Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 6:4

"For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit," — Hebrews 6:4 (ASV)

For it is impossible. It is needless to say that the passage here in Hebrews 6:4-6 has given occasion to much controversy, and that the opinions of commentators and of the Christian world are still greatly divided regarding its meaning.

On the one hand, it is held that the passage is not intended to describe those who are true Christians, but only those who have been awakened and enlightened, and who then fall back. On the other hand, it is maintained that it refers to those who are true Christians, and who then apostatize.

The contending parties have been Calvinists and Arminians; each party, in general, interpreting it according to the views which are held on the question about falling from grace. I will endeavor, as well as I am able, to state the true meaning of the passage by an examination of the words and phrases in detail.

I observe here, in general, that it seems to me that it refers to true Christians. The object is to keep them from apostasy, and it teaches that if they should apostatize, it would be impossible to renew them again or to save them. That it refers to true Christians will be apparent from these considerations:

1. Such is the sense which would strike the great mass of readers. Unless there were some theory to defend, the great body of readers of the New Testament would consider the expression here used as describing true Christians.

2. The connection demands such an interpretation. The apostle was addressing Christians. He was endeavoring to keep them from apostasy. The object was not to keep those who were awakened and enlightened from apostasy, but it was to preserve those who were already in the Church of Christ from going back to perdition.

   The kind of exhortation appropriate to those who were awakened and convicted, but who were not truly converted, would be to become converted, not to warn them of the danger of falling away. Besides, the apostle would not have said of such persons that they could not be converted and saved.

   But of sincere Christians it might be said, with the utmost propriety, that they could not be renewed again and be saved if they should fall away—because they rejected the only plan of salvation after they had tried it, and renounced the only scheme of redemption after they had tasted its benefits. If that plan could not save them, what could? If they neglected that, by what other means could they be brought to God?

3. This interpretation accords, as I suppose, with the exact meaning of the phrases which the apostle uses. An examination of those phrases will show that he refers to those who are sincere believers. The phrase "it is impossible," obviously and properly denotes absolute impossibility. It has been contended by Storr and others that it denotes only great difficulty.

   But the meaning which would at first strike all readers would be that the thing could not be done; that it was not merely very difficult, but absolutely impracticable. The word—adunaton—occurs only in the New Testament in the following places, in all of which it denotes that the thing could not be done:

   Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:27: “With men this is impossible;” that is, men could not save one who was rich, implying that the thing was wholly beyond human power. Luke 18:27: “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God”—referring to the same case. Acts 14:8: “A man of Lystra, impotent in his feet;” that is, who was wholly unable to walk.

   Romans 8:3: “For what the law could not do;” what was absolutely impossible for the law to accomplish, that is, to save men. Hebrews 6:18: “In which it was impossible for God to lie.”Hebrews 10:4: “It is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sin.” And Hebrews 11:6: “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” In all of these instances, it denotes absolute impossibility.

   These passages show that it is not merely a great difficulty to which the apostle refers, but that he meant to say that the thing was wholly impracticable; that it could not be done. And if this is the meaning, then it proves that if those referred to should fall away, they could never be renewed. Their case would be hopeless, and they must perish—that is, if a true Christian should apostatize, or fall from grace, he never could be renewed again and could not be saved.

   Paul did not teach that one might fall away and be renewed again as often as one pleased. He had other views of the grace of God than this. He meant to teach that if a man should once cast off true religion, his case was hopeless, and he must perish. By this solemn consideration—the only one that would be effectual in such a case—he meant to guard them against the danger of apostasy.

For those who were once enlightened. The phrase “to be enlightened” is one that is often used in the Scriptures and may be applied either to one whose understanding has been enlightened to discern his duty, though he is not converted , or, more commonly, to one who is truly converted .

It does not of necessity refer to true Christians, though it cannot be denied that it more obviously suggests the idea that the heart is truly changed and that it is more commonly used in that sense . Light, in the Scriptures, is the emblem of knowledge, holiness, and happiness; and there is no impropriety here in understanding it in accordance with the more decisive phrases which follow, as referring to true Christians.

And have tasted. To taste of a thing means, according to the usage in the Scriptures, to experience or to understand it. The expression is derived from the fact that taste is one of the means by which we ascertain the nature or quality of an object (John 8:51; Hebrews 2:9). The proper idea here is that they had experienced the heavenly gift or had learned its nature.

The heavenly gift. This means the gift from heaven, or which pertains to heaven.

The expression properly means some favor or gift which has descended from heaven and may refer to any of the benefits which God has conferred on man in the work of redemption. It might include the plan of salvation; the forgiveness of sins; the enlightening, renewing, and sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit; or any one of the graces which that Spirit imparts.

The use of the article, however—“the heavenly gift”—limits it to something special, as being conferred directly from heaven. The connection would seem to demand that we understand it as some peculiar favor which could be conferred only on the children of God. It is an expression which may be applied to sincere Christians; it is at least doubtful whether it can with propriety be applied to any other.

And were made partakers of the Holy Ghost. This means partakers of the influences of the Holy Spirit—for it is only in this sense that we can partake of the Holy Spirit. We partake of food when we share it with others; we partake of pleasure when we enjoy it with others; we partake of spoils in war when they are divided between us and others.

So we partake of the influences of the Holy Spirit when we share these influences conferred on His people. This is not language which can properly be applied to anyone but a true Christian. Though it is true that an unpardoned sinner may be enlightened and awakened by the Holy Spirit, the language used here is not such as would likely be employed to describe his state.

It is too clearly expressive of those influences which renew and sanctify the soul. It is as elevated language as can be used to describe the joy of the Christian and is undoubtedly used in that sense here. If it is not, it would be difficult to find any language which would properly express the condition of a renewed heart.

Grotius, Bloomfield, and some others understood this as referring to the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit. But this is not necessary and does not accord well with the general description here, which evidently pertains to the mass of those whom the apostle addressed.