La condición espiritual de los creyentes hebreos

Hebrews 5:11‑6:20
El gran objetivo del apóstol en esta porción de la epístola es desarrollar el carácter bendito del sacerdocio de Cristo. Habiéndose referido al sacerdocio de Melquisedec para mostrar por analogía la dignidad del sacerdocio de Cristo, el apóstol rompe el hilo de su discurso para retomarlo al comienzo del capítulo 7.
En estos versículos entre paréntesis, el apóstol se refiere al estado espiritual de aquellos a quienes está escribiendo. Su aburrida condición de alma los expuso a una seria dificultad y un grave peligro. La dificultad era que eran incapaces de interpretar las figuras del Antiguo Testamento. Esto se menciona en el capítulo 5:11 al 6:1-3. El peligro era que, en su baja condición, algunos podrían abandonar la profesión del cristianismo y volver al judaísmo. Este peligro se desarrolla en el capítulo 6:4-8. Los versículos restantes del paréntesis expresan la confianza y esperanza del apóstol con respecto a aquellos a quienes está escribiendo (Heb. 6:9-209But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. 17Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 20Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 6:9‑20)).