Hebrews Chapter 4

 1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.

1. What is the big concern the Hebrew believers were concerned about?

The writer expressed concern in this verse that some of his readers might conclude that they had missed entering into their rest (i.e., their spiritual inheritance). Apparently some of the original readers had doubts because the Lord had not yet returned. They expected Him to return soon after He ascended into heaven (cf. 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Thess. 2:1-12). Later the writer urged his readers to wait patiently for the Lord to return (10: 36-37). None of the original readers had failed to enter their rest (inheritance) because they had missed the Lord’s return. CN

promise. This is the first use of this important word in Hebrews. The content of this promise is defined as “entering His rest.” His rest.  This is the rest which God gives, therefore it is called “My rest” (Ps 95:11) and “His rest.” For believers, God’s rest includes His peace, confidence of salvation, reliance on His strength, and assurance of a future heavenly home (cf. Mt 11:29). come short. The entire phrase could be translated “lest you think you have come too late to enter into the rest of God” (cf. 12:15). With reverential fear all are to examine their own spiritual condition (cf. 1Co 10:12; 2Co 13:5) and to actively press for commitment on the part of others (cf. Jude 23). MSBN

2. What rest is the writer referring too?

The writer used the term “rest” as Moses did, as an equivalent to entering into all the inheritance that God promised His people (Deut. 3:18-20; 12:9-11; cf. Heb. 1:14; 3:11, 18; 4:3-5, 10-11; 6:12, 17). For the Christian this inheritance is everything that God desires to bestow on us when we see Him.[135] It is an eschatological rest, not a present rest. We enter into our rest after we cease from our labors in this life. We then enter into our “Sabbath rest,” the rest that follows a full period of work (i.e., a lifetime; cf. vv. 9-11). I believe this is the correct view.

The readers might fail to enter their rest, in the sense of losing part of their inheritance, if they apostatized. Losing part of one’s inheritance probably involves losing the privilege of reigning with Christ in a position of significant responsibility in the future, at least (cf. Matt. 25:14-30). As it is possible to receive a greater or a lesser inheritance (reward), it is also possible to enter into more or less rest. The generation of Israelites that crossed the Jordan with Joshua only entered into partial rest in the land due to their failure to trust and obey God completely. Israel’s compromises with the Canaanites mitigated their rest. Subsequent generations of Israelites experienced the same partial rest, as the Book of Judges reveals. They apostatized, God disciplined them, they repented, and then they experienced rest until they (usually the next generation) apostatized again. CN

His rest.  This is the rest which God gives, therefore it is called “My rest” (Ps 95:11) and “His rest.” For believers, God’s rest includes His peace, confidence of salvation, reliance on His strength, and assurance of a future heavenly home (cf. Mt 11:29). come short. The entire phrase could be translated “lest you think you have come too late to enter into the rest of God” (cf. 12:15). With reverential fear all are to examine their own spiritual condition (cf. 1Co 10:12; 2Co 13:5) and to actively press for commitment on the part of others (cf. Jude 23).MSBN

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3. How did those in the past fail with respect to the promise?

Comparisons between the exodus generation and the church continue. Both received the divine proclamation of deliverance (good news) and both were called to respond in faith. However, the exodus generation did not receive the promised benefit since they failed to respond in faith. Their failure serves to caution the Christian community against unbelief. The “good news” of the exodus included God’s promised deliverance from Egypt, the covenant he established with his people, and the hope of entering the Promised Land (e.g., Ex. 6:1–9). The good news for the church includes the revelation and deliverance found in the Lord Jesus, the new covenant he established through his high priestly sacrifice, and the hope of eternity with him (e.g., Heb. 1:1–4; 2:14–18). ESVN

CHRIST IS SUPERIOR TO JOSHUA  Moses led the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but he could not lead them into Canaan. Joshua led them into the land, but we will see here that he couldn’t give them rest. Many of them never found rest—they never really laid hold of their possessions in the land. The world, the flesh, and the Devil rob many of the blessing God has for them. You and I live in a mean, wicked world. This world is not a friend of grace; it is not the friend of believers. Many of us have not discovered that yet. JVM

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  3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.'”  And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”

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4. If  God’s Sabbath rest was not achieved by the OT Hebrews how can it now be enjoyed?

we who have believed. Faith in God’s good news is necessary to enter God’s rest (cf. 3:12, 19; 4:2; and more positively, see 6:12; 10:22, 37–39; 11:1–39; 13:7). The “rest” of God in Ps. 95:11 (they shall not enter my rest) is connected with God’s resting on the seventh day after the six days of creation (quoted from Gen. 2:2). The fact that the exodus generation was not allowed to enter that rest proves that God’s Sabbath rest (begun in Genesis 2) was still open. Even “today,” at the time of the writing of Hebrews, this rest could still be entered. The implication is that until Christ returns people throughout the entire age can similarly enter into this rest. ESVN

we who have believed enter that rest. Just as entering into rest in Canaan demanded faith in God’s promise, so the ultimate salvation-rest is entered only by faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. his work has been finished since the creation of the world. God rested from his work on the seventh day of creation (see v. 4 ; Ge 2:2 ), and thus his rest is already a reality. The rest God calls us to enter ( vv. 10-11 ) is not our rest but his rest, which he invites us to share. NIVSN

These verses attest that a rest has definitely been provided. Evidently, the idea supposes that since Israel never knew it, some Jews might challenge the actual existence of the promised rest. The author offers two logical arguments for the existence of this rest and accents each argument by explaining Israel’s lack—God swore it would not happen to Israel. The first argument states that we which have believed do enter into rest. Presently, God is providing a rest.

If they shall enter into my rest. As it is translated here, this clause, found in both verses 3 and 5, is confusing. If the translators had followed the same grammatical principles here that they used in 3:11, there would be no problem. Each of these passages has exactly the same Greek clause; in fact, each is precisely the same quotation from Psalm 95:11. It is an elliptical form of a Hebrew negative oath, of which the complete form might be, “May I be judged more, if they shall enter into my rest.” In its shorter, elliptical form it is better translated, as in 3:11, “They shall not enter into my rest” (see Kent, p. 72). They who believe have rest, but unbelieving Israel shall not enter God’s rest.

The second argument for the existence of a genuine rest states that rest has existed ever since the seventh day of creation week (vss. 3–4). God rests; but unbelieving Israel will not rest, as He has sworn. KJVBC

  6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

5. How does “today” figure into the writers argument?

All the descendants of Abraham did not lose their opportunity to receive God’s inheritance because the generation of Israelites living during the wilderness wanderings failed God. In David’s day God re-extended His offer of entering rest, and that generation had to respond. The title of Psalm 95 in the Septuagint credited David with writing it. They had their “today” of opportunity also. Every generation of believers needs to continue to trust and obey to enter into our rest (inheritance). CN

the today of Ps. 95:7–8 holds out to the worshiper the possibility of entering even now in a partial way into the end-time “rest” and blessing that the exodus generation missed. God’s rest centered upon recognizing that his work of creation was now completed; Christians enter into his rest through recognizing that Christ’s work of redeeming them from sin has also been completed. ESVN

The opportunity to enter God’s rest remains open (cf. “a promise remains” in v. 1). It is not yet too late. God had offered the rest to His people in Moses’ time and continued to offer it in David’s time. He is still patiently inviting His people to enter His rest (cf. Ro 10:21). Quoting Ps 95:7, 8 once again (see 3:7, 15), the author urges an immediate, positive response. The themes of urgency and obedience are thus combined in a clear invitation to the readers. MSBN

Today is the operative word in Christianity. As long as there is breath within a person the today is still open and salvation is available. 

2 Corinthians 6:2 For He says: I heard you in an acceptable time, and I helped you in the day of salvation. Look, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

6. What works?

Joshua is the Old Testament or Hebrew word for “savior”; Jesus is the Greek or New Testament word, meaning “savior.” In the verse before us—Joshua: “For if Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.” When Joshua was old and stricken in years, there was yet very much land to conquer. The people of Israel had not entered into all the blessing God had in store for them. Joshua wasn’t able to secure it for them. But, my friend, if you trust Christ, Christ can let you enter into the Canaan of the present day, in which there will be fruit and blessing and joy in your life. Oh, how we need this today! What robs us of it? Unbelief. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God  Here the writer is projecting into the future when all the people of God are going to find a heavenly rest. Heaven will be a place of deep satisfaction, of real joy, and real blessing. “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” JVM

The prospect of rest for the Israelites, specifically the possession of the Promised Land and life in it, did not end when Joshua defeated the Canaanites. Each succeeding generation had to continue to trust and obey God to assure its own rest in the land.

The Sabbath rest in view is the rest (inheritance) that every generation of believers and every individual believer enters into when he or she, like God, faithfully finishes his or her work. That work involves continuing to trust and obey God (i.e., walking by faith daily as opposed to apostatizing). Christians will enter into our rest when we receive our inheritance from Jesus Christ at His judgment seat (2 Cor. 5:10).

Millennial rest in the Promised Land will be the portion of Israel in the future. Walter Kaiser also interpreted the rest as future. He believed that first Israel and then all believers would fulfill this promise by possessing the Promised Land in the Millennium. However this passage seems to be referring to eternal rest for all believers of which the Millennium is just the beginning. Israel will be the primary people God blesses and makes a blessing in the Millennium. Neither is this Sabbath rest the present rest that Christians enjoy because God has finished His work of providing salvation for us in Christ and we have entered into it by faith. That should be clear because the rest in view is still future for us (cf. vv. 1, 6, 9, 11). CN

John 6:28-29 (NASB) Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

  11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

7. What is our responsibility with regard to this rest?

In the meantime we need to follow Jesus and Moses’ examples of faithfulness to God. We need to carry out the work He has given us to do (i.e., to continue to trust and obey rather than turning from Him; 3:2, 6, 14). Note again that the writer said he faced the same danger as his readers: “Let us” (cf. v. 16).

“We enter into rest only when we persevere in faith to the end of life. When we do this, we will obtain a share in the inheritance, the millennial land of Canaan, and will rule with Christ as one of His metochoi [partners] there. Rest is not just the land itself; it also includes the state or condition of ‘finished work,’ of final perseverance, into which the faithful Christian will enter. God has not set aside His promises to Israel. The promise of the inheritance, the land, is eternally valid, and those Christians who remain faithful to their Lord to the end of life will share in that inheritance along with the Old Testament saints.”

Millennial rest is only the beginning of eternal rest. Christians need to be diligent to enter that rest. If the rest were just heaven, we would not have to exercise diligence because God has promised that all believers will go to heaven (John 10:27-28; Rom. 8:30; Phil. 1:6; et al.). If the rest were just the rest we presently enjoy because God has forgiven our sins, we would not have to be diligent to enter it either because we already have entered into that rest. CN

This again emphasizes the need for perseverance . It should be remembered, however, that salvation is based not on good works but on Jesus’ high priestly sacrifice , and anything believers can do to please God comes from his working in them . The opposite of perseverance is disobedience, the sin of the faithless exodus generation. ESVN

  12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

8. How is the word of God like a sword?

While the Word of God is comforting and nourishing to those who believe, it is a tool of judgment and execution for those who have not committed themselves to Jesus Christ. Some of the Hebrews were merely going through the motions of belonging to Christ. Intellectually, they were at least partly persuaded, but inside they were not committed to Him. God’s Word would expose their shallow beliefs and even their false intentions (cf. 1Sa 16:7; 1Pe 4:5). division of soul and spirit. These terms do not describe two separate entities (any more than “thoughts and intentions” do) but are used as one might say “heart and soul” to express fullness (cf. Lk 10:27; Ac 4:32; see note on 1Th 5:23). Elsewhere these two terms are used interchangeably to describe man’s immaterial self, his eternal inner person. 4:13 open … to the eyes of Him. “Open” is a specialized term used just this one time in the NT. It originally meant to expose the neck either in preparation for sacrifice or for beheading. Perhaps the use of “sword” in the previous verse triggered the term. Each individual is judged not only by the Word of God (cf. Jn 12:48), but by God Himself. We are accountable to the living, written Word (cf. Jn 6:63, 68; Ac 7:38) and to the living God who is its author. MSBN

God’s truth was revealed by Jesus, but it has also been given verbally, the word referred to here. This dynamic word of God is active in accomplishing God’s purposes. The author of Hebrews describes it as a “living” power that judges as with an all-seeing eye, penetrating a person’s innermost being. soul and spirit, joints and marrow. The totality and depth of one’s being. NIVSN

The warning continues: faithless disobedience will not go unnoticed. word of God. Usually this phrase in Hebrews refers to the message of salvation, but here the “word” is pictured as God’s personal utterance, living, active, sharp, piercing, and discerning (v. 12), with eyes that expose (v. 13). The Word of God then acts as God himself, so that one’s innermost thoughts and intentions are exposed. This happens constantly in Christians’ lives. ESVN

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[f] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

 9.  How is Jesus our high priest?

Our “great High Priest” (2:17) has already proved faithful through suffering and is now in God’s presence where He intercedes for us (cf. Rom. 8:34). Compare our “great salvation” (2:3). He is not just a priest serving on earth, like Israel’s high priests. He is our file leader (2:10), and we will follow Him through the heavens one day. This great High Priest is none other than Jesus, not an angel (1:4-14) or Moses (3:2-6). He is the Son of God (1:2).

“The picture of Jesus Christ as High Priest is the most distinctive theme of Hebrews, and it is central to the theology of the book.”

Notice that this verse does not say that since we have such a High Priest we will hold fast our confession. Perseverance in faith and good works is not inevitable, though perseverance in salvation is (2 Tim. 2:12-13). Since we have such a High Priest we must be careful to hold fast our confession. This verse concludes the exhortation to enter into our rest that began in 3:12.

“The warning in Hebrews 3:1-4:13 is inextricably related to the Exodus generation and the concept of rest. By referring to Moses’ and Christ’s faithfulness in the house of God, the writer exhorted his readers to remain faithful to their worship function in God’s house as believer-priests (Heb. 3:1-6).

“The generation in the wilderness is an example of those who failed to be faithful and as a result experienced both temporal discipline and eschatological loss. A royal enthronement psalm (Ps. 95), with its past and present perspectives, was used as the basis for explaining Israel’s failure.

“Hebrews 4 begins with an application to the present readers. Four times the text says that the promise of rest remains [i.e., is future] (4:1, 6, 9, 11).

“The concept of rest in Hebrews 3:1-4:13 includes (a) a historical sense related to the Exodus generation and Joshua ; (b) an eschatological sense related to the Exodus (Ps. 95); and (c) the sabbath rest related to the readers with its eschatological perspective.

“The readers’ entrance into this eschatological rest depends on their faithfulness in doing good works. Asmetochoi(‘companions’) of Christ they must be diligent to receive eschatological reward (4:11-13) at the judgment seat of Christ. Failure to persevere may result in temporal discipline (12:4-11) along with the loss of future rewards and authority to rule with Jesus in the millennium.”

“The reference to Jesus in his office as high priest in v 14 is not an afterthought, but the intended conclusion of the entire argument. The crucial issue for the community is whether they will maintain their Christian stance. The issue was posed conditionally in 3:6b, and more pointedly in 3:14. It was raised again forcefully in v 14 in the exhortation to hold fast to the confession that identified Christians as those who had responded to the message they had heard with faith (cf. v 2). The ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary as a faithful high priest in the service of God gives certainty to the promise that God’s people will celebrate the Sabbath in his presence if they hold fast their initial confidence.”CN

Christ is our High Priest. The pagan notion of priesthood colors our thinking in reference to a priest. A pagan priest actually barred the approach to God, claiming possession of some mystical power essential to bringing an individual to God. A person had to go through this priest who claimed to have this particular access. That type of thing denies the finished work of Christ and the priesthood of all believers. The priesthood of all believers was one of the great truths which John Calvin emphasized. All of us need a priest—we have a lack; we need help, and we all have our hang–ups. Job’s heart–cry was, “Neither is there any days man betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both” (Job 9:33). Job longed for a mediator or priest who would stand between him and God, who would put one hand in Job’s hand and his other hand in God’s hand, and thus bring them together. Christ is that mediator, that priest, through whom every believer has personal access to God.

“We have a high priest, that is passed into the heavens.” Let me say right away that the Lord Jesus Christ was not a priest while here on the earth. The only mention in Scripture of His ever making any kind of sacrifice (He never needed to make a sacrifice for Himself, of course) was the time He told Simon Peter to catch a fish and take the gold piece out of its mouth that He might pay a necessary temple tax from which the priests were exempt. He did that, I think, to make it very clear that He was not a priest here on earth. To be a priest you had to be born in the line of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi. The Lord Jesus was a member of the tribe of Judah. He was not in the priestly line. He was in the kingly line. When He was here on earth He came as a prophet speaking for God. He went back to heaven a priest to represent us to God. He became a priest when He ascended into heaven. He died down here to save us, and He lives up there to keep us saved. It is true that when He was here He offered Himself upon the Cross, and that is the function of a priest, but to be a priest to represent you and me He had to wait until He returned to heaven.

Christ occupies a threefold office: (1) He was a prophet when He came over nineteen hundred years ago—that is the past; (2) He is a priest today—that is for the present; and (3) He is coming someday to rule as a king—that is for the future. He occupies all three of these offices, and He is the great subject of this Epistle to the Hebrews.

“Let us hold fast our profession”—“profession” should be confession. Paul says, “Let us,” to challenge us, to call us to do it, actually, to command us to do it. Let us hold fast our confession.

Notice that he does not say, “Let us hold fast our salvation.” He is not talking about our salvation, but about our testimony, our witness down here. He is talking about our living for Christ. Christ died down here to save us, and He lives up yonder to keep us saved and to enable us to give a good witness. Some people say, “I can’t live the Christian life.” Well, I have news for you. It is true that you cannot live the Christian life, and God never asked you to live the Christian life. I have been thankful that He has not asked that of me because I have tried it, and it didn’t work. We cannot do it in our own strength, but He asks that He might live it through us. He lives up yonder in order that you and I might hold fast to our confession, our testimony down here.

When we come to chapter 11 we will find a regular roll call of the heroes of the faith which shows what faith has done in the lives of men and women in all ages. All of those listed there had a good witness, a good report. Theirs was a good witness through faith—they lived by faith. JVM

10. How was Jesus tempted as we are?

Our High Priest can sympathize with us.

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

a. We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize: Though His deity has been documented (Heb_1:4-14), His compassionate humanity has also been demonstrated (Heb_2:5-18).  It means that there is a Jesus, God the Son, enthroned in heaven, our High Priest, can sympathize with our weaknesses.

i. To the Greeks, the primary attribute of God was apatheia, the essential inability to feel anything at all.  Jesus isn’t like that.  He knows, He feels what we go through.  The ancient Greek word for sympathize literally means “to suffer along with.”

ii. What makes the difference is that Jesus added humanity to His deity, and came and lived among us as a man.  When you have been there, it makes all the difference.  We might hear of some tragedy at a high school, and feel a measure of sorrow.  But it is nothing like the pain we would feel if it were the high school we attended.

b. But was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin: Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted and to battle against sin, though He was never stained by sin.  “His sinlessness was, at least in part, an earned sinlessness as he gained victory after victory in the constant battle with temptation that life in this world entails.” (Morris)

i. Sometimes we think that because Jesus is God, He could never know temptation the way we do.  In part, this is true: Jesus faced temptation much more severely than we ever have or ever will.  The Sinless One knows temptation in a way we don’t, because only the one who never gives into temptation knows the full strength of temptation.  It is true that Jesus never faced temptation in an inner sense the way we do, because there was never a sinful nature pulling Him to sin from the inside.  But He knew the strength and fury of external temptation in a way, and to a degree, that we can never know.  He knows what we go through; He has faced worse. GC

ESVN……………..….ESV Study Bible Notes

MSBN……………….MacArthur NASB Study   Notes

NIVSN……………….NIV Study Notes.

JVM ………………….J Vernon McGee’s Commentary

BN ……………………Barnes Notes

WBC………….…….Wycliffe Bible Commentary

CN ……….…………..Constables Notes

IC……………….…….Ironside Commentary

NET…………….…….Net Bible Study Notes.

JFB……………………Jamieson Fausset  Brown Commentary

VWS………………….Vincent Word Studies

CMM………………..Commentary on Matthew and Mark

BDB……………..….Barclay’s Daily Study Bible (NT)

Darby……………….John Darby’s Synopsis of the OT and NT

Johnson……………Johnson’s Notes on the New Testament

NTCMM…………..The New Testament Commentary:  Matthew and Mark.

EHS………………….Expositions of the Holy Scriptures

CPP…………………The Complete Pulpit Commentary

SBC…………………..Sermon Bible Commentary

K&D…………………Keil and Deilitzsch Commentary on the OT

EBC……………….…Expositors Bible Commentary

CBSC……………….Cambridge Bible for Schools and College

GC……………………Guzik Commentary

RD…………………..Robert  Deffinbaugh

NSB …………………The Nelson Study Bible

MHC…………………Matthew Henry Commentary

CSTTB………Chuck Smith Through The Bible

LESB…………….Life Essentials Study Bible.  

KJVSB……………..KJV Bible Commentary

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