about outward things; these have their places and use, but often take up too much attention and time, which might be better employed. The humbled sinner who pleads guilty, and cries for mercy, can have no ground from this passage to be discouraged, whatever his conscience may accuse him of. Nor does it prove that any one who is made a new creature in Christ, ever becomes a final apostate from him. The apostle is not speaking of the falling away of mere professors, never convinced or influenced by the gospel. Such have nothing to fall away from, but an empty name, or hypocritical profession. Neither is he speaking of partial declinings or backslidings. Nor are such sins meant, as Christians fall into through the strength of temptations, or the power of some worldly or fleshly lust. But the falling away here mentioned, is an open and avowed renouncing of Christ, from enmity of heart against him, his cause, and people, by men approving in their minds the deeds of his murderers, and all this after they have received the knowledge of the truth, and tasted some of its comforts. Of these it is said, that it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance. Not because the blood of Christ is not sufficient to obtain pardon for this sin; but this sin, in its very nature, is opposite to repentance and every thing that leads to it. If those who through mistaken views of this passage, as well as of their own case, fear that there is no mercy for them, would attend to the account given of the nature of this sin, that it is a total and a willing renouncing of Christ, and his cause, and joining with his enemies, it would relieve them from wrong fears. We should ourselves beware, and caution others, of every approach near to a gulf so awful as apostacy; yet in doing this we should keep close to the word of God, and be careful not to wound and terrify the weak, or discourage the fallen and penitent. Believers not only taste of the word of God, but they drink it in. And this fruitful field or garden receives the blessing. But the merely nominal Christian, continuing unfruitful under the means of grace, or producing nothing but deceit and selfishness, was near the awful state above described; and everlasting misery was the end reserved for him. Let us watch with humble caution and prayer as to ourselves.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And this will we do - We will make these advances toward a higher state of knowledge and piety. Paul had confidence that they would do it (see Hebrews 6:9-10), and though they had lingered long around the elements of Christian knowledge, he believed that they would yet go on to make higher attainments.

If God permit - This is not to be interpreted as if God was "unwilling" that they should make such advances, or as if it were "doubtful" whether he would allow it if they made an honest effort, and their lives were spared; but it is a phrase used to denote their "dependence" on him. It is equivalent to saying, "if he would spare their lives, their health, and their reason; if he would continue the means of grace, and would impart his Holy Spirit; if he would favor their efforts and crown them with success, they would make these advances." In reference to anything that we undertake, however pleasing to God in itself, it is proper to recognize our entire dependence on God; see James 4:13-15; compare the notes on John 15:5.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3. will we do—So some of the oldest manuscripts read; but others, "Let us do." "This," that is, "Go on unto perfection."

if God permit—For even in the case of good resolutions, we cannot carry them into effect, save through God "working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Php 2:13). The "for" in Heb 6:4 refers to this: I say, if God permit, for there are cases where God does not permit, for example, "it is impossible," &c. Without God's blessing, the cultivation of the ground does not succeed (Heb 6:7).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

This connects the prime cause promoting this progress, and by whom alone it can be effected, as well as his resolution of finishing his discourse of the ministry of Christ’s priesthood.

And this will we do; we will really, certainly, and constantly, leave our entrance into these Christian, fundamental principles, and proceed unto perfection in them; all of us real Christians will do this. Others make it a purpose of the apostle to handle these doctrines at another season, and that he will now proceed to instruct them in the higher mysteries of Christ and the gospel, and so finish his designed discourse about them.

If God permit; whether it refers to their proceeding from the knowledge of the Christian principles to the perfection of knowledge, or of growth in Christian graces, or of the apostle’s proceeding to open to them the higher mysteries of the gospel, it is not a kind of passive letting things to be done, or giving leave only; God is not subject to so weak a condition: but it is all act, noting God’s assistance as well as permission; for all persons and things are in his power, who worketh to will and to do, Philippians 2:13. But as to a progress in Christianity and reaching the perfect man, &c., Ephesians 4:13, if he, the Lord of all knowledge and grace, hath delight in us, and will work this grace in us, then we shall do this, even go on unto perfection, Hebrews 12:2 Hosea 14:5 Malachi 4:6 1 Corinthians 3:6.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And this will we do, if God permit. That is, leave the rites and ceremonies of the law, which were the rudiments, or first principles of the Gospel, and go on to a more perfect knowledge of Gospel truths; and, not lay again as the foundation of the ministry, or insist upon them as if they were the main things, even the above articles of the Jewish creed, especially in the, way and manner in which they had been taught and learnt: the sense is, that the apostle and his brethren, in the ministry were determined to insist upon the more solid and substantial parts of the Gospel, and which tended to bring on their hearers to perfection; and that it became the believing Hebrews to seek after a greater degree of knowledge under the ministry of the word. It is, or at least should be, the determination of a Gospel minister, to preach Christ, and the great truths of the Gospel; and wheresoever God has called him to it, though there may be many adversaries, and though he may be reproached, calumniated, and deserted: resolution in preaching the Gospel, and adhering to it, is very commendable in a minister; and it is very laudable in hearers to attend to it, stand by it, and search further into it; and which both should determine upon with a regard to the will of God, "if God permit": God's permission is much to be observed in the ministry of the word, in giving gifts to men, in placing them out here and there, where they shall exercise them, in directing them to subjects, and in making their ministry useful and successful: and it may be observed in general, that nothing can be done, or come to pass, good or bad, but what God permits or wills to be done; no good things, no actions, civil, natural, moral, or spiritual; no evil things, the evil of punishment, afflictions, the persecutions of wicked men, the temptations of Satan, heresies, and even immoralities.

Geneva Study Bible

And this will we do, if God permit.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Hebrews 6:3. Repetition of the exhortation, Hebrews 6:1, in order immediately to give thereto so much the greater emphasis by attaching the warning, Hebrews 6:4 ff.

καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσωμεν] just this let us do.

τοῦτο] sc. τὸ ἐπὶ τὴν τελειότητα φέρεσθαι, Hebrews 6:1; Theodoret, ἀντὶ τοῦ σπουδάσωμεν, ἐπιθυμήσωμεν, πάντα πόνον ὑπὲρ τῆς τελειότητος ἀσπασώμεθα. Το τοῦτο we cannot supplement from the participial clause, Hebrews 6:1 : τὸ θεμέλιον καταβάλλεσθαι, as was done, on the presupposition of the reading ποιήσομεν, by Jac. Cappellus (who, however, besides this gives also the true reference, and comes to no decision), Schlichting, Grotius, Dorscheus, Wittich, Limborch, Calmet, Zachariae, Storr, Abresch, and is still done by Hofmann, as it is also regarded by Tholuck as possible; in such wise that there should issue the sense: this also, namely, the laying of the foundation, the author will do, sc. at another and more favourable time, if God permit. For—apart from the unsuitability of the sense resulting, according to which the author would declare his intention of treating the more difficult earlier than the more easy, which latter surely contains the preliminary condition for the understanding of the former—against such supplementing the fact is decisive, that the μή in connection with καταβαλλόμενοι, Hebrews 6:1, would be arbitrarily set aside; against the apprehending in this sense, the fact that for the expression of such a meaning ποιήσομεν δὲ καὶ τοῦτο must have been written.

ἐάνπερ ἐπιτρέπῃ ὁ θεός] provided that God permits it (1 Corinthians 16:7), inasmuch, namely, as all things, even the carrying into effect of good resolutions, are subordinated to the higher decree of God. Incomprehensible, therefore, is the assertion of de Wette, who has therein followed Abresch, that the addition ἐάνπερ κ.τ.λ. is plainly irreconcilable “with the taking of our verse in the sense of a demand.” For the supposition, that in this case “the encouraging belief in God’s gracious assistance” must be expressed, is an altogether erroneous assumption, since the author in the present passage is by no means aiming at the consolation of the readers, but, on the contrary—as is shown by Hebrews 6:4-8—at the alarming of them. To an encouraging and pointing to God’s gracious help the discourse first advances, Hebrews 6:9-10.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Hebrews 6:3. καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσομεν: “and this will we do,” that is, we will go on to perfection and not attempt again to lay a foundation. So Theoph.: τὸ ἐπὶ τὴν τελειότητα φέρεσθαι. And Primasius: “et hoc faciemus, i.e., et ad majora nos ducemus, et de his omnibus quae enumeravimus plenissime docebimus nos, ut non sit iterum necesse ex toto et a capite ponere fundamentum”. Hofmann refers the words to the participial clause, an interpretation adopted even by von Soden [“nämlich abermal Fundament Einsenken”] which only creates superfluous difficulty. The writer, feeling as he does the arduous nature of the task he undertakes, adds the condition, ἐάνπερ ἐπιτρέπῃ ὁ Θεός, “if God permit”. The addition of περ has the effect of limiting the condition or of indicating a sine qua non; and may be rendered “if only,” “if at all events,” “if at least”. This clause is added not as if the writer had any doubt of God’s willingness, but because he is conscious that his success depends wholly on God’s will. Cf. 1 Corinthians 16:7.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. this will we do] We will advance towards perfection. The mss., as in nearly all similar cases, vary between “we will do” (א, B, K, L) and “let us do” (A, C, D, E). It is difficult to decide between the two, and the variations may often be due (1) to the tendency of scribes, especially in Lectionaries, to adopt the hortative form as being more edifying; and (2) to the fact that at this period of Greek the distinction in sound between ποιήσομεν and ποιήσωμεν was small.

if God permit] These sincere and pious formulae became early current among Christians (1 Corinthians 16:7; James 4:15).

Bengel's Gnomen

Hebrews 6:3. Τοῦτο, this) The reference is to φερώμεθα, let us go on.—ἐάν περ, if indeed) For, in the following verse, refers to this. Without the Divine blessing, the cultivation of the ground does not succeed; Hebrews 6:7.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - And this will we do (cf. let us do; ποιήσωμεν, A, C, D, La) if God permit; i.e. press on to perfection, as aforesaid, if only (as we firmly hope and trust, see ver. 6, etc.) you are still in a state in which God will permit advance; for (as is set forth in the following verses) there may be a retrogression from which recovery is impossible. Hebrews 6:3

Vincent's Word Studies

If God permit (ἐάνπερ ἐπιτρέπῃ ὁ θεός)

The exact formula N.T.o. Comp. 1 Corinthians 16:7; Acts 18:21. Pagan parallels are τῶν θεῶν θελόντων if the gods will; θεῶν ἐπιτρεπόντων the gods permitting, and θεῶν βουλομένων if the gods desire. An ominous hint is conveyed that the spiritual dullness of the readers may prevent the writer from developing his theme and them from receiving his higher instruction. The issue is dependent on the power which God may impart to his teaching, but his efforts may be thwarted by the impossibility of repentance on their part. No such impossibility is imposed by God, but it may reside in a moral condition which precludes the efficient action of the agencies which work for repentance, so that God cannot permit the desired consequence to follow the word of teaching.