Speaking of what could become support for his readers on their difficult path, the author of the letter especially...
Speaking of what could become support for his readers on their difficult path, the author of the letter especially singles out readiness to support one's brothers, the "saints," that is, Christians (vv. 10-12), and hope in the immutability of the promises once given by God (vv. 13-15). He reminds them that when God swears by Himself, He does so because He cannot swear by anyone else higher than Himself (vv. 16-20). Such a statement seems completely obvious, but as we can see, it was quite relevant in a time when people were ready to doubt everything, including the covenant made with God and the promises He had given. In fact, a certain cooling of spiritual life was, as we can see, largely connected with a loss of trust: many thought that after the catastrophe of 70 all the former covenants had become obsolete, including those God made with His people through Abraham and Moses. The author of the letter insists that God remains faithful to His people, faithful to all covenants and to all promises once given.
But He gives no proofs of His faithfulness except the Messiah-High Priest, who opened to all who seek the way into the Kingdom. After all, God Himself is the highest witness to His own faithfulness, and by definition there can be no other. Strictly speaking, only the Kingdom is proof in this case: unlike Jerusalem and the Temple, it did not collapse, did not disappear, and did not close itself to the faithful. But in order to acquire it, trust is needed, and this requires a definite spiritual effort. If the one seeking an answer did not want to make that effort, if he did not even try to struggle with his distrust, then he could not receive any answer. Thus a closed circle formed, and it could be broken only by throwing oneself toward God the way people throw themselves into the water from a sinking ship: there is nothing to lose, it will not get worse, and what remains is to decide and use the last chance. And if the one seeking salvation truly made that decision, he acquired both trust in God and the Kingdom as the best proof of His faithfulness.
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6:9 But, beloved - in this one place he calls them so.he never uses this appellation, but in exhorting. We are persuaded of you things that accompany salvation - We are persuaded you are now saved from your sins; and that ye have that faith, love, and holiness, which lead to final salvation. Though we thus speak - To warn you, lest you should fall from your present steadfastness.
6:10 For - Ye give plain proof of your faith and love, which the righteous God will surely reward.
6:11 But we desire you may show the same diligence unto the end - And therefore we thus speak. To the full assurance of hope - Which you cannot expect, if you abate your diligence. The full assurance of faith relates to present pardon; the full assurance of hope, to future glory.The former is the highest degree of divine evidence that God is reconciled to me in the Son of his love; the latter is the same degree of divine evidence (wrought in the soul by the same immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost) of persevering grace, and of eternal glory. So much, and no more, as faith every moment "beholds with open face," so much does hope see to all eternity But this assurance of faith and hope is not an opinion, not a bare construction of scripture, but is given immediately by the power of the Holy Ghost; and what none can have for another, but for himself only.
6:12 Inherited the promises - The promised rest; paradise.