Heb 6:12, 15, 17 | JFB | STEP | 12. be not — Greek, "become not." In , he said, "Ye have become dull ( Greek, ' slothful ') of hearing "; here he warns them not to become "slothful absolutely, " namely, also in mind and deed. He will not become slothful who keeps always the end in view; hope is the means of ensuring this. followers — Greek, "imitators"; so in , Greek; . patience — Greek, " long-suffering endurance." There is the long-suffering patience, or endurance of love, , and that of faith, . them who . . . inherit the promises — Greek, "who are inheriting, " &c.; to whom the promises are their inheritance. Not that they have actually entered on the perfect inheritance, which explicitly denies; though doubtless the dead in Christ have, in the disembodied soul, a foretaste of it; but "them (enumerated in ) who in every age have been, are, or shall be, inheritors of the promises"; of whom Abraham is an illustrious example ( ).

Hebrews 6:12

12. be not—Greek, "become not." In Heb 5:11, he said, "Ye have become dull (Greek, 'slothful') of hearing"; here he warns them not to become "slothful absolutely," namely, also in mind and deed. He will not become slothful who keeps always the end in view; hope is the means of ensuring this.

followers—Greek, "imitators"; so in Eph 5:1, Greek; 1Co 11:1.

patience—Greek, "long-suffering endurance." There is the long-suffering patience, or endurance of love, 1Co 13:4, and that of faith, Heb 6:15.

them who . . . inherit the promises—Greek, "who are inheriting," &c.; to whom the promises are their inheritance. Not that they have actually entered on the perfect inheritance, which Heb 11:13, 39, 40 explicitly denies; though doubtless the dead in Christ have, in the disembodied soul, a foretaste of it; but "them (enumerated in Heb 11:2-40) who in every age have been, are, or shall be, inheritors of the promises"; of whom Abraham is an illustrious example (Heb 6:13).

Hebrews 6:15

15. so—thus relying on the promise.

Hebrews 6:17

17. Wherein—that is, Which being the case among men, God, in accommodation to their manner of confirming covenants, superadded to His sure word His oath: the "TWO immutable things" (Heb 6:18).

willing . . . counsel—Greek, "willing . . . will"; words akin. Expressing the utmost benignity [BENGEL].

more abundantly—than had He not sworn. His word would have been amply enough; but, to make assurance doubly sure, He "interposed with an oath" (so the Greek). Literally, He acted as Mediator, coming between Himself and us; as if He were less, while He swears, than Himself by whom He swears (for the less among men usually swear by the greater). Dost thou not yet believe, thou that hearest the promise? [BENGEL].

heirs of promise—not only Abraham's literal, but also his spiritual, seed (Ga 3:29).