Hebreus 6
Theodoret of Cyrus · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Hebreus 6:4-6
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
Hebreus 6:7-8
By "rain" he referred metaphorically to instruction. — INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 6
Hebreus 6:13
As God has no one superior to him (he is saying), his oath was witness; he swore by himself, in fact. — INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 6
Hebreus 6:15
Yet though making a promise and doing it with an oath, he did not immediately fulfill the promise; instead, the patriarch needed great patience, and only with the passage of a great length of time did he thus see the realization of the promise. — INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 6
Hebreus 6:19
By "curtain" he referred to heaven: the Lord promised to give the kingdom of heaven to those believing in him. — INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 6
Hebreus 6:20
He is a high priest forever, not in offering sacrifices (having offered his own body once), but in being a mediator leading the believers to the Father; through him (he says, remember) we both have had access to the Father. The Lord himself says in the sacred Gospels, "No one comes to the Father except through me." We must be aware, of course, that the divine apostle made mention of the oaths sworn to Abraham so that the unchanging character of the divine will should be brought out; it endures in advance the stability of high priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek, the oath being linked to the word at this place. — INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 6
Hebreus 6:20
He augmented their confidence with the name forerunner: if he is our forerunner and has gone up for us, we too must follow and be granted ascent. — INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 6