Ebrei 4:13 Commento

The apostle, having in the foregoing chapter set forth the sin and punishment of the ancient Jews, proceeds in this, I. To declare that our privileges by Christ under the gospel exceed the privileges of the Jewish church under Moses, as a reason why we should make a right improvement of them (Heb 4:1-4). II. He assigns the cause why the ancient Hebrews did not profit by their religious privileges (Heb 4:2). Then, II. Confirms the privileges of those who believe, and the misery of those who continue in unbelief (Heb 4:3-10). IV. Concludes with proper and powerful arguments and motives to faith and obedience.

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 seeing there was a rest, and a promise of entering into it, they should seem to come short of it, Heb 4:1, and the rather, since they that fell in the wilderness had the Gospel preached to them as well as they; and the reason why it did not profit was, because it was not received by faith, Heb 4:2 as also seeing it is by faith that believers now enter into rest, Heb 4:3 which rest is not the rest of the seventh day, on which God rested; nor, the rest of the land of Canaan, which Joshua led the Israelites into; for if he had entered them into the rest the apostle means, David, so many hundred years after him, would not have made mention of another rest, Heb 4:4 wherefore it follows that there is another rest for the people of God, which he that enters into ceases from his own works, as God did from his, Heb 4:9 and this is the rest that everyone that professes faith in Christ, should be solicitous and diligent to enter into, lest he should fall short of it through unbelief; as the unbelieving Israelites did of their rest, Heb 4:11 and the arguments engaging to such a concern are taken from the properties and perfections of Christ, the essential Word of God; particularly from his omnipotence and his omniscience, Heb 4:12. And seeing he is by nature the Son of God, and by office a great high priest that is entered into heaven for his people, the encouragement is great to hold fast the profession of faith in him they have made, Heb 4:14 and the rather since he is a sympathizing high priest, as he must needs be, since he has been tempted, afflicted, and has suffered every way as his people, and is in all respects like them, excepting that he has no sin, Heb 4:15 and this consideration should engage believers to come to the throne of grace with all boldness, and in expectation of having grace and mercy bestowed on them for the supply of their daily wants, Heb 4:16.

Seeing then that we have a great high priest,.... That Christ is a priest, and an high priest, has been observed already, in Heb 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 officiates as a priest, heaven and with respect to the continuation of his priesthood; and likewise because he makes others priests unto God; and this great high priest is no other than the Word of God before spoken of: so the divine Logos, or Word, is often called a priest, and an high priest, by Philo the Jew (t). This great high priest believers "have", and have an interest in him; he is called to this office, and invested with it; he has been sent to do his work as a priest; and he has done the greatest part of it, and is now doing the rest; and saints receive Christ as such, and the blessings of grace from him, through his sacrifice and intercession: that is passed into the heavens; he came down from thence, and offered himself a sacrifice for the sins of his people; and having done this, he ascended thither again, to appear for them, and to make intercession for them; whereby he fully answers to his character as the great high priest: and what makes him more fully to appear so is what follows, Jesus, the Son of God: the former of these names signifies a Saviour, and respects his office; the latter is expressive of his dignity, and respects his person; who is the Son of God in such sense as angels and men are not; not by creation, nor adoption; but by nature; not as man and Mediator, but as God, being of the same nature with his Father, and equal to him; and it is this which makes him a great high priest, and gives virtue and efficacy to all he does as such: wherefore, let us hold fast our profession: of faith, of the grace and doctrine of faith, and of Christ, and salvation by him, and of the hope of eternal life and happiness; which being made both by words and deeds, publicly and sincerely, should be held fast; which supposes something valuable in it, and that there is danger of dropping it; and that it requires strength, courage, and greatness of mind, and an use of all proper means; and it should be held without wavering; for it is good and profitable, it recommends the Gospel; and it has been made publicly before witnesses; and not to hold it fast is displeasing to God, and resented by him: and the priesthood of Christ is an argument to enforce this duty, for he is the high priest of our profession; he has espoused our cause, and abode by it; he has bore witness to the truth of the Gospel himself; he prays for the support of our faith; he pities and succours; and he is passed into the heavens, where he appears for us, owns us, and will own us. (t) Alleg. 1. 2. p. 76. De Profugis, p. 466. & de Somniis, p. 597.

"Thine arrows," he says, "are sharp," -God's everywhere-flying precepts (arrows) threatening the exposure of every heart, and carrying compunction and transfixion to each conscience: "peoples shall fall beneath thee," -of course, in adoration.

And Scripture calls by the name of “sword” the Word which has the power of trying and of discerning thoughts and which “extends even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow.” … Every soul at the time of the passion was subjected to a sort of test, as it were, according to the words of the Lord, who said, “You will all fall away because of me.” Simeon prophesies concerning Mary that, standing beside the cross and looking at what was happening and hearing his words—even after the testimony of Gabriel, after the secret knowledge of her divine conception, after the great showing of miracles—“Even you will flee,” he says, “a certain perplexity about your soul.” For the Lord must taste of death for the sake of all, and, being made a propitiation for the world, he must justify all people in his blood. Therefore, some doubt will touch even you yourself who have been taught from above concerning the Lord. That is the sword. “That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed,” meaning that, after the scandal which happened at the cross of Christ to both the disciples and to Mary herself, some swift healing will follow from the Lord, confirming their hearts in their faith in him. Thus we see that even Peter, after having stumbled, clung more firmly to his faith in Christ. What was human, therefore, was proved unsound in order that the power of the Lord might be manifested.

For God says, 'I will dwell among them and walk among them, and I will be their God.' So when the fear of divine power returns to the perception of the soul, then we blush, then we desire to hide, then being placed in the thoughts of our sins, we are found in the midst of the tree of paradise where we sinned, desiring to hide, and thinking that God does not seek the hidden things. But the searcher of hearts and thoughts, penetrating even to the division of the soul, says, 'Adam, where are you?' ... But when He said, 'Where are you?' He is not seeking the place which knew His secret, for God does not have closed eyes so as not to see what is hidden. But God sees the faults of all and knows the offenses of all: he has eyes over every soul, over all hidden things. So, where are you, Adam? That is, not in what place, but in what state are you. Therefore, it is not an inquiry, but a rebuke.

And why speak I of men? he says. For even if thou speak of Angels, of Archangels, of the Cherubim, of the Seraphim, even of any "creature" whatsoever: all things are laid open to that Eye, all things are clear and manifest; there is nothing able to escape it; "All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him, with whom we have to do." But what is "opened"? It is a metaphor from the skins which are drawn off from the victims. For as in that case, when a man has killed them, and has drawn aside the skin from the flesh, he lays open all the inward parts, and makes them manifest to our eyes; so also do all things lie open before God. And observe, I pray thee, how he constantly needs bodily images; which arose from the weakness of the hearers. For that they were weak, he made plain, when he said that they were "dull," and "had need of milk, not of strong meat." "All things are naked," he says, "and opened unto the eyes of Him, with whom we have to do." (c. v. 11, v. 12.) Next he discourses of the Son, "with whom we have to do," he says. What is "with whom we have to do"? To Him (he would say) we have to render account for the things we have done? Even so. How then must we act that we fall not, nor be faint-hearted?

He used the phrase “laid bare to the eyes of him” as a metaphor from sacrificed beasts, which lie completely mute, the slaughter doing away with their life, and along with their life their cries. In similar manner, he is saying, when we also are judged, we behold everything done by us in ungodly or lawless fashion, whereas we receive the sentence of punishment in silence, realizing as we do its justice.

He says, “division of soul and spirit.” The soul has a special feeling for the body, but the grace of the Holy Spirit draws against the body to the heavenly things.

“The word of God is … sharper than any two-edged sword.” Now the holy depth of divine Scripture is expressed in such common language that everyone immediately takes it in. But buried within it are hidden senses of truth, so that the vital meaning must be most carefully sought out. What contributes most of all to our understanding that it is really divine is the fact that ignorant persons are known to have been able to explain most subtle things, and mortal humans eternal things, but only when filled with the divine Spirit.

"And no creature is hidden from his sight." But what do I say about men, he says? Nor can any other creature hide or be concealed from that watchful eye, whether you speak of angels, or Cherubim, or Seraphim. "but all are naked." Nothing can be hidden from the inspecting power of Christ. All things are bare before Him, and no covering or character can allow anyone to conceal themselves from those eyes. "exposed to the eyes." To make it clearer how all things are naked and visible before the Word of God, He used a metaphor from the flayed sheep. For just as those sheep, having been flayed, that is, having had the knife taken to their neck and been slaughtered, after the skin is removed, everything inside is exposed; so it is with God, everything is evident. Or, flayed, He says naked, by metaphor from the sheep hung by the neck and stripped of their skin. Or, the term flayed, instead of those bowing down and stooping necks, because they cannot look upon the glory of that judge and God, our Jesus Christ. But you accept the first. "to whom we must give account." To Him, he says, we must give an account of our actions, and we must respond to Him, to whom we also have the word [ὁ λόγος]. Do you see where the matter concluded? For in order that, having heard, you should not think that the same punishment is for us and for the Israelites on the same pattern of disobedience, he shows through these things that ours are much more terrible.

Do you not shudder when you hear God each day saying to you through the whole of the divine Scripture, “Let no evil speech come out of your mouth”? For truly I say to you for any idle word you will give an account, and for every cup of cold water you will receive a reward. Have you not heard that God is the judge of the “thoughts and intentions of the heart”? What does it say? “He who looks at a woman with desire has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Do you not see how he who looks with desire upon someone is considered an adulterer? Know then, surely, that those who strongly desire wealth are considered greedy, even if they have acquired nothing at all. Those who strive for many costly foods are gluttons, even if because of poverty they survive on only bread and water. They are sexually immoral who imagine many defiling encounters, even if they never look at another person. So too is it with those who say in their heart, “This has gone badly and become unreasonable” and “Why has this happened?” or “Why has that not happened?” Let them not be deceived, they are slanderers and will be judged as those who condemn, even though not a word comes out of their mouths nor does anyone hear them.

Not only, he says, does He search and know the hearts of men, but even if you were to point to angels and archangels, to cherubim and seraphim, all things are open before Him. Nothing can be hidden from His eyes. To illustrate more vividly how all things are naked and open before the face of the Word of God, he used a figurative expression taken from sheep when they are flayed. Just as with them, when their head is cut off, or a knife is thrust into the neck and they are slaughtered, after the skin is removed all the innards are exposed — so too all things are open before God. Some understood the word "open" (tetrachelismena) in the sense of ornaments from the neck, more precisely, hanging on the neck. And others understood it in the sense of that which descends downward and bows the neck, so that one cannot gaze intently upon the glory of the Judge and your God, Jesus Christ. You should accept the first explanation. To Him, he says, we shall give our answer and account of our deeds. Do you see how he elevated the matter? Lest you, having heard "after the same example," should think that the punishment for us and for the Israelites is one and the same, he shows through this that our punishment is more fearful.

Then when he says, before him no creature is hidden, he shows that anything invisible according to its nature is not hidden from God. For if something is not seen by us, it is because it is more simple and more subtle than our bodily or intellectual eyes, such as separated substances, which we cannot see in this life. But nothing is simpler and subtler than the divine intellect. Therefore, no creature is invisible in His sight. But does He know things in a merely general way, as some claim? No; but all things are naked and open to His eyes. By the eye we mean the cognitive power; for spiritual things are understood through sensible things. But it is significant that he says, eyes, because of the variety of things He understands: for He does not know one thing only, but a multitude of things. He says, naked and open, for something is known in two ways: in one way, superficially, in another way, in depth. Thus a naked man is seen superficially, but not one who is clothed. But all things are manifest to God, which are seen superficially; for there is nothing covering man to impede God's knowledge, as clothing might: 'Hell is naked before him' (Jb. 26:6). But he says, open, because nothing is so concealed that it can escape God's knowledge. Yet this seems to be contrary to what is stated in Hab (1:13): 'Your eyes are too pure to behold evil, and you cannot look on iniquity.' Therefore, not all things are naked. I answer that in God is knowledge of simple understanding and knowledge of approbation. In the first way He knows all things, even wicked things and things that are not; but in the second way He knows good things insofar as they exist. Then when he says, with whom we have to do, he shows the perfection of his authority. But this authority is the authority to judge: 'It is he who was appointed by God to be judge of the living and of the dead' (Ac. 10:42). To Him, therefore, is our speech, when we render an account of our works: 'For we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the proper things of the body, according as he has done, whether it be good or evil' (2 Cor. 5:10). Therefore, because He is so powerful, so knowing and so great, let us hasten to enter into that rest. For three things are required for passing judgment: first, the power to coerce subjects: 'Seek not to be made a judge, unless you have strength enough to extirpate iniquities' (Sir. 7:6). And this belongs to Christ: 'All power is given me in heaven and in earth' (Mt. 28:18). Secondly, zeal for the right is required, in order that judgment be pronounced not from hatred or spite, but from love of justice: 'Whom the Lord loves he chastises; and as a father in the son he pleases himself' (Pr. 3:12). This love of justice is especially evident in Christ: 'And justice shall be the girdle of his loins' (Is. 11:5). Thirdly, there is required wisdom, according to which a judgment is formed: 'A wise man shall judge his people' (Sir. 10:1). But Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24). Now this power to judge belongs to Christ as man: 'He gave him power to do judgment, because he is the Son of man' (Jn. 5:27), not, of course, because of the condition of the nature, according to Augustine, because then all men would have such power, but because of the capital grace, which Christ received in His human nature. But this power to judge belongs to Christ according to His human nature for three reasons: first, by reason of His affinity to men. For just as God works through intermediate causes, as being closer to their effects, so He judges through a man in order that the judgment may be gentler. For we have not a high priest who cannot have compassion on our infirmities, as has been said. Secondly, because in the final judgment, as Augustine says, there will be a resurrection of dead bodies, which God quickens through the Son of man, just as through the same Christ He quickens souls, inasmuch as He is the Son of God. Thirdly, because, as Augustine says in the book, The Words of the Lord, it was proper that those to be judged should see their judge. But the good and the wicked are to be judged. Therefore, in the judgment the form of man will be visible to the good and the wicked, the form of God being reserved for the good. But this power suits Christ both on account of His divine personality, on account of His dignity as head, and on account of the fullness of His sanctifying grace. Furthermore, He obtained it by His merits. Hence, it was fitting that according to God's justice the judge should be one who fought for God's justice and overcame; and that the one unjustly judged should condemn the guilty: 'I have overcome and I am set down with my Father on his throne' (Rev. 3:21); 'You have sat on the throne who judge justice' (Ps. 9:5); 'The judge will sit who stood before a judge, and He will condemn the guilty who was falsely judged guilty' (Augustine, The Words of the Lord).

As the Christian rest is to be obtained by faith, we should beware of unbelief lest we lose it, as the Hebrews did theirs, Heb 4:1. The reason why they were not brought into the rest promised to them, Heb 4:2. The rest promised to the Hebrews was a type of that promised to Christians, Heb 4:3-10. Into this rest we should earnestly labor to enter, Heb 4:11. A description of the word of God, Heb 4:12, Heb 4:13. Jesus is our sympathetic High Priest, Heb 4:15. Through him we have confidence to come to God, Heb 4:16.

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest - God, from whom this word comes, and by whom it has all its efficacy, is infinitely wise. He well knew how to construct his word, so as to suit it to the state of all hearts; and he has given it that infinite fullness of meaning, so as to suit it to all cases. And so infinite is he in his knowledge, and so omnipresent is he, that the whole creation is constantly exposed to his view; nor is there a creature of the affections, mind, or imagination, that is not constantly under his eye. He marks every rising thought, every budding desire; and such as these are supposed to be the creatures to which the apostle particularly refers, and which are called, in the preceding verse, the propensities and suggestions of the heart. But all things are naked and opened - Παντα δε γυμνα και τετραχηλισμενα. It has been supposed that the phraseology here is sacrificial, the apostle referring to the case, of slaying and preparing a victim to be offered to God. 1. It is slain; 2. It is flayed, so it is naked; 3. It is cut open, so that all the intestines are exposed to view; 4. It is carefully inspected by the priest, to see that all is sound before any part is offered to him who has prohibited all imperfect and diseased offerings; and, 5. It is divided exactly into two equal parts, by being split down the chine from the nose to the rump; and so exactly was this performed, that the spinal marrow was cloven down the center, one half lying in the divided cavity of each side of the backbone. This is probably the metaphor in Ti2 2:15 (note). But there is reason to suspect that this is not the metaphor here. The verb τραχηλιζω, from which the apostle's τετραχηλισμενα comes, signifies to have the neck bent back so as to expose the face to full view, that every feature might be seen; and this was often done with criminals, in order that they might be the better recognized and ascertained. To this custom Pliny refers in the very elegant and important panegyric which he delivered on the Emperor Trajan, about a.d. 103, when the emperor had made him consul; where, speaking of the great attention which Trajan paid to the public morals, and the care he took to extirpate informers, etc., he says: Nihil tamen gratius, nihil saeculo dignius, quam quod contigit desuper intueri delatorum supina ora, retortasque cervices. Agnoscebamus et fruebamur, cum velut piaculares publicae sollicitudinis victimae, supra sanguinem noxiorum ad lenta supplicia gravioresque poenas ducerentur. Plin. Paneg., cap. 34. "There is nothing, however, in this age which affects us more pleasingly, nothing more deservedly, than to behold from above the supine faces and reverted necks of the informers. We thus knew them, and were gratified when, as expiatory victims of the public disquietude, they were led away to lingering punishments, and sufferings more terrible than even the blood of the guilty." The term was also used to describe the action of wrestlers who, when they could, got their hand under the chin of their antagonists, and thus, by bending both the head and neck, could the more easily give them a fall; this stratagem is sometimes seen in ancient monuments. But some suppose that it refers to the custom of dragging them by the neck. Diogenes the philosopher, observing one who had been victor in the Olympic games often fixing his eyes upon a courtezan, said, in allusion to this custom: Ιδε κριον αρειμανιον, ὡς ὑπο του τυχοντος κορασιου τραχηλιζεται. "See how this mighty champion (martial ram) is drawn by the neck by a common girl." See Stanley, page 305. With whom we have to do - Προς ὁν ἡμιν ὁ λογος· To whom we must give an account. He is our Judge, and is well qualified to be so, as all our hearts and actions are naked and open to him. This is the true meaning of λογος in this place; and it is used in precisely the same meaning in Mat 12:36; Mat 18:23; Luk 16:2. Rom 14:12 : So then every one of us λογον δωσει, shall give an account of himself to God. And Heb 13:17 : They watch for your souls, ὡς λογον αποδωσοντες, as those who must give account. We translate the words, With whom we have to do; of which, though the phraseology is obsolete, yet the meaning is nearly the same. To whom a worde to us, is the rendering of my old MS. and Wiclif. Of whom we speake, is the version of our other early translators.

THE PROMISE OF GOD'S REST IS FULLY REALIZED THROUGH CHRIST: LET US STRIVE TO OBTAIN IT BY HIM, OUR SYMPATHIZING HIGH PRIEST. (Heb. 4:1-16) Let us . . . fear--not with slavish terror, but godly "fear and trembling" (Phi 2:12). Since so many have fallen, we have cause to fear (Heb 3:17-19). being left us--still remaining to us after the others have, by neglect, lost it. his rest--God's heavenly rest, of which Canaan is the type. "To-day" still continues, during which there is the danger of failing to reach the rest. "To-day," rightly used, terminates in the rest which, when once obtained, is never lost (Rev 3:12). A foretaste of the rest Is given in the inward rest which the believer's soul has in Christ. should seem to come short of it--Greek, "to have come short of it"; should be found, when the great trial of all shall take place [ALFORD], to have fallen short of attaining the promise. The word "seem" is a mitigating mode of expression, though not lessening the reality. BENGEL and OWEN take it, Lest there should be any semblance or appearance of falling short.

creature--visible or invisible. in his sight--in God's sight (Heb 4:12). "God's wisdom, simply manifold, and uniformly multiform, with incomprehensible comprehension, comprehends all things incomprehensible." opened--literally, "thrown on the back so as to have the neck laid bare," as a victim with neck exposed for sacrifice. The Greek perfect tense implies that this is our continuous state in relation to God. "Show, O man, shame and fear towards thy God, for no veil, no twisting, bending, coloring, or disguise, can cover unbelief" (Greek, 'disobedience,' Heb 4:11). Let us, therefore, earnestly labor to enter the rest lest any fall through practical unbelief (Heb 4:11).