Chapter 6: Deals with The Fifth Command
V – Commandment: 5 Honor Father and Mother
-Purpose: This Chapter deals with the training of Members using an O.T. pattern for Atonement. We are shown 6 Old Testament Patterns for holiness and doctrine – which were to lead Israel into maturity. These 6 doctrines represent the law which was a Schoolmaster to lead The People to Christ JESUS - Who is the First and only necessary doctrine.
The result in The O.T. was futility and we never see Israel come to Perfection. The failure was proven in every generation in The O.T. The end result is death. Yes, some Judges, some Prophets and some Kings did somewhat right in the eyes of The LORD but there were many others who did not find rest. The People needed a New Covenant and a New relationship with GOD.
The futility of self righteousness is not dealt with in Hebrews in a direct way- as Paul does so many times in Galatians for example. - Even with the help of The Law and the encouragement of faithful brothers, the results of animal sacrifices could not bring National Righteousness. At the end of Chapter 6, we see JESUS once again, high and lifted up as the only perfect man. We are refocused upon JESUS as The Resurrected Son - HE is the Perfect Head, our Brother, and our forerunner In Heaven. HE is the Alpha and the Omega. HE is the only way to The Father.
Chapter 6 is inserted between Chapters 5 and 7 - Both these chapters deal with the concept of ‘The High Priest.’ Chapter 5 shows the high priest under Moses. Chapter 7 shows Melchisedec as a type of high priest.... Chapter 6 leads us back to Jesus as our Heavenly High Priest. 6:20 “the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” In this way, we are led away from doctrine and into the mercy we can find in Christ Jesus....
Hebrews 6 analyzes the Old Testament Atonement pattern and the desire Believers have to come into maturity. In Heb 6, we see the rules and the desire - but as Luke states in Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Here also in Hebrews, we see JESUS is the Only Way of Salvation.
A Short Review of Jewish History Chapter 6 was written as a warning for Jewish Believers, who were seeing The Day of Atonement continue Year By Year, in the same way Moses had instructed them. Almost always the nation of Israel fell into captivity but there was a 100 year period between 163 and 63 BC when The Maccabees had independence from foreign rule. This gave the Jewish Rebels some hope they might be holy enough to regain freedom to worship as The Law instructed. But Christian Jews had seen JESUS as GOD’s Chosen Passover Lamb - HE was Slain exactly on The Day and Hour as were The O T Passover Lambs. They had also seen The Day of Pentecost Poured Out Fully, exactly 50 Days later, in Jerusalem as The O T foreshadowed.
Now They were expecting something to happen On The Day of Atonement. Zealots were bothering Christian Groups– everywhere Paul was teaching The New Testament. In Chapter 6, The writer of Hebrews shows the futility of going back under the works of The Law. He chose 7 Basic Doctrines to do this . Not by tearing down The Law, but by showing a MUCH BETTER WAY, and by showing the futility of self-righteousness which many thought might lead Israel into a right relationship with God.
After years of acting out The Day of Atonement in Jerusalem, The Early Church began to see Gentiles added into The Family of GOD. Even people – who were not circumcised– Per Galatians, etc. Zealots asked, How could GOD be doing things this way?
In Hebrews, we are shown a new and different Covenant built in A New and Perfect Way - not in Stone but Built by GOD as HE promised to Abraham long before.... The Perfect Picture was to be seen through Jesus seated on The Throne in Heaven. In Hebrews, we begin to see The Heavens Open with blessings being poured out. The OT Patterns were Shadows of The Perfect Heavenly Temple. Chapter 6 began with the 7 Doctrines and led us to see our own weakness. Then we see JESUS once again as The Perfect Son. ‘HE is the only name given under Heaven whereby we must be saved.’ Acts 4:12