Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 4:3

For 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.

3. For we which have believed do enter into rest ] Rather, “For we who believed” (i.e. we who have accepted the word of hearing) “are entering into that rest.”

if they shall enter ] This ought to have been rendered as in Heb 3:11, “ they shall not enter ” The argument of the verse is (1) God promised a rest to the Israelites. (2) Many of them failed to enter in. (3) Yet this rest of God began on the first sabbath of God, and some men were evidently meant to enter into it. (4) Since then the original recipients of the promise had failed to enjoy it through disbelief, the promise was renewed ages afterwards, in Psalms 95 by the word “To-day.” The immense stress of meaning laid on incidental Scriptural expressions was one of the features of Rabbinic as well as of Alexandrian exegesis.

from the foundation of the world ] God’s rest had begun since the Creation.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

For we which have believed do enter into rest – That is, it is a certain fact that believers will enter into rest. That promise is made to believers; and as we have evidence that we come under the denomination of believers, it will follow that we have the offer of rest as well as they. That this is so, the apostle proceeds to prove; that is, he proceeds to show from the Old Testament that there was a promise to believers that they would enter into rest. Since there was such a promise, and since there was danger that by unbelief that rest might be lost, he proceeds to show them the danger, and to warn them of it.

As he said … – see Heb 3:11. The meaning of this passage is this. God made a promise of rest to those who believe. They to whom the offer was first made failed, and did not enter in. It must follow, therefore, that the offer extended to others, since God designed that some should enter in, or that it should not he provided in vain. To them it was a solemn declaration that unbelievers should not enter in, and this implied that believers would. As we now, says he, sustain the character of believers, it follows that to us the promise of rest is now made and we may partake of it.

If they shall enter … – That is, they shall not enter in; see Heb 3:11. The rest here spoken of as reserved for Christians must be different from that of the promised land. It is something that pertains to Christians now, and it must, therefore, refer to the rest that remains in heaven.

Although the works were finished … – This is a difficult expression. What works are referred to? it may be asked. How does this bear on the subject under discussion? How can it be a proof that there remains a rest to those who believe now? This was the point to be demonstrated; and this passage was designed clearly to bear on that point. As it is in our translation, the passage seems to make no sense whatever. Tyndale renders it, And that spake he verily long after that the works were made from the foundation of the world laid; which makes much better sense than our translation. Doddridge explains it as meaning, And this may lead us further to reflect on what is said elsewhere concerning his works as they were finished from the foundation of the world. But it is difficult to see why they should reflect on his works just then, and how this would bear on the case in hand. Prof. Stuart supposes that the word rest must be understood here before works, and translates it, Shall not enter into my rest, to wit, rest from the works which were performed when the world was founded. Prof. Robinson (Lexicon) explains it as meaning, The rest here spoken of, my rest, could not have been Gods resting from his works Gen 2:2, for this rest, the Sabbath, had already existed from the creation of the world. Dr. John P. Wilson (ms. notes) renders it, For we who have believed, do enter into rest (or a cessation) indeed ( kaitoi) of the works done (among people) from the beginning of the world. Amidst this variety of interpretation it is difficult to determine the true sense. But perhaps the main thought may be collected from the following remarks:

1. The Jews as the people of God had a rest promised them in the land of Canaan. Of that they failed by their unbelief.

(2)The purpose of the apostle was to prove that there was a similar promise made to the people of God long subsequent to that, and to which all his people were invited.

(3)That rest was not that of the promised land, it was such as God had himself when he had finished the work of creation. That was especially his rest – the rest of God, without toil, or weariness, and after his whole work was finished.

(4)His people were invited to the same rest – the rest of God – to partake of his felicity; to enter into that bliss which he enjoyed when he had finished the work of creation. The happiness of the saints was to be like that. It was to be in their case also a rest from toil – to be enjoyed at the end of all that they had to do.

To prove that Christians were to attain to such a rest, was the purpose which the apostle had in view – showing that it was a general doctrine pertaining to believers in every age, that there was a promise of rest for them. I would then regard the middle clause of this verse as a parenthesis, and render the whole, For we who are believers shall enter into rest – (the rest) indeed which occurred when the works were finished at the foundation of the world – as he said (in one place) as I have sworn in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest. That was the true rest – such rest or repose as God had when he finished the work of creation – such as he has now in heaven. This gives the highest possible idea of the dignity and desirableness of that rest to which we look forward – for it is to be such as God enjoys, and is to elevate us more and more to him. What more exalted idea can there be of happiness than to participate in the calmness, the peace, the repose, the freedom from raging passions, from wearisome toil, and from agitating cares, which God enjoys? Who, torn with conflicting passions here, wearied with toil, and distracted with care, ought not to feel it a privilege to look forward to that rest? Of this rest the Sabbath and the promised land were emblems. They to whom the promise was made did not enter in, but some shall enter in, and the promise therefore pertains to us.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Heb 4:3-6

We which have believed do enter into rest

The distinguishing characters of true believers

1.

A sweet experience declared, We do enter into rest. It is an experience of a spiritual and heavenly benefit; whereof Caleb and Joshuas experience was the type (Jos 19:1-51.). And here consider

(1) The benefit experienced; that is, rest. Rest is a sweet thing, as all weary labourers do know. But of all rest soul-rest is the sweetest, and such is this. The rest here meant is the rest held forth in the promise of the gospel (verses 1, 2). And if ye ask where it is found? it is not in heaven only, for the believer enters into it now; but it is in Christ, whether in earth or heaven.

(2) The experience of that benefit, We do enter. He says not we shall enter, viz., at death, but in the present time, we do enter. The believers rest is not altogether put off to another life. It is not complete, indeed, till we come to heaven; but it is begun here, we are entering into it, and do enter; and the very entrance of the rest is sweet.

2. The parties in whose name this experience is declared, We which have believed, viz., in Christ. Unbelievers still remain in their restless condition, but faith in Christ lays the soul to rest.

I. WHO THEY ARE THAT HAVE TRULY BELIEVED.

1. They who have believed, have believed the grace and goodwill of Christ to them in particular, held forth in His word of grace to them, viz., a good-will to save them from sin and wrath.

(1) They have believed Christs grace and good-will to them, notwithstanding felt unworthiness (Luk 15:18).

(2) They have believed His grace and good-will towards the drawing them out of the miry clay of their sinfulness, as well as out from the rolling waves of guilt, the curse and eternal wrath. For this is the good-will of Christ testified in the gospel (Mat 1:21).

(3) The only foundation of their belief of it is the faithfulness of God in His word of grace (Gal 3:21.

(4) They have betaken themselves to the grace and good-will of Christ in His word of grace, and laid all their weight upon it.

2. They who have believed, have believed on Christ as their own Saviour for life and salvation to them (Act 15:11). The sinner believing on Christ betakes himself to Him only, wholly and for ever.

(1) He renounces utterly all expectations of rest to his conscience from the law, and betakes himself to a Crucified Christ for it (Php 3:3).

(2) He renounces utterly all expectations of rest to his heart from the world, and his lusts, and betakes himself to a full Christ for it (Jer 16:19).

II. THE ENTERING OF THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVED INTO REST IN JESUS CHRIST.

1. I am to show what is supposed in that those who have believed do enter into rest.

(1) Those who have not believed are in a stale of restlessness (Isa 57:20). Till the soul comes to Christ it can never get true rest: one may take rest as well on the top of a mast as get it in an ungodly, unregenerate, unconverted state. Those out of Christ have

(a) A restless station, an insecure standing (De

28:65, 66).

(b) A restless labouring (Mat 11:28).

(c) A restless wandering.

(d) A restless burden-bearing.

(e) A restless eternal state abiding them (2Th 1:7-9).

(2) Restless souls may be laid to rest in Jesus Christ.

(3) It is by faith the restless soul is laid to rest in Christ (Rom 15:13).

2. I proceed to show what is that rest in Christ which they who do believe enter into. It is twofold, spiritual and heavenly, initial and complete.

(1) They who have believed do enter into spiritual rest, which is their initial or begun rest. Though they should get little more rest for their bodies till they rest in the grave, they enter into soul rest (Mat 11:29); they get rest for their souls in Christ. And none that know what soul-trouble is, but they will value it more than any rest out of heaven.

(2) Those who have believed do enter into heavenly rest at length. This is the rest completed. The grave is made a resting-place for their bodies for awhile, but the soul rests in Abrahams bosom at death till the resurrection. And then the soul and body together will have an everlasting complete rest together.

3. What is the import of their entering into that rest in Christ.

(1) Sinners before they believe have a toiled, restless, uneasy life of it Mat 11:28). No wonder, for they are Gods enemies, the laws criminals, sins slaves, and Satans drudges.

(2) All that believe are wearied people, that find they need rest, and would fain have it (Isa 28:12).

(3) They see and believe there is a rest in Christ for them.

(4) They come to Him as a resting-place by believing on Him.

(5) They compose themselves for, and set themselves to rest in Him Psa 116:7).

(6) They are active to get rest in Christ. Entering speaks activity, and that lies in the exercise of faith.

(7) They find a begun rest, but not complete; they are entered into it; though they are not yet come to the perfection of it, yet they are in the way to it.

(8) The believer all his life long here is but entering into that rest: we do enter. The Israelites were forty years entering into Canaan, after they came out of Egypt. And from the moment of the first believing till the soul comes to glory, it is but entering into rest; entering being but an initial and imperfect action. Hence they that have come to Christ are still said to be coming (1Pe 2:4). But at length they shall have it full and complete.

4. I come now to show how the soul is entered into rest in the way of believing, or the influence of faith to bring and lay the soul to rest. This is a mystery to the blind world: nobody can truly know the rest of the soul in Christ but those that have experienced it; nor the influence of faith that way, but those that have felt it, though they may talk rationally about it and preach it.

(1) Faith discovers Christ as the only object commensurable to the desires of the soul (Psa 73:25).

(2) Faith takes possession of Christ as such an object offered to the soul: knits with Him in a marriage covenant by trusting on Him for all to itself Joh 1:12). So it enters the soul to rest, as a wife in the house of her husband who has now made her final choice.

(3) Faith draws the sting of guilt out of the conscience, and so enters the soul to rest (Rom 3:24-25).

(4) Faith sets the soul in safety (Pro 1:33).

(5) Faith mortifies and breaks the power of reigning lusts (Act 15:9).

(6) Faith cures the soul of the dog-like appetite, that painful hunger and thirst which the eating of the forbidden fruit left in all mankind. Lay one never so soft, if hunger be gnawing him, and thirst scorching him, he cannot rest. Such is the case of all unbelievers, they are hungering and thirsting for satisfaction from the creature: they eat of the husks, but are never satisfied.

(7) Faith contracts the desires of the soul into one point (Psa 27:4).

(8) Faith sees it hath a fulness in Christ enough to answer all its needs: and hence the language thereof is, I have all, and abound (Php 4:18).

(9) Faith leaves all on Christ (Psa 10:14).

USE

I. Of information.

1. Jesus Christ is a resting place for the weary (Mat 11:28).

2. True faith is an active and efficacious thing. It lays the restless soul to rest.

3. The way of believing is the way to solid rest.

4. Those who have believed may see what course to take at any time when their rest is disturbed. They must renew the actings of faith on Christ.

USE

II. Of trial. Hereby ye may try whether ye have truly believed in Christ or not; for they who have believed do enter into rest in him.

USE

III. Of exhortation. Ye who profess to have believed in Christ, rest in Him, and so evidence your faith. For motives consider

1. There is no need ye should go to any other quarter for what ye need; For it pleased the Father, that in Him should all fulness dwell Col 1:19).

2. There is no true rest to be found out of Christ (Joh 6:67).

3. It dishonours Him highly not to rest in Him. It gives out an ill report of Him to the world, whereby His name may be blasphemed, as if there were not enough in Him to satisfy in all cases.

4. Your not resting in Him will evidence your hypocrisy (Job 27:10).

5. Rest in Him now, and ye shall rest with Him for ever; but it ye forsake Him, He will cast you off, and ye will fall there where there is no rest for the ages of eternity. And it will aggravate your condemnation, that ye might have been well if ye could but have rested in Christ. (T. Boston, D. D.)

Rest for the true

1. Under all dispensations God has been holding out to mankind the promise of a glorious rest.

2. This glorious rest is something independent of all times, places, and privileges.

3. The enjoyment of this glorious rest is dependent upon a certain believing state of the soul.

4. This believing state of soul gives the enjoyment of this rest now.

I. FAITH IN THE GOSPEL INVOLVES CONFIDENCE IN THE PATERNAL PROVIDENCE OF GOD, AND THIS GIVES THE MIND REST FROM ALL SECULAR ANXIETIES.

II. FAITH IN THE GOSPEL INVOLVES AN ASSURANCE OF GODS WILLINGNESS TO RECEIVE US AS SINNERS, AND THIS GIVES US REST FROM ALL DISTRESSING DOUBTS ABOUT OUR SALVATION.

III. FAITH IN THE GOSPEL INVOLVES A TRANSFORMING IMPRESSION OF GODS BENEVOLENCE, AND THIS GIVES US REST FROM ALL THE DISTRESSING FEELINGS OF A SELFISH LIFE.

IV. FAITH IN THE GOSPEL INVOLVES THE CENTRING OF THE SOUL UPON ONE OBJECT OF LOVE AND ONE COURSE OF ACTION, AND THIS GIVES REST FROM ALL THE PAINS OF DISTRACTION.

V. FAITH IN THE GOSPEL INVOLVES AN ASSURANCE IN A BLESSED IMMORTALITY, AND THIS GIVES US REST FROM ALL DISTURBING THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR OWN DEATH AND THAT OF OUR FRIENDS. (Homilist.)

The rest of Gods people

I. WHAT IS THE REST?

1. A rest from sin.

2. A rest from sorrow.

3. It consists of what is positive also.

(1) It is a bestowment of eternal life.

(2) It is being with Christ.

(3) It is working for God without weariness, and with full power to do so.

II. WHEN IS THE REST? It commences with the renewed soul when it first looks not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. It brightens upon us more and more as we rise from the lower, the temporal, to the higher, the eternal life. It is fully revealed to us when we have done with mortality and sin.

III. FOR WHOM IS THE REST? Only for those who love holiness, and hate iniquity and sin. (Homilist.)

Rest

It appears from the text that even now persons of a certain character enjoy rest.

I. OF THE NATURE OF THIS REST. It is not a rest merely to hear of, to speak of, and to desire, but a rest in actual enjoyment. We who have believed do enter into rest.

1. That rest is pictured in some degree by its types–Canaan–the Sabbath–the Sabbatic year.

2. If the types may help us to a guess at the peace of the Christian, we may, perhaps, come at it a little more clearly by remembering the oppositions to peace which in the believer are removed. The believer rests from the guilt of sin because he has seen his sins laid upon Christ, his scapegoat, and he concludes that if sin were laid on Christ it is not on him.

3. Some conception of this rest may be gathered from the graces which a true faith begets and fosters in the Christian mind. After all, a man makes his own condition. It is not the dungeon or the palace that can make misery or happiness. We carry palaces and dungeons within ourselves, according to the constitution of our natures, Now, faith makes a man heavenly in mind; it makes him care more for the world to come than for that which now is; it makes the invisible precious to him, and the visible comparatively contemptible. Do you not see, therefore, what rest a true faith gives us amidst the distresses of this mortal life? Who cries for pebbles when he possesses pearls? The grace of faith, moreover, works in us resignation. He who fully trusts his God becomes perfectly resigned to his Fathers will.

The habit of resignation is the root of peace. Faith, furthermore, promotes unselfishness by kindling worthier affections; and so much is this for our peace, that it is most true that were a man perfectly unselfish it would be impossible for him to be disturbed with discontent. All our unrest lies at the root of self.

II. HOW DOES THE CHRISTAIN OBTAIN INTEREST? We which have believed. Do notice this, that the way in which the believer comes to his rest is entirely through belief or trust. And what is this believing? Why it is a simple trust; it is a trusting upon Christ as Gods appointed Saviour; it is trusting the Father and believing in His infinite love to us; it is trusting the Holy Ghost, and giving up ourselves to the sway of His Divine indwelling. Trusting brings rest.

III. WHAT IS THE GROUND AND REASON OF A CHRISTIANS REST? It is a dreadful thing to be at rest in extreme peril, lulled by false security. It is perilous to sleep in a house built on a foundation of sand, when the floods are out, and the winds are about, to sweep all away; it is horrible to be at peace in a condemned cell, when already the scaffold has been put up, and the hour of execution is hastening on! But the believer has good reason for being at peace, and why? He has these reasons amongst others. He trusts to be saved by a way which God has appointed. Here is a firm rock to rest on. What better person can we depend upon than Jesus, the Son of God? The believer, moreover, knows that all things which were necessary to save him and all the elect are already performed. In conclusion:

1. To the man who never has rested. Try Gods way of rest. Trust, and you shall rest.

2. The next word is to those of you who once did rest, but do not now. You backslider, this is your word, return unto thy rest. You never will find rest out of Christ–especially you.

3. Lastly to you who are at rest now, endeavour to keep it; and the way to keep it is the way you first gained it. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

A delicious experience

In the text we have a declaration of experience, We which have believed do enter into rest, to which is very singularly added, As He said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest. The happy declaration is supported by the tremendous oath of judgment, which shut out the unbelieving race. There is usually a promise embedded in a threatening, like gold in quartz; just as there is generally a threatening as the reverse of the golden coin of promise. I venture to say that the threatening in this case even gives a touch of rose colour to the promise, for it runs thus, If they shall enter into My rest. Whereas the declaration only says, rest: we which have believed do enter into rest, the word My is added. That little word is like a bright gleam amidst the blackness of the tempest. Oh, the glory of that which God calls My rest!

I. THE PEOPLE TO WHOM THIS EXPERIENCE IS CONFINED. They rest, and no one else: they rest, because they have believed. As surely as unbelief shuts out, so surely does faith shut in. What is to believe?

1. To believe is, first of all, to accept as true the revelation of God; to give unfeigned assent and consent to all that God has made known in His Word, and especially to believe that He was, in Christ Jesus, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.

2. The operative point of faith is the next one: we trust ourselves with Him who is revealed; thus we carry our belief of truth to its practical conclusion.

3. Out of this trust must come action agreeable thereunto.

II. THE EXPERIENCE ITSELF: We which have believed do enter into rest. We will propound no theory, and indulge no imagination, but keep to matters of fact.

1. Wherein do we rest?

(1) We rest where God rests: that is, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a wondrous personality we see in Him! As God, He is the infinite delight of the Father. As personified Wisdom, our Lord Jesus says, I was by Him, as one brought up with Him; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him. We cannot tell how much the Father loves Him, and how perfectly He rests in Him.

(2) We rest in His work. Full atonement, perfect righteousness, glorious victory!

2. What is comprehended in this rest? All things. Here we lay every burden down.

3. What are the excellencies of this rest?

(1) Honour.

(2) A wonderful source of strength.

(3) An incentive to diligence.

(4) This rest also brightens life.

4. What are the limits of this rest? We may place them where we will. According to your faith, so be it unto you. We which have believed do enter into rest. It is an entrance, and no more, as yet. But when an Israelite had an entrance into Canaan, it was his own fault if he did not penetrate the interior, and traverse the land from Dan to Beersheba. Ask, and ye shall receive. All things are possible to him that believeth.

III. THE PERSONAL ASSERTION OF THIS EXPERIENCE: We which have believed do enter into rest. I like the positive speech of the apostle for himself and his friends. I do not invite any of you to say that faith gives you peace unless it does so.

1. It must be a matter of fact. We want no empty profession.

2. This declaration, that we have rest, should always be made with a holy purpose. We must not go about boasting of our peace.

3. If you can say as much as this–By believing have entered into rest, be thankful; for this privilege is a gift of love. It is a wonderful instance of sovereign grace that such unworthy ones as we are should enter into Gods rest. But if you cannot say it, do not despair. Make it a point of question with yourself. Why have I not entered into rest? Is it because I have not believed? Oh, that all the way between here and heaven we may journey on with restful hearts, led beside the still waters! I have seen, in of the likeness, Heaven was in him before he was in heaven. Now, that must be so with us, for nobody gets into heaven who does not get heaven into himself first. Oh, to get heaven into us this meriting, and keep it there for ever! (Ibid.)

The state of believers under the gospel

I. THE STATE OF BELIEVERS UNDER THE GOSPEL IS A STATE OF BLESSED REST. It is Gods rest and theirs. God created man in a state of present rest. This rest consisted in three things.

1. Peace with God.

2. Satisfaction and acquiescency in God.

3. Means of communion with God. All these were lost by the entrance of sin, and all mankind was brought thereby into an estate of disquietment. In the restoration of these, and that in a better and more secure way doth this gospel-state of believers consist

(1) Without it our moral state in respect of God is an estate of enmity and trouble.

(2) There is in all men before the coming of the gospel a want of an acquiescency and satisfaction in God.

3. Unto peace with God, and acquiescency in Him, a way of intercourse and communion with Him is required, to complete a state of spiritual rest. And this also, as it was lost by sin, so it is restored unto us in and by the gospel.

II. IT IS FAITH ALONE WHICH IS THE ONLY WAY AND MEANS OF ENTERING INTO THIS BLESSED STATE OF REST. And that both negatively so that without it no entrance is to be obtained, whatever else men may plead to obtain it by; and positively, in that it alone effects it, without a contribution of aid and strength in its so doing, from any other grace or duty whatever.

III. THERE IS A MUTUAL INBEING OF THE PROMISES AND THREATENINGS OF THE COVENANT, SO THAT IN OUR FAITH AND CONSIDERATION OF THEM, THEY OUGHT NOT UTTERLY TO BE SEPARATED.

1. Because they have both of them the same rise and spring. They do both of them but declare the actings of the one holy God according to the distinct properties of His nature upon distinct objects.

2. Both of them, as annexed to the covenant, or as the covenant is administered by them, have the same end. God doth not design one end by a promise, and another by a threatening; but only different ways of compassing or effecting the same end. The end of both is, to increase in us faith and obedience.

3. Theatenings are conditional; and the nature of such conditions is, not only somewhat is affirmed upon their supposal, and denied upon their denial; but the contrary unto it, is affirmed upon their denial; and that because the denial of them doth assert a contrary condition.

4. The same grace is administered in the covenant to make the one and the other effectual. (John Owen, D. D.)

The Christians rest

Comparing the Sabbath of Gods rest at Creation with the Sabbath that is left to the people of God, he justifies the comparison by urging that he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. This, surely, would seem to show that when we cease from our own works, the sacred rest commences. What, then, are our own works? By these I would understand all those wretched and laborious ways of life which have their origin and end in the corrupted principles of our own hearts, as contrasted with those ways of life and happiness which at once become ours, and with them a Sabbath-rest of spirit, when (and this is surely before the grave), abandoning all the miserable devices with which the wisdom of this world endeavours to delude itself into fictitious happiness, we cast our sins upon the sacrificed Lamb of God, our cares upon the Father of mercies, and, in the bright confidence of faith, walk humbly on to heaven, feeling already within us the dawnings of the heaven we are approaching. (Prof. Archer Butler.)

My rest

The rest of God

The great and outstanding characteristic of it is, that it is Jehovahs rest. It is, in the first instance, Gods own rest before it becomes ours; and it becomes ours, only because it, in the first place, is Gods. The repose and blessedness of Jehovah Himself must be not only the model for, but identical with, the repose and blessedness of the creature, in so far as their capacities permit of it. But the history of Gods dealings with our race presents us with several and somewhat different examples of that Divine resting, which is the source and the foundation of the rest of His Church.

I. We have the rest of God THE CREATOR in the beginning, when He ceased from the work of creation, and rested on the seventh day from all His works which He had made. In that rest which Jehovah Himself found in a sinless and unfallen world, when the days work was finished, and He kept and blessed the Sabbath day of creation, there was the foundation laid for the rest and blessedness of the unfallen creature.

II. We have another Divine rest spoken of in Scripture–THE REST OF GOD THE SON, WHEN HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD, HAVING FINISHED THE

REDEMPTION OF HIS PEOPLE AND CEASED FROM ALL THE WORKS THAT HE WROUGHT. He rejoiced in His finished work, calling upon His people to rejoice in it likewise. And there, where the Saviour found rest will the soul of the sinner find rest also.

III. There is yet another rest of the glorious Godhead referred to in Scripture–THE REST OF GOD THE SPIRIT, WHEN HE TOO SHALL HAVE FINISHED HIS LABOUR, and ceased from His works, and entered into His rest. The rest of the Spirit is yet to come. Nor can it dawn until the new creation, with all its glory, shall be finished, until the remaining power of sin in the elect creatures of God shall be destroyed, and until the Church of Christ, gathered out of every people, shall be complete in its members and perfect in their holiness, and so made ready to be presented unto God a glorious Church, &c. And have the people of the election no share in this third and final rest of the Godhead, which shall sum up and include every other? Assuredly yes; for there remaineth still a rest for the people of God. The unfallen creature of God was at the creation called upon to join in the Creators rest; and there, even amid the gladness of Paradise, he found his chief happiness and joy. The redeemed sinner was at the redemption invited to share his Redeemers rest; and there he found for his guilty soul pardon and peace. And the believer, at the dawn of the last and eternal Sabbath, shall be invited to share in the rest of the Spirit; and then he shall find himself made perfect both in holiness and happiness. Heaven is now gathering within its ample arms all the good and true upon earth–the lights of this world, of whom the world was not worthy, the prophets, the righteous men and the witnesses for God–all those that have been born of the Spirit. And earth, too, is ripening its fruit in expectation of the coming day of the manifestation of the sons of God. And those that have been quickened from above, the children of God here, are growing in grace and holiness, and preparing for the rest on high. And when that harvest shall be all gathered, the Spirit shall cease from His work, even as the Father and the Son ceased from Theirs before; and with Him the saints, whom He has called, and chosen, and perfected, shall enter upon the last and the highest rest of God. (J. Bannerman, D. D.)

The rest of God and of man

What, then, is the rest of God? The rest which Genesis speaks about was, of course, not repose that recruited exhausted strength, but the cessation of work because the work was complete, the repose of satisfaction in what we should call an accomplished ideal. And, further, in that august conception of the rest of God is included, not only the completion of all His purpose, and the full correspondence of effect with cause, but likewise the indisturbance and inward harmony of that infinite nature whereof all the parts co-operant to an end move in a motion which is rest. And, further, the rest of God is incompatible with, and, indeed, but another form of, unceasing activity. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work, said the Master; though the works were, in one sense, finished from the foundation of the world. Now can we dare to dream that in any fashion that solemn, Divine repose and tranquillity of perfection can be reproduced in us? Yes! The dewdrop is a sphere, as truly as the sun; the rainbow in the smallest drop of rain has all the prismatic colours blended in the same harmony as when the great iris strides across the sky. And if man be made in the image of God, man perfected shall be deiform, even in the matter of his apparently incommunicable repose. For they who are exalted to that final future participation in His life will have to look back, too, upon work which, stained as it has been in the doing, yet, in its being accepted upon the altar on which it was humbly laid, has been sanctified and greatened, and will be an element in their joy in the days that are to come. They rest from their labours, and their works do follow them–not for accusation, nor to read to them bitter memories of incompleteness, but rather that they may contribute to the deep repose and rest of the heavens. In a modified form, but yet in reality, the rest of God may be possessed even by the imperfect workers here upon earth. And, in like manner, that other aspect of the Divine repose, in the tranquillity of a perfectly harmonious nature, is altogether, and without restriction, capable of being reproduced, and certain in the future to be reproduced in all them that love and trust Him, when the whole being shall be settled and centred upon Him, and will, and desires, and duty, and conscience shall no more conflict. Unite my heart to fear Thy name, is a prayer even for earth. It shall be fully answered in Heaven, and the souls made one through all their parts shall rest in God, and shall rest like God. And further, the human participation in that Divine repose will have, like its pattern, the blending without disturbance of rest with motion. The highest activity is the intensest repose. Just as a light, whirled with sufficient rapidity, will seem to make a still circle; just as the faster a wheel moves the more moveless it seems to stand; just as the rapidity of the earths flight through space, and the universality with which all the parts of it participate in the flight, produce the sensation of absolute immobility. It is not motion, but effort and friction, that break repose; and when there is neither the one nor the other, there will be no contrariety between activity and rest; but we shall enjoy at once the delights of both without the wear and tear and disturbance of the one or the languor of the other. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)

Sabbath days

Maurice speaks of learning to keep Sabbath days in the midst of the worlds din.

Why God rested

An architect who has built a majestic cathedral, a painter who has finished a glorious picture, a sculptor who has carved a noble statue, rests-not because his genius has been exhausted; it may even have been developed and exalted by his labour,–but because he rejoices when his idea has assumed a permanent form of grandeur or beauty. And so God rested-found delight in His material and spiritual creation. (R. W. Dale, LL. D.)

Faith and rest

Rev. T. Collins said to a man whom he visited, Here, read this. Round thee and beneath are spread the everlasting arms. Whose arms? Gods. Where spread? Around my soul and underneath. Why man, say you so? Sink down upon them, then, and rest. I will try. James, James! there you are again, trying instead of trusting. Suppose you placed your child in the cradle and said, Now, dear one, rest; would you expect the little one to set itself shaking the cradle and to say, I am trying ? Would he rest so? No, sir, he must be still to rest. And so must you, James. Tell God, Thou art mine and I am Thine; cast thyself on His fidelity; sink down upon Him, and on an arm firmer than rock, tenderer than a mothers thou shalt rest. (S. Coley.)

Rest in God

The nearer a thing is to its centre, the less is the motion experienced. You do not feel the pitching and rolling of a steamer or a sailing vessel midships as you do elsewhere. Pin a bit of paper to the rim of a carriage wheel, and how swiftly it is whirled round when the vehicle moves. Fasten it on the axle and it revolves very slowly. God is the centre of the universe, especially the centre of all created beings. Live near Him, and you will feel less the shocks of trouble and the vibrations of sin. (T. R.Stevenson.)

Perfect rest

Those whose hearts are not at perfect rest resemble a bottle but partly filled with water, which is agitated by the least motion; those whose hearts are at ease are like the same bottle filled to the brim which cannot be disturbed.

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 3. For we which have believed do enter into rest] The great spiritual blessings, the forerunners of eternal glory, which were all typified by that earthly rest or felicity promised to the ancient Israelites, we Christians do, by believing in Christ Jesus, actually possess. We have peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost; are saved from the guilt and power of sin; and thus enjoy an inward rest.

But this is a rest differing from the seventh day’s rest, or Sabbath, which was the original type of Canaan, the blessings of the Gospel, and eternal glory; seeing God said, concerning the unbelieving Israelites in the wilderness, I have sworn in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest, notwithstanding the works of creation were finished, and the seventh day’s rest was instituted from the foundation of the world; consequently the Israelites had entered into that rest before the oath was sworn. See Macknight.

We who believe, , is omitted by Chrysostom, and some few MSS. And instead of , for we do enter, AC, several others, with the Vulgate and Coptic, read , therefore let us enter; and thus it answers to , therefore let us fear, Heb 4:1; but this reading cannot well stand unless be omitted, which is acknowledged to be genuine by every MS. and version of note and importance. The meaning appears to be this: We Jews, who have believed in Christ, do actually possess that rest-state of happiness in God, produced by peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost – which was typified by the happiness and comfort to be enjoyed by the believing Hebrews, in the possession of the promised land. See before.

From the foundation of the world.] The foundation of the world, , means the completion of the work of creation in six days. In those days was the world, i.e. the whole system of mundane things, begun and perfected; and this appears to be the sense of the expression in this place.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

For we which have believed do enter into rest: a further reason setting home this counsel, was the certain benefit of our care in believing; for that the community of real Christians, partakers and exercisers of the same precious faith, as Paul himself, 2Pe 1:1, have the same privilege as believing Caleb and Joshua had, Num 14:24,30, to enter into Gods rest; initially having peace with God now, and his love shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, witnessing their reconciliation, justification, renovation, adoption, so as they rejoice in hope of the glory of God, Rom 5:1,2,5; and are by believing and obedience making out to the attainment of the final and complete rest of God in heaven, of which they are afraid to fall short.

As he said, As I have sworn in my wrath: God himself confirms this by his oath, Heb 3:11,18; Psa 95:11. At the same time that he excludeth all unbelievers from entering in, he inclusively and by consequence sweareth that all believers do and shall enter in.

If they shall enter into my rest: that rest which David there speaks of was not Gods rest on the seventh day from the creation after the finishing of Gods works, nor the temporal rest in the land of Canaan which the Jews had, and were past, as these Hebrews might suggest; but another rest to come, either in the world to come, Heb 2:5, or in the heavenly rest in glory, which he takes occasion further to explain to them.

Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world: some render as a particle of exception, although, as if it intended, although Gods rest is some where meant of his rest after the finishing of the works of creation, yet here God speaks of the rest of Canaan, a type of the heavenly one: others, that God swore they should not enter into his rest, although Gods works were done, and the rest were ready, because of their unbelief. Others render it, and indeed he said and spake of the same heavenly rest, long before he spake of the rest of Canaan, even upon the finishing of his works from the foundation of the world: which seems most agreeable to the Spirits design here.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

3. Forjustifying hisassertion of the need of “faith,” Heb4:2.

we which have believedwewho at Christ’s coming shall be found to have believed.

do enterthat is, areto enter: so two of the oldest manuscripts and LUCIFERand the old Latin. Two other oldest manuscripts read, “Letus enter.”

into restGreek,“into the rest” which is promised in theninety-fifth Psalm.

as he saidGod’s sayingthat unbelief excludes from entrance implies that beliefgains an entrance into the rest. What, however, Paul mainly heredwells on in the quotation is that the promised “rest“has not yet been entered into. At Heb4:11 he again, as in Heb3:12-19 already, takes up faith as the indispensablequalification for entering it.

although, c.AlthoughGod had finished His works of creation and entered on His restfrom creation long before Moses’ time, yet under that leader ofIsrael another rest was promised, which most fell short of throughunbelief and although the rest in Canaan was subsequently attainedunder Joshua, yet long after, in David’s days, God, in theninety-fifth Psalm, still speaks of the rest of God as not yetattained. THEREFORE, theremust be meant a rest still future, namely, that which”remaineth for the people of God” in heaven, Heb4:3-9, when they shall rest from their works, as God did fromHis, Heb 4:10. The argument isto show that by “My rest,” God means a future rest, not forHimself, but for us.

finishedGreek,“brought into existence,” “made.”

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

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 Gospel dispensation, which is a rest from the burden of the law of Moses, and from all toil and labour for life, and salvation by works, and lies in an enjoyment of much inward peace of soul, notwithstanding the world’s troubles and Satan’s temptations; and such who believe the word or Gospel preached, and Christ in it, not with a general and historical high, or only in profession, but with the heart, and in truth, these enjoy this rest; they are kept in perfect peace, and have much spiritual ease and comfort: this character distinguishes them from the unbelieving Israelites of old, and from present hypocrites and formal professors:

as he said, as I have sworn in wrath, if they shall enter into my rest; the words are in Ps 95:11, and are before cited in Heb 3:11

[See comments on Heb 3:11]: they entered not in because of unbelief; none but believers enter into spiritual rest. The apostle applies this proof to his design, by removing all other rests, and particularly by showing that does not mean God’s rest from the works of creation:

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world; that is, though the works of creation, that God designed to make, were finished and perfected within the first six days of the world, and then God rested, or ceased to work in a creative way; yet this is not the rest designed in the passage of Scripture cited, nor is it that rest which believers enter into.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Do enter (). Emphatic futuristic present middle indicative of . We are sure to enter in, we who believe.

He hath said (). Perfect active indicative for the permanent value of God’s word as in Heb 1:13; Heb 4:4; Heb 10:9; Heb 10:13; Heb 13:5; Acts 13:34. God has spoken. That is enough for us. So he quotes again what he has in verse 11 from Ps 95.

Although the works were finished ( ). Genitive absolute with concessive use of the participle. Old particle, in N.T. only here and Ac 14:17 (with verb).

From the foundation of the world ( ). , late word from , usually laying the foundation of a house in the literal sense. In the N.T. usually with (Mt 25:44) or (Joh 17:24) about the foundation of the world.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

For we which have believed do enter into rest [ ] . I say by faith, for, we believers, who embraced the Christian faith when it was offered to us (note the aorist participle), do enter into the rest. jEisercomeqa categorical; not are entering or are on the way to, but entering into the rest is a fact which characterizes us as believers.

As he said [ ] . We enter in accordance with the saying which follows.

As I have sworn – if they shall enter. The statement is somewhat obscure. The meaning is, we (who believed) enter into rest in accordance with God ‘s declaration that they (who did not believe) should not enter. The point is faith as the condition of entering into the rest.

Although the works were finished [ ] . This is an awkward and indirect way of saying, “these unbelievers did not enter into God ‘s rest, although he had provided that rest into which they might have entered.” The providing of the rest is implied in the completion of God ‘s works. The writer assumes the readers’ acquaintance with the narrative of the creation in Genesis.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “For we which have believed do enter into rest,” (eiserchometha gar eis (ten). katapausin hoi pisteusantes) “For we who have and are believing enter into rest;” Let it be noted that the “we” to, and “of” whom Paul writes is a called people to a called New Covenant Commission Work, Heb 3:1-6; Mat 4:17-20; Mat 28:18-20.

2) “As he said,” (kathos eireken) “Just as he has declared,” our Lord promised peace and rest to the soul that comes to him for salvation, and further rest to those who bear his yoke of service gladly, 2Co 12:9; 2Co 12:15; Mat 11:28-30.

3) “As I have sworn in my wrath,” (hos omosa enteorge mou) “as I swore or vowed in my wrath; Those who never trust Him shall die in their sins, Joh 8:24; Those who sow faithfully shall. rejoice in life and at the judgement while that servant that willfully disobeys shall suffer stripes, Joh 4:34-36; Luk 12:45-48.

4) “If they shall enter into my rest,” (ei liseleusontai eis ten katapausin mou) “if they, of their own accord, behalf, or choice shall enter into my rest; to find and follow the will of God in life is to enter his soul rest while here, not in heaven after one dies, Jer 6:16; Mat 11:28-30.

5) “Although the works were finished,” (kai toi ton ergon genethenton) “Though the works were having come into being (existence);” God had created that promised land for his people during their natural lives, as a place for earthly rest in service to him, Num 13:1-2; Num 14:23-24.

6) “From the foundation of the world,” (apo kataboles kosmou) “From the foundation of the world,” originating from the time of (the) world foundation, in his purpose and will, Psa 95:11. From the origin of the world or ages, the nature, purpose, and will of God has never changed. It is men who change as they respond to God’s calls and commands, 2Co 5:17; Mal 3:6.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

He now begins to embellish the passage which he had quoted from David. He has hitherto taken it, as they say, according to the letter, that is, in its literal sense; but he now amplifies and decorates it; and thus he rather alludes to than explains the words of David. This sort of decoration Paul employed in Rom 10:6, in referring to these words of Moses, “Say not, who shall ascend into heaven!” etc. Nor is it indeed anything unsuitable, in accommodating Scripture to a subject in hand, to illustrate by figurative terms what is more simply delivered. However, the sum of the whole is this, that what God threatens in the Psalm as to the loss of his rest, applies also to us, inasmuch as he invites us also at this day to a rest.

The chief difficulty of this passage arises from this, that it is perverted by many. The Apostle had no other thing in view by declaring that there is a rest for us, than to rouse us to desire it, and also to make us to fear, lest we should be shut out of it through unbelief He however teaches us at the same time, that the rest into which an entrance is now open to us, is far more valuable than that in the land of Canaan. But let us now come to particulars.

3. For we which have believed do enter into rest, or, for we enter into the rest after we have believed, etc. It is an argument from what is contrary. Unbelief alone shuts us out; then faith alone opens an entrance. We must indeed bear in mind what he has already stated, that God being angry with the unbelieving, had sworn that they should not partake of that blessing. Then they enter in where unbelief does not hinder, provided only that God invites them. But by speaking in the first person he allures them with greater sweetness, separating them from aliens.

Although the works, etc. To define what our rest is, he reminds us of what Moses relates, that God having finished the creation of the world, immediately rested from his works and he finally concludes, that the true rest of the faithful, which is to continue forever, will be when they shall rest as God did. (69) And doubtless as the highest happiness of man is to be united to his God, so ought to be his ultimate end to which he ought to refer all his thoughts and actions. This he proves, because God who is said to have rested, declared a long time after that he would not give his rest to the unbelieving; he would have so declared to no purpose, had he not intended that the faithful should rest after his own example. Hence he says, It remaineth that some must enter in: for if not to enter in is the punishment of unbelief, then an entrance, as it has been said, is open to believers.

(69) The general drift of the passage is evident, yet the construction has been found difficult. Without repeating the various solutions which have been offered, I shall give what appears to me the easiest construction, —

3. We indeed are entering into the rest who believe: as he hath said, “So that I sware in my wrath, They shall by no means enter into my rest,” when yet the works were finished since the foundation of 4. the world; (for he hath said thus in a certain place of the seventh day, “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,” 5. and again in this place, “They shall by no means enter into my 6. rest;”) it then remains therefore that some do enter in because of unbelief.

The particle ἐπεῖ has created the difficulty, which I render in the sense of ἔπειτα, then consequently the argument is simply this: Inasmuch as God had sworn that the unbelieving should not enter into his rest long after the rest of the sabbath was appointed; it follows as a necessary consequence that some do enter into it, though the unbelieving did not enter. The argument turns on the word “rest;” It was to show that it was not the rest of the Sabbath. The argument in the next verses turns on the word “today,” in order to show that it was not the rest of Canaan.

The fourth and fifth verses are only explanatory of the concluding sentence of the preceding, and therefore ought to be regarded as parenthetic. — Ed.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(3) For we which have believed.The emphasis is two-fold, resting both on believed and on we enter. The former looks back to Heb. 4:2, by faithfor it is we who believed that enter. . . . The latter looks forward to the remainder of the verse, the purport of which is that the rest exists, and that entering into the rest may still be spoken of.

As I have sworn . . .Rather (as above), as I sware in My wrath, They shall not enter into My rest, (See Heb. 3:11.) If in the Scripture (Psa. 95:8) God warns men of a later age not to imitate the guilt of those whom He excluded from His rest, it follows (see below on Heb. 4:10) that the time for entering into the rest of God was not then past and gone.

Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.And therefore the rest into which God will enter with His redeemed people is not that which succeeded the works of creation. This caution is added because the words used by the Psalmist (Psa. 95:11) are derived from Gen. 2:2-3; though the same words are used, yet, we are reminded, the thought is widely different. The next two verses simply expand and support the thought contained in this: For whereas we read in one Scripture that God rested on the seventh day, another records His sentence on the disobedient people, They shall not enter into My rest.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

d. For us, too, remains a rest, a danger of fall by unbelief, and a stern adjudging WORD, Heb 4:3-13 .

3. For To unfold the nature of this our rest, mentioned in Heb 4:1, as parallel to the Canaan rest of Heb 3:11; Heb 3:18. We Believers of our dispensation universally.

Do enter General present tense; it is the law of our present dispensation that we do by faith enter heaven.

Rest The digression on this term is a good instance of what has been called Paul’s “going off at a word.” The word rest, in last chapter, struck his mind impressively, and becomes a key-word for this. It is a beautiful word, soothing to the weary spirit. Indeed, eastern Buddhism feels life so heavy and rest so desirable as to seek for Nirvana, utter annihilation, as a most desirable repose. But that is the religion of despair, as Christianity is the religion of hope. The Christian rest is repose from all that is wearying in life, yet enjoyment of perfect bliss.

As he said Quoting again Psa 95:11 to illustrate the Canaan rest.

Although God applies to this rest a my in the psalm, although it was not his creational rest, for his creation was finished long before he used the words in Psalms 95, even from the foundation of the world.

By bold conception in the present passage the analogous rest of God at creation, of Israel in Canaan, and of the Christian in paradise, are correlated and identified as deeply one. All are three ineffable and divine reposes after a divinely imposed task, and at bottom they are all the same blessed refreshment. Of this bottom reality Israel’s rest in Canaan was but a rough type. But as the deaths in the wilderness under divine wrath implied a deeper death underlying, so the repose of Israel in Canaan implied a profounder underlying rest.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘For we who have believed do enter into that rest. Even as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.” Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world, for he has said somewhere of the seventh day in this way, “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, “They shall not enter into my rest.” ’

The argument here is somewhat complicated in presentation.

‘For we who have believed do enter into that rest.’ For we who have truly believed and recognise that all that needed to be done has been done in Christ, ‘do enter’ into rest continually by being partakers in Christ, a rest which is like the rest of God on the seventh day of Creation, a rest of contentment and satisfaction and joy, and which we know will lead on to our final rest. Legally nothing further is required of us. The present tense supports the idea of a present rest although some see it as a futuristic present signifying ‘will certainly enter into it’.

‘Even as He has said, “As I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.”’ Here there is a contrast between ‘we’ and ‘they’. The entering into rest of ‘we Christians’ is in direct contrast to ‘they’, those who are in sin, disobedience and unbelief who do not enter into it. The fact that they do not enter it confirms that there is a rest to be entered into. But they cannot enter it because they are still under His wrath. They are still in unbelief. They have refused the means of propitiation and reconciliation. It is therefore left for ‘us’ to enter.

‘Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world, for he has said somewhere of the seventh day in this way, “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” ’

And this refusal is sad because in fact that rest has been available to God’s people from the very beginning, from when the world was first made. God did not intend that mans should have to engage in ‘works’. Such were all performed by God in preparation for man and completed so that they ceased on the seventh day. He did not want His own to labour, His desire for them was continual rest. (So that the ‘works’ He had to carry out against Israel in the forty year period (Heb 3:9) meant that the ‘rest’ of creation had been disturbed by sin). God’s works were finished and His rest was available. Life was not intended to be a life of ‘works’ because God’s works were finished. It was intended to be a life of ‘rest’. And the rest that the believer enters into is like the rest on the seventh day of Creation, a rest where all works are completed and only God’s provision remains to be enjoyed (as we shall see later, all works are completed for us through our Great High Priest Who will cleanse us from ‘dead works’ – Heb 9:14) and nothing further remains to be done.

And this rest was intended to be enjoyed by Adam and his seed after him, had they not sinned. For them the Garden was to be a place of rest (timewise Genesis 2 is seen as taking place before the seventh day as the preparation of the Garden must have preceded the creation of man). They were to engage in activity but it was never to be seen as ‘labour’. Their subsequent requirement to ‘work’ resulted from sin. The ‘rest’ is thus that of Paradise, and a restored Paradise, beginning with our new creation (2Co 5:17) and resulting finally in the new Heaven and the new earth (Rev 21:1 to Rev 22:5; Isa 11:6-9). (Note how all ‘creatures’ are to subject to strict examination in Heb 4:13, both old and new). And it was later to be seen as enjoyed by those who became reconciled to Him through the genuine offering of sacrifices and of a believing heart, as the Psalmists and Prophets declare (e.g. Psa 16:9; Psa 37:7; Psa 116:7; Psa 132:14; Isa 28:12; Isa 30:15; Isa 32:17-18; Eze 38:11).

‘And in this place again, “They shall not enter into my rest.” ’ But those who are under His wrath because of their disobedience and disbelief, still fail to benefit from that rest, as the Scripture in mind has further said.

Thus from the beginning there are two types of people. Those who have believed and enter into rest, and share God’s rest, ceasing from their own law-works and efforts, and trusting in His merciful provision. They partake of Christ, and by taking His yoke on them find rest along the way (Mat 11:28-29), and become a new creation (2Co 5:17). See Heb 4:13 where human ‘creatures’ old and new are in mind. And those who have not entered into rest because of their unbelief, who are pictured in terms of the failure to enter Canaan. Of them (those who refuse to believe) God has sworn that they will not enter into His rest, life will be a constant struggle, and indeed if they will not respond in faith they cannot, nor will. But now, as the writer will soon demonstrate, that rest is available, but only through the great High Priest. Those to whom men once looked for it will no longer be able to give it, for what they offer are but shadows now replaced.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Heb 4:3. For we who have believed, &c. This stands connected with the former part of the preceding verse: “Unto us was the good tidings of a rest preached, as well as unto them: For all we who have believed,or, all who do believe, do enter into rest.” Faith is the way by which men must expect to enter into whatever rest God promises in one age or another. The rest which was preached to them of old, they, for want of faith, and for acting disobediently, did not enter into; as appears from the declaration of God,So I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest: But that rest which is preached to us, is a far superior, an infinitely more advantageous rest; even such a rest as God himself entered into,when his works were finished at the creation of the world; and consequently it is quite different from that which was spoken of the children of Israel in the wilderness. It is not therefore the land of Canaan which is eminently called my rest, but a state where there is to be no more labour, nor sorrow; Rev 7:16-17. The term does not in this place signify although, but for indeed, or for; and the true meaning is, “All we that believe, that is to say, who perseveringly believe, (as the whole epistle proves,) are to enter into God’s rest;not that which the children of Israel entered into, and was then called my rest, but that which was eminently so called; that which was so called when the world was made.” There are then two different things spoken of under the terms of my rest: the one, that at the end of the creation, when God’s works were finished; the other, when the Israelites entered Canaan. This latter is but a trifle, compared with the former: for that of which we have the good news, signifies a state of perfect happiness and repose from all labour and burdensome fatigue; and this is the state into which all who perseveringly believe and obey, are to enter.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Heb 4:3 . Confirmation, not of . . ., Heb 4:1 (Bengel), nor of , Heb 4:2 (de Wette, Bloomfield, Bisping), and just as little of the two clauses of Heb 4:2 taken together (Delitzsch, Riehm, Lehrbegr. des Hebrerb . p. 799; Moll), but of , Heb 4:2 . So also Bleek, Alford, and Kurtz. What Riehm (p. 800, note ) alleges against this interpretation viz. that the author has already, in Heb 3:15 ff. (specially Heb 3:19 ), shown clearly enough that the Israelites in the wilderness could not enter into the promised rest on account of their unbelief, that it was therefore impossible that a special proof for this fact should once more be required does not apply; because this very was the main question, about the quite special accentuation of which he is seen from the context to be concerned. For surely the whole disquisition, Heb 3:7 to Heb 4:13 , has its all-combining centre precisely in the endeavour to animate to the readers, who were in danger of sinking, like the fathers, into . The emphasis rests, therefore, upon , and the sense is: for into rest enter just those of us who have manifested faith . For cannot signify: if we have displayed faith (Bhme, de Wette, Bisping); this must have been expressed by the anarthrous . On the contrary, adds a special characterization of the subject of , and has the aim of limiting the quite generally expressed “we” to a definite class of us. The present is employed with reference to the certainty of that to be looked for in the future, and , not is placed, because the must have already preceded as an historic fact, before the can be accomplished.

. . .] Scripture proof for the first half of Heb 4:3 , from the already cited words of Psa 95:11 . Wrongly is connected by Piscator with Heb 4:1 , by Brochmann and Bleek II. with Heb 4:2 . For to suppose parentheses before it is unwarranted. In quite a contorted manner Hofmann (p. 187): with begins a protasis, which finds its apodosis in , Heb 4:7 ; and even the fact that the latter is apodosis to does not, according to him, preclude the possibility of this construction, because this second protasis is connected by with the first, as a deduction from the same!

] sc . .

] sc . at their unbelief and obstinate perverseness, which naturally suggested itself to the readers from the passage of the psalm more copiously adduced in the third chapter, and the reasoning of the author there attached to it.

] although the works were completed from the creation of the world ; and accordingly the of God was something long present and lying in readiness, in which the Israelites, if they had been believing, might well have obtained part. The words, therefore, serve to point out the deep significance of the divine oath. [64] Wrongly are they taken ordinarily as epexegesis to , in supplying afresh after . Then either . . . is made dependent on the supplied, in that is taken, contrary to linguistic usage, in the sense of “et quidem:” “into the rest, namely, from the works which had been completed from the creation of the world” (so Schlichting, S. Schmidt, Wolf, Carpzov, Kypke, Baumgarten, Stuart, Heinrichs, Klee, Bloomfield), to which construction, moreover, the repetition of the article after would have been in any case necessary; or else is regarded as a genitive absolute : “namely (or even, although), into a rest, which ensued upon the works of creation being completed” (so Vatablus, Calvin, Beza, Limborch, Cramer, Bhme, Bisping), which however, in like manner, must grammatically have been otherwise expressed. But, in general, the author cannot here have been at all occupied with the subjoining of a definition with regard to the kind of rest which was meant, since he does not anywhere distinguish several kinds of rest, but without further remark presupposes that the which ensued for God after the completion of the works of creation is identical with that once promised to the Israelites and now promised to the Christians.

] sc . . The necessity for thus supplementing is apparent from Heb 4:4 ; comp. also Heb 4:10 . Very arbitrarily, and forcing in a thought entirely foreign to the context, Ebrard understands of the works of men , supposing that with “the author proceeds to show to what extent even the O. T. itself points out the insufficiency of the law and its ” (!), regards as antithesis to the preceding (!), and finds the thought, “that all that which can be called has been wrought from the time of the creation of the world, but has not sufficed to bring mankind to the , to a condition of satisfied repose,” whence follows “that an entirely new way of salvation not that of human doing and human exertion, but that of faith in God’s saving deed is necessary in order to attain to the ” (!).

] from the foundation of the world, i.e. since the world began. Comp. Heb 9:26 ; Mat 13:35 ; Mat 25:34 ; Luk 11:50 ; Rev 13:8 ; Rev 17:8 .

[64] The aim in . . . is not, as Bleek thinks, to prove: “that men had not perchance even then, after the creation of the world, entered with Him [ sc . by the institution of the Sabbath] into the rest here intended by God;” for this was a truth which hardly stood in need of any proof.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

3 For 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.

Ver. 3. For we which have believed ] Believers (and they only) have heaven beforehand in pretio, in promisso, in primitiis, in the price that was paid for it, in the promise of it (which is a sure hold), and in the firstfruits, the graces of the Spirit, which are as those grapes in the land of Canaan.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

3 .] For (taking up again in Heb 4:2 ; not the of Heb 4:1 , as rendering a new reason for it, as Bengel: nor the &c. of Heb 4:2 , as De W. and Delitzsch. It may certainly be said, that the emphatic position of includes also Heb 4:1 in that to which applies: but then it must not be forgotten that is equally, if not more emphatic, and thus Heb 4:2 is included, at the very least) we do enter (are to enter, as and the like. On the reading , see on Rom 5:1 . Some Commentators have seen a communicative and conciliatory tone in the first person here. So Calvin: “In prima persona loquendo majori eos dulcedine allexit, ab alienis ipsos separans.” But Bleek and Lnem. well remark that it is not so; for brings out a class distinct from the rest, as in ch. Heb 6:18 ; Heb 12:25 ) into the (aforesaid) rest (not only, as E. V., “ into rest ,” abstract), we who believed (the aor. is proleptical, the standing-point being the day of entering into the rest: so in reff. It was unbelief which excluded them: the promise still remains unfulfilled, see below: they who at the time of its fulfilment shall be found to have believed, shall enter into it), even as He hath said (this citation evidently does not refer to the whole of what has just been said, but only to the fact, that the rest has not yet been entered into in the sense of the promise. The condition, , is not yet brought into treatment, but follows below in Heb 4:11 in hortatory form, having in fact been demonstrated already in ch. Heb 3:12-19 . c. and Thl. understand the as also substantiated by our verse: so also Bengel: “An vero ex hoc testimonio efficitur, nos per fidem ingredi in Dei regnum? minime id quidem per se: sed ita est si omnia connectas, tum prcedentia tum sequentia: nam si infidelitas arcet ab aditu, fides certe introducit.” But this seems unnatural: see the connexion below), As I sware in my wrath, If (see above on ch. Heb 3:11 ) they shall enter into my rest: although (the context is much disputed. I believe it will be best taken thus: the Writer is leading on to the inference, that the entering into God’s rest is a thing YET FUTURE for God’s people. And this he thus brings about. is not a thing future for God: He has already entered therein, to end of Heb 4:4 . Still ( Heb 4:5 ) we have again, after God had thus entered in, the oath, They shall not, &c. Consequently, since ( Heb 4:6 ) it remains that some must enter in, and they to whom it was first promised did not, on account of unbelief, for that they did not (i. e. none of them did), is plain by His repeating in David, after the lapse of so many centuries, the same warning again ( Heb 4:7 ), which He would not have done if Joshua had led Israel into that rest ( Heb 4:8 ): since this is so, the sabbatism of God’s people is YET FUTURE ( Heb 4:9 ), and reserved for that time when they shall rest from their labours, as God from His ( Heb 4:10 ). Then follows a concluding exhortation, Heb 4:11-16 . Thus all is clear, and according to the progress of the argument. The other views have been, . that of Lyra, Calvin, Beza, Seb. Schmidt, Wolf, Kuinoel, al., most of whom understand a second before , and render , “ idque ,” “ and that ” “in requiem meam, nempe illam ab operibus a fundatione mundi factis,” as Seb. Schmidt. But this involves two mistakes: can never mean nempe or idque , and this meaning would require . . &c., without which article it is of necessity a primary, not a secondary predicate. And indeed thus some of the above (Limborch, Cramer) take it, and construe, still however forcing , “namely, into the rest which came in when the works were finished,” &c. . That of Calvin (“tametsi operibus a creatione mundi perfectis. Ut definiat qualis sit nostra requies, revocat nos ad id, quod refert Moses, Deum statim a creatione mundi requievisse ab operibus suis, et tandem concludit hanc esse veram fidelium requiem, qu omnibus sculis durat, si Deo sint conformes”), Beza, Bhme, &c. And there is some portion of truth in this, but it does not rightly represent the context. For the fact , that God’s rest is that into which we are to enter, is not proved , nor concluded , but taken for granted, and underlies the whole argument, the object of which is to shew that that . is, though not a future rest for God , a future rest for us to enter into, when we have finished our works, as He his. . That of Erasm. (par.), a-Lapide, Grot., Hamm., Calov., and many others, who hold that two , or as Chrys., c., Thdrt., Thl., that three different rests are spoken of (e. g. Thl., , , , ). But this is manifestly wrong: there is not a word nor a hint of a second or third rest: the ordinance of the Sabbath is not so much as alluded to: is, all through, the rest into which God has entered ; and the object, to shew that into this, God’s people have yet to enter . The fact that men did not, by the ordinance of the Sabbath, enter into it, lies, as an easily to be assumed thing, beneath the surface, but is not asserted nor even implied. . It would be hardly worth while to mention Ebrard’s view, were it not for his name and ability. It is strange in the last degree: are “ man’s works :” not exactly good works , for we have none: not the works of the law , for they came afterwards: but all human works ( alles das, was gennant werden knne ), which had been going on since the creation, yet were not sufficient to bring us into God’s rest, but required a new way of salvation, viz. not one of works, but of faith, to effect this. So that is a contrast to : and in Heb 4:4 , a contrast to here, the one God’s, the other man’s, works. I need but state this to the reader, to shew him how utterly preposterous it is, and foreign from the context, in which not a word is indicated of the contrast between works and faith, but every thing of that between belief and unbelief) the works (viz. of God: an expression borrowed from the citation which follows) were constituted (i. e. finished. What Ebrard says against this meaning, that it is making the aorist participle = , the perfect, is altogether without force. That the 1 aor. pass. of may almost always be tracked to its original passive meaning, once maintained in note on 1Th 1:5 , does not appear to be a safe assertion: see note there in 3rd and subsequent Edns. of Vol. III. In our Epistle, however, it may generally be done: e. g. ch. Heb 5:5 ; Heb 6:4 (Heb 10:33 ; Heb 11:34 ). This being so, will simply mean, ‘the works were constituted,’ ‘were settled in their established order,’ ‘were made;’ and so by consequence ‘were finished.’ The word seems to be taken from the constant repetition of in Gen 1 ., and the passive used because the agent is here in question) from the foundation ( occurs in the N. T. only in this connexion, except ch. Heb 11:11 . See on ch. Heb 6:1 ) of the world (i. e., as explained above on , and substantiated in next verse, though God Himself had not that rest to enter into , and did not mean this by . , but had entered into the rest of which He speaks: the key verse to this being Heb 4:10 ).

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Hebrews

THE REST OF FAITH Heb 4:3

‘Do enter’ – but on a hundred gravestones you will read ‘He entered into rest’ on such and such a day, as a synonym for ‘He died.’ It is strange that an expression which the writer of this Epistle takes pains to emphasise as referring to a present experience should, by common consent, in popular use, have been taken to mean a future blessing. If nominal Christians had found more frequently that their faith was strong enough to produce its natural effects, they would not have so often misunderstood our writer. He does not say, ‘We, when we die, shall enter into rest,’ but ‘We who have believed do enter.’ It is a bold statement, and the experience of the average Christian seems to contradict it. But if the fruit of faith is repose; and if we who say we have faith are full of unrest, the best thing we can do is not to doubt the saying, but to look a little more closely whether we have fulfilled its conditions. ‘We which have believed do enter into rest.’ I. So, then, the first thing to be noted here is the present rest of faith. I say ‘faith’ rather than ‘belief,’ because I wish to emphasise the distinction between the Christian notion of faith, and the common notion of belief. The latter is merely the acceptance of a proposition as true; and that is not enough to bring rest to any soul, though it may bring rest to the understanding. It is a great pity, though one does not quite see how it could have been avoided, that so frequently in the New Testament, to popular apprehension, the depth of the meaning. of that one requirement of faith is obscured because it is represented in our version by the word ‘believe,’ which has come to be appropriated to the mere intellectual act. But if you will notice that the writer of this Epistle uses two other words as interchangeable with ‘belief,’ you will understand the depth of his meaning better. Sometimes he speaks of our ‘confidence’ – by which he means precisely the same thing. Sometimes he speaks of our ‘obedience ‘ – by which he means precisely the same thing. So there is an element of voluntary submission implied, and there is an element of outgoing confidence implied in the word. And when he says, ‘We which have believed do enter into rest,’ he does not mean ‘We which acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, But we who, acknowledging, let our hearts go out to Him in trust, and our wills bow down before Him in obedience and submission. We thereby do enter into rest.’ Carry with you these two thoughts, then – ‘confidence’ and ‘obedience’ – as indispensable elements in the New Testament conception of faith, and then you can understand the great saying of my text. Trust brings rest, for the trust which grasps Jesus Christ, not only intellectually, but with the reliance of the whole nature upon Him to do for me that which my understanding believes that He will do – that trust brings rest because it sweeps away, as the north wind does the banded clouds on the horizon, all the deepest causes of unrest. These are our perverted relation to God, and the alienation of our hearts from Him. Brother! there is no rest deep as life which does not flow from rejoicing confidence in Christ’s great sacrifice by which the innermost source of conflict and disturbance in our souls has been dealt with. Most of us are contented if there be a superficial appearance of calm, like the sunny vineyard on the slopes of a volcano, whilst-in the heart of it sulphurous fires are bubbling and boiling, and will burst out some day. What is the worth of a tranquillity which only survives on condition of our ignoring the most patent and most operative fact in our lives? It is only when you shuffle God out of your consciousness, and when you wink hard so as not to see the facts of your own moral condition and sinfulness, or when you sophisticate yourself into illogical and unreasonable diminution of the magnitude and gravity of your sins, that some of you know a moment’s rest. If the curtain were once drawn aside, and we were brought face to face with the realities of heaven and the realities of our own characters, all this film of apparent peace would break and burst, and we should be left to face the trouble that comes whenever a man’s relation with God is, consciously to himself, perverted and wrong. But trust brings rest; rest from the gnawing of conscience, rest from the suspicion of evil consequences resulting from contact with the infinite divine righteousness, rest from all the burden of guilt, which is none the less heavy because the man appears to be unconscious of it. It is there all the same. ‘We which have believed do enter into rest,’ because our trust brings about the restoration of the true relation to God and the forgiveness of our sins. Trust brings rest, because it casts all our burdens on another. Every act of reliance, though it does not deliver from responsibility, delivers from anxiety. We see this even when the object of our trust is but a poor creature like ourselves. Husbands and wives who find settled peace in one another; parents and children; patrons and protected, and a whole series of other relationships in life, are witnesses to the fact that the attitude of reliance brings the actuality of repose. A little child goes to sleep beneath its mother’s eye, and is tranquil, not only because it is ignorant but because it is trustful. So if we will only get behind the shelter, the blast will not blow about us, but we shall be in what they call on the opposite side of the Tweed, in a word that is music in the ears of some of us – a ‘lown place,’ where we hear not the loud winds when they call. Trust is rest; even when we lean upon an arm of flesh, though that trust is often disappointed. What is the depth of the repose that comes not from trust that leans against something supposed to be a steadfast oak, that proves to be a broken reed, but against the Rock of Ages? We which have ‘believed do enter into rests’ Trust brings repose, because it effects submission. The true reason for our restlessness in this world is not that we are ‘pelted by the pitiless storm’ of change and sorrow. A grief accepted loses most of its power to sadden, and all its power to perturb. It is not outward calamities, but a rebellious will that troubles us. The bird beats itself against the wires of its cage, and wounds itself, whereas if it sat still in its captivity it might sing. So when we trust we submit; and submission is the mother of peace. There is no other consolation worth naming for our sorrows, except the consolation that comes from submission. When we accept them, lie still, let him strike home and kiss the rod, we shall be at rest.

Trust brings repose, because it leads to satisfied desires. We are restless because each object that we pursue yields but a partial satisfaction, and because all taken together are inadequate to our needs. There is but one Person who can fill the heart, the mind, the will, and satisfy our whole nature. No accumulation of things, be they ever so precious, even if they are the higher or more refined satisfactions of the intellect, can ever satisfy the heart. And no endless series of finite persons is sufficient for the wants of any one of the series, who, finite as he is, yet needs an infinite satisfaction. It must be a person that shall fill all the cavities and clefts of our hearts, and, filling them, gives us rest. ‘My soul thirsteth for God,’ though I misinterpret its thirst, and, like a hot dog upon a road, try to slake my thirst by lapping at any puddle of dirty water that I come across in my path. There is no satisfaction there. It is in God, and in God only, that we can find repose. Some of us may have seen a weighty acknowledgment from a distinguished biologist lately deceased which strikes me as relevant to this thought.

Listen to his confession: ‘I know from experience the intellectual distractions of scientific research, philosophical speculation, and artistic pleasures, but am also well aware that even when all are taken together, and well sweetened to taste, in respect of consequent reputation, means, social position, etc., the whole concoction is but as light confectionery to a starving man …. It has been my lot to know not a few of the foremost men of our generation, and I have always observed that this is profoundly true.’ That is the testimony of a man who had tried the highest, least material forms of such a trust. And I know that there is an ‘amen’ to it in every heart, and I lift up opposite to all such experiences the grand summary of Christian experience: ‘We which have believed do enter into rest.’ II. Note, secondly, the energy of work which accompanies the rest of faith. There is a good deal said in the context – a difficult context, with which we are not concerned at present, about the analogy between a man’s rest in God and God’s own rest. That opens wonderful thoughts which I must not be tempted to pursue, with regard to the analogy between the divine and the human, and the possible assimilation, in some measure, of the experiences of the creature with those of the Creator. Can it be that, between a light kindled and burning itself away while it burns, and fire which burns and is not consumed, there is any kind of correspondence? There is, however dim the analogy may be to us. Let us take the joy and the elevation of that thought, ‘My peace I give unto you.’ But the main point for which I refer to this possible analogy is in order to remind you that the rest of God is dealt with in Scripture as being, not a cessation from work, but the accomplishment of a purpose, and satisfaction in results. ‘My Father worketh hitherto, and I work,’ said Jesus Christ. And modern speculation puts the same thought in a more heathenish fashion when it says ‘preservation is continual creation.’ Just as God rests from His creative work, not as if either needing repose or holding His hand from further operation, but as satisfied with the result; just as He rests in work and works in rest, so Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God in eternal indisturbance and repose, in token that He has fulfilled His work on earth. But He is likewise represented as standing at the right hand of God in attitude to help His servants, and as evermore working with them in all their toils. In like manner we shall much misconceive the repose of faith, if we do not carry with us the thought that that repose is full of strenuous toil Faith brings rest. Yes! But the main characteristic of Christian faith is that it is an active principle, which sets all the wheels of holy life in more vigorous motion, and breathes an intenser as well as calmer and more reposeful activity into the whole man. The work of faith is quite as important as the rest of faith. It works by love, and the very repose that it brings ought to make us more strenuous in our toil. We are able to cast ourselves without anxiety about ourselves, and with no distraction of our inner nature, and no weakening of power in consequence of the consciousness of sin, or of unconscious sin – into the tasks which devolve upon us, and so to do them with our might. The river withdrawn from all divided channels is gathered into the one bed that it may flow with power, and scour before it all impurities. So the man who is delivered from restlessness is quickened for work, and even ‘in his very motion there is rest.’ It is possible to blend together in secret, sweet, indissoluble union these two partial antitheses, and in the midst of the most strenuous effort to have a central calm, like the eye of the storm which whirls in its wild circles round a centre-point of perfect repose. It is possible, at one and the same time, to be dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, and feeding our souls with that calm that broods there, and to be up to the ears in business, and with our hands full of pressing duties. The same faith which ushers us into the quiet presence of God in the centre of the soul, pushes us into the forefront of the battle to fight, and into the world’s busy workshop to labour. So the rest which is Christian is a rest throbbing with activity; and, further, the activity which is based on faith will deepen repose, and not interrupt it. Jesus Christ distinguished between the two stages of the tranquillity which is realised by His true disciples, for He said ‘Come unto Me… and I will give you rest’ – the rest which comes by approach to Him in faith from the beginning of the approach, rest resulting from the taking away of what I have called the deepest cause of unrest. There is a second stage of the disciples’ action and consequent peace; ‘Take My yoke upon you… and ye shall find rear’ – not ‘I will give’ this time – ‘ye shall find’ – in the act of taking the yoke upon your necks – ‘rest to your souls.’ The activity that ensues from faith deepens the rest of faith. III. Lastly, to consider the future perfecting of the present rest. In a subsequent verse the writer uses a different word from that of my text to express this idea; and it is rather unfortunate for the understanding of the progress of the thought that our version has kept the same expression in both cases. ‘There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God’ -which follows a few verses after my text – had better have been rendered,’There remaineth the keeping of a Sabbath to the people of God’; although probably the writer is pointing to the same facts there as in my text, yet he introduces a metaphor which conveys more clearly than the text does the idea of an epoch of rest following upon a week of toil. So I may venture to say that the repose of faith which is experienced here, because the causes of unrest are taken away, and a new ally comes into the field, and our wills submit, and our desires are satisfied, is but the germ of that eternal Sabbath day to which we look forward. I have said that the gift spoken of here is a present thing; but that present thing bears in all its lineaments a prophecy of its own completion. And the repose of a Christian heart in the midst of life’s work and worry is the best anticipation and picture, because it is the beginning, of the rest of heaven. That future, however it may differ from this present, and how much it differs none know except those who are wrapt in its repose, is in essence the same. Yonder, as here, we become partakers of rest through faith. There, as here, it is trust that brings rest. And no change of bodily environment, no change of the relations between body and spirit, no transference of the man into new conditions and a new world will bring repose, unless there is in him a trust which grasps Jesus Christ. Faith is eternal, and is eternally the minister of rest. Heaven is the perfecting of the highest and purest moments of Christian experience. So, Christian men and women, the more trust the more rest. And if it be so that going through this weary world you have but little confirmation of the veracity of the great saying of my text, do not fancy that it is a mistake. Look. to your faith and see that it is deepened. And let us all, dear friends, remember that not death but faith brings present repose and future perfecting. Death is not the porter that opens the gate of the kingdom. It is only the usher that brings us to the gate, and the gate is opened by Him ‘who openeth and no man shutteth; and who shutteth and no man openeth.’ He opens to them who have believed, and they enter in and are saved. ‘Let us labour, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.’

Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren

have. Omit.

believed. Greek. pisteuo. App-150.

in. Greek. en. App-104.

if, &c. See Heb 3:11.

from. Greek. apo. App-104.

foundation. See App-146.

world. Greek. kosmos. App-129.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

3.] For (taking up again in Heb 4:2; not the of Heb 4:1, as rendering a new reason for it, as Bengel: nor the &c. of Heb 4:2, as De W. and Delitzsch. It may certainly be said, that the emphatic position of includes also Heb 4:1 in that to which applies: but then it must not be forgotten that is equally, if not more emphatic, and thus Heb 4:2 is included, at the very least) we do enter (are to enter, as and the like. On the reading , see on Rom 5:1. Some Commentators have seen a communicative and conciliatory tone in the first person here. So Calvin: In prima persona loquendo majori eos dulcedine allexit, ab alienis ipsos separans. But Bleek and Lnem. well remark that it is not so; for brings out a class distinct from the rest, as in ch. Heb 6:18; Heb 12:25) into the (aforesaid) rest (not only, as E. V., into rest, abstract), we who believed (the aor. is proleptical, the standing-point being the day of entering into the rest: so in reff. It was unbelief which excluded them: the promise still remains unfulfilled, see below: they who at the time of its fulfilment shall be found to have believed, shall enter into it), even as He hath said (this citation evidently does not refer to the whole of what has just been said, but only to the fact, that the rest has not yet been entered into in the sense of the promise. The condition, , is not yet brought into treatment, but follows below in Heb 4:11 in hortatory form, having in fact been demonstrated already in ch. Heb 3:12-19. c. and Thl. understand the as also substantiated by our verse: so also Bengel: An vero ex hoc testimonio efficitur, nos per fidem ingredi in Dei regnum? minime id quidem per se: sed ita est si omnia connectas, tum prcedentia tum sequentia: nam si infidelitas arcet ab aditu, fides certe introducit. But this seems unnatural: see the connexion below), As I sware in my wrath, If (see above on ch. Heb 3:11) they shall enter into my rest: although (the context is much disputed. I believe it will be best taken thus: the Writer is leading on to the inference, that the entering into Gods rest is a thing YET FUTURE for Gods people. And this he thus brings about. is not a thing future for God:-He has already entered therein,- to end of Heb 4:4. Still (Heb 4:5) we have again, after God had thus entered in, the oath, They shall not, &c. Consequently, since (Heb 4:6) it remains that some must enter in, and they to whom it was first promised did not, on account of unbelief,-for that they did not (i. e. none of them did), is plain by His repeating in David, after the lapse of so many centuries, the same warning again (Heb 4:7), which He would not have done if Joshua had led Israel into that rest (Heb 4:8):-since this is so, the sabbatism of Gods people is YET FUTURE (Heb 4:9), and reserved for that time when they shall rest from their labours, as God from His (Heb 4:10). Then follows a concluding exhortation, Heb 4:11-16. Thus all is clear, and according to the progress of the argument. The other views have been, . that of Lyra, Calvin, Beza, Seb. Schmidt, Wolf, Kuinoel, al., most of whom understand a second before ,-and render , idque, and that-in requiem meam, nempe illam ab operibus a fundatione mundi factis, as Seb. Schmidt. But this involves two mistakes: can never mean nempe or idque, and this meaning would require . . &c., without which article it is of necessity a primary, not a secondary predicate. And indeed thus some of the above (Limborch, Cramer) take it, and construe, still however forcing ,-namely, into the rest which came in when the works were finished, &c. . That of Calvin (tametsi operibus a creatione mundi perfectis. Ut definiat qualis sit nostra requies, revocat nos ad id, quod refert Moses, Deum statim a creatione mundi requievisse ab operibus suis, et tandem concludit hanc esse veram fidelium requiem, qu omnibus sculis durat, si Deo sint conformes), Beza, Bhme, &c. And there is some portion of truth in this, but it does not rightly represent the context. For the fact, that Gods rest is that into which we are to enter, is not proved, nor concluded, but taken for granted, and underlies the whole argument, the object of which is to shew that that . is, though not a future rest for God, a future rest for us to enter into, when we have finished our works, as He his. . That of Erasm. (par.), a-Lapide, Grot., Hamm., Calov., and many others, who hold that two, or as Chrys., c., Thdrt., Thl., that three different rests are spoken of (e. g. Thl., , , , ). But this is manifestly wrong: there is not a word nor a hint of a second or third rest: the ordinance of the Sabbath is not so much as alluded to: is, all through, the rest into which God has entered; and the object, to shew that into this, Gods people have yet to enter. The fact that men did not, by the ordinance of the Sabbath, enter into it, lies, as an easily to be assumed thing, beneath the surface, but is not asserted nor even implied. . It would be hardly worth while to mention Ebrards view, were it not for his name and ability. It is strange in the last degree:- are mans works: not exactly good works, for we have none: not the works of the law, for they came afterwards: but all human works (alles das, was gennant werden knne), which had been going on since the creation, yet were not sufficient to bring us into Gods rest, but required a new way of salvation, viz. not one of works, but of faith, to effect this. So that is a contrast to : and in Heb 4:4, a contrast to here, the one Gods, the other mans, works. I need but state this to the reader, to shew him how utterly preposterous it is, and foreign from the context, in which not a word is indicated of the contrast between works and faith, but every thing of that between belief and unbelief) the works (viz. of God: an expression borrowed from the citation which follows) were constituted (i. e. finished. What Ebrard says against this meaning, that it is making the aorist participle = , the perfect, is altogether without force. That the 1 aor. pass. of may almost always be tracked to its original passive meaning, once maintained in note on 1Th 1:5, does not appear to be a safe assertion: see note there in 3rd and subsequent Edns. of Vol. III. In our Epistle, however, it may generally be done: e. g. ch. Heb 5:5; Heb 6:4 (Heb 10:33; Heb 11:34). This being so, will simply mean, the works were constituted, were settled in their established order, were made; and so by consequence were finished. The word seems to be taken from the constant repetition of in Genesis 1., and the passive used because the agent is here in question) from the foundation ( occurs in the N. T. only in this connexion, except ch. Heb 11:11. See on ch. Heb 6:1) of the world (i. e., as explained above on , and substantiated in next verse, though God Himself had not that rest to enter into, and did not mean this by . , but had entered into the rest of which He speaks: the key verse to this being Heb 4:10).

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Heb 4:3. ) This word refers to the expression, a promise being left, Heb 4:1.-, as) Unbelief alone acts as a hinderance.-, although) The Protasis is, although the works were finished from the beginning of the world. The Apodosis is, yet He said, I have sworn. But because the Apodosis in the text comes first, yet is omitted. The proposition is, a rest remains to us. This proposition, Heb 4:3-11, is proved thus. Rest is mentioned in the psalm; and yet there it does not signify, I. the rest of God from creation; for this was long before the times of Moses. Therefore another rest was to be expected in the times of Moses, of which those during the same period, who had heard, evidently came short. Nor yet, 2., does that rest which they obtained by Joshua, support the title to this rest; for it was not until afterwards that the Psalmist sung of it. Therefore, 3., he sung of a rest more recent than all these kinds of rest, viz. a rest which would be enjoyed in heaven.- ) The genitive absolute, i.e. although the works of the Creator were finished and perfected from the foundation of the world.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Many have variously reasoned and conjectured about the coherence of this part of the apostles discourse with that which immediately goeth before. It is not my way to propose the interpretations or analyses of others, much less to contend about them, unless necessity for the vindication of some important truth do require it of me. That, therefore, which in the words and design of the apostle seems to be most natural and genuine, as to the coherence of his discourse, I shall alone explain and confirm.

The work here engaged in is evidently to explain and improve the testimony cited out of David in the foregoing chapter. His purpose, also, is to draw out of it whatever was enwrapped in it by the wisdom of the Holy Ghost for the instruction of these Hebrews; which could not be clearly understood by them under the old testament, as designed for their peculiar use and direction now under the dispensation of the gospel Having, therefore, declared unto them the danger of unbelief, by laying down graphically before them the sin and punishment of others, in and from the words of the psalm, he proceeds from the same words and example to give them encouragements unto faith and obedience; but withal foreseeing that an objection might be raised against the very foundation of his arguments and exhortations, he diverts to the removal of it, and therein wonderfully strengthens, carrieth on, and confirmeth his whole purpose and design.

The foundation of the whole ensuing discourse lies in this, that there is a promise left unto us of entering into the rest of God, verse 1. This, therefore, we ought to take heed that we come not short of by unbelief. Hereunto the Hebrews might object (as was before observed) that they were not now any way concerned in that promise; for consider whatever is said of the rest of God in the Scripture, and it will appear that it doth not belong unto us, especially not what is said of it in the psalm insisted on. The rest of the land of Canaan, and the rest of the Sabbath, are so called; but these are already past, or we are in the present enjoyment of them, so that it is to no purpose to press us to enter into rest. The removal of this objection the apostle here designs from the words of David, and therein the establishment of his present exhortation. He manifests, therefore, that besides those mentioned there was yet another rest remaining for the people of God, and that directed unto in the words of the psalmist. This he proves and evinceth at large, namely, that there was a spiritual rest yet abiding for believers, which we are called and obliged to seek an entrance into. This, in general, is the design and method of the apostles discourse in this place.

In this third verse three things are laid down:

First, An assertion comprising the whole intendment of the apostle, in these words, For we which have believed do enter into rest.

Secondly, A proof of that assertion from the words of the psalmist, As he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest.

Thirdly, An elliptical entrance into a full confirmation of his assertion, and the due application of his proof produced unto what he had designed it: Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Heb 4:3. , .

The words need little explication. . . One old manuscript reads , of which afterwards. Vulg. Lat., At., ingrediemur; Rhemists, shall enter; Eras., Beza, Syr., ingredimur, introimus, do enter. The word is in the present tense; and though in that form it may sometimes be tendered by the future, yet here is no necessity why it should so be. Do enter.

. Vulg. Lat., qui credidimus; Arias, credentes; Syr., qui credimus; who do believe, who have believed.

Of the following words, see Heb 3:11; Heb 3:18.

, et quidem, and truly; Beza, quamvis, although; Eras., quanquam; so the Syriac.

.. Ar., a fundatione mundi, from the foundation of the world; Syr., from the beginning of the world; Beza, a jacto mundi fundamento, properly; which we can no way render but by from the foundation of the world.

, genitis, factis, perfectis, made, finished, perfected. [2]

[2] EXPOSITION. Ebrard takes a peculiar view of the last clause of this verse: It is self-evident that the works here are antithetically opposed to faith. It is surprising how all critics should have supposed that the works of God are here meant, and especially hisworks of God are here meant, and especially his works of creation. ED.

Heb 4:3. For we do enter into rest who have believed; 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.

The assertion laid down in the entrance of the verse is FIRST to be considered; and therein,

First, The causal connection, , for. Now this, as we have showed, doth not refer precisely to any particular passage foregoing. Only it makes way to the further improvement of the whole design of the apostle; which use of that particle we have before observed: The promise, threatening, example, duty, treated of, belong unto us; and this appears from hence, that we are entered into rest who have believed.

Secondly, The subject of the proposition, or persons spoken of, are , who have believed. The persons included in the verb , regulating also this participle, are transferred over unto it in the translation, we who have believed. Believing in general is only mentioned; the object of it, or what we believe, is implied, and it is to be taken from the subject-matter treated of. Now this is the gospel, or Christ in the gospel. This is that which he proposeth unto them, and which he encourageth them in from his own example. With respect hereunto men in the New Testament are everywhere termed , , or , believers, or unbelievers: We who have believed in Jesus Christ through the preaching of the gospel.. We observed before that one old manuscript reads , Let us therefore enter; making it answer unto , Heb 4:1, Let us fear, therefore; and , Heb 4:11, Let us therefore labor. But the sense in this place will not admit of this reading, because of the addition of , who have believed. The Vulgar Latin renders it ingrediemur, in the future tense; which sense is allowed by most expositors. But that which induced them to embrace it was a mistake of the rest here intended. The word expresseth a present act, as a fruit, effect, or consequent of believing. That it is which in a spiritual way answers unto the Israelites entering into the land of Canaan under the conduct of Joshua. Wherefore this entering, this going in, is an allusion taken both in general from the entrance that a man makes into his land or house to take possession of it, and in particular, unto the entrance of the Israelites which were not rebellious or disobedient into the land of Canaan.

, into that rest, the promised rest. What the rest here intended is hath been declared on the first verse of this chapter; but because the right stating hereof is the basis on which the whole ensuing exposition of the apostles discourse is founded, and the hinge on which it turns, I shall further confirm the interpretation of it before laid down, principally with such reasons as the present text doth suggest. This rest, then, we say, firstly and principally, is that spiritual rest of God, which believers obtain an entrance into by Jesus Christ, in the faith and worship of the gospel, and is not to be restrained unto their eternal rest in heaven. Suppling, then, what hath been argued on the first verse, I add,

First, That the express words here used do assign a present entrance into rest unto them that do believe, or have believed: , We do enter in. It may be said, and it is confessed that the present tense doth sometimes express that which is instantly future; as some think it may be proved from Luk 22:20, This cup is the new testament in my blood, , which is shed for you. So also is the same word used, Mat 26:28. The Vulgar Latin renders the word in each place effundetur, shall be shed (or poured out) for you, with respect unto the death of Christ, which was shortly to ensue. I will not deny, as was said, but that the present tense is sometimes put for the future, when the thing intended is immediately to ensue; but yet it is not proved from this place. For our Savior speaks of the virtue of his blood, and not of the time of shedding it. It was unto them, in the participation of that ordinance, as if it had been then shed, as to the virtue and efficacy of it. But , seems to be put for , Joh 4:21, is come, for shall come speedily; and is sometimes he that is to come. But whenever there is such an enallage of tenses, the instant accomplishment of the thing supposed future is intended; which cannot be said with respect unto eternal rest in heaven. So this change is not to be supposed or allowed, but where the nature of the thing spoken of doth necessarily require it. This tense is not to be imposed on the places where the proper signification of a word so timed is natural and genuine, as it is in this place. It is here, then, plainly affirmed that believers do here, in this world, enter into rest in their gospel-state.

Secondly, The apostle is not primarily in this place exhorting sincere believers unto perseverance, that so at last they may be saved, or enter into eternal rest; but professors, and all to whom the word did come, that they would be sincere and sound in believing. He considers them in the same state with the people in the wilderness when the promise was proposed unto them. Their faith then in it, when they were tried, would have given them an immediate entrance into the land of Canaan. Together with the promise, there was a rest to be instantly enjoyed on their believing. Accordingly, considering the Hebrews in the like condition, he exhorts them to close with the promise, whereby they may enter into the rest that it proposed unto them. And unto perseverance he exhorts them, as an evidence of that faith which will give them an. assured entrance into this rest of God; as Heb 3:14, We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.

Thirdly, The rest here intended is that whereof the land of Canaan was a type. But there were no types of heaven absolutely as a future state of glory. But both the land and all the institutions to be observed in it were types of Christ, with the rest and worship of believers in and by him. They were shadows of things to come, the body whereof was Christ, Col 2:17. The whole substance of what was intended in them and represented by them was in Christ mystical, and that in this world, before his giving up the kingdom unto the Father at the end, that God may be all in all. Our apostle, indeed, declares that the most holy place in the tabernacle and temple did represent and figure out heaven itself, or the holy place not made with hands; as we shall see at large afterwards, Heb 9:6-12. But there heaven is not considered as the place of eternal rest and glory to them that die in the Lord, but as the place wherein the gospel-worship of believers is celebrated and accepted, under the conduct and ministration of our high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ; which office ceaseth when his saints are brought into glory. The rest, therefore, here intended being that which was typed out and represented by the land of Canaan, is not the rest of heaven, but of that gospel-state whereinto we are admitted by Jesus Christ. Hereof, and not of heaven itself, was the whole Mosaical economy typical, as shall elsewhere be at large demonstrated.

This, therefore, is the sense and importance of the apostles assertion in this verse, We who have believed in Jesus Christ, through the gospel, have thereby an admittance and entrance given unto us into that blessed state of rest in the worship of God which of old was promised,Luk 1:69-73. It remains only that we inquire into the nature of this rest, what it is and wherein it doth consist. Now this we have done also already on the first verse; but the whole matter may be further explained, especially with respect unto the principal consideration of it. And this is, on what account this gospel-state is called Gods rest, for so it is in this verse, If they shall enter into my rest.

First, It is the rest of God upon the account of the author of it, in whom his soul doth rest. This is Jesus Christ, his Son. Isa 42:1, Behold, saith God the Father of him, my servant, whom I uphold; , mine elect; my soul delighteth (resteth) in him. Mat 3:17, This is my beloved Son, , . Both the words contain more than we can well express in our language. The full satisfaction of the mind of God, with that delight and rest which answer the propensity of the affections towards a most suitable object, is intended in them. The same with that of Pro 8:30, I was by him, as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. In which words the infinite, intimate affection and mutual satisfaction between the Father and the Son are expressed. Now God is said to rest in Christ on a twofold account.

1. Because in him, in the glorious mystery of his person as God and man, he hath satisfied and glorified all the holy properties of his nature, in the exercise and manifestation of them. For all the effects of his wisdom, righteousness, holiness, grace, and goodness, do center in him, and are in him fully expressed. This is termed by our apostle, , 2Co 4:6; The glory of God, in the face (or person) of Jesus Christ; that is, a glorious representation of the holy properties of the nature of God is made in him unto angels and men. For so it pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell, Col 1:19; that he might have the pre-eminence in all things, verse 18, especially in the perfect representation of God unto the creation. Yea, the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily, Col 2:9, in the union of his person, the highest and most mysterious effect of divine wisdom and grace, 1Ti 3:16; 1Pe 1:11-12. In this sense is he said to be the image of the invisible God, Col 1:15; which though it principally respects his divine nature, yet doth not so absolutely, but as he was incarnate. For an image must be in a sort a spectacle, and represent that which in itself is not seen, which the divine nature of the Son, essentially the same with the Fathers, doth not do. God doth, maketh, worketh all things for himself, Pro 16:4; that is, for the satisfaction of the holy perfections of his nature in acts suitable unto them, and the manifestation of his glory thereon. Hence in them all God in some sense doth rest. So when he had finished his works in the creation of the world, he saw that they were good, that is, that they answered his greatness, wisdom, and power; and he rested from them, Gen 2:2. Which rest, as it doth not include an antecedent lassitude or weariness, as it doth in poor finite creatures, so it doth more than a mere cessation from operation, namely, complacency and satisfaction in the works themselves. So it is said, Exo 31:17, that on the seventh day God rested, and was refreshed; which expresseth the complacency he had in his works. But this rest was but partial, not absolute and complete; for God in the works of nature had but partially acted and manifested his divine properties, and some of them, as his grace, patience, and love, not at all But now, in the person of Christ, the author of the gospel, who is the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, God doth absolutely and ultimately rest, and that in the manifestation of all his glorious properties, as hath been declared. Hence, in the sacrifices that were typical of him it is said , Gen 8:21, God smelled a savor of rest, as prefiguring that and foregoing it, wherein he would always rest; for,

2. As in the person, so also in the work of Christ, doth God perfectly rest, namely, in the work of his mediation. He so rests in it, that as it needeth not, so he will never admit of any addition to be made unto it, any help or assistance to be joined with it, for any ends of his glory. This is the design of our apostle to prove, Heb 10:5-7. God designed the sacrifices of the law for the great ends of his glory in the typical expiation of sin; but he manifested by various means that he did never absolutely rest in them. Ofttimes he preferred his moral worship before them; ofttimes he rebuked the people for their carnal trust in them, and declared that he had appointed a time when he would utterly take them away, Heb 9:10. But as to the mediation and sacrifice of Christ things are absolutely otherwise. Nothing is once named in competition with it; nay, the adding of any thing unto it, the using of any thing with it to the same end and purpose,is, or would be, ruinous to the souls of men. And as for those who will not take up their rest herein, that accept not of the work that he hath wrought, and the atonement that he hath made, by faith, there remains no more sacrifice for their sin, but perish they must, and that for ever. Two ways there are whereby God manifesteth his absolute rest in the person and mediation of Christ:

(1.) By giving unto him all power in heaven and in earth upon his exaltation. This power, and the collation of it, we have discoursed of on the first chapter. It was as if God had said unto him, My work is done, my will perfectly accomplished, my name fully manifested, I have no more to do in the world: take now, then, possession of all my glory, sit at my right hand; for in thee is my soul well pleased.

(2.) In the command that he hath given unto angels and men, to worship, honor, and adore him, even as they honor the Father; whereof we have elsewhere treated. By these ways, I say, doth God declare his plenary rest and soul-satisfaction in Jesus Christ, the author of this gospel rest, and as he is so.

Secondly, It is Gods rest, because he will never institute any new kind or sort of worship amongst men, but only what is already ordained and appointed by him in the gospel. God dwells among men in and by his solemn worship: Exo 25:8, Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. God dwells in the place of his worship, by it. Hence, when he fixed his worship amongst the people for a season in the land of Canaan, he called it his rest. Thence was that prayer on the motions of the ark, Arise, O LORD, into thy rest, thou, and the ark of thy strength, Psa 132:8; 2Ch 6:41 : which was the principal thing aimed at in all Gods dealings with that people, the end of all his mighty works, Exo 15:17. And in this worship of the gospel, the tabernacle which he hath made for himself to dwell in, the sanctuary which his hands have established, is again with men, Rev 21:3. He hath in it set up again the tabernacle of David, so that it shall fall no more, Act 15:16. This worship he will neither add to, nor alter, nor take from; but this is his rest and his habitation amongst men for ever. He is pleased and satisfied with it by Christ.

Thirdly, God also is at peace with the worshipers, and rests in them. He sets up his tabernacle amongst men, that he may dwell amongst them, and be their God, and that they may be his people, Rev 21:3; and herein he rejoiceth over them with joy, and resteth in his love, Zep 3:17. Thus the whole work of Gods grace in Christ being accomplished, he ceaseth from his labor, and entereth into his rest.

I have added these things to show that it is Gods rest which believers do enter into, as it is here declared. For the nature of the rest itself, as it is by them enjoyed, it hath fully been opened on the first verse, and need not here be again insisted on. And this is that rest which is principally intended both here and in the whole chapter. It is not, indeed, absolutely intended, or exclusively unto all other spiritual rests, or to an increase and progress in the same kind; but it is principally so: for this rest itself is not absolute, ultimate, and complete, but it is initial, and suited to the state of believers in this world. And because it hath its fullness and perfection in eternal rest, in the immediate enjoyment of God, that also may seem to be included therein, but consequentially only.

There remains, for the full explication of this assertion of the apostle, only that we show what it is to enter into this rest. And these two things may be observed to that purpose:

1. That it is an entrance which is asserted.

2. That it is but an entrance.

1. It is an entrance, which denotes a right executed. There was a right proposed in the promise, and served therein for believers indefinitely. But it is not executed, nor is possession given but by believing. A rest remaineth for the people of God, that is, in the promise; and we who have believed do enter into it. It is faith which gives us jus in re, a right in possession, an actual, personal interest, both in the promises and in the rest contained in them, with all the privileges wherewith it is attended.

2. It is but an entrance into rest,

(1.) Because the rest itself is not absolute and complete, as we have declared. Look to what is past, what we are delivered and secured from, and it is a glorious rest. Look unto what is to come, and it is itself but a passage into a more glorious rest. It is an abundant ministration of an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 2Pe 1:11.

(2.) Because we meet with contests and oppositions in this state: as the Israelites after they had passed over Jordan, and, according to the promise, were entered into the rest of God, yet had great work to do in securing and preserving the possession which they had taken by faith; yea, they had great enemies to contend withal and to subdue. Much diligence and wisdom were yet to be used for their settlement And it is not otherwise with us as to our entrance into the rest of God in this world. We have yet spiritual adversaries to conflict withal; and the utmost of our spiritual endeavors are required to secure our possession, and to carry us on to perfection.

Obs. 1. The state of believers under the gospel is a state of blessed rest; it is Gods rest and theirs.

So much was necessary to be spoken concerning the nature of this rest in the opening of the words, that I shall treat but briefly on this observation, though the matter of it be of great importance. God created man in a state of present rest. This belonged unto that goodness and perfection of all the works of his hands which God saw in them, and blessed them thereon. And as a token of this rest did God institute the rest of the seventh day; that man, by his example and command, might use and improve the state of rest wherein he was made, as we shall see afterwards. Now, this rest consisted in three things:

1. Peace with God;

2. Satisfaction and acquiescency in God;

3. Means of communion with God.

All these were lost by the entrance of sin, and all mankind were brought thereby into an estate of trouble and disquietment. In the restoration of these, and that in a better and more secure way and manner, doth this gospel-state of believers consist.

First, Without it our moral state, in respect of God, is an estate of enmity and trouble. There is no peace between God and sinners. They exercise an enmity against God by sin, Rom 8:7; and God executeth an enmity against them by the curse of the law, Joh 3:36. Hence nothing ensues but trouble, fear, disquietment, and anguish of mind. The relief that any find, or seem to find, or pretend to find, in darkness, ignorance, superstition, security, self-righteousness, false hopes, will prove a refuge of lies, a covering too short and narrow to hide them from the wrath of God, which is the principal cause of all trouble to the souls of men. All this is removed by the gospel; for, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, Rom 5:1. Jesus Christ therein is

our peace, who hath reconciled us unto God by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, Eph 2:14; Eph 2:16.

And as for the law, which is the means and instrument whereby God gives in trouble to the souls of men, the power and curse whereof constitute them in a state of unrest and trouble, he hath undergone the curse of it, Gal 3:13, and fulfilled the righteousness of it, Rom 8:3; whence the covenant of it is abolished, Heb 8:13, and the condemning power of it is taken away, 1Co 15:56-57. The benefit of all which grace being communicated to believers in and by the gospel, they are instated in peace with God; which is the foundation and first part of our rest, or our interest in this rest of God.

Secondly, There is in all men, before the coming of the gospel, a want of an acquiescency and satisfaction in God. This is produced by the corrupt principle and power of sin, which having turned off the soul from God, causeth it to wander in endless vanities, and to pursue various lusts and pleasures, seeking after rest which always flies from it. This is the great, real, active principle of unrest or disquietment unto the souls of men. This makes them like a troubled sea, which cannot rest. The ignorance that is in them alienates them from the life of God, Eph 4:18. And their fleshliness or sensuality fills them with a dislike and hatred of God; for the carnal mind is enmity against God, Rom 8:7-8. And the vanity of their minds leads them up and down the world after divers lusts and pleasures, Eph 4:17. And is there, can there be, any peace, any rest in such a condition? But this also is moved by the gospel; for its work is to destroy and ruin that power of sin which hath thus turned off the soul from God, and so again to renew the image of God in it, that it may make him its rest. This is the effect of the gospel, to take men off from their principle of alienation from God, and to turn their minds and affections unto him as their rest, satisfaction, and reward; and other way for these ends under heaven there is none.

Thirdly, Unto peace with God, and acquiescency in him, a way of intercourse and communion with him is required, to complete a state of spiritual rest. And this also, as it was lost by sin, so it is restored unto us in and by the gospel. This our apostle discourseth of at large in the ninth and tenth chapters of this epistle, whither we refer the consideration of it.

But yet I must acknowledge that the truth insisted on is liable to some important objections, which seem to have strength communicated unto them both from the Scriptures and from the experience of them that do believe. Some of the principal, therefore, of them, as instances of the rest, must be removed out of the way. And it will be said,

1. That the description given us of the state of believers in this world lies in direct contradiction to our assertion; for doth not our Savior himself foretell all his disciples that in this world they shall have trouble; that they should be hated, and persecuted, and slain? See Joh 15:19 –

16:2, 33. And did not the apostles assure their hearers that

through much tribulation they must enter into the kingdom of God? Act 14:22.

Hence it is the notation of believers, them that are troubled, to whom future rest is promised, 2Th 1:7. And when they come to heaven, they are said to come out of great tribulation, Rev 7:14; yea, they are warned not to think strange of fiery trials, the greatest, the highest imaginable, as that which is the common lot and portion of all that believe in Jesus, 1Pe 4:12. And do not, have not believers in all ages found this in their own experience to be their state and condition? And is it not the very first lesson of the gospel, for men to take up the cross, and to deny themselves in all their desires and enjoyments? And how can this be esteemed to be an estate of rest, which, being denominated from the greater part of its concernments and occurrences, may be called a state of trouble or tribulation, which is directly contrary to a state of rest?

(1.) It is not difficult to remove this objection. Our Lord Jesus Christ hath done it for us, in these words of his to his disciples,

In the world ye shall have trouble; but in me ye shall have peace, Joh 16:32.

The rest we treat of is spiritual; Gods rest, and our rest in God. Now spiritual, inward rest, in and with God, is not inconsistent with outward, temporal trouble in the world. We might go over all those things wherein we have manifested this gospel-rest to consist, and easily evince that no one of them can be impeached by all the troubles that may befall us in this world; but our apostle hath summarily gone through with this work for us:

Rom 8:35-39, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?….. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The sum of all is this, that no outward thing, no possible opposition, shall prevail to cast us out of that rest which we have obtained an entrance into, or impede our future entrance into eternal rest with God.

(2.) Moreover, one part of this rest whereinto we are entered consists in that persuasion and assurance which it gives us of eternal rest, wherewith believers may support their souls under their troubles, and balance all the persecutions and afflictions that they meet withal in this world. And this also our apostle directs us unto, 2Co 4:16-18 :

For which cause, saith he, we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

That persuasion which we have in this gospel-state of an assured enjoyment of eternal, invisible things, an eternal weight of glory, casts out of consideration all the momentary sufferings which in this world we may be exposed unto. As our peace with God by Christ, our interest in him, our communion with him, and acceptance in our worship through the blood of Jesus, the spiritual freedom and liberty of spirit which we have through the Holy Ghost in all that we have to do with him, and the like spiritual mercies, wherein this rest doth consist, can neither be weakened nor impaired by outward troubles; so it supplies us with such present joy, and infallible future expectation, as enable us both to glory in them and triumph over them, Rom 5:3-5. Yea,

(3.) Further, God is pleased so to order and dispose of things, that this rest is never more assured, more glorious and conspicuous, than when those who are entered into it are under reproach, trouble, and sufferings, upon the account of their profession of it. So saith the apostle, 1Pe 4:14,

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.

Whatever may befall us of evil and trouble upon the account of the gospel, it adds unto that blessed state of rest whereinto we are entered; for therein the Spirit of glory and of God resteth on us. There is more in the words than that one expression should serve merely to explain the other, as if he had said, The Spirit of glory, that is, of God;nor is it a mere Hebraism for the glorious Spirit of God; but the especial work of the Spirit of God in and upon believers in such a season is intended. He shall work gloriously in them, and by them; supporting, comforting, and powerfully enabling them to maintain and preserve their souls in that rest whereinto they are called.This state of rest, therefore, cannot be impeached by any outward troubles.

2. But it seems not inwardly and spiritually to answer the description that hath been given of it; for,

(1.) There are many true believers who all their days never come to any abiding sense of peace with God, but are filled with trouble, and exercised with fears and perplexities, so that they go mourning and heavily all their days. These find it not a place of rest.

(2.) There are no believers but are exercised with continual troubles from the remainders of sin yet abiding in them. These keep them in a continual conflict, and make their lives a warfare, causing them to cry out and complain because of their trouble, Rom 7:24. And it may be said, How can these things consist with a state of rest?

Some few distinctions will clear our way also from the cumbrance of this objection. As,

(1.) It is one thing to be in a state of rest, another to know that a man is so. Believers are by faith instated in rest, and have every one of them peace with God, being reconciled unto him by the blood of the cross; but as to what shall be the measure of their own understanding of their interest therein, this is left to the sovereign grace and pleasure of God. (2.) There is a difference between a state of rest in general and actual rest in all particulars. A state of rest, denominated from all the principal concernments of it, may admit of much actual disquietment, whereby the state itself is not overthrown or changed, nor the interests of any in it disannulled. And the contests of indwelling sin against our spiritual rest are no other.

(3.) There is a difference between a state itself and mens participation of that state. This gospel-state in and of itself is an estate of complete peace and rest; but our participation of it is various and gradual. Rest in it is provided, prepared, and exhibited; this we receive according to our several measures and attainments.

(4.) Let it be remembered that our whole interest in this rest is called our entrance; we do enter, and we do but enter: we are so possessed as that we are continually entering into it; and this will admit of the difficulties before insisted on without the least impeachment of this state of rest.

Obs. 2. It is faith alone which is the only way and means of entering into this blessed state of rest. We who have believed do enter.

This is that which all along the apostle both asserteth and proveth. His whole design, indeed, is to manifest, by testimonies and examples, that unbelief cuts off from, and faith gives an entrance into, the rest of God. Only, whereas it is evident that the unbelief which cut them off of old, did produce and was attended with disobedience, whence, as we observed, the apostle expresseth their sin by a word that may signify either the one or the other, the cause or the effect, unbelief or disobedience, so the faith which gives us this admission into the rest of God, is such as produceth and is accompanied with the obedience that the gospel requireth. But yet neither doth this obedience belong to the formal nature of faith, nor is it the condition of our entrance, but only the due manner of our behavior in our entering. The entrance itself depends on faith alone; and that both negatively, so that without it no entrance is to be obtained, whatever else men may plead to obtain it by; and positively, in that it alone effects it, without a contribution of aid or strength in its so doing from any other grace or duty whatever. This is not a purchase for silver or gold to prevail for, as men may buy a rest from purgatory: works of the law, or of supererogation, if they might be found, will not open this way unto us; it is faith alone that gives this entrance: We which have believed do enter into rest; which is the apostles assertion in this place. The SECOND thing in these words is the proof produced by the apostle in the confirmation of the foregoing assertion. And this lies in the next part of the verse: As he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest. The exposition of these words, absolutely considered, we have passed through on the former chapter. Our present inquiry is only into their use in this place. And it is evident that they are intended by the apostle for a confirmation of what he had before affirmed. But yet it is certain, that this at the first view they do not seem to do. For how is it proved that we who believe do enter into rest, because God sware concerning others, that they should not so do? This difficulty we must remove by a due application of these words unto the apostles purpose.

The words may be considered two ways.

1. Logically, merely as to the rational and artificial form of the argument in them

2. Theologically, as to their force and intention according to the analogy of faith. And both ways we shall find the apostles intention and assertion evinced by them.

For the First, the apostles argument depends upon a known rule, namely, that unto immediate contraries, or things immediately contrary one to another, contrary attributes may be certainly ascribed: so that he who affirms the one at the same time denies the other; and on the contrary, he that denies the one affirms the other. He that says, It is day,doth as really say it is not night as if he had used these formal words. Now, the proposition laid down by the apostle in proof of his assertion is this, They who believed not did not enter into Gods rest; for God sware that they should not, and that because they believed not. Hence it follows inevitably, in a just ratiocination, that they who do believe do enter into that rest. Supposing what he hath already proved, and intends further to confirm, namely, that the promise belongs unto us as well as unto them, the promise is the same, only the rest is changed; and supposing also what he hath already fully proved, namely, that the enjoying of the promise, or entering into rest, depends on the mixing of it with faith, or believing; and his proof that those who do believe do enter into rest, because God hath sworn that those who believe not shall not enter, is plain and manifest. For, the promise being the same, if unbelief exclude, faith gives entrance; for what is denied of the one is therein affirmed of the other. Some expositors of the Roman church do greatly perplex themselves and their readers in answering an objection which they raise to themselves on this place. For say they, By the rule and reason of contraries, if unbelief alone exclude from the rest of God, that is, the glory of God in heaven, then faith alone gives admission into glory.This they cannot bear, for fear they should lose the advantage of their own merits. And they are incompetent to salve their own objection. For the rule they respect will inevitably carry it, that in what sense soever unbelief excludes, faith gives admission. But the truth is, that both their objections and their answers are in this place importune and unseasonable; for it is not the rest of glory that is here intended, and that faith alone gives us admission into a gospel-state of rest, they will not deny.

And here by the way we may take notice of the use of reason, or logical deductions, in the proposing, handling, and confirming of sacred, supernatural truths, or articles of faith. For the validity of the apostles proof in this place depends on the certainty of the logical maxim before mentioned, whose consideration removes its whole difficulty. And to deny this liberty of deducing consequences, or one thing from another, according to the just rules of due ratiocination, is quite to take away the use of the Scripture, and to banish reason from those things whereto it ought to be principally employed.

Secondly, The words may be considered theologically; that is, by other rules of Scripture, according to the analogy of faith. And thus the force of the apostles proof springs out of another root, or there lies a reason in the testimony used by him taken from another consideration. And this is from the nature of Gods covenant with us, and the end thereof. For whereas the covenant of God is administered unto us in promises and threatenings, they have all of them the same end allotted to them, and the same grace to make them effectual. Hence every threatening includes a promise in it, and every promise hath also the nature of a threatening in its proposal. There is a mutual inbeing of promises and threatenings in reference unto the ends of the covenant. God expressing his mind in various ways, hath still the same end in them all. The first covenant was given out in a mere word of threatening: The day thou eatest thou shalt die. But yet none doubteth but that there was a promise of life upon obedience included in that threatening, yea, and principally intended. So there is a threatening in every promise of the gospel. Whereas, therefore, there is a great threatening, confirmed with the oath of God, in these words, that those who believe not should not enter into his rest; there is a promise included in the same words, no less solemnly confirmed, that those who do believe should enter into rest: and thence doth the apostle confirm the truth of his assertion. From what hath been discoursed we may observe, that,

Obs. 3. There is a mutual inbeing of the promises and threatenings of the covenant, so that in our faith and consideration of them they ought not utterly to be separated.

Wherever there is a promise, there a threatening in reference unto the same matter is tacitly understood. And wherever there is a threatening, that is no more than so, be it never so severe, there is a gracious promise included in it; yea, sometimes God gives out an express threatening for no other end but that men may lay hold on the promise tacitly included. The threatening that Nineveh should perish was given out that it might not perish. And John Baptists preaching that the axe was laid to the root of the trees was a call to repentance, that none might be cut down and cast into the fire. And the reasons hereof are,

1. Because they have both of them the same rise and spring. Both promises and threatenings do flow from, and are expressive of the holy, gracious nature of God, with respect unto his actings towards men in covenant with himself. Now, though there are distinct properties in the nature of God, which operate, act, and express themselves distinctly, yet they are all of them essential properties of one and the same nature; and what proceeds from them hath the same fountain. So declaring his nature by his name, he ascribes that unto his one being which will produce contrary effects, Exo 34:6-7. That he is gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, he expresseth in and by his promises; that he will by no means clear the guilty, but visit iniquity, he presseth by his threatenings. They do both of them but declare the actings of the one holy God, according to the distinct properties of his nature, upon distinct objects. This is the foundation of that mutual inbeing of promises and threatenings whereof we discourse.

2. Both of them, as annexed to the covenant, or as the covenant is administered by them, have the same end. God doth not design one end by a promise, and another by a threatening, but only different ways of compassing or effecting the same end. The end of both is, to increase in us faith and obedience. Now, this is variously effected, according to the variety of those faculties and affections of our souls which are affected by them, and according to the great variety of occasions that we are to pass through in the world. Faith and obedience are principally in our minds and wills; but they are excited to act by our affections. Now, these are differently wrought upon by promises and threatenings, yet all directing to the same end. The use of divine threatenings is, to make such a representation of divine holiness and righteousness to men, as that, being moved by that, an affection suited to be wrought upon by the effects of them, they may be stirred up unto faith and obedience. So Noah, upon Gods warning, that is, his threatening the world with destruction, being moved with fear, prepared an ark, Heb 11:7; which our apostle instanceth in as an effect of his faith and evidence of his obedience. The threatenings of God, then, are not assigned unto any other end but what the promises are assigned unto, only they work and operate another way. Hereon faith coming unto the consideration of them, finds the same love and grace in them as in the promises, because they lead to the same end.

3. Again, threatenings are conditional; and the nature of such conditions is, not only somewhat is affirmed upon their supposal, and denied upon their denial, but the contrary unto it is affirmed upon their denial; and that because the denial of them doth assert a contrary condition. For instance, the threatening is, that he who believeth not shall not enter into the rest of God. Upon a supposition of unbelief, it is affirmed herein that there shall be no entrance into rest. Upon the denial of that supposal, not only it is not averred that there shall be no such entrance, but it is also affirmed that men shall enter into it. And this because the denial of unbelief doth include and assert faith itself, which plainly gives the threatening the nature of a promise, and as such may it be used and improved.

4. The same grace is administered in the covenant to make the one and the other effectual. Men are apt to think that the promises of the gospel are accompanied towards the elect with a supply of effectual grace to render them useful, to enable them to believe and obey. This makes them hear them willingly, and attend unto them gladly. They think they can never enough consider or meditate upon them. But as for the threatenings of the gospel, they suppose that they have no other end but to make them afraid; and so they may be freed from the evil which they portend, they care not how little they converse with them. As for any assistance in their obedience to be communicated by them, they do not expect it. But this is a great mistake. Threatenings are no less sanctified of God for the end mentioned than promises are; nor are they, when duly used and improved, less effectual to that purpose. God leaves no part of his word, in its proper place, unaccompanied with his Spirit and grace; especially not that which is of so near a concernment unto his glory. Hence many have had grace administered unto them by threatenings, on whom the promises have made no impression: and this not only persons before conversion, for their conviction and humiliation, but even believers themselves, for their awakening, recovery from backsliding, awe and reverence of God in secret duties, encouragement in sufferings, and the like. Now, from what hath been spoken, it follows that faith, being duly exercised about and towards gospel threatenings, yea, the most severe of them, may find the sane love and the same grace in them as in the most sweet and gracious promises. And there can be no reason why men should dislike the preaching and consideration of them, but because they too well like the sins and evils that are the condition of their execution.

We shall now proceed to the opening of the last clause of this verse, wherein the apostle illustrates and confirms the truth of the proof he had produced, by evincing that he had made a right application of the testimony used to that purpose. For proving that those who believe under the gospel do enter into rest, from these words of the psalmist, If they shall enter into my rest, it was incumbent on him to manifest that the rest intended in these words had respect unto the rest of the gospel, which was now preached unto all the Hebrews, and entered into by all that believed. Whereas, therefore, a rest of God is mentioned in that testimony, he proceeds to consider the various rests that, on several accounts, are so called in the Scripture, the rests of God. From the consideration of them he concludes, that after all other rests formerly enjoyed by the people of God were past, there yet remained a rest for them under the Messiah, which was principally intended in the prophetical words of David. This is the design of his ensuing discourse, which here he makes an entrance into with some seeming abruptness, or at least with an elliptical phrase of speech, in these words, Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

. Some render it et quidem, and truly; some quamvis, and quanquam, although; some seal, but; the Syriac, , quia ecce, or et ecce, and behold. The addition of the particle to the conjunction causeth this variety. And , is variously used and variously rendered out of other authors; which I should not mention, as seeming too light a matter here to be insisted on, but that various interpretations do often depend on the different acceptation of these particles. The common use of it is quamvis: so is it here rendered by Erasmus and Beza, who are followed by ours, although. So Demosthenes, ,Quam vis et id similiter turpe, Although that be dishonest in like manner. What this exception intends shall be afterwards declared.

, the works; that is, of Gods creation: the works of the creation. So the Syriac, the works of God himself; that is , all his work that God created and made, or that he designed to make in that first creation.

, perfectis, were perfected, or finished. Syr, , fuerunt, or facts sunt, were, or were made. Genitis, being born, from , Gen 2:4; or created, finished, perfected, from , Gen 2:1, were finished. The end of , he made. There was, in the creation, Gods design, , to make all things; according thereunto, or , he created or made; the end whereof was , they were finished. For the apostle in these words applies the first throe verses of the second chapter of Genesis to his own purpose.

The season of the whole is added, , a jacto mundi fundamento, a jactis mundi fundamentis, ab institutione mundi, a constitutione mundi, from the foundation of the world. Syr., , from the beginning of the world. is properly jactus ex loco superiore, a casting of any thing from above, thither where it may abide. Hence Chrysostom on Eph 1:3, on thesame word: the founding of the word comes from above, from the power of God over all. The word is but once in the New Testament applied unto any other purpose, Heb 11:11; but frequently in that construction here used, . See Mat 13:35, Luk 11:50; Joh 17:24; Eph 1:4; Heb 9:26; 1Pe 1:20; Rev 13:8; Rev 17:8. Twice with , that is, before, Eph 1:4; 1Pe 1:20, Before the foundation of the world; else with , from it, denoting the beginning of time, as the other doth eternity. Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. I do acknowledge that these words, as they relate to the preceding and ensuing discourses of the apostle, are attended with great difficulties; for the manner of the ratiocination or arguing here used seems to be exceedingly perplexed. But we have a relief against the consideration of the obscurity of this and the like passages of holy writ; for the things delivered obscurely in them, as far as they are needful for us to know or practice, are more fully and clearly explained in other places. Nor is there the least semblance that any thing contained in this place should have an inconsistency with what is elsewhere declared. The principal difficulties lie in the discovery of the especial design of the apostle, with the force of the arguments, reasons, and testimonies, whereby he confirmeth his purpose; that is, that we may clearly discern both what it is which he intends to prove and how he proves it; for the sense of the words is obvious. These are the things that we are to inquire into, with what spiritual skill and diligence God is pleased to impart. And here, because the words under consideration do give an entrance into the whole ensuing discourse, I shall on them lay down the general principles of it, which I would desire the reader a little to attend unto, and afterwards to consider how they are severally educed from the particular passages of it:

First, It is evident that the apostle here engageth into the confirmation of what he had laid down and positively asserted in the foregoing verses. Now this is, That there is yet, under the gospel, a promise of entering into the rest of God left or remaining unto believers; and that they do enter into that rest by mixing the promise of it with faith.This he declares, and the declaration of it was useful unto and necessary for these Hebrews. For he lets them know, as hath been showed, that, notwithstanding their enjoyment of the rest of Canaan, with the worship and rest of God therein, which their forefathers fell short of by their unbelief, they were now under a new trial, a new rest being proposed unto them in the promise. This he proves by a testimony out of the 95th psalm. But the application of that testimony unto his purpose is obnoxious unto a great objection. For the rest mentioned in that psalm seems to be a rest long since past and enjoyed, either by themselves or others; so that they could have no concernment in it, nor be in any danger of coming short of it. And if this were so, all the arguments and exhortations of the apostle in this place might be rejected as groundless and incogent, as drawn from a mistaken and misapplied testimony. To remove this objection, and thereby confirm his former assertion and exhortation, is the present design of the apostle.

Secondly, To the end mentioned, he proceeds unto the exposition and vindication of the testimony which he had cited out of the psalm. And herein he shows, from the proper signification of the words, from the time when they were spoken, and persons to whom, that no other rest is intended in them but what was now proposed unto them, or the rest of God and of his people in the gospel. This he proves by various arguments, laying singular weight upon this matter; for if there was a new rest promised, and now proposed unto them, if they mixed not the promise of it with faith during the time of their day, or continuance of Gods patience towards them they must perish, and that eternally.

Thirdly, The general argument to his purpose which he insists on, consists in an enumeration of all the several rests of God and his people which are mentioned in the Scripture; for from the consideration of them all he proves that no other rest could be principally intended in the words of David but only the rest of the gospel, whereinto they enter who do believe.

Fourthly, From that respect which the words of the psalmist have unto the other foregoing rests, he manifests that those also were representations of that spiritual rest which was now brought in and established. These things comprise the design of the apostle in general.

In pursuit hereof he declares in particular,

1. That the rest mentioned in the psalm is not that which ensued immediately on the creation. This he evinceth because it is spoken of afterwards, a long time after, and that to another purpose, Heb 4:4-5.

2. That it is not the rest of the land of Canaan, because that was not entered into by them unto whom it was promised, for they came short of it by their unbelief, and perished in the wilderness; but now this rest is offered afresh, Heb 4:6-7.

3. Whereas it may be objected, that although the wilderness-generation entered not in, yet their posterity did, under the conduct of Joshua, Heb 4:8; he answers, that this rest in the psalm being promised and proposed by David so long a time (above four hundred years) after the people had quietly possessed the land whereinto they were conducted by Joshua, it must needs be that another rest, yet to come, was intended in those words of the psalmist, verse 9. And,

4. To conclude his argument, he declareth that this new rest hath a new, peculiar foundation, that the other had no interest or concernment in, namely, his ceasing from his own work and entering into his rest who is the author of it, Heb 4:10. This is the way and manner of the apostles arguing, for the proof of what he had said before in the beginning of the chapter, and which he issueth in the conclusion expressed, Heb 4:9.

But we are yet further to inquire into the nature of the several rests here discoursed of by the apostle, with their relation one to another, and the especial concernments of that rest which he exhorts them to enter into, wherein the principal difficulties of the place do lie. And some light into the whole may be given in the ensuing propositions:

1. The rest of God is the foundation and principal cause of our rest. So it is still called Gods rest: If they shall enter into my rest. It is, on some account or other, Gods rest before it is ours.

2. Gods rest is not spoken of absolutely with respect unto himself only, but with reference to the rest that ensued thereon for the church to rest with him in. Hence it follows that the rests here mentioned are as it were double, namely, the rest of God, and the rest that ensued thereon for us to enter into. For instance, at the finishing of the works of creation, which is first proposed, God ceased from his work, and rested; this was his own rest. He rested on the seventh day. But that was not all; be blessed it for the rest of man, a rest for us ensuing on his rest: that is, an expressive representation of it, and a figure or means of our entering into, or being taken into a participation of the rest of God; for the sum of all that is proposed unto us, is an entrance into the rest of God.

3. The apostle proposeth the threefold state of the church of God unto consideration:

(1.) The state of it under the law of nature or creation;

(2.) The state of it under the law of institutions and carnal ordinances;

(3.) That now introducing under the gospel.

To each of these he assigns a distinct rest of God, a rest of the church entering into Gods rest, and a day of rest as a means and pledge thereof. And withal he manifests that the former two were ordered to be previous representations of the latter, though not equally nor on the same account.

(1.) He considers the church and the state of it under the law of nature, before the entrance of sin. And herein he shows, first, that there was a rest of God; for the works, saith he, were finished from the foundation of the world, and God did rest from all his works, verses 3,4. This was Gods own rest, and was the foundation of the churchs rest. For,

[1.] It was the duty of man hereon to enter into the rest of God, that is, to make God his rest, here in faith and obedience, and hereafter in immediate fruition; for which end also he was made.

[2.] A day of rest, namely, the seventh day, was blessed and sanctified, for the present means of entering into that rest of God, in the performance of his worship, and a pledge of the eternal fullness and continuance thereof, verses 3,4. So that in this state of the church there were three things considerable:

[1.] Gods rest;

[2.] Mens entering into Gods rest by faith and obedience;

[3.] A day of rest, or a remembrance of the one and a pledge of the other. And in all this there was a type of our rest under the gospel (for which end it is mentioned), wherein he who is God did cease from his work, and therein lay the foundation of the rest that ensued, as we shall see.

(2.) He considers the church under the law of institutions. And herein he representeth the rest of Canaan, wherein also the three distinct rests before mentioned do occur.

[1.] There was in it a rest of God. This gives denomination to the whole, for he still calls it my rest; for God wrought about it works great and mighty, and ceased from them only when they were finished. And this work of his answered in its greatness unto the work of creation, whereunto it is compared by himself, Isa 51:15-16,

I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared; The LORD Of hosts is his name. And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

The dividing of the sea, whose waves roared, is put by a synecdoche for the whole work of God preparing a way for the church-state of the people in the land of Canaan, the whole being expressed in one signal instance: and this he compares unto the works of creation, in planting the heavens, and laying the foundations of the earth; for although those words are but a metaphorical expression of the church and political state of the people, yet there is an evident allusion in them unto the original creation of all things. This was the work of God, upon the finishing whereof he entered into his rest; for after the erection of his worship in the land of Canaan, he said of it, This is my rest, and here will I dwell.

[2.] God being thus entered into his rest, in like manner as formerly, two things ensued thereon:

1st. That the people are invited and encouraged to enter into his rest. And this their entrance into rest was their coming by faith and obedience into a participation of his worship, wherein he rested; which though some came short of by unbelief, yet others entered into under the conduct of Joshua

2dly. Both these God expressed by appointing a day of rest; for he did so, both that it might be a token, sign, and pledge of his own rest in his instituted worship, and be a means, in the solemn observation of that worship, to further their entrance into the rest of God. These were the ends of Gods instituting a day of rest among his people, whereby it became a peculiar sign or token that he was their God, and that they were his people. It is true, this day was the same in order of the days with that before observed from the foundation of the world, namely, the seventh day from the foundation of the creation; but yet it was now re-established, upon new considerations and unto new ends and purposes. The time of the change and alteration of the day itself was not yet come; for this work was but preparatory for a greater. And so, whereas both these rests, that of old, from the foundation of the world, and this newly instituted in the land of Canaan, were designed to represent the rest of the gospel, it was meet they should agree in the common pledge and token of them. Besides, the covenant whereunto the seventh day was originally annexed was not yet abolished, nor yet to be abolished; and so that day was not yet to be changed. Hence the seventh day came to fall under a double consideration:

(1st.) As it was such a proportion of time as was requisite for the worship of God, and appointed as a pledge of his rest under the law of creation, wherein it had respect unto Gods rest from the works of creation alone;

(2dly.) As it received a new institution, with superadded ends and significations, as a token and pledge of Gods rest under the law of institutions; but materially the day was to be the same until that work was done, and that rest was brought in, which both of them did signify. Thus both these states of the church had these three things distinctly in them: a rest of God for their foundation; a rest in obedience and worship for the people to enter into; and a day of rest, as a pledge and token of both the others.

(3.) The apostle proves, from the words of the psalmist, that yet there was to be a third state of the church, an especial state under the Messiah, or of the gospel, whereof the others were appointed to be types and shadows. And thence he likewise manifests that there is yet remaining also another state of rest, belonging unto it, which is yet to be entered into. Now, to the constitution of this rest, as before, three things are required:

[1.] That there be some signal work of God which he must have completed and finished, and thereon entered into his rest. This must be the foundation of the whole new church-state to be introduced, and of the rest to be obtained therein.

[2.] That there be a spiritual rest ensuing thereon, and arising thence, for them that believe to enter into.

[3.] That there be a new or a renewed day of rest, to express the rest of God unto us, and to be a means and pledge of our entering into it.

And that all these do concur in this new state of the church it is the apostles design to demonstrate, which also he doth; for he showeth,

[1.] That there is a great work of God, and that finished, for the foundation of the whole. This he had made way for, Heb 3:3-4, where he both expressly asserts Christ to be God who made all things, and shows the analogy and correspondency that is between the creation of all things and the building of the church. As God, then, wrought in the creation of all, so Christ, who is God, wrought in the setting up of this new church-state; and upon his finishing of it he entered into his rest, ceasing from his works, as God also did upon the creation from his, Heb 4:10 for that the words of that verse contain the foundation of the gospel church-state, in the work of Christ and rest that ensued thereon, shall be declared in its proper place.

[2.] That there is hence arising a rest for the people of God, or believers, to enter into. This is the main of his design to prove, and he doth it invincibly from the testimony of the psalmist.

[3.] It remains that there must be a new day of rest, suited and accommodated to this new church-state. And this new day must arise from the rest that the Lord Christ entered into, when he had finished the work whereby that new church-state was founded. This is the sabbath-keeping which the apostle concludes that he had evinced from his former discourse, verse 9.

And concerning this day we may observe,

1st. That it hath this in common with the former days, that it is a sabbatism, or one day in seven; for this portion of time to be dedicated unto rest, having its foundation in the light and law of nature, was equally to pass through all estates of the church.

2dly. That although both the former states of the church had one and the same day, though varied as to some ends of it in the latter institution, now the day itself is changed; because it now respects a work quite of another nature as its foundation than that day did which went before. And therefore is the day now changed, which before could not be so.

3dly. That the observation of it is suited unto the spiritual state of the church under the gospel, delivered from the bondage frame of spirit wherewith it was observed under the law.

These are the rests the apostle here discourseth of, or a threefold rest, under a threefold state of the church; and if any of these be left out of our consideration, the whole structure of the discourse is loosened and dissolved.

The involvedness of this context, with the importance of the matter treated of in it, with the consideration of the very little light which hath been given unto it by any expositors whom I could as yet attain to the sight of, hath caused me to insist thus long in the investigation of the true analysis of it. And if the reader obtain any guidance by it into an understanding of the mind of the Holy Ghost, he will not think it tedious; nor yet the repetition of sundry things which must necessarily be called over again in the exposition of the several passages of the context, whereby the whole will be further opened and confirmed.

Having taken a prospect into the whole design of this place, I shall now return to the consideration of those particular passages and testimonies by which the whole of what we have observed from the context is cleared and established. And first we must view again the preface, or entrance into the discourse, as it is expressed in the close of the third verse:

Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

In these words the apostle begins his answer unto such objections as his former assertion, concerning the entrance of believers into Gods rest now under the gospel, seems to be liable unto. And therein he clears it by a further exposition of the testimony produced out of the psalmist unto that purpose, compared with other places of Scripture wherein mention is made of the rest of God in like manner. Now, all rest supposeth work and labor. The first notion of it is a cessation from labor, with the trouble or weariness thereof. Wherefore every rest of God must have some work of God preceding it. That labor and rest are not properly ascribed unto God is evident. They include that lassitude or weariness upon pains in labor, that ease and quiet upon a cessation from labor, whereof the divine nature is not capable. But the effect of Gods power in the operation of outward works, and an end of temporary operations, with the satisfaction of his wisdom in them, are the things that are intended in Gods working and resting. Here the first is mentioned, , the works; , the work, that is, of God. So he calls the effect of his creating power, his work, yea, the work of his hands and fingers, Psa 8:3; Psa 8:6; in allusion to the way and manner whereby we effect our works. And the works here intended are expressed summarily, Gen 2:1, The heavens and the earth, and all the host of them; that is, the whole creation, distributed into its various kinds, with reference unto the season or distinct days of their production, as Genesis 1.

Of these works it is said they were finished. The works were finished; that is, so effected and perfected as that God would work no more in the same kind. The continuation of things made belongs unto Gods effective providence; from the making more things, kinds of things, new things, in rerum nature, God now ceased. So are the words usually interpreted, namely, that God now so finished and perfected all kinds of things, as that he would never more create any new kind, race, or species of them, but only continue and increase those now made, by an ordinary work upon them and concurrence with them in his providence. It may be this is so; it may be no instance can be given of any absolutely new kind of creature made by God since the finishing of his work at the foundation of the world: but it cannot be proved from these words; for no more is expressed or intended in them, but that, at the end of the sixth day, God finished and put an end unto that whole work of creating heaven and earth, and all the host of them, which he then designed, made, and blessed. These works, therefore, the works of the first creation, were finished, completed, perfected; and this,

From the foundation of the world. The words are a periphrasis of those six original days wherein time and all things measured by it and extant with it had their beginning. It is sometimes absolutely called the beginning,

Gen 1:1, Joh 1:1; that is, when a beginning was given unto all creatures by Him who is without beginning. And both these expressions are put together, Heb 1:10, . So the apostle renders , Psa 102:25, In the beginning thou hast laid the foundation.

By the foundation, then, is not intended absolutely the first beginning or foundation of the work, as we call that the foundation of a house or building which is first laid, and on which the fabric is raised. But the word is to be taken , for the whole building itself; or formally for the building, which extends itself to the whole equally, and not materially to any part of it, first or last. For it is said that from this laying of the foundation the works were finished. is the erecting of the whole building of the creation on the stable foundation of the power of God put forth therein.

This is the first thing that the apostle fixeth as a foundation unto his ensuing discourse, namely, that in the first erection of the church in the state of nature, or under the law of creation, the beginning of it was in the work of God, which he first finished, and then entered into his rest; as he proves in the next verse. But we may here rest, and interpose some doctrinal observations; as first,

Obs. 4. God hath showed us in his own example that work and labor is to precede our rest.

The first appearance of God to any of his rational creatures was working, or upon his works. Had any of them been awakened out of their nothing, and no representation of God been made unto them but of his essence and being in his own eternal rest and self-satisfaction, they could have had no such apprehensions of him as might prepare them for that subjection and obedience which he required of them. But now, in the very first instant of their existence, they found God gloriously displaying the properties of his nature, his wisdom, goodness and power, in the works of his hands, This instructed them into faith, fear, and subjection of soul. When the angels were first created, those creatures of light, they found God as it were laying the foundations of the heavens and earth; whereon all those sons of God shouted for joy, Job 38:7. They rejoiced in the manifestation that was made of the power and wisdom of God in the works which they beheld. Hence it is justly supposed that they were made on the first day, when only the foundations of this glorious fabric were laid, Gen 1:2; wherein they were able to discern the impressions of his wisdom and power. Man was not created until more express representations were made of them in all other creatures, suited unto his institution. After God had done that which might satisfy them and men, in the contemplation of his works, he enters into his rest, returns as it were into his own eternal rest, and directs them to seek rest in himself.

And herein the design of God was to set us an example of that course which, according to the counsel of his will, he intended by his command to guide us unto; namely, that a course of work and labor might precede our full enjoyment of rest. This he plainly declares in the fourth commandment, where the reason he gives why we ought, in a returning course, to attend unto six days of labor before we sanctify a day of rest, is, because he wrought himself six days, and then entered into his rest, Exo 20:8-11. The command instructs us in, and gives us the force and use of the example he sets us. Thus he dealt with Adam; he set him to work so soon as he was made: He took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it, Gen 2:15. And this he was to do antecedently unto the day of rest which was given him; for it was upon the sixth day, yea, before the creation of the woman, that he was designed unto and put into his employment, and the rest was not sanctified for him until the day following. And this day of rest was given unto him as a pledge of eternal rest with God. So both the whole course of his obedience and his final rest after it were represented by his days of work and rest.

But here now there is an alteration under the gospel. The day of rest under the law, as a pledge of final rest with God, was the last day of the seven, the seventh day; but under the gospel it is the first day of the seven. Then the week of labor went before, now it follows after. And the reason hereof seems to be taken from the different state of the church. For of old, under the covenant of works, men were absolutely to labor and work, without any alteration or improvement of their condition, before they entered into rest. They should have had only a continuance of their state wherein they first set out, but no rest until they had wrought for it. The six days of labor went before, and the day of rest, the seventh day, followed them. But now it is otherwise. The first thing that belongs unto our present state is an entering into rest initially; for we enter in by faith. And then our working doth ensue; that is, the obedience of faith. Rest is given us to set us on work; and our works are such as, for the manner of their performance, are consistent with a state of rest. Hence our day of rest goes before our days of labor: it is now the first of the week, of the seven, which before was the last. And those who contend now for the observation of the seventh day do endeavor to bring us again under the covenant of works, that we should do all our work before we enter into any rest at all. But it will be objected, that this is contrary to our observation before laid down, namely, that, after the example of God, we must work before we enter into rest; for now it is said that we enter into rest antecedently unto our works of obedience.

Ans. 1. The rest intended in the proposition is absolute, complete, and perfect, the rest which is to be enjoyed with God for ever. Now, antecedent unto the enjoyment hereof all our works performed in a state of initial rest must be wrought.

2. There are works also which must precede our entering into this initial or gospel rest, though they belong not to our state, and so go before that sabbatical rest which precedes our course of working. Neither are these works such as are absolutely sinful in themselves and their own nature; which sort of works must be necessarily excluded from this whole discourse. Thus, our Savior calling sinners unto him, with this encouragement, that in him they should find rest and enter into it, as hath been declared, he calls them that labor and are heavy laden, Mat 11:28-29. It is required that men labor under a sense of their sins, that they be burdened by them and made weary, before they enter into this initial rest. So that in every condition, both from the example of God and the nature of the thing itself, work and labor is to precede rest. And although we are now here in a state of rest, in comparison of what went before, yet this also is a state of working and labor with respect unto that fullness of everlasting rest which shall ensue thereon. This is the condition, that, from the example and command of God himself, all are to accept of. Our works and labors are to precede our rest. And whereas the divine nature is no way capable of lassitude, weariness, sense of pain or trouble in operation, it is otherwise with us, all these things are in us attended with trouble, weariness, and manifold perplexities. We are not only to do, but to suffer also. This way is marked out for us, let us pursue it patiently, that we may answer the example, and be like unto our heavenly Father. Again,

Obs. 5. All the works of God are perfect.

He finished them, and said that they were good. He is the Rock, and his work is perfect, Deu 32:4. His infinite wisdom and power require that it should be so, and make it impossible that it should be otherwise. The conception of them is perfect, in the infinite counsel of his will; and the operation of them is perfect, through his infinite power. Nothing can proceed from him but what is so in its own kind and measure, and the whole of his works is so absolutely. See Isa 40:28. As when he undertook the work of creation, he finished it, or perfected it, so that it was in his own eyes exceeding good; so the works of grace and providence, which are yet upon the wheels, shall in like manner be accomplished. And this may teach us at all times to trust him with his own works, and all our concerns in them, whether they be the works of his grace in our hearts, or the works of his providence in the world. He will perfect that which concerneth us, because his mercy endureth for ever, and will not forsake the work of his own hands, Psa 138:8.

Obs. 6. All the works of God in the creation were wrought and ordered in a subserviency unto his worship and glory thereby. This we have cleared in our passage.

Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews

The Blessed Rest of Faith

We which have believed do enter into rest. Heb 4:3

Sabbath keeping is not a matter of indifference. It is not one of those areas about which the Scriptures give no specific instructions. In fact, the instructions given in the Word of God about sabbath keeping are very specific and clear.

Like circumcision, the passover, and all other aspects of legal, ceremonial worship during the Old Testament, the legal sabbath day was established by our God to be a sign, picture, and type of grace and salvation in Christ. This is not a matter of speculation and guesswork. This is exactly what God says about the matter in Exo 31:13.

Because sabbath keeping was a legal type of our salvation in Christ during the age of carnal ordinances, like the passover and circumcision, once Christ came and fulfilled the type, the carnal ordinance ceased.

Legal Ordinances Forbidden

In the New Testament, we are strictly and directly forbidden to keep any of those carnal ordinances. In fact, we are plainly told that those who attempt to worship God on the grounds of legal ordinances are yet under the curse of the law. They have not yet learned the gospel.

Circumcision is forbidden as an ordinance of divine worship (Gal 5:2; Gal 5:4). Those who have their babies sprinkled to bring them into the church and kingdom of God, to seal them into the covenant of grace, attempting to retain the carnal ordinance of circumcision, whether they realize it or not, by their act of sprinkling that child, deny the gospel of salvation by grace alone. They deny the necessity of heart circumcision by the Spirit of God.

Passover observance is forbidden since Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us (1Co 5:7). Those who continue to offer up sacrifices to God, either for atonement or penance, to gain a higher degree of divine favor or to prevent his anger, by their sacrifices, deny that Christs death at Calvary was an effectual satisfaction for the sins of his people. If something must be added to his blood and his righteousness by us, then his blood and his righteousness are totally useless.

In exactly the same way, those who attempt to sanctify themselves by keeping a carnal sabbath, deny that Christ is enough to give us perfect acceptance with the thrice holy God. As Paul puts it in Col 2:23, they make an outward show of spirituality and wisdom; but it is all will-worship. Such pretenses of humility are nothing but the satisfying of the flesh.

Not only that, the whole matter of sabbath keeping is strictly forbidden by the Holy Spirit in Col 2:16-17. Since the Lord Jesus Christ has, by his death at Calvary, blotted out the handwriting of the ordinances that was against us, since he nailed Gods broken law to the cross and put away our sins, he alone is our Sabbath. We rest in him (Col 2:16-17).

We do not keep a legal, ceremonial sabbath of any kind, because it is specifically forbidden. All carnal sabbath keeping, any form of it, is strictly forbidden on the basis of the fact that in Christ all true believers are totally free from the law (Rom 7:4; Rom 10:4).

The Gospel Sabbath

Yet, the New Testament does speak of a sabbath keeping that remains for the people of God Heb 4:9-11). It is written, We which have believed do enter into rest. Believers keep the sabbath by faith, only by faith, finding rest in Christ.

Christ is our Sabbath. He is the One of whom the Old Testament sabbath was a type and picture. Believers keep the sabbath by trusting Christ. As those of the Old Testament ceremonially ceased from their works on the sabbath day, so the believing sinner, as he comes to Christ, ceases from his own works.

Rest Given

The Son of God calls weary, heavy laden sinners to come to him, encouraging us to do so with a great promise. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, he says, and I will give you rest (Mat 11:28).

Fallen man, in his proud self-righteousness, vainly imagines that he can do something to commend himself to God. Therefore, like the Jews of old, he goes about to establish his own righteousness. But he can never atone for past sins, cease from sin in the present, or perform any perfectly good work. Therefore, his conscience is never satisfied. Only when we cease to work and trust Christ alone for all righteousness and redemption do we find rest. This is the blessed rest of faith, a rest which the Son of God alone can give, the rest he promises to give to all who come to him. Come to Christ, and rest. We can never find rest for our souls until we rest in him alone.

Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible

we: Heb 3:14, Isa 28:12, Jer 6:16, Mat 11:28, Mat 11:29, Rom 5:1, Rom 5:2

As I: Heb 3:11, Psa 95:11

the works: Gen 1:31, Exo 20:11

from: Heb 9:26, Mat 13:35, Eph 1:4, 1Pe 1:20

Reciprocal: Gen 2:1 – Thus Exo 31:17 – six days Lev 23:32 – a sabbath Num 10:33 – a resting place Num 14:23 – Surely they shall not see 1Ki 8:56 – hath given rest Isa 14:24 – Lord Eze 20:15 – I lifted Heb 4:1 – his Heb 4:5 – General Heb 4:9 – remaineth Heb 4:10 – as

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

THE PROMISED REST

We which have believed do enter into rest.

Heb 4:3

How shall we describe the manifold features that characterise this union with the God of rest?

I. The rest of the yielded will.It is almost a commonplace to say it. But it needs constant saying, for in the neglect of this submission of the will lies the true reason of all the worlds unrest. To say from the heart Not my will but thine be done is to cover all our case.

II. The rest of a satisfied affection.It is one of the saddest features of the day that even men who come to God for salvation will go somewhere else for pleasure. This love of pleasure is the curse of the hour. It infects the Church and dominates the world. The only way to remedy it is to show men that true satisfaction is in Christ.

III. The rest of harmonious action.The rest of union with Him is the secret of the believers usefulness and power. When the Great Worker takes up His abode within, then heart friction ceases, worry is soothed away, labour itself is restful, and we can work and rest and rest and work, perhaps even to the end.

IV. The rest of an eternal Sabbath in heaven.What, asked a friend of William Wilberforce, is your idea of heaven? He answered, Love. And what, said the questioner, turning to Robert Hall, always a sufferer, is yours? Mine, he answered, is rest. Both were right, for There, as Augustine says, we shall rest and gaze, we shall gaze and love, we shall love and praise.

Rev. E. W. Moore.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

Heb 4:3. We which have believed are the only ones who are promised the privilege of entering into rest. As I have sworn, etc., means God deals with all people on the same principle. That is that He declared to ancient Israel that their unbelief would keep them out of the promised land. Although the works were finished. A rest period implies a preceding one of work, and that took place in the beginning of creation. Hence the rest after the labor was established, which was to serve as a type of the next rest: the one in Canaan after the wandering in the wilderness.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Heb 4:3. For we who have believed are entering into rest. We only are entering who believe; it is not, therefore, the rest of the Sabbath which the Jews long since possessed (Heb 4:4-6), nor is it, as the author goes on to say, the rest of Canaan. To strengthen the statement that it is only believers who enter into Gods rest, he quotes again the ninety-filth Psalm: As he (i.e God) said, As I have sworn in my wrath, they (who did not believe) shall not enter into my rest.If they shall not enter is the same phrase as is translated they shall not enter, in chap. Heb 3:11; the phrase is part of the Hebrew oath (God do so to me and more also, if, i.e I swear I will or I will not), and is here a strong negation; so in Heb 4:5 : they shall not enter into my rest. It was unbelief that excluded them, and so it is faith that brings us in, the appropriate means of producing peace and blessedness, and itself obedience to Gods command.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

As if the apostle had said, There is a rest promised to us believers, as well as the typical rest, Canaan, was promised to the Israelites.

Learn thence, That the state of believers, under the gospel, is a state of blessed rest. There is a spiritual rest in heaven. This spiritual rest consists in peace with God, in satisfaction and acquiescence to God, and in means of communion with God.

Learn, 2. That it is faith alone which is the only way and means of entering into this blessed state of rest: We who have believed do enter into rest; as unbelief cuts off from, so faith gives an entrance into, the rest of God.

It follows, “-As I have sworn in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest:”

Observe, Here is a threatening confirmed by the oath of God, that they who believe not should never enter into his rest, and a promise that such as do believe shall certainly enter.

Learn thence, That there is a mutual in-being of promises and threatenings in the covenant, which must be considered together, and cannot be separated each from other. Where there is a promise expressed, there a threatening is tacitly understood; and where there is a threatening expressed, be it never so severe yet there is a gracious promise included: nay, sometimes God gives out a threatening for no other end, but that men may lay hold upon the promise. Thus the threatening, that Nineveh should perish, was given out mercifully, that that Nineveh might not be destroyed.

It follows, “-Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”

That is, Almighty God, when he had perfected and finished the work of creation in six days, rested on the seventh day from his labour; showing us by his own example, that work and labour must precede our rest: after God had finished the glorious work of creation, he returns as it were into his own eternal rest, and directs to seek rest himself; and by his own example teaches us, that our days of labour must go before our day of rest.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

God’s Rest Is Limited to the Faithful

The promise of entering God’s rest is affirmed for all who believe, yet God’s wrath would not allow those who rebelled in the wilderness to enter in ( Psa 95:11 ). As Thompson states, “The expression, from the foundation of the world, is used frequently in the New Testament ( Mat 13:35 ; Luk 11:50 ; Heb 9:26 ). The phrase suggests the eternity of God’s plan of salvation, which was conceived before all ages and will be fulfilled in the last time” (cf. Eph 1:4 ; 2Ti 1:9 ; 1Pe 1:20 ). The phrase thus refers logically to the creation story of Gen 1:1-31 ; Gen 2:1-25 and the time before it. Apparently rest has been an idea inherent in the world since the resting of God in Gen 2:2 . God, at that time, entered into rest, and instituted the Sabbath rest. As the quotation from Psa 95:11 shows, God’s rest is reserved for those who are truly faithful in service to God ( Heb 4:3-5 ).

Though some did not enter in because of unbelief, the promise still remained for faithful Israelites. All of the first generation, except Joshua and Caleb, died in the wilderness because of their unfaithfulness. Joshua and Caleb were part of those who were to have rest because they were faithful. Some of the unfaithful were killed as late as during the encampment at Baal-Peor, just prior to the crossing of the Jordan ( Num 25:1-18 ). However, it would seem that faithful and unfaithful alike entered into Canaan, the land of promised rest, during the second generation. The supposed dilemma is solved by a quote from Psa 95:7-11 , which shows that in David’s day, despite the fact that they were already in the promised land, the people had to be warned against the sin of unbelief, lest they fail to enter the promised rest. It must be kept in mind that Canaan was only a type of the heavenly land of rest to come. Too, emphasis is placed on the word “today,” because the promise of rest is available now. Joshua took the children of Israel into Canaan, but that physical rest did not completely satisfy. Thus, David spoke of the Canaan which completely satisfies, or heaven ( Heb 4:6-8 ).

Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books

Heb 4:3. For we who have believed Or, who believe, namely, in Christ, and the promises of rest made in the gospel, and are diligent in the use of the means appointed in order to the attainment of it; do enter into rest Are at present made partakers of the rest promised by Jesus to the weary and heavy-laden that come to, and learn of him, Mat 11:28-29 : the rest implied in peace with God, peace of conscience, tranquillity of mind, the love of God and of all mankind shed abroad in the heart, and lively hopes of future felicity. Or rather, as Macknight observes, the present tense is put for the future, to show the certainty of believers entering into the rest of God. For the discourse is not directly concerning any rest belonging to believers in the present life, but of a rest remaining to them after death, Heb 4:9. As he said Clearly showing that there is a further rest than that which followed the finishing of the creation; As I have sworn, &c., if they shall enter That is, they shall never enter; into my rest Namely, by reason of their unbelief. The apostles argument is to this purpose: Seeing men are by the oath of God excluded from Gods rest on account of unbelief, this implies that all who believe shall enter into his rest. Although the works were finished before, even from the foundation of the world So that God did not speak of resting from them. The proposition is, There remains a rest for the people of God. This is proved, (Heb 4:3-11,) thus: that psalm (the 95th) mentions a rest, yet it does not mean, 1st, Gods rest from creating, for this was long before the time of Moses, nor the rest of the seventh day, which was instituted from the beginning. Therefore Gods swearing that the rebellious Israelites in the wilderness should not enter into his rest, shows that there was then another rest to be entered into, of which they who then heard fell short. Nor is it, 2d, The rest which Israel obtained through Joshua, for the psalmist wrote after him. Therefore it Isaiah , 3 d, The eternal rest in heaven.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

4:3 {2} For 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.

(2) Lest any man should object, that those words spoke refer to the land of Canaan and doctrine of Moses, and therefore cannot applied to Christ and to eternal life, the apostle shows that there are two types of rest spoken of in the scriptures: one being the seventh day, in which God is said to have rested from all his works, the other is said to be the rest into which Joshua led the people. This rest is not the last rest to which we are called, proven through two reasons. David long after, speaking to the people which were then placed in the land of Canaan, uses these words “Today” and threatens them still that they will not enter into the rest of God if they refuse the voice of God that sounded in their ears. We must say that he meant another time than that of Moses, and another rest than the land of Canaan. That rest is the everlasting rest, in which we begin to live to God, after the race of this life ceases. God rested the seventh day from his works, that is to say, from making the world. Moreover the apostle signifies that the way to this rest, which Moses and the land of Canaan, and all the order of the Law foreshadowed, is revealed in the Gospel only.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

A better translation of "we who have believed" would be "we who believe" (Gr. pisteusantes, aorist active participle). The writer was not looking back to initial faith that resulted in justification but to present faith that would result in entering into rest (inheritance). The quotation from Psa 95:11 emphasizes the impossibility of entering without faith. The writer added that this was true even though God had planned rest for His people when He created the world. God’s purpose and provision did not guarantee that His people would experience it. This depended also on their faith. Even Moses failed to enter rest in the Promised Land because he failed to trust God at Meribah (Num 20:12).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

8. THE RETURN OF ELIJAH

Mal 4:4-6; Heb 4:3-5

With his last word the prophet significantly calls upon the people to remember the Law. This is their one hope before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. But, in order that the Law may have full effect, Prophecy will be sent to bring it home to the hearts of the people-Prophecy in the person of her founder and most drastic representative. Nothing could better gather up than this conjunction does that mingling of Law and of Prophecy which we have seen to be so characteristic of the work of “Malachi.” Only we must not overlook the fact that “Malachi” expects this prophecy, which with the Law is to work the conversion of the people, not in the continuance of the prophetic succession by the appearance of original personalities, developing further the great principles of their order, but in the return of the first prophet Elijah. This is surely the confession of Prophecy that the number of her servants is exhausted and her message to Israel fulfilled. She can now do no more for the people than she has done. But she will summon up her old energy and fire in the return of her most powerful personality, and make one grand effort to convert the nation before the Lord come and strike it with judgment.

“Remember the Torah of Moses, My servant, with which I charged him in Horeb for all Israel: statutes and judgments. Lo! I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and terrible day of Jehovah. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to their fathers, ere I come and strike the land with the Ban.”

“Malachi” makes this promise of the Law in the dialect of Deuteronomy: “statutes and judgments with which Jehovah charged Moses for Israel.” But the Law he enforces is not that which God delivered to Moses on the plains of Shittim, but that which He gave him in Mount Horeb. And so it came to pass. In a very few years after “Malachi” prophesied Ezra the Scribe brought from Babylon the great Levitical Code, which appears to have been arranged there, while the colony in Jerusalem were still organizing their life under Deuteronomic legislation. In 444 b. c. this Levitical Code, along with Deuteronomy, became by covenant between the people and their God their Canon and Law. And in the next of our prophets, Joel, we shall find its full influence at work.

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary