Глава IV

Believers in Christ are led to a new peace to which they should strive (1–11). The Word of God in its threats, promises and gracious actions is the strongest incentive to obedience (12-13). With the mighty assistance of a High Priest like Jesus Christ, we can receive all things (14–16). Hebrews 4:1. Therefore, let us beware lest, while the promise of entering His rest remains, any of you may be found to be late. “There still remains the promise of entering into His rest,” a promise and peace of a different kind, different from the promise and rest of Old Testament Israel, which had a representative meaning and relation to Christian peace. Hebrews 4:2. For it was announced to us as well as to those; but the word they heard did not benefit them, not being mixed with the faith of those who heard it. The meaning of the 2nd half of the verse is this: the word they heard did not bring them (the Jews) any benefit, as it was not connected with the faith that they should have learned from what they heard. Hebrews 4:3. And we who believe enter into rest, since He said: “I swore in My wrath that they should not enter My rest,” although His works were accomplished at the beginning of the world. “We are entering” - the present instead of the future, still expected - an expression of the strongest confidence in its arrival. Just as those who did not believe did not receive the Old Testament rest, so we only “believe” enter into our rest. - “My Rest” The apostle talks about this rest of God and the participation of people in it in the nine following verses (Heb. 4:3-11), the meaning of which can be conveyed more clearly as follows: God completed His work and calmed down long before uttering the above words, but speaks of this His rest as the future for some people (Heb. 4:6), to whom He promised participation in it. If those called turned out to be worthy of God’s promise, peace would be achieved by them. But these invited ones turned out to be unworthy. And the thought of God’s peace remained, as it were, unfulfilled for them. Therefore, a new period was appointed for the implementation of God’s thoughts and the achievement of those who desire God’s peace (“yet… the Sabbath”, Heb. 4:9), which must be used, otherwise the fate of the careless will be repeated in the same menacing way. Hebrews 4:4. For nowhere is it said about the seventh day like this: and God rested on the seventh day from all His work. Hebrews 4:5. And here again: “they will not enter My rest.” Hebrews 4:6. So, since it remains for some to enter into it, but those to whom it was first told did not enter into it because of disobedience, Hebrews 4:7. it also defines a certain day, “today,” speaking through David, after such a long time, as it is said above: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Hebrews 4:8. For if Joshua had given them rest, no other day would have been spoken of after that. Hebrews 4:9. Therefore there still remains a Sabbath for the people of God. Hebrews 4:10. For whoever entered into His rest also rested from his own works, just as God did from His. “Whoever has entered into His rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from His.” The task of human affairs is the second creation - the return by man of the lost unity with the Divine. Those who have achieved this goal through faith in Christ, His grace, victory over sin and the world, inherit the peace of God, and are rewarded with participation in the Divine glory and bliss that is feasible for them. The exhortation to try to enter into the rest of God - (Heb. 4:11) the apostle substantiates or reinforces it with an indication of the liveliness and effectiveness of the Word of God (Heb. 4:12), by which we must mean the word in general - the expression of the thoughts of God, and the Personal Word - the second person of the Most Holy One. The Trinity, which, as the embodiment of living, eternal truth, carries within itself an inner living force, so that, being perceived by the human soul in faith, it becomes the embryo of various fruits (cf. Matt. 13: 3, etc.). – The effectiveness of the Word of God is in the power of fulfillment and fulfillment: “speaking and being” (Ps. 33:9, cf. Isa. 55:10, 11). – “Sharper than any two-edged sword” – a designation of the power and depth of penetration of the Word of God into the being of man (cf. Rev. 1:16; Wis. 18:15, 16). - “Before the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow” - before the separation of the inner, most mysterious, smallest parts of the body of the soul and spirit. Some, on the basis of this passage and 1 Thess. 5:23, argue that Holy Scripture recognizes the three-component nature of human nature: body, soul and spirit: the body, or flesh, as the lower, material shell of man, the spirit as a self-conscious, higher, Divinely related principle, and the soul as the animate of the body and its mediating connection with the spirit; the body is the shell of the soul, the soul is the shell of the spirit. These divisions of the spiritual side of the human being into soul and spirit can, however, be allowed not in the sense of two different parts or essences in a person, but only as a designation of different manifestations or properties of the same spiritual essence in a person: the soul, which animates the body, which receives sensory impressions, as in the proper sense the soul - ψυχή; the soul is thinking, desiring, capable of knowledge of God - like spirit - πνεύμα, cf. 1 Cor 15:44; 1 Thessalonians 5:23. From Heb.4:14, the apostle abruptly moves on to reveal another subject - the superiority of Christ's high priesthood over the Old Testament, devoting almost 6 chapters to this subject (up to Heb. 10:18), in which he examines the high priesthood of Christ in relation to His person, to the sanctuary and to the sacrifice He made. Hebrews 4:11. So let us try to enter into this rest, so that no one, following the same example, falls into disobedience. Hebrews 4:12. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword: it pierces to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:13. And there is no creature hidden from Him, but everything is naked and open before His eyes: to Him we will give an account. Hebrews 4:14. Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. The name αρχιερεύς (high priest) itself is designated in the Old Testament - “great,” the chief high priest, in the fullness of the rights of his title. The use of the special definition “great” (μέγας) is meant to note the special greatness of the New Testament High Priest with His highest calling (cf. Heb. 10:21, 13:20). - “He who passed through the heavens...” In accordance with how an ordinary high priest on the day of atonement walked to the Ark of the Covenant through the front doors and the holy place, with sacrifice for the people, it is said about the Great High Priest Jesus Christ that He “passed through heaven” with a sacrifice for us into the true Sanctuary of God, where, having accomplished the cleansing of our sins, He sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty of God as a continuous intercessor before God for those redeemed by His blood. Hebrews 4:15. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. As a special incentive to firmly hold to our confession, the apostle points to the special property of our New High Priest, which consists in the fact that He, who is like us in every way, except sin (Heb. 7:26; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 3:5; 1 Pet. 2:22), is distinguished by a special ability to help us in our weaknesses, and at the same time by merciful compassion in helping people the suffering and the burdened. - “Compassion” - not just sympathy, but participation in the suffering itself (συμπάσχειν, and not συμπαθείν, cf. Rom 8:17; 1 Cor 12:26). Hebrews 4:16. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. “To the throne of grace...” - in accordance with the approach of the Old Testament people to the sacrificial altar, the apostle calls to approach the throne of grace as a new place of the gracious presence of God, the source of His merciful and supportive actions (cf. Gal 5:7). You might be interested in: