Hebrews 5-6
5:12 teachers. Every believer is to be a teacher (Col. 3:16; 1 Pet. 3:15; cf. Deut. 6:7; 2 Tim. 3:15). If these Hebrews had really obeyed the gospel of Christ, they would have been passing that message on to others. The Jews were instructed in the law and prided themselves because they taught the law, but had not really understood or appropriated its truths to themselves (see notes on Rom. 2:17–23). oracles. These are contained in the OT Scripture, which had laid the foundation for the gospel and had been committed into the care of the Hebrews (Rom. 3:1, 2). The ABC’s of the law tutored the Hebrews in order to lead them to faith in the Messiah (Gal. 3:23, 24). They had also heard the NT gospel (2:2–4; 1 Pet. 4:11).
The “elementary principles” (NASB) or “elementary truths” (NIV) are the rudiments or basics (summarized in 6:1–2); Greek writers often applied the term to the alphabet. Some writers frequently reproved their readers in similar ways (“You should be teachers by now!”) to stir them to learn what they should already know.
5:13. Some philosophers, like Pythagoras, distinguished between elementary and advanced students, calling them “babes” (cf. v. 13—NASB, KJV) and “mature” (cf. v. 14; “perfect”—KJV) respectively.
The immaturity of the readers prevented their usefulness and skillful performance for God (5:11–14). The writer warned his readers that no one could ever repeat the experience of repentance and conversion if he committed apostasy (6:1–8).
Some see this warning as a teaching that a true Christian can lose his salvation. That position would contradict the teaching of such New Testament passages as John 10:27–29; Romans 11:29; and Philippians 1:6. Others see the warning as hypothetical and not a realistic possibility. The repetition of the warning here and also in 10:26–31 makes this interpretation less likely. Others see the warning as directed at those who are almost Christians but not genuine Christians. In opposition to this view is the fact that a passage such as “shared in the Holy Spirit” (6:4) could not be used of one who was not a Christian. The preferred interpretation is to view this passage as addressed toward professing Christians. The writer urged them to show the reality of their faith by enduring in their commitment to Christ without falling away (6:6). The writer spoke to his readers in accordance with their profession, but he urged them to show their true faith by producing real works.
The point here is not that God does not accept the repentant, but that some hearts become too hard to consider repenting, because they refuse to acknowledge Christ, the only means of repentance. By willfully choosing the kind of belief that nailed Jesus to the cross, they accept responsibility again for killing him.
6:11–12. Ancient moral exhortation often emphasized imitating positive role models (some of whom this writer will list in chap. 11). As Israel “inherited” the land, so Judaism said that the righteous would “inherit” the world to come.