an utterance (individually · noun — accusative singular neuter
good
καλὸνkalon
G2570
X better · adjective — accusative singular neuter
word
ῥῆμαrhēma
G4487
an utterance (individually
God
θεοῦtheou
G2316
figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
and
τεte
G5037
both or also (properly · conjunction
powers
δυνάμειςdunameis
G1411
force (literally or figuratively) · noun — accusative plural feminine
world
αἰῶνος,aiōnos
G165
properly · noun — genitive singular masculine
come
μέλλοντοςmellontos
G3195
to intend · verb — present active participle, genitive singular masculine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time…
1 Peter 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Matthew 13:20-21 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Mark 4:16-17 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entang…
Hebrews 2:5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
Mark 6:20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard hi…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Hebrews 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 a…
tasted the good word of God--distinct from "tasted OF (genitive) the heavenly gift"; we do not yet enjoy all the fulness of Christ, but only have a taste OF Him, the heavenly gift now; but believers may taste the whole word (accusative case) of God already, namely, God's "good word of promise." The Old Testament promise of Canaan to Israel typified "the good word of God's" promise of the heavenly rest (Heb. 4:1-16). Therefore, there immediately follows the clause, "the powers of the world to come." As "enlightening" and "tasting of the heavenly gift," Christ, the Bread of Life, answers to FAITH: so "made partakers of the Holy Ghost," to CHARITY, which is the first-fruit of the Spirit: and "t…
And have tasted the good word of God - Have had this proof of the excellence of the promise of God in sending the Gospel, the Gospel being itself the good word of a good God, the reading and preaching of which they find sweet to the taste of their souls. Genuine believers have an appetite for the word of God; they taste it, and then their relish for it is the more abundantly increased. The more they get, the more they wish to have.
The powers of the world to come - Δυναμεις τε μελλοντος αιωνος. These words are understood two ways:
1. The powers of the world to come may refer to the stupendous miracles wrought in confirmation of the Gospel, the Gospel dispensation being the world to come in t…
The Church Fathers
"and having tasted the good word of God." The teaching concerning the mind of Christ. "the powers of the age to come." For we shall all give an account of the words we have lived by, and both punishment and rest are everlasting. For in these things is the power of the age to come. That is, the seriousness [ἀῤῥαβῶνα] of the coming age, namely, faith in Christ.
"And the powers of the age to come," which is to say, "having learned what things the coming age is capable of." For "having tasted" means "having learned" or "having been instructed," as it commonly means, being taken in a figurative manner. But what can the coming age do? And what are its needs and work? In that age each one finds the reward for the things one did; that neither the punishment nor the blessing in that age has an end; that then whatever deed was not unmindful of the judge but was righteous will appear, etc. He says that for those who have learned these things with others and then have fallen away, it is impossible to bring to repentance.
"the powers of the age to come." Powers of the coming age. That there will certainly be a resurrection, and that we shall all give an account of the life we have lived, and that both punishment and rest are inescapable, and such things, for these indeed are the powers of the coming age. Or that the pledge of the coming age is faith in Christ. Powers of the coming age, Instead of what the future age can teach. For those who have tasted, in common, what has been taken figuratively [τροπικῶς], signifying, those who have learned, have been instructed. What then can the future do, and what is its necessity and work? Because in it each finds the reward of what he has done, since there is no end either to the punishment in it, nor to the happiness, because then the unfailing judgment and the just will be revealed more clearly, and many other things. Therefore, those who have learned these things along with the others, he says, and having fallen away, it is impossible, and thereafter.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Backslide — To draw back or apostatize in matters of religion (Acts 21:21; 2 Thess. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1). This may be either partial (Prov. 14:14) or complete (Heb. 6:4-6; 10:38, 39). The apostasy may be both…
Apostasy · 4:1,2; — 4:1,2;
Apostates · It is impossible to restore — It is impossible to restore
Backsliders · 8:22; — 8:22;
Offences Against The Holy Spirit · Exhibited in: Danger of trifling with the Holy Spirit — Exhibited in: Danger of trifling with the Holy Spirit
Perseverance · Want of: Excludes from the benefits of the gospel — Want of: Excludes from the benefits of the gospel
Repentance · Denied to apostates — Denied to apostates
Reprobacy · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Unpardonable Sin · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Word Of God · .GOOD WORD OF GOD — .GOOD WORD OF GOD
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
And have tasted the good word of God,.... Not the Lord Jesus Christ, the essential Word of God, who seems to be intended before by the heavenly gift; but rather, either the Scriptures of truth in general, which are the word of God, endited by him, and contain his mind and will; which he makes use of for conviction, conversion, instruction, and comfort; and which are preserved by him: and these are a good word; they come from him who is good; they are a revelation of good things; they make known things true, pleasant, and profitable: or else the Gospel in particular, of which God is the author; and in which is a wonderful display of his wisdom and grace; and which he owns and blesses for his…
Hebrews 6:3-6
3. And this will we do, if God permit.
3. Et hoc faciemus, siquidem permiserit Deus.
4. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
4. Nam impossibile est eos qui semel fuerunt illuminati, gustaveruntque donum coeleste, et participes facti fuerunt Spiritus sancti,
5. And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
5. Et gustaverunt bonum Dei verbum, virtutesque futuri seculi,
6. 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.
6. Prolapsi sunt, iterum…
tasted the goodness of the word of God: These people had heard the word of God preached (2:3-4; 4:1-2) and had seen its effects. • the power of the age to come: They had witnessed signs and wonders when they heard the Good News (2:4; cp. Exod 7:3-4; Deut 7:19; Pss 66:3; 77:15-20; 78:9-16; 1 Cor 10:1-13).
