|
|
|
|
CHAPTER 4The gospel was offered to ancient Israel—Saints enter into the rest of the Lord—Though tempted in all points, Jesus was without sin. |
As one from among us, in Jesus we have a great high priest who has bridged the bearier of the vail between heaven and earth that we may return to God. | |
|
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left
us of entering into his arest, any of you should
seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the agospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with bfaith in them that heard it. |
1a
TG
Angels b HEB the Adversary or Accuser (also v. 2); Ps. 109:6 c HEB accuse 2a Amos 4:11
|
|
|
3 aFor we which have believed do
enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter
into my brest: although the works were finished from the
foundation of the world.
4 For he spake in a certain place of the aseventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. |
1a
TG
Angels b HEB the Adversary or Accuser (also v. 2); Ps. 109:6 c HEB accuse 2a Amos 4:11
|
|
|
5 aAnd in this place again,
If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and athey to whom it was first preached entered not in because of bunbelief: |
1a
TG
Angels b HEB the Adversary or Accuser (also v. 2); Ps. 109:6 c HEB accuse 2a Amos 4:11
|
|
|
7 Again, he alimiteth a certain day,
saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye
will bhear his voice, charden not your
hearts.
8 For if aJesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. |
||
|
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. |
1a
TG
Angels b HEB the Adversary or Accuser (also v. 2); Ps. 109:6 c HEB accuse 2a Amos 4:11
|
|
|
11 Let us alabour therefore to
enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of
bunbelief.
12 For the aword of God is bquick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged csword, dpiercing even to the dividing asunder eof soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a fdiscerner of the gthoughts and hintents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the aeyes of him with whom we have to do. |
1a
TG
Angels b HEB the Adversary or Accuser (also v. 2); Ps. 109:6 c HEB accuse 2a Amos 4:11
|
|
|
14 Seeing then that we have a great high
priesta, that
is passed into the aheavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us
hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest awhich cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmitiesa; but was in all points btempted like as we are, yet without csin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of agracea, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
 As will be further established by Paul in his next chapter, Jesus Christ was our great high priest after the order of Melchizedek, the higher order of priesthood of the Son of God which is above the Levitical priesthood in all its authority. In fact it is the high priesthood of God, given our Lord by the Father in the preexistence as symbolized and portrayed by the performances of the Day of Atonement as recorded in Leviticus 16:32. The Father anointed and consecrated the Son to act by His authorty and power in all things in the stead of the Father. Thus the Son is our great appointed ministering God and High Priest of this earthly estate. (See Psalms 110, Zechariah 3) |
14a we have a great high
priest Jesus Christ was one with us, Emmanuel, being one of us
from before the foundation of the world. He was selected from among us, He
being the Firstborn Son of the Father in the Spirit. And he from among us
did peirce the veil between heaven and earth passing into heaven before us,
thus opening to all the way back to
heaven and immortality from this fallen temporal estate. He is 'our' great
redeeming high priest.
15a we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities The double negative makes this statement somewhat ambiguous. Better stated in the positive, this statements says and means that 'we do have a high priest which can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities'. For he came to earth, descended below all, and was fully tempted like we are and he felt the full extent of such as he resisted it completely, being sinless. He felt as we feel, he suffered as we suffered. He took not only our sins upon him, but he also took the weight of our infirmities upon him also. Thus He is a totally feeling and empathetic judge, fully cable of understanding and judging man with full comprehension. 16a Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace When one understands that the Lord, Jesus Christ, will judge with all fairness and understanding, and with the mercy, charity, grace and love of God, one need not fear to stand before that 'righteous' judge. For what Christ will judge will be correct and not biased by any prejudice or lack of understanding. Thus the meek who have come unto Christ in the full frame of repentance and commitment unto Him need not fear with trembling before the Lord, but they may stand with 'boldness' to receive what the justice tempered with the mercy and grace of God does bestow upon them. Only the ungodly need fear and tremble before God, they who are not the true saints of the gospel. |
14a
Heb. 9:24 15a GR unable to sympathize with our frailties, imperfections b TG Jesus Christ, Exemplar; TG Jesus Christ, Temptation of; TG Temptation; TG Test, Try, Prove c John 8:46; Heb. 7:26; D&C 45:4; TG Sin 16a TG Grace
"... Christ, because he was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means—the only complete realist." ~ C. S. Lewis |
|
|
|
|
|
|