Trying to interpret
Heb. 4 reading your pet doctrine into it will lead you to the wrong conclusion.
Saying things like this doesn't help prove anything..
Actually that is not the case. The chapter begins with “therefore” so you have to read chapter 3 to understand what the conclusion that prompted the therefore is.
“Take care, brothers and sisters, that there will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called “today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we keep the beginning of our commitment firm until the end, while it is said, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.” For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.”
Hebrews 3:12-19 NASB2020
This portion of chapter three refers to the dangers of unbelief and disobedience. Those that did not entered the promise land either by dying in the wilderness for unbelief or by being disobedient did not enter His rest.
Unbelief here is the obstinate stiff-necked type. The sinning comes from the evil heart of unbelief. And the more one sins the more this evil hearted obstinate condition grows. It isn't that they did not believe in God. The issue was they did not believe God because of their rebellious nature.
“Therefore, we must fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.”
Hebrews 4:1 NASB2020
Therefore, we must fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.
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Talking to the Hebrew converts about the believer’s rest not about the sabbath rest.
Yes. I don't think anyone has said different in respect to that verse.
“For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united with those who listened with faith.”
Hebrews 4:2 NASB2020
For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united with those who listened with faith.
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The good news was preached to the Hebrew converts but it did not benefit them because they are not united with those who listen with faith.
No, that is not what the verse is saying. The Good News here that did not benefit them is in respect to The Good news preached to those who were being spoken of in chapter three who were hindered from entering into the promised land. The writer of Hebrews is saying they in his time have had Good News preached to them as those who were in Moses time did. But those in Moses' time did not heed because of their evil heart of unbelief. They did not believe what God said. They did not have faith in God therefore their carcasses fell in the desert because of their sin.
“For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My anger, They certainly shall not enter My rest,” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.”
Hebrews 4:3 NASB2020
What is that rest?
Yes, the rest we have in Christ Jesus being His House. If we hold fast in confidence we will remain His house as He succours (helps) us when we are tempted. We just need to listen to His voice as we hear it. This is the Gospel. Part of it anyway.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour (helps) them that are tempted.
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Heb 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
“For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and again in this passage, “They certainly shall not enter My rest.””
Hebrews 4:4-5 NASB2020
For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS”; and again in this passage, “THEY CERTAINLY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.”
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Look at the contrast. The writer clearly refers to the sabbath rest in the first part of the verse and then states that they are not going to enter such rest. Why would that be if any Jews could observe the sabbath? The temple was not destroyed yet so they could just go to the temple on the seventh day. No one is going to enter the believers rest unless they have accepted the gospel of good news and has faith.
Bad translation, the word if needs to be in the text as it is in the verse three below. Go to your Greek to English Interlinear you will see yourself.
Heb 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath,
if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Heb 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
The Rest here in verse 3 is that of the Good News, the rest we have in Christ Jesus being His house. There He helps us when we are tempted if we listen to His voice. The works for this rest were finished from the foundation of the world is what these verses are saying. This is brought out even more in verse 4 where he starts the verse with the word "for" which adds a reason to that which was previously stated. There it states that when God spake in that certain place Mt Sinia, that He said that He rested from all His works. That would include resting from the works for the rest which is the Good news of Christ Jesus. Verse 5 continues in that it says, "in this again".
In this again what? This brings us back to verse 4 where it says, He speaks of the Seventh Day, if we shall enter into the Rest which we have in Christ Jesus being His house listening to His voice.
Heb 4:5 And in this again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Why does he say that? Let's continue and we shall see.
“Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who previously had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience,”
Hebrews 4:6 NASB2020
This verse goes back to those that did not enter into the promise land depicted at the end of chapter three. They rejected the good news because if their disobedience and lack of faith as the previous verse teaches. See the use of the word “therefore” again?
No, this is present tense for the writer. Those in the time of Moses had their time. This text is being said in context to verse 5 where it says IF they shall enter into His rest which is the Good News He speaks again of the Seventh Day when God did rest from all His works. The clause from verse, “Therefore, since it remains for some to enter" is being spoken in the present tense. And the clause. "and those who previously had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience" is basically being spoken in the past tense. He is making a contrast to those of his time not entering into the rest which is the Good News due to disobedience, as in the time of Moses and Joshua.
“He again sets a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.”
Hebrews 4:7-8 NASB2020
He again sets a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.” For if Joshua had given them res
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So a new day is set, today. There is urgency in accepting the gospel of good news and not continuing on the law....
Yes Heb3;7 and 8 is a call to accept the Good News. Not on a certain day, but today. As the text says, Joshua did not give them this Rest when He led Israel into the promised Land.
Every day God wants us to hear His voice, Christ Jesus. Succoring us, helping us when we our tempted. These verses are basically being repeated from chapter three where the writer first quoted the Psalm. There in verse 7 he spoke in the present tense in context to verse 6. There it is also a call to repentence. Called to hold fast our confidence in His voice firm unto the end. Have not that evil heart of unbelief, not trusting God.
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Heb 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Heb 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
“Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.”
Hebrews 4:9-10 NASB2020
Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.
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The mention of the sabbath rest here is a shadow of the actual sabbath rest as evidenced by the previous verses. Joshua entered the promise land with the law at hand but did not provided them rest. Then those that do enter His rest, the believers rest, has rested from his works which here is the works of the law. Look at the sentence construction here. The fist part of the verse mentions a sabbath rest left but the second part of the post only mentions His rest which is consistent with the chapter so far talking about a believers rest.
No, verses 4:9 and 10 pick up where verses 4 and 5 left off. Verse 5 starts the call to repent and enter into God's rest heeding His voice through Christ and rest from our evil heart of unbelief.
We say that because verse 5 says if they shall enter into His rest. Because the writer sees as we do that some must enter therein. So today if we hear His voice let's not harden our hearts as in the day of provocation, but hold fast our confidence firm unto the end.
Verse 5 says as was said before, In this again, IF they shall enter into my rest.
What again?
To keep in context to verse 4, as was said we must conclude, The Again is the speaking of the Seventh Day. Two things being spoken of here. A speaking of the Seventh Day AGAIN with a condition. We know this by the word if. I’m other words, if we shall enter Rest in Christ Jesus He speaks again of the Seventh Day.
In context to that He says there remains therefore a Sabbath Keeping for the people of God. For the one who has entered into His Rest. The Good News of being His House, whose House we are if we hold fast our confidence firm unto the end heeding His voice, His helping us when we are tempted in sin. He ALSO, IN ADDITION TO ENTERING INTO THIS REST. He also ceases from His own works AS, JUST LIKE God did from His on the Seventh Day.
Two things not one. NO WAY AROUND THAT. The Rest which is the Good News and, ALSO the ceasing from our own works, AS, just like God did FROM HIS on the Seventh Day. The verse says as, which means just like God did from His SO UNLESS you or anyone else is going to say God had an evil heart of unbelief and needed to enter into His Rest, the good news in Christ Jesus and heed His own voice. The ceasing from our own works as God did from His must be that in which was spoken in that certain place, Mt Sinia. And that ceasing from our OWN WORKS was the physical works of our hands that we do. NOT SPIRITUAL. Because God rested from His physical work of Creation. And because He did, He hallowed the Seventh Day and sanctified it. So, He speaks again of the Seventh Day and the keeping of the Sabbath if we enter into His rest, Good News, Christ Jesus. And how does He speak it it. He calls for us to keep it as He did cease from our own work.
Heb 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Heb 4:5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Heb 4:9 There remains, therefore, Sabbathkeeping for the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For the one who has entered into His rest, he also has ceased from his works, just as God did from His own works.
It is a Sabbath keeping not Sabbath rest in verse 4:9. There is a difference. If you keep the Sabbath you are resting on the Seventh Day. And the Seventh Day is the Premise of the context as verses 4:4 and 5 put forth. Because that is what He spoke of on that certain place, Mt Sinia.
In almost all Lexicons the first citation after the word in question is the definition. What follows that typically is how it is seen figuratively as seen in Strong's and ABSMLG where it is stated. Or how it is interpreted or being used in a translation or in the mind of the author as seen in the other lexicons cited below.
Thayer's citation: Original: σαββατισμός
- Transliteration: Sabbatismos
- Phonetic: sab-bat-is-mos'
- Definition:
1. a keeping sabbath
2. the blessed rest from toils and troubles looked for in the age to come by the true worshippers of God and true Christians
- Origin: from a derivative of G4521
- TDNT entry: 07:35,0
- Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine
Strong's citation: From a derivative of G4521; a sabbatism a sabbatism that is (figuratively) the repose of Christianity (as a type of heaven): - rest.
Webster's definition of sabbatism
-ˌtizəm
noun
plural -s
the strict observance of the sabbath
LSJ's citation: Σαββᾰτ-ισμός , ὁ , a keeping of days of rest, Ep. Hebr. 4.9 , cf. Plu. 2.166a (codd., βαπτισμούς Bentley).
ABSMGL's citation:
G4520
*† σαββατισμός, -οῦ, ὁ
(< σαββατίζω, to keep the sabbath, Exo 16:30, al.),
a keeping sabbath, a sabbath rest: metaph., as in Mishna (Zorell, s.v.), Heb 4:9.†
“Therefore let’s make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience.”
Hebrews 4:11 NASB2020
Therefore let’s make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience.
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Notice here that it is THAT rest not the sabbath rest that we are to enter. The rest that we have to enter is the believers rest that we enter by faith. It even exhorts us to be careful not to follow the example of those listed at the bottom of chapter three that did not enter the promise land because of their lack of faith and disobedience.
RIght, the writer continues in respect to the rest which is the Good news that we are His house, if hold fast our confidence firm unto the end heeding His voice, so we do not follow after the same example of disobedience through unbelief, not trusting His voice, His help when we are tempted.
This is basically what
@SabbathBlessings @BobRyan and
@Freth have been saying to everyone in part, I think. But I don't and won't argue that with you. If they think different that is fine.
