6
If they shall fall away,—
(kai parapesontas) and having fallen away. On this expression, Dr. Macknight remarks as follows: "The verbs
photisthentas, geusamenous, and
genethentas, being all aorists, are rightly rendered by our translators in the past time; who were enlightened, have tasted, and were made partakers. Wherefore,
parapesontas, being an aorist, ought likewise to have been translated in past time,
have fallen away. Nevertheless, our translators following Beza, who without any authority from ancient manuscripts, inserted in his version the word
si (if), have rendered this clause, 'if they shall fall away'; that this text might not appear to contradict the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. But as no translator should take upon him to add to or to alter the Scriptures for the sake of any favorite doctrine, I have translated
parapesontas in the past time,
have fallen away, according to the true import of the word as standing in connection with the other aorists in the preceding verses." It is therefore possible that a man may have been once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made a partaker of the Holy Spirit, and that he may have experienced the blessed sanctifying influences of the good word of God, sustained and supported by the powerful demonstrations of the reign of Heaven, and nevertheless fall away beyond the reach of recovery. "Let him [then] that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall."
to renew them again to repentance:—To do this in the case of those who have apostatized from Christ is simply impossible. When the cord of life and love that binds the true believer to Christ, has been once completely severed, the parties so separated can never again be reunited. The case of the apostate is as hopeless as is that of Satan himself. Nothing remains for him but "a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries." This is so clearly taught both here and in
10:26-29, that of the fact itself there can be no question. But why is it so? Is it owing simply to the fact that the heart of the apostate becomes so hardened by sin that no moral power can renew it? Or does God then also withdraw his converting and renewing power from every such abandoned sinner? That both are true seems very evident from such passages as the following:
Gen. 6:3;
Num. 15:30, 31;
Prov. 1:24-32;
Isa. 55:6;
Hos. 4:17;
Rom. 1:24,
26,
28;
2 Thess. 2:11,
12.
seeing they crucify, etc.—We have given in this clause the characteristic spirit of that class of persons to whom the Apostle refers in our text. They would crucify, if they could, the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. The mere
backslider, though fallen, has still faith in Christ. It may be very weak, and almost ready to perish. But with proper care it may be revived and strengthened, and the poor repenting sinner will then mourn over his sins and transgressions, as one that mourns for an only son, or as "one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." But not so with the hardened apostate. He has no longer any trust and confidence in Christ. Hatred has taken the place of love in his heart, and esteeming the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, he tramples it under his feet in contempt, and if it were possible he would even crucify again the Son of God, and expose him to public reproach.
On this whole subject, Dean Alford makes the following very just and critical remarks: "In later times the great combat over our passage has been between the Calvinistic and Armenian expositors. To favor their peculiar views of indefectibility, the former have endeavored to weaken the force of the participial clauses as implying any real participation in the spiritual life. So Calvin, Beza, Owen, Tait, etc. Owen says, The persons here intended are not true and sincere believers:—for (1) in their full and large description there is no mention of faith or believing, etc—But all this is clearly wrong, and contrary to the plainest sense of the terms here used. The writer even heaps clause upon clause to show that no such shallow tasting, no 'primonbus tan turn labris gustasse [no mere tasting with the top of the lips] is intended. And the whole contextual argument is against the view, for it is the very fact of these persons having veritably entered into the spiritual life, which makes it impossible to renew them afresh if they shall fall away. If they have never entered it, if they are unregenerate, what possible logic is it, or even common sense at all, to say that their shallow taste and partial apprehension, makes it impossible to renew them? And what again to say that it is impossible
palin anakainizein [to renew again] persons in whose case no
anakainismos [renewal] has ever taken place? If they never have believed, never have been regenerated, how can it be more difficult to renew them to repentance, than the heathen or any unregenerate person? Our landmark of exegesis must be to hold fast the plain simple sense of the passage, and recognize the fact that the persons are truly the partakers of the spiritual life—regenerate by the Holy Spirit."
These critical reasonings and observations are not to be gain-sayed; they are wholly unanswerable. But how painful it is after all this to hear from the same learned author such unauthorized remarks as the following: "
Elect, of course, they are not, or they could not fall away, by the very force of the term. But this is one among many passages, wherein the Scripture, as ever from the teaching of the church, we learn that
elect and
regenerate are not convertible terms.
All elect are regenerate, but all regenerate are not elect. The regenerate may fall away, the elect never can." Here the learned author certainly attempts to make a groundless distinction. Where in the Scriptures is it taught that some of the regenerate are not elect?! Dean Alford was an able critic, but in his theological speculations he frequently errs.
Equally strange and absurd is the hypothesis of the good and venerable Albert Barnes. He says, "The passage proves that if true believers should apostatize, it would be impossible to renew and save them. If then it should be asked whether I believe that any true Christian ever did or ever will fall from grace, and wholly lose his religion, I would answer unhesitatingly
no." Why, then, all this earnest warning about a matter which never did occur, and which from the very nature of the case never can occur?! Why spend our time in solemnly warning the people to beware lest the heavens fall, if by the decrees and ordinances of Jehovah it is made absolutely impossible that they ever can fall?!
Gospel Advocate Commentaries - New Testament Commentary – A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews.