Reading the Bible with Meaning - Hebrews 6:1-20

Chapter 6 urges believers to work diligently toward spiritual maturity. The author seems to be assuming that they know the basics of their faith but have become lazy in their implementation of it in their daily lives. He lists six catechetical essentials with which the Hebrews were likely familiar. This provides a fascinating glimpse of what a Jewish-Christian, non-Pauline church considered foundational. Their beliefs are consistent with Judaism, both orthodox (Pharisees) and nonconformist (Essenes) in character. One focus is on the unreliability of doing good deeds as a path to salvation, including ritual washings or ablutions.