Thus he calls either the powers to perform miracles, or to live like angels, in the sense of not needing anything of this world, but looking toward the future, and already here receiving the immaterial and spiritual pledge of the life to come.
Heb. 6:6. and having fallen away, to renew them again unto repentance,
That is, through repentance. What is this? Is repentance really rejected? By no means. But rather, renewal through a second baptism. For renewal is the effect of baptism alone, as the prophet also says: "your youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Ps. 103:5); whereas the effect of repentance consists in this, that it frees from the old state and makes strong. But it cannot restore to the former brightness. For in baptism everything was the work of grace. Therefore by "repentance," he says, he means precisely baptism. For first everyone repents of their former life, then is baptized, as he himself said above: "conversion from dead works." And from what follows it is clear that he rejects a second baptism.
Heb. 6:6. "when they crucify to themselves the Son of God again"
Baptism is the cross. "Our old man is crucified with Him," and "we are united with Him in the likeness of His death." And again: "we are buried with Him through baptism." For just as Christ died on the cross in the flesh, so we in baptism die to sin. Therefore, whoever is baptized a second time crucifies Christ a second time, insofar as it is in his power. But this is absurd. For He died once and rose again, and "death no longer has dominion over Him" (cf. Rom. 6:4–9). Thus, there is no second baptism, just as there is no second cross. For what would prevent there being a third, and a fourth, and so on to infinity? He did not simply say "they crucify again" and stop there; but he added "in themselves," to show that we, living our lives carelessly on the assumption that there exists another baptism, do everything as though we ourselves were sustaining within ourselves this wicked opinion.
Heb. 6:6. And they mocked Him.
That is, they triumph over, they put to shame. This can be understood in two ways: either that those who crucified the Lord devised at that time such a manner of death for His disgrace, one that was obviously accursed and shameful, and appointed for evildoers; or that Christ, having been crucified once, is in subsequent time confessed to be immortal. Therefore, the one who crucifies Him a second time makes this confession false, which brings dishonor to Christ, who tasted death only once and thereafter is immortal. Thus, the impossibility of this matter is confirmed in two ways: first, because one who was deemed worthy of such blessings and squandered them all is no longer worthy to enjoy those same blessings again; and second, even more so, because it is impossible for the Son of God to be crucified again.
Heb. 6:7. The earth, having drunk the rain that often falls upon it
By "earth" he calls the soul, and by "rain" – teaching, as also in another place: "I will command the clouds," says God, "not to pour... rain" upon the vineyard (Isa. 5:6). And again: "the river of God is full of water" (Ps. 65:10), that is, he who has received from God the gift of teaching others is filled with waters from above, or gifts. Here he gives to understand that they both received and drank the word, and were often deemed worthy of it, and nevertheless did not profit from it, which he also said above: "by this time you ought to be teachers" (Heb. 5:12).
Heb. 6:7. and producing vegetation, useful
A life filled with virtue, that is. For there is nothing so useful, that is, becoming and desirable, as purity of life.
Heb. 6:7. for those for whom it is also cultivated,
"Grass," he says, that is, a virtuous life, the earth brings forth for those for whom it is cultivated, and for them it is "useful": for those very ones, bearing virtue, will enjoy it. Some understood "for them" as meaning: for the teachers; for indeed, good conduct is cultivated by them, so that they are partakers in the virtue of their students.
Heb. 6:7. receives blessing from God;
Here he silently rebukes the Greeks, who attribute the growing of fruits to the power of the earth. And it is not even the hands of the farmer that produce the fruits, but everything, he says, is the work of God: He Himself blesses and gives abundance of fruits.
Heb. 6:8. but that which bears thorns and thistles
He did not say "producing growth," as he said above concerning "vegetation," but "bringing forth," as if to say — expelling and casting out a certain excess. "Thorns and thistles" are the cares of life, the deceitfulness of riches, and in general every sin, as David also says: "I became a sufferer when a thorn was driven into me" (Ps. 31:4). A thorn does not simply enter but is driven in, and if we have not pulled it all out but a little of it remains, it causes great pain and requires treatment and care. But there is also the thistle: wherever you touch it, it wounds, and everywhere it is unpleasant — on earth it brings disgrace, and in the age to come especially so.
Heb. 6:8. Worthless and close to a curse,
He said that good land is blessed by God; but the unfruitful – he did not simply say: cursed, but "near to a curse," so that they would not despair. For whoever is "near a curse" can also be far from it.
Heb. 6:8. Whose end is burning.
And this, so that we would not despair. For he did not say: the earth will be burned, but "whose end is burning," that is, if it remains fruitless to the end. Thus, it is possible to avoid fruitlessness and burn away the thorns, and become useful, and be deemed worthy of blessing.
Heb. 6:9. But concerning you, beloved, we are confident of better things, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak in this way.
Having sufficiently rebuked and frightened them, he again consoles, so as not to make them completely careless. For whoever punishes a lazy person severely makes him even lazier. Therefore he says: I say this not because I have condemned you, and not because I consider you full of thorns, but because I fear lest this happen to you. And he did not say: we expect of you, but: "we hope," that is, we are in firm confidence concerning you, that you do not live this way, but better, and that you care for your own salvation, even though we expressed ourselves so strongly. So he says this either about their life, namely, that you are so thorny, or about the recompense, that you are not "near to cursing" and not to "burning," but a different recompense is appointed for you. Pay attention also to what follows.
Heb. 6:10. God is not unjust, that He should forget your work.
See how he encouraged and strengthened them in the hope of better things, reminding them of their former deeds and the righteousness of God: for if God is righteous, He will not forget your work, that is, your mercy, your brotherly love, but will repay you. Therefore do not despair, but fully hope for better things, since God is perfectly just. So it was not about you that I spoke what I spoke harshly, for I know that you are not worthy of condemnation.