Hebrews 4

Paul had concluded chapter 3 warning believers not to repeat the same mistakes unbelievers did during Moses' time (the previous Dispensation of the Law). This chapter began with Paul telling the Christian Hebrews to fear coming short of Salvation.

Doctrine: The Word will only profit us if we unite it with faith (experience and understanding). Mark 7:13 recorded that Jesus said that the Pharisees made the Word of God of "none effect" by their traditions, by teaching man-made doctrine instead of having faith in God's Doctrine. Paul contrasted the unbelievers during Moses' time with the believers during his time. Both had the Word of God preached to them. Those unbelievers during the previous dispensation (the Law) did not unite faith with the preaching. What about believers during our dispensation?

God rested on the seventh day from His work. The word "rest" in this verse was katapausis. Rest comes after work; rest without work is sloth. Furthermore, for six days God initiated His Will. God was "All-Powerful": everything He did was a "first cause." God created man on the sixth day and then God stated, "let them have dominion over everything": Genesis 1:26. On the seventh day, we have an apparent contradiction: God had dominion and man had dominion. Only one can truly act as a first cause and initiate their will.

Paul referenced Genesis 2:1-3 which stated on the seventh day, God rested from all His work. In that passage, "rest" meant "ceased from His occupation of being a first cause." During the seventh day, God chose to stop initiating His Will so that man could initiate his will. Throughout this Bible Commentary, we have seen that from the seventh day even until now, God does not initiate His Will, God responds through Justice. Now, God being "All-Powerful" means that God has complete control over everything that does not have a will: the weather, animals, and inanimate objects. Paul stated that those who believe also enter into the same rest that God is currently resting in. Christians ought to be resting like God is resting. What does that mean? This is critical because Paul stated believers ought to be doing this.

However, Paul again referenced Psalm 95:11 which he had referenced repeatedly in the previous chapters. This passage was referenced to show that not everyone will actually be saved.

Paul stated the reason people fail to enter into the same rest as God would be due to disobedience. Again, understanding this rest is critical to being a believer.

Paul referenced Psalm 95:8.

Paul was bringing resolution to this concept of rest. Paul stated the rest we ought to be in was different than a future day of rest.

In this verse "rest" was different than the word used for the other translations of the word "rest". In this verse, "rest" was sabbatismos which was "the future paradisiacal time in eternity." This referred to eternity in paradise.

In verse 10, Paul returned back to katapausis - "ceasing from his occupation of being a first cause." Paul stated that those who were believers had also ceased from their occupation of being a first cause, of initiating their will which resulted in their works, for Reward. If a believer is not initiating his own actions, who is initiating the actions of a believer? The Holy Spirit via grace.

Salvation is by grace through faith. Salvation comes by ceasing from doing things in our own strength and allowing the Holy Spirit to be the influence upon our hearts, and reflect in our lives by working through us to Righteousness, for Salvation.

It would not be Right and Just for God to require us to rest (cease from initiating our will) if God did not also do this first. God did rest on the seventh day and has been resting since. He provided everything necessary for Salvation, however, it is our responsibility to humble ourselves and allow God to direct our actions by being obedient to the Holy Spirit. From the beginning of this section, Paul had been preaching grace through faith. Now we see that Paul showed all believers need to willfully choose to cease from being a first cause, and allow the Holy Spirit to initiate His Will, and that leads to Salvation.

Paul stated that to not allow choosing this rest, not allowing the Holy Spirit to be the first cause, was the same as disobeying God and not being a believer.

In Ephesians 6:17, Paul's explanation of the armor of God included "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." In that verse, "word" was rhema - "the revelatory and powerful word of God without precedence that brings Salvation." In verse 12 (above), "word" was logos - "the word that brings understanding (WHY)." The passage in Ephesians spoke of the rhema of God. This passage spoke of the logos of God. These passages were not contradictory. These passages spoke of two different words of God. This one focused on understanding. Also, discernment is focused on the WHY. The Word of God was made of words that facilitated movement: growth and profitability (a right WHY/HOW).

Notice, the word that brings understanding is able to bring resolution between soul and spirit. You only have one mind/soul and you cannot live without it because that is who you ARE. You can have more than one spirit and people were able to continue living once they have lost their spirit because your spirit is your connection between your Conscious Brain and God's Holy Spirit within you.

Doctrine: God completely understands every creature. God knows the mind/soul and heart (effects/actions) of every creature.

Believers have a "great high priest": Jesus Christ who first descended and then ascended into heaven (Ephesians 4:10). Paul had previously stated that Jesus was our High Priest (Hebrews 2:17; 3:1). Paul had stated that God completely understands every creature and believers allow the Holy Spirit to direct their actions. Now, Paul reminded the reader that Jesus was the High Priest and the Son of God, which meant He was greater than every earthly priest that has ever existed or ever will exist.

Jesus can relate to us and us to Him because He was tempted in all "points" as we are. There was not a Greek word that was translated to "points." This was not the word "things." Jesus was not tempted in all things that would ever exist, for example, Jesus was not tempted to play too many video games. Matthew 4 recorded that Jesus' temptation in the desert showed Jesus was tempted in the areas that He could have fallen, as we also are. The devil does not tempt us to do things that will not cause us to fall. The devil tempts us, just like he tempted Jesus: in those areas ("points") that would be possible for us to fall.

Because Jesus was tempted in His "points," we can boldly ask for grace to find help in time of need. Remember, "grace" is "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life." We can initiate grace. We can choose to ask God to work through us to handle temptations. This does not result in Salvation. When we initiate grace, it results in Reward. When God initiates grace and we choose to allow it to reflect in our life, it results in Salvation. Jesus experienced the utmost temptation according to who He is and He overcame it through grace, through choosing to ask God to work through Him to handle the temptation. If Jesus was like us and was able to get grace in His time of need, we can trust that we will have grace in our times of need.

Theme of Chapter 4: Paul continued his premise that Jesus was above everything. In this chapter, Paul proved Jesus was above every earthly priest by covering the concept of grace. Believers are saved by grace through faith, by choosing to rest: ceasing from being a first cause and allowing the Holy Spirit to initiate His Will. Paul showed we could initiate grace in order to deal with temptation.