Verses 7-8 use an agricultural illustration to present a spiritual truth. A farmer naturally expects that, given the right conditions of moisture and fertility, the land he/she cultivates will produce a crop. The fruitful ground responds to the conditions which God provides and produces useful results. The “thorny” ground shows that it is unworthy of God’s blessings and produces thickets and briers. A harvest of weeds, thorns, and thistles is fit only for burning.
The author knew that their words were both heavy and solemn. The author felt that a word of encouragement was then in order. This pattern—stern warning followed by warm encouragement—has already appeared in the previous warning section (3:1–4:16) which concluded in a distinctly positive manner (4:14–16). Similarly, the writer drew this warning section here to a conclusion that is alive with hope. Verses 9-20 provide this conclusion, however, today we will just look at the first two verses as we start on this encouragement.
7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned. 9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. 10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints. (NASB)
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- A field proves its worth by bearing fruit; and a true believer, as she/he makes spiritual progress, bears fruit for God’s glory
- Not every believer bears the same amount of fruit (“some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty,” Matt. 13:23); but every believer bears the same kind of fruit as proof that she/he is a child of God (Matt. 7:15–20). This is the fruit of Christian character and conduct (Gal. 5:22–26) produced by the Spirit as we mature in Christ.
- Remember God is just. He is aware of all the work and labor you put forth for His glory. While others may not recognize it or know about it, God sees the good you are doing.
CLOSER LOOK:
Verses 7–8: An illustration from nature now drives home the writer’s point. This illustration conveys two truths: (1) a piece of land that receives rain (a “heavenly gift,” v. 4) and is productive, is useful to others and blessed by God (v. 7). (2) The same piece of land (v. 8) receives rain but is unproductive is rejected (adokimos), a word that means “disqualified” and is used of believers being disqualified from receiving rewards (1 Cor 9:27; 2 Cor 13:5, 7). Whenever rain-soaked ground is properly productive, it “receives a blessing from God.” Here the writer compared the spiritual privileges they had just enumerated (vv. 4–5) to a heavenly rain descending on the life of a Christian. Their effect should be a crop “useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled”—a reference perhaps to the way other Christians benefit from the lives of fruitful believers (cf. v. 10). Such productivity brings divine blessings on fruitful believers’ lives.[1]
But suppose the land that has received this “rain” is unproductive? The point is that when a plot of ground that has been rained on is productive, God blesses it. But if it only “yields (produces) thorns and thistles,” it is “worthless” (adokimos, “disapproved”; cf. 1 Cor. 9:27) and is in danger or “close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.” The metaphor recalls God’s original curse on the ground (Gen. 3:17–19) and suggests that an unproductive Christian life ultimately (“it ends up”) falls under the severe condemnation of God and is subject to His blazing wrath and judgment (cf. Heb. 10:27). As you may have seen in my post on the offence in Hebrews 6:4-6, the interpretation that says it is a warning to those who had professed faith in Christ but were in danger of leaving Christianity to lapse back into Judaism is my preferred view. For how it relates to these verses, is that the view seems to fit well with the reading of verses 7-8. In spite of the labor expended on the land, it is cursed. The word close in “close to being cursed” (v. 8) is the same as the word “ready” in 8:13. In other words, it here means “destined to being cursed.”
Naturally the reference to “burned” has caused many to think of hell, but there is nothing in the text to suggest this. This is more of the temporal judgment of God. God’s anger against His failing people in the Old Testament is often likened to the burning of a field (i.e., Isa. 9:18–19; 10:17), which was physical death, not eternal death. Even this writer could say, with intense metaphorical effect, “Our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29). In fact, to think of hell here is to betray inattention to the imagery employed by the author. The burning of a field to destroy the rank growth it had produced was a practice known in ancient times. Its aim was not the destruction of the field itself (which, of course, the fire could not affect), but the destruction of the unwanted produce of the field. Thereafter the field might be serviceable for cultivation. Perhaps there is also an allusion here to the fire of the judgment seat of Christ (1 Cor 3:11-15). If such an allusion is intended with the burning of the field to destroy the weeds, then this passage is teaching that while all human attempts to restore apostates are futile (v. 6), there is hope for production again. It is possible for a person to shipwreck their faith and learn from the experience (1 Tim 1:18-20).
By choosing this kind of metaphor, the author showed that they, themselves, did not totally despair of those who took the backward step the writer was warning against.[2] To be sure, at least prior to severe divine judgment, all efforts to recall such people to Christian faith are futile (6:4–6), but it cannot be said that the impossibility applies in an absolute sense to God Himself. What the author probably meant is that nothing can deter apostates from the fiery retribution toward which they are headed, but once their “land” has been burned it is another matter. Paul believed that those who “have shipwrecked their faith” could profit by the retributive experiences to which they were exposed as a result (1 Tim. 1:19–20). But of course, the writer of Hebrews was reticent about the issue of subsequent restoration. That some might not respond to the chastisement was perhaps in mind, but the author was mainly concerned about warning against the course of action which leads to such calamitous divine judgment. Nevertheless, the writer’s deft choice of this agricultural image serves to disclose that the “burning” is both temporary and essentially hopeful.
Verse 9: It seems clear from verse nine the writer is convinced the majority of the readers are saved. In fact, the verb translated “we are convinced” is in the perfect tense which implies a settled conclusion. The vocative, “beloved” occurs only here in the entire book of Hebrews. Nowhere else does the writer call the readers “beloved.” Perhaps, and this is only a suggestion, the writer felt the preceding warning was very severe and, therefore, they wanted to reassure their readers with this affectionate term. Essentially, the writer tells them there is judgment ahead, but beloved, “we” love you. Where the writer says “we are convinced,” it is in the perfect tense. Meaning we have come to this conclusion. It showed that this decision was not a “snap” judgment. The writer (and whoever else is included in the “we”) had reflected on their words and gave the words with measured purpose. It is a self-conviction that is the idea. The readers needed to listen to the warning, but the writer was confident that their lives demonstrated things that accompany salvation.
This verse moves from warning to encouragement. The writer of Hebrews offered a stern warning, but they hastened to assure the readers that they did not consider that their extreme description applied to them. The author did not want their readers to believe that they had despaired of them. Instead, the writer was convinced of better things in their case. The words are like those of a pastor who, after warning the congregation of a dangerous course of action, might say: “But I am sure you people would never do that!” The words are not a theological proposition, as they are sometimes wrongly taken, but an expression of hope. The “better things” about which the writer had confidence were the things that accompany salvation. The “salvation” referred to should be understood incongruity with its meaning in 1:14. It is that experience of victory and glory which the persevering companions of the King inherit. It is also the inheritance-rest which the persevering are allowed to enter. The writer insisted here that they had every expectation that the readers would persevere to the end and acquire these blessings, even though the author felt constrained to warn them against a contrary course.
Verse 10: What had the readers of Hebrews done to make the writer confident that they were believers? The readers’ works and God’s justice convinced the author that the audience had given a demonstration of divine grace. The author knew that God is not unjust. The readers would not be forsaken. First, the author mentioned the work of the readers. They had labored in Jesus’ name. Their works included concern for others, righteous living, and other Christian virtues. God would remember their work and the love they had shown Him in their helping other believers. Verse ten explains why the writer has such confidence. It is unstated what the acts of kindness are, although they are perhaps the same as those to be mentioned in Hebrews 10:32-34. The evidence of their works is seen in deed, which we find throughout James. Our faith is seen in our works. The author’s words were a skilled touch on the hearts of their fellow Christians. Second, the author pointed out the love of the readers. They had ministered to other Christians in the past. They continued to follow this ministry. We see a past and a present participation in their ministry. In speaking of them, the author reminded the readers of what they had done for their fellow Christians and were still doing. Third, the author cited the justice of God. In the face of such overwhelming moral evidence, it seemed inconceivable to the writer that God would overlook the works and the love which were evident products of divine grace. The author thus encouraged them to keep it up while assuring them that God was conscious of all their aid and available to help them in any needed way.
We should be careful not to see this verse as offering support for any doctrine of salvation by works. God had no obligation to the readers, nor did they have any claim on Him. Their works were the normal fruit which we should expect from believers. We would expect that God would look with favor upon the evidence of transformed lives which they put out.
[1] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 795.
[2] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 796.