It seems that there was a question in the Jews mindset of the value of the priesthood of Christ (Hebrews 3:1, 5:5). The priesthood of Aaron was visible and full of meaning. It was there, present every day for those who were at Jerusalem. It might not have been easy for Jews, who had an exalted view of the Aaronic priesthood all their lives, in which they had a direct part, to lay that aside and embrace the spiritual priesthood of Christ (1Peter 2:5, 9). Such a priesthood, being spiritual in nature, wasn’t visible and didn’t stroke the human senses, as the priesthood of Aaron did. Therefore, being more inclined to view the Aaronic priesthood as greater than that of Christ, they had become dull of hearing, because they didn’t properly appreciate the sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 5:11-14; cf. 6:20; Romans 8:24).
Dwelling in the first principles of Christ (Hebrews 6:1-3), which, indeed, pointed to the Messiah but didn’t properly embrace him now that he had appeared, these Jewish believers were at the time of Paul’s epistle in real danger of apostatizing (Hebrews 6:4-8). Yet, Paul had hope for them (Hebrews 6:9-12), based upon the righteousness and promises of God (Hebrews 6:12-20; cf. Romans 4:21). As Jesus often did, Paul uses the land to express a point. The land is watered and tilled by man (1Corinthians 3:5-9). However, it is blessed by God with the power to increase and be fruitful, and this illustrated the, then, present condition of Paul’s readers (Hebrews 6:7-8):
“A double illustration forms a transition between the negative and positive realities described in Hebrews 6:4-6 and Hebrews 6:9-12 :
Negative and Positive Realities Hebrews 6:4-6 Hebrews 6:7 Hebrews 6:8` Hebrews 6:9-12 Negative Reality Positive Image Negative Image Positive Reality In the illustration in this Scripture, the ground represents believers who drink in the water of God’s Word and bear fruit as a result. This kind of response leads to God bestowing a blessing on those individuals who, by their fruit-bearing, have been a blessing to others (cf. Matthew 13:23).”[1]
Nevertheless, Hebrews 6:7-8, together with verses-4-6, are often used by Biblical scholars to show that Paul’s readers were in danger of committing an unpardonable sin, which would reap for them eternal death. However, as we have seen in a previous study on Hebrews 6:4-6,[2] such language refers to the weakness of the Old Covenant to save the sinner. It does not refer to the sinner’s ultimate eternal destiny, because he has faltered in his faith or of the Lord’s ability to forgive him. On the contrary, all things are possible for God, when it comes to those who find it impossible to repent and be obedient (cf. Matthew 19:24-26).[3]
In Paul’s analogy the rain represents the Lord’s blessing (Hebrews 6:7; Psalm 65:10). The land represents the heart of man, according to Jesus (Matthew 13:3-8, 15, 19), and the herbs and briars represent that which the heart produces as a result of the seed that was sown (Hebrews 6:7-8; cf. Matthew 13:3, 7, 15, 22). The preaching of the Gospel (sowing of the seed – see Matthew 13:3) either produced a bountiful crop to the Lord (Matthew 13:3, 8, 16, 23; John 15:5, 8; Romans 7:4), or to the flesh (Philippians 3:4-9).
What we are told is burned and destroyed are the fruits of the land (Hebrews 6:8), which speak spiritually of the fruits of the heart. The land that produced the fruit remains, as does the heart, or the analogy wouldn’t hold true. Only the briars and thorns, which are the fruit of the land (heart – see Matthew 13:3-8, 15, 19) are destroyed. The land, which represents the heart of man according to Jesus, remains, although it must endure the fire (cf. 1Corinthians 3:13-15).
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[1] See: William Petri; Universal Version Bible: Paul’s Epistles, “Hebrews”; Page 413.
[2] See my study: Impossible to Be Renewed to Repentance.
[3] See my study: Barnabas ~ Whom Jesus Loved.
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