HEBREWS CHAPTER 4

****** EXCERPT FROM HEB 3:16-19 ******
or MOVE TO HEB 4:1

(Heb 3:15 NASB) while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."
The issue here is one of hardening ones heart, i.e., unbelief as opposed to disobedience / unfaithfulness, albeit unfaithfulness was and is always the inevitable result of unbelief:

K) [(Compare Heb 3:7-8]:

(Heb 3:7 NASB) "Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,

(Heb 3:8 NASB) DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS,"

[BSM: So in Heb 3:7-8 the writer of Hebrews refers to the times when the ancient Israelites repeatedly acted against God when they hardened their hearts against God and did not heed His commands, provoking Him to severely discipline them "as in the day of trial in the wilderness." In view are the people who were miraculously rescued from annihilation by the Egyptians whose chariot army chased them through the wilderness in order to slaughter them because of God's miraculous tactics against the Egyptians and His leading them to safety across the Red Sea and to the entrance to the promised land of Canaan. Yet the older generation of Israelites hardened their hearts, even longed to return to their cruel enslavement in Egypt rather than to participate with God in their taking over the promised land, albeit the task was daunting, even frightening if they did not keep their eyes on their Savior - the LORD God. It would not be without trial, but in view of the miraculous power of God they would participate in God's further deliverance of them unto victory in the land of Canaan - as they should have done with ever increasing faithfulness. But instead they hardened their hearts, even provoked God instead of facing the trials that He put in their way in order to enhance their faithfulness ]

L) [(Heb 3:15) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 3:15]:

(Heb 3:15 NASB) while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO     NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."

"15 The construction is uncertain. This verse may be taken with the preceding one, as in NIV, or with what follows, as NEB, which starts a new paragraph with "When Scripture says... who, I ask, were those who heard?" This is attractive, but it ignores the gar ("for") at the beginning of v. 16. Some link the words with v. 13 and regard v. 14 as a parenthesis: "Exhort one another while it is called today... while it is said...." The question is not an easy one, but it seems best to take things in order, as NIV does. The words, of course, have already been quoted (vv. 7-8, where see commentary)."

M) [(Heb 3:15) Bible Knowledge Commentary On Heb 3:15]:

(Heb 3:15 NASB) while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."

"3:15. The renewed quotation of part of the writer's text in Psalm 95 connects with the caution just uttered in Hebrews 3:6. The readers must hold their confidence firmly to the end and not, like the Israelites of old, harden their hearts as... in the rebellion."

(Heb 3:15 NASB) while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."

(Heb 3:16 NASB) For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

[BSM] Heb 3:16 continues the author's warning in Heb 3:15 which the latter reads, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME" which is immediately followed in Heb 3:16 with, "For who provoked Him when they had heard?" which is a sarcastic question demanding the answer "Pretty much ALL of the Israelites provoked God, (with the exception of Caleb and Joshua and perhaps a number of their generation) especially considering their being repeatedly miraculously delivered by God out of Egypt, dry shod across the Red Sea and right up to the promised land. Yet they repeatedly hardened their hearts in the sense of did not believe in God's delivering them into the Promised Land, provoking God's wrath. Their lack of belief in God, Who He is, what He had already done for them, that He is trustworthy to deliver them provoked God's wrath. Hence the consequence of their wandering in the desert until they all died. So the author of Hebrews is warning the first century Hebrew Christian believers that they too are liable for disciplinary consequences of God's wrath upon them since they have departed from their faith alone in Christ alone for salvation unto eternal life and reverted back to keeping the Mosaic Law for salvation + or - that faith which either brings upon them the wrath of God. For the Law was never a means of salvation.

N) [(Heb 3:16) Expositor's Bible Commentary on Heb 3:16]:

(Heb 3:16 NASB) For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

"16 The author presses home his point by three questions that emphasize that it was the people who were in a position of spiritual privilege and yet sinned grievously who were in mind in Psalm 95. Some scholars, it is true, take 'tines' as the indefinite pronoun and not as an interrogative (as does KJV, "for some ... did provoke"). But "some" is a strange designation for practically the whole nation, and in any case it is better to see the same construction in all three of these verses. The first question, then, asks, "Who were they who heard and rebelled?" The verb "rebelled" (parepikranan) is found only here in the NT (though a cognate noun occurs in v. 8). It means "embitter," "make angry," and is a strong expression for the rebellious attitude that characterized the Exodus generation.

The writer answers his question with another, this one phrased so as to expect the answer yes. "All those Moses led out of Egypt" is comprehensive, but that Joshua and Caleb are not mentioned does not invalidate the argument. The nation was characterized by unbelief, and the faithfulness of two men does not alter this. NIV says that Moses "led" the people out of Egypt; but, more literally, the author said that they "came out through [dia] Moses"—implying that they acted of their own volition and made a good start."

(Heb 3:15 NASB) while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."

(Heb 3:16 NASB) "For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

(Heb 3:17 NASB) And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?"

[BSM: Heb 3:17 continues to have in view that generation of ancient Israelites who perished in the wilderness because of continual hardening of its heart / unto unbelief in God and resultant rebellion which is in view in the previous verses, Heb 3:15-16. Verses 15-16 indicate that that generation provoked God even after repeatedly hearing God's voice and repeatedly responded with a hardened heart, i.e., in unbelief and continued rebellion. So the author of Hebrews wrote in verse 17, "And with whom was He [God] angry for forty years? [Answer implied in the next phrase: that generation of Israel]: Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?" The repetition is making the author's point emphatically clear. Considering the fact that the Book of Hebrews is addressing first century Jewish believers who are in danger of falling away from the Christian faith back into Judaism and the keeping of the Mosaic Law as a means of attaining eternal life, this emphatic emphasis is super critical, albeit the loss of eternal life is not in view; but severe temporal discipline, even physical death as the ancient Israelites suffered in the wilderness might very well be in view if the Hebrew believers do not heed the repeated voice of God in their day. Note that salvation unto eternal life was attained by each one of them once and for all time when each of these Hebrew believers expressed a moment of faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life forever .

O) (Heb 3:17) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 3:17]:

(Heb 3:17 NASB) "And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?"

"17 The second question refers to those God was angry with those forty years. (For the anger of God, see comments on vv.10-11.) In the earlier treatment of the incident (vv. 7-8), the forty years referred to testing God and seeing his works. Here it refers to the continuing wrath of God (as in the Heb. and LXX). The wrath of God was not something transitory and easily avoided. It lasted throughout the wilderness period. The question "Was it not... ?" employs the emphatic ouchi, found in only one other place in this epistle (in 1:14). Its use leaves no doubt whatever that God was angry with the sinners in question. Their punishment is mentioned in words taken from or reminiscent of Numbers 14:29, 32. The author may be quoting or he may simply be using scriptural language to add solemnity to his point. He reminds his readers that in the past those who sinned against God had been destroyed, and, indeed (as the verbs in the Numbers passage are future since they were spoken before the event), that they were destroyed as it was prophesied. The word rendered "desert" refers to "deserted" land. It is wilderness country in contrast to cultivated and inhabited land."

(Heb 3:18 NASB) "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?"

[BSM]: This third question in Heb 3:18 which immediately follows the first two which are as follows which Heb 3:15 prefaces it:

(Heb 3:15 NASB) while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."

(Heb 3:16 NASB) "For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

(Heb 3:17 NASB) And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?"

(Heb 3:18 NASB) "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?"

This third question fully clarifies those to whom the author of Hebrews is addressing: God swore that that older Israelite generation would not enter His rest - His blessing of co-ownership of the Promised Land and all that that entails. They would not even see again the entrance into it in their temporal lives, nor enjoy its fruits by virtue of their own labors which God would have seen fit to accomplish for them on their behalf  and reward them such great, immeasurable blessings. They might be residents in the future life being believers, but will benefit no more than that for their lack of belief in the Great God of the Universe Who had demonstrated such inestimable power in rescuing them from Egypt, from being destroyed at the Red Sea Crossing by the Egyptian Chariot Army - seeing to it that they crossed that Sea dry shod and safely to the other side. Yet they continually did not believe in Him to be their God and believe in Him to continue to be their God from start to finish. Hence 40 years until they all died and missed out because of unbelief in God resulting in their sinful unfaithful behavior toward God despite all He had done for them, and inspite of the fact that they did not believe in Him / recognize Who He was.

[(Heb 3:18) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 3:18]:

(Heb 3:18 NASB) "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?"

"18 The third question refers to those to whom the oath was sworn (cf. v. 11). Those who would not enter God's rest were "those who disobeyed." The verb apeitheo means properly "disobey," but some accept the meaning "disbelieve" (as NIV mg.). This is possible since for the early Christians "the supreme disobedience was a refusal to believe their gospel" (BAG, p. 82). But here it seems that we should take the meaning "disobey." [Actually this conclusion is not accurate. Notice verse 19: "They were not able to enter because of unbelief, NOT, disobedience]

God did much for these people. Yet in the end they went their own way and refused to obey him." [BSM]: In the sense of not believe in Him resulting in their disobedience, not even recognizing what He had already done for them. So their unbelief led to their unfaithfulness to His commands]

(Heb 3:19 NASB) So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief."

[BSM] So the older generation of Israelites "were not able to enter the promised land because of unbelief" NOT because of incapability, but of wilful unbelief resulting in rebellion and abject unfaithful behavior which disenabled them from succeeding in obeying God's commands. They couldn't enter the Promised Land because they did not want to believe in God in Who He was and they refused to believe in their capability to enter the Rest that God had reserved for them in the Promised Land.

Q) [(Heb 3:19) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 3:19]:

(Heb 3:19 NASB) So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief."

"19 The depressing conclusion sums up what has gone before. The author does not say that they did not enter but that they "were not able to enter." Sin is self-defeating and unbelief of itself prevents us from entering God's rest. This is not an arbitrary penalty imposed by a despotic God. It is the inevitable outcome of unbelief. In the Greek the final word in this section of the argument, thrown to the end of the sentence for greater emphasis, is apistia ("unbelief"). That is what robbed the wilderness generation of the rest they had every reason to expect when they came out of Egypt. The warning to the people of the writer's day is clear. To slip back from their Christian profession into unbelief would be fatal."

R) [(Heb 3:16-19) Bible Knowledge Commentary On Heb 3:16-19]:

(Heb 3:16 NASB) "For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

(Heb 3:17 NASB) And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?"

(Heb 3:18 NASB) "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?

(Heb 3:19 NASB) So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief."

"3:16-19. Having alluded again to the passage he wished to expound, the author then began doing so. The questions in verse 16 seem more naturally read as statements: "For some, when they had heard, did provoke; howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses." The writer is aware of the notable exceptions of Joshua and Caleb, who did not take part in the general failure. But then he asked, With whom was God angry for 40 years? The answer is that He was angry with those in the wilderness congregation who sinned and who died in that wilderness. Their disobedience in refusing to enter the Promised Land caused God to swear that they would never enter His rest. This meant of course that the sinful generation in the desert was permanently excluded from taking possession of their inheritance in Canaan. Naturally it had nothing to do with the question of their going to hell, so it would be wrong to allege that the entire Exodus generation was unregenerate. But exclusion from Canaan was a consequence of their lack of belief in Who God was, and thus lack of faith in the power of God to bring them into the Promised Land in victory over their enemies, a failure that in principle might be repeated by the readers of Hebrews if they forgot Messiah's ultimate triumph over His enemies and theirs (cf. 1:13-14). The writer wished his readers to take it to heart that unbelief, lack of confidence in God, was the reason God's people did not enter the land."

S) The Warning Passages in Hebrews (Part 1) – Grace Evangelical Society (faithalone.org)

"Have you ever stopped to read the warning labels on the products you buy? My bottle of cat shampoo says, “Caution: The contents of this bottle should not be fed to fish or children.” An electric drill I got for Christmas says, “Not intended for use in dentistry.” And here’s a children’s birthday card that says, “Keep away from small children.” The world is full of warnings. Some we can safely ignore. But there are others we ignore at our peril. This is true of the five warning passages in Hebrews (2:1-4; 3:7–4:13; 5:11–6:12; 10:19-39; 12:14-29).
Evangelicals are divided over what they mean. Arminians generally interpret them as warnings to believers that they will lose their eternal salvation if they persist in sin and unbelief. Calvinists either interpret them as warnings to false professors that they’ll be eternally lost if they don’t believe in Christ, or as exhortations to the elect warning them of a hypothetical loss of eternal salvation. Significantly, both Arminians and Calvinists agree that the warnings are about eternal life or eternal death.

What is the best way to understand these crucial passages?

In this article, I will present a Free Grace interpretation of the first two warnings in Hebrews, showing that they warn believers about God’s discipline in this life and about a potential loss of rewards in the Messianic kingdom to come.

Were the Hebrews [Addressed In The Book Of Hebrews] Believers?

One of the disagreements between Arminians and Calvinists is over whether or not the Hebrews [Addressed In The Book Of Hebrews] were believers or whether they were false professors. In order to settle that question, consider that the readers are described as:

• Holy (3:1)
• Brethren (3:1, 12)
• Companions (or partakers) of the heavenly calling (3:1)
• God’s house (3:6)
• Companions (or partakers) of the Messiah (3:14)
• People who should have been mature enough to be teachers (5:12)
• Enlightened (6:4)
• Having tasted the heavenly gift (6:4)
• Companions (or partakers) of the Holy Spirit (6:4)
• Having tasted the good Word of God (6:5)
• Having tasted the powers of the age to come (6:5)
• Having loved the Lord’s name (6:10)
• Sanctified (10:10, 29)
• Perfected (10:14)

Can these terms apply to unbelievers? Are unregenerate people holy? Are they God’s house? Should they be Christian teachers? Do they partake of the Holy Spirit? Do they love the Lord’s name? Do they have a confession to hold fast to or to depart from? Are they enlightened, sanctified, or perfected?

These questions answer themselves. There can be little doubt the warnings in Hebrews were addressed to regenerate people. In fact, the inspired author included himself in the warnings he was giving (the “we” of Heb 2:1-4), and there is no doubt that he was regenerate.

The Second Warning: Be Diligent to Enter God’s Rest (3:7–4:13)

The second warning concerns the concept of entering “God’s rest.” The author drew a parallel between the Hebrews’ current situation, and the dark events described in Numbers 13–14, when Israel rebelled against God.

You’ll remember how the Lord commanded that men be sent into Canaan to spy out the land, only to have ten of the twelve men come back with a negative report, warning about the imposing size and strength of the Canaanites (as if the Lord was not greater than all). Fear gripped the Israelites. They refused to enter the land to take possession of it. They wished they had died in the wilderness (Num 14:2). Some even wanted to find another leader to take them back to Egypt (Num 14:2, 4).

For God, that was the last straw.
Israel had murmured and grumbled before, but now they had made an irrevocable decision. 

Although God forgave the Israelites their sin (Num 14:20), they still had to face a penalty for their rebellion. God decreed that, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, everyone over the age of twenty would die in the wilderness instead of entering the land (Num 14:29-35).

By recalling this event, the author of Hebrews invoked a principle about God’s judgment. 

Arnold Fruchtenbaum explains it this way:

"The principle in Scripture is that once a point of no return is reached, the offenders are subject to divine judgment. The judgment is physical, not spiritual; it does not mean loss of salvation. In fact, Numbers 14:20 does say that the people repented; it even goes on to say that God forgave the sin. It did not affect anyone’s individual salvation, but the physical consequences of their sin did need to be paid. Once a point of no return is reached, no matter how much repenting one does thereafter, the fact of coming physical judgment cannot be changed…[I]n the Old Testament, the issue is physical death and loss of temporal blessings but not loss of salvation.3

Like Israel, the readers of Hebrews risked facing a similar penalty because they were on the verge of their own irrevocable rebellion, as described in Heb 3:7–4:13. So the author warned them that since Jesus is greater than Moses (3:3-6), the penalty for rebelling against Him would be worse than that experienced by Israel. The Hebrews were warned that they should not harden their hearts as in the rebellion. The Israelites did not enter God’s rest, and the Hebrews risked the same fate if they departed from the living God (3:12).

The big question is, what is “God’s rest”? Does it mean the Hebrews were at risk of not entering heaven? Does it mean they were going to miss out on eternal life?

The evidence strongly suggests that once again this is a reference to the Messianic kingdom. There are three reasons for taking it that way.

First, the concept of rest had a Messianic meaning. The Israelites who entered Canaan never possessed it fully so they developed a Messianic expectation that God’s promises to them would be completely fulfilled in the future. That’s why the author explained if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day (4:8, HCSB). There was another day coming, when the Messiah would establish His kingdom in the land, finally providing an ultimate rest for the people of God (4:9; cf. Isa 11:10).

[BSM: This has in view the fulfillment of God's promise to Israel alone of the New Covenant as stipulated in Jer 31:31-34 which study has in view all of a generation of Israelites yet future trusting alone in Christ alone and being tranformed  .

Second, the gospel that was preached to the Hebrews, and which the Israelites did not believe (not being mixed with faith), was not the message of how to be born again. The Bible mentions several different gospels, one of the most important being the “gospel of the kingdom,” which was the good news that the Messiah had come and was offering the kingdom to Israel. That is the gospel being referred to here. The Israelites didn’t believe the rudimentary message about God’s promise of inheriting a land of milk and honey (Exod 3:17). Likewise, the Hebrews were at risk of missing God’s promise of a Messianic rest if they neglected what they heard about His future reign (1:1-14).

Third, the rest being spoken of is conditioned on something other than faith, which suggests it is related to eternal rewards, not to eternal life. As we know, we receive everlasting life as a gift, apart from our works (Eph 2:8-9). God credits righteousness to the ungodly who simply believe and do not work (Rom 4:5). By contrast, eternal rewards are earned by being faithful (1 Cor 3:11-15; Rev 22:12). So when the author of Hebrews warned his readers they will be companions of Christ if they hold steadfast to the end (3:14), and they may not enter the rest because of disobedience (4:6, 11), he was using the language of eternal rewards. Remaining Christ’s companions who will share in His rule is entirely conditional on whether or not their faith has become profitable (4:2). A believer’s faith must be put into action in order for it to be profitable (e.g., maintaining one’s confession during persecution or providing for the physical needs of the poor, cf. Jas 2:14-16). Paul Tanner points out that if the Hebrews didn’t put their faith into action, if, instead, they actually apostatized, they wouldn’t lose their eternal salvation, but they would risk being disciplined by God and losing rewards in the kingdom, such as being a companion of the Messiah.4 They needed to understand that once the kingdom came, and the rest was entered, believers will have ceased from their works. The rewards will already have been given at the Judgment Seat of Christ and there will be no more opportunity for eternal rewards.

In sum, this warning compares Israel possessing Canaan with the believer entering the “rest” of the Messianic kingdom, where Christ’s enemies will be vanquished. However, not every believer will share in Christ’s eternal victory as His companions. If the Jewish believers left Christ for Judaism, they would suffer God’s temporal judgment and miss ruling with the Messiah in His kingdom.

Conclusion

(Heb 4:1 NASB) Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 

[BSM: With Heb 3:15-19 in view above, the author of Hebrews writes, "Therefore, let us - included are the author himself and those Hebrew Christians whom he has been addressing since the beginning of this epistle - all of whom might be in danger of departing from the moment of faith in Christ alone if they might choose to go back to keeping the Law as a means of salvation: "Therefore, let us fear, if, while a promise remains... " - a promise of God which "remains of entering His rest" in the sense of a grand reward on the order of inheriting ownership and the blessings of dwelling in the Promised Land to those believers who are greatly faithful. To maintain that "a promise remains of entering His rest" refers to eternal life is to make nonsense of Scripture. For God's Word indicates that so long as one is alive in ones mortal body eternal life is always available - through a moment of faith alone in Christ alone. So there is no condition that would disqualify one from having eternal life available during ones mortal lifespan - all one has to do is to express a moment of faith alone in Christ's sacrifice for sins and that alone and he immediately and forever has eternal life. Furthermore, note that the author of Hebrews refers to the Hebrew Bible / the Old Testament as the major source of the context of his writing. 

A) [(Heb 4:1) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:1]:

(Heb 4:1 NASB) "Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it."

'''1 NIV's "let us be careful" is more strictly "let us fear," and the exhortation comes first in the sentence. It is emphatic because the writer does not want his readers to be complacent. There is real danger. God's promises mean much to the writer, and indeed the word epangelia ("promise") occurs more often in Hebrews than in any other NT book (fourteen times; next is Gal with ten). The promise in question "still stands." That is to say, though it has not been fulfilled, it has not been revoked. In one sense, of course, there was a fulfillment, for the generation after the men who died in the wilderness entered Canaan. But throughout this section it is basic to the argument that physical entry into Canaan did not constitute the fulfillment of the promise. God had promised "rest" and that meant more than living in Canaan.

There is a problem about the word translated "be found." The verb is dokeo, which means "think," "suppose" if transitive, and "seem," "have the appearance of" if intransitive. Moffatt points out that a meaning like "judge," "adjudge" is also attested in some passages in Josephus, LXX, and Attic. There are two main possibilities. The one accepts "think" as the meaning and sees the writer as reassuring fearful Christians who thought they might miss the rest. (The earlier generation had missed it, and why should not they?) The other interpretation prefers "seem," "be judged," or "be found" and takes the words as a warning to the readers to take care lest they miss the promised rest. ("Seem" is a way of softening the warning so that the writer refrains from saying that any of them actually missed or will miss the promise.) A decision is not easy, but on the whole it seems that this second interpretation fits the context better. The author, then, is reminding his readers that there was a generation to whom the rest was promised and who missed it. They should beware lest they make the same mistake.'''

B) [(Heb 4:1) Bible Knowledge Commentary On Heb 4:1]:

(Heb 4:1 NASB) "Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it."

"4:1. It follows from the tragic example of Israel that Christians should also take warning. This is true because the promise of entering His rest still stands. The niv rendering of the last half of the verse is, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. This is possible, but the word "found" cloaks a difficulty in the underlying text, involving a word which usually means "to seem" or "to suppose." Some modern writers (Montefiore, Héring) prefer the meaning, "let us be careful that none of you suppose that he has missed it." Since the following context seems dedicated to demonstrating that God's rest is still open, this understanding is probably preferable.

The writer's concept of "rest" must not be separated from its Old Testament roots. The Septuagint includes notable passages where the word for rest (katapausis), in connection with Israel's possession of the land, is clearly paralleled with the word for inheritance (klēronomia). Moses showed clearly (Deut. 3:18-20; 12:9-11) that for Israel their rest was their inheritance. In the same way it is natural to suppose that the term "rest" for the writer of Hebrews was a functional equivalent for a Christian's inheritance. That Christians are "heirs" he has already affirmed (Heb. 1:14) and will shortly do so again (6:12, 17; cf. 9:15). How exactly he understood their relationship to this inheritance will unfold as his argument proceeds. But the inheritance itself can hardly be divorced from his presentation of Messiah's kingdom and His "partners'" share in that. If this needed explicit confirmation, it could be found in 12:28.

If, as just suggested, the writer was concerned that none of his readers would think they had missed their "inheritance-rest," it is quite conceivable that he was confronting the problem of the delay in the Second Advent, which Paul himself had also already encountered at Thessalonica. The writer of Hebrews' later call to patience that the readers may "receive what He has promised" is followed by the assurance that "in just a very little while, 'He who is coming will come and will not delay'" (10:36-37). If this was God's concern, it was urgent to show that this promised "rest" is still available.'''

(Heb 4:1 NASB) "Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it."

(Heb 4:2 NASB)"For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard."

[BSM: So in view of Heb 4:1 which has God's good news promise to Hebrew Christians and all Christians of this age both Jew and Gentile - the promise to all believers of this church age of entering into God's rest in view - temporal and eternal blessings and NOT the promise of eternal life which they already have as the Book of Hebrews has so carefully corroborated / stipulated - then Heb 4:2 which directly follows indicates that the good news preached to "us" meaning Hebrew Christians which is applicable to all Christians - the good news of temporal and eternal blessings and not the good news of the gospel of eternal life for those addressed have already become believers / Christians. This 'other' good news refers to temporal and eternal rewards / blessings for those who have responded positively to the good news / gospel of salvation unto eternal life via a moment of faith alone in Christ alone. Whereupon, the author of Hebrews goes back into ancient times and refers to those of the older generation of ancient Israel who were believers as well, as follows, "just as they also [the older generation of ancient Israel / believers had the good news preached to them as well - not salvation unto eternal life but the availability of entering God's rest of the promised land in Canaan which is exclusively for Israel, descendants of Abraham - forever to occupy as their own]; but the word they heard [i.e., the word of the good news / the gospel of the entering of God's rest of the promised land] did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard;" [i.e., they did not believe in God and His promise to enter His rest. So the Hebrew Christians of this age in the first century were admonished NOT to NOT believe in God and His promise, i.e., not to unite with faith the good news of temporal and eternal rewards specifically delineated for them which comprise God's promise to them to enter His rest.

C) [(Heb 4:2) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:2]:

(Heb 4:1 NASB) "Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it."

(Heb 4:2 NASB)"For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard."

"2 There is a question about following the rendering "we have had the gospel preached to us" or whether the phrase should be taken as general—i.e., "we have heard the good news as well as they." The verb euangelizomai is used of preaching good news in general, but in a Christian context it is much more often used of the specific good news of the gospel; indeed, it becomes the technical term for preaching the gospel. Here everything turns on whether we think that what was preached to Israel of old was what Christians call "the gospel." If it was, then NIV is correct. If we think otherwise, we will follow the rendering "heard the good news." The first half of the verse makes it clear that on the score of hearing God's Good News there was not much to choose between the wilderness generation and the readers: "We also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did." The stress is on the readers. They have the message. They must act on it in contrast to the men of old who did not.

"The message they heard" (i.e., "the word of hearing," an expression much like that in 1 Thess 2:13) brought them no profit. A difficult problem remains at the end of the verse, where the reason for this is given. While there are several textual variants in the MSS, they boil down to two—whether we take the participle of the verb "to combine" or "unite" as singular, in which case it agrees with "word" (in "word of hearing") or as plural, in which case it goes with "them." Only a few MSS have the singular reading, some of them very old, but many scholars favor it on grammatical grounds. If adopted, it gives this sense: "It [the word] was not mixed with faith in them that heard." On the other hand, if we take the plural, the meaning is, "They were not united by faith with them that heard" (i.e., real believers, men like Caleb and Joshua). The resolution of the question is difficult and may be impossible with the information at our disposal. The main thrust, however, is plain enough. The writer is saying that it is not enough to hear; the message must be acted on in faith.

This is the writer's first use of pistis ("faith"), a term he will employ 32 times (out of the 243 times it occurs in the NT), a total exceeded only in Romans (40 times). Pistis means "faithfulness" as well as "faith," but the latter preponderates in the NT. Sometimes faith in God is meant and sometimes faith in Christ. In this epistle it is often the former. In the NT, the term is usually used without an object, i.e., as "true piety, genuine religion" (BAG, p. 669). Here the term points to the right response to the Christian message. It is the attitude of trusting God wholeheartedly. The writer speaks of "those who heard" without specifying what it was they heard. But there can be no doubt that he is looking for a right response to what God has done and to what God has made known."

D) [(Heb 4:2) Bible Knowledge Commentary On Heb 4:2]:

(Heb 4:1 NASB) "Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it."

(Heb 4:2 NASB)"For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard."

"4:2. Here the writer said that the gospel was preached to us (lit., "we were evangelized" or "we were given good news"). But this good news does not always refer to the plan of salvation from sin. In some circles the word "gospel" has acquired a sense too technical and narrow to do justice to the writer's ideas here. What was preached to the Israelites of old was, quite clearly, God's offer of rest.

[BSM: And not of God's offer of eternal life, but of believers sharing in temporal and eternal blessings relative to rewards / co-rulership etc.]

This, of course, was "good news" for them just as it is for people now, but it is not exactly what is meant today by "gospel." The Greek verb used, euangelizomai, was fully capable of having a nontechnical sense in the New Testament (cf. its use in Luke 1:19; 1 Thes. 3:6), but naturally the writer here did not sharply distinguish the "good news" about rest, which his readers had heard, from the "good news" to which the term "gospel" is more usually applied (cf. 1 Cor. 15:1-4). But as the whole context shows, his concern was with the good news about a future rest for God's people (cf. Heb. 4:10), not with the fundamental facts Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians 15.

As was already pointed out in reference to the Israelites, the message they heard (about rest) was of no value to them, because of their lack of faith (cf. Heb. 3:19 [BSM: literally ""]). That is to say, through unbelief they failed to take advantage of God's offer of rest. So it follows that for the readers to profit from this invitation to rest, they had to exercise faith." [BSM: In the sense of believing in God's capacity / willingness / plan for one to enable one to enter His rest - a temporal / eternal benefit as an enhancement of ones possession of eternal life.]

(Heb 4:3 NASB) "For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world." 

[BSM: Heb 4:3 begins with "For we who have believed," i.e., believers are in view - those who have believed in Jesus Christ's payment for their sins and thereafter as Christians / believers who have responded positively to believing in God to deliver them into His rest in order to enter His rest as the verse declares. For eternal life is one thing which one receives as a free gift by the grace of God, (cp Eph 2:8: "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith and that [salvation] is not of yourselves, [it is the] the gift of God, not by works". But to enter God's rest is another, which the Book of Hebrews declares requires belief in God to deliver one into His rest resulting in their faithfulness, i.e., faithful works and receiving that rest of God in accordance with His sovereignty. So to enter God's rest requires faith in Him to deliver one and faithfulness in whatever that entails for each one of those believers who enter it in their particular time and destiny in accordance with the sovereignty of God. Unbelievers do not have that opportunity to believe in God in order to enter His rest. They would have to be believers first. The verb rendered "who have believed" is an aorist tense participle = a completed action, active participle better translated, "For we who having believed enter [present tense] that rest, which indicates that only believers are in view and having believed in the sense of believing in God to enter His rest - which verb rendered "enter" is in the present tense signifying present tense entrance which present time is determined by the sovereignty of God for that rest to be enjoyed by the believer. Note that eternal life is received in the present moment of when a moment of faith alone in Christ alone is expressed]

Whereupon in Heb 4:3b which reads, "For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world," so the author of Hebrews indicated that to be disqualified for entering into God's rest was just as God had warned the older generation of ancient Israel, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST:" They were disqualified because of their unbelief in God - unbelief in His promise of entering His rest and unbelief in Who He was, (cf. Heb 3:19). So Heb 4:3b indicates that to NOT experience God's WRATH and thereby to NOT be excluded from entering His rest will be as a result of "having believed" instead of having NOT believed, literally instead of "unbelief," in God, (compare Heb 3:19) and His capacity and willingness to provide His rest for them - which the older generation of ancient Israel did express unbelief and perished in the wilderness - in the sense of physically died. So to review: Heb 4:3a states, "For we who have believed [do] enter [God's] rest simply when we believe in God' - His willingness, capacity to give those who believe in Him to deliver them unto God's rest - believing in God instead of not believing in Him, i.e., not expressing unbelief. So not turning their back on God will avert their being disallowed to enter God's particular rest for them as God promised if they believed in Him for that rest. Finally, Heb 4:3c states "For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world." The word rendered "although" comes right after "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," which indicates that all of creation was completed by God in that 6 day period of creation including the generation of Israel not entering the rest of God, i.e., the promised land. So the author of Hebrews makes a point that God rested on the seventh day after finishing His work of creation in six 24 hour days. This is not to say that God no longer works but that God's resting from creating the world is the author of Hebrew's example of God's Rest relative to Who God is and how great our rest can be if we trust in Him for it - which God predetermined in those six days of creation. So the author of Hebrews is saying that a believer by being faithful in His Christian life, with a Hebrew Christian especially being in view, will enter the rest that God promised for him during His work of creation yet based on that Christian choosing to believe in God's deliverance of Him to receive God's rest after the believer's completing his work that God has assigned to him to complete and will thereby enter God's rest at the time assigned to him to receive that rest - whatever that present moment in time will be in accordance with the sovereignty of God - which is part of His work of creation from the foundation of the world. The Judgment Seat of Christ has much to say on this relative to believers receiving rewards for faithful service or not and because of not being faithful will suffer loss

E) [(Heb 4:3) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:3]:

(Heb 4:3 NASB) "For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world."

'''3 "We who have believed" once more stresses the necessity of faith.

[BSM: Notice that the verb rendered "who have believed" is an aorist tense participle = a completed action, active participle better translated, "For we who having believed enter [present tense] that rest, which indicates that only believers are in view and having believed in the sense of believing in God to enter His rest - which verb rendered "enter" is in the present tense signifying present tense entrance when that moment that God has assigned that particular rest to occur in time in accordance with His sovereignty which He decreed "from the foundation of the world"]

This is one of only two places where the verb pisteuo ("to believe") occurs in Hebrews (the other is in 11:6)—a contrast to the frequency of the noun. It is believers who enter God's rest, not members of physical Israel

[BSM: only those who are believers are in view],

and they do so through a right relationship to God, with an attitude of trust.

[BSM: The words "right relationship to God" are not in the text. Only believers - those who have expressed a moment of faith alone in Christ alone have the opportunity to enter God's rest - His blessing - temporal and eternal through faith in His deliverance of that rest He has assigned to them. Unbelievers whether physical Israel or Gentiles do not have the opportunity to receive this blessing for they are required first to express a moment of faith alone in Christ alone whereupon they have the opportunity to enter God's temporal / eternal rest via faith in God to provide His particular rest for them.

Notice in Heb 4:3 that the verb rendered "who have believed" is an aorist tense participle = a completed action, active participle better translated, "For we who having believed enter [present tense] that rest, which indicates that only believers are in view and having believed in the sense of believing in God to enter His rest - which verb rendered "enter" is in the present tense signifying present tense entrance yet at the present time according to the Sovereignty of God. Notice the present tense timing of God relative to Caleb and Joshua and the younger generation of Israel when they entered God's Rest for them in the promised land and thereafter in eternity]

The verb eiserchomai ("enter") is in the present tense. Montefiore, for one, regards this as important: "Contrary to some commentators, the Greek means neither that they are certain to enter, nor that they will enter, but that they are already in process of entering" (in loc.).

[BSM: Notice that the verb rendered "who have believed" is an aorist tense participle = a completed action, active participle better translated, "For we who having believed enter [present tense] that rest, which indicates that only believers are in view and having believed in the sense of believing in God to enter His rest - which verb rendered "enter" is in the present tense signifying present tense entrance yet at the present time according to the Sovereignty of God. Notice the timing of God relative to Caleb and Joshua and the younger generation of Israel when they entered God's Rest for them in the promised land]

By contrast Bruce complains of translations that "suggest that the entrance is here and now, whereas it lies ahead as something to be attained. The present tense is used in a generalizing sense" (in loc.). Either view is defensible and probably much depends on our idea of the "rest."

[BSM: Notice that the verb rendered "who have believed" is an aorist tense participle = a completed action, active participle better translated, "For we who having believed enter [present tense] that rest, which indicates that only believers are in view and having believed in the sense of believing in God to enter His rest - which verb rendered "enter" is in the present tense signifying present tense entrance yet at the present time according to the Sovereignty of God. Notice the timing of God relative to Caleb and Joshua and the younger generation of Israel when they entered God's Rest for them in the promised land at their present time as designated by God]

If it lies beyond death, then obviously "rest" must be understood in terms of the future. But if it is a present reality, then believers are entering it now. Characteristically, the writer supports his position by an appeal to Scripture.

[BSM: Better yet at the present moment according to the sovereignty of God be it for example in the temporal life present moment or in the eternal life when one is present then in his resurrection body, etc. It all depends upon the sovereignty of God]

There is nothing in the Greek to correspond to NIV's "God" ("God has said"). Yet this is a correct interpretation because the writer habitually regards God as the author of Scripture. The perfect tense eireken ("has said") puts some emphasis on permanence. What God has spoken stands. The quotation is from Psalm 95:11 (already cited in 3:11 where see comments). Its point appears to be that those to whom the promise was originally made could not enter the rest because of the divine oath. This does not mean any inadequacy on God's part. He had completed his works from of old, in fact from the Creation. The writer is saying that God's rest was available from the time Creation was completed. The "rest" was thus the rest he himself enjoyed. The earthly rest in Canaan was no more than a type or symbol of this.'''

F) [(Heb 4:3) Bible Knowledge Commentary On Heb 4:3]

(Heb 4:3 NASB) "For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world."

"4:3. This is precisely what he then affirmed. The words hoi pisteusantes should be rendered "we who believe" rather than we who have believed. The writer's concern was not about their original faith in the past, but their perseverance in it (cf. 3:6, 14). Faith remains the prerequisite for entrance into rest, since it was to those who failed to exercise faith that God declared by oath they would not enter into His rest. This exclusion was definitive despite the fact that this rest had been established as far back as Creation itself."

[BSM: Notice that the verb rendered "who have believed" is an aorist tense participle = a completed action, active participle better translated, "For we who having believed enter [present tense] that rest, which indicates that only believers are in view and having then believed in the sense of believing in God to enter His rest - which verb rendered "enter" is in the present tense signifying present tense entrance yet at the present time according to the Sovereignty of God. Notice the timing of God relative to Caleb and Joshua and the younger generation of Israel when they entered God's Rest for them in the promised land at their present time as designated by God]

(Heb 4:4 NASB) For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: "AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS"; 

[BSM: The author of Hebrews continues with, '''For He [God] has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: "AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS" ''' Notice that the author of Hebrews repeats the subject of God's creation work: compare from the previous verse, Heb 4:3: "although His works were finished from the foundation of the world." The author does not stipulate the verse, but states it is "from somewhere" evidently from God's Word. Compare Gen 2:2 YLT which reads, "and God [completed] by the seventh day His work which He [had] made, and [rested on] the seventh day from all His work which He [had] made. So the author of Hebrews makes a point that God rested on the seventh day after finishing His work of creation in six 24 hour days.

So the author of Hebrews is saying that a believer by being faithful in His Christian life, with a Hebrew Christian especially being in view, will enter the rest that God promised for him during His work of creation yet based on that Christian choosing to believe in God's deliverance of Him to receive God's rest after the believer's completing his work that God has assigned to him to complete and will thereby enter God's rest at the time assigned to him to receive that rest - whatever that present moment in time will be in accordance with the sovereignty of God - which is part of His work of creation from the foundation of the world.

G) [(Heb 4:4) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:4]:

(Heb 4:4 NASB) "For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: "AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS"

"4 The writer does not precisely locate his quotation (Gen 2:2) but contents himself with the general "somewhere." Nor does he say who the speaker is, though once again it will be God, the author of all Scripture. Locating a passage precisely was not easy when scrolls were used; and unless it was important, there would be a tendency not to look it up. In the present case the important thing is that God said the words, not where and when they were spoken. The passage speaks of God as resting from his work on the seventh day.

It is worth noticing that in the creation story each of the first six days is marked by the refrain "And there was evening, and there was morning." However, this is lacking in the account of the seventh day. There we simply read that God rested from all his work. This does not mean that God entered a state of idleness, for there is a sense in which he is continually at work (John 5:17). But the completion of creation marks the end of a magnificent whole. There was nothing to add to what God had done, and he entered a rest from creating, a rest marked by the knowledge that everything that he had made was very good (Gen 1:31). So we should think of the rest as something like the satisfaction that comes from accomplishment, from the completion of a task, from the exercise of creativity."

(Heb 4:5 NASB) and again in this passage, "THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST."

[BSM: The author stipulates in Heb 4:5, "and again in this passage, 'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," emphasizing his warning once again that believers must not express unbelief in and consequent unfaithfulness toward God - in His promise of their entering His rest - as the older generation of Israelites suffered because of their unbelief, (cp Heb 3:19)]

H) [(Heb 4:5) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:5]:

(Heb 4:5 NASB) and again in this passage, "THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST."

"5 The writer adds a second quotation (Psalm 95:11). It is one that is central to his argument at this point. As here, he often uses "again" where a further quotation is added to a preceding one (e.g., 1:5; 2:13; 10:30). In this case, however, it does more than that; it introduces a second point in the argument. The first passage said that God rested (and by implication that the rest was open to those who would enter it); the second passage said that the Israelites did not enter that rest because God's judgment fell on them. So the way is prepared for later steps in the argument."

I) [(Heb 4:4-5) Bible Knowledge Commentary On Heb 4:4-5]:

(Heb 4:4 NASB) "For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: "AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS

(Heb 4:5 NASB) and again in this passage, "THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST."

"4:4-5. With considerable enrichment of thought, the author then linked God's Sabbath-rest at the time of Creation with the rest that the Israelites missed in the desert. God rested when He finished His creative activity and this kind of experience has, ever since, lain open to people who also finish the work that is set before them (cf. v. 10). When, as with the nation in the wilderness, a task is left unfinished, of such it must be said, They shall never enter My rest."

(Heb 4:6 NASB) Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 

(Heb 4:7 NASB) He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."

[BSM: The author of Hebrews concludes in Heb 4:6, "Therefore, since it remains for] some to enter it" ["it" meaning God's rest for them in particular in accordance with His sovereignty which was established for them before the foundation of the world after which He rested from His work of creation]; and the author goes on to write of those who formerly had good news preached to them - good news of the availability of God's rest for them should they believe in Him for it and are faithful sufficiently enough to receive it - nevertheless the author of Hebrews writes, they "failed to enter because of disobedience" evidently referring to that older generation of Israelites who because of their unbelief and disobedience failed to enter God's rest for them: the promised land of Canaan.

Whereupon in Heb 4:7, the author writes, "He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."

The author of Heb 4:7 then reminds his readers which primarily focuses upon Hebrew Christians of the first century "He [God] again fixes a certain day, "Today," in the sense of in / at this present moment / day "saying through David" [in the sense that the author is quoting from what David wrote in Psalms in order to make it applicable to those to whom the Book of Hebrews is written to: first and foremost to Hebrew Christian believers but also to all believers in this age and even in ages past]: "after so long a time just as it has been said before, TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." Here again is the same / repeated warning. If you hear His [God's] voice - and it's a given that He is speaking to you; whether or not you are listening is another story; the author of Hebrews warns, 'do not harden your hearts' in the sense of unbelief leading to unfaithfulness / rebelliousness. The consequences of this hardened attitude of unbelief have repeatedly been conveyed: severe discipline even early physical death for believers in this mortal life - certainly loss of temporal and eternal rewards that comprise God's rest for them and for that matter all believers in this age as well as in all ages. The principle is the same for all ages.

J) [(Heb 4:6-7) [Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:6-7]:

(Heb 4:6 NASB) "Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 

(Heb 4:7 NASB) He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."

'''6-7 "It still remains" misses some of the force of the original, which is rather: "Since therefore it remains...." The argument moves along in logical sequence. Some will enter that rest because it is unthinkable that God's plan should fail of fulfillment. If God prepared a rest for humanity to enter into, then they will enter into it.

[BSM: And He has - each individual being granted by God his particular rest for which he is responsible to exercise faith and faithfulness in order to enter it]

Perhaps those originally invited would not do so, for there is often something of the conditional about God's promises.

[BSM: The only thing that is conditional is that the indidual exercises faith and faithfulness in God in order to enter God's rest appointed for himself. Notice that that was the only thing that disqualified the ancient Israelite older generation from entering God's rest appointed for them]

This is not to say that one is to fear that these promises will not be kept. It is precisely the force of the present argument that nothing can stop the promises from being kept. But they must always be appropriated by faith. There is no other way of laying hold on them. So if one does not approach the promises by faith, he does not obtain what God offers and the offer is made to others.

[BSM: Amen. So God has before the foundation of the world decreed an offer of His rest for every individual which is to be appropriated by faith and faithfulness]

Some, then, must enter God's rest; but the first recipients of the Good News (cf. comment on v. 2) did not.

[BSM: Note that the Good News here does not have the gospel of salvation unto eternal life in view here but the good news that God is offering His rest - rewards - for those who will believe in Him for it and be faithful to what He requires for it.]

The writer concentrates on two generations only: the wilderness generation and his contemporaries. There had been other generations who might have appropriated the promise.

[BSM: Since Hebrew Christians are in view the ancient Israelite generation having just escaped Egypt, it is evident that the audience of Hebrews is of a different set of God's promises of rest for which each individual is responsible to exercise faith in God and consequent faithfulness to receive God's rest - not the specific rest God assigned to the ancient Israelites]

But the focus is on the first generation who set the pattern of unbelief and then on the writer's generation, who alone at that time had the opportunity of responding to God's invitation. All the intervening generations had ceased to be and could be ignored for the purpose of the argument.

The reason the first group did not enter God's rest was "their disobedience." The word apeitheia ("disobedience") is always used in the NT of disobeying God, often with the thought of the gospel in mind; so it comes close to the meaning disbelief (cf. v. 11; Rom 11:30).

[BSM: Heb 3:19 has "unbelief" followed by disobedience to God not disobedience]

Because the first generation had passed the opportunity by, God set another day. The idea that the wilderness generation was finally rejected was one the rabbis found hard to accept. In their writings we find statements such as the following: "Into this resting-place they will not enter, but they will enter into another resting-place" (Mid Qoheleth 10.20.1). The rabbis also had a parable of a king who swore in anger that his son would not enter his palace. But when he calmed down, he pulled down his palace and built another, so fulfilling his oath and at the same time retaining his son (ibid.). Thus the rabbis expressed their conviction that somehow those Israelites would be saved. The author, however, has no such reservations about the wilderness generation. They disobeyed God and forfeited their place. Psalm 95 was written long after that generation had failed to use its opportunity and had perished. Its use of the term "Today" shows that the promise had never been claimed and was still open.

[BSM: God promises His rest to all which rest varies from individual to individual, group to group, age to age. Not everyone is promised to enter the rest of the Promised Land]

The voice of God still called. The author has already used the quotation in 3:7ff. (cf. comments). But its point this time is the word "Today." There is still a day of opportunity, even though the fate of the wilderness generation stands as an impressive witness to the possibility of spiritual disaster.'''

[BSM: And the rest of God varies from individual to individual, age to age. Hence the first century Hebrew Christians were not promised to enter the promised land of Canaan like the ancient Israelites were, for the latter were part of God's chosen people to occupy that land and rule with Christ over the earth over the Gentile nations. The first century Hebrew Christians were part of the body of Christ to rule with Christ over His Eternal Kingdom]

K) [(Heb 4:6-7) Bible Knowledge Commentary On Heb 4:6-7]:

(Heb 4:6 NASB) "Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 

(Heb 4:7 NASB) He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."

"4:6-7. But the failure of the Israelites did not nullify the truth that some will enter that rest, and accordingly God renewed the offer (in Ps. 95) as late as the time of David. At that time God again set a certain day, calling it Today, thus presenting this opportunity to all readers of the psalm for whom the "Today" becomes their own "Today." Already the writer had applied that "Today" to his readers (cf. Heb. 3:14-15)."

[BSM: But recall that the Hebrew Christians are part of the body of Christ which body is promised by God to enter His rest specifically for them as part of that group of believers to inherit corulership with Christ ruling over the Eternal Kingdom]

(Heb 4:8 NASB) "For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that."

[BSM: The author of Hebrews then writes something puzzling, "For if Joshua had given them rest," i.e., if any of the ancient Israelites including Joshua's generation or any generation thereafter had entered the specific rest - the promised land and stayed there permanently in ownership - the land of Canaan as described to Abraham, that God had promised to His chosen people, then God would not have spoken of another day when a future generation of Israel would enter / rest in the promised land so  So in fact He did speak after Joshua had conquered and occupied the promised land but never the entire promised land that God delineated for Abraham and his descendants. For the Israel of Joshua's time did not occupy it from then on; and never completely as God promised to Abraham. Israel was removed a number of times, not the least of which was the Assyrian captivity of northern Israel and the Babylonian captivity of the Southern Kingdom. Nevertheless, God spoke of Israel entering His rest relative to residence / ownership of the Promised Land as He promised to Abraham. He spoke of a future generation of Israel which would indeed enter God's rest as promised / stipulated in Scripture, (cp Jer 31:31-34; Ez 36:24-27 ]

K) [(Heb 4:8) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Eph 4:8]:

(Heb 4:8 NASB) "For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that."

"8 The form of the Greek sentence indicates a contrary-to-fact condition: "If Joshua had given them rest

[BSM: and he did not for later generations of Israel were removed from the land, and Israel never occupied the entire land that God had promised because of their unfaithfulness], God would not have spoken later about another day

[BSM: which he did in accordance with Scripture ]."

The name "Joshua" is the Hebrew form of the Greek name "Jesus." "Joshua" is a good way of rendering the text, as it makes clear to the English reader who is in mind. The Greek text, however, says "Jesus";

[BSM: Because that's what the word Joshua in Hebrew means when translated into Greek and English]

and both the writer and his original readers would have been mindful of the connection [of Joshua] with the name of Christ, even though the emphasis in the passage lies elsewhere. There had been a "Jesus" [Joshua] who could not lead his people into the rest of God just as there was another "Jesus" who could."

[BSM: Note that Joshua & Caleb of ancient Israel did believe in God to deliver them into the Promised Land and indeed did follow His lead and did enter into it and defeated most of the inhabitants in battle largely taking ownership of the land - but not all of it and not for very long because they weren't always faithful and obedient. But thereafter Israel did not / was not able to possess the whole land promised to Abraham, nor ever remain there because of Israel's unbelief. So Joshua of that time did not succeed entirely in entering God's rest for God's chosen people because of unbelief and resultant unfaithfulness as time went by. But there is a Joshua / Jesus Who and will deliver His chosen people Israel into the rest of God, the promised land to occupy it forever in accordance with the New Covenant which God will fulfill exclusively with the House of Israel and the House of Judah (and not the church or any other group,  cf Jer 31:31-34, et al: )]

(Heb 4:8 NASB) "For if Joshua had given them rest, He [God] would not have spoken of another day after that.

(Heb 4:9 NASB) So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God."

[BSM: With Heb 4:8 in view which indicates that Joshua did not succeed in permanently giving the ancient Israelites God's rest although he had military victories over the inhabitants and Israel did occupy part of the promised land for a number of years, Israel did not permanently remain in the whole land that God stipulated and promised to Abraham and his descendants, but vacated it on a number of occasions and still does not wholly occupy it today.

Whereupon, the author of Hebrews concludes in Heb 4:9, that there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

1) [Compare 1 Peter 2:9-10 which has in view the believers of the Church Age who are declared God's chosen people in a different sense from Israel]:

(1 Pet 2:9 NASB) "But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 

(1 Pet 2:10 NASB) for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY."

So it still remains for God's chosen people, Israel - God's chosen people (and not the church ) to experience a Sabbath rest, in the sense of after Israel has finished her work as God had finished His - all of a generation of Israel in the future will trust alone in Christ alone - most likely at His Second Coming fulfilling the New Covenant and be transformed into perfect, sinless mortal human beings who will live hundreds of years and know God's Word perfectly and corule with Christ over the gentile nations on the earth]

L) [(Heb 4:9) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:9]:

(Heb 4:8 NASB) "For if Joshua had given them rest, He [God] would not have spoken of another day after that.

(Heb 4:9 NASB) So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God."

"9 The sentence begins with the inferential ara ("so," "as a result"). What follows is the logical consequence of what precedes. The term "Sabbath-rest" (sabbatismos) is not attested before this passage and looks like the author's own coinage. He did not have a word for the kind of rest he had in mind; so he made one up. There were various kinds of "rest." There was, for example, the kind Israel was to get in its own land when it had rest from wars (Deut 25:19). When the psalmist wrote Psalm 95, he knew firsthand what this kind of rest in Palestine meant, and he still looked for "rest." So this is not what the author of Hebrews had in mind.

Buchanan has a long note on rest in which he surveys a number of opinions and rejects all spiritualizing interpretations. He thinks that many scholars read their own ideas into "rest"; and he thinks it impossible for the word to be used in a nonnational, nonmaterial sense: "They were probably expecting a rest that was basically of the same nature as Israelites had anticipated all along" (in loc.). But surely this is precisely what the author is rejecting. He knew that Israel had been in its own land for centuries. There had been quite long periods of peace and independence. Yet the promise of rest still remained unfulfilled.

[BSM: Because Israel has not yet possessed the entire promised land as delineated by God to Abraham and his descendants forever under the New Covenant ]

Jesus spoke of quite another kind of rest—rest for the souls of men (Matt 11:28-30). This is nearer to what the author means.

We might also notice an idea of the rabbis. The Mishnah explains the use of Psalm 92 (a psalm headed "A Psalm: A Song for the Sabbath") in these terms: "A Psalm, a song for the time that is to come, for the day that shall be all Sabbath and rest in the life everlasting" (Tamid 7:4). This is the kind of rest the author refers to, though his idea is not the rabbinic one. He links rest with the original Sabbath, with what God did when he finished Creation and what Christians are called into. This, then, is a highly original view, not simply an old idea refurbished. The author sees the rest as for "the people of God"—an expression found elsewhere in the NT only in 11:25 (though 1 Peter 2:10 is similar, and expressions like "my people" occur several times). In the OT "the people of God" is the nation of Israel, but in the NT it signifies believers. The rest the author writes about is for such people. Others cannot enter into it. This is not so much on account of a law or rule denying them entrance as that they shut themselves out by disobedience and unbelief."

[BSM: God's rest for Israel is different from God's rest for individuals of other peoples such as the church and those Old Testament believers and those of the period of time before Abraham. Scripture will stipulate that when properly read. God's rest for the church which is comprised of Jews and Gentiles thus is different from God's rest for Israel which is different from believers of the so called Old Testament which is different from individuals before Abraham]

(Heb 4:10 NASB) For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

[BSM: On the other hand, the one who has entered God's rest which is specifically designated by God for one has rested from his works as God did from His and that rest depends upon how faithfully that individual was to what God had commanded him to do. He may not be granted as grand a rest as was promised if he as not that faithful]

M) [(Heb 4:10) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:10]:

(Heb 4:10 NASB) "For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His."

"10 We now have a description of at least part of what the rest means. The writer reverts to the word for rest he has been using earlier instead of the "Sabbath-rest" of v. 9. To enter rest means to cease from one's own work, just as God ceased from his. There are uncertainties here. Some think the reference is to Jesus, who would certainly fit the description except for the "anyone" (which is a reasonable interpretation of the Gr.). But the general reference is there, and we must take it to refer to the believer.

The question then arises whether the rest takes place here and now, or (as Kent, for example, holds) after death, as seen in Revelation 14:13: "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord ... they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them." Bruce thinks it is "an experience which they do not enjoy in their present mortal life, although it belongs to them as a heritage, and by faith they may live in the good of it here and now" (in loc.). I should reverse his order and say that they live in it here and now by faith, but what they know here is not the full story. That will be revealed in the hereafter. There is a sense in which to enter Christian salvation means to cease from one's works and rest securely on what Christ has done. And there is a sense in which the works of the believer, works done in Christ, have about them that completeness and sense of fulfillment that may fitly be classed with the rest in question."

N) [(Heb 4:8-10) Bible Knowledge Commentary On Heb 4:8-10]:

(Heb 4:8 NASB) "For if Joshua had given them rest, He [God] would not have spoken of another day after that.

(Heb 4:9 NASB) So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

(Heb 4:10 NASB) For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His."

"4:8-10. But the readers were not to suppose that the promise of rest was realized in Joshua's day. Here the author showed himself perfectly aware that the Old Testament might have been quoted to show that the rest had already been entered via the conquest of the land in Joshua's time (cf. Josh. 22:4; 23:1). Probably it had been so quoted to his audience. But the writer's rebuttal was simple and sufficient: if this had been so, God would not have spoken later about another day. The psalm which forms his text disproves the notion that the rest had already been entered and was no longer open.

Behind this argument lies the undeniable fact that the conquest in Joshua's day did not lead to a permanent possession of the land. Such permanent possession of their promised inheritance had become for Judaism an expectation which would only be realized in Messiah's kingdom. This at least was true in normative Judaism, whatever might have been true in some sectarian thought. It may be suspected that here the author confronted some form of "realized eschatology" which denied the futurity of such a hope. (Cf. the similar view of believers' resurrection which Paul resisted, 2 Tim. 2:17-18.) If so, the Hebrews author regarded Psalm 95 as silencing such a distorted perspective. The rest—the messianic partnership—did indeed lie ahead: There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.

But it must now be said clearly that entering into God's rest means resting from one's own work just as God did from His. The statement is both a reassurance and an admonition. On the one hand it follows up the writer's conclusion (Heb. 4:9) that there is such a rest to be entered. But on the other, it reminds the readers that this is only done by their getting to the end of their task just as did God in His creative activity. In the phrase "rests from His own work," the author employed a kind of word play since the verb for "rest" also signifies "cease" which, against the backdrop of God's own work, clearly suggests successful completion. This thrust is what the writer has had in mind from the beginning of the section. The readers need to model their lives after Jesus Christ who "was faithful to the One who appointed Him" (3:2) and must be careful to "hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first" (3:14; cf. 3:6). Only thus would they be able to rest from their works in the joyful possession of their inheritance in the messianic kingdom."

(Heb 4:8 NASB) "For if Joshua had given them rest, He [God] would not have spoken of another day after that.

(Heb 4:9 NASB) So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

(Heb 4:10 NASB) For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

(Heb 4:11 NASB) Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience."

[BSM- In view of verses 8-10, Heb 4:11 begins with "Therefore" meaning because of what the previous verses state. The author concludes, "Therefore let us be diligent" in the sense of attentive to and faithful in our actions to what God commands us to do, "so that no one will fall" in the sense of fail to enter God's particular rest for us - our temporal and eternal rewards - and not fall "through following the same example of disobedience" that the older generation of ancient Israelites that came out of Egypt with Moses and did not obey, even turned their backs to God so quickly, rejecting Who He is and going their own way. Hence they did not enter the rest that God had designated for them: the promised land of Canaan that He had promised to Abraham and his descendants. Even the younger generation of ancient Israelites did not totally succeed over a period of time leading to Israel falling away all of the time - none so far ever entering God's rest for them which Israel was to occupy the entire promised land that God described for Abraham and his descendants to inherit and occupy forever! Neverthless this will occur with a future generation of Israelites when Christ comes again and all Israel will believe in Him for the first time in history .

O) ](Heb 4:11) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:11]:

(Heb 4:11 NASB) "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience."

"D. Exhortation to Enter the Rest (4:11-13)

The idea of the rest of God is not simply a piece of curious information not readily accessible to the rank and file of Christians. It is a spur to action. So the writer proceeds to exhort his readers to make that rest their own.

"11 It is possible that this verse should be attached to the preceding paragraph but it seems meant to introduce an exhortation based on the penetrating power of the Word of God. Notice that the writer includes himself with his readers in urging a quick and serious effort to enter the rest "so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience." Paul refers to the same generation to hammer home a similar lesson, and he regards the wilderness happenings as types (1Cor 10:1-12; cf. typikos, "examples," v. 11). These earlier people had perished. Let the readers beware!"

P) [(Heb 4:11 Bible Knowledge Commentary

(Heb 4:11 NASB) Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience."

"4:11. It follows logically from this that the readers should, along with the author (note, Let us), make every effort to enter that rest. Unlike the assurance which all Christians have that they possess eternal life and will be raised up to enjoy it in the presence of God (cf. John 6:39-40), the share of the companions of Messiah in His dominion over creation is attained by doing His will to the end (Rev. 2:26-27). The readers must therefore be warned by Israel's failure in the desert and take care that they not follow Israel's example of disobedience."

(Heb 4:11 NASB) "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

(Heb 4:12 NASB) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

[BSM: Following Heb 4:11 in which the author says, "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience," comes the key to it all in Heb 4:12 - upon which all things hinge: the word of God: Heb 4:12: "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." So the deep inner nature of man - his thoughts and intentions of the heart - even his secrets are known by God. It is able to discriminate successfully between what is spiritual in man and what is merely "soulish" or natural, i.e.., sinful (it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit), and does so even when these often-contradictory inner elements are interwoven as closely as joints and marrow. The inner life of a Christian is often a strange mixture of motivations both genuinely spiritual and completely human. It takes a supernaturally discerning agent such as the Word of God to sort these out and to expose what is of the flesh. The readers might think that they were contemplating certain steps out of purely spiritual motivations when, as God's Word could show them, they were acting unfaithfully as did Israel of old.  Every word of God's Word "is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow" hence able to discern our every thought and intention so that we are held wholly accountable for all of our thoughts, words and deeds. Hence entering into God's rest will be as a result of how we respond to the Word of God which directs us to studying His Word and following the leading of the Holy Spirit accordingly so that we don't fall but DO enter His rest." This is never going to be perfect, for we cannot separate ourselves from our sin natures, but effort must be made in the direction of faithfulness and when that fails, constant confession when God reminds us of our failures is in order which is often.

Q) [(Heb 4:12) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:12]:

(Heb 4:11 NASB) "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

(Heb 4:12 NASB) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

'''12 "The word of God" means anything that God utters and particularly the word that came through Jesus Christ. He is called "the Word" in John 1:1, but that is not the thought here (though there have been exegetes who have taken this line).

[BSM: The word rendered "Word" in John 1:1 does NOT refer to communication from God but refers to the Person of God: "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with / face to face with God and the Word was God - a Person of the God head, Who is later in John identified as the Word become flesh, Jesus Christ. The Person of God, not words from God]

The comparison with a sharp sword and its penetration into human personality shows that it is not the incarnate Word that is in mind. "Living and active" shows that there is a dynamic quality about God's revelation. It does things. Specifically it penetrates and, in this capacity, is likened to a "double-edged sword" (for the sword, cf. Isa 49:2; Eph 6:17; Rev 19:15; and for the double-edged idea, cf. Rev 1:16; 2:12).

The Word of God is unique. No sword can penetrate as it can. We should not take the reference to "soul" and "spirit" as indicating a "dichotomist" over against a "trichotomist" view of man, nor the reference to "dividing" to indicate that the writer envisaged a sword as slipping between them. Nor should we think of the sword as splitting off "joints" and "marrow." What the author is saying is that God's Word can reach to the innermost recesses of our being. We must not think that we can bluff our way out of anything, for there are no secrets hidden from God. We cannot keep our thoughts to ourselves. There may also be the thought that the whole of man's nature, however we divide it, physical as well as nonmaterial, is open to God. With "judges" we move to legal terminology. The Word of God passes judgment on men's feelings (enthymeseon) and on their thoughts (ennoion). Nothing evades the scope of this Word. What man holds as most secret he finds subject to its scrutiny and judgment."

R) [(Heb 4:12) Bible Knowledge Commentary On Heb 4:12]:

(Heb 4:11 NASB) "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

(Heb 4:12 NASB) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

"3. God's Word And The Throne Of Grace (4:12-16)

Having completed his exposition of Psalm 95 and Israel's failure to enter rest, the writer brought this section of warning to a conclusion that is both sobering and comforting. God's Word is a solemn instrument of divine judgment, but His throne is both gracious and merciful.

4:12. The lesson he had just taught from the Old Testament Scriptures was not a mere historical tale. Instead, as had already been made clear by much he had said, it was powerfully relevant to his audience. For the Word of God is living ( zōn) and active (energēs). Not only that, its penetrating power is greater than any double-edged sword and reaches the innermost being of a person so that it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. In doing this, it is able to discriminate successfully between what is spiritual in man and what is merely "soulish" or natural (it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit), and does so even when these often-contradictory inner elements are interwoven as closely as joints and marrow. The inner life of a Christian is often a strange mixture of motivations both genuinely spiritual and completely human. It takes a supernaturally discerning agent such as the Word of God to sort these out and to expose what is of the flesh. The readers might think that they were contemplating certain steps out of purely spiritual motivations when, as God's Word could show them, they were acting unfaithfully as did Israel of old."

(Heb 4:11 NASB) "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

(Heb 4:12 NASB) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

(Heb 4:13 NASB) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do."

[BSM: On the matter of Heb 4:13, and in view of Heb 4:11 and especially Heb 4:12, the author of Hebrews continues to indicate the omnisicience of God and His Word as follows in Heb 4:13, "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to they eyes of Him with Whom we have to do." There is no getting away from, or over upon the great God of the universe / of creation. And it is all for our benefit and reward that we should and do focus upon Him and His Word in everything that we think, say and do. It is all to our benefit so that we as believers might enter God's rest that He has specifically designated for us to enter - all or at least in part in accordance with His instructions]

S) [(Heb 4:13) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:13]:

(Heb 4:11 NASB) "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

(Heb 4:12 NASB) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

(Heb 4:13 NASB) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do."

"13 Here the same truth is expressed in different imagery. This time the impossibility of hiding anything from God is illustrated by the thought of nakedness. "Nothing in all creation," or "no created being" (ktisis means "the act of creating" and then "a created being," "a creature"), remains invisible to God. "Uncovered" renders gymna, a word used of the soul being without the body (2 Cor 5:3), of a bare kernel of grain (1 Cor 15:37), or of a body without clothing (Acts 19:16). Here it means that all things are truly uncovered before God. The word rendered "laid bare" (trachelizo) is an unusual one, found here only in the NT and not very common outside it. It is obviously connected with the neck (trachelos), but just how is not clear. It was used of wrestlers who had a hold that involved gripping the neck and was such a powerful hold that it brought victory. So the term can mean "to prostrate" or "overthrow." Those who accept this meaning render this verse in this way: "All things are naked and prostrate before his eyes."

Most scholars, however, think a meaning like "exposed" is required. Yet it is not easy to see how it is to be obtained. It has been suggested that the wrestler exposed the face or neck of his foe by his grip. While this may be so, it entails reading something into the situation. Another suggestion is the bending back of the head of a sacrificial victim to expose the throat. Unfortunately, no example of the word used in this way is attested. In the end we must probably remain unsatisfied. Clearly the author is saying that no one can keep anything hidden from God, but the metaphor by which he brings out this truth is not clear.

The verse contains yet another difficulty, namely, the precise meaning of its closing words. KJ V renders them "him with whom we have to do," and this may be right. But the expression is used of accounting, and it seems more likely that NIV's "him to whom we must give account" is correct. Nothing is hidden from God, and in the end we must give account of ourselves to him. The combination makes a powerful reason for heeding the exhortation and entering into the rest by our obedience."

(Heb 4:11 NASB) "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

(Heb 4:12 NASB) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

(Heb 4:13 NASB) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do."

"4:13. Let them not suppose, therefore, that their motives would go undetected for nothing is hidden from God's sight. Instead, everything is uncovered and laid bare before... Him. In saying this, the readers were reminded that, like all Christians, they would someday stand before the judgment seat of Christ where they must give account to God for their lives (cf. Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10). If at that time their lives are seen to be marked by the kind of failure they have been warned against, the writer implied they will suffer loss of reward (cf. 1 Cor. 3:11-15). In this context the loss they suffer will be that of their inheritance-rest."

(Heb 4:14 NASB) "Therefore, since we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession."

[BSM On Heb 4:14-16]:

(Heb 4:11 NASB) "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

(Heb 4:12 NASB) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

(Heb 4:13 NASB) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

(Heb 4:14 NASB) Therefore, since we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

(Heb 4:15 NASB) For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

(Heb 4:16 NASB) Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

After reviewing the previous three verses, Heb 4:11-13, which begin with Heb 4:11: "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience," an instruction / command for Hebrew Christians [and all Christians] to be diligent / faithful to enter the rest of God which He has designated for each one to enter based upon one's faithful actions; and not to fail to do that as exemplified by that older generation of ancient Israelites who did not believe in and were disobedient to God's commands to deliver them and enable them and therefore did not enter their designated rest to enter and permanently reside in the promised land - even dying in the wilderness instead because of their unbelief in God and His promise to give them the victory and possession of the promised land ...

followed by Heb 4:12 which 'speaks of' the impeccable, totally trustworthy and all inclusive - nothing hidden - authority and omniscient knowledge by which God operates with every single individual, "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" ...

followed by Heb 4:13, an affirmation of God and His Word being impeccable, totally trustworthy and all inclusive - nothing hidden - authority and omniscient knowledge by which God operates with every single individual: "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do" ...

which is followed by Heb 4:14 wherein there is written a statement of God's compassionate mercy and grace in all of this holding every believer accountable to God for his actions, in which verse the author writes, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession;" Note that the Greek word "homologia" may be rendered, profession, confession, acknowledgment which often may be synonymous, (cp 2 Co 9:13; 1 Tim 6:12, 13; Heb 3:1, 4:14, 10:23).

So believers - Hebrew believers of the church age [and Gentile believers as well] have a great high priest to intercede for each and every one of them; a high priest Who has passed through from earth in His resurrection body and through the heavens in the sense of through the heavens directly to the throne of God in the third heaven, Jesus the Son of God in His perfect resurrection body in His perfect Humanity as the GodMan to be our interceding priest for all things in our lives as a result of His propitiation for our sins, (cp 1 Jn 2:2). In view of this, believers are to hold fast their confession / profession / acknowledgment of their faith in God to enter His rest so that they do not fall / fail from entering that rest / eternal rewards for faithful service that He has designated for each one of us who hold fast our faith / our confession of Who God is and what He has promised and will do relative to our designated rest - that confession / profession / acknowledgment resulting in our faithfulness instead of unbelief and unfaithfulness and loss of God's rest as the ancient older generation of Israelites failed to received and died in the wilderness.

And Heb 4:14 is reinforced by Heb 4:15 which states, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin;" which stipulates that our high priest has unsurpassable sympathy for the believer's weaknesses because He has been tempted in all things as we are [now being tempted moment to moment in our lives] yet He is without sin. Hence He is ready, willing and able in all circumstances to intercede for us - for our imperfections / our failures - especially as we hold fast to our confession / faith in Him despite our failures - an unsurpassable encouragement for us to persevere, move on toward the goal of entering His rest by trusting in Him and moving forward to follow Him faithfully, albeit confessing known sins to stay in good stead / fellowship with God moment to moment in order to maximize the rest of God, i.e., the rewards we might receive for holding fast to our confession / profession in Christ our Savior, (cp 1 Jn 1:9 )

Finally, Heb 4:16 caps off this chapter on entering the rest of God on a high encouraging note for all believers which reads: "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." The phrase "throne of grace" points both to the sovereignty of God and to God's love to men at the same time. For no one can qualify for entering the rest of God without God's grace and mercy at any time.

U) (Heb 4:14-16) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Heb 4:14-16]:

(Heb 4:11 NASB) "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

(Heb 4:12 NASB) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

(Heb 4:13 NASB) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

(Heb 4:14 NASB) Therefore, since we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

(Heb 4:15 NASB) For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

(Heb 4:16 NASB) Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

"IV. A Great High Priest (4:14-5:11)

One of the major insights of this epistle is that Jesus is our great High Priest. The author proceeds to reinforce his exhortation to enter the rest with a reminder of the character of our High Priest. Jesus is one with his people and for them

[BSM: As well as the whole world, (1 Jn 2:2) He offers the perfect sacrifice. This is seen largely in terms of the Day of Atonement ceremonies in which the role of the high priest (and not simply any priest) was central]

A. Our Confidence (4:14-16)

The first point is that Jesus knows our human condition. It is not something he has heard about, so to speak, but something he knows; for he, too, was man. We may approach him confidently because he knows our weakness.

14 Our confidence rests on Jesus. He is "a great high priest," a title that suggests his superiority to the Levitical priests ("high priest" in Heb. is lit. "great priest"; the author's usage is not common in the OT, though it does occur there). Jesus has "gone through the heavens." The Jews sometimes thought of a plurality of heavens, as in Paul's reference to "the third heaven" (2Cor 12:2) or the Talmud's reference to seven heavens (Hagigah 12b). The thought is that Jesus has gone right through to the supreme place. His greatness is further emphasized by the title "Son of God." All this is the basis for an exhortation to hold firmly to our profession

15 Our High Priest has entered into our weakness and so can sympathize meaningfully with us. He "has been tempted... just as we are" (kath' homoioteta) may mean "in the same way as we are tempted" or "by reason of his likeness to us"; both are true. There is another ambiguity at the end of the verse where the Greek means "apart from sin." This may mean that Jesus was tempted just as we are except that we sin and he did not. But it may also mean that he had a knowledge of every kind of temptation except that which comes from actually having sinned. There are supporters for each interpretation. But it may be that the writer was not trying to differentiate between the two. At any rate his words can profitably be taken either way. The main point is that, though Jesus did not sin, we must not infer that life was easy for him. 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. Many have pointed out that the Sinless One knows the force of temptation in a way that we who sin do not. We give in before the temptation has fully spent itself; only he who does not yield knows its full force.

16 Having this High Priest gives confidence. So the writer exhorts his readers to approach God boldly. The word "us" does away with the mediation of earthly priests. In view of what our great High Priest has done, there is no barrier. We can approach God. "The throne of grace" occurs only here in the NT. It points both to the sovereignty of God and to God's love to men. The rabbis sometimes speak of a "throne of mercy" to which God goes from "the throne of judgment" when he spares people (Lev R 29. 3, 6, 9, 10). The idea here is not dissimilar, all the more so since the writer goes on to speak of receiving mercy. We need mercy because we have failed so often, and we need grace because service awaits us in which we need God's help. And help is what the writer says we get—the help that is appropriate to the time, i.e., "timely help." The writer is urging a bold approach. Christians should not be tentative because they have the great High Priest in whom they can be confident. His successful traverse of the heavens points to his power to help, and his fellow-feeling with our weakness points to his sympathy with our needs. In the light of this, what can hold us back?"

V) [(Heb 4:14-16) Bible Knowledge Commentary On Heb 14-16]:

(Heb 4:11 NASB) "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

(Heb 4:12 NASB) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

(Heb 4:13 NASB) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

(Heb 4:14 NASB) Therefore, since we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

(Heb 4:15 NASB) For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

(Heb 4:16 NASB) Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

"4:14. But this need not be so. On the contrary there is every reason to hold firmly to the faith we profess in view of the fact that the believers' great High Priest... has gone through the heavens. Only once previously (2:1-3:6) had the writer referred explicitly to the priesthood of Jesus, though it was implicit in 1:3,

[BSM: (Heb 1:3) "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by the word of His power. Having made purification for our sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."]

but now he was preparing to undertake an extensive consideration of that truth. But before doing so, he wished to suggest its practical relevance to his readers whom he exhorted to "hold firmly to the faith." They had to know that the priesthood of their Lord offered them all the resources they needed.

4:15. The One who served as High Priest on their behalf had been where they were and had been tempted in every way, just as they were. Though unlike them He was without sin (cf. 7:26; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 3:5), never responding wrongly to any of His temptations (nor could He, being God), yet as a man He could feel their reality (much as an immovable boulder can bear the brunt of a raging sea) and thus He is able to sympathize ( sympathēsai, lit., "to feel or suffer with") with their and our weaknesses. It may indeed be argued, and has been, that only One who fully resists temptation can know the extent of its force. Thus the sinless One has a greater capacity for compassion than any sinner could have for a fellow sinner.

4:16. With such a High Priest, it follows that believers should approach the throne of grace with confidence (parrēsias; cf. 3:6; 10:19, 35). In a book filled with lovely and captivating turns of expression, few excel the memorable phrase "throne of grace." Such a conception of the presence of God into which beleaguered Christians may come at any time, suggests both the sovereignty of the One they approach (since they come to a "throne") and His benevolence. At a point of contact with God like this Christians can fully expect to receive mercy and find grace to help... in... time of need."