Expositor's Bible Commentary 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)

This verse indicates the reasonableness of what follows: Had his readers really fallen away, there would be no point in talking to them. The word “enlightened” (GK 5894) affirms that those who are admitted to the Christian faith are brought to that light that is “the light of the world” (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:6; 2 Peter 1:19). To abandon the Gospel would be to sin against the light they had received. “The heavenly gift” is not closely defined. The thought is of God’s good gift, and we cannot be more precise than this. The Holy Spirit is active among all believers and for that matter to some extent beyond the church, in his work of “common grace.” It is clear that some activity of the Spirit is in mind. Yet once more our author does not define it closely.