Hebrews 3:1-4:16
Jim Watt
jmbetter at gmail.com
Mon Dec 21 16:15:12 PST 2009
“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*
*Jim & Marie Watt*
*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*
*Web: www.2rbetter.org*
*December 21, 2009
<http://www.2rbetter.org/>*
*C. HEBREWS 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, KL*E*se-*o*s ]2821] e-pou-raNIou [2032] MEto-choi
[3353],
*Whence, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling,*
ka-ta-no*E*sa-te [2657] ton aPOsto-lon [652] kai ar-chi-eREa [748] t*e*s
ho-mo-loGIas [3671] h*e*M*O*N, 'I*e*SOUN;
*consider the Apostle and High Priest of our :confession, Jesus;*
piSTON [4103] ONta t*o* poi*E*san-ti [4160] auTON,
*2 who was faithful to him that appointed him,*
h*o*s kai M*o*-uS*E*S en HOl*o* t*o* OIk*o* [3624] auTOU.
*as also was Moses in all his :house.*
*b. 3:3 HONOR OF JESUS SURPASSES THAT OF MOSES *
PLEIo-nos gar HOUtos DOx*e*s [1391] paRA M*o*-uS*E*N *e*XI*o*-tai,
*For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses,*
kath' HOson PLEIo-na tiM*E*N [[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 GOD: THE BUILDER OF ALL THINGS*
pas gar OIkos ka-ta-skeuAse-tai [2680] huPO tiNOS;
*For every house is built by some one;*
ho de PANta ka-ta-skeuAsas TheOS.
*but who built all things is God.*
*d. 3:5-6 THE FAITHFULNESS OF CHRIST OVER US: GOD'S HOUSE!*
kai M*o*-uS*E*S men piST*O* en HOl*o* t*o* OIk*o* auTOU h*o*s theRAp*o*n
[2324],
*And Moses indeed was faithful in all his :house as a servant,*
eis marTUri-on [3142] t*o*n la-l*e*-th*e*-soMEn*o*n [3980];
*for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken;*
ChrisTOS de h*o*s huiOS, ePI ton OIkon auTOU;
*6 but Christ as a son, over his house;*
hou OI-KOS es-men huMEIS, eAN t*e*n par-r*e*SIan [3954]
*whose house are we, if we hold fast *
kai to KAUch*e*-ma [2745] t*e*s elPIdos [1680] MECHri TElous [5056] beBAIan
[949] kaTAsch*o*-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, kaTH*O*S LEgei to PNEUma to HAgi-on,
*Wherefore, even as the Holy :Spirit says, *
S*E*me-ron eAN t*e*s ph*o*N*E*S [5456] auTOU aKOUs*e*-te,
*Today if you shall hear his :voice,*
m*e* skl*e*RUn*e*-te [4645] tas karDIas huM*O*N, h*o*s en t*o*pa-ra-pi-krasM
*O* [3894],
*8 Harden not your :hearts, as in the provocation,*
kaTA t*e*n h*e*MEran tou pei-rasMOU [3986] en t*e* eR*E*m*o* [2048],
*Like as the day of the trial in the wilderness,*
hou ePEIra-san [3985] hoi paTEres huM*O*N en do-ki-maSIa [1381],
*9 Where your :fathers tried me by proving me,*
kai EIdon ta ERga [2041] mou tes-seRAkon-ta Et*e* [2094],
*And saw my :works forty years,*
di' HO proS*O*CHthi-sa [4360] t*e* ge-neA [1074] TAUt*e*,
*10 Wherefore I was displeased with this :generation,*
kai EIpon, A-EI plaN*O*Ntai [4105] t*e* karDIa:
*And said, They always err at heart:*
auTOI di' ouk EGn*o*-san tas hoDOUS [3598] mou;
*But THEY did not know my :ways;*
h*o*s *O*mo-sa [3660] en t*e* orG*E* [3709] mou,
*11 As I swore in my :wrath,*
Ei ei-seLEUson-tai [1525] eis t*e*n kaTApauSIN [2663] mou.
*If they shall enter into my :rest.*
*b. 3:12-15 UNBELIEF: CAUSE OF DECEITFUL HARDENING*
BLEpe-te, a-delPHOI, M*E* po-te EStai EN ti-ni huM*O*N
*12 Look, brethren, lest by chance an evil heart of unbelief*
karDIa po-n*e*RA [4190] a-piSTIas [570], en t*o* a-posST*E*nai [868] aPO
TheOU Z*O*Ntos [2198]:
*shall be in any one of you, in :falling away from a living God:*
alLA pa-ra-kaLEIte [3870] he-auTOUS kath' heKAst*e*n h*e*MEran,
*13 but exhort one another each day,*
Achris hou to S*E*me-ron kaLEItai;
*so long as it is called Today;*
HIna m*e* skl*e*-runTH*E* [4645] tis ex huM*O*N aPAt*e* [539] t*e*s
ha-marTIas:
*lest any one of you be hardened by deceitfulness of :sin:*
MEto-choi [3353] gar tou ChrisTOU geGOna-men, eANper
*14 for we are become partakers of the Christ, if indeed*
t*e*n arCH*E*N [746] t*e*s hu-poSTAse-*o*s [5287] MEchri TElous beBAIan
kaTAsch*o*-men [2722]:
*we hold fast the beginning of the confidence firm unto the end:*
en t*o* LEges-thai, S*E*me-ron eAN t*e*s ph*o*N*E*S auTOU aKOUs*e*-te,
*15 while it is said, Today if you shall hear his :voice,*
m*e* skl*e*RUn*e*-te [4845] tas karDIas huM*O*N, h*o*s en t*o*pa-ra-pi-krasM
*O* [3894].
*Harden not your :hearts, as in the provocation.*
*c. 3:16 A WHOLE GENERATION PROVOKED GOD*
TInes gar, aKOUsan-tes, pa-rePIkra-nan [3893]?
*For who, when they heard, did provoke?*
all', ou PANtes hoi e-xelTHONtes ex AiGUPtou diA M*o*-uSE*o*s?
*no, not all that came out of Egypt by Moses?*
*d. 3:17 DISPLEASURE OF GOD BROUGHT DEATH*
TIsin de proS*O*CHthi-sen [4360] tes-seRAkon-ta Et*e*?
*And with whom was he displeased forty years?*
ouCHI tois ha-marT*E*sa-sin [264], h*o*n ta K*O*la [2966] Epe-sen en t*e* eR
*E*m*o*?
*not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?*
*e. 3:18 THE DISOBEDIENT: WHO FAIL TO ENTER REST*
TIsin de *O*mo-sen [3660] m*e* ei-seLEUses-thai [1525] eis t*e*n kaTApau-sin
[2663] auTOU,
*And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his :rest,*
ei m*e* tois a-peiTH*E*sa-sin [544]?
*but to the disobedient?*
*f. 3:19 UNBELIEF: THE BASIS OF DISOBEDIENCE*
kai BLEpo-men HOti ouk *e*-duN*E*th*e*-san [1410] ei-selTHEIN di' a-piSTIan
[570].
*And we see that they could not enter because of unbelief.*
*g. 4:1 LEGITIMATE FEAR: REST CAN BE MISSED!*
pho-b*e*TH*O*men [5399] oun, M*E* po-te,
*Let us fear therefore, lest haply,*
ka-ta-lei-poMEn*e*s [2641] e-pag-geLIas [1860] ei-selTHEIN eis t*e*n
kaTApau-sin [2663] auTOU,
*a promise being left of entering into his :rest,*
doK*E* tis ex huM*O*N hus-te-r*e*KEnai [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-*e*g-ge-lisMEnoi [2097] kaTHAper ka' 'KEInoi:
*For indeed we have been evangelized even as also they:*
all' ouk *o*PHEl*e*-sen [5623] ho LOgos t*e*s a-ko*E*S [189] eKEInous,
*but the word of :hearing did not profit them, *
m*e* sun-ke-ke-rasMEnous [4786] t*e* 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 t*e*n kaTApau-sin [2663] hoi piSTEUsan-tes [4100];
*For we who have believed are entering into the rest;*
kaTH*O*S EIr*e*-ken, H*o*s *O*mosa [3660] en t*e* orG*E* [3709] mou,
*even as he has said, As I swore in my :wrath,*
Ei ei-seLEUson-tai [1525] eis t*e*n kaTApauSIN [2663] mou:
*If they shall enter into my :rest:*
KAItoi t*o*n ERg*o*n aPO ka-ta-boL*E*S [2602] KOSmou ge-n*e*THENt*o*n.
*although the works were finished from the world's foundation.*
*j. 4:4-5 THE SABBATH IS CONNECTED WITH REST*
EIr*e*-ken GAR pou peRI t*e*n hebDOm*e*s HOUt*o*s,
*For he has said somewhere of the seventh thus,*
Kai kaTEpau-sen [2664] ho TheOS en t*e* h*e*MEra t*e* hebDOm*e* aPO PANt*o*n
t*o*n ERg*o*n auTOU:
*And :God rested on the seventh :day from all his :works;*
kai en TOUt*o* PAlin, Ei ei-seLEUson-tai eis t*e*n kaTApauSIN mou.
*5 and in this place again, 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 auT*E*N,
*Since therefore it remains that some enter into it,*
kai hoi PROte-ron eu-ag-ge-lisTHENtes ouk eiS*E*Lthon di' aPEIthei-an [543],
*and the before evangelized entered not because of disobedience,*
PAlin tiNA hoRIzei [3724] h*e*MEran, S*E*me-ron,
*7 he again defines a certain day, Today,*
en DauID LEg*o*n meTA toSOUton CHROnon (kaTH*O*S proEIr*e*-tai [4280]),
*saying in David so long a time after (even as has been said before),*
S*E*me-ron eAN t*e*s ph*o*N*E*S auTOU aKOUs*e*-te,
*Today if you shall hear his :voice,*
m*e* skl*e*RUn*e*-te [4645] tas karDIas [2588] huM*O*N.
*Harden not your :hearts.*
*l. 4:8 GOD'S TRUE REST IS NOT JOSHUA'S REST*
ei gar auTOUS 'I*e*SOUS kaTEpau-sen [2664],
*For if Joshua had given them rest,*
ouk an peRI ALl*e*s eLAlei meTA TAUta h*e*MEras.
*he would not have spoken afterward of another day.*
*m. 4:9 GOD HAS DESIGNED A SABBATH REST FOR SAINTS*
Ara a-poLEIpe-tai [620] sab-ba-tisMOS [4520] t*o* la*O* tou TheOU.
*A sabbath rest remains therefore for the people of :God.*
*n. 4:10 GOD'S REST GIVES REST FROM WORK*
ho gar ei-selTH*O*N eis t*e*n kaTApau-sin auTOU kai auTOS kaTEpau-sen
*For who is entered into :his rest has himself also rested*
aPO t*o*n ERg*o*n auTOU, H*O*Sper aPO t*o*n iDI*o*n ho TheOS.
*from his :work, as :God did from his :own.*
*o. 4:11 DILIGENCE OVERCOMES DISOBEDIENCE IN ENTERING REST*
spouDAs*o*-men [4704] oun ei-selTHEIN eis eKEIn*e*n t*e*n kaTApau-sin,
*Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that :rest,*
HIna m*e* en t*o* auT*O* tis hu-poDEIGma-ti [5262] PEs*e* [4098] t*e*s
a-peiTHIas [543].
*that no one fall after the same example of :disobedience.*
*p. 4:12 GOD'S WORD: DISCERNS MOTIVES REGARDING REST*
Z*o*n [2198] gar ho LOgos [3056] tou TheOU, kai e-nerG*E*S [1756],
*For living is the word of :God, and active,*
kai toM*O*te-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] psuCH*E*S [5590] kai
PNEUma-tos [4151],
*and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit,*
arM*O*N [719] te kai mu-eL*O*N [3452],
*of both joints and marrow,*
kai kri-tiKOS [2924] en-thuM*E*se-*o*n [1761] kai en-noi*O*N [1771] karDIas
[2588].
*and a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart.*
*q. 4:13 NO ONE ESCAPES GOD'S APPRAISAL*
kai ouk EStin KTIsis [2937] a-phaN*E*S [852] eN*O*pi-on auTOU:
*And there is no creature not manifest in his sight:*
PANta de gumNA [1131] kai te-tra-ch*e*-lisMEna [5136] tois oph-thalMOIS
[3788] auTOU
*but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him*
pros hon h*e*MIN ho LOgos.
*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,
*Having therefore a great high priest, *
di-e-l*e*-luTHOta [1330] tous ou-raNOUS,
*who has passed through the heavens, *
'I*e*SOUN ton huiON tou TheOU, kraT*O*men [2902] t*e*s 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 m*e* duNAme-non sun-paTH*E*sai [4834] tais
as-theNEIais [769] h*e*M*O*N;
*For we have not a high priest that cannot sympathize with our infirmities;*
pe-pei-rasMEnon [3985] de kaTA panTA kath' ho-moiOt*e*-ta [3665], ch*o*RIS
ha-marTIas.
*but one in all points tempted according to our likeness, without sin.*
*c. 4:16 BOLDNESS IN APPROACHING THRONE BRINGS PRESENT HELP*
pro-serCH*O*me-tha [4334] oun meTA par-r*e*SIas [3954] t*o* THROn*o* [2362]t
*e*s CHAri-tos,
*Let us therefore with boldness approach the throne of :grace,*
HIna LAb*o*-men [2983] Ele-os [1656] kai CHArin [5485 HEUr*o*-men [2147] eis
EUkai-ron [2121] bo*E*thei-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
same* *word* of God after Him.” When we cease from our thoughts, and rely on
*God's Word*, and say and pray His Words after Him - *then* our
*confession*pleases Him, and Jesus as our High Priest at the Father's
right says -
“Father - he has just confessed *our word* in 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 Word* back to Him? It is powerful! Our words
and thoughts have little appeal to God - but *His Word* given 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 1st Covenant, 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 *second* rest - 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 *is* no 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 *truly* stands with God. O that we might reach God like
David, and hear His testimony concerning us: “A man after God's own heart!”
3:14-16 - 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
*boldly* to the Throne of Grace, and in His Name see the Father
*abundantly*meet our needs. But most often this is
*but* in “the Nick of Time.” And why does God - for our good - come through
so often at the last minute? Because *it is* for 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 *can* discern 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 *can* press in, and come to think God's
thoughts after Him, and not live in the realm of false self-deception. -
J.A.W.
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