Men verily swear by the greater - One who has greater authority; who can take cognizance of the obligation, and punish the breach of it. An oath for confirmation - " This observation teaches us," says Dr. Macknight, "that both promissory oaths concerning things lawful and in our power, and oaths for the confirmation of things doubtful, when required by proper authority, and taken religiously, are allowable under the Gospel." read more
The heirs of promise - All the believing posterity of Abraham, and the nations of the earth or Gentiles in general. The immutability of his counsel - His unchangeable purpose, to call the Gentiles to salvation by Jesus Christ; to justify every penitent by faith; to accept faith in Christ for justification in place of personal righteousness; and finally to bring every persevering believer, whether Jew or Gentile, to eternal glory. read more
That by two immutable things - The promise and oath of God: the promise pledged his faithfulness and justice; the oath, all the infinite perfections of his Godhead, for he sware by himself. There is a good saying in Beracoth on Exodus 32:13 , fol. 32: Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self. "What is the meaning of by thine own self? Rab. Eleazar answered, Thus said Moses to the holy blessed God, Lord of all the world. If thou hadst sworn... read more
Verse 13 13.For when God made a promise to Abraham, etc. His object was to prove, that the grace of God is offered to us in vain, except we receive the promise by faith, and constantly cherish it in the bosom of our heart. And he proves it by this argument, that when God promised a countless offspring to Abraham, it seemed a thing incredible; Sarah had been through life barren; both had reached a sterile old age, when they were nearer the grave than to a conjugal bed; there was no vigor to... read more
Verse 16 16.For men, etc. It is an argument from the less to the greater; if credit is given to man, who is by nature false, when he swears, and for this reason, because he confirms what he says by God’s name, how much more credit is due to God, who is eternal truth, when he swears by himself? Now he mentions several things to commend this declaration; and first he says that men swear by the greater; by which he means that they who are wanting in due authority borrow it from another. He adds... read more
Verse 17 17.God, willing, etc. See how kindly God as a gracious Father accommodates himself to our slowness to believe; as he sees that we rest not on his simple word, that he might more fully impress it on our hearts he adds an oath. Hence also it appears how much it concerns us to know that there is such a certainty respecting his goodwill towards us, that there is no longer any occasion for wavering or for trembling. For when God forbids his name to be taken in vain or on a slight occasion,... read more
Verse 18 18.That by two immutable things, etc. What God says as well as what he swears is immutable. (Psalms 12:6; Numbers 23:19.) It may be with men far otherwise; for their vanity is such that there cannot be much firmness in their word. But the word of God is in various ways extolled; it is pure and without any dross, like gold seven times purified. Even Balaam, though an enemy, was yet constrained to bring this testimony, “God is not like the sons of men that he should lie, neither like... read more
Another exhortation to steadfastness. Each stage in the argument of the Epistle is relieved by a hortatory passage intended to confirm and cheer the Hebrews in their Christian faith. Indeed, the one duty upon Which the whole book lays stress is that of believing steadfastness. I. THE EXHORTATION . It assumes various forms. 1. " Be not sluggish. " ( Hebrews 6:12 ) The Hebrews, in the perplexity of their situation by reason of the temptations of Judaism, had begun to sink... read more
The influence of hope on Christian steadfastness. The third part of the parenthesis. To the solemn warning against apostasy he hastens to add how they can be delivered from the evil, and tells them of the power of hope on Christian steadfastness. I. THE WRITER ENCOURAGES THE CULTIVATION OF CHRISTIAN HOPE . He says he is full of hope with regard to them, and desires that they would cherish that hope for themselves. (Note: It is remarkable, if the previous verses are... read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 6:15
He obtained the promise - Isaac was supernaturally born; and in his birth God began to fulfill the promise: while he lived, he saw a provision made for the multiplication of his seed; and, having continued steadfast in the faith, he received the end of all the promises in the enjoyment of an eternal glory. And the inference from this is: If we believe and prove faithful unto death, we shall also inherit the promises; and this is what is implied in the apostle's exhortation, Hebrews 6:12 ;... read more