Introductory remarks:
This chapter continues the teaching of entering into Christ, our eternal rest. "A rest promised from the beginning when God rested from His works on the seventh day. The Israelites didn't enter the rest because they lacked faith. The day of rest still hasn't arrived because much later David spoke of a day and guarding against a lack of faith. We should strive to enter by avoiding unbelief. It can't be hidden because God is able to see the inner most thoughts of man. We should be firm in our faith knowing that our High Priest understands our weakness, having experienced the trials of this life (though He was sinless), and gives us access to God's mercy and grace" (A Survey of Hebrews - By Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: A rest for the people of God continued vv. 1-13: Jesus the Great High Priest vv. 14-16.
A Rest for the People of God Continued
Verse 1, "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into the rest, any of you should seem to come short of it."
LGT "We should fear therefore, lest perhaps a promise being left to enter into His rest, any of you might seem to come short."
We should fear Therefore: the Israelites perished in the wilderness because of unbelief. There should not have been a chapter break here. Remember, the Promised Land was a type of entering into fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our rest. Lest perhaps a promise being left to enter into His rest: the risks they run now is that of neglecting the promise of God, and not entering into full fellowship with the Father and His Son. The fear Paul is writing about here is forgetting the promise of the rest promised in Christ Jesus our Lord. The first promise was made to the Israelites in the wilderness of entering the Land of Canaan; now the same promised rest is offered the believer in fellowship with Him; ignorance of God's Word leads to forfeiting fellowship. Any of you might seem to come short: this means that forgetting the Word of God is forgetting the promise of fellowship, and coming up short by not having fellowship; this is tantamount to not walking by faith, but to handle things by our own effort, that is, not seeking the Word of God as our guide.
Verse 2, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it."
LGT "For indeed we have had the Glad Tidings announced [to us] even also they: but the word of the report did not profit them, not having been mixed with faith in those who heard."
Paul is writing here about the gospel of grace offered to the Israelites in the type of the Promised Land. They did not believe God, so they did not enter His rest. Salvation is offered to all, but only those who believe will enter God's rest. Jesus said, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28).
Verse 3, "For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world."
LGT "For we enter into the rest, the ones who believe, just as He has said, So I swore in My wrath, if they shall enter into My rest: though verily the works from [the] foundation of [the] world were done."
For we enter into the rest: we are sure to enter the rest. The ones who believe: when we heard the gospel of grace we embraced it by faith and it is a surety that we have entered that rest. As He said: in accordance with the following statement: So I swore in My wrath, if they shall enter My rest: the statement is obscure, but the meaning is that the ones who believed God entered in, and the ones who did not believe did not enter in. Paul is quoting Psalm 95:11. Though verily the works from the foundation of the world were done: after God had created the world he rested on the seventh day. We who believe will enter that rest. "What more exalted idea can there be of happiness than to participate in the calmness, the peace, the repose, the freedom from raging passions, from wearisome toil, and from agitating cares, which God enjoys? Who, torn with conflicting passions here, wearied with toil, and distracted with care, ought not to feel it a privilege to look forward to that rest? Of this rest the Sabbath and the Promised Land were emblems. They to whom the promise was made did not enter in, but some shall enter in, and the promise therefore pertains to us" (Barnes).
Verse 4, "For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works."
LGT "For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh [day] thus: And God rested on the seventh day from all His works:"
For He said somewhere concerning the seventh day thus: this rest is recorded in Genesis 2:2. And God rested on the seventh day from all His work: God was not tired from His creative acts, He states that He rested from it in that He ceased from the work. This rest is eternal and has been promised to all who believe. I briefly described this rest in the last verse.
Verses 5, 6, "And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief."
LGT "And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into My rest. Since therefore it remains [for] some to enter into it, and those who formerly heard Glad Tidings did not enter in on account of unbelief."
Again Paul is quoting Psalm 95:11. None of those who wandered in the wilderness entered into the rest; actually, neither did the second generation under Joshua and Caleb, completely. The complete rest is yet future for all of us who are still alive who believe in Jesus Christ.
Verse 7, "Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To-day, after so long a time: as it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts."
LGT "Again a certain day He determines, To-day, in David saying, after so long a time, just as it has been said before, To-day, if His voice ye will hear, harden not your hearts."
Again a certain day He determines: God offers another opportunity for the Jews to secure His rest; He calls that day, today. To-day, in David: referring to the Psalm of David. Saying, after so long a time: this is the time between Joshua and David. Just as it has been said before: after such a long time He renews His promise. Today, if His voice ye will hear, harden not your hearts: referring to His quotations in chp. 3:7, 8, 15. He insists on saying today, because tomorrow will be too late. The longer they put off believing in Christ, the more difficult it is to accept Him.
Verse 8, "for if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day."
LGT "For if Joshua gave them rest, not according to another day would He have spoken afterwards."
For if Joshua: Jesus is the Greek spelling of the Hebrew "Joshua." Gave them rest: the children of Israel crossed over Jordan and entered the land, but they did not find rest there, because they did not obey God in fully occupying the land; they even intermarried with the heathen. Joshua was not able to procure all the physical blessings God had promised. Not according to another day would He have spoken afterwards: God had a much better rest to give to them that could only be realized in accepting His Son, and this is the eternal rest we all look forward to. Canaan was a shadow of the substance.
Verse 9. "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God."
LGT "Then remains a sabbatism to the people of God."
This rest can only be when man becomes one with Christ. God's rest has never been found here on earth. God was pleased when He created man, and will give him rest when he is perfected in Christ. God cannot accept man in his present condition; man must be as perfect as God Himself, in order for Him to accept man. "The Sabbath rest points back to God's original rest, and marks the ideal rest - the rest of perfect adjustment of all things to God, such as ensued upon the completion of His creative work, when He pronounced all things good. This falls in with the ground-thought of the Epistle, the restoration of all things to God's archetype. The sin and unbelief of Israel were incompatible with that rest. It must remain un-appropriated until harmony with God is restored. The Sabbath-rest is the consummation of the new creation in Christ, through whose priestly meditation reconciliation with God will come to pass" (Vincent).
Verse 10, "For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his."
LGT "For he that entered into his rest, and also he rested from his works, as God from His own."
What Paul had previously taught regarding salvation, he now states the benefits in the word "rest." For he that entered into his rest: finally reached heaven via death. And also rested from his works: no longer has the toil and burdens of this life. As God from His own: after creation God rested; not from being weary, but He sat down and admired the works of His own hands with complete satisfaction, waiting the day when he would be reconciled to man.
Barnes has a very moving paragraph on this verse:
"The man who is so happy as to reach heaven, will enjoy a rest similar to that which God had when He finished the work of creation. It will be (1.) a cessation from toil; and (2.) it will be a rest similar to that of God - the same kind of enjoyment, the same freedom from care, anxiety, and labor. How happy then are they who have entered into heaven! Their toils are over. Their labors are done. Never again will they know fatigue. Never more will they feel anxious care. Let us learn then (1.) not to mourn improperly for those who have left us and gone to heaven. Happy in the rest of God, why should not we rejoice? Why wish them back again in a world of toil! (2.) Let us in our toils look forward to the world of rest. Our labors will all be over. The weary man will lay down his burden; the exhausted frame will know fatigue no more. Rest is sweet at night after toils of day; how much more sweet will it be in heaven after the toils of life! Let us (3.) labor while it is called today. Soon we shall cease from our work. All that we have to do is to be done soon. We shall soon cease from our work as God did from His."
Verse 11, Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example on unbelief."
LGT "We should be diligent therefore to enter into that rest, lest anyone after the same example of disobedience may fall."
We should be diligent therefore to enter into that rest: Paul is telling them to live their life in full expectancy of this rest in God. Lest anyone after the example of disobedience may fall: as those disobedient Israelites in the wilderness. Some of the Hebrew believers were not looking forward to the rest, but were like the Israelites of old, relying on their own works. Paul is giving this warning, not that they would lose their salvation, but that they would live defeated lives. Paul desires that they spend their time wisely in the study of the Word of God, and trust in Christ, the Captain of their salvation. I believe this verse is tantamount to working out their salvation, not working for their salvation. To get the full enjoyment from salvation it takes diligent study of God's Word.
Verse 12, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
LGT "For the Word of God [is] living, and efficient, and sharper than every two-edged sword, even penetrating to [the] division both of soul and spirit, both of joints and marrows, and [is] a discerner of [the] thoughts and intents of [the] heart."
For the Word of God is living: this means that the Word of God is from a living God; you cannot separate God from His Word; when you study the Word of God, a living God is speaking to you, and what He says is life changing. And efficient: this means that it is well organized dispensationally, and effective in changing lives. And sharper than every two-edged sword: penetrating, laying bare men's souls to a living God. "The Word of God has an incisive and penetrating quality. It lays bare self-delusions and moral sophisms" (Vincent). And sharper than every two-edged sword: Paul uses this simile to emphasize the sharpness of the Word. The Word of God is the only word that is truly effective. Many men try and explain the Word of God with so many illustrations from their lives, when all it really does is dull the sword of the Word. Even penetrating to the division both of soul and spirit, both joints and marrows: this phrase does not mean the sword of the Word separates the soul from the spirit, or the joints from the marrow, but it is so sharp it pierces through them, and has His intended effectiveness in them as is explained in the next phrase. And is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart: God, the great Surgeon, uses His Word to cut through the joints and marrow with His Scalpel (two-edged sword), and penetrates into the very heart of His child to convince him or her of righteousness and Truth. He also uses His Word to convict and convince the unbeliever that He is God. God, by His Word, is able to cut through all of man's resistance, and pierce through, and lay bare to man what he really is, and that he needs God, because he is not self-sufficient; God is able with His Word to convince man of sin, and his great need of Him. (One side note here: man is said here to have both a soul and a spirit, so this should lay to rest all other fanciful notions that man is not a tripartite being; that is, body, soul, and spirit).
Verse 13, "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."
LGT "And there is not a created thing unapparent before Him: but all things [are] naked and laid bare to the eyes of Him, with whom [is] our account."
And there is not a created thing unapparent to Him: Paul goes from the Word of God to God Himself, as being aware of all things. But all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of Him: there is nothing about or in us that God does not know. We have the unbelievable notion that we keep things from God. This is an absolute absurdity. When we confess our sin to the Father, it is for our own good that we do this. God already knows what we have done; confession is good for the soul in that it releases us from our personal guilt, because we have called it the same things as God calls it; as long as we attempt to hide it from God, we are making a mental excuse that God will overlook it. Confession is what is required in order that we are free from the guilt and the results of the sin, and we realize that we are forgiven. With whom is our account: it is God that we are accountable to; this is the reason that we go to Him for forgiveness. In Christ Jesus we have the forgiveness, but we go to the Father in full recognition in order that we may be restored to fellowship with Him. In short, we should keep a short account with God, acknowledging every known sin we commit, in order that our slate may be kept flawless. "The meaning is, that it is God who deals with us, or with whom we have a concern; and that, therefore, we ought not to trifle with Him as with mortal man, but that whenever His word is set before us, we ought to tremble, for nothing is hid from Him" (Calvin).
Jesus the Great High Priest
The Expositor's Greek New Testament Introduces this section on Christ our High Priest:
"From 4:14 to 10:15 the writer treats of the Priesthood of the Son. The first paragraph extends from 4:14-5:10, and in this it is shown that Jesus has the qualifications of a priest, a call from God, and the sympathy, which makes intercession hearty and real. The writer's purpose is to encourage his readers to use the intercession of Christ with confidence, notwithstanding their sense of sinfulness. And does so by reminding them that all High Priests are appointed for the very purpose of offering sacrifice for sin, and that this office has not been assumed by them at their own instance but at the call of God. It is because God desires that sinful men be brought near to Him that priests hold office. And those are called to office, who by virtue of their own experience are prepared to enter into cordial sympathy with the sinner and heartily seek to intercede for him. All this holds true of Christ. He is Priest in obedience to God's call. The office, as He had to fill it, involved much that was repugnant. With strong crying and tears He shrank from the death that was necessary to the fulfillment of His function. But His godly caution prompted as His ultimate prayer that the will of the Father and not His own might be done. Thus by the things He suffered He learned obedience, and being thus perfected became the Author of eternal salvation to all who believe on Him, greeted and proclaimed High Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek."
Verse 14, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession."
LGT "Having therefore a Great High Priest [who] has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, we should hold fast the confession."
Having therefore a Great High Priest: the word "great" separates Christ from the Levitical high priest, in that He is superior to them. This is the main feature of this entire Epistle. Who has passed through the heavens: this is where Christ's performs His High Priestly function, at the right hand of the Father. Jesus the Son of God: Paul use Christ's human name linking His humanity with His deity. We should hold fast the confession: Paul is not saying that they should hold fast their salvation, for they have nothing in the world to do with that; what he is saying is that they hold fast their confession of Jesus as the Son of God. The word "confession" means to same thing about the Son that God says in His Word about the Son, that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Verse 15, "for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
LGT "For we have not a High Priest not able to sympathize [understand] with our infirmities, but [who] has been tempted in all things according to [our] likeness, apart from sin."
For we have not a High Priest not able to sympathize with our infirmities: the fact that Christ became a man and lived as a man for thirty three years on this earth made Him capable of understanding our weaknesses. The pressure Jesus had was far greater than any human being; we give in to temptation quite easily; but Christ did not give in, and so the temptation was far greater than ours. But who has been tempted in all things according to our likeness, apart from sin: Christ never yielded to any temptation, for He did not have hidden sins in His life as we do; He was tempted with all the human frailties and needs, such as food, water and weariness. Where we fail so easily, Jesus did not sin, not even a speck. "It was not, indeed, the apostle's object to weary us with such subtleties and vain speculations, but only to teach us that we have not to go far to seek a Mediator, since Christ of His own accord extends His hand to us, that we have no reason to dread the majesty of Christ since He is our Brother, and that there is no fear, lest He, as one unacquainted with evils, should not be touched by any feeling of humanity, so as to bring us help, since He took upon Him our infirmities, in order that He might be more inclined to succor us" (Calvin).
Verse 16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
LGT "We should come therefore with boldness to the throne of grace, in order that we may receive mercy and may find grace for appropriate help."
We should come therefore with boldness to the throne of grace: Because Christ is our Brother, and He does understand our infirmities, we should come to the throne of grace as God's children and Christ's brother. We should not only come to Him daily, but often and let Him know our shortcomings, and that we desire His guidance. The word "boldly" does not mean to be brazen and cocky; it means to come to Him as you would your father here on earth, only with more assurance that He will provide you with the grace you need. In order that we mat receive mercy and may find grace for appropriate help: if we go to Him before we yield to temptation, and ask Him for the grace to overcome any of our weaknesses, it will be in a time that will not be too late. Paul is desiring that we take advantage of the great throne of grace so that we live in the light of victory and not the shadow of defeat, and that we stay the maximum amount of time in fellowship with Christ and God. The mercy of God is found in His forgiveness of our sins, while grace is implies assistance we need to combat further temptations. We need to come to Him often, and not think of the Father as a judge, but as a loving Father who desires to help us in every way. Is this grace, or what!
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