Day 348: Hebrews 4-6

(The previous post concluded with the Theme of Chapter 3: Christ is greater than Moses. The same conditions God used with Moses (the Law) are being used with Christ: exclusion from paradise is the responsibility of the individual to believe.)

Hebrews 4
¹ Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.

(Paul had concluded chapter 3 warning believers not to repeat the same mistakes unbelievers did during Moses' time (the previous Dispensation of the Law). This chapter began with Paul telling the Christian Hebrews to fear coming short of Salvation.)

² For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard.

(Doctrine: The Word will only profit us if we unite it with faith (experience and understanding). Mark 7:13 recorded that Jesus said that the Pharisees made the Word of God of none effect by their traditions, by teaching man-made doctrine instead of having faith in God's Doctrine. Paul contrasted the unbelievers during Moses' time with the believers during his time. Both had the Word of God preached to them. Those unbelievers during the previous dispensation (the Law) did not unite faith with the preaching. What about believers during our dispensation?)

³ For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
⁴ For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;

(God rested on the seventh day from His work. The word "rest" in this verse was katapausis. Rest comes after work; rest without work is sloth. Furthermore, for six days God initiated His Will. God was "All-Powerful": everything He did was a "first cause." God created man on the sixth day and then God stated, "let them have dominion over everything": Genesis 1:26. On the seventh day, we have an apparent contradiction: God had dominion and man had dominion. Only one can truly act as a first cause and initiate their will.

Paul referenced Genesis 2:1-3 which stated on the seventh day, God rested from all His work. In that passage, rest meant "ceased from His occupation of being a first cause." During the seventh day, God chose to stop initiating His Will so that man could initiate his will. Throughout this Bible Commentary, we have seen that from the seventh day even until now, God does not initiate His Will, God responds through Justice. Now, God being "All-Powerful" means that God has complete control over everything that does not have a will: the weather, animals, and inanimate objects. Paul stated that those who believe also enter into the same rest that God is currently resting in. Christians ought to be resting like God is resting. What does that mean? This is critical because Paul stated believers ought to be doing this.)

⁵ and in this place again, They shall not enter into my rest.

(However, Paul again referenced Psalm 95:11 which he had referenced repeatedly in the previous chapters. This passage was referenced to show that not everyone will actually be saved.)

⁶ Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience,

(Paul stated the reason people fail to enter into the same rest as God would be due to disobedience. Again, understanding this rest is critical to being a believer.)

⁷ he again defineth a certain day, To-day, saying in David so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before), To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts.

(Paul referenced Psalm 95:8.)

⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day.

(Paul was bringing resolution to this concept of rest. Paul stated the rest we ought to be in was different than a future day of rest.)

⁹ There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God.

(In this verse "rest" was different than the word used for the other translations of the word rest. In this verse, "rest" was sabbatismos which was "the future paradisiacal time in eternity." This referred to eternity in paradise.)

¹⁰ For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his.

(In verse 10, Paul returned back to katapausis - "ceasing from his occupation of being a first cause." Paul stated that those who were believers had also ceased from their occupation of being a first cause, of initiating their will which resulted in their works, for Reward. If a believer is not initiating his own actions, whom is initiating the actions of a believer? The Holy Spirit via grace.

Salvation is by grace through faith. Salvation comes by ceasing from doing things in our own strength and allowing the Holy Spirit to be the influence upon our hearts, and reflect in our lives by working through us to Righteousness, for Salvation.

It would not be Right and Just for God to require us to rest (cease from initiating our will) if God did not also do this first. God did rest on the seventh day and has been resting since. He provided everything necessary for Salvation, however, it is our responsibility to humble ourselves and allow God to direct our actions by being obedient to the Holy Spirit. From the beginning of this section, Paul had been preaching grace through faith. Now we see that Paul showed all believers need to willfully choose to cease from being a first cause, and allow the Holy Spirit to initiate His Will, and that leads to Salvation.)

¹¹ Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience.

(Paul stated that to not allow choosing this rest, not allowing the Holy Spirit to be the first cause, was the same as disobeying God and not being a believer.)

¹² For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.

(In Ephesians 6:17, Paul's explanation of the armor of God included "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." In that verse, word was rhema - "the revelatory and powerful word of God without precedence that brings Salvation." In verse 12 (above), word was logos - "the word that brings understanding (why)." The passage in Ephesians spoke of the rhema of God. This passage spoke of the logos of God. These passages were not contradictory. These passages spoke of two different words of God. This one focused on understanding. Also, discernment is focused on the why. The Word of God was made of words that facilitated movement: growth and profitability (a right why/how).

Notice, the word that brings understanding is able to bring resolution between soul and spirit. You only have one mind/soul and you cannot live without it because that is who you are. You can have more than one spirit and people were able to continue living once they have lost their spirit because your spirit is your connection between your Conscious Brain and God's Holy Spirit within you.)

¹³ And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

(Doctrine: God completely understands every creature. God knows the mind/soul and heart (effects/actions) of every creature.)

¹⁴ Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

(Believers have a "great high priest": Jesus Christ who first descended and then ascended into heaven (Ephesians 4:10). Paul had previously stated that Jesus was our High Priest (Hebrews 2:17; 3:1). Paul had stated that God completely understands every creature and believers allow the Holy Spirit to direct their actions. Now, Paul reminded the reader that Jesus was the High Priest and the Son of God, which meant He was greater than every earthly priest that has ever existed or ever will exist.)

¹⁵ For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

(Jesus can relate to us and us to Him because He was tempted in all "points" as we are. There was not a Greek word that was translated to "points." This was not the word "things." Jesus was not tempted in all things that would ever exist, for example, Jesus was not tempted to play too many video games. Matthew 4 recorded that Jesus' temptation in the desert showed Jesus was tempted in the areas that He could have fallen, as we also are. The devil does not tempt us to do things that will not cause us to fall. The devil tempts us, just like he tempted Jesus: in those areas (points) that would be possible for us to fall.)

¹⁶ Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.

(Because Jesus was tempted in His "points," we can boldly ask for grace to find help in time of need. Remember, grace is "the divine influence upon the heart, and it reflection in the life." We can initiate grace. We can choose to ask God to work through us to handle temptations. This does not result in Salvation. When we initiate grace, it results in Reward. When God initiates grace and we choose to allow it to reflect in our life, it results in Salvation. Jesus experienced the utmost temptation according to who He is and He overcame it through grace, through choosing to ask God to work through Him to handle the temptation. If Jesus was like us and was able to get grace in His time of need, we can trust that we will have grace in our times of need.)

(Theme of Chapter 4: Paul continued his premise that Jesus was above everything. In this chapter, Paul proved Jesus was above every earthly priest by covering the concept of grace. Believers are saved by grace through faith, by choosing to rest: ceasing from being a first cause and allowing the Holy Spirit to initiate His Will. Paul showed we could initiate grace in order to deal with temptation.)




Hebrews 5
¹ For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
² who can bear gently with the ignorant and erring, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity;
³ and by reason thereof is bound, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

(An earthly high priest is sinful and cannot provide Salvation.)

⁴ And no man taketh the honor unto himself, but when he is called of God, even as was Aaron.
⁵ So Christ also glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that spake unto him, Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten thee:

(Paul referenced Psalm 2:7. In Acts 13:33, Paul referenced this same verse during his sermon in Antioch in Pisidia. Christ did not glorify Himself as High Priest, God did. Jesus was of a higher order than Aaron.)

⁶ as he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.

(Paul referenced Psalm 110:4. Christ is a priest after the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was a priest, king, and man all at the same time. Melchizedek was not of the Abrahamic family which showed us that Christ is the Savior of all and not only the Jews. Melchizedek was referenced from Genesis 14:18-20.)

⁷ Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,
⁸ though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered;

(When Jesus Christ was in the flesh, He completely relied on God working through Him. Jesus said in John 8:28 that He did nothing of Himself, but only what He learned from the Father, which was grace. While in the flesh, Christ learned to be obedient. This did not mean He was ever disobedient but that while He was in the flesh, Jesus had to learn Doctrine for Himself.)

⁹ and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;

(Doctrine: Christ is the author of eternal Salvation to those who obey Him.)

¹⁰ named of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

(Christ was called of God a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek: a priest of all people. Remember, Paul was showing Christian Hebrew believers that they ought to follow Jesus even though Gentiles also followed Jesus.)

¹¹ Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing.
¹² For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food.

(The Hebrews were slow at understanding and were in need of "milk" and not "solid food" (meat). They needed understanding of the "first principles": the foundational (God’s) Doctrine. Remember, Paul spoke of the young church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 3) being babes in understanding through the analogy of milk and meat.)

¹³ For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe.
¹⁴ But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

(Those who are just learning the "milk" are inexperienced but those who partake of meat are mature (experienced) and can discern good and evil, just like Paul explained to the church in Corinth.)

(Theme of Chapter 5: Christ was a priest of the order of Melchizedek: a priest to all believers, not just Jews or Gentiles. Paul also stated that the Hebrews were slow in understanding this foundational Doctrine, which was why Paul took his time with many words to explain the foundational Doctrines. Paul was transitioning to discussing Doctrines built on these foundational Doctrines.)




Hebrews 6
¹ Wherefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on unto perfection; not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

(Therefore, we ought to progress further than the foundational principles, unto perfection.)

² of the teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

(Paul listed the foundational Doctrines: repentance, faith, baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection, and eternal judgment.)

³ And this will we do, if God permit.
⁴ For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
⁵ and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come,
⁶ and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

(Concerning verses 4-6, see also Hebrews 10:26. These verses meant that the only way to gain Salvation is by grace through faith (which begins with repentance/humility). These verses did not mean that if we had already lived of the Holy Spirit and fall away, we cannot again attain Salvation. These verses meant that if we have received this gift and then fall away, we ought to know that there is no other way to attain Salvation, other than through repentance.

We cannot skip over repentance and just act as if Christ was "recrucified." Paul began this chapter stating that the foundational Doctrines should not be repeatedly done because once they were done (and understood) we ought to grow past these to maturity. In verse 6, Paul was building on verse 1: do not try to pretend that you have not sinned and act like this was the first time you received Christ's death on the cross as paying for your sins.)

⁷ For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God:
⁸ but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned.

(In verse 8, the word rejected was adokimos which was translated in the rest of the New Testament as castaway (1 Corinthian 9:27) and reprobate (Romans 1:28, 2 Corinthians 13:5-7, 2 Timothy 3:8, and Titus 1:16). We have seen Paul was the only writer in the New Testament to use this word and in all the other times Paul used this word he was speaking of a coin that represented a true value (right what) but was actually worth less (wrong how/why).

Verse 7 stated that the land that received rain and was tilled (appearance) ought to bring forth herbs (actual value). When it did, it received blessings from God because its actual value matched its appearance.

Verse 8 stated that if the actual value of the land was thorns and thistles, even though it received rain and tilling, then it was rejected...reprobate...castaway. Paul stated the result could be seen as a curse because it ultimately got burned. Remember, fire burns up dross, while fire refines precious metals. In every usage of adokimos in the New Testament, the application showed that we need to have the actual value that we present. This was a theme in many of Paul's epistles that was unique to Paul.)

⁹ But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak:
¹⁰ for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister.

(God is Just and will remember our work and labor of love if it is profitable, if it is not reprobate.)

¹¹ And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fulness of hope even to the end:

(Have this faith and diligence until the end so that you have the actual value that you represent.)

¹² that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

(Sloth (rest without work) was contrasted with faith (which had works). Paul contrasted reprobates with believers.)

¹³ For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself,
¹⁴ saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
¹⁵ And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

(Paul referenced Genesis 22:17 to show the scriptures proved there was no one greater than God...otherwise, God would have sworn by something other than Himself. Paul showed that Abraham was a believer because of his faith.)

¹⁶ For men swear by the greater: and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.
¹⁷ Wherein God, being minded to show more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;
¹⁸ that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us:

(Doctrine: It is impossible for God to lie. Paul made a similar statement in Titus 1:2.)

¹⁹ which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and stedfast and entering into that which is within the veil;
²⁰ whither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

(Paul used two analogies to show the Hebrew Christians they could have faith that Jesus was able to provide Salvation.)

(Theme of Chapter 6: Paul began to build on foundational Doctrines by stating that we need to have the actual value of what we present to others. Everyone who says they believe foundational Doctrines appears to be a believer immediately after this confession. However, over time, believers are apparent to all once they demonstrate their actual value.)

Day 349