INTRODUCTION TO HEBREWS 4 From the punishment inflicted on the unbelieving Hebrews, who died in the wilderness, and entered not into the land of rest made mention of in the preceding chapter, the apostle proceeds to caution the present Hebrews of his time, and who professed faith in Christ, lest se... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US THEREFORE FEAR,.... Not with a fear of wrath and damnation; nor with a fear of diffidence and distrust of the power, grace, and goodness of God; but with a cautious fear, a godly jealousy, a careful circumspection, and watchfulness: LEST A PROMISE BEING LEFT [US] OF ENTERING INTO HIS REST; n... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR UNTO US WAS THE GOSPEL PREACHED,.... The Gospel is the good news and glad tidings of salvation by Christ; and this may be said to be preached, when men preach not themselves, nor read lectures of morality, nor mix law and Gospel together, nor make justification and salvation to be by works, nor... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE WHICH HAVE BELIEVED DO ENTER INTO REST,.... Not eternal rest; all believers shall enjoy this, and they only; but this is not now, or at present enjoyed, unless things future may be said to be present, because of faith in them, and the certainty of them but spiritual rest in Christ under the G... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE SPAKE IN A CERTAIN PLACE,.... Genesis 2:2 that is, Moses, the penman of that book spoke, or God by him: OF THE SEVENTH DAY ON THIS WISE; of the seventh day of the world, or from the creation of the heavens and the earth: AND GOD DID REST THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS: of creation, but... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN THIS PLACE AGAIN,.... In Psalms 95:11 he speaks again of another rest distinct from that on the seventh day; which, and not the latter, is what believers under the Gospel dispensation enter into: IF THEY SHALL ENTER INTO MY REST: that is, unbelievers shall not enter into it; as the unbelievi... [ Continue Reading ]
SEEING THEREFORE IT REMAINETH,.... It follows by just consequence, THAT SOME MUST ENTER THEREIN; for God's swearing concerning some, that they should not enter into his rest, supposes that others should: and THEY TO WHOM IT WAS FIRST PREACHED; to whom the Gospel was first preached, namely, the Isr... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAIN HE LIMITETH A CERTAIN DAY,.... Since the seventh day of the creation was a day of rest which God entered into, and not man; and since the land of Canaan was a typical rest, which the unbelieving Israelites did not enter into, because of unbelief; and yet there must be persons, and there must b... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF JESUS HAD GIVEN THEM REST,.... That is, Joshua; for Hosheah, Joshua, and Jesus, are one and the same name; or Jesus himself, as two of Stephens's copies read; and so Joshua is called Jesus by the Septuagint interpreters on Exodus 17:10 and other places where he is mentioned; and also, by Jose... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 9 THERE REMAINETH THEREFORE A REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD.] Not all mankind; nor the people of the Jews only; rather the people of God, both Jews and Gentiles, under the New Testament; the people whom God has loved with a special love, has chose in Christ, and given to him, with whom he has made... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE THAT IS ENTERED INTO HIS REST, c] This is to be understood not of believers, nor of their entrance into the Gospel rest, or into eternal rest, but of the Lord Jesus Christ for a single person is only spoken of, and not many, as in Hebrews 4:3 and the rest entered into is his own, which cannot... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US LABOUR THEREFORE TO ENTER INTO THAT REST,.... Not eternal rest; this is not to be entered into now; nor is an entrance into it to be obtained by labour; salvation is not by works; eternal life is a free gift; good works do not go before to prepare heaven for the saints, but follow after: nor... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK AND POWERFUL,.... This is to be understood of Christ, the essential Word of God; for the Word of God was a known name of the Messiah among the Jews; John 1:1 and therefore the apostle makes use of it when writing to them: and the words are introduced as a reason why care... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER IS THERE ANY CREATURE THAT IS NOT MANIFEST IN HIS SIGHT,.... Christ is the Lord God omniscient; there is no creature, in general, rational, or irrational, animate or inanimate, but what are known to him, and seen by him; for all creatures are made, and upheld by him, and he is omnipresent; a... [ Continue Reading ]
SEEING THEN THAT WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST,.... That Christ is a priest, and an high priest, has been observed already, in Hebrews 2:1 but here he is called a great one, because of the dignity of his person, as follows, and the virtue of his sacrifice; and because of the place where he now officia... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE HAVE NOT AN HIGH PRIEST,.... That is cruel and unmerciful; the saints have an high priest, but not such an one: WHICH CANNOT BE TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES; such as bodily diseases and wants, persecutions from men, and the temptations of Satan; under all which Christ sympathi... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE,.... Either to Christ, who is before spoken of as an high priest, and who was typified by the mercy seat, to which there seems to be an allusion; and coming to him as a priest upon his throne is very proper: to him saints come for pardon and cleans... [ Continue Reading ]