Hebrews 4

THE REST WHICH REMAINS FOR THE PEOPLE OF GODHeb_4:1-10 Hebrews 4:1 —Let us therefore fear,— The proper object of fear is danger. And as the Hebrew Christians were then in danger of falling away, the Apostle very properly appeals here to their sense of fear, for the purpose of exciting them to greater diligence in the Divine life. For he well knew that everything depended on their attaining to that rest which remains for the people of God. If they failed in this, they failed in everything. In that event, their confession would be all in vain, and life itself would be worse than an abor­tion. Hebrews 4:1 —lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest,— The participle being left (kataleipomenees) is in the present tense, implying that the promise of entering God’ s rest is made sure to all Christians who, like Joshua and Caleb, continue faithful to the end of life. This the Apostle here assumes, for the present, on the grounds already stated. But lest anyone should doubt the reality of such a rest, he immediately takes up the consideration of this subject, and makes it his main theme in this paragraph. Hebrews 4:1 —any of you should seem to come short of it.— Or more ex­actly, Lest any of you may seem (dokee) to have come short of it (hustereekenai). That is, lest it may appear at the end of your course or on the day of final reckoning, that any of you shall have failed to reach the heavenly rest, the sabbatism that remains for the people of God. The Apostle would, in a word, have his Hebrew brethren in Christ take heed, lest while there is remaining to them a promise of entering into God’ s rest, any of them should, like their fathers in the wilderness, fall short of it through their own obstinate unbelief.

Hebrews 4:2 —For unto us was the gospel preached, etc.— This is a very inaccurate translation of the original, and conveys to the English reader quite an erroneous impression. Literally rendered the passage stands thus: For we are evangelized (esmen eueengelis- tnenoi) as well as they. That is, the promise of entering into rest, on given conditions, has been made to us Christians, as well as to the ancient Hebrews. The assertion is designed to set forth more directly and categorically what is assumed in the first verse, viz., that there is really left to us a promise of entering into God’ s rest. The Apostle means to say that the joyful promise of entering into rest, made first to the Israelites, has respect to us as well as to them. Primarily, it had reference to the possession of Canaan; and secondarily, to that better rest of which the rest in Canaan was but a type.

This same promise, in its second intention, still remains for the encouragement and consolation of all God’ s people. Into it they will all finally enter; unless, like the Israelites, they fall by the way on account of their own practical infidelity. Hebrews 4:2 —but the word preached did not profit them,—Literally, the word of hearing are all of one holy brotherhood. (3:1.) It mat­ters not how much they may differ from one another in wealth, tal­ents, learning, and social advantages, they are nevertheless all one in Christ Jesus. The rich should not therefore despise the poor, nor should the poor envy the rich. But all should strive to main­tain “ the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” ; and to promote each other’ s good, as heirs of the grace of life and joint heirs of the eternal inheritance. To think much about Christ as the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, will be of great service to us in many ways (verse 1). It will serve, for instance, to increase our faith in him and our confidence in the perfection and efficacy of the gospel plan of salvation through him. It will increase our love for God, who has so tenderly loved us as to send his own Son to redeem us. It will correct and restrain our selfishness, and make us more zealous for the glory of God and the salvation of the world. And, in a word, it will make us all more humble, more prayerful, and more earnest in our endeavors to “ live soberly, and righteously, and godly.” How much, how very much may depend on the fidelity of God’ s ministers (verse 5). Had the servants of Christ all acted as did Moses, and observed faithfully the more full and encouraging instructions of the Holy Spirit that are given to us in the New Testament, how very different would be both the Church and the world today. How many that are now idolaters would be Chris­tians; and how many of those that are now eternally lost, might today be rejoicing among the spirits of the just made perfect. God still dwells with his people (verse 6). The Church of God is the house of God, as it is written, “ I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my peo­ple.” (2 Corinthians 6:16.) Why, then, do we not draw nigh to him who has come so very near to us? Why not, like Enoch and Moses, walk with him, as seeing him who is invisible? Why not avoid everything that is offensive in his sight, such as the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life ? And why not, like Christ, humbly endeavor to do the will of God in all things? Surely this is but our highest happiness, as it is also our most reasonable service. Fidelity to the end of life is essential in order to the final en­joyment of the great salvation (verses 6, 14). With such warn­ings and admonitions before us as those which are given in this section, it is all folly to rely for happiness on the imaginary “ un­conditional decrees” of God; or on the once prevalent doctrine of “ final perseverance.” “ He that endures to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 10:22.) Without this actual perseverance on our part, through the abounding grace of God, nothing can save us from the torments of the damned. It is not enough that God has sent his Son into the world to save it; and that Christ has sent the Holy Spirit to convince mankind “ of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” It is not enough that we have confessed Christ, and that we have been actually washed from our past sins in his blood. We must also continue to persevere in well-doing, seeking for honor, and glory, and immortality, if we would enjoy eternal life. (Romans 2:7.) “ For if we sin willfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more [a] sacrifice for sins.” (10: 26.) “ Let him [then] that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12.) Let no one, then trifle with the commands of God, and with the promptings of an enlightened conscience; no, not even for a day or an hour (verses 7, 13). “ To-day, if ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the wilderness.” All unnecessary delay is dangerous, because it is sinful and serves to harden the hearts of those who yield to its se­ductive influence. And hence the law of the Kingdom of Heaven is (1) to hear; (2) to believe; and (3) to obey from the heart that form of doctrine which is delivered to us in the Gospel. The primi­tive Christians did this; and then went on their way rejoicing. See Acts passim. But the power of sin over the human heart is very great (verse 13). The unregenerate are slaves to its influence. See Romans 6:6-7 Romans 6:17 Romans 6:20 Romans 7:13-23. And even the Christian, enlight­ened and assisted as he is by the Holy Spirit, has need to be con­stantly on his guard, lest he too be ensnared and hardened through its deceitfulness. (1 Corinthians 9:27.) And hence the great importance and necessity of that mutual exhortation and encouragement which our author so earnestly recommends. “ Exhort one another daily,” he says, “ while it is called To-day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” And again he says to the Gala­tian brethren, “ Bear ye one another’ s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2.) God has made us all fellow-helpers one of another, by committing to us the word of reconciliation and exhortation. Why, then, are we so very unfaithful to the trust which God has committed to us in this particular? Why do we not exhort one another daily? Why are we so prone to talk about anything and everything else rather than about the one thing needful? When we meet with our brethren, we are all wont to ask for their welfare. We inquire very particularly about their prosperity in business, and also about their physical health, comforts, and enjoy­ments. But how many of us are in the habit of inquiring after the state and condition of their souls?

How many mutual inquiries are made about one another’ s progress in the Divine life; and about the peculiar trials, difficulties, and dangers that beset us, and against which we have to contend in our feeble efforts to reach the heavenly rest? That there is a great want of fidelity among Chris­tians in this respect, admits, I think, of no doubt.

But why is it so? Has it ceased to be true that “ Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” ? Or does this habit of worldly conver­sation about secular matters, indicate an alarming want of spiritu­ality in our own poor unbelieving hearts? That public sentiment is a great barrier in the way of religious conversation in the social circle, I freely admit. It is really amazing to what an extent the Devil has succeeded in persuading the people, that it is impolite to speak of God, or of Christ, or of Heaven, in the parlor or on the public highway. And the fear of giving offense, no doubt, often constrains many a Christian to withhold his lips from speaking good, even when the fire of God’ s grace is burning in his soul. (Psalms 39:1-3.) But after making all due allowance for the bind­ing obligations of public sentiment within proper limits, it must, I fear, be conceded that this general delinquency on the part of Christians is fearfully indicative of our own want of faith in God and in the word of his grace.

Christ, it is true, never cast pearls before swine; and in some cases he refrained from working mira­cles on account of the extreme wickedness and infidelity of the people. See Matthew 13:58, and Mark 6:5-6.

But still, the main burden of his conversation, wherever he went, was “ the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.” May God grant us all grace to walk in his footsteps. Our greatest want has always been a want of faith in God and in the word of his grace (verses 18, 19). It was this that first brought sin into the world. (Genesis 3:6.) It was this that filled the antediluvian earth with violence, and brought in a flood of waters on the ungodly. It was this that caused the dispersion from Babel, and that soon after filled the world with idolatry. It was this that brought down fire and brimstone from Heaven on Sodom and Go­morrah, and made these cities of the plain a monument of God’ s hatred of sin. It was this that so often brought down God’ s judg­ments on even his own chosen people in the wilderness and in Ca­naan, and that has made their descendants a proverb and a by­word in every nation under Heaven. It was this that divided the Church of God, and that filled the dwelling-place of the Most High with all manner of Jewish and Gentile abominations.

And it is this that now deprives us all of a thousand spiritual enjoyments, and that will hereafter shut the gates of Heaven against millions who, like the rebellious Israelites, will seek to enter into God’ s rest when it is too late. (Luke 13:24-30.) No wonder, then, that our blessed Savior so often sums up all sin under the head of unbelief. “ When he [the Comforter] is come,” says Christ, “ he will convict the world of sin, because they believe not on me.” (John 16:9.) See also John 3:18-21 John 5:39-47 John 8:24 John 15:22-25, etc. Let us, then, all beware, lest there be also in any of us an evil heart of unbelief in apostatizing from the living God. The main business of life is to labor to enter into God’ s rest. (4: 11.) Here we are all but strangers and pilgrims, traveling, like the Israelites in the wilderness, to the promised inheritance. What folly it is, then, to build costly mansions and monuments on these sandy foundations in the desert over which we are now pass­ing so rapidly on our way to the everlasting Zion! What folly it is to call our lands by our own names. (Psalms 49:11), and to lay up treasures here on Earth, where moth and rust are constantly corroding and corrupting. Let us all look rather to the end of our pilgrimage; and labor to enter into the everlasting rest which is now in reserve for every child of God. And let us rejoice, as did Paul, that it is better to depart and to be with Christ in those heav­enly mansions. How utterly vain are all the hopes and deceits of the hypo­crite ; and with what shame and confusion of face he will stand fi­nally before God, naked and exposed to the all-penetrating eye of him with whom we have to do (verses 11-13). Then, every ref­uge of lies in which he trusted will be swept away; and all the deep, dark, and hidden recesses of his whole spiritual being will be made manifest in the light of God’ s countenance, by means of the living energies of that word which pierces through to the dividing asunder of the soul and of the spirit, even to the extent of their joints and their marrows! May God save us all from such an or­deal on the day of his final reckoning. SECTION FOURHebrews 4: 14 to 5: 10 In Hebrews 3:1, the Apostle calls on his Hebrew brethren to consider attentively Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. He then takes up the consideration of his apostleship, and speaks of it and other matters subordinate to it, to the close of the third section. (Hebrews 4:13.) But in doing so, he of course develops and illus­trates also, in some measure, the perfections of Christ as a High Priest. Indeed all that is said of Christ’ s Divinity in the first sec­tion, of his humanity in the second, and of his apostleship in the third, has some bearing also on his priesthood. And hence it is that, in the fourth section, he is at once presented to us so encour­agingly as our great prevailing and sympathetic High Priest. In the course of this section, the Apostle—

I. Encourages his brethren to hold fast their confession; and relying on Jesus as their great and sympathizing High Priest, toapproach the Throne of grace, and ask for help with all confidence. (Hebrews 4:14-16.) This he exhorts and encourages them to do— On the ground that Jesus is a great High Priest; far above all created intelligences (Hebrews 4:14). That he has gone up through the heavens, to appear in the presence of God for us (Hebrews 4:14). That he is himself, as was shown in the first chapter, the Son of God, the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (Hebrews 4:14). That he is a tender and sympathetic High Priest, having been tempted in all respects even as we are, but without sin (Hebrews 4:15). II. He next shows for what purpose a high priesthood was ap­pointed among men; and specifies some of the principal qualifica­tions that were required in all who would perform its sacred func­tions. (Hebrews 5:1-4.)

1. Every such priest taken from among men, is, he says, or­dained to officiate for men in things pertaining to God; and espe­cially to offer both gifts, and sacrifices for sins. The office was never intended to be a sinecure. But it was created and sustained for the benefit and encouragement of those who desired to worship and serve God acceptably (Hebrews 5:1).
2. It was necessary, therefore, that every High Priest should himself be a man of experience and sympathy; so that he might at all times be able to encourage, comfort, and instruct the erring and the ignorant (Hebrews 5:2).
3. That he should receive his appointment from God as did Aaron (Hebrews 5:4). III. After stating the object of the priesthood, and specifying some of the leading duties and qualifications of every High Priest chosen from among men, the Apostle next proceeds to encourage his brethren still further, by showing them how eminently Christ is qualified for all the duties of the sacerdotal office (verses 5-10).
4. He was constituted a High Priest by God himself, as David testifies in Psalms 110:4 (Hebrews 5:5-6).
5. He was, while in the flesh, a man of great sorrow and afflic­tion (Hebrews 5:7).
6. He was a man of prayer (Hebrews 5:7).4. He was heard and delivered from his greatest fears, showing that he had power with God (Hebrews 5:7).
7. His experience far transcended that of every other man. Though honored and exalted as the Son of God, he nevertheless went down into the lowest depths of human sorrow and suffering (Hebrews 5:8).
8. And being thus made perfect, as a High Priest, he is now able and willing to save with an everlasting salvation all who be­lieve and obey him (Hebrews 5:9). From the preceding analysis it is manifest, that this section may be divided into the three following paragraphs: I. Hebrews 4:14-16. Encouragement to persevere in the Christian life, and to approach with confidence the Throne of grace, drawn from the exalted position and the sympathetic love of Jesus, the great High Priest of our confession. II. Hebrews 5:1-4. Encouraging and benevolent design of the priest­hood ; and the necessary qualifications of those who would minister acceptably in the High Priest’ s office. III. Hebrews 5:5-10. Preeminent qualifications of Jesus to officiate as our High Priest; with further encouragements to believe and obey him. TO IN THE LIFE, AND TO WITH THE THRONE OF GRACE, DRAWN FROM THE EXALTED AND THE LOVE OF JESUS, AS THE HIGH PRIEST OF OUR Hebrews 4:14-16 Hebrews 4:14 —Seeing then that we have a great high priest,— The main discussion of Christ’ s priesthood is to be found in what follows to the close of the eighth section. (10: 18.) But in the first three sec­tions there is enough said of him to warrant the conclusion that we have a great High Priest who has gone up through the heavens into the Holy of holies, there to appear in the prespice of God for us. And hence it is that the Apostle makes this the ground of another earnest exhortation to his Hebrew brethren to hold fast their confes­sion.

The title high priest (hiereus megas) occurs first in Lev. 21 : 10, where it is used to designate Aaron and his successors, upon whose heads the anointing oil was poured, and who were severally consecrated to put on the holy garments. The corresponding word in the New Testament (archiereus) is used to designate (1) the High Priest proper; (2) the deputy of the High Priest; (3) any­one who had ever borne the office; and (4) the head of each of the twenty-four courses of the priesthood. (1 Chron. 24.) But here, as well as in Hebrews 2:17 Hebrews 3:1 Hebrews 5:5 Hebrews 5:10 Hebrews 6:20 Hebrews 7:26 Hebrews 8:1 Hebrews 9:11 Hebrews 9:25, it refers to Christ, who, as a Priest upon his throne (Zechariah 6:13), is ever ready to receive and bless those who come unto God by him. The adjective great megas) is used here, not in its technical sense, as it often is, to distinguish Aaron and his successors in office from Priests of the common order, but in its proper sense to denote the real, personal, and official greatness of Christ, who, as our author shows, is superior even to the angels, as well as to Moses and all the Priests of the Old Covenant.

Hebrews 4:14 —that is passed into the heavens,— More literally, who has passed through (dieleluthota) the heavens. That is, through the aerial and sidereal heavens, on his way to the Heaven of heavens, the Most Holy Place, not made with hands; where, as a Priest, Christ offered his own blood once for all, and then sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3) ; “ a minister of the Sanc­tuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not men” (Hebrews 8:2).

Hebrews 4:14 —Jesus the Son of God,— These words are added by way of ex­planation, to denote more definitely the power, glory, and dignity of our great High Priest. He is not of the house of Aaron; but he is the Son of God, by whom all things were created, and for whom all things were created; “ the brightness of the Father’ s glory and the express image of his person.” See notes on Hebrews 1:2-3 Hebrews 1:8.

Hebrews 4:14 —let us hold fast our profession.— Rather, our concession \

Hebrews 4:1

Hebrews 4:1. The word fear in this verse means anxiety or extreme caution, not to make the same mistake the Israelites made. There is a promise made to the disciples of Christ, to be considered a few verses below, and they might come short or miss it.

Hebrews 4:2

Hebrews 4:2. The simple meaning of gospel is “good news,” hence any announcement of good news or promises may rightly be termed gospel. The Israelites had good information that they were to be given a land of rest from their wanderings. The disciples of Christ are given the promise of a rest from their worldly cares after this life is over, provided they are faithful to the end. The promise did not profit the Israelites under consideration because they did not believe it. (See Hebrews 3:18-19.)

Hebrews 4:3

Hebrews 4:3. We which have believed are the only ones who are promised the privilege of entering into rest. As I have sworn, etc., means God deals with all people on the same principle. That is that He declared to ancient Israel that their unbelief would keep them out of the promised land. Although the works were finished. A rest period implies a preceding one of work, and that took place in the beginning of creation. Hence the rest after the labor was established, which was to serve as a type of the next rest: the one in Canaan after the wandering in the wilderness.

Hebrews 4:4

Hebrews 4:4. The certain place where this is spoken is Genesis 2:2-3, and that is where the Lord set the pattern of rest after labor that was to be a foreshadowing of another rest far into the future.

Hebrews 4:5

Hebrews 4:5. But the ones whom God planned to enjoy that second rest made themselves unworthy of it, hence He aware that they should not enter into it.

Hebrews 4:6

Hebrews 4:6. Remaineth that some must enter therin. God is sure to “have His own way” at last, even though certain ones may be rebellious and thus lose the benefits that He intended for them. Even if unbelief cuts off the ones first intended to have been favored, the Lord will find another outlet for the divine mercy.

Hebrews 4:7

Hebrews 4:7. Limiteth is from a Greek word that means “to determine, appoint” according to Thayer. Saying in David means it is said in the writings or David, namely, in Psalms 95:7-8. The thought of this verse is that God “determined” to have another rest and caused David to write about it, and to exhort the ones living before it not to make the mistake the former ones did.

Hebrews 4:8

Hebrews 4:8. The Greek word for Jesus is also defined “Joshua” in the lexicon, and should be so translated in this verse. Joshua led the few faithful ones across the Jordan into the Canaan rest, but God had already determined upon another rest, seeing so many of the candidates for the rest in Canaan had proved unworthy. In justice to the fathful ones at that time, they were permitted to be led by Joshua into the land of Canaan, but that circumstance was not to be regarded as the final arragement of the Lord for a better rest. That is why our verse states that Jesus (Joshua) did not give them rest, meaning he did not give them the third and final rest. This truth is further indicated by the Lord’s statement afterwards that there was to be another day.

Hebrews 4:9

Hebrews 4:9. This verse is the climax of the reasoning in the preceding verses. There remaineth signifies that the final rest is still in the future, and that is the one which Christians are warned not to miss on account of unbelief. It may be well to observe that three rests have been discussed by Paul, and he shows that God speaks of them as “my rest.” That is because He originated them and determined the conditions affecting them. Briefly stated, the three rests are the seventh day after the creation, the national rest in Canaan, and the rest in Heaven after the judgement.

Hebrews 4:10

Hebrews 4:10. This is a comment on the relation of the rest to work. The mere mention of rest implies a preceding period of work to be followed by the rest.

Hebrews 4:11

Hebrews 4:11. Verse 9 (Hebrews 4:9) states the grand conclusion upon the line of reasoning the apostle has been giving. The present verse states the exhortion that would logically be given upon such a conclusive background. Since the term rest implies a preceding one of labor, the apostle makes his exhortation upon that basis. Disciples who are not willing to labor for the Lord, should not expect to share in His rest. If they at last “come short of it,” the cause will be attributed to their disobedience or unbelief.

Hebrews 4:12

Hebrews 4:12. The orginal Greek word for quick is defined in the lexicon as “alive” and that for powerful is “active.” The meaning of the clause is that the word of God is alive and active. When it is absorbed as spiritual food its effect should be to make one a living and active servant of the Lord. A twoedged sword is extra sharp because such instruments are made of the best material. Likewise the word of God is composed of the best material, namely, the wisdom of divine inspiration. It would not indicate any unusual keenness for a knife to sever between things that do not resemble, or that are not closely adhering to each other.

The ability of the “sword of the Spirit” to distinguish between the soul and spirit of man Is mentioned as a proof of its keennesss. This indicates that there is not much difference between them, and yet .that some difference exists. This subject is explained in t h e comments at 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Joints and marrow are other parts of the human system that pertain to the flesh, and are used figuratively for the same purpose as the preceding illustration, showing the sharpness of the divine instrument. Discerner is from which means a measuring rule or standard, by which things are measured and judged. The statement means that the word of God is the standard by which all our thoughts and intents are to be regulated.

It is sometimes insisted that Christians may think whatever they please as long as they keep it to themselves. This verse condems such a notion, and it is contradicted also by Philippians 4:8-9 which tells Christians the subjects on which they have a right to think.

Hebrews 4:13

Hebrews 4:13. The foregoing verse and remarks have special reference to the Word of God as an inspired volume. But if God can produce a book that has such qualities, then He certainly has a mind that is likewise able. Everything that we think (or do) is seen by the eyes of the Infinite One, because his “eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).

Hebrews 4:14

Hebrews 4:14. Jesus is a great high priest because he is the Son of God. Another item of His greatness is his entrance into the heavens or the place where God is, whereas the high priests of the Mosaic system entered into the buildings on earth, which were only the figures or types of the ones above. Paul uses this truth as a basis for our holding fast or firm to our profession of faith; not going back to Moses.

Hebrews 4:15

Hebrews 4:15. In taking on a body with the same nature as ours, Jesus was able to have the same experiences as we. Touched with the feeling means to sympathize with our infirmities. Whatever would be a temptation to us would be likewise one to Him, and he came in contact with all kinds of temptations which are on the earth, yet never yielded once to them.

Hebrews 4:16

Hebrews 4:16. Come boldly denotes a feeling of confidence that we may have on account of such a sympthetic Intercessor. The Israelites came near the tabernacle or temple, relying on their high priest to officiate on their behalf, by making intercession for them before the mercyseat in the most holy place, which was a type of the throne of grace. Accordingly we as spiritual Israel may approach by faith unto this throne where Jesus is acting as our High Priest. Our prayers through Him will reach the ears of God, calling for grace or favor to help us in the time of need while in this world of temptation.