The Rest Of The People Of God

HEBREWS 4:8-13

In [4:1-11] the writer advances the interpretation of Psalm 95 to a new stage. The focus of [3:12-19] was upon the exclusion of the desert generation from God’s rest because of blatant unbelief and rebellion. The tragic aftermath of death in the desert as the result of failing to believe God constituted the basis of warning for the hearers.

In [4:1-11] the accent falls upon the Christian community as heir to the promise of entrance into God’s rest. the writer’s task in this section is to pose in sharp terms the alternatives of rest and peril that now confront the people of God.

III. The Promised Rest (3:7-4:13)

A. Scriptural Basis (3:7-11)

B. Some Did Not Enter the Rest (3:12-19)

C. Christians Enter the Rest (4:1-10)

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

THE REST OF GOD

1. The Warning

a. The Attitude

The new attitude: “let us therefore fear…” [4:1].

§ Φοβηθῶμεν - “let us fear” [4:1], aorist passive subjunctive, ‘be afraid’; ‘be terrified’;

§ The aorist subjunctive, ‘let us begin to fear’;

§ This appeal implies that the attitude toward the word of God within the community has not been acceptable.

b. The Promise

i. The Available Promise

The fact that the promise still remains explains the urgency: “lest a promise being left us…” [4:1].

§ ἐπαγγελίας - “promise” [4:1], ‘to declare, announce, before hand’;

§ καταλειπομένης - “being left” [4:1], present passive participle, from katá, an intensive, and leípō, ‘to leave behind’; ‘to forsake, leave, reserve’;

ii. The Rest of God

The content of the promise: “of entering into his rest…” [4:1].

§ εἰσελθεῖν - “entering into” [4:1], ‘to move into’; >>> identifies the content of the promise in the language of Psa.95

§ κατάπαυσιν - “rest” [4:1], from katá, an intensive, and paúō, ‘to make to cease’; ‘to make to cease’; ‘to give rest to’;

§ αὐτοῦ - “his” [4:1], ‘an intensive pronoun to emphasise identity’;

c. The Danger

The present danger: “any of you should seem to…” [4:1].

§ δοκῇ - “seem” [4:1], ‘to think, imagine, consider, appear’;

§ ὑστερηκέναι - “come short” [4:1], perfect active infinitive, ‘come late’; ‘fail to attain to’; ‘stop halfway’; “what lack I yet?” [Mat.19:20];

Application

In the context of God’s oath barring the rebellious fathers in the desert from his rest: “unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest” [Psa.95:11], they implied the permanent availability of that rest for those who remained responsive to the word of promise.

§ The account of Israel at Kadesh in Numbers 14 provided a biblical foundation for the pattern of promise, and promise renewed: “but your little ones…them will I bring in” [Num.14:31].

2. The Gospel

The peril of exclusion from God’s rest exists precisely because of the privileged position of standing before the word of promise.

a. The Good News

The good news heard by all: “for unto us was the gospel preached…” [4:2],

§ εὐηγγελισμένοι - “gospel preached” [4:2], perfect passive participle, ‘to proclaim good news’;

§ The perfect tense indicates that this expression is all-inclusive; it includes the people of the exodus and the people in receipt of this epistle.

§ κἀκεῖνοι - “unto them” [4:2], ‘that one too’;

i. The Exodus

The message of good news was heard by the exodus generation through Caleb and Joshua:

§ The Promised Land: “let us go up at once and possess it…” [Num.13:30].

§ The good land: “the land is an exceeding good land…” [Num.14:7-9].

b. The Failure

The past generation received the promise in vain: “the word did not profit them…” [4:2].

§ ὁ λόγος - “word” [4;2], ‘content’; ‘what is preached about Christ’;

§ οὐκ ὠφέλησεν - “profit” [4:2], ‘to be useful’; ‘to benefit’;

c. The Lack of Faith

The root cause of their failure: “not being mixed with faith…” [4:2].

§ μὴ συγκεκερασμένους - “not being mixed” [4:2], from sún, ‘together, or with’, and keránnumi, ‘to mix’; ‘to mix together, intermingle with’;

§ τῇ πίστε - “with faith” [4:2], ‘trust’; in Hebrews, the focus on ‘confident expectation for the future’; ‘a present grasp on a future reality’: “faith is the substance of things hoped for…” [11:1].

§ The “faith” is a quality of response that appropriates the divine promise and recognises the reliability of God.

Application

3. The Biblical Demonstration

The demonstration that God’s rest still remains open is achieved exegetically. the failure of the Exodus generation to enter the promised rest does not abrogate the reality and presence of that rest.

a. The Exodus & Psalm 95

The writer begins by focussing again on the passage of the Old Testament that has been central to his argument: “we which have believed do enter into rest…” [4:3].

οἱ πιστεύσαντες - “have believed” [4:3], aorist active participle, ‘to trust’;
Εἰσερχόμεθα - “do enter” [4:3], present middle or passive indicative, ‘to move into’;
The quotation: “as I have sworn in my wrath…” [Psa.95:11].

i. Human History

God’s place of rest existed from the time of creation: “although the works were finished…” [4:3].

ἔργων - “works” [4:3], ‘activities, tasks’;
γενηθέντων - “finished” [4:3], aorist passive participle, ‘come to exist’; ‘come into being’;
ἀπὸ καταβολῆς - “from foundation” [4:3], ‘laying down’;
The force of this final clause is to emphasise that the promised “rest” does not refer in the first instance to some future reality prepared fro humanity, but has primary reference to God’s own repose, which precedes and stands outside human history.

b. The Exodus & Genesis 2

The presence of the cognate verb κατάπαυσιν in Genesis 2 allows the inference to be drawn that God’s rest in Psalm 95:11 had reference to the primal Sabbath rest of God:

· κατέπαυσεν - “rest” [4:4], aorist active indicative, from katá, an intensive, and paúō, ‘to make to cease’; ‘to make to cease’; ‘to give rest to’;

· ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ - “from all his works” [4:4], ‘activities, tasks’;

The quotation: “God did rest on the seventh day…” [Gen.2:2].

c. Hebrews Rest & The Eschatological Goal

The repetition of Psa.95:11 in [4:5] links the rest following creation with the promise of rest that was the goal of redemption: “and in this place again…” [4:5].

· God entered the archetypal temple on the eternal seventh day where he began his rest: “God did rest on the seventh day…” [Gen.2:2].

The image of God “resting” on the seventh day draws the picture of a King returning to his palace and his throne having returned victoriously from his duties: “all very good” [Gen.1:31].
The Sabbath rest presented Adam with an eschatological goal: ‘Adam would have performed the labours of the covenant of works and with each passing Sabbath rested from his labours in anticipation of the completion of his work and his entrance into the eternal seventh day rest of God.
The fulfilment of the church’s hope represents nothing less than the fulfilment of the original purpose of God in creation.
Because of the entrance of sin, it may be more accurately said that ‘the realisation of God’s purposes of redemption is the means to the end of realising his purposes in creation’.

Application

The point is that both Gen.2:2 and Psa.95:11 witness to the continued existence of God’s κατάπαυσιν.

The implied sequence of thought: God made a promise that his people would one day have access to his own place of rest. The place of rest has been available since the seventh day of creation. The promises cannot be repealed; but it was not fulfilled at the time of the exodus; it therefore remains open for some.

THE CONSISTENCY & CONTINUITY

1. The Exodus

a. The Availability

The continued availability: “seeing therefore it remains that some must enter…” [4:6].

§ ἀπολείπεται - “remains” [4:6], from apó, ‘from’, and leípō, ‘to lack’; ‘to leave behind’;

§ τινὰς - “some” [4:6], indefinite pronoun plural, ‘someone’;

§ εἰς αὐτήν - “therein” [4:6],

§ εἰσελθεῖν - “enter” [4:6], ‘to move into’;

b. The Historical Fact

i. The Exodus

The historical fact stated in v.2 is recalled: “they to whom it was first preached entered not…” [4:6].

§ πρότερον - “first” [4:6], comparative, ‘earlier, former’;

§ εὐαγγελισθέντες - “preached” [4:6], aorist passive participle, ‘tell good news’; ‘preach the gospel’;

§ The aorist tense indicates that those referred to here are the people of the exodus.

ii. The Failure

The failure to enter in: “entered not because of…” [4:6].

§ οὐκ εἰσῆλθον - “entered not” [4:6], aorist active, ‘to move into’;

§ διʼ ἀπείθειαν - “unbelief” [4:6], ‘disobedience, unwillingness to be persuaded, willful unbelief, obstinacy’; the stem peith- (pith-, poith-) has the basic meaning of trust;

Application

2. The Time of David

a. The Time of David

The time of David: again he limits a certain day…” [4:7].

§ πάλιν - “again” [4:7], denoting ‘repetition’, ‘return to a previous state’;

§ ὁρίζει - “limits” [4:7], present active indicative, ‘mark of by boundaries’; ‘determine’;

§ τινὰ ἡμέραν - “certain day” [4:7],

b. Post Exodus/Wilderness Time

The time after the exodus and the wilderness: “today, after so long a time…” [4:7].

§ σήμερον - “today” [4:7], ‘this day’;

§ τοσοῦτον - “long” [4:7], ‘so many’; ‘so much’;

§ χρόνον - “time” [4:7], indefinite amount of time’;

§ προείρηται – “as it is said” [4:7], ‘to speak in advance’;

c. The Divine Consistency

The continuity: “today, if you will hear his voice…” [4:7].

§ σήμερον - “today” [4:7], ‘this day’;

§ ἀκούσητε - “hear” [4:7], aorist active subjunctive,

§ τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ - “his voice” [4:7], ‘sound’; ‘any type of breaking of sound waves’;

i. The Admonition

The admonition: “harden not your hearts…” [4:7].

§ σήμερον - “today” [4:7], ‘this day’;

§ μὴ σκληρύνητε - “harden not” [4:7], present active subjunctive, ‘to make firm’; ‘to be stubborn’;

§ τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν - “your hearts” [4:7],

3. The Time of Joshua

a. Canaan

The Promised Land was not itself the rest: “for if Joshua had given them rest…” [4:8].

§ Ἰησοῦς - “Jesus” [4:8], ‘Joshua’;

§ κατέπαυσεν - “had given rest” [4:8], aorist active indicative, from katá, an intensive, and paúō, ‘to make to cease’; ‘to make to cease’; ‘to give rest to’; >>>> the key word of [4:4] = Gen.2:2;

§ μετὰ - “afterward” [4:8], ‘after entry into Canaan’;

b. Another Day

God continued to speak of rest, as He did through David: “would not have spoken of another day” [4:8].

§ ἐλάλει - “spoken” [4:8], imperfect active, ‘to continue to speak/talk’;

§ ταῦτα ἡμέρας - “another day” [4:8],

Application

The rest is God’s rest subsequent to his creation labour as he took up residence in the temple of the archetypal heavens on the eternal seventh day.

§ The admonition of [Psa.95:7-8] in [4:7] is both an urgent call to the people of God and an announcement of the eschatological time of salvation.

§ If in fact Joshua had achieved the promised rest, there would have been no need of the renewal of the promise in Psalm 95.

THE EXHORTATION

1. The Entrance into Rest

a. A Remaining Rest

There is a rest that lies in the future: “there remains therefore a rest…” [4:9].

§ ἀπολείπεται - “remains” [4:9], from apó, ‘from’, and leípō, ‘to lack’; ‘to leave behind’; positively, ‘to remain available’;

§ σαββατισμὸς - “rest” [4:9], from sabbatízō, ‘to keep the Sabbath’;

§ τῷ λαῷ τοῦ θεοῦ - “to the people of God” [4:9],

i. The Sabbath Rest

The introduction of the term σαββατισμὸς was in order to define more precisely the character of the future rest:

§ The term σαββατισμὸς appears to have been coined from the cognate verb σαββατιzeiv, ‘to observe/celebrate the Sabbath’.

§ In four other documents from the patristic period that are independent of Hebrews 4, the term denotes ‘the celebration or festivity of the Sabbath’.

§ The term received its particular nuance from the Sabbath instruction that developed in Judaism on the basis of Exo.20:8-10, where it was emphasised that rest and praise belong together.

§ The term stresses the special aspect of festivity and joy, expressed in the adoration and praise of God.

2. The Example

The writer has already shown that there is no rest apart from that which is founded in the works of God.

§ Entrance into the creation “rest” is debarred because of the entrance of sin.

a. The Person of the Son of God

A single person is brought forward as an example: “for he that is entered into his rest…” [4:10].

§ ὁ εἰσελθὼν - “entered into” [4:10], aorist active participle, ‘to move into’;

§ The contextual reference to Jesus: “we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens…” [4:14].

i. A Personal Rest

The rest is a personal rest: “entered into his rest…” [4:10].

§ τὴν κατάπαυσιν - “rest” [4:10], from katapaúō, ‘to make to cease’; ‘the act of resting, ceasing from labour, or the place of rest, dwelling, fixed abode’;

§ αὐτοῦ - “his” [4:10], ‘an intensive pronoun to emphasise identity’;

b. The Work

i. The New Creation

The “rest” from the works of the new creation: “also has ceased from his own works…” [4:10].

§ κατέπαυσεν - “ceased” [4:10], aorist active indicative, from katá, an intensive, and paúō, ‘to make to cease’; ‘to make to cease’; ‘to give rest to’;

§ ἔργων αὐτοῦ - “his works” [4:10], ;activity, work, assigned task’;

§ The work assigned to the Son of God in order to redeem the Church: “he who has built the house has more honour than the house” [3:3-4].

§ He suffered once for all: “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many…” [9:28].

§ This part of the work of the High Priest was finished on the cross: “I have finished the work which you gave me to do” [Joh.17:4].

ii. The Old Creation

The “rest” of the first creation: “as God did from his” [4:4].

§ ὥσπερ - “as God” [4:10],

§ ἀπὸ τῶν ἰδίων ὁ θεός - “from his” [4:10],

§ Reference to the Old Testament quotation and the first creation: “God did rest the seventh day…” [4;4].

Application

The “rest” here is the rest of his to whom it belongs and who is also the author of it: “

3. The Exhortation

The consummation rest, in which everything that God intended for humanity by his own Sabbath rest will be realised, remains future.

a. The Call to Faith

The call to be diligent: “let us labour therefore to enter in…” [4:11].

§ Σπουδάσωμεν - “labour” [4:11], aorist active subjunctive, from spoudé̄ , ‘earnestness, diligence’; ‘to be diligent, earnest, or eager’;

§ εἰσελθεῖν - “enter in” [4:11], aorist infinitive active, ‘to move in’;

§ εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν κατάπαυσιν – “that rest” [4:11], from katá, an intensive, and paúō, ‘to make to cease’; ‘to make to cease’; ‘to give rest to’;

b. The Danger of Perishing

The danger of failure: “lest any man fall after the same example…” [4:11].

§ πέσῃ - “fall” [4:11], aorist active subjunctive, ‘to fall down’; ‘to fail’;

§ ὑποδείγματι - “example” [4:11], ‘model, pattern’;

§ ἀπειθείας - “unbelief” [4:11], the stem peith- (pith-, poith-) has the basic meaning of trust;

Application

THE SUPPORTING REASONS

The writer then provides the supporting reason for the diligence enjoined.

1. The Word of God

a. The Performative Word

God’s word, whose sanctions were imposed so effectively upon the exodus generation, is performative today: “for the word of God is quick and powerful…” [4:12].

§ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ - “word of God” [4:12],

§ Ζῶν – “quick” [4:12], present active participle, ‘to be alive’;

§ ἐνεργὴς - “powerful” [4:12], ‘at work’; ‘effective’; ‘able to bring about’;

§ The twin ideas of ‘living and effective’ signify that it is performative; it possesses the power to effect its own utterance. This was demonstrated with reference to Psa.95:7b-11 in 3:7-11.

b. The Destructive Word

Those who remain insensitive to the voice of God in Scripture may discover that God’s word is a lethal weapon: “sharper than any two edged sword…” [4:12].

§ τομώτερος - “sharper” [4:12], ‘cutting incisively’;

§ μάχαιραν δίστομον - “two-edged sword” [4:12], ‘short sword or dagger’;

§ The past generation fell back and were killed by the sword: “for the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword because you are turned away from the Lord…” [Num.14:43-45].

c. The Judging Word

i. A Penetrating Word

The word of God has extreme power of penetration: “piercing even to the dividing asunder…” [4:12].

§ διϊκνούμενος - “piercing” [4:12], present middle or passive participle, from diá, ‘through’, and hiknéomai, ‘to come’; ‘to stand apart, go or pass through, pierce through’; ‘to penetrate’;

§ μερισμοῦ - “dividing asunder” [4:12], ‘to divide into part’; ‘dividing, distribution’;

§ ψυχῆς καὶ πνεύματος - “soul and spirit” [4:12], ‘breath’ and ‘wind’;

§ ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν - “joints and marrows” [4:12], ‘body joint’ and ‘bone marrow’; >>>> THE CROSS?

ii. A Judging Word

The word of God is capable of judging: “a discerner of the thoughts and intents…” [4:12].

§ κριτικὸς - “discerner” [4:12], ‘able to discern or decide’; ‘able to judge’;

§ ἐνθυμήσεων - “thoughts” [4:12], ‘reflection, musings’;

§ ἐννοιῶν - “intents” [4:12], ‘intention’; ‘purpose as a result of thinking’;

d. The Exposing Word

There is nothing in creation hidden from God: “neither is there any creature that is not manifest…” [4:13].

§ κτίσις - “creature” [4:13], ‘creation’;

§ ἀφανὴς - “not manifest” [4:13], ‘hidden, invisible’;

§ ἐνώπιον αὐτο - “his sight” [4:13], ‘before him’;

§ γυμνὰ - “naked” [4:13], ‘poorly clothed’; ‘without clothing’;

§ τετραχηλισμένα - “opened” [4:13], perfect passive participle, ‘to take by the throat’; ‘to overthrow’;

Application

God’s word confronts the Christian community with the same alternatives of rest and wrath.

The word of God poses a judgement that is more threatening and sharper than any sword
It exposes the intentions of the heart and renders one defenceless before God’s scrutinising gaze.

2. The High Priest

The fearful prospect of judgement is balanced by the reminder of the high priestly ministry of Jesus.

a. The Office

The office of Jesus: “seeing then we have a great high priest…” [4:14].

§ Ἔχοντες - “we have” [4:14], present active participle, ‘to own, possess’;

§ ἀρχιερέα μέγαν - “great high priest” [4:14],

i. The Work

The work of the high priest: “taken from among men…” [5:1].

§ A representative: “appointed fro men in things pertaining to God…” [5:1].

§ The offering: “that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins…” [5:2].

§ The help: “who can have compassion on the ignorant…” [5:2].

§ The intercession: “ever lives to make intercession for them” [7:25].

b. The Location

The present location: “that is passed into the heavens…” [4:14].

§ διεληλυθότα - “passed into” [4:14], perfect active participle, from diá, ‘through’, and érchomai, ‘to come, go’; ‘to come through, pass through’;

§ οὐρανούς - “the heavens” [4:14], ‘the dwelling place of God’:

i. The Rest?

Jesus is “entered into the heavens…” [4:14].

§ the presence of God: “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” [9:24].

§ The place of glory: “We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens…” [8:1].

§ The finished work: “suffered once…has put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” [9:26].

Application

The implied reference to the heavenly sanctuary provides yet another dimension to the discussion of the place of rest in 4:1-11.

Jesus’ high-priestly ministry is the guarantee that God’s people will celebrate the Sabbath in his presence.

3. The Closing Exhortation

a. The Profession

The exhortation and the profession: “let us hold fast our profession” [4:14].

§ κρατῶμεν - “hold fast” [4:14], present active subjunctive, ‘hold onto’; ‘seize’; ‘arrest’;

§ ὁμολογίας - “profession” [4:14], ‘to agree, confess, say the same’;

b. The Throne of Grace

The exhortation and the throne of grace: “let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace…” [4:16].

§ προσερχώμεθα - “come” [4:16], present middle or passive subjunctive, ‘to come to’; ‘to approach as to location’;

§ παρρησίας - “boldly” [4:16], ‘freedom of speech’; ‘confidence’;

§ τῷ θρόνῳ τῆς χάριτος - “throne of grace” [4:16], from chaírō, ‘to rejoice’’; ‘grace, particularly that which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, favor, acceptance, for a kindness granted or desired, a benefit, thanks, gratitude’;

c. The Gift of God

i. The Receipt of Mercy

The covenant love of God: “that we may obtain mercy…” [4:16].

§ λάβωμεν - “obtain” [4:16], ‘take hold of’; ‘grasp, acquire’;

§ ἔλεος - “mercy” [4:16], in Greek ἔλεος is a πάθος, i.e., the emotion roused by contact with an affliction which comes undeservedly on someone else.

§ Used in the Old Testament mainly for hesed, ‘covenant love’, and less frequently for rachamim, ‘compassion’.

ii. The Supply of Grace

The necessary supply of grace: “find grace to help in time of need” [4:16].

§ εὕρωμεν - “find” [4:16], ‘discover’; ‘find the location of’;

§ χάριν - “grace” [4:16], from chaírō, ‘to rejoice’’; ‘grace, particularly that which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, favor, acceptance, for a kindness granted or desired, a benefit, thanks, gratitude’;

§ βοήθειαν - “help” [4:16], ‘support’; ‘hold something together’;

Application

The faithfulness of Jesus as high priest establishes the context for calling the members of the congregation to faithfulness.