spake = hath said.

God. App-98.

rest. Greek. katapauo. See Act 14:18. Quoted from Gen 2:2.

the seventh, &c. = on (Greek. en) the seventh, &c.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

4.] Substantiation of the last assertion. For he (God, not Moses, nor : see above on : see ch. Heb 13:5) hath spoken somewhere (see above on ch. Heb 2:6) concerning the seventh day (so in Hellenistic Greek constantly for the Sabbath: as e. g. in the title of one of Philos treatises, : and elsewhere: see Bleek. In 2Ma 15:1, the Sabbath is called ) on this wise, And God rested (in classical Greek is transitive, with an accusative of the person and a genitive of the thing: so Xen. Cyr. viii. 5. 25, . For this other usage, see Heb 4:10, and reff. LXX. The rest here spoken of must not be understood only as that of one day after the completion of creation; but as an enduring rest, commencing then and still going on,-into which Gods people shall hereafter enter. Still less must we find here any discrepancy with such passages as Joh 5:17; Isa 40:28; Gods rest is not a rest necessitated by fatigue, nor conditioned by idleness: but it is, in fact, the very continuance in that upholding and governing, of which the Creation was the beginning) on the seventh day from all His works:

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Heb 4:4. , He said) viz. GOD, who also speaks in Heb 4:5; Heb 4:7.-) viz. .- , …) Gen 2:2, LXX., , , He rested, He withdrew Himself, so to speak, to His eternal tranquillity. It is remarkable that Moses has mentioned the end of the former days, but not of the seventh: Heb. from His work. It was one work, comprehending many works. The single term corresponds to the Heb. and , by most suitably connecting the two passages Psalms 95 and Genesis 2.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

The next verse gives the reason of the preceding mention of the works of God and the finishing of them. blow this was not for their own sakes, but because of a rest that ensued thereon, the rest of God, and a day of rest as a token of it, and a pledge of our interest therein, or entrance into it. That such a rest did ensue he proves by a testimony taken from Gen 2:2-3, And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. The rest of God himself is intended solely neither in this place of Genesis nor by our apostle, although he repeats only these words, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. But the blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day, that is, the institution of it to be a day of rest unto man, and a pledge or means of his entering into the rest of God, is that which is also aimed at in both places. For this is that wherein the apostle is at present concerned.

Heb 4:4. .

, dixit, said; the nominative case is not expressed: The Scripture hath said.This is a usual form of speech in the New Testament: Joh 7:38, , Joh 7:42. But most frequently the speaking of the Scripture is expressed by , Joh 19:37, Rom 4:3; Rom 9:17; Rom 10:11; Rom 11:2, Gal 4:3, Jas 4:5 : sometimes by , Rom 3:19; here by : all the words used in the New Testament to express speaking by. For it is not dead and mute, but living and vocal, even the voice of God to them who have ears to hear. And speaking is applied unto it both in the preterperfect tense, hath said, hath spoken, Joh 7:38; Joh 7:42, to denote its original record; and in the present tense, to signify its continuing authority. Or, it may be that should be here supplied, A certain man said; for our apostle hath already used that form of speech in his quotation, Heb 2:6, , One testifieth in a certain place. Or, He hath said; that is, God himself, the Holy Ghost, whose authority in the Scripture in all this discourse and debate we rely upon. Or it is taken impersonally, for dicitur, It is said. , alicubi, in quondam loco, somewhere, in a certain place. The Syriac omits this . Arab., in a certain section. . Translators generally, de die septimo, of the seventh day. The Syriac, concerning the Sabbath. or , so, after this manner. But there is little of difficulty in or difference about the translation of these words.

Heb 4:4. For he spake in a certain place [somewhere] of the seventh day on this manner, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

The verse hath two parts: the one expressing the manner of the introduction of an intended testimony; the other containing the testimony itself. The first is in these words: For he spake in a certain place concerning the seventh day.

, for, a note of illation, showing that in the ensuing words the apostle designed the proof of what he had elliptically expressed in the verse foregoing; the importance whereof we have before declared. The sum is, that there was a rest of God and his people, and a day of rest, from the foundation of the world; which was not the rest here mentioned by the psalmist. For he saith.

. he spake, or said. Who or what this refers unto hath been showed already.

, somewhere, in a certain place. As he allegeth nothis author expressly, no more doth he the particular place where the words are recorded. He only refers the Hebrews to the Scripture, which was the common acknowledged principle of truth between them, which he and they would acquiesce in, and wherein they were expert. Especially were they so in the books of Moses; and particularly in the history of the creation of the world, whence these words are taken. For this was their glory, that from thence they were in the clear light of the original of the universe, which was hidden in darkness from all the world besides.

. This is the subject concerning which the ensuing testimony is produced. Generally the words are rendered, de die septima, or de septima; of the seventh day. Only the Syriac, as was observed, renders it of the Sabbath day; and this not unduly, as expressing the intention of the place. For , the seventh, may be used either naturally and absolutely for the seventh day, , as it is expressed in the words following, the seventh day, that is from the beginning of the creation, wherein the first complete returning course of time was finished, after which a return is made to the first day again; or, it may be used , artificially, as a notation of a certain day peculiarly so called; or as the name of one day, as most nations have given names to the weekly course of days, For at that time , the seventh, was the name whereby the Hellenists called the Sabbath day. So it is always termed by Philo, as others have observed; which also gives evidence unto the writing of this epistle originally in the Greek tongue. So in the gospel, , one, or the first of the week, is the notation of the Lords day; and it is the Sabbath which the apostle is speaking of. And this respects both the rest of God, and the rest appointed for us thereon. For the proof hereof is that which he now and in these words designs. He proves that, under the law of creation, God did rest when he had finished his work, made way for his creatures to enter into his rest, and gave them a day as a pledge thereof.

, on this wise, or to this purpose; so it may be rendered, either as precisely denoting the words reported, or as respecting the substance and design of them, thus, or to this purpose.

Secondly, The testimony itself ensues: And God rested the seventh day from all his works. The words, as was observed, are taken from Gen 2:2. But the apostle intends not only to use the words by him cited, but in them he directs us to the whole passage whereof they are a part. For it would not answer his purpose to show merely that God rested from his works, which these words affirm; but his aim is to manifest, as hath been now often observed, that thereon there was a rest provided for us to enter into, and a day of rest appointed as a pledge thereof. And this is fully expressed in the place directed unto; for God upon his own rest blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it. We shall open the words as far as is needful, and then consider what is confirmed by them.

, God rested. The apostle adds , God, from the beginning of the verse, , and God finished; for afterwards it is only, he rested, , et requievit. A cessation from work, and not a refreshment upon weariness, is intended. God is not weary: he was no more so in the works of creation than he is in the works of providence. Isa 40:20, The Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary. He laboreth not in working; and therefore nothing is intended in this word but a cessation from operation. And this fully satisfies the sense of the word. But yet, Exo 20:11, it is said, ; which signifies such a rest or resting as brings refreshment with it unto one that is weary. There may, therefore, an anthropopathy be allowed in the word, and rest here be spoken of God with allusion unto what we find in ourselves as to our refreshment after labor. This is thus expressed for our instruction and example; though in God nothing be intended but the cessation from exerting his creating power to the production of more creatures, with his satisfaction in what he had already done. And in this word, , lies the foundation of the Sabbath, both name and thing. For as the name , is from this , here first used, so herein also lie both the occasion and foundation of the thing itself. So in the command, Remember the Sabbath day, to sanctify it: six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; the reason of the command ensues, , for the seventh day is the sabbath to the Lord thy God: that is, his rest was on that day, on the account whereof he commands us to keep a day of rest. Hence our apostle in this place expresseth our rest., or day of rest under the gospel, by , a sabbatism; of which afterwards.

God rested , on that seventh day, . The translation of the LXX. hath a notable corruption in it about the beginning of this verse in Genesis; for whereas it is said that God finished his work on the seventh day, it saith that God did so on the sixth day: and the mistake is ancient, and general in all copies, as also followed by some ancient translations, as the Samaritan and the Syriac. The occasion of this corruption was to avoid a pretended difficulty in the text, seeming to assert that God rested on the seventh day, and yet that he finished his work on that day. Besides, the story of the creation doth confine it to six days, and so more. But this expression, He finished his work on the seventh day, seems to denote the continuance of his operation on that day; and indeed the Jews have many odd evasions, from an apprehension of a difficulty in this place. And Jerome thinks, though very unduly, that from this expression in the original they may be pressed with an argument against their sabbatical rest. But there is a double resolution of this difficulty, either of them sufficient for its removal, and both consistent with each other. The first is, that the Hebrew word, by the conversive prefix having a sense of what is past given unto it, may well be rendered by the preterpluperfect tense. And so it is by Junius: Cure autem perfecisset Deus die septimo opus suum quod fecerat, quievit; And when God had perfected his work, on the seventh day he rested. Thus the seventh day is not expressed as a time wherein any work was done, but as the time immediately present after it was finished. And finis operis non est ipsum opus; the term, end, or complement of a work, is not the work itself. Again, the word here used, , doth not properly signify to work or effect, but to complete, perfect or accomplish ; Had perfected his work that he had made. So that on the seventh day there was no more work to do.

By this discourse the apostle seems only to have proved that the works were finished, and that God rested, or ceased from his work, on the seventh day. But this seemeth not to answer his intention, for he treats not absolutely about the rest of God (for that would not have been to his present purpose), but such a rest as his obedient creatures might enter into, whereof that rest of God was the foundation, such as the rests were which he afterwards mentions in the land of Canaan, and under the gospel. Wherefore in this quotation he includes the sense of the whole words before laid down, namely, that upon and because of the rest of God on the seventh day, he sanctified and blessed that day to be a day of rest unto them that worship him, and a pledge of their entering into rest with him. Here, therefore, the command and appointment of the seventh day to be a Sabbath, or a day of rest unto men, from the foundation of the world, is asserted, as hath been proved elsewhere.

This, then, is the sum of what is here laid down, namely, that from the beginning, from the foundation of the world, there was a work of God, and a rest ensuing thereon, and an entrance proposed unto men into that rest, and a day of rest as a pledge thereof, given unto them; which yet was not the rest intended by the psalmist, which is mentioned afterwards, as in the next verse.

Before we proceed, according to our designed method, we may take notice of the ensuing observations:

Obs. 1. Whatever the Scripture saith in any place, being rightly understood and applied, is a firm foundation for faith to rest upon, and for arguments or proofs in the matter of Gods worship to be deduced from.

Thus the apostle here confirms his own purpose and intention. His aim is to settle the judgment of these Hebrews in things pertaining to the worship of God; and to supply them with a sufficient authority which their faith might be resolved into. This he doth by referring them to a certain place of Scripture, where the truth he urgeth is confirmed. For, as I have showed before, he designed to deal with these Hebrews, not merely upon his apostolical authority, and the revelations that he had received from Jesus Christ, as he dealt with the churches of the Gentiles, but on the common principles of the Scriptures of the Old Testament, which were mutually acknowledged by him and them. And a great work it was that he had undertaken, namely, to prove the abolishing of the worship of the Old Testament, and the introduction of a new kind of worship in the room of it, from testimonies of the Old Testament itself; a matter, as of great appearing difficulties in itself, so exceedingly suited to the conviction of the Jews, as utterly depriving them of all pretences for the continuance in their Judaism. And this, through the especial wisdom given unto him and skill in holy writ, he hath so performed as to leave a blessed warranty unto the church of Christ for the relinquishment of the whole system of Mosaical worship, and a rock for the obstinate Jews to break themselves upon in all ages. And this should encourage us,

1. To be diligent in searching of the Scriptures, whereby we may have in readiness wherewith at all times to confirm the truth and to stop the mouths of gainsayers; and without which we shall be easily tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine.

2. Not to fear any kind of opposition unto what we profess in the ways and worship of God, if we have a word of truth to secure us, namely, such a word of prophecy as is more firm than a voice from heaven. It is utterly impossible that, in things concerning religion and the worship of God, we can ever be engaged in a cause attended with more difficulties, and liable to more specious opposition, than that was which our apostle was now in the management of. He had the practice and profession of the church, continued from the first foundation of it, resolved into the authority of God himself as to its institution, and attended with his acceptation of the worshippers in all ages, with other seeming disadvantages, and prejudices innumerable, to contend withal; yet this he undertakes on the sole authority of the Scriptures, and testimonies to his purpose thence taken, and gloriously accomplisheth his design. Certainly whilst we have the same warranty of the word for what we avow and profess, we need not despond for those mean artifices and pretences wherewith we are opposed, which bear no proportion to those difficulties which by the same word of truth have been conquered and removed. For instance, what force is there in the pretense of the Roman church, in their profession of things found out, appointed, and commanded by themselves, in comparison of that of the Hebrews for theirs, begun and continued by the authority of God himself? And if this hath been removed and taken away by the light and authority of the Scriptures, how can the other, hay and stubble, stand before it?

Obs. 2. It is to no purpose to press any thing in the worship of God, without producing the authority of God for it in his word.

Our apostle takes no such course, but still minds the Hebrews what is spoken in this and that place to his purpose. And to what end serves any thing else in this matter? is there any thing else that we can resolve our faith into, or that can influence our consciences into a religious obedience? and are not these things the life and soul of all worship, without which it is but a dead carcass and an abomination to God and them that are his?

Obs. 3. What the Scripture puts an especial remark upon is especially by us to be regarded and inquired into.

Here the apostle refers to what was in a peculiar manner spoken concerning the seventh day; and what blessed mysteries he thence seduceth we shall endeavor to manifest in our exposition of that part of his discourse wherein it is handled.

These things being thus fixed, we may with much brevity pass through the remaining verses wherein the apostle treats of the same subject. Unto what, therefore, he had affirmed of Gods entering into his rest upon the finishing of the works from the foundation of the world, he adds,

Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews

in: Heb 2:6

God: Gen 2:1, Gen 2:2, Exo 20:11, Exo 31:17

Reciprocal: Gen 2:3 – blessed Deu 5:14 – the sabbath Heb 4:10 – as

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Heb 4:4. The certain place where this is spoken is Gen 2:2-3, and that is where the Lord set the pattern of rest after labor that was to be a foreshadowing of another rest far into the future.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

For the clearer understanding of these words, we must know, that there is a three-fold rest spoken of in scripture, all which are called His, that is, God’s rest, being all of his appointing and providing: namely,

1. The rest of the sabbath day, in remembrance of God’s resting from the work of creation.

2. The typical rest in the land of Canaan.

3. An eternal rest with God in heaven, of which the sabbath and the Israelites’ rest in Canaan were a type and figure.

Now the apostle’s design is, to prove that the rest which God principally intends for his people is this last rest, namely, an everlasting rest with himself in heaven; and this he evidently proves, because if that rest which they had obtained in the land of Canaan, under the conduct of Joshua, called (in Syriac) Jesus, had been all the rest which Almighty God ever intended for them, then it had been needless for David in the 95th Psalm, which was penned a long time after, even some hundreds of years, to make mention of any other rest.

But this he does, and therefore infers, that there is a third rest yet to come, which by the preaching of the gospel was now proposed to them, and that under the same promised and threatenings with the former. If Jesus, of Joshua, had given them the true spiritual and eternal rest here spoken of, in Canaan, then would not David afterward have spoken of another rest after their rest in Canaan; which seeing he has done, the apostle concludes, there must yet remain a farther rest to be enjoyed by the people of God.

From the whole note, That God has by promise given his people a full assurance of enjoying a rest upon condition of faith, and this another manner of rest than that of Canaan, which the Israelites of old did enjoy.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Heb 4:4-8. For he spake in a certain place Namely, Gen 2:2; Exo 31:17; on this wise, God did rest, &c. These words the apostle quotes, because they show that the seventh-day rest is fitly called Gods rest, and that the seventh-day rest was observed from the creation of the world. Gods ceasing from his works of creation is called his resting from all his works, because, according to our way of conceiving things, he had exerted an infinite force in creating the mundane system. Macknight. And in this place again, If they shall enter That is, they shall not enter; into my rest Namely, the rest of Canaan, to be entered above three thousand years after the former. This is called Gods rest, 1st, Because, after the Israelites got possession of that country, God rested from his work of introducing them; 2d, Because they were there to observe Gods sabbaths, and to perform his worship free from the fear of their enemies, Luk 1:68; Luk 1:74. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein As if he had said, From what has been spoken, it is evident that, besides the rest of God from the foundation of the world, and a seventh-day sabbath as a pledge thereof, there was another rest, which some persons were to enter into, namely, the rest in the land of Canaan; and they to whom it was first preached That is, published and offered by Moses in the wilderness; entered not in because of unbelief As was said above. Again, &c. And further, besides the two times of rest before mentioned, namely, those of the creation and of Canaan, he afterward, in this psalm, speaks of another; he limiteth a certain day That is, the Holy Ghost specifies and appoints another determinate time or season of rest besides those before mentioned, whose season was now past; saying in David In the psalm penned by him; after so long a time After they had entered into the rest of Canaan, and had possessed it for about five hundred years, he yet again calls upon them to seek after another rest: therefore there is another besides that of Canaan. For if Jesus That is, Joshua; had given them rest If that rest which they obtained under the conduct of Joshua, who brought them into Canaan, had been all which was intended by God for them, this latter exhortation by David had been needless. Upon the whole, the apostle proves that after the original rest at the creation, there was a second promised and proposed to the people of God, namely, in Canaan; but yet neither was that the rest intended in the place of the psalm here so often referred to; but a third, which yet remained for them, and was now offered to them, and that under the same promises and threatenings with the former, namely, to be conferred on obedient believers, and withheld from the unbelieving and disobedient.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The writer evidently introduced the idea of God resting on the seventh day (cf. Heb 4:3) because it illustrates the fact that rest follows work. The work God called the Israelites in the wilderness to do was trusting and obeying Him. This would have resulted in rest from wandering in the wilderness, rest in the land, if they had carried this work out. The work He calls us to do is also continuing to trust and obey Him. If we do this we can look forward to receiving our full inheritance (rest) when we see the Lord, but if we turn from God we cannot. The writer stated the positive prospect in Heb 4:4 and the negative possibility in Heb 4:5.

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