12 that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience have been inheritors of the promises.
Remember your leaders who have spoken to you the word of God; and considering the issue of their conversation, imitate their faith.
For ye have need of endurance in order that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise.
I went by the field of a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding; and lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I received instruction: -- A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest! So shall thy poverty come [as] a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.
Thus saith Jehovah: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the ancient paths, which is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [therein].
He also who is indolent in his work is brother of the destroyer.
Concerning whom we have much to say, and hard to be interpreted in speaking [of it], since ye are become dull in hearing.
And this is the promise which *he* has promised us, life eternal.
By faith Abraham, being called, obeyed to go out into the place which he was to receive for an inheritance, and went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he sojourned as a stranger in the land of promise as a foreign country, having dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with [him] of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, of which God is [the] artificer and constructor. By faith also Sarah herself received strength for [the] conception of seed, and [that] beyond a seasonable age; since she counted him faithful who promised. Wherefore also there have been born of one, and that of one become dead, even as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the countless sand which [is] by the sea shore. All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar off and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth. For they who say such things shew clearly that they seek [their] country. And if they had called to mind that from whence they went out, they had had opportunity to have returned; but now they seek a better, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he has prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, [when] tried, offered up Isaac, and he who had received to himself the promises offered up his only begotten [son],
Here is the endurance of the saints, who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice out of the heaven saying, Write, Blessed the dead who die in [the] Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; for their works follow with them.
For thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands; as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children ye have become, doing good, and not fearing with any kind of consternation.
Take [as] an example, brethren, of suffering and having patience, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of [the] Lord. Behold, we call them blessed who have endured. Ye have heard of the endurance of Job, and seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is full of tender compassion and pitiful.
Let *us* also therefore, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight, and sin which so easily entangles us, run with endurance the race that lies before us,
who by faith overcame kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped lions' mouths,
and thus, having had long patience, he got the promise.
so that we ourselves make our boast in you in the assemblies of God for your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations, which ye are sustaining;
as to diligent zealousness, not slothful; in spirit fervent; serving the Lord.
But if what we see not we hope, we expect in patience. And in like manner the Spirit joins also its help to our weakness; for we do not know what we should pray for as is fitting, but the Spirit itself makes intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered.
to them who, in patient continuance of good works, seek for glory and honour and incorruptibility, life eternal.
But that the dead rise, even Moses shewed in [the section of] the bush, when he called [the] Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob; but he is not God of [the] dead but of [the] living; for all live for him.
But that in the good ground, these are they who in an honest and good heart, having heard the word keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
And his lord answering said to him, Wicked and slothful bondman, thou knewest that I reap where I had not sowed, and gather from where I had not scattered;
If thou know not, thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' booths.
The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns; but the path of the upright is made plain.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Hebrews 6
Commentary on Hebrews 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
In this chapter the apostle proceeds to persuade the Hebrews to make a better proficiency in religion than they had done, as the best way to prevent apostasy, the dreadful nature and consequences of which sin he sets forth in a serious manner (v. 1-8), and then expresses his good hopes concerning them, that they would persevere in faith and holiness, to which he exhorts them, and sets before them the great encouragement they had from God, both with respect to their duty and happiness (v. 9-20).
Hbr 6:1-8
We have here the apostle's advice to the Hebrews-that they would grow up from a state of childhood to the fullness of the stature of the new man in Christ. He declares his readiness to assist them all he could in their spiritual progress; and, for their greater encouragement, he puts himself with them: Let us go on. Here observe, In order to their growth, Christians must leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ. How must they leave them? They must not lose them, they must not despise them, they must not forget them. They must lay them up in their hearts, and lay them as the foundation of all their profession and expectation; but they must not rest and stay in them, they must not be always laying the foundation, they must go on, and build upon it. There must be a superstructure; for the foundation is laid on purpose to support the building. Here it may be enquired, Why did the apostle resolve to set strong meat before the Hebrews, when he knew they were but babes? Answer.
Hbr 6:9-20
The apostle, having applied himself to the fears of the Hebrews, in order to excite their diligence and prevent their apostasy, now proceeds to apply himself to their hopes, and candidly declares the good hope he had concerning them, that they would persevere; and proposes to them the great encouragements they had in the way of their duty.