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.
Well my Bible does not have IF in it. And I am sure that there must be many others.
It is therefore possible that a man may have been once enlightened,
But what does it mean to be enlightened? Anyone who hears the Gospel and understands it is enlightened. And many hear it and reject it. Israel were enlightened in Egypt and in the wilderness, but they still fell away. It means light has shone on them.
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and have tasted of the heavenly gift,
These men had tasted of the heavenly gift. God had borne them witness by sign and wonders and manifold powers (Heb 2.3). Israel had similarly tasted of the heavenly gift both in Egypt and in the wilderness. But they were still in unbelief..
and been made a partaker of the Holy Spirit,
Better translated, 'and have gone along with (have shared in) the Holy Spirit.' It indicates experiencing the work of the Spirit on them. But many have experienced the Holy Spirit working on them and have finally refused to respond. It was the experience of Israel in the wilderness (Isaiah 63.9-11).
and that he may have experienced the blessed sanctifying influences of the good word of God,
a slightly exaggerated translation. RV has, 'have tasted of the good word of God.' They had been moved by the word of God which had spoken in their hearts. But that has happened to many who have finally not believed. The Israelites in the wilderness certainly tasted the good word of God, and finally rejected it.
sustained and supported by the powerful demonstrations of the reign of Heaven,
Literally, 'and (have tasted of) the powers of the age to come'. they had experienced supernatural manifestations.
such things have happened in times of revival. Certainly the children of Israel had experienced such manifestations in the wilderness. But they were still unbelieving.
No one is doubting that these people had experienced the power of God in unusual ways. But there is no hint that they had 'believed'. Indeed the idea of faith is remarkably lacking. Many must have had the same experiences when they listened to Paul and saw what he did, and we find the same in Acts. But not all believed. What he is warning is of the great danger of having had such privileges and rejecting them. The Pharisees had had them when facing Jesus. They too were warned of the danger if they refused to believe.
and nevertheless fall away beyond the reach of recovery
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sadly that happens to many who are remarkably challenged by God.
to renew them again to repentance.
They have 'blasphemed again the Holy Spirit' just as the Pharisees were in danger of doing when they saw the heavenly work of Jesus Christ and refused to believe.
It is foolish to suggest that an ordinary backslider ever finds himself in this position. Christ seeks them until He finds them. It is clearly an unusual situation.
It suggests that God had done a great work among these Hebrews, and many had responded. But some were holding back and received his warning/
