The Tragedy of Rejecting Full Revelation, Part 2

Hebrews 6:1-8

INTRODUCTION

Hebrews 5:10‑‑6:12 discusses the issue of spiritual maturity. It contains the third parenthetical warning in the book of Hebrews to Jewish people who were intellectually convinced of the gospel, but who had never made a real commitment to Jesus Christ.

These Hebrews knew the truth, believed it, and were even following some patterns consistent with Christianity. But they were not true Christians. They were warned periodically throughout the book of Hebrews that simply believing things about Christ without a commitment to Him was not sufficient for salvation (cf. James 2:19). They were warned after having heard the gospel and becoming so familiar with it without receiving it that they would find themselves falling away into a hardhearted unbelief. It would then be impossible for them to be saved.

The contrast in Hebrews 5:10‑‑6:12 is not between a mature Christian and an immature one, but between a true Christian and a false one. The term "babe" in Hebrews 5:13 describes an unbeliever‑‑a Jewish person who was hanging on to the ABC's of the Old Covenant. The mature person talked about in verse 14 is one who grows up by putting his faith in Jesus Christ and accepting the fuller revelation in the New Testament.

Those who were still hanging on to the Old Covenant were warned that if they continued to neglect true salvation, they were in danger of being lost forever. This passage has special significance to anyone who comes to the edge of salvation. People can go to church for years and hear the gospel over and over again, yet never really make a commitment to obey Jesus Christ.

REVIEW

I. THE WARNING TO NON‑CHRISTIANS (5:10‑6:8)

A. The Problem (5:10‑14)

1. Dullness Prevents Understanding (vv. 10‑11)

a) Understanding the priesthood of Melchizedek

The problem the writer of Hebrews dealt with in verses 10‑11 was his readers lack of understanding concerning the priesthood of Melchizedek. He says, "Of whom [Melchizedek] we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing" (v. 11).

b) Understanding the problems with dull hearing

The phrase "dull of hearing" means "slow," "sluggish," or "stupid." The writer was saying that his audience was spiritually immature and therefore, could not comprehend the deeper truths concerning the Melchizedekian Priesthood. They had become neglectful of the truth they had received (2:1), hardened their hearts (3:15), and now had become sluggish in their thinking.  They were now in danger of being eternally lost because of their unbelief (6:6).

c) Understanding the cause of dull hearing

2. Dullness Prevents Teaching (v. 12)

a) The time involved

Considering the length of time and the amount of information they had had, these Jewish people could have been teachers of New Covenant truths and yet they themselves needed to be taught. They were still acquainting themselves with the elemental principles of the Old Testament. Like slow seminary students, they needed a good remedial course in Old Testament.

b) The terms involved

The author says they needed to be taught again "the first    principles of the oracles of God" (v. 12). He was referring to the law and promises of the Old Testament. They were such a state of spiritual lethargy, the writer could not only not teach them the New Covenant, but he also had to go back and teach them the Old Covenant again so they could discover the accurate meaning of the New.

c) The task involved

d) The truth involved

3. Dullness Prevents Righteousness (vv. 13‑14)

a) Understanding the problem

(1) Their lack of experience in righteousness

(2) Their lack of discernment in spiritual matters

b) Understanding the word "babe"

LESSON

B. The Solution (6:1‑8)

1. The need for maturity (v. 1a)

"Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection."

Understanding the word "leaving" and the phrase "go on unto perfection" is the crux in interpreting Hebrews 6:1‑8. They are the first step these Jewish people need to make if they are to become spiritually mature. They had to sever once and for all their ties with the Old Covenant‑‑Judaism‑‑and accept Jesus Christ as Savior. They needed to do it immediately, without further hesitation. If the writer was talking only to Christians who needed to mature spiritually, he wouldn't be able to demand instant spirituality because there is no such thing. He was speaking to Jewish people who needed to gain the maturity that salvation brings with the reception of the New Covenant. He is not talking about the process of sanctification, but the instantaneous miracle of salvation. The maturity talked about here is that of leaving the ABC's of the Old Covenant to come to the full revelation in the New Testament.

a) Separation

The Greek word for "leaving" is aphi[ma]emi which means "to forsake," "put away," "disregard," or "put off." It refers to a total detachment from a previous location or position. It does not mean to build on or add something. It refers to cutting something off or moving away from something. The preposition at the beginning of the word, aph implies separation. The basic idea means separation from an original condition. The Expositor's Greek Testament translates Hebrews 6:1, "Let us abandon [give up] the elementary teaching about Christ" (W. Robertson Nicoll, ed. vol. 4 [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974 reprint], p. 293). Henry Alford comments, "Therefore ... leaving (as behind, and done with; in order to go on to another thing)" (The Greek Testament, vol. 4 [Chicago: Moody, 1958], p. 104).

(1) Matthew 13:36‑‑Matthew said, "Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house; and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field." The point to see in the passage is that the same preposition is used as Jesus sent them away from one place to another.

(2) Mark 4:36‑‑Mark said, "When they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the boat." The same Greek construction is indicated with preposition. He doesn't say to build up something, but leave here and go somewhere else.

(3) 1 Corinthians 7:11‑‑Paul said, "But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband; and let not the husband put away his wife." The phrase "put away" is the same word in Hebrews 6:1, aphi[ma]emi, which in this context refers to divorce. This passage can have no other meaning than separation. It is wrong to leave a marriage, but it is mandatory to leave Judaism for Christ. The unbelieving Jewish person must separate himself from his old traditions before he can be saved.

(4) Matthew 9:2‑‑Jesus said, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven [aphi[ma]emi] thee." He essentially was saying "Thy sins be separated from thee." Aphi[ma]emi is often used in this sense (cf. Rom. 4:7; James 5:15).

(5) Matthew 15:14‑‑Jesus said, "Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind." Aphi[ma]emi is used here to speak of separating oneself from false teachers.

(6) Mark 1:20‑‑Mark said, "Straightway he called them; and they left their father, Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him." Aphi[ma]emi here refers to James' and John's leaving their father to follow Jesus. As far as their life's work was concerned, they abandoned‑‑completely separated themselves‑‑their father and his fishing business.

The key in understanding the book of Hebrews is not that these Hebrews are simply adding Jesus to their sinful activity. You need to drop your sinful life‑style and pursue Christ. Hebrew 6:1 must refer to an unbeliever because at no time does the Word of God ever command Christians to drop the basics of Christianity and go on to something else. In fact, we're clearly told not to do that (cf. Gal. 1:6‑9, 1 Tim. 4:1). It specifically refers to unbelievers who need to drop the Old Covenant and move on to Christ. Our author is commanding the Hebrews to abandon the shadows, types, pictures, and sacrifices of the Old Testament and come to the reality of Jesus Christ in the New Covenant.

Hebrews 6:1 can be translated this way: "Therefore, finally moving on from the basics principles behind the teaching of the Messiah, let's go on to maturity." The Greek translation is literally, "Leaving the beginning teaching of Messiah." They were to leave the pictures and types in the Old Testament that pointed to the coming of Messiah because He had already come!

b) Salvation

The writer of Hebrews urges his readers to "go on to perfection." The meaning of the word "perfection" is "maturity." The only way this maturity would come about is through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Hebrews 7:11 says, "If, therefore, perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek?" The writer is saying that if you could be mature by the Old Covenant, you wouldn't need Christ. The term "perfection" thus refers to the need to mature from the basics of the Old Covenant to the richness and fullness of the New.

The writer is not asking his Christian readers to grow up. He is asking his Jewish readers to drop the Old Covenant and accept the New. The same idea is seen in Hebrews 7:19: "The law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did." That better hope is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who is perfection incarnate. Hebrews 10:14 says, "By one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." The writer is telling his Jewish audience to go on to perfection‑‑to the full maturity of a relationship with the Messiah.

2. The need for a new foundation (vv. 1b‑2)

"Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgement."

The foundation concerning the Messiah was originally laid with pictures and types, but now, the writer says, the reality is here. He gives six features of the Old Testament covenantal foundation. Many people have assigned these passages to Christians, saying they should rid themselves of these basics of the Christian life and grow up to more mature doctrines. But it could not mean that because he was specifically speaking to Jewish people who would be the only ones who could best understand these Old Testament concepts.

a) "repentance from dead works"

This phrase simply refers to turning away from evil deeds. The writer says in Hebrews 9:13, "If the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

The Old Testament taught that a man should repent and turn from his evil works, for they bring about death. Ezekiel 18:4 says, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." The New Testament contains a similar concept: "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). The Old Testament contained only the first half of repentance‑‑toward God. All men knew was to turn away from their evil works, and turn toward God. But in the New Testament, repentance toward God is linked with faith in Jesus Christ. When John the Baptist came preaching, and even in Jesus' own early ministry, the message was "Repent for the Kingdom is at hand" (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). Only repentance was preached. The doctrine became more mature and complete in Jesus Christ.

(1) Acts 20:21‑‑Paul said, "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." You must not only repent, but also place your faith in Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus said in John 14:6, "No man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Acts 4:12 reiterates the same message: "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

(2) Acts 26:19‑20‑‑Paul said, "O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision, but showed first unto them at Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the borders of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works fit for repentance." Later in verse 23, Paul said, "That Christ should suffer... and should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles." In the New Covenant, whenever men were commanded to repent and turn toward God, it was with a view toward faith in Jesus Christ. The doctrine of repentance from dead works is made full by the doctrine of repentance toward God through faith in Christ. A person, no matter how sincerely he seeks, who does not repent of his sins and turns to faith in Jesus Christ, will never reach God. Jesus Christ is the only way God has provided to Himself (cf. John 5:23).

b) "faith toward God"

(1) Acts 2:38‑‑Peter said, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." Repentance comes by faith in Christ; the two concepts are tied together.

(2) Acts 11:17‑18‑‑Peter said, "Forasmuch, then, as God gave them the same gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." Repentance only comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The only faith that is acceptable to God is faith in His Son.

The Old Testament taught repentance from dead works and faith toward God. The New Testament teaches repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only way to God. The Jewish people the writer addresses in this epistle believed in God, but they were not saved. Their repentance from evil deeds and faith toward God‑‑no matter how sincere it might have been‑‑ could not bring them to God without Christ.

c) "the doctrine of baptisms"

This translation from the King James Version misleading. In Hebrews 9:10, the same Greek word (baptismos) is translated, "washings," so it should be translated the same way here. It is not the usual Greek word for baptism, which is baptiz[ma]o. It may been that the translators of the Authorized Version assumed this passage was addressed to Christians, in which case the word "baptisms" might have been appropriate. The use of baptismos rather than baptiz[ma]o is another strong indication that the passage is not addressed to Christians. The word baptismos means "washings" and it refers to the Old Testament washings (cf. Hebrews 9:10). Every Jewish home had a basin by the entrance for family and visitors to use for their many ceremonial cleansings. The writer of Hebrews is encouraging them to drop their doctrines of ceremonial cleansing and come to true cleansing.

(1) Ezekiel 36:25‑26‑‑Through the prophet God said, "I [will] sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you." God Himself predicted that there would come a day when man would be spiritually cleansed. Cleansings would no longer be physical, symbolic, and temporary. Rather the one final cleansing would be spiritual, real, and permanent.

(2) Titus 3:5‑‑Paul told Titus, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit." The Jewish people needed to abandon the external washings and pursue the real washing that comes in our hearts by faith in Christ.

(3) John 3:5‑‑Jesus told Nicodemus, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." Jesus was talking about salvation. That is the internal cleansing of which Ezekiel spoke. It would be the only frame of reference Nicodemus could have for understanding Christ's statement since he was the preeminent teacher in Israel (cf. John 3:1). He couldn't have understood that phrase to mean Christian baptism at all because there was no such thing as Christian baptism at that time.

d) "laying on of hands"

This laying on of hands has nothing to do with the apostolic practices (e.g. Acts 5:18, 6:6, 8:17; 1 Tim. 4:14). Under the Old Covenant, the person who brought an animal sacrifice had to put his hands on it to signify his identification with that sacrifice (Lev. 1:4; 3:8, 13). The writer of Hebrews is saying to forget about the laying on of hands with animal sacrifices, and instead lay hold of Christ by faith. Our identification with Jesus Christ doesn't come by putting our hands on his physical body, but by being baptized by the Holy Spirit into the spiritual Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13).

e) "resurrection of the dead"

(1) In the Old Testament

The Old Testament doctrine of resurrection is not clear or complete. We simply learn that men will live after death, and there will be reward for the good and punishment for evil.

(a) Job 19:25‑27‑‑Job said, "I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself ... though my heart be consumed within me." He knew he would have a restored body.

(b) Daniel 12:2‑‑An angel told Daniel, "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt."

(2) In the New Testament

However, the full doctrine concerning the subject of resurrection blooms in the New Testament.

(a) John 11:25‑‑Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and     the life." In its fullness, the doctrine of resurrection finds itself in the person of Jesus Christ.

(b) 1 Corinthians 15‑‑An entire chapter is devoted to specific details about the resurrection of our bodies.

(c) 1 John 3:2‑‑"It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

Why should anyone be content with trying to understand the resurrection from the limited and vague teachings of the Old Testament? The writer of Hebrews is saying that the Jewish people need to come to the full revelation about resurrection truth in the New Testament.

f) "eternal judgement"

(1) In the Old Testament

Ecclesiastes 12:14 says, "God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." We can learn little more than that concerning final judgement in the Old Testament. But in the New Testament, we are told a great deal about eternal judgement.

(2) In the New Testament

(a) Romans 8:1‑‑Paul said, "There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus." Believers will not be condemned in the final judgement.

(b) 1 Corinthians 3:12‑15‑‑Paul also said, "Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble‑‑Every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall test every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built upon it, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet as by fire." We will stand before the Lord and have our work judged‑‑for reward or for the lack of them‑‑but we ourselves will not be judged.

(c) Matthew 25:46‑‑Matthew said, "These [goats] shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal." We also know what is going to happen to unbelievers in the judgment of sheep and goats.

(d) Revelation 20:11‑12‑‑John said, "I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." This is the judgement of the great white throne.

(e) John 5:22‑‑Jesus said, "The father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the Son." We know this and much more about judgement from the New Testament.

The point of Hebrews 6:1‑2 is that unbelieving Jewish people should go beyond the elementary principles of the Old Covenant and grasp the mature and perfect reality of the New. The Holy Spirit is calling them to leave the ABC's of repentance from dead works for the New Testament teaching of repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They're to leave the ABC's of faith toward God for faith in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. They're to leave the ABC's of ceremonial washings for the cleansing of the soul by the Word. They're to leave the ABC's of laying hands on the sacrifice for laying hold of the lamb of God by faith, to leave the ABC's of the resurrection of the dead for the full and glorious resurrection unto life. And, they're to leave the ABC's of eternal judgment for the full truth of judgment and rewards as revealed in the New Covenant.

The Old Testament is incomplete. It is true, it is of God, and it was a necessary part of His revelation and His plan of salvation, but it is partial revelation only and is not sufficient. Judaism is no longer a valid expression of worship or of obedience to God. It must be abandoned.

3. The need for power (v. 3)

"This will we do, if God permit."

Interpreting this verse is difficult, despite its brevity. It can be seen from two different angles.

a) The writer's perspective

Some interpreters believe the word "we" refers to the writer of Hebrews himself as if he were saying, "I will go on and teach you what you need to know if God permits me."

b) The Lord's perspective

Other interpreters believe the writer is simply identify himself with those to whom he writes, as if to say, "You will go on to maturity if God permits."

I believe both interpretations could be correct. They are not mutually exclusive and are consistent with the rest of Hebrews. Both service (the writer going on to teach) and salvation (the readers going on to maturity in Christ) must be energized by the Holy Spirit if they are to be effective and fruitful. The need for divine enablement is the point of verse 3.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3:5, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God." Perhaps in a similar vein of humility the writer of Hebrews was acknowledging that he really had no right to teach spiritual maturity to the Hebrews unless God directed him to. James said, "Come now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the next day. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For ye ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that" (James 4:13‑15). Applying this perhaps to the unbeliever, James was saying that whatever you do is subject to the sovereignty of God. By teacher and seeker alike, God's sovereignty should be recognized (John 6:44).

4. The need for remembrance (vv. 4‑5)

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

That is a very serious warning. You had better come to Christ, for if you fall away, after having been exposed to the truth, it will be impossible for you to be saved. Some have used this passage to prove that you can lose your salvation. But it is not even addressed to Christians. Those who believe you can lose your salvation have problems with this passage because if it teaches that, then it also teaches that you can't get it back again. Another problem with that view is the multiplicity of other passages in the New Testament that teach the security of salvation (e.g. John 10:27‑29, Rom. 5:1‑11, Rom. 8:35‑38, Phil. 1:6, and 1 Pet. 1:3). The writer of Hebrews is speaking to those on the verge of making a commitment to Christ.

The gospel was preached to the Hebrew readers by the apostles. Chapter 2:4 that says they saw the signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Spirit. The Hebrew audience had accepted the gospel intellectually, but were close to walking away and returning to Judaism. They were therefore close to being eternally lost because there is other alternative: You either go on to full knowledge in Christ, or you are lost forever. Hebrews 6:4‑5 is a classic definition of apostasy.

Because of the seriousness of this passage, many have tried to change the wording to read, it is difficult to repent. But the word is not difficult; it is "impossible" (Gk. adunaton) The same word occurs in 6:18, 10:4, and 11:6 which all require the translation "impossible." When you come to the point of being convinced about who Christ is‑‑maybe even being a faithful church member‑‑without making the commitment to Him, you are in danger of falling away. And if that is true of you, it is impossible for you to be saved. That is the teaching of the Word of God.

The Hebrews who were being addressed here had five great advantages. They are summarized in verses 4‑5:

a) They had been enlightened

To understand what the passage is saying, you must understand what it is not saying. It makes no reference whatsoever to salvation. There is no mention of justification, sanctification, the new birth, regeneration, or being born again. None of the normal terminology for salvation is used in this passage. And no term used in this passage is used elsewhere in the New Testament to refer to salvation.

The term "once enlightened" means "to have come to an intellectual perception of truth." It is used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) to refer to someone who has been given light by knowledge or teaching. It simply means to be mentally aware or to have been instructed in something. It carries no connotation of acceptance or rejection, belief or disbelief.

(1) Matthew 4:16‑‑ "The people who sat in darkness saw great light." Jesus fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 42:6‑7. It does not mean that all the people of Galilee were saved. They were enlightened by having seen Christ and His miracles, but as we know the gospel records, everyone did not believe as a result. The light of the glorious gospel had broken in on their darkness, and their lives could never be the same again. The same thing had happened to those whom the author of Hebrews addresses.

(2) John 1:9‑‑John said Christ "was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." Not all who saw and heard that light were saved. Seeing God's light and accepting it are not the same. Many men have factual information concerning Christ, but not all believe. The lives of all who saw Jesus were permanently affected by the indelible impression He made on them, yet most did not believe in Him (cf. John 12:37‑40).

(3) 2 Peter 2:20‑‑Peter said, "For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning." It is better for you know nothing, than to know the gospel, ignore it, and then finally walk away after having been enlightened.

The same thing had happened to the Jews being addressed in Hebrews 6:1‑8. They were enlightened but not saved. They were in danger of losing all opportunity of being saved. They were in danger of becoming apostates because of their continual unbelief. The light that was given to save them could easily become a judgment against them.

b) They had tasted the heavenly gift

There are several things this particular phrase could refer to. The Holy Spirit is spoken of in Scripture as a heavenly gift, but since He is mentioned in the next verse, that is probably not a reference to Him. Another heavenly gift mentioned in Scripture is salvation (Eph. 2:8). Christ Himself is called the unspeakable gift in 2 Corinthians 9:15. Neither, however was yet received by the Hebrew audience in view in verse 4. It does not say they feasted on the heavenly gift, lived by it, or ate it. They merely tasted it.

(1) John 4:10‑‑Speaking to the woman at the well, "Jesus answered, and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God [salvation], and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." He went on to say that all those who drink living water are truly saved. Tasting is not drinking. Tasting is simply receiving a small portion of something to decide whether you want to drink it. If it does not taste good, you do not continue to drink. But drinking in living water‑‑committing yourself after your first taste‑‑that is salvation.

(2) John 6:32, 53‑‑In talking to the Pharisees "Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.... Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." Jesus was saying that eternal life comes from eating‑‑not simply tasting‑‑God's gift of salvation in Christ.

One of the presalvation ministries of the Holy Spirit is to enable the unsaved to have a taste of the blessings of salvation. But tasting is not the same as eating. The Holy Spirit will give us a taste, but He will not make us eat. The Spirit of God placed the blessing of salvation on the lips of the Hebrews, but they had not yet eaten. The tasting had come from what they saw and heard, as many today have seen the transforming power of Christ and heard the gospel.

c) They were partakers of the Holy Spirit

The Greek word for "partakers" is metochous, which refers to an association. It does not mean these Hebrews possessed the Holy Spirit; it simply means they were around when the Holy Spirit was at work. The same word is used to speak of fellow fishermen in Luke 5:7 and of Christ in relation to the angels in Hebrews 1:9. It refers to a common sharing in certain activities or events.