The Elementary Articles

Heb. vi. 1, 2.

Dio aphentes ton tes arches tou Christou logon, epi ten teleioteta pherometha; me palin themelion kataballomenoi

Therefore, leaving the word concerning the beginning of [the] Christ, let us go unto perfection [maturity], not laying again a foundation

metanoias apo nekron ergon,

of repentance from dead works,

kai pisteos epi theon,

and of faith in God,

baptismon didaches,

of the doctrine of baptisms [washings],

epitheseos te cheiron,

and of laying on of hands,

anastaseos te nekron,

and of resurrection of the dead,

kai krimatos aioniou.

and of eternal judgment.

Note.—Many commentators suppose that the sacred writer here refers to the fundamental and elementary articles of catechetical instruction in the apostolic Church; but the articles mentioned were held by Christians in common with the Jews, and are distinguished from the fullness of Christian knowledge ( teleiotes ), or 'the strong meat for those who are of full age' (ver. 14). The passage has only a remote bearing on creeds. For details, see the commentaries of Bleek, Tholuck, Delitzsch, Lünemann, Alford, Moll and Kendrick.