`How shall we escape, if we neglect ... which at the first began to be

spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him;

God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with

divers miracles, and distributions of holy spirit, according to His own

will?  For unto the angels hath He not subjected the world to come,

whereof we speak' (2:3-5).

One quotation from Hebrews 10 we now include, as bearing upon the

strong emphasis placed by the Holy Spirit here, `and hath done despite unto

the Spirit of grace' (Heb.  10:29).

This falling away, which occupies so large a place in Hebrews, is

variously referred to as `letting slip', `neglecting', `hardening hearts as

in the provocation', `lest any fall after the same example of unbelief',

`forsaking the assembling of ourselves together', `sinning wilfully after

full knowledge', `drawing back unto perdition'.  The falling away was after

enlightenment and partaking of holy  spirit, and herein lies the extreme

danger.  This aspect of teaching in Hebrews is but the application to the

Hebrews of the teaching of the Lord given in Matthew 12:31,32:

`All sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men, but blasphemy of the

Spirit shall Not Be Forgiven.  And whoever may speak a word against the

Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever may speak against the

Holy Spirit, it will in no wise be forgiven him, neither in this age,

nor in the coming one' (Author's translation).

Here is the sore punishment awaiting those who after having the

confirmation of the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, and after having

embraced the witness and become partakers of the Spirit's gifts, fall away.

They echo the fatal words of Numbers 14: `Let us make a captain, and let us

return into Egypt'.  The more one penetrates into the structure and

atmosphere of Hebrews, the more marked the gracious distinctions of the

dispensation of the Mystery become.  Let us try the things that differ and

approve those things that are more excellent, at the same time learning from

these other records the essential need for growth in grace.

The last reference, namely Hebrews 12:17, cannot be understood apart

from the one in Hebrews 6 just considered, even as Hebrews 7 must be

understood in the light of Hebrews 12.

The structure of the epistle puts chapter 6 into correspondence with

chapter 12 thus: