1 Therefore let us get past the elementary stage in the teachings about the Christ, advancing on to maturity and perfection and spiritual completeness, [doing this] without laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of teaching about washings (ritual purifications), the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. [These are all important matters in which you should have been proficient long ago.] 3 And we will do this [that is, proceed to maturity], if God permits.

?

The author, having smacked the readers upside the head, now prepares to shift into the next faster gear. He’s not going to talk any more about the foundation of the Christian faith, repentance & faith, nor give instructions about the resurrection, eternal judgement, washings (which could mean baptism) and laying on of hands. He’s about to cover a topic of great controversy in Christianity starting in v4.

So what kind of perfection is the author talking about in V1? It surely is regarding our Christian life. Perfect in what way? Earlier we discussed how Jesus was perfected (made complete) in His role as high priest through obedience in suffering. It wasn’t that Jesus was imperfect (He was without sin), but that He became complete (perfect) through sufferings (see our earlier discussion on 5:7-10). Our problem is the opposite, but similar: we start out imperfect, yet we won’t become perfect (in this life) so the idea is “spiritual completeness” as the AMP uses.

Finally, what does it mean: “if God permits” (V3)? I like how Barnes commentary puts it: “It is equivalent to saying, ‘if he would spare their lives, their health, and their reason; if he would continue the means of grace, and would impart his Holy Spirit; if he would favour their efforts, and crown them with success, they would make these advances.’” Then for application, he continues, “In reference to anything that we undertake, however pleasing to God in itself, it is proper to recognise our entire dependence on God. See Jas 4:13-16.”