Repent-
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The writer of Hebrews refers to the God who “will not change his mind” (7:21) and Esau, who could not achieve repentance (12:17).
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The writer of Hebrews refers to the God who “will not change his mind” (7:21) and Esau, who could not achieve repentance (12:17).
[quoting old post]
[quoting Gaebelein Commentary on Heb12:17]
"In Christ the believer is sanctified; as Martin Luther used to say “My holiness is in Heaven.” The exhortation here means to pursue that holiness into which grace has called us, which grace has given and for which grace gives daily power. Closely connected with this is the warning which follows in Hebrews 12:15-17. The man who falls short of the grace of God, who lacketh that grace which is in Christ Jesus, his heart not resting in Him, is a mere professing believer and Possesseth not the holiness, which grace alone can give. He is a root of bitterness and a profane, and earthly-minded person, as Esau was who sold his birthright.
"(The time came when he regretted that for a paltry gratification he forfeited his right. Afterwards, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected. For though he sought carefully with tears to change his father’s mind he found (in Isaac) no place for change of mind. This seems to be the meaning of this difficult passage, Esau is never represented as an apostle [<---I think that is a typo, and that he means "an apostate," as he uses later], as one who professed and appeared to be a believer, and then fell away. So (apart from other reasons) the meaning of the apostle cannot be that Esau, as an apostate, was not able to find repentance. But we know that, notwithstanding his vehement and urgent entreaties, Isaac could not change his mind, or repent him of what he had done in conferring the blessing on Jacob, which God approved of” Saphir.)"
[end quoting Gaebelein]
So, in view of the above explanation on that text, consider:
"he was rejected" - G593 - apodokimazó (from 575 /apó, "away from" and 1381 /dokimázō, "to prove, test"),
...Esau was "rejected" in the sense that his father Isaac could not change his mind, or repent of him what he had already done in conferring the blessing on Jacob, which God approved of. I just point this out because, here, in this example, the idea being conveyed on the surface I believe means he was rejected from Isaac conferring the blessing on him/Esau.
[end quoting old post; bold and underline mine; bracketed insert mine; parentheses original]