The Letters · New Testament

Hebrews 4

Hebrews 4: a rest that remains, and a high priest who was tempted

General context

A promise of entering into rest is said to be left open, so the hearers are told to fear lest any of them fall short. The message reached them as it reached the earlier generation, but the word did not profit those who heard it without faith. Those who have believed enter into rest, and the oath is quoted again. A second quotation says that God rested on the seventh day from all his works, and the oath is set beside it. Since some must enter, and those who first heard did not enter because of unbelief, a certain day is limited again, spoken in David long afterward, with the same words about hearing his voice today. If Jesus had given them rest, another day would not have been spoken of later, so a rest remains for the people of God, and whoever enters it has ceased from his own works as God did from his. The hearers are told to labour to enter, so that no one falls by the same example of unbelief. The word of God is described as quick and powerful, sharper than a twoedged sword, dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts of the heart, with all things naked and opened to his eyes. The chapter ends by returning to the great high priest who has passed into the heavens, tempted in all points yet without sin, and invites the hearers to come boldly to the throne of grace.

Cited passages: Hebrews 4:1, Hebrews 4:2, Hebrews 4:3, Hebrews 4:4, Hebrews 4:5, Hebrews 4:6, Hebrews 4:7, Hebrews 4:8, Hebrews 4:9, Hebrews 4:10, Hebrews 4:11, Hebrews 4:12, Hebrews 4:13, Hebrews 4:14, Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 4:16

Hebrews 4 (KJV)

¹Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

²For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

³For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

⁴For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

⁵And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

⁶Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

⁷Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

⁸For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

⁹There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

¹⁰For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

¹¹Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

¹²For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

¹³Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

¹⁴Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

¹⁵For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

¹⁶Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

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Historical context

Two quotations are introduced without naming a book. The first is placed only "in a certain place", and its wording, "And God did rest the seventh day from all his works", differs from Genesis 2:2, "he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made". The second is said to be spoken "in David", which names where the word is said rather than who wrote it, and the letter dates it only as "after so long a time". Verse 8 prints the name Jesus for someone who did not give the earlier generation rest, and the chapter says nothing further about him; the same name is given to the Son of God at verse 14. The letter does not explain the two uses. It also states that the gospel was preached to the earlier hearers as well as to the present ones, without saying when or by whom, and it gives no setting, no place and no date for its own readers.

Cited passages: Hebrews 4:4, Genesis 2:2, Hebrews 4:7, Hebrews 4:8, Hebrews 4:14, Hebrews 4:2

Literary context

The chapter is a reading of two words taken from the quotations of chapter 3: rest and To day. Rest is heard three ways, as what the wilderness generation failed to enter, as God's own ceasing on the seventh day, and as something that "remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God". The argument turns on timing: because the invitation is renewed long after the failure, the offer cannot have been exhausted. Four exhortations in the first person plural mark the joints of the chapter, at fear, labour, hold fast and come boldly. Between the last two stands the image of the word as a sword, which reverses the direction of the chapter: the hearers have been examining an old text, and now the word is the thing that examines them, leaving all things "naked and opened". The closing verses pick the high priest back up from chapter 2 and hand him to chapter 5.

Cited passages: Hebrews 4:1, Hebrews 4:3, Hebrews 4:4, Hebrews 4:7, Hebrews 4:9, Hebrews 4:11, Hebrews 4:12, Hebrews 4:13, Hebrews 4:14, Hebrews 4:16

Key moments

A promise left open (Hebrews 4:1). The hearers are warned not to come short of a rest still promised.
Not mixed with faith (Hebrews 4:2). The earlier hearers are said to have gained nothing from the word.
God rested the seventh day (Hebrews 4:4). A second quotation brings God's own rest into the argument.
Another day spoken of (Hebrews 4:8). The renewal of the invitation is treated as proof the rest remains.
The word as a sword (Hebrews 4:12). The word of God is described as piercing and discerning the heart.
Tempted yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). The high priest is said to share the hearers' infirmities.
Come boldly (Hebrews 4:16). The chapter closes with an invitation to the throne of grace.

For reflection

The chapter tells its hearers to labour in order to enter a rest. What does it mean that the effort and the resting are named in the same sentence rather than set against each other?