Hebrews 4:1

CHAPTER IV.

As the Christian rest is to be obtained by faith, we should

beware of unbelief lest we lose it, as the Hebrews did theirs,

1.

The reason why they were not brought into the rest promised to

them, 2.

The rest promised to the Hebrews was a type of that promised to

Christians, 3-10.

Into this rest we should earnestly labour to enter, 11.

A description of the word of God, 12, 13.

Jesus is our sympathetic High Priest, 15.

Through him we have confidence to come to God, 16.

NOTES ON CHAP. IV.

Verse Hebrews 4:1. Let us therefore fear] Seeing the Israelites lost the rest of Canaan, through obstinacy and unbelief, let us be afraid lest we come short of the heavenly rest, through the same cause.

Should seem to come short of it.] Lest any of us should actually come short of it; i.e. miss it. See the note on the verb δοκειν, to seem, Luke 8:18. What the apostle had said before, relative to the rest, might be considered as an allegory; here he explains and applies that allegory, showing that Canaan was a type of the grand privileges of the Gospel of Christ, and of the glorious eternity to which they lead.

Come short] The verb υστερειν is applied here metaphorically; it is an allusion, of which there are many in this epistle, to the races in the Grecian games: he that came short was he who was any distance, no matter how small, behind the winner. Will it avail any of us how near we get to heaven, if the door be shut before we arrive? How dreadful the thought, to have only missed being eternally saved! To run well, and yet to permit the devil, the world, or the flesh, to hinder in the few last steps! Reader, watch and be sober.