Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
(From: HEBREWS #3 - 3 & 4))
C. 3:1-4:16 JESUS: OUR HIGH PRIEST “PAR EXCELLENCE”
1. 3:1-6 JESUS: THE HIGH PRIEST OF OUR CONFESSION
a. 3:1-2 JESUS: THE HIGH PRIEST OF OUR CONFESSION
HOthan, a-delPHOI HAgi-oi, KLEse-os ]2821]e-pou-raNIou [2032]MEto-choi [3353],
Whence, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling,
ka-ta-noEsa-te [2657]ton aPOsto-lon [652]kai ar-chi-eREa [748]tes ho-mo-loGIas [3671]heMON, IeSOUN;
consider the Apostle and High Priest of our :confession, Jesus;
piSTON [4103] ONta topoiEsan-ti [4160]auTON, hos kai Mo-uSES en HOlo toOIko [3624]auTOU.
2 who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also was Moses in all his :house.
b. 3:3 HONOR OF JESUS SURPASSES THAT OF MOSES
PLEIo-nos gar HOUtos DOxes [1391]paRA Mo-uSEN eXIo-tai,
For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses,
kath' HOson PLEIo-na tiMEN [[5092]Echei tou OIkou ho ka-ta-skeuAsas [2680]auTON.
by so much as he that built the house has more honor than the house.
c. 3:4 For every house is built by some one; but who built all thingsis God.
pas gar OIkos ka-ta-skeuAse-tai [2680] huPO tiNOS; ho de PANta ka-ta-skeuAsas TheOS.
d. 3:5-6 THE FAITHFULNESS OF CHRIST OVER US: GOD'S HOUSE!
kai Mo-uSES men piSTO en HOloto OIkoauTOU hos theRApon [2324],
And Moses indeed was faithful in all his :house as a servant,
eis marTUri-on [3142] ton la-le-the-soMEnon [3980];
for a testimony of those thingswhich were to be spoken;
ChrisTOS de hos huiOS, ePI ton OIkon auTOU; hou OI-KOS es-men huMEIS, eAN ten par-reSIan [3954]
6but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast
kai to KAUche-ma [2745]tes elPIdos [1680]MEchri TElous [5056]beBAIan [949]kaTAscho-men [2722].
the boldness and the glorying of the hope firm unto the end.
2. 3:7-4:13 JESUS: OUR JOSHUA TO LEAD US INTO SPIRITUAL CANAAN
a. 3:7-11 REST FORFEITED THROUGH DISOBEDIENCE
Di' HO, kaTHOS LEgei to PNEUma to HAgi-on, SEme-ron eAN tes phoNES [5456]auTOU aKOUse-te,
Wherefore, even as the Holy :Spirit says, Today if you shall hear his :voice,
meskleRUne-te [4645]tas karDIas huMON, hos en topa-ra-pi-krasMO[3894],
8Harden not your :hearts, as in the provocation,
kaTA ten heMEran tou pei-rasMOU [3986]en te eREmo[2048],
Like as the day of the trial in the wilderness,
hou ePEIra-san [3985] hoi paTEres huMON en do-ki-maSIa [1381],
9Where your :fathers tried me by proving me,
kai EIdon ta ERga [2041] mou tes-seRAkon-ta Ete[2094], di' HO proSOCHthi-sa [4360]te ge-neA [1074]TAUte,
And saw my :works forty years, 10Wherefore I was displeased with this :generation,
kai EIpon, A-EI plaNONtai [4105]te karDIa: auTOI di' ouk EGno-san tas hoDOUS [3598]mou;
And said, They always err at heart: But THEY did not know my :ways;
hos Omo-sa [3660]en te orGE[3709]mou, Ei ei-seLEUson-tai [1525]eis ten kaTApauSIN [2663]mou.
11 As I swore in my :wrath, If they shall enter into my :rest.
b. 3:12-15 UNBELIEF: CAUSE OF DECEITFUL HARDENING
BLEpe-te, a-delPHOI, MEpo-te EStai EN ti-ni huMON
12Look, brethren, lest by chance an evil heart of unbelief
karDIa po-neRA [4190]a-piSTIas [570], en to a-posSTEnai [868]aPO TheOU ZONtos [2198]:
shall be in any one of you, in :falling away from a living God:
alLA pa-ra-kaLEIte [3870] he-auTOUS kath' heKAsten heMEran, Achris hou to SEme-ron kaLEItai;
13 but exhort one another each day, so long as it is called Today;
HIna meskle-runTHE[4645]tis ex huMON aPAte[539]tes ha-marTIas:
lest any oneof you be hardened by deceitfulness of :sin:
MEto-choi [3353] gar tou ChrisTOU geGOna-men, eANper
14for we are become partakers of the Christ, if indeed
ten arCHEN [746]tes hu-poSTAse-os [5287]MEchri TElous beBAIan kaTAscho-men [2722]:
we hold fast the beginning of the confidence firm unto theend:
en toLEges-thai, SEme-ron eAN tes phoNES auTOU aKOUse-te,
15while it is said, Today if you shall hear his :voice,
meskleRUne-te [4845]tas karDIas huMON, hos en topa-ra-pi-krasMO[3894].
Harden not your :hearts, as in the provocation.
c. 3:16 For who, when they heard, did provoke? no, not all that came out of Egypt by Moses?
TInes gar, aKOUsan-tes, pa-rePIkra-nan? all', ou PANtes hoi e-xelTHONtes ex AiGUPtou diA Mo-uSEos?
d. 3:17 DISPLEASURE OF GOD BROUGHT DEATH
TIsin de proSOCHthi-sen [4360]tes-seRAkon-ta Ete?
And with whom was he displeased forty years?
ouCHI tois ha-marTEsa-sin [264], hon ta KOla [2966]Epe-sen en teeREmo?
not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
e. 3:18 And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his :rest,but to the disobedient?
TIsin de Omo-sen me ei-seLEUses-thai [1525]eis ten kaTApau-sin [2663]auTOU, ei me tois a-peiTHEsa-sin?
f. 3:19 And we see that they could not enter because of unbelief.
kai BLEpo-men HOti ouk e-duNEthe-san [1410]ei-selTHEIN di' a-piSTIan [570].
g. 4:1 LEGITIMATE FEAR: REST CAN BE MISSED!
pho-beTHOmen [5399]oun, ME po-te,
Let us fear therefore, lest haply,
ka-ta-lei-poMEnes [2641]e-pag-geLIas [1860]ei-selTHEIN eis ten kaTApau-sin [2663]auTOU,
a promise being left of entering into his :rest,
doKEtis ex huMON hus-te-reKEnai [5302].
any one of you should seem to have come short.
h. 4:2 WORD NOT ACTED UPON BY FAITH IS PROFITLESS
kai GAR es-men eu-eg-ge-lisMEnoi [2097]kaTHAper ka' 'KEInoi:
For indeed we have been evangelized even as also they:
all' ouk oPHEle-sen [5623]ho LOgos tes a-koES [189]eKEInous,
but the word of :hearing did not profit them,
mesun-ke-ke-rasMEnous [4786]te PIstei tois aKOUsa-sin.
because they were not united by :faith with them that heard.
i. 4:3 BELIEF: THE DOOR INTO GOD'S ETERNAL REST
Ei-serCHOme-tha gar eis ten kaTApau-sin [2663]hoi piSTEUsan-tes [4100];
For we who have believed are entering into the rest;
kaTHOS EIre-ken, Hos Omosa [3660]en te orGE[3709]mou, Ei ei-seLEUson-tai eis ten kaTApauSIN mou:
even as he has said, As I swore in my :wrath,If they shall enter into my :rest:
KAItoi ton ERgon aPO ka-ta-boLES [2602]KOSmou ge-neTHENton.
although the works were finished from the world's foundation.
j. 4:4-5 THE SABBATH IS CONNECTED WITH REST
EIre-ken GAR pou peRI ten hebDOmes HOUtos,
For he has said somewhere of the seventh thus,
Kai kaTEpau-sen [2664] ho TheOS en te heMEra te hebDOmeaPO PANton ton ERgon auTOU:
And :God rested on the seventh :day from all his :works;
kai en TOUtoPAlin, Ei ei-seLEUson-tai eis ten kaTApauSIN mou.
5and in this placeagain, They shall not enter into my :rest.
k. 4:6-7 THE TRUE REST OF GOD IS A SET TIME
ePEI oun a-poLEIpe-tai [620] tiNAS ei-selTHEIN eis auTEN,
Since therefore it remains that some enter into it,
kai hoi PROte-ron eu-ag-ge-lisTHENtes ouk eiSELthon di' aPEIthei-an [543],
and the before evangelized entered not because of disobedience,
PAlin tiNA hoRIzei [3724] heMEran, SEme-ron,
7he again defines a certain day, Today,
en DauID LEgon meTA toSOUton CHROnon (kaTHOS proEIre-tai [4280]),
saying in David so long a time after (even as has been said before),
SEme-ron eAN tes phoNES auTOU aKOUse-te, meskleRUne-te [4645]tas karDIas [2588]huMON.
Today if you shall hear his :voice, Harden not your :hearts.
l. 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day.
ei gar auTOUS IeSOUS kaTEpau-sen [2664], ouk an peRI ALles eLAlei meTA TAUta heMEras.
m. 4:9 A sabbath rest remains therefore for the people of :God.
Ara a-poLEIpe-tai [620] sab-ba-tisMOS [4520] tolaO tou TheOU.
n. 4:10 GOD'S REST GIVES REST FROM WORK
ho gar ei-selTHON eis ten kaTApau-sin auTOU kai auTOS kaTEpau-sen
For who is entered into :his rest has himself also rested
aPO ton ERgon auTOU, HOSper aPO ton iDIon ho TheOS.
from his :work, as :God didfrom his:own.
o. 4:11 DILIGENCE OVERCOMES DISOBEDIENCE IN ENTERING REST
spouDAso-men [4704]oun ei-selTHEIN eis eKEInen ten kaTApau-sin,
Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that :rest,
HIna meen to auTOtis hu-poDEIGma-ti [5262]PEse [4098]tes a-peiTHIas [543].
that no one fall after the same example of :disobedience.
p. 4:12 GOD'S WORD: DISCERNS MOTIVES REGARDING REST
Zon [2198]gar ho LOgos [3056]tou TheOU, kai e-nerGES [1756],
For living is the word of :God, and active,
kai toMOte-ros [5114]huPER PAsan MAchai-ran [3162]DIsto-mon [1366],
and sharper than any two-edged sword,
kai di-ikNOUme-nos [1338] Achri me-risMOU [3311] psuCHES [5590]kai PNEUma-tos [4151],
and piercing even to thedividing of soul and spirit,
arMON [719]te kai mu-eLON [3452], kai kri-tiKOS [2924] en-thuMEse-on [1761]kai en-noiON [1771]karDIas.
of both joints and marrow, and a discerner of thoughts and intents of theheart.
q. 4:13 NO ONE ESCAPES GOD'S APPRAISAL
kai ouk EStin KTIsis [2937] a-phaNES [852]eNOpi-on auTOU:
And thereis no creature not manifest in his sight:
PANta de gumNA [1131] kai te-tra-che-lisMEna [5136]tois oph-thalMOIS auTOU pros hon heMIN ho LOgos.
but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
3. 4:14-16 JESUS OUTSHINES THE HIGH PRIEST BY HIS HEAVENLY POSITION
a. 4:14 VERBALIZE CHRIST AS YOUR HEAVENLY HIGH PRIEST
Echon-tes oun ar-chi-eREa [749] MEgan, di-e-le-luTHOta [1330]tous ou-raNOUS,
Having therefore a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens,
IeSOUN ton huiON tou TheOU, kraTOmen [2902]tes ho-mo-loGIas [3671].
Jesus the Son of :God, let us hold fast the confession.
b. 4:15 JESUS: A HIGH PRIEST UNDERSTANDING OUR TEMPTATIONS
ou gar Echo-men ar-chi-eREa meduNAme-non sun-paTHEsai [4834]tais as-theNEIais [769]heMON;
For we have not a high priest that cannot sympathize with our infirmities;
pe-pei-rasMEnon [3985] de kaTA panTA kath' ho-moiOte-ta [3665], choRIS ha-marTIas.
but one in all pointstempted according to ourlikeness, without sin.
c. 4:16 BOLDNESS IN APPROACHING THRONE BRINGS PRESENT HELP
pro-serCHOme-tha [4334]oun meTA par-reSIas [3954]to THROno[2362]tes CHAri-tos,
Let us therefore with boldness approach the throne of :grace,
HIna LAbo-men [2983]Ele-os [1656]kai CHArin [5485HEUro-men [2147]eis EUkai-ron [2121]boEthei-an [996].
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
NOTE: 3:1-6 - “ho-mo-loGIa” - Confession! Jesus is the High Priest of our Confessions. This is taken from 2 Greek words which mean “to say the samewordof God after Him.” When we cease from our thoughts, and rely on God's Word, and say and pray His Words after Him - thenour confessionpleases Him, and Jesus as our High Priest at the Father's right says - “Father - he has just confessed our wordin faith. It is proper to realize his confession for him!” Can we see the power of thinking God's thoughts after Him, and confessing His Wordback to Him? It is powerful! Our words and thoughts have little appeal to God - but His Wordgiven back to Him in faith - has an effect in heaven! For me - this is the key thought in this sub-paragraph.
But 3:7-4:13 is a close-knit reasoning which contrasts the work of Joshu leading Israel into the Promised Land, over against what Jesus does for us in the heavenly “rest” of the New Covenant. It is a “type” of our heavenly rest. And God through Moses shows the amazing failure through unbelief and disobedience on Israel's part. Eventually the land vomited Israel out, and led them into captivity: first the 10 northern tribes, and then 133 years later, Judah and Benjamin.
So, in the Book of Hebrews - this section points out the “rest” of Joshua as a “type”, which was a failure under the 1stCovenant, for the Holy Spirit was not then present to empower Israel to see the Lord live out His victory through them!
But - there is a secondrest - the rest of the New Covenant in the Holy Spirit, and Hebrews 7-10 majors on this under Jesus - our great High Priest under the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews is very careful to point out the difference between a “type” - and the antitype or fulfillment to follow. Then the type can fade away - and under the One New Man - we can see the victory of the New Covenant as exemplified by such saints as George Muller, Oswald Chambers and Rees Howells. And - it is Jesus- our spiritual Joshua, who leads us into the Rest of the New Covenant, where the “law” of the Old Covenant is now written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit. This is called “circumcision of heart”, and is dealt with by the Spirit through the apostle Paul in Colossians 2.
4:8 clearly distinguishes between the two rests, and therefore the two covenants. Have we entered into this “Sabbath Rest”? Oswald Chambers sadly attests that few of us have. It is open and free to all - but it comes through complete death on our part through our voluntary agreement with God to go through “Our White Funeral.” There isno other way to walk into this second rest. Mark 8:34; Galatians 2:20, Romans 12:1-2 - are but a few verses registering the only way to satisfy the heart of God this way.
And - it is so easy for us to “con” ourselves into believing we have made the grade - when identification with Christ in His death is yet awaiting us! See 4:12. Here we learn how God is able to let the sincere seeker rightly appraise where he trulystands with God. O that we might reach God like David, and hear His testimony concerning us: “A man after God's own heart!”
4:14-16 - And here is the conclusion of this matter in this section. It is Jesus - as our Great High Priest - who is both Son of God and Son of Man, who because of the latter - understands our frame that we are but dust - and is able to identify with our weaknesses and needs - and encourage us to come boldlyto the Throne of Grace, and in His Name see the Father abundantlymeet our needs. But most often this is butin “the Nick of Time.” And why does God - for our good - come through so often at the last minute? Because it isfor our good. It strengthens our faith! It teaches us patience! We glorify God all the more when the answer finally comes through!
Pastor Bob Birch of Vancouver, BC, was by some called the apostle of Prayer and Love for Canada. He recently died at 99, just weeks short of his 100thyear. He lived - among other truths - in Hebrews 4:12. He knew the importance of how God clearly makes this distinction for us. In our humanity we cannot do so. But in the realization of the fullness of the New Covenant through being possessed by the Holy Spirit - we candiscern whether we are in the spirit or in the flesh. Without this distinction - we can deceive ourselves, and make declarations that are not really based on the Word! How sad - and how unnecessary. We canpress in, and come to think God's thoughts after Him, and not live in the realm of false self-deception. - J.A.W.