ACC ~ Hebrews 6 v4 - 6

THE LIMIT FOR DIVINE BAPTISM. THEODORET OF CYR: It is out of the question, he is saying, for those who have approached all-holy baptism, shared in the grace of the divine Spirit and received the type of the eternal goods to make their approach again and be granted another baptism. This is no different, in fact, from fixing the Son of God to the cross again and besmirching him again with the dishonor already shown. As he in his own case endured the passion once, we too likewise ought share the passion with him once. We are buried with him in baptism, and we rise with him; so it is not possible for us to enjoy the gift of baptism again. … Our former self was crucified with him in baptism by receiving the type of death. By “goodness of the Word of God” he meant the promise of good things; “powers of the age to come” is the term he used of baptism and the grace of the Spirit: through them it is possible to attain the promised goods.

Now, the apostle said this to teach the believers from Jews not to think all-holy baptism is like the Jewish baptisms: they did not wash away sins, but cleansed the body of apparent defilement—hence they were applied many times and frequently. This baptism of ours, on the contrary, is one only, for the reason that it involves the type of the saving passion and resurrection and prefigures for us the resurrection to come. The followers of Novatian use these words to contest the truth, failing to understand that the divine apostle, far from prohibiting the remedies of repentance, set the limit for divine baptism. … After all, his writings to the Corinthians and the Galatians testify to the fact that he preaches repentance everywhere, and he disseminates these teachings everywhere. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 6.

WHAT CAN THE COMING AGE DO? PHOTIUS: “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. FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.5.

THE DOOR OF MERCY IS OPEN FOR REPENTANTS. EPHREM THE SYRIAN: “It is impossible to restore again to repentance” through a second baptism “those who have once been baptized,who have tasted the heavenly gift” through the medicine which they received, “have become partakers of the Holy Spirit” through the gifts received from the Spirit, “have tasted the goodness of the Word of God” in the new gospel and were armed with the power of the age to come in the promises prepared for the pious ones, but now “have fallen away” again. Those who propose two baptisms ask for the crucifixion again of the Son of God and for his dishonor. But crucifixion was performed once and will not be performed once more, and baptism was conceded as an “absolver” and is not conceded a second time to the sinner. … After the apostle said these words and discouraged them from sinning and being in want of propitiation, he changed his tone and encouraged them, as if to say, “If there is no second baptism to purify you, your deeds and charity are to be an eternal baptism for you.” “Though,” he says, “we speak thus” and close the door of mercy before the just ones lest they may sin, nevertheless the door of mercy is open for penitents. “God is not so unjust as to overlook your work,” that is, your gift, “and the love” which you have for the saints and the poor who are in Jerusalem. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

A SECOND BAPTISM IS AN ACT OF RIDICULE. SEVERIAN OF GABALA: The apostles raised the dead. And this was the power of the resurrection. He said, “hold him up to contempt,” because if baptism is a mystery, it suffices once and for all. And if the matter happens a second time, it is an act of despising and ridicule. FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.6.

WE HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED THROUGH BAPTISM. PHOTIUS: What does it mean, “crucifying for themselves anew the Son of God and holding him up to contempt”? He says that they crucify him again for themselves and dishonor him. This is what he means here: Christ was crucified once and for all, and we have been crucified together with him through baptism.Then he says that such a one, imagining that there is a second baptism, like their [first] baptism into him, crucifies the Lord again. For what else does the one do who intends to be crucified a second time with him than to deem that Christ has been crucified a second time through the things he does? But he says that to crucify Christ a second time (insofar as it applies to him) is nothing other than to ridicule and dishonor him. For having died once and for all he is immortal thereafter, but the one who crucifies him anew posits this lie, inasmuch as he reproaches him as a liar when he says that he died once and for all. FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.6.

THINGS IMPOSSIBLE FROM A HUMAN POINT OF VIEW ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD. AMBROSE: Could Paul teach in opposition to his own act? He had at Corinth forgiven sin through penance; how could he himself speak against his own decision? Since, then, he could not destroy what he had built, we must assume that what he says was different from, but not contrary to, what had gone before. For what is contrary is opposed to itself; what is different has ordinarily another meaning. Things that are contrary are not such that one can support the other. Inasmuch, then, as the apostle spoke of remitting penance, he could not be silent as to those who thought that baptism was to be repeated. And it was right first of all to remove our anxiety and to let us know that, even after baptism, if any sinned, their sins could be forgiven them, lest a false belief in a reiterated baptism should lead astray those who were destitute of all hope of forgiveness. And second, it was right to set forth in a well-reasoned argument that baptism is not to be repeated. …

So, then, that which he says in this epistle to the Hebrews, that it is impossible for those who have fallen to be “renewed unto repentance, crucifying again the Son of God and putting him to open shame,” must be considered as having reference to baptism, wherein we crucify the Son of God in ourselves that the world may be by him crucified for us. We triumph, as it were, when we take to ourselves the likeness of his death. We put to open shame upon his cross principalities and powers and triumphed over them, that in the likeness of his death we, too, might triumph over the principalities whose yoke we throw off. But Christ was crucified once and died to sin once, and so there is but one, not several baptisms. …

And indeed I might also say to anyone who thought that this passage spoke of repentance, that things which are impossible from the human point of view are possible with God. God is able whenever God wills to forgive us our sins, even those which we think cannot be forgiven. And so it is possible for God to give us that which it seems to us impossible to attain. For it seemed impossible that water should wash away sin, and Naaman the Syrian thought that leprosy could not be cleansed by water. But that which was impossible, God who gave us such great grace made to be possible. Similarly it seemed impossible that sins should be forgiven through repentance, but Christ gave this power to his apostles, which has been transmitted to the priestly office. That, then, has become possible which was impossible. But by true reasoning, the apostle convinces us that the reiteration by anyone of the sacrament of baptism is not permitted. CONCERNING REPENTANCE 2.2.7-12.

THE MEDICINE OF REPENTANCE. CHRYSOSTOM: What then is the medicine of repentance, and of what does it consist? First, of the condemnation of our own sins. … Second, of great humbleness of mind, for it is like a golden chain; if one grasps firmly the beginning, all will follow. Because if you confess your sin as one ought to confess, the soul is humbled, for conscience, turning it on itself, causes it to be subdued.

Other things too must be added to humbleness of mind if it is to be such as the blessed David knew when he said, “A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”For that which is broken does not rise up, does not strike, but is ready to be ill-treated and does not strike back. Such is contrition of heart. Though it is insulted, though it be evilly treated, it is quiet and is not eager for vengeance.

And after humbleness of mind, there is need of intense prayers, of many tears, tears by day and tears by night, for, he says, “I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.” And again, “For I eat ashes like bread and mingle tears with my drink.” And after prayer this intense, there is need of much almsgiving, for thus it is which especially gives strength to the medicine of repentance. … For hear what the divine Scripture says, “Give alms, and all things shall be clean.” And again, “By almsgiving and acts of faithfulness sins are purged away.”And “Water extinguishes a blazing fire; so almsgiving atones for sin.”

Next, do not be angry with any one, not bearing malice, forgiving all their trespasses. For it is said, “Does a man harbor anger against another and yet seek healing from the Lord?” “Forgive that you may be forgiven.”

Also, converting our brethren from their wandering. For it is said, “Go, and convert your brethren, that your sins may be forgiven.”Remain in close relation with the elders, so if one has “committed sins, he will be forgiven.” Stand forward in defense of those who are wronged. Do not retain anger. Bear all things meekly. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 9.8.

REPENTANCE AND HUMILITY. CHRYSOSTOM: But let us all humble our own souls by almsgiving and forgiving our neighbors their trespasses, by not remembering injuries or avenging ourselves. If we continually reflect on our sins, no external circumstances can make us elated, neither riches, nor power, nor authority, nor honor. Even if we should sit in the imperial chariot itself, we shall sigh bitterly. For even the blessed David was a king, and yet he said, “Every night I flood my bed” … and he was not at all hurt by the purple robe and the diadem. He was not puffed up, for he knew himself to be a man, and inasmuch as his heart had been made contrite, he continued mourning. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 9.9.

REPENTANCE IS LIFE FROM THE DEAD. ORIGEN: Now we ought to be aware that there are some Lazaruses even now who, after having become friends of Jesus, have become sick and died. As dead persons they have remained in the tomb and the land of the dead with the dead. … Consider the one who has fallen away from Christ and returned to the Gentiles’ life after he has received knowledge of the truth. He has been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and become a partaker of the Holy Spirit … yet now is in hades with the shades and the dead and to be in the land of the dead or the tombs.

Whenever, therefore, on behalf of such a person, Jesus comes to his tomb and, standing outside it, prays and is heard, he asks that there be power in his voice and words, and he cries out with a loud voice to summon him who was his friend to the things outside the life of the Gentiles and their tomb and cave. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 28.54-56.

FORGETTING THE FORMER GRACE. CHRYSOSTOM: “They crucify,” he says, “the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt.” What he means is this. Baptism is a cross, and “our old self was crucified with him,” for we were “united with him in a death like his” and again, “we were buried therefore with him by baptism into death.”Therefore, it is not possible that Christ should be crucified a second time, for that is to “hold him up to contempt.” For if “death no longer has dominion over him,” if he rose again, by his resurrection becoming superior to death, if by death he wrestled with and overcame death, and then is crucified again, all those things become a fable and a mockery. He then that baptizes a second time crucifies him again. …

For as Christ died on the cross, so do we in baptism, not as to the flesh but as to sin. Behold two deaths. He died as to the flesh. In our case, the old self was buried and the new self arose, made conformable to the likeness of his death. If, therefore, it is necessary to be baptized again, it is necessary that this same Christ should die again. For baptism is nothing else than the putting to death of the baptized and his rising again. And he well said, “crucify on their own account,” for he that does this, having forgotten the former grace and ordering his own life carelessly, acts in all respects as if there were another baptism. It behooves us therefore to take heed and to make ourselves safe. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 9.6.

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