Have moreover tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

“Could Paul teach in opposition to his own act? He had at Corinth forgiven sin through penance; how could he himself speak against his own decision? Since, then, he could not destroy what he had built, we must assume that what he says was different from, but not contrary to, what had gone before. For what is contrary is opposed to itself; what is different has ordinarily another meaning. Things that are contrary are not such that one can support the other. Inasmuch, then, as the apostle spoke of remitting penance, he could not be silent as to those who thought that baptism was to be repeated. And it was right first of all to remove our anxiety and to let us know that, even after baptism, if any sinned, their sins could be forgiven them, lest a false belief in a reiterated baptism should lead astray those who were destitute of all hope of forgiveness. And second, it was right to set forth in a well-reasoned argument that baptism is not to be repeated.…So, then, that which he says in this epistle to the Hebrews, that it is impossible for those who have fallen to be "renewed unto repentance, crucifying again the Son of God and putting him to open shame," must be considered as having reference to baptism, wherein we crucify the Son of God in ourselves that the world may be by him crucified for us. We triumph, as it were, when we take to ourselves the likeness of his death. We put to open shame upon his cross principalities and powers and triumphed over them, that in the likeness of his death we, too, might triumph over the principalities whose yoke we throw off. But Christ was crucified once and died to sin once, and so there is but one, not several baptisms.… And indeed I might also say to anyone who thought that this passage spoke of repentance, that things which are impossible from the human point of view are possible with God. God is able whenever God wills to forgive us our sins, even those which we think cannot be forgiven. And so it is possible for God to give us that which it seems to us impossible to attain. For it seemed impossible that water should wash away sin, and Naaman the Syrian thought that leprosy could not be cleansed by water. But that which was impossible, God who gave us such great grace made to be possible. Similarly it seemed impossible that sins should be forgiven through repentance, but Christ gave this power to his apostles, which has been transmitted to the priestly office. That, then, has become possible which was impossible. But by true reasoning, the apostle convinces us that the reiteration by anyone of the sacrament of baptism is not permitted.”

“And see how putting them to shame, and forbiddingly he begins. "Impossible." No longer (he says) expect that which is not possible; (For he said not, It is not seemly, or, It is not expedient, or, It is not lawful, but "impossible," so as to cast [them] into despair), if ye have once been altogether enlightened. Then he adds, "and have tasted of the heavenly gift. If ye have tasted" (he says) "of the heavenly gift," that is, of forgiveness. "And been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and tasted the good word of God" (he is speaking here of the doctrine) "and the powers of the world to come" (what powers is he speaking of? either the working of miracles, or "the earnest of the Spirit" - 2 Cor. i. 22). What is, "having tasted of the heavenly gift"? it is, "of the remission of sins": for this is of God alone to bestow, and the grace is a grace once for all. "What then? shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Far from it!" (Rom. vi. 1, Rom. vi. 2.) But if we should be always going to be saved by grace we shall never be good. For where there is but one grace, and we are yet so indolent, should we then cease sinning if we knew that it is possible again to have our sins washed away? For my part I think not. He here shows that the gifts are many: and to explain it, Ye were counted worthy (he says) of so great forgiveness; for he that was sitting in darkness, he that was at enmity, he that was at open war, that was alienated, that was hated of God, that was lost, he having been suddenly enlightened, counted worthy of the Spirit, of the heavenly gift, of adoption as a son, of the kingdom of heaven, of those other good things, the unspeakable mysteries; and who does not even thus become better, but while indeed worthy of perdition, obtained salvation and honor, as if he had successfully accomplished great things; how could he be again baptized? "And tasted," he says, "the good word of God"; and he does not unfold it; "and the powers of the world to come," for to live as Angels and to have no need of earthly things, to know that this is the means of our introduction to the enjoyment of the worlds to come; this may we learn through the Spirit, and enter into those sacred recesses. What are "the powers of the world to come"? Life eternal, angelic conversation. Of these we have already received the earnest through our Faith from the Spirit. Tell me then, if after having been introduced into a palace, and entrusted with all things therein, thou hadst then betrayed all, wouldest thou have been entrusted with them again?”

“Above, the Apostle made mention of the priesthood of Christ according to the order of Melchisedech, and showed the slowness of those to whom he was writing; here he returns to his proposal. And concerning this he does three things: first he opens his intention; second he shows its difficulty, at the place and this we will do; third he declares his intention, at the place we are confident. Concerning the first he does two things: first he makes clear his proposal; second he explains what he says, at the place not again. His proposal is that, having passed over those things which pertain to the beginning of Christian doctrine, he wishes to pursue other higher things. Hence he says: it has already been said that the perfect have need of solid food; wherefore, leaving aside the discourse of the beginning of the doctrine of Christ, by which Christ begins to be in us, which is through the doctrine of faith — Eph. c. III, 17: that Christ may dwell through faith in our hearts — let us be carried to perfection, that is, to those things which pertain to the perfection of the doctrine of Christ. I Cor. XIII, 11: when I became a man, I put away the things that were of a child. Now this, according to the Gloss, can be referred to two things: namely either to the intellect, so that when a man has advanced, he ought to leave aside childish things and devote himself to the things of the perfect. I Cor. c. II, 6: we speak wisdom among the perfect. Or to the effect. And the sense is that one must not always stand in the sense of beginners, but must tend toward the state of the perfect. Gen. c. XVII, 1: walk before me, and be perfect. Here there is a twofold objection. And first, concerning what he says about leaving aside the beginning, because the beginning ought never to be left aside. Ps. LXXVI, 10: and I said: now I have begun. Job c. XXVII, 6: the justification which I have begun to hold, I will not forsake. I answer. It must be said that the beginning can be left aside in two ways. Either as to estimation, and in this way a man must always be as one advancing and tending toward greater things. Phil. III, 12: not that I have already begun, or that I am already perfect. Or as to progress toward perfection, and in this way a man must always strive to pass over into the state of the perfect. Phil. III, 13: forgetting the things that are behind, stretching myself toward those that are before. For in the way of God, says Bernard, not to advance is to go back. Another objection concerns what he says, let us be carried to perfection. For perfection consists in the counsels. Matth. XIX, 21: if you wish to be perfect, go, and sell all, and so on. But not all are bound to the counsels; therefore. I answer. It must be said that perfection is twofold. One, namely exterior, which consists in exterior acts, which are signs of interior things, such as virginity, voluntary poverty. And to this not all are bound. The other is interior, which consists in the love of God and neighbor. Col. III, 14: have charity, which is the bond of perfection. And to this kind of perfection not all are bound, but all are bound to tend toward it, because if anyone were unwilling to love God more, he would not do what charity requires. Now he says let us be carried, and this according to an impulse from the Holy Spirit. Rom. VIII, 14: they who are led by the Spirit, these are the sons of God. Or as carried by God, who carries our weakness. Is. XLVI, 3: hear me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who are carried by me from the womb. Or as carried by one another. Gal. VI, 2: bear one another's burdens. Then, when he says not again, he explains what he said, and intends to show what those things are which pertain to the beginning of the doctrine of Christ. And he uses a comparison. For through faith the soul is built up into a spiritual building. Therefore, just as in a bodily building the foundation is laid first, so here the first rudiments of the doctrine of Christ are, as it were, foundations. But on the contrary: because below, at XI, 1, faith is set down as being the foundation; but faith is one. Eph. c. IV, 5: one Lord, one faith, one Baptism. But here he sets down six foundations; therefore it seems that this is wrong. I answer. It must be said that faith is the foundation of the virtues. But these things which he sets down here are the foundations of the doctrine of Christ. And he says not again laying the foundation, etc., as if we should lay it so firmly that it need not be laid a second time. Or because you laid it long ago, and it need not be repeated. Now the Apostle orders these things very meaningfully. For just as in the way of generation and of any motion whatsoever, there is first a departure from the term from which, and afterward an approach to the term to which, so he says here — because penance is a departure from sin, and thus it is, as it were, a certain foundation in this life. For no one, according to Augustine, master of his own will, can begin a new life, unless he repents of the past one. Hence the Lord at the beginning of his preaching says: do penance, Matth. IV, 17. And therefore he says of penance from dead works. For works are called dead, either those which are dead in themselves, or those which are mortified. A thing is called living when it has the function of its proper power; and when it fails in this, it is called dead. For our works are ordered to beatitude, which is the end of man. And therefore when they do not lead to beatitude, nor can be ordered to it, they are called dead: and these are works done in mortal sin. Infra IX, 14: the blood of Christ, who through the Holy Spirit offered himself unspotted to God, shall cleanse our consciences from dead works. But works done in charity are mortified by sin; hence they do not have the power to merit eternal life. Ez. XVIII, 24: all his justices which he had done shall not be remembered. But penance causes these to revive: hence then they are again reckoned toward eternal life. But in the approach to the term, first there is faith, and therefore he says the foundation of faith toward God. Now it is proper to faith that a man believes and assents not to things seen by himself, but to the testimony of another. Now this testimony is either of man alone: and this does not make the power of faith, because a man can both deceive and be deceived. Or this testimony is from divine judgment: and this is most true and most firm, because it is from the very Truth, which can neither deceive nor be deceived. And therefore he says, toward God, that is, so that one assents to those things which God says. Io. c. XIV, 1: you believe in God, believe also in me. Secondly, in this process there are the sacraments of faith. Now these are two sacraments of those entering; for the Apostle here treats only of these. And these are: Baptism, first, by which we are regenerated, and second is confirmation, by which we are confirmed. As to the first he says of Baptisms. But on the contrary, Eph. IV, 5: one faith, one Baptism. Therefore there are not several Baptisms. I answer. It must be said that Baptism is threefold, namely of the river, of the breath, and of blood; but the last two do not have force unless they are referred to the first, because these must be had in intention, if the opportunity is not present, in those having the use of free will. And therefore they are not three sacraments, but one sacrament, by which we are regenerated unto salvation. Io. III, 5: unless one is reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, and so on. Now among these, the Baptism of blood has more of the effect of Baptism, provided the first was in intention, or the contrary was not held in mind, as is clear in the case of the innocents, who were not in an opposite disposition. For Baptism has its power from the merit of the Passion of Christ. Rom. VI, 3: whoever of us were baptized in Christ Jesus were baptized in his death. Therefore, just as he who is baptized is conformed to the death of Christ sacramentally, so the martyr is conformed really. And therefore this Baptism has the whole effect of Baptism, as to purging all guilt and penalty of sin, yet it does not imprint any character. And therefore if one receiving martyrdom without the Baptism of water were to rise again, he would have to be baptized. But penance does not have as much of the effect of Baptism, because it does not take away every penalty, although it takes away the guilt. But just as the martyr conforms himself to the death of Christ through exterior suffering, so the penitent through interior suffering. Gal. c. V, 24: they who are Christ's have crucified their flesh with its vices and desires. Therefore it can be so great that it takes away all guilt and penalty, as is clear in the case of the thief and the Magdalene. Hence penance is called Baptism, inasmuch as it supplies the place of Baptism. And because it is not lawful to repeat that, therefore penance was instituted. These, therefore, are called Baptisms, because they have the effect of Baptism; but there is only one Baptism, because they do not operate unless that is held in intention. The second sacrament of those entering consists in the very laying on of hands. Therefore he says also of the laying on of hands. But this is twofold. One is that which works miracles, as when Christ through the laying on of hands healed the sick, Lc. IV, 40: laying his hands on each of them he healed them; and this is not sacramental. The other is sacramental, and this is twofold. One in the sacrament of order. I Tim. V, 22: lay hands hastily on no one. The other is in the sacrament of confirmation for renewal. Tit. III, 5: through the laver of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, and so on. For in confirmation the Spirit is given for strength, that is, so that a man may boldly confess the name of Christ before men. For just as in the being of nature, a man is first generated, and afterward grows and is strengthened, so it is in the being of grace. Thirdly there follows the term of the motion, to which the motion is terminated, and this is twofold. For we await two things: the first is the resurrection of bodies, and this is a foundation of faith, because without this our faith is vain, I Cor. c. XV, 14. Therefore he says of the resurrection of the dead. Likewise we await recompense, which will be made through the judge. Eccle. XII, 14: God will bring all things that are done into judgment. And therefore he says of eternal judgment, not that this judgment will last a thousand years, as Lactantius held, but the whole will be in a moment. But it is called eternal, because the sentence which will be given there will last forever. Matth. XXV, 46: these shall go into eternal punishment, but the just into eternal life. And it must be known that all these things, which he says he wishes to treat here, are, as it were, certain rudiments of the faith. Hence he preaches these to novices, Act. XVII, 18 ss., and in many other places. Then, when he says and this we will do, he shows the difficulty of carrying out his proposal: for it is difficult, both in itself, and with respect to his hearers. Hence he does three things. First he indicates that in this he especially needs divine help; second he adds the weakness of certain persons, at the place for it is impossible; third he brings forward a certain comparison, at the place for the earth. He says therefore: let us be carried toward the perfect, and this we will do, if indeed God permits. Now he says less, and signifies more. For it is not only necessary that the Lord permit, but it is required that he do all things. Sap. VII, 16: in the hand of God are we and our words. And therefore one must place everything under confidence in divine help. Io. XV, 15: without me you can do nothing. Iac. IV, 15: instead you should say, if God wills, and if we live, we will do. Then, when he says it is impossible, he shows their weakness: for they were weak in hearing. Just as in bodily matters no condition is so dangerous as that of relapsing persons, so in spiritual matters, he who after grace falls into sin rises to good again with more difficulty. And concerning this he does three things: first he sets forth the goods which they had received; second the difficulty caused in them from relapse, at the place and are fallen away; third he assigns the reason, at the place crucifying again. Now some goods are present, but others are future. Now they in the present had spiritual regeneration, and as to this he says enlightened, namely through Baptism. And Baptism is fittingly called illumination, because Baptism is the beginning of spiritual regeneration, in which the intellect is illumined through faith. Eph. V, v. 8: you were once darkness, but now light in the Lord. They also have a participation in the goods of God, and as to this he says and have tasted the heavenly gift. This gift is grace, and it is called heavenly, because God gives it from the heavens. Ps. LXVII, 19: he gave gifts to men, and Iac. c. I, 17: every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, descending from the Father of lights. There is also in them a participation in the divine goodness. II Pet. I, 4: through whom, namely Christ, he has given us the greatest and precious promises. Therefore he says made partakers of the Holy Spirit. For all gifts are given out of love: and therefore he attributes this participation to the Holy Spirit. Now to participate is to take a part. But only Christ had the Holy Spirit unto fullness. Io. III, 34: for God does not give the Spirit by measure. For the other saints received of his fullness, and were made partakers, not indeed of his substance, but of his distributions. Supra II, 4: and various distributions of the Holy Spirit. I Cor. XII, 4: there are diversities of graces, but the same Spirit, and so on. Likewise in the present they had the instruction of doctrine. And as to this he says they have tasted nonetheless the good word of God. This word is called good, because it is the word of eternal life. Io. VI, 69: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Ps. CXVIII, v. 103: how sweet are your words to my throat. Now he says they have tasted, because it not only illumines the intellect, but also refreshes the affection, in which there is a certain savoring. Ps. XXXIII, 8: taste and see that the Lord is sweet. But future goods they had in hope. Rom. VIII, 24: we are saved by hope. And therefore he says and the powers of the age to come. Now of these, some are had not only in hope, but also in a certain inchoation, and these are the endowments of the soul, namely vision, possession, and enjoyment, and these are had in a certain inchoation, inasmuch as faith, hope, and charity, which correspond to them, are had in the present. But other goods there are, which are had only in hope, such as the endowments of the body, namely subtlety, agility, impassibility, clarity. Consequently, when he says and are fallen away, he shows the difficulty of rising again, caused by the fall. Where it must be noted that he does not say fallen simply, but fallen away, that is, totally fallen: because if they had only fallen, it would not be so difficult to rise again. Prov. XXIV, 16: the just man falls seven times a day, and rises again. But if the Apostle were saying that it is impossible for those who have fallen away to rise again, then it could be said that in this he notes the greatest difficulty of rising, namely both on account of sin, and on account of pride, as is clear in the case of the demons. But because he says that those who have once fallen away cannot again be renewed unto penance, and there is no sin in this world from which a man cannot repent, therefore it must be understood otherwise. Hence it must be known that from this passage a certain Novatus, who was a priest of the Roman Church, took an occasion of erring. For he held that no one after Baptism could rise again to penance. But this position is false, as Athanasius says in his epistle to Serapion, because Paul himself received back the incestuous Corinthian, as is clear from II Cor. II, 5 ss., and likewise Gal. IV, 19, because he says: my little children, whom I bring forth again, and so on. It must therefore be understood, as Augustine says, that he does not say that it is impossible to repent, but that it is impossible to be renewed again, that is, to be baptized. Tit. III, 5: through the laver of regeneration and renewal, and so on. For a man could never so repent that he could be baptized again. And the Apostle says this, because according to the law the Jews are baptized many times, as is clear from Mc. VII, 3 s. And therefore, to remove this error, the Apostle says this. Then, when he says crucifying again, and so on, he assigns the reason why Baptism is not repeated, namely because Baptism is a certain configuration to the death of Christ, as is clear from Rom. VI, 3: as many of us as were baptized in Christ. But this is not repeated, because Christ, rising from the dead, dies now no more, Rom. VI, 9. Therefore they who are baptized a second time crucify Christ again. Or otherwise, that the opposition to the grace of Christ is denoted, namely that they wish to sin frequently and afterward be baptized again — so that it is referred not to a repetition of Baptism, but to the fall of those who sin. Who, namely, as far as it is in them, crucify Christ again, because Christ died once for our sins, I Pet. III, 18. Therefore when you sin after being baptized, as far as it is in you, you give occasion for Christ to be crucified again, and thus an insult is done to Christ, in whose blood you, having been washed, stain yourself. Apoc. I, 5: he loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.”

“If they shall fall away,.... This is not supposed of true believers, as appears from Heb 6:9 nor is it to be supposed of them that they may fall totally and finally; they may indeed fall, not only into afflictions and temptations, but into sin; and from a lively and comfortable exercise of grace, and from a degree of steadfastness in the Gospel; but not irrecoverably: for they are held and secured by a threefold cord, which can never be broken; by God the Father, who has loved them with an everlasting love, has chosen them in Christ, secured them in the covenant of grace, keeps them by his power, has given them grace, and will give them glory; and by the Son, who has undertook for them, redeemed and purchased them, prays and makes preparations in heaven for them, they are built on him, united to him, and are his jewels, whom he will preserve; and by the Holy Ghost, whose grace is incorruptible, whose personal indwelling is for ever, who himself is the earnest and seal of the heavenly inheritance, and who having begun, will finish the good work of grace: but falling away, so as to perish, may be supposed, and is true of many professors of religion; who may fall from the profession of the Gospel they have made, and from the truth of it, and into an open denial of it; yea, into an hatred and persecution of what they once received the external knowledge of; and so shall fall short of heaven, and into condemnation: for, to renew them again unto repentance, is a thing impossible: by "repentance" is meant, not baptism of repentance; nor admission to a solemn form of public repentance in the church; nor a legal repentance, but an evangelical one: and so to be "renewed" unto it is not to be baptized again, or to be restored anew to the church by repentance, and absolution; but must be understood either of renovation of the soul, in order to repentance; or of the reforming of the outward conversation, as an evidence of it; or of a renewing of the exercise of the grace of repentance and to be renewed "again" to repentance does not suppose that persons may have true repentance and lose it; for though truly penitent persons may lose the exercise of this grace for a time, yet the grace itself can never be lost: moreover, these apostates before described had only a show of repentance, a counterfeit one; such as Cain, Pharaoh, and Judas had; and consequently, the renewing of them again to repentance, is to that which they only seemed to have, and to make pretensions unto; now to renew them to a true repentance, which they once made a profession of, the apostle says is a thing "impossible": the meaning of which is not only that it is difficult; or that it is rare and unusual; or that it is unsuitable and improper; but it is absolutely impossible: it is impossible to these men to renew themselves to repentance; renovation is the work of the Holy Ghost, and not of man; and repentance is God's gift, and not in man's power; and it is impossible for ministers to renew them, to restore and bring them back, by true repentance; yea, it is impossible to God himself, not through any impotence in him, but from the nature of the sin these men are guilty of; for by the high, though outward attainments they arrive unto, according to the description of them, their sin is the sin against the Holy Ghost, for which no sacrifice can be offered up, and of which there is no remission, and so no repentance; for these two go together, and for which prayer is not to be made; see Mat 12:32 and chiefly because to renew such persons to repentance, is repugnant to the determined will of God, who cannot go against his own purposes and resolutions; and so the Jews (l) speak of repentance being withheld by God from Pharaoh, and, from the people of Israel; of which they understand Exo 9:16 and say, that when the holy blessed God withholds repentance from a sinner, , "he cannot repent"; but must die in his wickedness which he first committed of his own will; and they further observe (m), that he that profanes the name of God has it not in his power to depend on repentance, nor can his iniquity be expiated on the day of atonement, or be removed by chastisement: seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh; who is truly and properly God, begotten of the Father, and of the same nature with him, in whom he greatly delights; this is Christ's highest name and title; and it was for asserting himself to be the Son of God that he was crucified; and his being so puts an infinite virtue in his sufferings and death; and it heightens the sin of the Jews, and of these apostates, in crucifying him. He was once crucified, and it is both impossible and unnecessary that he should be, properly speaking, "crucified afresh", or "again"; it is impossible, because he is risen from the dead, and will never die more; it is unnecessary, because he has finished and completed what he suffered the death of the cross for; but men may be said to crucify him again, when, by denying him to be the Son of God, they justify the crucifixion of him on that account; and when they lessen and vilify the virtue of his blood and sacrifice; and when both by errors and immoralities they cause him to be blasphemed, and evil spoken of; and when they persecute him in his members: and this may be said to be done "to themselves afresh"; not that Christ was crucified for them before, but that they now crucify him again, as much as in them lies; or "with themselves", in their own breasts and minds, and to their own destruction. Now this being the case, it makes their renewal to repentance impossible; because, as before observed, the sin they commit is unpardonable; it is a denial of Christ, who gives repentance; and such who sin it must arrive to such hardness of heart as to admit of no repentance; and it is just with God to give up such to a final impenitence, as those, who knowingly and out of malice and envy crucified Christ, had neither pardon nor repentance; and besides, this sin of denying Christ to be the Son of God, and Saviour of men, after so much light and knowledge, precludes the way of salvation, unless Christ was to be crucified again, which is impossible; for so the Syriac version connects this clause with the word "impossible", as well as a foregoing one, rendering it, "it is impossible to crucify the Son of God again, and to put him to shame"; and so the Arabic version. Christ was put to open shame at the time of his apprehension, prosecution, and crucifixion; and so he is by such apostates, who, was he on earth, would treat him in the same manner the Jews did; and who do traduce him as an impostor and a deceiver, and give the lie to his doctrines, and expose him by their lives, and persecute him in his saints. (l) Maimon. Hilchot. Teshuba, c. 6. sect. 3. (m) Vid. R. David Kimchi in Isa. xxii. 14.”

“And have tasted the good word of God - Have had this proof of the excellence of the promise of God in sending the Gospel, the Gospel being itself the good word of a good God, the reading and preaching of which they find sweet to the taste of their souls. Genuine believers have an appetite for the word of God; they taste it, and then their relish for it is the more abundantly increased. The more they get, the more they wish to have. The powers of the world to come - Δυναμεις τε μελλοντος αιωνος. These words are understood two ways: 1. The powers of the world to come may refer to the stupendous miracles wrought in confirmation of the Gospel, the Gospel dispensation being the world to come in the Jewish phraseology, as we have often seen; and that δυναμις is often taken for a mighty work or miracle, is plain from various parts of the gospels. The prophets had declared that the Messiah, when he came, should work many miracles, and should be as mighty in word and deed as was Moses; see Deu 18:15-19. And they particularly specify the giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, strength to the lame, and speech to the dumb; Isa 35:5, Isa 35:6. All these miracles Jesus Christ did in the sight of this very people; and thus they had the highest evidence they could have that Jesus was this promised Messiah, and could have no pretense to doubt his mission, or apostatize from the Christian faith which they had received; and hence it is no wonder that the apostle denounces the most awful judgments of God against those who had apostatized from the faith, which they had seen thus confirmed. 2. The words have been supposed to apply to those communications and foretastes of eternal blessedness, or of the joys of the world to come, which they who are justified through the blood of the covenant, and walk faithfully with their God, experience; and to this sense the word γευσαμενους have tasted, is thought more properly to apply. But γευομαι, to taste, signifies to experience or have full proof of a thing. Thus, to taste death, Mat 16:28, is to die, to come under the power of death, fully to experience its destructive nature as far as the body is concerned. See also Luk 9:27; Joh 8:52. And it is used in the same sense in Heb 2:9 of this epistle, where Christ is said to taste death for every man; for notwithstanding the metaphor, which the reader will see explained in the note on the above place , the word necessarily means that he did actually die, that he fully experienced death; and had the fullest proof of it and of its malignity he could have, independently of the corruption of his flesh; for over this death could have no power. And to taste that the Lord is gracious, Pe1 2:3, is to experience God's graciousness thoroughly, in being made living stones, built up into a spiritual house, constituted holy priests to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God; see Pe1 2:5. And in this sense it is used by the purest Greek writers. See several examples in Schleusner. It seems, therefore, that the first opinion is the best founded.”

“tasted the good word of God--distinct from "tasted OF (genitive) the heavenly gift"; we do not yet enjoy all the fulness of Christ, but only have a taste OF Him, the heavenly gift now; but believers may taste the whole word (accusative case) of God already, namely, God's "good word of promise." The Old Testament promise of Canaan to Israel typified "the good word of God's" promise of the heavenly rest (Heb. 4:1-16). Therefore, there immediately follows the clause, "the powers of the world to come." As "enlightening" and "tasting of the heavenly gift," Christ, the Bread of Life, answers to FAITH: so "made partakers of the Holy Ghost," to CHARITY, which is the first-fruit of the Spirit: and "tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come," to HOPE. Thus the triad of privileges answers to the Trinity, the Father, Son, and Spirit, in their respective works toward us. "The world to come," is the Christian dispensation, viewed especially in its future glories, though already begun in grace here. The world to come thus stands in contrast to course of this world, altogether disorganized because God is not its spring of action and end. By faith, Christians make the world to come a present reality, though but a foretaste of the perfect future. The powers of this new spiritual world, partly exhibited in outward miracles at that time, and then, as now, especially consisting in the Spirit's inward quickening influences are the earnest of the coming inheritance above, and lead the believer who gives himself up to the Spirit to seek to live as the angels, to sit with Christ in heavenly places, to set the affections on things above, and not on things on earth, and to look for Christ's coming and the full manifestation of the world to come. This "world to come," in its future aspect, thus corresponds to "resurrection of the dead and eternal life" (Heb 6:2), the first Christian principles which the Hebrew believers had been taught, by the Christian light being thrown back on their Old Testament for their instruction (see on Heb 6:1-2). "The world to come," which, as to its "powers," exists already in the redeemed, will pass into a fully realized fact at Christ's coming (Col 3:4).”