Bible Commentaries
Hebrews 4

Verse 1

lest = lest haply. Greek. me pote.

rest . Greek. katapausis. See Acts 7:49 .

any . Greek. tis . App-123 .

come short = have failed. Greek. hustereo. See Romans 3:23 .

Verse 2

unto us, &c . = we also were evangelized. Greek. euangelizo. App-121 .

as, &c . = as they also (were).

word . Greek. logos. App-121 .

preached = of hearing. Greek. akoe . App-121 .

mixed . Greek. sunkerannumi. Only here and 1 Corinthians 12:24 . The texts prefer the accusative case plural of this word, agreeing with "them", rather than the nom, singular agreeing with "word". There is the addition of one letter in the Greek Read "them, since they were not united by faith to those that heard".

faith . Greek. pistis . App-150 . Occurs thirty-two times in Hebrews. See App-10 .

Verse 3

have . Omit.

believed . Greek. pisteuo. App-150 .

in . Greek. en. App-104 .

if, &c . See Hebrews 3:11 .

from . Greek. apo. App-104 .

foundation . See App-146 .

world . Greek. kosmos. App-129 .

Verse 4

spake = hath said.

God . App-98 .

rest . Greek. katapauo. See Acts 14:18 . Quoted from Genesis 2:2 .

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

Verse 6

some . Greek. tines. App-124 .

therein = into (Greek. eis) it.

to whom, &c . = who were first evangelized. See Hebrews 4:2 .

because of . Greek. dia . App-104 .Hebrews 4:2 . Compare Hebrews 3:19 .

unbelief = disobedience. Greek. apeitheia. See Romans 11:30 . Ephesians 2:2 ; &c.

Verse 7

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

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

David . In Psalms 95:7 , Psa 8923:8 .

Verse 8

Jesus = Joshua. Compare Acts 7:45 .

had given . . . rest = caused . . . to rest. Greek. katapauo, as Hebrews 4:4 . the heart.

afterward = after (Greek. meta) these things.

spoken . Greek. laleo . App-121 .7.

another . App-124 .

Verse 9

rest = a Rest Day. i.e. the great day of "rest" under the rule of the great "Priest (King) upon His throne". See Zechariah 6:13 . Greek. sabbatismos. Only here. The verb sabbatizo, to keep sabbath, occurs several times in the Septuagint

people . Greek. laos. See Acts 2:47 , and compare Galatians 1:6 , Galatians 1:16 .

Verse 10

ceased = rested, as Hebrews 4:4 .

own . Omit.

His . Add "own".

Verse 11

labour . Greek. spoudazo. See Galatians 1:2 , Galatians 1:10 .

lest . Greek. hina me, as Hebrews 3:13 .

after = in. Greek. en . App-104 .

example . Greek. hupodeigma. See John 13:15 .

Verse 12

quick = living. Greek. zao. Compare App-170 .

powerful . Greek. energes. See 1 Corinthians 16:9 , and compare App-172 .

sharper . Greek. tomoteros. Only here.

than = above. Greek. huper. App-104 .

twoedged . Greek. distomos. Only here and Revelation 1:16 ; Revelation 2:12 .

sword . Greek. machaira. Same word Ephesians 6:17 , but not Luke 2:35 .Revelation 1:16 ; &c.

piercing . Greek. diikneomai. Only here.

dividing asunder . Greek. merismos. See Hebrews 2:4 .

soul . App-110 and App-170 :3.

spirit . App-101 .

joints . Greek. harmos. Only here.

marrow . Greek. muelos. Only here.

discerner . Greek. kritikos. Only here.

thoughts . Greek. enthumesis. See Acts 17:29 .

intents . Greek. ennoia. Only here and 1 Peter 4:1 . The written Word is a sword (compare Ephesians 6:17 ), and the living Word has a sword (Revelation 1:16 ; Revelation 19:15 ). Once, and once only, has God used the word kritikos ; thus confining it to His own Word as a "critic". That Word is to be man's Judge (John 12:48 . Compare App-122 and App-177 ). Yet man claims the word "critic" and dares to sit in judgment on that very Word which is to judge him, in what he terms "higher criticism", which is only human reasoning based on the deceit of his own heart (Jeremiah 23:26 ). "In the last day" man will be criticized (judged) by the same Word on which he now sits in judgment. "Dividing asunder of soul and spirit" means not only differentiating between that which is begotten of the flesh and that which is begotten of the Spirit (John 3:6 ) in the individual; but also between the natural (Greek. psuchikos) man and the spiritual (Greek. pneumatikos) man. See 1 Corinthians 2:13-15 .

Verse 13

Neither, &c . = And there is not (Greek. ou) a created thing. See Romans 8:39 .

that, &c . Literally not manifested. Greek. aphanes. Only here. Compare App-106 .

in His sight = before His eyes. The Divine X-rays allow nothing to be hidden. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

opened . Greek. trachelizomai. Only here. This word in classical Greek. is used of bending back the neck ( trachelos ) of animals to be sacrificed, and may refer to the separating of the victim into its parts. See Leviticus 1:6-9 ; &c.

unto = to.

with . Greek. pros. App-104 .

we have to do . Literally is our account (Greek. logos, as Hebrews 4:2 ).

Verse 14

Seeing . . . have = Having therefore.

High Priest . See Hebrews 2:17 .

passed into = passed through. Same word as in 1 Corinthians 10:1 ; 1 Corinthians 16:5 . Compare Hebrews 7:26 . Ephesians 4:10 .

heavens . See Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 .

Jesus . App-98 .

Son of God . App-98 .

profession . See Hebrews 3:1 .

Verse 15

which cannot = not (Greek. me) able to.

be touched . . . of = sympathize with. Greek. sumpatheo. Only here and Hebrews 10:34 . Compare 1 Peter 3:8 .

infirmities . See John 11:4 , same Greek. word.

in all points. According to (Greek. kata , App-104 ) all things.

tempted . Greek. peirazo. See Hebrews 2:18 .

like, &c . Literally according to (Greek. kata , as above) our likeness. Greek. homoiotes . Only here and Hebrews 7:15 .

without = apart from. Greek. choris .

sin . Greek. hamartia. App-128 .

Verse 16

come = draw near. Greek. proserchomai. A key word; occurs seven times in Hebrew: here, Hebrews 7:25 ; Hebrews 10:1 , Hebrews 10:22 ; Hebrews 11:6 ; Hebrews 12:18 , Hebrews 12:22 .

boldly = with (Greek. meta. App-104 .) boldness (Greek. parrhesia. See Hebrews 3:6 ).

grace . Greek. charis. App-184 .

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

obtain = receive.

mercy . Greek. eleos. Occurs twenty-eight times, twenty-three times associated with God. Compare Exodus 34:6 , Exodus 34:7 . God's own character of Himself, which the O.T. saints delight to quote. Deuteronomy 4:31 . 2 Chronicles 30:9 . Nehemiah 9:17 . Psalms 86:15 ; Psalms 103:17 ; Psalms 111:4 ; Psalms 130:7 ; Psalms 145:8 . Joel 2:13 .Micah 7:18 , &c.

to help, &c . = for (Greek. eis) seasonable (Greek. eukairos. Only here and Mark 6:21 ) help (Greek. boetheia. Only here and Acts 27:17 ).