Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 4:7

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

7. again he limiteth a certain day ] There is no reason whatever for the parenthesis in the A. V., of which the reading, rendering, and punctuation are here alike infelicitous to an extent which destroys for ordinary readers the meaning of the passage. It should be rendered (putting only a comma at the end of Heb 4:6), “ Again, he fixes a day, To-day, saying in David, so long afterwards, even as has been said before, To-day if ye will hear,” &c. In the stress laid upon the word “to-day” we find a resemblance to Philo, who defines “to-day” as “the infinite and interminable aeon,” and says “Till to-day, that is for ever” ( Leg. Allegg. iii. 8; De Profug. 11). The argument is that “David” (a general name for the “Psalmist”) had, nearly five centuries after the time of Moses, and three millenniums after the Creation, still spoken of God’s rest as an offer open to mankind. If we regard this as a mere verbal argument, turning on the attribution of deep mystic senses to the words “rest” and “to-day,” and on the trains of inference which are made to depend on these words, we must remember that such a method of dealing with Scripture phraseology was at this period universally current among the Jews. But if we stop at this point all sorts of difficulties arise; for if the “rest” referred to in Psalms 95 was primarily the land of Canaan (as in Deu 1:34-36; Deu 12:9, &c.), the oath of God, “they shall not enter into my rest” only applied to the generation of the wandering, and He had said “Your little ones them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised,” Num 14:31. If, on the other hand, “the rest” meant heaven, it would be against all Scripture analogy to assume that all the Israelites who died in the wilderness were excluded from future happiness. And there are many other difficulties which will at once suggest themselves. The better and simpler way of looking at this, and similar trains of reasoning, is to regard them as particular modes of expressing blessed and eternal truths, and to look on the Scripture language applied to them in the light rather of illustration than of Scriptural proof. Quite apart from this Alexandrian method of finding recondite and mystic senses in the history and language of the Bible, we see the deep and glorious truths that God’s offer of “Rest” in the highest sense of participation in His own rest is left open to His people in the eternal today of merciful opportunity. The Scripture illustration must be regarded as quite subordinate to the essential truth, and not the essential truth made to depend on the Scripture phraseology. When God says “They shall not enter my rest,” the writer reading as it were between the lines with the eyes of Christian enlightenment reads the promise “but others shall enter into my rest,” which was most true.

saying in David ] A common abbreviated form of quotation like “saying in Elijah” for “in the part of Scripture about Elijah” (Rom 9:2). The quotation may mean no more than “in the Book of Psalms.” The 95th Psalm is indeed attributed to David in the LXX; but the superscriptions of the LXX, like those of our A. V., are wholly without authority, and are in some instances entirely erroneous. The date of the Psalm is more probably the close of the Exile. We may here notice the fondness of the writer for the Psalms, of which he quotes no less than eleven in this Epistle (Psalms 2, 8, 22, 40, 45, 95, 102, 104, 105, 118, 135).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Again, he limiteth – He designates, or definitely mentions. The word rendered limiteth – horizei – means to bound, to set a boundary – as of a field or farm; and then to determine or fix definitely, to designate, appoint. Here it means, that he specifies particularly, or mentions expressly.

A certain day – A particular time; he mentions today particularly. That is, in the time of David, he uses the word today, as if time was then an offer of rest, and as if it were then possible to enter into it. The object of the additional thought was to show that the offer of rest was not confined to the Israelites to whom it was first made; that David regarded it as existing in his day; and that man might even then be invited to come and partake of the rest that was promised. Nearly five hundred years after the time when the Israelites were going to the promised land, and when the offer of rest was made to them, we hear David speaking of rest still; rest which Was offered in his time, and which might then be lost by hardening the heart. It could not be, therefore, that the offer of rest pertained merely to the promised land. It must be something in advance of that. It must be something existing in the time of David. It must be an offer of heaven. A Jew might feel the force of this argument more than we do; still it is conclusive to prove the point under consideration, that there was a rest spoken of long after the offer of the promised land, and that all the promises could not have pertained to that.

Saying in David – In a Psalm composed by David, or rather perhaps, saying by David; that is, God spake by him.

Today – Now – that is, even in the time of David.

After so long a time – That is, so long after the first promise was made; to wit, about 500 years. These are the words of Paul calling attention to the fact that so long a time after the entrance into the promised land there was still a speaking of today, as if even then they were called to partake of the rest.

As it is said – To quote it exactly; or to bring the express authority of the Scriptures. It is expressly said even after that long time, today – or now, if you will hear his voice. All this is to prove that even in that time there was an offer of rest.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Heb 4:7

To-day

The present

Let us take that short division of time–to-day–the now–and consider what is the duty, the preciousness of each passing hour and day.

1. Let us notice that each day has its own gifts. A writer speaks of the hours passing by him like solemn virgins in long and silent procession. He sits in his garden and sees them pass. Their faces are veiled in their hands, they bear caskets full of various gifts, some trivial, some of inestimable value. Among these gifts are stores of brilliant diadems and fruits and faded flowers. He forgets his morning wishes, he lets the day pass by idly and neglectfully. At last, just as the evening is about to fall, he hastily snatches some of their slightest gifts, some harsh apple or withering rose, and as they turn and pass away in silence into the evening shadows, the veils slip from their faces, and he sees the look of scorn which their faces wear. Yes, every day has its gifts, but all good gifts are exactly what we make of them. Let us pray that God will teach us rightly to use His gifts of every day.

2. Each day has not only its own immediate gifts, but also its immediate opportunities. When the Roman emperor sadly lamented to his friends, I have lost a day, he meant that on that day be had not conferred a kindness upon any one. How often by selfishness and temper, by egotism, by vanity and want of thought, we miss those opportunities of helping others in little ways which the angels in heaven might envy us. We may see men and women on every side of us, not by any means only among the poor, but among our social equals, staggering along under heavy burdens, which it does not even occur to us to put out even so much as our fingers to help. A word spoken in due season, how good It is! When good John Newton saw a little child crying over the loss of a halfpenny, and by giving it another dried its tears, he felt that he had not spent a day in vain. But it is not only by our daily neglect of a thousand little kindness and courtesies of daily life that we so lightly regard as mere grains of coarse sand in the hour-glass–moments as precious as if they were grains of gold. We lose them in a thousand other ways–not only lose, but squander and fling them away, and, worse than all, pervert them into opportunities of unkindness. In the words of the man of business, Time for us is money. But that is the least thing it is–for time is eternity.

3. Again, every day has its own stores of pure and innocent happiness. To those who walk through the world with open eyes every day reveals something beautiful. We are self-tormentors only because we are selfish and egotistical and vain. Our taste is corrupted; there are few of us to whom God wholly denies the grassy field of contentment, the simple wild flowers of innocent gladness, the limpid spring of the river of the water of life. That was a true saying of the ancients, Carpe diem–pluck the blossom of to-day. Our best hopes, our richest treasures, our destiny on earth, yes, even our heaven itself, lie not in the visionary future, but in the here and in the now.

4. And again, every day has its duties. What a special gift of God is this! Riches may fly away, fame may vanish, friends may die, but duty never ceases. This saves our poor little lives from most of their perplexities. Are we happy? Let not our felicity make us falter in the performance of a single duty, for on these duties that happiness itself depends. Are we unhappy? Strenuously try not to grieve over the bitterness, for action is the surest of solaces. In every case we cannot do better than obey the brave old rule, Do the next thing. While we are doing our duty, it is always ours to say that we are doing the very thing for which God made us. One of the most charming of the Greek idylls tells us how two poor fishermen, weary and cold, before the earliest dawn, while the moon still rides high in the heavens, rise from their beds of dried seaweed in their miserable hut, and while the waves dash fiercely on the shore hard by, repair their nets by the dim and uncertain twilight; and while they repair them, one of the men tells the other the story of how on the evening before he had fallen asleep very hungry and weary, and had dreamed that he stood on the reck where he was used to fish, and had thrown his line and caught a huge fish. When, with straining rod and line, he drew it to land, he found the fish to be made of pure and solid gold. And in his dream he thereupon took a solemn oath that he would sell his prize, and get wealth, and never dip line in the waves again. And now his poor ignorant thoughts were troubled with his oath, and he doubted whether he should renew his fishing. Cheer up, says his old comrade, you may fish. You did not take the oath, for you see you have not caught the fish of gold. What are dreams? But if not in a dream, in broad waking if you toil and watch, some good may perhaps come to your vision. Look out for the real vision, lest you die of hunger with your golden dreams. Is not the moral of this Greek idyll to be found even in Scripture? When the apostles waiting through those great forty days after the resurrection, when the appearance of the risen Lord seemed for a time to be hopeless, conscious of the pressure of their want and waiting, when it lay heavily upon them, what was to be done? Thank God, there is always something to be done. Each day has its duty, and He who gave the day and the duty gives also the desire to fulfil it. But not only has each day its duty, but each day has its one supreme duty before which all others sink into insignificance–the duty of repentance if we are living lives of sin; the duty of getting nearer to God and seeing His face if by our Saviours mercy we have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Oh, if this duty be left neglected, no other duty can be a substitute for it. Everyday is but a single spoke in the swift wheel of the revolving week, and the weeks flash into the months, and the months into the years, and the years roll on into the world beyond the grave. How many days are there even in a long life? How very few may be left to us! If, then, as we have seen first, every day has its gifts which we often despise; and secondly, every day has opportunities which we often waste; and thirdly, every day has its sources of happiness which we often forget; and fourthly, every day has its duties which the best so imperfectly accomplish; and fifthly, every day has its one thing needful Which if left unaccomplished is utter ruin–ought we not to thank God that every day has also its gracious help. There is One of infinite help always at hand–God is our help and strength. He loves us, He will not forsake us. He who gave His own Son for our sins, shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? And is it not the Son who shall be our Judge? Is He not standing in heaven to make intercession for us at Gods right hand? Is not conscience His voice within us? Has He not given us His Holy Spirit? Is not duty which He makes so clear to us His eternal law? and though He is infinitely far above us, He has given us a ladder between heaven and earth, so that we may ascend heavenward in our supplications, and His answer will fall back in blessings. (Archdeacon Farrar.)

The immediate claims of religion

I. THE PROPOSAL. If ye will hear His voice.

1. By acknowledging His authority.

2. By considering His words.

3. By accepting the benefits which He offers.

4. By obeying His commands.

II. THE MEANS OF ACCEPTING IT. Harden not your heart. Beware of cruelty to your own souls. Beware of impenitence amidst the means and calls of religion.

III. THE PERIOD TO WHICH IT REFERS. To-day.

1. To-morrow you may be indisposed to listen to the voice of God.

2. To-morrow you may be incapable of hearing His voice.

IV. THE END TO BE SECURED BY ACCEPTING IT. This the connection leads us to consider as Rest. The heavenly rest.

1. Rest from sin.

2. Rest from sorrow. (Essex Congregational Remembrancer.)

Today

We have two brief clauses to dwell upon: If ye will hear His voice; Harden not your hearts.

1. The word will is not in the original. The apostle is not speaking at present of a willingness on the part of man, but of a grace on the part of God. The exercise of the human will does not come into view till the next clause. This says merely, If ye hear, or shall hear, Gods voice speaking. It is the recognition of the Divine freedom to speak or not to speak. If ye should hear God speaking, listen. It is conceivable that God may not speak. We may have wearied Him out by our inattention. He may say, My Spirit shall no longer strive. If ye should hear His voice. This awakens thought, quickens interest, arouses anxiety. What if I should have silenced that voice? Often have I heard without hearing. Often has the voice pleaded, entreated, besought, and there was nothing in me that regarded. Neither hope nor fear, neither love nor dread, neither interest, nor apprehension, no, nor curiosity. If ye hear says, which haply ye may not.

2. Harden not your hearts. The figure is taken from that process of drying and stiffening which is fatal to the free play of a limb or the further growth of a vegetable. The heart, in Scripture phrase, is that life-centre, that innermost being, out of which are the issues of thought and action, and upon the condition of which depend alike the decisions of the will and the habits of the living and moving man. When the heart is hardened, there is an end of all those influences of grace which till then can touch and stir, control and guide, inspire the quickening motive and apply the heavenward impulse. Sometimes this hardening is ascribed in Scripture to the operation of God. That is when the voice ceases to speak, and the will to disobey has become at last an incapacity to obey. But this we say, Never does the hardening b-gin on Gods side; and never does the Divine hardening preclude the human softening. Whosoever will–that is the condition: and without the willing salvation cannot be even if it would. These are deep as well as sorrowful mysteries. The text of this day lets them alone. It addresses itself to the will, which is the man, and says, Harden not your heart. If you will not harden it, certainly God will not. Why will ye die, when He hath no pleasure in it? If you hear, any one of you, the voice speaking–hear it say, This is not your rest; hear it say, I am Thy salvation–come unto Me–abide in Me–I will refresh–in Me ye shall have peace–harden not your heart. If the deceitfulness of sin should say within any of you, The voice can wait–let it plead outside you till you have taken your fill of that which it cannot tolerate and cannot dwell with–then, when age comes, or sickness, or sorrow, or some shadow cast before of death or eternity, then hearken, then obey–harden not your heart.

3. To-day, if ye shall hear His voice. The Epistle returns again and again to that word. What is To-day. It is the opposite of two times and two eternities. It is the opposite of yesterday and to-morrow in time; it is the opposite of an immeasurable past, an inconceivable future, in the eternity which God inhabits. To-day is at once the dividing line and the meeting point of the two–the barrier between the two finites, and the link between the two infinites. To-day. What a word of reproof and of admonition–of thanksgiving and of hope–of opportunity and of blessing. Is not each To-day the very epitome and abstract of a life? It has its morning and its evening; it has its waking and its falling on sleep; it has its typical birth and death; it has its hours marked out and counted; it has its duties assigned and distributed; it has its alternations of light and shade; it has its worship and its service, its going forth to labour and its coming back to reckon. Within these twelve or these sixteen hours a life may be lived, a soul lost or won. (Dean Vaughan.)

Opportunity to be seized

Opportunity is the flower of time, and as the stalk may remain when the flower is cut off, so time may remain with us when opportunity is gone. (J. Bond.)

To-day

How much the Bible has to say about to-day–time present! This is really all we can call our own. It says very little about yesterday or tomorrow. Yesterday is like a closed book; its record is finished. As the mill cannot grind with the water that is past, so our work cannot be done with the strength and opportunities of yesterday. Of to-morrow we may repeat the old and significant saying, It may never come!

Opportunity

Opportunity has hair in front; behind she is bald. If you seize her by the forelock, you may hold her; but if suffered to escape, not Jupiter himself can catch her again.

Harden not your hearts

Hardening the heart

I. THE MEANING OF THE WORD HEART, AS HERE USED. Parents sometimes have the mortification of seeing their own children become stubborn against parental authority, and of seeing their requirements resisted and their counsels set at nought. Parents often see children, when they undertake to press them to do anything, instead of obeying, wax stubborn and rebellious. They stand and resist, and manifest a cool determination to persevere in their disobedience; and, so far as the philosophy of the act is concerned, resistance to God is just the same. The mind resisting truth is hardening the heart, in the sense of the text.

II. HOW IS IT THAT SINNERS DO HARDEN THEIR HEARTS?

1. This leads me to say that persons are very much in danger of hardening themselves, by holding fast to some erroneous opinion or improper practice to which they are committed. All their prejudices are in favour of it, and they are very jealous lest anything should disturb it. What danger such persons are in of assigning to themselves, as a reason for resisting the truth, that it clashes with some of their favourite notions! When they see its practical results contradict some pet theory of theirs, they will strengthen themselves against it. I recollect an instance of this kind. One evening, in the city of New York, I found among the inquirers a very anxious lady, who was exceedingly convicted of her sins, and pressed her strongly to submit to God. Ah! she said, if I were sure I am in the right Church, I would. The right Church! said I; I care not what Church you are in, if you will only submit yourself to Christ. But, she replied, I am not in the Catholic Church, I am not in the right Church; if I were, I would yield. So that her anxiety about the right Church prevented her yielding at all, and she continued to harden her heart against Christ.

2. Others harden themselves by indulging in a spirit of procrastination. I will follow Thee, is their language, but not now.

3. I remark, again, that many persons strengthen themselves and harden their hearts by refusing, wherever they can refuse, to be convicted of their sins. They have a multitude of ways of avoiding the point, and force away the truth, and hardening themselves against it. Take care, for instance, of the practice of excusing sin.

4. But, again: Another way in which men harden themselves is that they are unwilling to come and do what is implied in becoming Christians. But a short time since, I was pressing an individual to yield up certain forms of sin of which I knew him to be guilty. Ah, said he, if I begin to yield this and that, where will it all end? I must be consistent, said he, and where shall I stop? Where should he stop? It was clear that the cost was too great, and that he was therefore disposed to harden himself and resist Gods claims, because he considered God required too much. This is a very common practice. If you ask persons in a general way, they are willing to be Christians; but what will be expected of them? Ah! that is quite a different thing! Now you have set them to count the cost, and they find it will involve too great a sacrifice. They are wholly unwilling to renounce themselves and their idols; and accordingly they betake themselves to hardening their hearts, and strengthening themselves in unbelief. I will cite the case just referred to for a moment. The conversation respected at that time a particular form of sin. Now, why did he not yield at once? He saw that the principle on which he yielded this point would compel him to give up others; and therefore he said, If I begin this, where shall I stop? He gathered up all the reasons he could, and strengthened himself in his position. Thus he was hardening his heart; this was just what the Jews did when Christ preached.

III. WHY MEN SHOULD NOT HARDEN THEIR HEARTS IN THIS WAY.

1. Perhaps the first thing that I shall notice will startle some of you. It is this: you should not harden your hearts, because, if you do not do so, you will be converted. God has so constituted the mind that, as everybody knows, truth is a most powerful stimulant, which invites and draws the mind in a given direction. Truth induces it to act in conformity with its dictates. Now, to do this, to obey the truth, that is conversion. If you do not obey it, it is because you harden yourself against it; for it is an utter impossibility to be indifferent to the presentation of truth, and especially is it utterly impossible to maintain a blank indifference to the presentation of the great practical truths of Christianity.

2. Another reason why you should not harden your hearts is that you will not be converted if you do. In other words, if you resist the Spirit, God never forces you against your will. If He cannot persuade you to embrace the truth, He cannot save you by a physical act of omnipotence, as, for instance, He could create a world. You are a free moral agent, and He can save you only in His own way. In other words, if He cannot gain your own consent to be saved in His own any, He cannot possibly save you at all.

3. Another reason why you should not harden your hearts is that you may be given up! God may give you up to the hardness of your hearts. The Bible shows that this is not uncommon. Whole generations of the Jews were thus given up. Some think there is not so much danger of this now; but the fact is there is more, because there is more light. He gives them up because they resist the light of the truth with regard to His claims.

IV. WHOSE VOICE IS HERE REFERRED TO? IS it the voice of a tyrant, who comes out with his omnipotent arm to crush you? If you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. Whose voice is it? In the first place, it is the voice of God; but, more than this, it is the voice of your Father I But is it the voice of your Father, with the rod of correction, pursuing you, to subdue you by force? Oh, no! it is the voice of His mercy–of His deepest compassion. A few further remarks must close what I have to say; and the first remark is this: persons often mistake the true nature of hardness of heart. Supposing it to be involuntary, they lament it as a misfortune, rather than regret it as a crime. They suppose that the state of apathy which results from the resistance of their will is hardness of heart. It is true that the mind apologises to itself for resistance to the claims of God, and, as a natural consequence, there is very little feeling in the mind, because it is under the necessity of making such a use of its powers as to cause great destitution of feeling. This is hardening the heart–that act of the mind in resisting the claims of God. For persons to excuse themselves by complaining that their hearts are hard is only to add insult to injury. I remark, once more, it is worthy of notice that the claims, commands, promises, and invitations of God are all in the present tense. Turn to the Bible, and from end to end you will find it is, To-day if ye will hear His voice. Now is the accepted time. God says nothing of tomorrow; lie does not even guarantee that we shall live till then. Again: the plea of inability is one of the most paltry, abusive, and blasphemous of all. What! Are men not able to refrain from hardening themselves? I have already said, and you all know, that it is the nature of truth to influence the mind when it receives it; and, when the Spirit does convert a man, it is by so presenting the truth as to gain his consent. Now, if there was not something in the truth itself adapted to influence the mind, He might continue to present the truth for ever, without your ever being converted. It is because there is an adaptedness in truth–something in the very nature of it which tends to influence the mind of man. Now, when persons complain of their inability to embrace the truth, what an infinite mistake! God approaches with offers of mercy, and with the cup of salvation in His hand, saying, Sinner! I am coming! Beware not to harden yourself. Do not cavil. Do not hide behind professors of religion. Do not procrastinate! for I am coming to win you. Now, what does the sinner do? Why, he falls to hardening his heart, procrastinating, making all manner of excuses, and pleading his inability. Inability! What! Is not a man able to refrain from surrounding himself with considerations which make him stubborn? Once more: I said this is a most abusive way of treating God. Why, just think. Here is God endeavouring to gain the sinners consent–to what? Not to be sent to hell. Oh, no! lie is not trying to persuade you to do anything, or to consent to anything, that will injure you. Oh, no! He is not trying to persuade you to give up anything that is really good rather relinquishment of which will make you wretched or unhappy–to give up all joy and everything that is pleasant–to give up things that tend to peace–He is not endeavouring to persuade you to do any such thing as this. With regard to all such things, He is not only willing that you should have them, but would bring you into a state in which you could really enjoy them. (C. G. Finney.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 7. He limiteth a certain day] The term day signifies not only time in general, but also present time, and a particular space. Day here seems to have the same meaning as rest in some other parts of this verse. The day or time of rest relative to the ancient Jews being over and past, and a long time having elapsed between God’s displeasure shown to the disobedient Jews in the wilderness and the days of David, and the true rest not having been enjoyed, God in his mercy has instituted another day-has given another dispensation of mercy and goodness by Christ Jesus; and now it may be said, as formerly, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. God speaks now as he spoke before; his voice is in the Gospel as it was in the law. Believe, love, obey, and ye shall enter into this rest.

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

Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David: this is a further proof, that David did not mean or intend the rest of the Jews in Canaan, in the Psa 95:1-11, from the determined time of it; as if the Spirit had said: Besides what I have proved, take another argument; Again I argue. God by the prophet setteth out, and severeth from all other time, a certain stated day, from which the rest spoken of is cleared, and of it testifieth by him, Psa 95:7,8.

To-day, after so long a time; after four hundred years past of Israels rest in Canaan, which was a long time, doth David say of to-day, a time present, then and further to be extended, even the gospel day, in Davids time, and after it; not in Joshuas, for that was past long before.

As it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; ye ought to-day to hear, receive, and believe the gospel of Gods rest, and not by unbelief to turn your hearts from the voice of God in the gospel.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

7. AgainAnew thepromise recurs. Translate as the Greek order is, “Helimited a certain day, ‘To-day.'” Here Paul interrupts thequotation by, “In (the Psalm of) David saying after so long atime (after five hundred years’ possession of Canaan),” andresumes it by, “as it has been said before (so theGreek oldest manuscript, before, namely, Heb 3:7;Heb 3:15), To-day if ye hear Hisvoice,” &c. [ALFORD].

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

Again he limiteth a certain day,…. Since the seventh day of the creation was a day of rest which God entered into, and not man; and since the land of Canaan was a typical rest, which the unbelieving Israelites did not enter into, because of unbelief; and yet there must be persons, and there must be a time for them to enter into the true rest which God has left a promise of; therefore he has limited, fixed, and appointed a certain day, the Gospel dispensation, for believers to enter into it:

saying in David; or by David, who was the penman of the 95th psalm, as may be learned from hence; and this is agreeably to, and confirms a rule which the Jews give, that those psalms which are without a title were written by David g; the Spirit of God spake in him and by him, and plainly pointed out another day of rest from the above mentioned:

today, after so long a time; as two thousand five hundred years from the first seventh day to the time of Moses, and five hundred years from the times of Moses and Joshua, to his:

as it is said; the Alexandrian copy reads, “as it is before said”, or, “above said”, as the Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions; that is, in Ps 95:7 before cited, Heb 3:7

today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts;

[See comments on Heb 3:7],

[See comments on Heb 3:8].

g Aben Ezra & Kimchi Praefat. in Tillim.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

He again defineth a certain day ( ). Present active indicative of , old verb to set a limit (, horizon) as in Acts 17:26; Rom 1:4.

In David ( ). Attributing the Psalm to David or in the Psalter at any rate.

Hath been before said (). Perfect passive indicative referring to the quotation in Heb 3:7; Heb 3:15.

After so long a time ( ). The time between Joshua and David.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Again he limiteth a certain day (palin tina oJrizei hJmeran). For limiteth rend. defineth. For the verb see on declared, Rom 1:4. The meaning is, he gives another opportunity of securing the rest, and calls the period in which the opportunity is offered today.

In David. The date of the composition of Psalm 95 is uncertain. In LXX (94) it is called a Psalm of David. In the words in David the writer may adopt the LXX title, or may mean simply in the Psalms. In the Hebrew the Psalm has no inscription.

After so long a time [ ] . The time between Joshua and David. After this long interval he renews the promise in the Psalm.

As it is said [ ] . Rend. as it hath been befor e said; referring to the citations, ch. 3 7, 8, 15.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “Again he limiteth a certain day,” (palin tina horizei hemeran) “Again he limits, restricts, defines a certain day; One day at a time is all God requires of man’s obedience and response to his biddings. His commands and calls are just, fair, holy, and best for every person. And blessed is he who seeks to be in and do his bidding daily, Psa 118:24; Pro 27:1; Joh 15:14.

2) “Saying in David, Today,” (semeron, en David legon) “Repeatedly saying in David today,” In David, the man after God’s own heart, God speaks to all men thru the Psalms, calling to confession of sins and upright daily living, lest joys of salvation be lost to believers, and soul winning rest, joy, peace and influence be lost, Psa 51:1-14; Psa 95:6-11.

3) “After so long a time,” (meta tosouton chronon) “After such a time,” a time of former disobedience; as David lost the joy of his salvation and daily soul rest because of guilt of sin, so all disobedient children of God are called to return to him from every erring way, Psa 39:12-13; Psa 51:11-13.

4) “As it is said,” (kathos proeiretai) “Just as he has previously said,” Heb 3:7; 2Co 6:2; Psa 95:6-11.

5) “Today if ye will hear his voice,” (semeron ean te phones autou akousete) “Today if you all hear his voice; O that man might daily hear the Holy Spirit bidding them receive Christ as saviour and obediently follow him as Master of their lives, Rev 22:17; Mat 4:19; Mar 8:34; Luk 9:23.

6) Harden not your hearts,” (me sklerunetetaskardi as humon) “Harden ye not your hearts; For the stiffened neck and often hardened heart shall come to inexcusable certain just judgement, Pro 1:22-30; Rom 2:1; Rom 2:4-5; Pro 29:1; Rom 10:9-10.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

7. But there is some more difficulty in what he immediately subjoins, that there is another today appointed for us in the Psalm, because the former people had been excluded; but the words of David (as it may be said) seem to express no such thing, and mean only this, that God punished the unbelief of the people by refusing to them the possession of the land. To this I answer, that the inference is correct, that to us is offered what was denied to them; for the Holy Spirit reminds and warns us, that we may not do the same thing so as to incur the same punishment. For how does the matter stand? Were nothing at this day promised, how could this warning be suitable, “Take heed lest the same thing happen to you as to the fathers.” Rightly then does the Apostle say, that as the fathers’ unbelief deprived them of the promised possession, the promise is renewed to their children, so that they may possess what had been neglected by their fathers.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(7) Again, he limiteth.Better, He again marketh out (or, defineth). The next step taken (see the last Note) is to point out that, long after the occupation of Canaan, the PsalmistGod speaking in the Psalmsays To-day, in pleading with Israel. The implied meaning is as if He said, Harden not your hearts today, lest I swear unto you also, Ye shall not enter into My rest.

In David.Probably this is equivalent to saying, In the Book of Psalms. In the LXX., however, Psalms 95 is ascribed to David.

After so long a time.The period intervening between the divine sentence on the rebels in the wilderness (Numbers 14) and the time of the Psalmist.

As it is said.The best MSS. read, as it hath been before said.

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

7. He God by the psalmist.

Limiteth Defines, specifies, a certain day.

In David Delitzsch explains this as by David. For David does not here stand for the book of Psalms, but as name of the author of this ninety-fifth Psalm.

To day In our, David’s, day. After so long a time as has elapsed since Israel’s second generation entered Canaan, namely, a time of five hundred years. And even at this day there still remains a rest to those who hear his voice, but forfeited by those who harden their hearts.

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

Heb 4:7. Again, he limiteth a certain day, “The scripture mentions God’s rest again, with a strong exhortation to the people in David’s days; and he gives a strong encouragement to them not to harden their hearts: and even so many years after Moses was dead, he uses the expression to-day; which implies present time, and a rest different from that of Canaan, and what the faithful even then were to enjoy.” Dr. Heylin renders this and the next verse more clearly thus: He again determines a certain time, called To-day; saying by David, so long after the words recited, To-day, since you heard his voice, harden not your hearts, Heb 4:8. For if Joshua had given them rest, David would not afterwards have spoken of another day. “The land of Canaan cannot be the true rest promised by God, because David speaks of a rest as still future, and to be acquired by such as were ready and willing, in his time, to hearken to the voice of God.”

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Heb 4:7 . The apodosis. We have not to construe in such wise that the first shall be taken as apposition to : “He marks out, therefore, again a definite day (fixes anew a term), namely, ‘a to-day,’ in that as was before observed

He says in David, so long time after, ‘ To-day, etc .’ ” (Calvin, Beza, Grotius, Jac. Cappellus, Carpzov, Schulz, Klee, Bleek, de Wette, Bisping, Maier, M‘Caul, Moll). Nor yet so that the first is connected with : “He fixes, therefore, again a day, in that, after so long a time, He says in David ‘to-day;’ even as it says: ‘To-day, if ye, etc’ ” (Zeger, Schlichting, Heinrichs, Stengel). On the contrary, the first already begins the citation; is then, however, on account of the words parenthetically introduced by the author: , resumed in the second .

] not: apud Davidem , i.e. in the Book of Psalms (Dindorf, Schulz, Bhme, Bleek, Ebrard, Alford, Woerner, al .; with comparison of Rom 11:2 ; Rom 9:25 ), but: in the person of David , as the instrument of which God made use for speaking. The ninety-fifth psalm, although not Davidic, was ascribed to David in the superscription of the LXX., whom our author follows.

] from the time of Joshua (Heb 4:8 ).

] Reference to Heb 3:7 f., Heb 3:15 .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

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

Ver. 7. After so long a time ] Four hundred years almost passed between Joshua’s and David’s days. David’s today was not Joshua’s today.

Today if ye will hear ] That day of salvation, wherein the Lord doth offer us mercy in the ministry of his word, showing us our misery, and exciting us to use the remedy.

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

Again, &c. Read Again (seeing), &c. Figure of speech Ellipsis. App-6.

limiteth = defineth. Greek. horizo. See Act 2:23.

David. In Psa 95:7, Psa_8923:8.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Heb 4:7. , again) Who would have thought that there is a sermon so important and so solemn in the 95th Psalm? Let us highly value the words of GOD; comp. ch. Heb 10:8, note.-, He limits) viz. GOD.-, a day) This is deduced from the quotation, , to-day, which is presently brought forward. See how beautifully he lays stress on the word, , a day, and single words in the same manner often, ch. Heb 2:8; Heb 2:11-12, Heb 7:11; Heb 7:21, Heb 8:13, Heb 10:9, Heb 12:5; Heb 12:27 : the day, viz. that of striving for the heavenly rest: Heb 4:8.-, in) So ch. Heb 1:1.- ) so long a time, more than four hundred years from Moses and Joshua to David, who sung this psalm.- , as it was before said) The apostle refers his hearers to the whole text, as repeated above from the psalm.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

, , , , , , .

Some MSS. for , said, or spoken, read , forespoken, or foretold. , post tantum tempus, or temporis, as the Vulg. Lat.; that is, tantum temporis spatium elapsum, aider so great a space of time past. Syr., from after so much time; and adds, as it is said above that David said.

, again. It may denote either the repetition of an old act, or the introduction of a new testimony. Our apostle often useth this word on this latter occasion. So he doth several times, Hebrews 1. And here it may seem to be so applied: Again, to confirm further what hath been spoken.But it doth rather express in this place the repetition of the thing spoken of, and is to be joined in construction with he limiteth: After the determination, limiting, or appointing the day before mentioned, the day of rest, that is, the rest itself, and a certain day for the representation of it and entering into it, with all that concerned is and fell out about it, both at the beginning of the world, and also at the entrance of the people into Canaan, again he limiteth, or he limiteth again.

, he limiteth; that is, absolutely God doth so, whose authority alone in these things is the rule of our faith and obedience; particularly the Holy Ghost, this limitation being made in the Scriptures, which were given by his immediate and peculiar inspiration, 2Pe 1:21. Limiteth; that is, either describes or defineth it in a prophetical prediction, or determineth and appoints it by an authoritative institution. He describes it in itself, and appoints it unto us. The word may comprise both, and we have no ground to exclude either.

, a certain day; that is, another determinate day, in answer to the days forementioned, and whose season was now elapsed and past. It is certain that the apostle doth principally intend to evince the new rest of God under the gospel, and to persuade the Hebrews to secure their entrance into it, and possession of it. But he here changeth his terms, and calls it not a rest, but proposeth it from the psalmist under the notion of a day. And this he doth because he had before proved and illustrated the rest of God, from the day that was set apart as a pledge and means of it, as also because he designs to manifest that there is another day determined, as a pledge and representation of this new rest, or as an especial season for the enjoyment of the privileges thereof.

. The day he intends is that which in the psalmist is called , o r , to-day. The former day he called , the seventh day. This was the day of rest from the foundation off the world unto the giving of the law, as also under the law itself; but now there is to be another day, expressive of the other rest promised. The seventh day from the beginning of the creation was separated to this purpose, with respect unto the rest proposed to man in the state of innocency, and the typical rest promised to the People under the law; but this new, spiritual rest in Christ by the gospel, is to have another day to express and declare it. Thus is , to-day, in the psalmist, left at liberty to be any day in the prophecy, but limited to the first by the resurrection of Christ. Again, he limiteth a certain day, called , today.

, speaking in David, who was the person by whom this matter was revealed to the church, in a psalm that he composed by divine inspiration for that purpose. And David may be here taken properly for the person of David himself; and so this expression declares the way and manner whereby he came to reveal this thing. It was from the speaking of the Holy Ghost in him, whereby he was , 2Pe 1:21, acted by him to receive and deliver hisinspirations. So the apostle by renders the intention of the Hebrew .

He spake in them; as David of himself, , 2Sa 23:2, The Spirit of the LORD spake in me. And so our apostle, in the beginning of this epistle, God spake , and , in the prophets, and in the Son. So, as was said, the words not only express the revelation itself, but the manner of it also. The Holy Ghost spake in them whom he employed as his instruments; using their minds, tongues, and pens, for the receiving and declaring his sense and words, without leaving any thing unto their own inventions and memories. So David adds in the foregoing place, , He spake in me, and his word was upon my tongue. Or, secondly, the name David may be taken by a metonymy for the psalm itself, whereof he was the penman: Speaks in the psalm which David wrote. Thus not his inspiration of David is intended, or his speaking in his person, but the continued speaking of the Holy Ghost unto the church in that psalm, as in and by all other Scriptures: for the Scripture is the voice of God, and he always speaks unto us thereby; and itself is said to speak, because of Gods speaking in it.

, after so long a time, namely, spent and bygone. The date of this time is to be taken from the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt, or from the second year after, when the spies were sent to search the land, and all that ensued thereon, which our apostle hath so considered and improve. From thence to the time of David was about five hundred years: so that our apostle might well call it , so long a time, or so great a space of time.

The remaining words of this verse have been opened before. [3]

[3] VARIOUS READING. Lachmann and Tisehendorf insert in the text, as undoubtedly the true reading; Griesbach marks it as a reading of great value. EXPOSITION. The words connect grammatically with , and indicate that the words had already been cited, Heb 3:7; Heb 3:15. Others take the first as the object of , inasmuch as in David he calls it (the day), a to-day. Others, as Calvin, Beza, Grotius, Bleek, take , as apposition to , he defines again a day, a to-day. This entire treatment of is modern. Ebrard. ED.

Heb 4:7. He limiteth a certain day again, saying in David, To- day, after so long a time; as it is said, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

The design of the apostle in these words, is to confirm what he hal before asserted about a new rest, and new day of rest, now remaining for the people of God to enter into and to possess. And there are three things considerable in them:

1. The proposition of his argument, wherein its strength lies;

2. An enforcement of it from a considerable circumstance;

3. The confirmation of it, by an introduction of the divine testimony from whence it is taken:

1. His argument lies in this, that after the constitution of the sabbatical rest from the beginning of the world, and the proposition of the rest of Canaan to the people in the wilderness, God, besides them, hath limited, determined, designed another certain day, which was neither of the former. This must needs, therefore, be another day; and that can be no other but the day of the gospel. And, as we observed before, he calls it not merely a rest, but a day; that it may fully and in all particulars answer the rests before insisted on, that were types and shadows of it.

2. His enforcement of this argument is taken from the circumstance of time, when this day was limited and determined. Had the words here recorded been spoken at or near the time when the peoples entering into the other typical rest of Canaan was under consideration, they might have been thought to have pertained thereunto, and to have contained an exhortation unto them to make use of their season. But now, whereas God speaks these words, wherein a day of rest is limited, so long a space of time after, namely, five hundred years or thereabouts, it cannot be but that another day of rest must be intended in them; and therefore there is still a promise remaining of entering into the rest of God, which we must take heed that we come not short of by unbelief and disobedience.

3. He confirms his proposition by repeating the divine testimony which it is built upon, As it is said, To-day, if ye will hear his voice. Much use hath the apostle made of these words in these chapters It is only one word of them that he now builds on, namely, to-day, whence he educeth the great mysteries of a gospel rest, and the answering of it both to the rest under the old testament and the day whereby it was expressed. Sundry doctrinal observations may be hence taken, namely, from the manner of the expressions here used; the matter hath been spoken unto already.

Obs. 1. In reading and hearing the Scripture, we ought to consider God speaking in it and by it unto us.

He saith; that is, God saith, or more especially the Holy Ghost. He both spake in David, in the inspiration of that psalm; and by David, or in the psalm, he speaks unto us. This alone will give us that reverence and subjection of soul and conscience unto the word of God which are required of us, and which are necessary that we may have benefit and advantage thereby. In that kind of careless and way-side deportment whereby men enjoy or hear the word and immediately lose it, this is not the least evil, that they do not sufficiently consider whose word it is, and who speaks immediately unto them. Our apostle commends the Thessalonians, that they received the word, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, 1Th 2:13. They considered whose word it was, and whilst the apostle spake to their outward ears, they attended unto God speaking to their hearts; which made them receive it in a due manner, with faith and obedience. So God promiseth to look graciously unto him that trembleth at his word, Isa 66:2; which flame of heart proceedeth atone from a due consideration of its being his. Customariness, negligence, and sloth, are apt to spoil us of this frame, of this grace, and so to deprive us of the benefit of the word. And to prevent this, God doth not only preface what he speaks with Thus saith the LORD, but ofttimes adjoins such of his attributes and excellencies as are suited to beget an awe and reverence in our hearts, both of him that speaketh and of that which is spoken. See Isa 30:15; Isa 57:15. Let a man but consider that it is God, the great and holy one, that speaketh unto him in his word, and it cannot but excite in him faith, attention, and readiness unto obedience; as also work in him that awe, reverence, and trembling, which God delighteth in, and which brings the mind into a profiting frame.

And this concerns the word preached as well as read. Provided,

1. That those that preach it are sent of God;

2. That what is preached be according to the analogy of faith;

3. That it be drawn from the written word;

4. That it be delivered in the name and authority of God.

Obs. 2. Divine inspiration, or the authority of God speaking in and by the penmen of the Scripture, is the ground and foundation of our faith, that which gives them authority over our consciences and efficacy in them. This hath been argued elsewhere.

Obs. 3. The holy Scripture is an inexhaustible treasury or repository of spiritual mysteries and sacred truths. And,

Obs. 4. Many important truths lie deep and secret in the Scripture, and stand in need of a very diligent search and hard digging in their investigation and for their finding out.

These two propositions are nearly related, and do both arise from the same consideration of the text. How many deep and mysterious truths, and those of great importance and of signal use, hath our apostle found out in the words of the psalm produced by him! and how doth he here, by stating aright the true intention of one single word or expression, and that gathered from the consideration of all its circumstances, as by whom it was spoken, when it was spoken, and to what purpose, make the eminent conclusion we have insisted on! And these things are for our instruction.

First, it is hence collected, That the holy Scripture is an inexhaustible treasury or repository of spiritual mysteries and sacred truths. We had never known what had been in the Old Testament had it not been for the New, and the Spirit of it, Luk 24:45; and we should never know fully what is in the New Testament, were it not for heaven and glory, where we shall know even as we are known, 1Co 13:12. It may be some will say, they can see none of these stores, can find little or nothing of the riches pretended here to be laid up. It may be so; for this treasure is such as men can see little of it, if they have not a guide and a light. Let a treasury that is made deep, or closely immured, be filled never so full with gold and precious things, yet if you turn a man into it in the dark, he can see nothing that is desirable, but rather feel a horror and a fear come upon him. The Jews have at this day the Old Testament, wherein a great part of this treasure is contained, and they have a general faith that it is full of mysteries and truths; but being utterly destitute of the Spirit and all heavenly light, they see nothing of it, but search for I know not what ridiculous fancies, rather than sacred mysteries, in the words and letters of the book. This account our apostle gives, 2Co 3:14-15,

Their minds are blinded, for until this day remaineth the veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament; which veil is done away in Christ But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

Poor creatures! they put a veil when they read the Scripture upon their hats or their heads, but there is one indeed upon their hearts; whence their minds are blinded, that they can discern no part of the mysterious treasures that are laid up therein. It is by the Spirit of Christ and light of the gospel that this veil of darkness and blindness is taken away. Wherefore, to make the truth of what we have asserted the more evident, we may consider that the whole counsel of God, concerning all his ways and works that are outwardly of him, is contained in this book, Act 20:27. If a wise man, and of great experience in the world, should commit, if Solomon had committed all his counsels, all the effects of his wisdom unto writing, it would be, it would have been justly valued, and much inquired into. But here we have all the counsel of the infinitely wise God himself concerning his ways and works. To give some instances hereof:

1. Here is expressed and contained the mystery of his love, grace, wisdom, righteousness, and holiness, in Christ Jesus. Now what heart can search into the bottom of these things, what mind can fully receive or comprehend them, what tongue can express them, the things which God himself delighteth in, and which the angels desire to bow down and look into? This he calls the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, Eph 1:7-8; the mystery of his will, Eph 1:9; the riches of glory, verse 18; the exceeding riches of his grace, Eph 2:7; the mystery which from the beginning of the world was hid in him, but by the gospel is manifested unto principalities and powers in heavenly places, even the manifold wisdom of God, Eph 3:9-10. These riches, these treasures, these mysterious truths, are rather by us to be admired and adored than fully comprehended in this life; yet here are they deposited, revealed, declared, and laid up safe, for the use, instruction, and edification of the church in all ages. Some men pass by the door of this treasury, and scarce deign to look aside towards it. There is nothing that they do more despise. Some look into it superficially and cursorily, and see nothing in it that they can much delight in or desire to know more of. But humble, believing souls, whom God by his Spirit leads into the secret stores of divine truth, they behold the riches of God, admire his bounty, and take out for their own use continually. Whilst the mystery of this love and grace is contained in the Scripture, it may well be esteemed a treasure rich and absolutely inexhaustible; and our beholding of it, our acquaintance with it, make us partakers of it, 2Co 3:18.

2. There is in it the whole counsel of God concerning his own worship, and the whole of that obedience which he requires of us that we may come to be accepted with him here, and to the eternal enjoyment of him in glory. For

all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works, 2Ti 3:16-17.

Here is all,say some; Here is enough,say most: and I am sure that whoever walketh according to this rule, mercy and peace shall be on him, as on the whole Israel of God. This increaseth the riches of this treasury. Here we may find all that God would have us do that we may please him, all that he requires of us in this world, our whole duty with reference unto eternity. Here is our guide, our rule, ready to direct us in all stated duties, on all occasions and emergencies; so that nothing can befall us, nothing can be required of us in the worship of God, in the course, ways, and actions of our lives, but what we may have here light, guidance, and direction for. It is the word of his wisdom, will, and grace, who made us these souls, and who foreknew every thought that would be in them to eternity, and hath secretly laid up in his word that which shall suit and answer unto every occasion of all that believe in him. Whence one cried out of old, Adoro plenitudinem Scripturarum, I adore the fullness of the Scripture; in which posture of holy admiration I desire my mind may be found whilst I am in this world.

3. There is in it a glorious discovery of the eternal being or nature of God, with its glorious essential excellencies, so far as we are capable of an encouraging contemplation of them in this world. It is true, that the being, nature, and properties of God, may be known by the light of nature, and from the consideration of those works which are the certain product of his power and goodness. But how dark, weak, obscure, and imperfect, is that discovery, in comparison of that which is made unto us in the word! Of many things indispensably necessary to be known of God, it knows nothing at all, as of the eternal existence of the one individual nature of God in three persons; and what it doth teach, it doth so marvellous unevenly, unsteadily, and darkly. Consult the writings of them who have most improved the light of nature in their disquisitions after the being and nature of God, who have most industriously and curiously traced the footsteps of nature towards its eternal spring and fountain. Men they were, wise, learned, sagacious, contemplative almost to a miracle, and wonderfully skillful to express the conceptions of their minds in words suited to intimate their senses, and to affect the readers. But when and where they are in the highest improvement of their reason, their fancies most raised, their expressions most reaching, generous, and noble, bring it all to one leaf of divine revelation, expressed by a poor illiterate shepherd or a fisherman, and you shall quickly find their candle before this sun first to lose its rays and lustre, then its light, and lastly utterly to expire as useless. Hence our apostle fears not to declare, that even in their disquisitions after God, they waxed vain in their imaginations, and that their foolish hearts were darkened, Romans 1. But in his word it is that God hath made that revelation of himself wherein the souls of men may fully acquiesce; upon it hath he left an impression of all his excellencies, that we might learn to glorify him as God. And what stores of truth are needful to this purpose, who can express?

4. The souls of them that believe are carried by it out of this world, and have future eternal glories presented unto them. Here are they instructed in the hidden things of immortality; which is darkness itself unto them who are destitute of this guide. It is true, we have but a very low and obscure comprehension of the things of the other world; but this is from our weakness and imperfection, and not out of any defect in their scriptural revelation. There we are told that we shall be ever with the Lord, like him, seeing him as he is, beholding his glory, in mansions of rest and blessedness, receiving a reward in a crown of glory that fadeth not. If we know but little of what is in these things, as we do but very little; if we cannot comprehend them, nor fill our minds steadfastly with them, it is, as was said, from our own weakness and imperfection; the truth and excellency of them are stored in this sacred treasury. Now, how large, how extensive and unsearchable, must that repository of mysterious truths be, wherein all these things, with all the particulars whereinto they branch themselves, all the whole intercourse between God and man in all ages, and always, are laid up and stored! O heavenly, O blessed depositum of divine grace and goodness!

I confess, some think it strange that this one book, and that whereof so great a part is taken up in genealogies, histories, and laws, antiquated as to their original use, should contain all sacred spiritual truth; and therefore they have endeavored to help it with a supply of their own traditions and inventions. But they do not consider the hand whereby these things are stored. They are laid up in Gods method, wrapped up in his words, which, in infinite wisdom, he hath given a capacity unto to receive and contain them all. Those secrets of wisdom are double unto what can be comprehended, Job 11:6. Hence, although every humble soul may learn and receive from it what is absolutely sufficient for itself on all occasions, with respect to its own duty and eternal welfare, yet the whole church of God, neither jointly nor severally, from the beginning to the end of the world, have been, are, or shall be, able to examine these stores to the bottom, and to find out perfectly all the truths, in all their dimensions, concerns, and extent, that are contained herein.

From hence the truth of our second proposition is evident, namely, That many important truths lie deep and secret in the Scripture, standing in need of very diligent search in their investigation and for their finding out. And the reason why in this place I insist on these things, is not so much to explain the sense of it as to vindicate the way of our apostles arguing and citing of testimonies out of the Scripture, with his exposition and explication of them; which some in our days are not afraid nor ashamed to charge with obscurity and perplexity, not understanding what the nature of these things doth require. And thus shall we find it in this place. And many instances of the like nature may we meet withal in this epistle; wherein the obscurity of the apostle is not to be blamed, but his wisdom admired. Hence is the direction and command of our Savior, Joh 5:39, , Search the Scriptures; dig into them, accomplish a diligent search, as 1Pe 1:11, Act 17:11, as men seek after rubies, silver, and gold, as the wise man expresseth it, Pro 2:3-5; Pro 3:14-15. The sum of these words is, Without humility, industry, prayer, and diligence, proceeding from desires, it is in vain to think of obtaining divine wisdom. They that search for silver and hid treasures go about it with inflamed desires, pursue it with unconquerable and unwearied industry, and rejoice in them when they are found, Mat 13:44. And David describeth his blessed man to be one that delighteth in the law of the LORD, and meditateth in it day and night, Psa 1:2. So God expressly commanded Joshua:

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, Heb 1:8,

that is, constantly and diligently; making it manifest that great and sedulous inquiry is to be made after the mind and will of God therein. And this carried David to pray that God would

open his eyes, that he might behold wondrous things out of his law, Psa 119:18.

It must be when men take a transient view of the Scripture, in their own light and strength, that they can see no great nor excellent thing in it, Hos 8:12; but he who in the light of God, his eyes being opened thereby, searcheth deeply and attentively into it, shall find wondrous or marvelous things in it, excellent and glorious things, that others are not acquainted withal, and be made wiser than others thereby.

That which we are therefore to inquire into, for our own advantage, is the ways and means whereby a due search may be made into the Scriptures, and what is necessarily required thereunto, so that we may not fail of light and instruction. And they are, amongst others, these that follow:

1. A peculiarly humble frame of spirit, which is teachable. As there is no grace that is either more useful unto our own souls or more acceptable with God than humility, 1Pe 3:4, so it is in an especial manner required asa qualification in them who would be instructed in the mind of God out of his word. So the promise is, Psa 25:9, The meek will he guide in judgment; and the meek will he teach his way; , that is, the humble and contrite ones. And it is the same that is twice expressed in that psalm by fear Psa 25:12,

What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose;

Psa 25:14,

The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Now, these promises of instruction in judgment, or the ordinances of God, in his way, his covenant, and of the communication of his secret counsel (that is, , the secret counsel of the LORD), are not given merely unto such as are personally meek and humble, but unto such as bring meekness and humility, self-diffidence and submission of soul, unto the word in their studying of it, Isa 28:9, Psa 131:2. In Job 28, there is a great inquiry made after wisdom; it is sought for amongst men in the land of the living, by mutual converse and instruction, Job 28:13; and in the depths of the sea, Job 28:14, among the secret works of nature; but it is hid close from all living. What then shall a man do? lie down and utterly despair? No; saith he, Job 28:28, Unto man he said, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. This is the only way to attain it, for such only God will teach. Hence are we enjoined to receive with meekness the ingrafted word, Jas 1:21. When men come to the reading and studying of the Scriptures in the confidence of their own skill, wisdom, parts, learning, and understanding, God scorneth to teach them, he beholds them afar off. The fruits and effects of this state of things, in the pride of men, and the severity of God in giving them up to darkness and blindness, we may behold every day. Hence that came to pass of old which is yet observable, mentioned by our apostle, 1Co 1:26-27. And sometimes none presume more in this kind than those who have as little reason as any to trust to themselves. Many an illiterate person hath an arrogance proportionable unto his ignorance, 2Pe 3:16. And hence sundry from whom it was expected, on the account of their condition, that they should be very humble and lowly in mind in their reading of the word, have been discovered in the issue, by their being given up to foolish and corrupt errors, to have had their minds filled with pride and self-conceit; without which they would not have been so.

This is the great preparation for the souls admittance into the treasury of sacred truths: Go to the reading, hearing, studying of the Scripture, with hearts sensible of your own unworthiness to be taught, of your disability to learn, ready to receive, embrace, and submit unto what shall be made known unto you, this is the way to be taught of God. And in this way if you learn not so much as others, yet that which you do learn shall be of as much use, benefit, and advantage unto you, as theirs shall be who attain unto the greatest degrees of spiritual light and knowledge. The word, thus inquired into, will be as manna to them that gathered it, Exo 16:18.

2. Earnest prayer for the guidance, direction, assistance, and illumination of the Holy Ghost, to enable us to find out, discern, and understand, the deep things of God. Where this is neglected, whatever we know, we know it not as we ought. Davids prayer was, as we observed before,

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law, Psa 119:18.

This opening of our eyes is the immediate work of the Holy Ghost. Without this we shall never be able to discern the wondrous, mysterious things that are in the word of God, 2Co 3:18; 2Co 4:6. The Lord Christ promiseth that the Comforter shall teach us all things, Joh 14:26; and, as the Spirit of truth, guide us into all truth, Heb 11:13. And although there may be somewhat peculiar in these promises unto the apostles, namely, to guide them by extraordinary inspiration and revelation, yet also there is grace promised in them to all his disciples, that they also shall be guided into the truth by the word through his instruction; for, as he tells all believers that his Father will give the Holy Spirit unto them that ask him of him, so John tells them that they have an unction from the Holy One, 1Jn 2:20, which abideth in them, and teacheth them all things, 1Jn 2:27, that is, which God would have them know in their stations, and which are needful for them. That this is the only way whereby we may come to know the things of God, the great and wondrous things of God laid up in the word, our apostle discourseth at large, 1 Corinthians 2. The natural man, he tells us, that is, such an one as hath not the help and assistance of the Spirit of God, cannot receive the things that are of God, 1Co 2:14. He can neither find them out himself, nor own them when they are discovered by others. But the Spirit searcheth the deep things of God, 1Co 2:10. Many of the things of God in the Scripture are very deep, so that they cannot be discovered but by the help of the Spirit of God; as he shows they are to believers, 1Co 2:11-12; 1Co 2:15-16. And to this purpose are we directed to pray by the example of our apostle, Eph 1:16-20; Eph 3:16-19; Col 2:2. Near what is the work of the Holy Spirit in this matter, by what way and means he leads us to the knowledge and acknowledgment of sacred truths, how he guides and directs us into the discovery of the sense and meaning of God in his word, shall, if God will and I live, be handled apart in another discourse, [4] and shall not therefore be now insisted on. But this is the great and principal rule, which is to be given unto those who would find out the mind of God in the Scripture, who would search out the mysterious truths that are contained in it, and would be kept from errors in their so doing, and that both to understand things aright for their own advantage, and interpret the word aright for the advantage and edification of others: Let them be earnest, diligent, constant, fervent in their supplications and prayers, that God, according to his promise, would graciously send his Holy Spirit, to guide, lead, instruct, and teach them, to open their understandings, that they may understand the Scriptures, as our Lord Jesus did for the disciples by the way, and to preserve them from mistakes and errors. Unless we have this guidance we shall labor to little purpose in this matter; yea, woe be to him who leans to his own understanding herein! [5] And these prayers ought to be,

[4] See Causes, Ways, and Means of Understanding the Word of God, in volume 4 of the authors works. ED.

[5] In his edition of this work, Dr. Wright very properly transfers the three lines which follow, from their place, in the original edition, at the close of the fifth particular under the next division. We adopt his emendation, as obviously required by the subject of these lines, which have evidently a connection with the paragraph above. ED.

(1.) A constant part of our daily supplications;

(2.) Brief elevations of soul unto God, whenever occasionally or statedly we read the word, or hear it;

(3.) Solemn or appointed seasons.

3. Endeavor, in all inquirings into the word, to mind and aim at the same ends which God hath in the giving and granting of it unto us. Then do we comply with the will of God in what we do, and may comfortably expect his gracious assistance. Now, in general God had a fivefold end in granting this inestimable privilege of the Scripture unto the church:

(1.) That it might be such a revelation of himself, his mind and will unto us, as that we might so know him as to believe in him, fear him, love him, trust in him, and obey him in all things. This is the great and principal end of the Scripture, Deu 29:29. Without this, all things concerning God and our duty, since the entrance of sin, are wrapped up in darkness and confusion, as is manifest at this day in all nations and places left destitute of it. And this, therefore, is to be our principal aim in our study of the Scripture. That we may know God as he hath revealed and declared himself; that we may come to an acquaintance with him by a rule and light infallible, given us by himself for that purpose, that so in all things we may glorify him as God, and live unto him, is the first thing which in this matter we ought to aim at. And a due consideration hereof will be exceeding useful and effectual to curb the vanity and curiosity of our minds, which are apt to turn us aside towards corrupt, unprofitable, and sinister ends.

(2.) Another end of God was, that we might have a safe rule and infallible guide for the due performance of all the duties, towards himself and one another, which he requires of us in the whole course of our obedience, 2Ti 3:15-17. God hath, in infinite wisdom, treasured up in this book every thing that, either for the matter or manner of its performance, is any way necessary for us to know or do, that we may be wise unto salvation, and thoroughly furnished for every duty that he requireth at our hands. And here lies our next end. We come to the Scripture to learn these things; and nowhere else can we so learn them as to attain either assurance and peace in our souls, or so perform them as that they should be acceptable unto God. This mind, therefore, ought to be in us, in all wherein we have to do with the Scriptures. We go to them, or ought so to do, to learn our own duty, to be instructed in the whole course of our obedience, in what God requires of us in particular. With this design we may go on and prosper.

(3.) God hath given us his word to guide and direct us in our ways under all dispensations of his providence, that we sin not against him, nor hurt or damage ourselves, Psa 119:24. The providences of God towards us, as to our course in this world, do oftentimes bring us into great straits and difficulties, so that we know not well how to steer our course, so as neither to sin against God, nor to prejudice or ruin ourselves without just and cogent reasons. God hath given us his word to counsel us in this matter; and by a diligent attendance unto it we shall not fail of blessed guidance and directions, Here we ought to seek it; and here we may find it, if we seek in a due manner.

(4.) The Scriptures are given us of God to administer unto us consolations and hope in all our distresses and tribulations, Rom 15:4; Psa 119:92. In them hath God graciously treasured up whatever is useful or needful to this purpose. Whatever be our distresses, fears, disconsolations, as to what hath, doth, or may befall us in this world, God hath designed a relief under it and against it in his word. That we may be always furnished with this blessed and precious provision, ought to be one end also that we aim at in our considerations of it.

(5.) God hath done this, that he might give us infallible assurance of eternal life when we shall be here no more, with some prospect into the glories of it and foretastes of its sweetness, 2Ti 1:10. This as we stand in need of, so the constant fixing of our eye upon it as our utmost end, will be a safe and blessed guidance unto us in our whole course. These are the ends of God in giving us his word, and these ought to be ours continually in our search into it; and the want hereof, whilst some have indulged their fancies in the pursuit of unuseful notions and speculations, hath caused them to err from the truth.

4. They that would search the Scriptures to find out the sacred truths that lie hid in them, ought to take care that they entertain no corrupt lusts in their hearts or minds; which will certainly refuse to give admittance unto spiritual truth when it is tendered unto them. Hence is that advice of the apostle Jas 1:21. They that will receive the word so as to have it an ingrafted word, to effect in them the work and end whereunto it is designed, must cast out all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness.

Fleshly and corrupt lusts indulged unto in the hearts and minds of men Will make their most industrious search into the Scripture of no advantage to themselves Love of sin will make all study of the Scripture to be mere lost labor. Hearts pure and undefiled, minds serene and heavenly, so far as by the grace of God we can attain to them, are required to this work. And it ought to be one great motive unto an endeavor after them, that we may be the more able to discern the mind of God in his word.

5. Sedulity and constancy in this duty are great helps to a profitable discharge of it. When men read the word but seldom, so that the things of it are strange to them, or not familiar with them, they will be continually at a loss in what they are about. This is that which the wise man directs us unto, Pro 7:1-4. Constant reading and meditation on the word will create a familiarity between our minds and it, when occasional diversions only unto it will make an estrangedness between them. Hence our apostle commends it in his Timothy, that from a child he had known the holy Scriptures, 2Ti 3:15; whereby being made familiar unto him, he was much assisted in the right understanding and use of them. And there is not any thing in our walking before God that is more acceptable unto him. For this expresseth somewhat of that reverence which we ought to have of the greatness and holiness of Him with whom we have to do. The Jews frontispiece to their great Bible is that saying of Jacob upon the vision of God that he had at Bethel, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. So ought we to look upon the word, with a holy awe and reverence of the presence of God in it. Our faith and dependence on him, with our valuation of the knowledge of his mind and will, are hereby expressed; and hereby also do we give glory to him.

6. In our search after truth our minds are greatly to be influenced and guided by the analogy of faith. He that prophesieth, that is, interpreteth Scripture, must do it , Rom 12:6; according, say we, to the proportion of faith.

There is a harmony, an answerableness, and a proportion, in the whole system of faith, or things to be believed. Particular places are so to be interpreted as that they do not break or disturb this order, or fall in upon their due relation to one another. This our apostle calls , 2Ti 1:13, a fixed, and as it were an engraved form of sound, wholesome, or healing words or doctrines, or a summary of fundamental truths; , the sound doctrine of the gospel, Heb 4:3. And this, probably, is that which he intends by his v, Heb 3:5, a form or delineation of godliness, in the doctrines of it; which many may have, who, as we say, are orthodox and sound in the faith, who yet in their hearts and lives deny the power of it. This proportion of faith, this form of sound words, is continually to be remembered in our inquiry after the mind of God in any particular place of the Scripture; for all the Scripture is from the same spring of divine inspiration, and is in all things perfectly consistent with itself. And the things that are of greatest importance are delivered in it plainly, clearly, and frequently. Unto these the sense of every particular place is to be reduced; none is to be assigned unto it, none to be pretended from it, that falls in upon any of the truths elsewhere clearly and fully confirmed. For men to come to a place of Scripture, it may be dark and obscure in itself, and, through I know not what pretences, draw a sense from it which is inconsistent with other doctrines of faith elsewhere plainly revealed, is openly to corrupt the word of God. And as indeed there is no place which doth not afford a sense fairly reconcilable unto the analogy of faith, so, if it do not appear unto us, we must sit down in the acknowledgment of our own darkness and ignorance, and not admit of any such sense as riseth up in contradiction thereunto. Want of a due attendance unto this rule is that which hath produced the most pestilent heresies in the church. Thus the Papists, taking up these words, This is my body, without a due consideration of the analogy of faith about the human nature of Christ, the spirituality of the union and communion of believers with him, the nature of sacramental expressions and actions, which are elsewhere evidently declared, by which the interpretation, according to the apostles rule, is to be regulated and squared, have from them fancied the monstrous figment of their transubstantiation, absolutely destructive of them all. It is the known way of the Quakers amongst ourselves, if they can get any one single text of Scripture which, in the sound of the words, or on any other account, seems to favor some fancy they have a mind unto, instantly they take it up, not once considering whether it do not dissolve the whole proportion of faith, and overthrow the most fundamental articles of Christianity: so from the outward sound of that one text, Joh 1:9, That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, they fear not to take up a pretended sense of them, destructive to what is taught about the nature of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, of faith, grace, conversion to God, plainly and evidently in a thousand other places. Our apostle doth not so; for although he deduces great and mysterious truths out of the Scriptures of the Old Testament, yet they are such as answer the whole system of divine revelation, and have a due place and order in the form of sound words.

7. A due consideration of the nature of the discourse wherein any [dark?] words are used, tends much to give light into their sense and importance. And the discourses in the Scripture may be referred materially to four general heads; for they are either historical, or prophetical, or dogmatical, or hortatory. And for the way or form of writing used in them, it is in general either proper and literal, or figurative and allegorical, as is the whole book of Canticles, and many other parts or passages in the Scripture. Now these things are duly to be weighed by them who intend to dig deep into this mine of sacred truth. But particular directions in reference unto them are too many here to be insisted on.

8. The proper grammatical sense of the words themselves is duly to be inquired into and pondered. This principally respects them who are able to pursue this search after truth in the original languages. Others also may have much help by comparing parallel places, even in translations; whence the proper sense or usual acceptation of any words may be learned. And of this nature many other particular rules might be added, which are by others commonly insisted on, and therefore may be here omitted.

This that hath been spoken may serve, as for the reproof of some, so for the direction of others. Whence is it that some receive so little benefit by their studying of the Scripture, at least in their pretending so to do? Alas ! their manifold miscarriages are manifest unto all. Without diligence, without humility, without watching unto prayer, they go in the confidence of their own strength and abilities to search and expound it; which is to attempt the opening of brazen doors without a key, and the digging of mines for hid treasures with mens nails and fingers. It is true there are sundry things that are common to the Scripture, as it is a writing consisting of propositions and reasonings, with all other writings; an apprehension and understanding of many of these lieth obvious to every superficiary reader: but to come to a clear understanding of the secrets of the mind of God, and mysteries of his will, this is not to be attained without the sedulous, diligent use of the means before mentioned. And what guidance lies in them, and other particular rules to the same purpose, is, though in great weakness, looked after in this Exposition.

Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews

saying: Heb 3:7, Heb 3:8, 2Sa 23:1, 2Sa 23:2, Mat 22:43, Mar 12:36, Luk 20:42, Act 2:29, Act 2:31, Act 28:25

To day: Heb 3:7, Heb 3:15, Psa 95:7

after: 1Ki 6:1, Act 13:20-23

Reciprocal: Act 2:30 – being Rom 2:5 – But after 2Co 6:2 – a time

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Heb 4:7. Limiteth is from a Greek word that means “to determine, appoint” according to Thayer. Saying in David means it is said in the writings or David, namely, in Psa 95:7-8. The thought of this verse is that God “determined” to have another rest and caused David to write about it, and to exhort the ones living before it not to make the mistake the former ones did.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Heb 4:7. Again. To continue the argument and to correct another misconstruction. He has already shown that the rest of God of which he here speaks is not the rest of God after creation; he now proceeds to show, by a further examination of the Psalm, that neither is it the rest of Canaan.

He limiteth (still further defines the day and consequently the rest of which he speaks) a certain day, saying in David (as we say in Daniel), not by David, nor, as Bengel holds, in, i.e by the Spirit dwelling in and inspiring him.

A long time (some 500 years) after they had entered Canaan, as it is said in the forequoted passage (Heb 3:7; Heb 3:15).

Today if ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Some think the words Today look forward to the time of the Gospel (translating today, i.e as it said a long time before the day comes; so Dr. J. Brown and others; but if this be the meaning, it would surely be needless for the writer to prove by argument that the entering into rest had not yet come).

A long time points back to the entrance into Canaan, and as it has been said before (the true reading) points simply to the previous quotations.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Verse 7

In the parenthesis, Hebrews 4:7-10, the writer shows that the rest spoken of was not merely rest in the land of Canaan, as he had before shown that it was not the sabbatical rest of God.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament