John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. Of the doctrine of baptisms , etc..] Some read this divisively, baptism and doctrine, as the Ethiopic version; as if the one respected the ordinance of baptism, and the other the ministry of the word; but it is best to read them conjunctively: and by which most understand the Gospel ordinance of water baptism, so called by a change of number, the plural for the singular, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, who render it baptism; or because of the different persons baptized, and times of baptizing, as some; or because of the trine immersion, as others; or because of the threefold baptism of spirit, blood, and water, which have some agreement with each other; or because of the baptism of John, and Christ, though they are one and the same; or because of the inward and outward baptism, the one fitting and qualifying for the other; and so the doctrine of it is thought to respect the necessity, use, and end of it; but since there is but one baptism, and the above reasons for the plural expression are not solid, and sufficiently satisfying, it is best to interpret this of the divers baptisms among the Jews, spoken of in ( Hebrews 9:10) which had a doctrine in them, to that people; teaching them the cleansing virtue of the blood of Christ, and leading them to it, to wash in for sin, and for uncleanness; but now, since this blood was shed, they were no more to teach nor learn the doctrine of cleansing by the blood of Christ this way; nor any more to be led unto it through these divers baptisms, ablutions, and purifications. And of laying on of hands ; the foundation of this was to be no more laid, nor the doctrine of it to be any longer taught and learned in the way it had been; for not the rite, but the doctrine of laying on of hands is here intended; and it has no reference to the right of laying on of hands by the apostles, either in private persons, or officers of churches; for what was the doctrine of such a rite, is not easy to say; but to the rite of laying on of hands of the priests, and of the people, upon the head of sacrifices; which had a doctrine in it, even the doctrine of the imputation of sin to Christ, the great sacrifice. It was usual with the Jews to call the imposition of hands upon the sacrifice, simply, hkyms , laying on of hands; and they understood by it the transferring of sin from the persons that laid on hands, to the sacrifice, on which they were laid; and that hereby, as they express it, sins were separated from them, and, as it were, put upon the sacrifice f79 ; but now believers were no longer to be taught and learn the great doctrine of the imputation of sin, by this rite and ceremony, since Christ has been made sin for them, and has had sins imputed to him, and has bore them in his own body on the tree: and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment : articles of faith, which distinguished the Jews from the Gentiles, who were greatly strangers to a future state, the resurrection of the dead, and judgment to come: these are doctrines of pure revelation, and were taught under the Old Testament, and were believed by the generality of the Jews, and are articles which they hold in common with us Christians; yet the believing Hebrews were not to rest in the knowledge of these things, and in the smaller degrees of light they had in them, under the former dispensation; but were to go on to perfection, and bear forward towards a greater share of knowledge of these, and other more sublime doctrines of grace; since life and immortality are more clearly brought to light by Christ through the Gospel.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Every part of the truth and will of God should be set before all wh profess the gospel, and be urged on their hearts and consciences. We should not be always speaking about outward things; these have their places and use, but often take up too much attention and time, whic might be better employed. The humbled sinner who pleads guilty, an cries for mercy, can have no ground from this passage to be discouraged, whatever his conscience may accuse him of. Nor does i prove that any one who is made a new creature in Christ, ever becomes final apostate from him. The apostle is not speaking of the fallin away of mere professors, never convinced or influenced by the gospel Such have nothing to fall away from, but an empty name, or hypocritica profession. Neither is he speaking of partial declinings of backslidings. Nor are such sins meant, as Christians fall into throug the strength of temptations, or the power of some worldly or fleshl lust. But the falling away here mentioned, is an open and avowe renouncing of Christ, from enmity of heart against him, his cause, an people, by men approving in their minds the deeds of his murderers, an all this after they have received the knowledge of the truth, an tasted some of its comforts. Of these it is said, that it is impossibl to renew them again unto repentance. Not because the blood of Christ is not sufficient to obtain pardon for this sin; but this sin, in its very nature, is opposite to repentance and every thing that leads to it. I those who through mistaken views of this passage, as well as of their own case, fear that there is no mercy for them, would attend to the account given of the nature of this sin, that it is a total and willing renouncing of Christ, and his cause, and joining with his enemies, it would relieve them from wrong fears. We should ourselve beware, and caution others, of every approach near to a gulf so awfu as apostacy; yet in doing this we should keep close to the word of God and be careful not to wound and terrify the weak, or discourage the fallen and penitent. Believers not only taste of the word of God, but they drink it in. And this fruitful field or garden receives the blessing. But the merely nominal Christian, continuing unfruitful unde the means of grace, or producing nothing but deceit and selfishness was near the awful state above described; and everlasting misery wa the end reserved for him. Let us watch with humble caution and praye as to ourselves.
Greek Textus Receptus
βαπτισμων 909 N-GPM διδαχης 1322 N-GSF επιθεσεως 1936 N-GSF τε 5037 PRT χειρων 5495 N-GPF αναστασεως 386 N-GSF τε 5037 PRT νεκρων 3498 A-GPM και 2532 CONJ κριματος 2917 N-GSN αιωνιου 166 A-GSN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
2. Doctrine of baptisms (baptismwn didachn). 192 Not laying again as a foundation the teaching (didachn) of baptisms. baptismov only here, ch. ix. 10, and Mark vii. 4. The common form is baptisma. Neither word in LXX or Class. The meaning here is lustral rites in general, and may include the baptism of John and Christian baptism. The teaching would cover all such rites, their relations and comparative significance, and it would be necessary in the case of a Jewish convert to Christianity who might not perceive, for example, any difference between Jewish lustrations and Christian baptism.Laying on of hands. See on 1 Tim. iv. 14. A Jewish and a Christian practice.
Resurrection - eternal judgment. Both resurrection and future judgment were Jewish tenets requiring exposition to Jewish converts as regarded their relations to the same doctrines as taught by Christianity. The resurrection of Christ as involving the resurrection of believers would, of itself, change the whole aspect of the doctrine of resurrection as held by a Few. jAiwniou eternal certainly cannot here signify everlasting. It expresses rather a judgment which shall transcend all temporal judgments; which shall be conducted on principles different from those of earthly tribunals, and the decisions of which shall be according to the standards of the economy of a world beyond time. See additional note on 2 Thessalonians i. 9. The phrase eternal judgment N.T.o . Comp. krima to mellon the judgment to come, Acts xxiv. 25.
