Hebrews 4:4 Ulasan

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.

For he spake in a certain place,.... Gen 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 not of providence; for in them he works hitherto; nor does this rest suppose labour with fatigue and weariness, and ease and refreshment from it; only cessation from working in a creative way, and the utmost delight, complacency and satisfaction in what he had done. The Alexandrian copy leaves out the phrase, "the seventh day".

For because he means this, he says, "For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into My rest." Thou seest how that doth not hinder this from being a rest?

He wants to make clear three rests mentioned in the divine Scripture: first, the seventh day, on which God finished creating; second, the land of promise; and third, the kingdom of heaven. He provides proof of this from the inspired testimony: If there is no other rest (he is saying), why on earth does he also urge those in receipt of the second kind not to harden their hearts, threaten punishment and make mention of those who spurned the second kind? He cites them in order, and firstly the rest on the seventh day.

This is the work of true "rest," namely, not having to run again to the old things, while enduring transition and change. For just as God is said to rest from his creation of the world, having completed its foundation, so it is fitting that also the one who has entered "into rest" not run back again to the old things, viewing with contempt the labors required by the law's virtuous ordinances to restrain transgression. For out of necessity change and a removal from the old institution follows these things.

"from all his works." Then, since he had called it rest (it was said, however, to be the rest of the Sabbath), he himself resolves that and says: Now that the rest of the works is made, he also calls this rest, namely the land of promise. "And God rested." You see, he says, that there are two rests? One on the seventh day, in which God rested from his works: and one of the land of promise, about which David is now speaking. Therefore, he says: Just as the first rest did not prevent the second from being called rest: so neither will the second prevent the third, namely the kingdom of heaven. This, however, he asserts, because he will say that we can enter into his rest. Let him not hear: But they have entered: and finally, he says that there is another rest.

Then (v. 3b) he cites two authorities: one is from the Law in Genesis (chap. 2) and the other from Ps. 94. He says, therefore, in regard to the first: although his works from the foundation of the world were finished. For he has spoken somewhere of the seventh day. This can be read in two ways: in one way by omitting the for. Then the sense is this: they shall enter into the rest which was prefigured by the seventh day from the foundation of the world. And God rested the seventh day from all his works. Or the Holy Spirit spoke in a certain place of the seventh day. And he spoke after describing the works of the six days, when the works from the foundation of the world were finished. But he says, from the foundation of the world, because the world was first established, and after six days it was made perfect in all its parts. In regard to the distinction of the days the saints speak in different ways: for Augustine treats the matter differently from the other saints. Yet no matter how they are treated, it is clear that those works were perfect. For they contain a twofold perfection: one is according to the parts of the world which are heaven and the four elements; and this was wrought by the work of creation, which occurred on the first day, and by the work of distinction, which occurred on the second and third day. In this, Augustine agrees with the others. The other perfection is according to the individual parts. And this pertains to the work of ornamentation which occurred on the fourth day in regard to the higher things, on the fifth day in regard to the intermediate elements, namely, air and water, and on the sixth day in regard to earth, which is the lowest element. But if he rested on the seventh day, who made it, if it is not a work of God? 'My father works until now and I work' (Jn. 5:17). I answer that 'rest' is not taken as the opposite of labor, but as the opposition of motion. For even when He creates He is not being moved; yet, because we speak of him only in terms of sensible things in which there is no activity without motion; therefore, every action, broadly speaking, is called a motion, and He is said to have rested because He ceased producing new species. So God rested from producing works, because all in some sense preceded. And so, God made the seventh day as every other day, because something was added then, for that was the time when the state of purgation began. For every addition varied the state of the world, and made one day. It should be noted with Augustine that he does not say simply that He rested, but that he rested from his works. For He rested in Himself from all eternity, but when He rested, it was not in His works, but from His works. For God works in a different manner from other artisans: for an artisan acts because of a need, as a house builder makes a house to rest in it, and a cutlerer a knife for gain; hence, the desire of every artisan comes to rest in his work. But not so with God, because He does not act out of need but to communicate His goodness; hence, he does not rest in His work, but from producing a work; and He rests only in His goodness.

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.

For he spake in a certain place - This certain place or somewhere, που, is probably Gen 2:2; and refers to the completion of the work of creation, and the setting apart the seventh day as a day of rest for man, and a type of everlasting felicity. See the notes on Gen 2:1, etc., and See here Heb 2:6 (note).

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.

he spake--God (Gen 2:2). God did rest the seventh day--a rest not ending with the seventh day, but beginning then and still continuing, into which believers shall hereafter enter. God's rest is not a rest necessitated by fatigue, nor consisting in idleness, but is that upholding and governing of which creation was the beginning [ALFORD]. Hence Moses records the end of each of the first six days, but not of the seventh. from all his works--Hebrew, Gen 2:2, "from all His work." God's "work" was one, comprehending, however, many "works."