3. The "Falling Away" of Hebrews 6
THERE IS but one sin spoken of in the Book of Hebrews, namely, the act of a first century Jew who has left Judaism and has identified himself with the visible Christian church, who having made a profession of Christ now is in danger under stress of persecution, of renouncing that faith and going back to the abrogated ritual of the Levitical system.
It is described in chapter 2:1 as a "slipping away from the New Testament truth," a "hardening of the heart against the Holy Spirit" (3:7, 8), a "falling away," and a "crucifying the Son of God afresh" (6:6), a "wilful sin" consisting of three-fold sin against the Triune God, "treading under foot the Son of God," a sin against the Father who sent the Son, "counting Jesus' blood as common blood," a sin against the Son who shed His blood, and "doing despite to the Holy Ghost," a sin against the Holy Ghost who led them to the place of repentance (Heb 10:26, 29).
The words "falling away" are from a Greek word which literally means "to fall beside a person or thing, to slip away, to deviate from the right path, to turn aside." From early manuscripts we have two illustrations of its use: "if the terms of the contract be broken," and where it is used of a person who falls back to his earlier interpretation.
These two uses fit exactly into the historical background of the book, and the context in which the word is found. Here is the case of Jews who professed faith in Christ, who going along with the Holy Spirit in His pre-salvation work, had been brought into the place of repentance, to the very threshold of salvation. They had made a contract so to speak with the Spirit, willingly being led along by Him. Now, should they refuse the proffered faith and return to Judaism, they would be breaking their contract which they made with the Spirit.
Again, at one time they had adhered to the sacrificial system of the First Testament. Then they had left it to embrace the New Testament truth. Now, should they return to the temple sacrifices, they would be reverting to their former opinion regarding the same.
These words "falling away," can only refer to the one sin spoken of in this book. It could only be committed in the first century and by a Jew, or a Gentile proselyte to Judaism, and for the reason that conditions since A. D. 70 have been such as to make impossible the committing of that sin. The temple at Jerusalem was destroyed on that date. There are no Jewish sacrifices to leave nor to return to. This was apostasy, a most serious sin. These Jews had been made partakers, "partners," see Luke 5:7, same Greek word, of the Holy Ghost, going along with Him in His pre-salvation work. Now, to reject His further ministrations, was a most serious thing from which act there was no recovery.
Kenneth S. Wuest, Volume 3, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1973), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 20-21.
παραρρέω [See Stg: <G3901>]
pararréō; contracted paararruó, fut. parareúsomai, from pará <G3844>, by, past, beyond, and rhéō <G4483>, to flow. To float by or drift past as a ship, or to flow past as a river. Figuratively to slip away, suggesting a gradual and almost unnoticed movement past a certain point. Of a person, to move stealthily as a thief. It is used figuratively of persons meaning to glide away, to swerve or deviate from something, such as the truth, law, precepts; equivalent to parapíptō <G3895>, to fall aside. It occurs only in Heb. 2:1 where it is used in an absolute sense "lest we drift away from that which we have heard" (a.t.), transgress. It is parallel with parabainō <G3845>, to go contrary to, transgress, and parakoúō <G3878>, to disobey. See Sept.: Prov. 3:21.
Zodhiates, Spiros. Complete Word Study Dictionary Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1993. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
Hebrews 2:1 (KJV)
1 (KJV) Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
Holy Bible: King James Version WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
Hebrews 2:1-2 (CWSB)
1 (CWSB) pre/depro Therefore ppro we pin ought to pinf/ad give the more earnest heed to art,aptp the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should asbp let them slip.
Spiros Zodhiates, Complete Word Study New Testament, (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1993), WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
Greek Strong's Number: 3901
Greek Word: παραρρέω
Transliteration: pararreō
Phonetic Pronunciation:par-ar-hroo-eh'-o
Root: from <G3844> and the alternate of <G4482>
Cross Reference:
Part of Speech: v
Vine's Words: Drift
Usage Notes:
English Words used in KJV:
let slip 1
[Total Count: 1]
from <G3844> (para) and the alternate of <G4482> (rheo); to flow by, i.e. (figurative) carelessly pass (miss) :- let slip.
James Strong, Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary, (Austin, TX: WORDsearch Corp., 2007), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "3901".
παραρρέω
παραρ-ρέω, f. -ρεύσομαι: aor. 2 -ερρύην: pf. act. -ερρύηκα:—to flow beside or past, τόπον or παρὰ τόπον Herodotus: to drift away, N.T.
II. to slip out or off, Sophocles, Xenophon.
III. to slip in unawares, Demosthenes.
Liddell, H. G. and R. Scott. An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon: Founded Upon the Seventh Edition of Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1889. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
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