The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 295

Vers. 26-29.-The darkest sin and the most dreadful doom. "For if we Bin wil- fully after that we have received," etc. These solemn words set before us- I. A BIN OF THE GREATEST ENORMITY. To obtain a correct view of the dark sin which is here depicted, let us notice : 1. The spiritual experience which preceded the sin. Two clauses of our text set forth a personal experience of genuine religion. "After that we have received the knowledge of the truth." The word which is trans- lated "knowledge "-h-l.,,.,..,1ris-as Delitzsch points out, cannot mean an unreal or false knowledge, but a genuine and intelligent apprehension of the truth. "The sacred writer, therefore, clearly intimates by the very choice of the word that it is not a mere outward and historical knowledge of which he is here speaking, but an inward, quickening, believing apprehension of revealed truth (eh. vi. 4-8)." "The blood . . . wherewith he was sanctified." In the case supposed the man "had advanced so far in the reality of the spiritual life, that this blood had been really applied to his heart by faith, and its hallowing and purifying effects were visible in his life" (Alford). 2. The character of the sin itsdf. The sin is apostasy from Christianity, after having personally experienced its power and preciousness. But see how it is here sketched. (1) Contemptuous rejection of the Divine Redeemer. "Bath trodden underfoot the Son of God." The expression does not simply mean to cast a thing away as useless, which is afterwards carelessly trampled on by men (Matt. v. 13); but a deliberate, scornful, bitter treading down of a thing. So terribly wicked is the rejection of the Son of God which our text sets forth. (2) Profanation of the sacrificial blood of the Saviour. " Bath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith ho was sanctified, an unholy thing." 'l'he blood of sacrifices offered under the Law was regarded as sacred, and as having cleansing power (Lev. xvi. 19). How much more really and more intensely holy must the blood of Christ be (eh. ix. 13, 14) ! To regard this blood as common, or as the blood of an ordinary man, was not only a degradation of the most sacred thing, but also an admission that Jesus was deservedly put to death; for if his was the common blood of a mere man, he was a blasphemer, and according to the Jewish Law deserved death. (3) Insultation of the Holy Spirit. " And bath done despite unto the fspirit of grace;" or, "insulted the Spirit of grace." The expression designates the Holy Spirit as the Source of grace, and leads us to think of him as a living and loving Person: " To contemn or do despite to this Holy Spirit is to blaspheme the whole work of grace of which one has once been the subject, and to exhibit it as a decep- tion and a lie. It is profanely to contradict the very truth of God, and draw down a vengeance which cannot fail" (Delitzsch). 3. The aggravations of the sin. The pre- ceding experience of the blessings of Christianity sorely aggravates ~o bitter an apostasy from it. But the sin is further aggravated by the wilfulness, deliberateness, and con- tinuousness with which it is committed. "The sin here spoken of is not a momentary or short-lived aberration, from which the infirm but sincere believer is speedily recalled by the convictions of the Spirit, but one wilfully persisted in." "If we sin wilfully." Moreover, it is not an act or acts of wilful sin committed once, or more than once, and then repented of, which is here set forth; but a continuous condition of sin. The use of the present participle--ci,urip"Tuone11>11-" indicates perseverance and continU&Dce in CH, X, 1-30.] 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 285