It is the Greek translation of Joshua and it is a reference to Joshua who took over after Moses' death. He was born for this priestly role and anointed as God's great High Priestby the Holy Spirit, Who rested on Him in the likeness of aDove at His baptism. 14Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. We never know temptation at its fiercest because we fall long before that stage is reached. "All you have to do is fast." "The picture of Jesus Christ as High Priest is the most distinctive theme of Hebrews, and it is central to the theology of the book." Jesus didnt say, Without Me, you can get along pretty well most of the time. He now returns to the high priesthood, and says that as we have a great high priest, we ought to hold fast our profession. Paul says that were not only to persevere in trials, but to do so with great joy (Rom. We were putting flashlight batteries under our T-shirts pretending we were girls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (iii) He is using it of the rest of God after the sixth day of creation, when all God's work was completed. Seeing then that we have a great high priest,. That Christ is a priest, and an high priest, has been observed already, in Hebrews 2:1 but here he is called a great one, because of the dignity of his person, as follows, and the virtue of his sacrifice; and because of the place where he now officiates as a priest, heaven and with respect to the continuation of his priesthood; and likewise because he makes others priests unto God; and this great high priest is no other than the Word of God before spoken of: so the divine Logos, or Word, is often called a priest, and an high priest, by Philo the Jew t. This great high priest believers "have", and have an interest in him; he is called to this office, and invested with it; he has been sent to do his work as a priest; and he has done the greatest part of it, and is now doing the rest; and saints receive Christ as such, and the blessings of grace from him, through his sacrifice and intercession: that is passed into the heavens; he came down from thence, and offered himself a sacrifice for the sins of his people; and having done this, he ascended thither again, to appear for them, and to make intercession for them; whereby he fully answers to his character as the great high priest: and what makes him more fully to appear so is what follows. We have weaknesses. We will receive mercy and find grace to help. The first one again in verse 14: "Let us hold fast our confession, we learn in Hebrews 4:14 and 15 that the Lord God calls us to persevere in our loyalty to Christ because of the kind of priest He is. Not only after the creation, but after Joshua had planted the people in the land, a certain day is determined in the future. Now be careful of that, Jesus said, take heed that this doesn't happen to you. "We which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest." Outward infraction and inner rebellion met their retribution. 4:11-13 Let us then be eager to enter into that rest, lest we follow the example of the Israelites and fall into the same kind of disobedience. He no longer officiates in an earthly temple. No. From the great help and advantage we may have from the word of God to strengthen our faith, and excite our diligence, that we may obtain this rest: The word of God is quick and powerful,Hebrews 4:12; Hebrews 4:12. The very reverse is meant, namely, that we have not entered into the rest, but, as the hymn says, we are on our way, I will not say to God, but assuredly to His rest. No software to install. The object of the apostle now is to show why the fact that we have such a High Priest, is a reason why we should hold fast our professed attachment to him. The person who has lived the sheltered life and has the noninflammable nature finds it hard to understand why the other person falls. Seize or retain. You definitely would not draw near to the throne for sympathy, especially with a trivial problem. The Bible also affirms, God cannot be tempted by evil (James 1:13). What the fulness of the truth that God was now making known to His people by Him? We are commanded to stand firm on the witness of the Cross - that Jesus is the Son of God, that Jesus is our great High Priest, that Jesus has put away our sin forever by His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, that Jesus ascended into heaven by passing through the heavens, on our account, and in Whom are the words of eternal life. He becomes bold now. ..let us hold fast our confession. But now appeared One who completely surpassed the angels. "And I believe and trust God to bless me so He does, because the blessings are always predicated upon the faith and believing Him to do so. It's just a card. One good and plain reason which has graven a difference of character on the epistle is the fact, that it goes outside his allotted province. Thus we see the first question raised is one as to the littleness of man in comparison with that which God has made; but the question is no sooner raised than answered, and this by one who looks at the Second Man and not at the first. The word of God is instinct with life. Perseverance in faith and good works is not inevitable, though perseverance in salvation is (2 Timothy 2:12-13). It is the good pleasure of God to use an angel where it is a question of providence, or law, or. And in this place again, if they shall enter into my rest ( Hebrews 4:4-5 ). "Therefore let no man judge you in respect to new moon, Sabbath days and so forth, which all were a shadow of things to come, but the substance is Jesus" ( Colossians 2:16-17 ). But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. His superiority as Son of God had been proved in the most masterly manner from their own scriptures in the first chapter. i. I dont walk too good, either. Looking down at the puppy, the boy continued, That puppy is going to need a lot of love and understanding. If I come by the virtue of God's grace, I can come any time. They are incomparably more to God than that which they are going to fill. It is partly, indeed, to the shame of Gentiles, that they do not even see the difficulty for a Jew. Besides being apostle of the uncircumcision, he was a teacher; and God took care that, although expressly said to be a teacher of Gentiles, his should be the word to teach the Christian Jews too; and, in fact, we may be assured that he taught them as they never were taught before. Commentary on Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 - Working Preacher He cried, "It is finished." The prior passage was intended to both reassure and encourage Christians. Thank you for reading, and for taking the time to encourage! It is foolish to think that we can hide our sin from God, because everything is naked and laid bare in His sight (4:12-13). By the Spirit's power it dispels the darkness of nature. What I have done I have done because God has blessed me. Elohim has His representatives, who are, therefore, called gods. 2. he is with God above the heavens; and For those who think that they can live according to God on the truth of either Ephesians or of the epistles of St. John, without the doctrine of the epistle to the Hebrews, have made a miserable mistake. In the world there is both. "For every high priest taken from among men is established for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins." BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. We are not God. Holding Fast Our Confession | Hebrews 4:14-16 - Christians together But there is another and most interesting possibility. Jesus the Great High Priest . There is none. Here objections, which might be founded on the scriptures of the Old Testament, are met. Hebrews 4:14 Sermons Topics . I must ask you thus to alter the passage, the authorised version giving it wrongly. Yet, they come to God in that day and tried to say, "Lord, we healed the sick and we cast out devils and we did all of these marvelous things." 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness . There it was exactly consonant to the character of the truth; for it is truth, and of the highest order. He had not yet taken manhood, or made it part of His person. Lewis imagined someone objecting here: If Jesus never sinned, then he doesnt know what temptation is like. Jesus the Son of God: Pauls mentioning Jesus as "the Son of God" is possibly to ensure there is no confusion between "Jesus" (lesous), the great High Priest, and "Jesus" (lesous) mentioned in verse 8 referring to Joshua who led the Israelites across the Jordan River into the land of Canaan. The word will turn the inside of a sinner out, and let him see all that is in his heart. And yet, for so many years I fasted in order that God might work in my life. The greatness of Christ is set forth by his name, Jesus--a physician and a Saviour, and one of a divine nature, the Son of God by eternal generation; and therefore having divine perfection, able to save to the uttermost all who come to God by him. I can't be that good." 3. 3. Here we have a serious exhortation: Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest,Hebrews 4:11; Hebrews 4:11. For if the word spoken by angels" clearly he is still summing up the matter "was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward: how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard?" Alford, quoting Schlichting, explains the different descriptions of heaven: By the heavens which are interposed between us and God: viz., both the whole region of the atmosphere, which is also called heaven in Scripture, and the heavens wherein are the sun, moon, and stars, and lights of the world, than all of which Christ is become greater: see ch. Some Christians argue that if Jesus could not have sinned, His temptations were not real. Now he enters on another and very distinct portion of the glory of Christ. ], THE REST WE DARE NOT MISS ( Hebrews 4:1-10 ). The emphasis is upon today. .. To the Jew the basic idea of God was that he was holy in the sense of being different. It was raised again forcefully in Hebrews 4:14 in the exhortation to hold fast to the confession that identified Christians as those who had responded to the message they had heard with faith (cf. If there be analogy, there is certainly the strongest contrast here. He has blessed me so much I want to respond to Him. There grace reigns, and acts with sovereign freedom, power, and bounty. Where confession is a response to God's word opening up the heart (Hebrews 4:12-13), the . He contrasts it with two things. He shows that they were designed to be typical. He had drawn his conclusions, urging the all-importance of giving heed, and the danger of letting slip such a testimony. The Christian idea of God as a loving Father is interwoven into the very fabric of our mind and heart; but it was a new idea. He says it all, no doubt, about the baptized; but there is nothing about baptism as the ancients would have it, any more than, with some moderns, the progressive steps of the spiritual life. But the very same chapter, which affirms and warns of the possible failure of every advantage, shows us the weakest faith that the whole New Testament describes coming into the secure possession of the best blessings of grace. And in complete commitment is complete rest, that total commitment and abandonment to God is the place of perfect peace. It pleased the Lord to bruise him; and yet he sinned not, either in thought, word, or deed. And Jesus said, "I never knew you; depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity" ( Matthew 7:22-23 ). Join PLUS Login PLUS Bible Bible Versions . 2. So the motivation behind it is often wrong. Everything is open. Well, false teeth are something that you carry, so you can't wear your false teeth on the Sabbath day. He passed through the veil into the holy place, and was not seen even by the priests. Why would you want a pup like that?, The boy reached down and pulled up his pant leg, revealing a brace. This was, beyond doubt, the way in which His revelations had been gradually vouchsafed to His people. This is not a common word and its meaning is not quite certain. "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Those sinful habits that have become as it were natural to the soul, and rooted deeply in it, and become in a manner one with it, are separated and cut off by this sword. I read about a boy who noticed a sign, Puppies for sale. He asked, How much do you want for the pups, mister?, Twenty-five dollars, son. The boys face dropped. It now remains, that they who acknowledge Christ as their teacher, should become teachable disciples, and also learn from his mouth, and in his school, what is the benefit of his priesthood, and what is its use and end. Lesson 14: The Throne of Grace (Hebrews 4:14-16) - Bible.org (Hebrews 4:14-16), For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Four times the text says that the promise of rest remains [i.e., is future] (Hebrews 4:1; Hebrews 4:6; Hebrews 4:9; Hebrews 4:11). Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For it is impossible [as to] those once enlightened, and that tasted the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and that tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and fell away, to renew [them] again to repentance, seeing they crucify for themselves and expose the Son of God.". The, the definite article. It was, besides, particularly hard for a Jew at first to put these two facts together: a Messiah come, and entered into glory; and the people who belonged to the Messiah left in sorrow, and shame, and suffering here below. There is sin. Joshua, who brought them into the land, did not bring them into the rest. I just know that I dare not ask Him for anything. I love you, Lord. The writer piles up phrases to show how penetrating it is. The other Greek school was the Epicureans. Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV - BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in Well, son, that puppy is crippled. It is tough sledding at times. Indeed such is the natural result. And He says in light of that hold fast to your confession. Why then was John Foster's daughter in tears? Oh Lord, how thankful we are for Your grace towards us and Your goodness and Your mercy that endures forever. It was all for Jesus. But he struck her on the side of the head with one of his canes and went off through the crowd. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. We have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. He proves that they were all intended to point to something future, and to introduce the Messiah to the world; and that when this object was accomplished, their great end was secured, and they were thus all fulfilled. This is not at all the case with ordinary Gentile thought. The goodness, the love, the glory of His person only drew out the deadly enmity of man, and specially of Israel; for they were worse than the Romans: and all this He, in the perfectness of His dependence, takes from Jehovah. What do you find most challenging, troubling or helpful in this passage? As Paul points out that by works of righteousness shall no man be justified in the sight of God. Never let go of this glorious truth! Start your free trial today! We may avert our gaze from people we are ashamed to meet; but we are compelled to look God in the face. Was there anything that satisfied God or blessed man permanently? This verse, with the ones preceding and following it, reveals the Christian's great high priest as doing three things that Aaron could not do. power; but where it comes to be the manifestation of His glory in Christ, He must have other instruments more suitable for His nature, and according to His affections. His exquisite position was further confirmed by the thunderous voice of the Almighty God, saying,"This is My Beloved Son - listen to Him.". Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. There is a common relationship which the Sanctifier and the sanctified possess. And this was a long time after their failure in the wilderness. No wonder we are urged by the writer to the Hebrews to HOLD FAST to our confession - to keep a firm grip on our trust in Christ's finished Work, to believe all God has said through His Word, to unreservedly remain firm to His Truth, and to boldly approach the throne of grace. I said, "How did you know that I was doing that?" "But with whom was he grieved forty years? "Lord, I've committed it completely unto You. Jesus, the Son of God: the former of these names signifies a Saviour, and respects his office; the latter is expressive of his dignity, and respects his person; who is the Son of God in such sense as angels and men are not; not by creation, nor adoption; but by nature; not as man and Mediator, but as God, being of the same nature with his Father, and equal to him; and it is this which makes him a great high priest, and gives virtue and efficacy to all he does as such: wherefore. ", What is pressed here is this: that the people of God are still in the path of faith, just like their fathers of old before they crossed the Jordan; that now there is that which puts our patience to the proof; that the grand thing for such is to hold fast the beginning of the assurance firm unto the end. Hebrews 4:14 Commentaries: Therefore, since we have a great high priest This is an obvious lie. We are accepted in Christ. Now, God rested on the seventh day from all of His works, that is, His creative works, because the creation was finished. It is not a soul as coming to Jesus; it is not as one whom the Lord meets and blesses on the spot; but here is a man hard pushed, fleeing for very life (evidently a figure drawn from the blood-stained fleeing from the avenger of blood), yet eternally saved and blessed according to the acceptance of Christ on high. Hebrews 4:14 KJV: Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. But before he enters upon the unfolding of His high-priesthood, there is a digression (the two chapters that follow, I apprehend, linking themselves with the two we have considered). God is the initiator. Hence renewal to repentance is an impossibility, seeing they crucify for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame. How does our understanding of the person and work of Christ relate to persevering in trials? He knows my problems. Jesus is God's anointed High Priest, through Whom we have been madefit to approach the grand and awesome throne of the most high God. It is sharper than any two-edged sword; it cuts both ways; it is the sword of the Spirit,Ephesians 6:17. The word of God came and commissioned them to govern in earthly things; for it might be no more than in judicial matters. Does he shake his head in disgust, seething with impatience, muttering, What is wrong with you people? let us hold fast our profession: To hold "fast" (krateo) means "not to discard or let go" but "to keep carefully and faithfully" (Thayer 359). Hence, although it be only fleeing in an agony of soul to refuge, what is it that God gives to one in such a state? CONSIDER JESUS OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST Click chart to enlarge Charts from Jensen's Survey of the NT - used by permission Swindoll's Chart, Interesting Pictorial Chart of Hebrews , Another Chart See ESV Study Bible "Introduction to Hebrews " (See also MacArthur's Introduction to Hebrews) Borrow Ryrie Study Bible They say, "Oh, but the letter killeth." As then it is pointed out that there were formerly many portions, so also were there many modes in the prophetic communications of God. I admit that His divine glory has a place which humanity could not possess; but His human perfection is no less necessary to found the blessing for us on redemption, glorifying God in His righteousness and. You ought to love me, because look what I have done for You. But mark the manner of the writer. Now as the high priest inspected the sacrificed beasts, cut them up to the back-bone to see whether they were sound at heart, so all things are thus dissected, and lie open to the piercing eye of our great high priest.