The Importance of Context in Bible Study: A Case Study of Hebrews 6

In reading the Bible, it’s important to have the humble and committed intent of understanding its contents by how the authors – as inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16) – had meant them to mean.  We can’t just take Scripture passages to support what we want to ideally believe in.  Rather, the Scriptures in its correct and complete context should shape our belief.  Otherwise, that would be dishonorable to God whose intent is to set the Bible as objective Truth.

Let’s take for example Hebrews 6:4-8:

“For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.”

Taking it out of context – If we don’t consider the verses prior (v. 1-3) and after (v. 9-20) – it seems a definite proof that it’s possible for a genuine believer in Christ to fall away and lose his salvation.  But this is, of course, a false conclusion; since throughout the Bible, the doctrine of eternal security for all genuine believers is emphatically affirmed.  To be read in isolation, verses 4 to 8 will really misdirect someone to a dangerous, heretical belief.  That’s why Hebrews 6 (or the book of Hebrews for that matter) should be read in its entirety:

"Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
"Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
"For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, 'Surely I will bless you and multiply you.' And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."

In verse 1, we see that the author of Hebrews calls for a deeper understanding of the Gospel – to move from the “elementary”-level of doctrinal knowledge towards “university”-level.  And what is that “elementary”-level knowledge?   It means foundational Old Testament beliefs and practices (v.1-2) that the Hebrew Christians are implied to be turning back to – as if Jesus isn’t enough for justification and that these works are still requirements for salvation.

But ironically, those who take verses 4 to 8 out of context are actually signifying the opposite.  The implication of their assertion that salvation can be lost by a genuinely professing Christian is that he needs to work to keep his salvation.  Now asserting that works are required to maintain salvation is basically equivalent to asserting works are required to obtain salvation.   Of course, works are essential in relation to salvation because the former is the evidence of the latter, but works are never required  to be saved.

In the context that the first verses of Hebrews 6 have set – believe that Jesus should be sufficient for salvation – then isn’t it more likely that verses 4 to 8 are actually just serving a rhetorical purpose for the  writer’s argument that Jesus is enough to sustain salvation till the end?  Because if it’s not, then it will contradict other passages that said that a genuine believer will persevere till the end and won’t lose his salvation.  It’s more probable that the writer intended this as a hypothetical scenario (v.4-6) to simply enforce the point that this would never be the case for someone with genuine faith in Christ, for if that ever happens (and it won’t), then he can’t ever be restored and it will be sacrilegious to Christ.

Furthermore, those who use verses 4 to 8 to insist that it’s possible for a regenerated Christian to fall away and lose his salvation always fail to consider the next verses.  With that said in verses 4 to 8, the writer of Hebrews found the Christians he is writing to aren’t like that described in verses 4 to 6 – further supporting the thesis that the scenario in that passage is hypothetical – for they are manifesting the evidence of genuine faith and are assured of salvation (v. 9-12).  And why are they assured of it?  Because God Himself promises and guarantees it (v. 13-18) and Jesus is actively interceding as High Priest (v.19-20; see also Heb. 4:14-16, and chapters 7 to 9)!

So, basically, Hebrews 6 was intended to be another affirmation that Jesus should be enough for salvation, that whenever God promises something – like the gift of salvation – then it’s guaranteed, and that Jesus is unfalteringly interceding for us as our High Priest, ensuring that we will keep the faith till the end.  But, ironically, by misquoting it out of context, some people can completely turn the message of Hebrews 6 around.

That’s why it’s really dangerous to quote Scripture out of context.  And besides, you know who loves quoting Scriptures out of context?  Satan (Matt. 4:1-11)!

Therefore, putting context on Scripture passages is really vital.  When we read a Scripture passage, we should not only focus on what it means by itself but also clearly understand its intended context.  We should consider the paragraphs prior it and the paragraphs after it.  We should consider how it fits with the overall theme and message of its chapter, and then its book, and then, ultimately, the Bible in general.

The Bible will never contradict itself.  Every Scripture passage will harmonize when taken in context.