Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 12:17

"For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind [in his father,] though he sought is diligently with tears." — Hebrews 12:17 (ASV)

For you know how afterward, etc. When he came to his father and earnestly begged him to reverse the sentence which he had pronounced. See Genesis 27:34-40. The "blessing" here referred to was not that of the birthright, which he knew he could not regain, but that pronounced by the father Isaac on him whom he regarded as his firstborn son.

This Jacob obtained by fraud, when Isaac really meant to bestow it on Esau. Isaac appears to have been wholly ignorant of the bargain Jacob and Esau had made regarding the birthright, and Jacob and his mother contrived in this way to have confirmed what Jacob had obtained from Esau by contract.

The sanction of the father, it seems, was necessary before it could be secured; and Rebecca and Jacob understood that the dying blessing of the aged patriarch would establish it all. It was obtained by dishonesty on the part of Jacob, but so far as Esau was concerned, it was an act of righteous retribution for the little regard he had shown for the honor of his birth.

For he found no place of repentance. The marginal note explains this as, "Way to change his mind." That is, no place for repentance in the mind of Isaac, or no way to change his mind. It does not mean that Esau earnestly sought to repent and could not, but that once the blessing had passed the lips of his father, he found it impossible to change it.

Isaac firmly declared that he had pronounced the blessing, and though it had been obtained by fraud, yet, as it was of the nature of a Divine prediction, it could not now be changed. He had not indeed intended that it should be this way. He had pronounced a blessing on another which had been designed for him.

But still, the benediction had been given. The prophetic words had been pronounced. By Divine direction, the truth had been spoken, and how could it be changed? It was impossible now to reverse the Divine purposes in the case, and therefore the "blessing" must stand as it had been spoken. Isaac did, however, all that could be done. He gave a benediction to his son Esau, though of far inferior value to that which he had pronounced on the fraudulent Jacob (Genesis 27:39–40).

Though he sought it carefully with tears (Genesis 27:34). He sought to change the purpose of his father but could not do it. The meaning and bearing of this passage, as used by the apostle, may be easily understood.

1. The decision of God, on the human character and destiny, will soon be pronounced. That decision will be according to truth and cannot be changed.
2. If we should despise our privileges, as Esau did his birthright, and renounce our religion, it would be impossible to recover what we had lost. There would be no possibility of changing the Divine decision in the case, for it would be determined forever.

This passage, therefore, should not be alleged to show that a sinner cannot repent, or that he cannot find "place for repentance," or assistance to enable him to repent, or that tears and sorrow for sin would be of no avail. It teaches none of these things.

Instead, it should be used to keep us from disregarding our privileges, from turning away from the true religion, from slighting the favors of the gospel, and from neglecting religion until death comes. This is because when God has once pronounced a sentence excluding us from his favor, no tears, pleading, or effort of our own can change him.

The sentence which he pronounces on the scoffer, the impenitent, the hypocrite, and the apostate is one that will abide forever without change. This passage, therefore, is in accordance with the doctrine stated more than once before in this epistle: that if a Christian should really apostatize, it would be impossible for him to be saved. (See the commentary on Hebrews 6:1 and following).