{"id":55154,"date":"2024-08-07T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-07T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/?p=55154"},"modified":"2024-08-01T11:10:02","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T18:10:02","slug":"guardrails-for-interpreting-the-warning-passages-in-hebrews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/guardrails-for-interpreting-the-warning-passages-in-hebrews\/","title":{"rendered":"Guardrails for Interpreting the Warning Passages in Hebrews"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>How should we interpret the warning passages in Hebrews? The warning passages in Hebrews contain some of the most ominous threats in all of Scripture and have undoubtedly troubled the consciences of the sincerest believers. They raise questions about the possibility of losing one\u2019s salvation and stress the necessity of persevering the faith. But how should we understand these severe warnings? Paul Ellingworth provides us with some guidelines for interpreting these difficult passages in his commentary on Hebrews in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=77398\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New International Greek Testament Commentary<\/a> series. Let\u2019s see what he has to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The \u201cRigorism\u201d of Hebrews<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The question of eschatological salvation leads to the much debated question of the fate of those who reject God\u2019s final gift and revelation in Christ (see the commentary on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+2%3A1-4&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2:1\u20134<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+6%3A4-6&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">6:4\u20136<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+10%3A26-31&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10:26\u201331<\/a>). Relevant factors appear to include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(1)<\/strong> The writer admits no limits to Christ\u2019s authority, or to the scope of his sacrifice (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+1%3A2&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1:2<\/a>, \u03ba\u03bb\u03b7\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd\u03cc\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd \u03c0\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03c9\u03bd; cf. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+1%3A3&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1:3<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+2%3A8-9&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2:8, 9<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(2)<\/strong> The appropriation of the salvation of which Christ is the source depends on faith (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+5%3A9&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">5:9<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(3)<\/strong> An essential aspect of the purpose of Hebrews is to warn the readers against the danger of loss of faith; there is absolutely no reason to suppose that the writer deliberately exaggerated the danger in which he believed his readers to stand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(4)<\/strong> The writer does not envisage for his readers any partial apostasy, whereby they would abandon faith in Christ but remain, for example, good Jews, or more generally believers in God; to lose hold on Christ (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+3%3A14&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3:14<\/a>) is simply \u201cto fall away from the living God\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+3%3A12&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3:12<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(5)<\/strong> The writer associates himself with the danger in which his readers stand; there is no reason to dismiss the \u201cwe\u201d forms in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+2%3A1&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2:1<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+2%3A3&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+10%3A26&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10:26<\/a> as a tactful rhetorical device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(6)<\/strong> The warnings, however, alternate with words of encouragement (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+6%3A9-12&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">6:9\u201312<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+10%3A32-39&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10:32\u201339<\/a>); and this, too, is no mere rhetorical device, but a means of enhancing the contrast between, on the one hand, the blessings they have experienced (cf. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+6%3A4&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">6:4<\/a>f.) and the good they have done in the past, and, on the other hand, the greatness of their loss if they fall away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(7) <\/strong>The warnings are clearly not addressed to nominal Christians, but to those who have shared, as fully as it is possible to share in the present time, in the blessings which accompany and follow entry into the Christian life (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+6%3A4&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">6:4<\/a>f.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(8)<\/strong> The writer does not precisely state that it is impossible for apostates to be saved, but that it is impossible for them to be \u201cagain renewed to repentance\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+6%3A4&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">6:4<\/a>); that is, it impossible for them to repeat the act whereby they may return to faith, and so be saved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(9) <\/strong>The nature of apostasy is described, not merely passively, as \u201cneglect[ing] such a great salvation\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+2%3A3&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2:3<\/a>), but actively, as a deliberate (\u1f11\u03ba\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03af\u03c9\u03c2, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+10%3A26&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10:26<\/a>) sin, which nullifies for the one who commits it the effect of Christ\u2019s sacrificial death (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+10%3A26&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10:26<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+10%3A29&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">29<\/a>), and identifies the apostate with those humanly responsible for that death (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+6%3A6&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">6:6<\/a>). Indeed, it may be that the purpose of the writer\u2019s warnings is to alert the readers to the danger of apostasy in which they stand, and to help them realize the nature of apostasy itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(10)<\/strong> Nowhere does the author state that any of his readers has already fallen into apostasy, or speculate on whether they will do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The question remains whether this teaching, perhaps against the writer\u2019s intention, places limits on the scope of Christ\u2019s sacrifice. In particular, it may be argued that the writer\u2019s thought is still too much constrained by OT categories. If, under the old dispensation, sacrifices were effective in dealing with external or accidental infringements of the Law (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+9%3A10&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">9:10<\/a>), but not with deliberate transgressions, so by analogy, under the new dispensation, deliberate rejection of the one sacrifice which can cleanse the conscience leaves the sinner with no further resource (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+10%3A26&amp;version=NASB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10:26<\/a>). Against this line of thought, it may be argued that the one sacrifice of Christ is effective not only in the past but also in the future, and that its efficacy does not cease at the time at which an individual comes to faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, we reach the limits of what can be stated about the meaning and intention of Hebrews, and enter an area which has tended to be occupied by presuppositions and speculations of other places and times, relating for example to the fourth-century problem of the readmission of <em>traditores,<\/em> or theological controversy about the final perseverance of believers \u2014 issues which, however important in their own settings, are far from the concern of the author of Hebrews. It is probable that the possible apostasy of believers is part of a complex of related questions, including the origin of evil and the result of the last judgment, which in their very nature lie outside the range of human vision, and about which a reverent agnosticism is more prudent, more realistic, and in the end more faithful to scripture, than either positive (universalistic) or negative dogmatic statements. As Calvin expressed it (in a different though related context): \u201cThe best rule of sobriety is, not only in learning to follow wherever God leads, but also when he makes an end of teaching, to cease also from wishing to be wise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The New International Greek Testament Commentary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This commentary is a great resource to have if you\u2019re looking for a commentary on the Greek text of the New Testament. Every word or phrase of the Greek text is commented upon, providing loads of insight into the meaning of the word or phrase, the grammatical and syntactical relationship of the word or phrase to the rest of the sentence, and much more! Since this commentary is based on the Greek text, it\u2019s a perfect companion for Greek New Testaments like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=42020&amp;related_source_page=product_php&amp;source=product_php_recommended_42019\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UBS Greek New Testament<\/a> (UBS-5) or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=21603\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Novum Testamentum Graece<\/a> (NA28).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/NIGTCblog1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-55155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/NIGTCblog1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/NIGTCblog1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/NIGTCblog1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/NIGTCblog1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Get Your Copy of the New International Greek Testament Commentary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"http:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/NIGTCSocial-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-49061\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/NIGTCSocial-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/NIGTCSocial-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/NIGTCSocial-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/NIGTCSocial-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This series contains some of the highest ranked individual volumes according to <a href=\"https:\/\/bestcommentaries.com\/series\/new-international-greek-testament-commentary-nigtc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Best Commentaries<\/a>. Make sure you check out the volumes we have available for the Olive Tree App or purchase the entire series through the link below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=77398\" style=\"background-color:#77aa3c\">NEW INTERNATIONAL GREEK TESTAMENT COMMENTARY<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How should we interpret the warning passages in Hebrews? The warning passages in Hebrews contain some of the most ominous threats in all of Scripture and have undoubtedly troubled the consciences of the sincerest believers. They raise questions about the possibility of losing one\u2019s salvation and stress the necessity of persevering the faith. But how<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":55157,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7849],"tags":[5978],"class_list":{"0":"post-55154","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-commentaries","8":"tag-new-international-greek-testament-commentary-series"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Guardrails for Interpreting the Warning Passages in Hebrews - Olive Tree Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/guardrails-for-interpreting-the-warning-passages-in-hebrews\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Guardrails for Interpreting the Warning Passages in Hebrews\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How should we interpret the warning passages in Hebrews? The warning passages in Hebrews contain some of the most ominous threats in all of Scripture and\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/guardrails-for-interpreting-the-warning-passages-in-hebrews\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Olive Tree Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OliveTreeBible\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-08-07T14:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/christopher-martyn-vIgah8FGbeo-unsplash-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Brad Hoffman\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@OliveTreeBible\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@OliveTreeBible\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Brad Hoffman\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/guardrails-for-interpreting-the-warning-passages-in-hebrews\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/guardrails-for-interpreting-the-warning-passages-in-hebrews\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Brad Hoffman\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/staging-blog.olivetree.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a5aa5788c774e9c21340b24cb3f5091b\"},\"headline\":\"Guardrails for Interpreting the Warning Passages in Hebrews\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-08-07T14:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/guardrails-for-interpreting-the-warning-passages-in-hebrews\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1015,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/guardrails-for-interpreting-the-warning-passages-in-hebrews\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/08\\\/christopher-martyn-vIgah8FGbeo-unsplash-scaled.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"New International Greek Testament Commentary Series\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Commentaries\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/guardrails-for-interpreting-the-warning-passages-in-hebrews\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/guardrails-for-interpreting-the-warning-passages-in-hebrews\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/guardrails-for-interpreting-the-warning-passages-in-hebrews\\\/\",\"name\":\"Guardrails for Interpreting the Warning Passages in Hebrews - 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