By the grace of God Yeshua the King Messiah comes to set us free from our human propensity for sin and to walk with us in and toward the eternal Shabbat rest of God, so that we are holding His hand as we approach the throne of judgement and grace. Therefore we walk in terrified security, love engulfed fear, blissful trembling, toward Yeshua the Judge, being in Yeshua the High Priest, knowing that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Why then would we ever be less than confident, or more than humble, except by allowing ourselves to be deluded through turning our gaze away from the King Messiah and toward the apathy of unbelief.
Introduction:
Chapter 4 continues the exposition of Psalm 95:7-11, and makes a drash (comparative teaching) using the term “rest” as a simile for “Shabbat”, with the purpose of revealing the present, ongoing, and coming eternal rest (Shabbat) of God, which has been established from the beginning of creation. That rest being present in the Kingdom of God manifest within time and space unto the goal and the convergence of the Olam Haba [world to come] (what many Christians often refer to as Heaven: a misnomer given Rev. 21:1-3).
The Shabbat in question is that Shabbat which is both established in the seventh day of the creation week and proceeds the cosmic week that follows the week of creation. The weekly Shabbat observed by the people of Israel (descendants of Jacob) is a shadow of the eternal Shabbat, in the same way that the earthly Temple is a shadow of heavenly things (Heb. 8:4-5).
Shabbat, from the Hebrew root sheva (7, blessing, rest, sit), and related to the Hebrew word shevet (sit, dwell, settle) reflects the fullness of the attributes of God’s nature, His rest and blessing (Isaiah 6:1-5). Therefore, In God through Messiah the eternal Shabbat (rest) has existed from the foundation of the world and thus, from our view within time and space, the temporal rest of the promised land which Joshua lead Israel into (Joshua 1:13) is preceded and superseded by the eternal rest of God through Yeshua. This is consistent with the theme of Messiah’s superiority, His all-existing nature. Yeshua is Lord of the Shabbat (not just the temporal weekly Shabbat but also of the transcendent Shabbat reflected in it.
This teaching does not do away with the observance of the weekly Shabbat by the Jewish believer (ethnic descendant of Jacob), rather it illuminates the weekly Shabbat as a reminder of the rest experienced by creation in the beginning, and acts as a foretaste of the eternal Shabbat which already exists and will swallow up the present sin affected creation with fire (judgement) and renewal (2 Peter 3:10).
It’s important at this point to remind the reader that the audience of this work are late first century Jewish followers of Yeshua the King Messiah, and that their understanding sees all that is being taught in relationship to God’s continued redemptive purposes and His immutable promises to Israel, the blood descendants of Jacob. They are faced with properly understanding the nature of the passing earthly shadows of the heavens (the role of Torah, priesthood, sacrificial system, priestly practice, and Shabbat). Note that the earthly shadows are passing, neither obligatory nor permanent.
As is the case with all Scripture (scrolls of the original texts), there are no chapter breaks or verse markers (or punctuation for that matter) in the scroll of the Book to the Hebrews. It’s important to see the text of this chapter as a continuation of the previous chapter, the last verses of chapter 3 being:
18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient, apathetic? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
Which rest did the disobedient among the generation leaving Egypt not enter?
““Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’” -Joshua 1:13 NIV
The rest being used as an example is the rest obtained by God’s gift of the promised land Eretz Yisrael.
If we fail to keep this in mind we will fail to understand the remainder of the teaching.
BOOK TO THE HEBREWS Chapter 4 (Author’s translation)
1 Fear therefore, lest while a promise remains [is to come] of entering into His rest, any one of you [souls] may seem [be thought to have] come short, fallen behind.
2 For, indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word, essence they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united, mixed, tempered together with those who in faith heard, listened, received, understood.
3 For we who have believed, trusted, committed, enter His rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My anger, flaring nostril, ‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’” [Psalm 95:10-11 LXX] although His works were finished from the foundation of the world, earth and heavens.
4 For He has said somewhere about the seventh day: “And God rested, sat down on the seventh day from all His works” [Gen. 2:2];
5 and again in this place, “‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’” [Psalms 95:11]
6 Because therefore, it remains for some to enter it, and those who before had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, apathy,
7 He again determined a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” [Psalms 95:7-8]
8 For if Yehoshua (son of Nun) had given them rest, he would not have spoken of another day after that.
9 Consequently, there remains a Shabbat (rest, sitting, blessing) for the people of God.
10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested, restrained from his works, as the God did from His.
11 Therefore let’s be diligently labouring to enter that rest, so that no one will fall according to the same example, pattern of disobedience, apathy.
12 For living and effective, is the word, essence of God and sharper above any two-edged short sword, even piercing so as to divide soul life and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart (inner being, core).
13 Neither is there any creature, building, ordinance, hidden from His sight, presence, face, but all things individually and collectively are naked and opened before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give an account.
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Yeshua the Son of the God, let’s hold fast to our profession.
15 For we do not have a high priest Who is unable to sympathize, have compassion with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted, tried, examined, proved in all things just as we are, yet without sin [missing the mark set by God’s holiness].
16 Therefore let us come freely with boldness, confidently to the throne of grace, unmerited favour, practical love, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.
HEBREWS 3 (line upon line)
1 Fear (phobeō[G]) therefore (oun[G]), lest while a promise (epaggelia[G], ha’havtacha[H]) remains [is to come] (lavo[H]) of entering (eiserchomai[G]) into (eis[G]) His (autos[G]) rest (katapausis[G], menuchato[H]), any one of you [souls](lenafsheinu[H]) may seem [be thought] (dokeō[G]) to have come short, fallen behind (hustereō[G]). 2 For (kai[G]), indeed (gar[G]) we have had good news preached (euaggelizō[G], vesra tovah[H]) to us, just as they also did; but the word, essence (logos[G], hadavar[H]) they heard (sham’u hem[H]) did not benefit (ōpheleō[G]) them, because they were not united, mixed, tempered together (sugkerannumi[G]) with those who in faith (pistis[G], be’emunat[H]) heard, listened, received, understood (akouō[G]).
1 Fear therefore, lest while a promise remains [is to come] of entering into His rest, any one of you [souls] may seem [be thought to] have come short, fallen behind.
“Fear therefore” The Jewish believers of the first century are admonished to have holy fear of God because the generation of their ancestors who disobeyed God in the desert “were not able to enter because of unbelief.” In short, “fear God and avoid unbelief”.
“lest while a promise remains of entering into His rest, any one of you [souls] may seem to have come short, fallen behind.” While the promise of entering His (God’s) rest remains, continues to be accessible to the Jewish believers (meaning unto the goal of time and space), we must be careful not to fall short of it through unbelief.
While the original temporal rest of the promised land offered by God through Joshua (Joshua 1:13) had been entered into by some (Joshua, Caleb and their families along with the subsequent generation born of the disobedient), even some of those who received this Book to the Hebrews (Jewish believers still living in the land of Israel prior to 70 C.E), it was nonetheless always to be a temporal shadow of the eternal land promised to Israel (part of the world to come), entry to which continues to be offered to the descendants of Jacob through the final Joshua, Yeshua the King Messiah.
The writer of the Book to the Hebrews, understanding that in the context of Psalms 95, the rest being entered into was the promised land (eretz Yisrael) [ref. Joshua 1:13], now makes a comparative drash alluding to the eternal rest of God as having been established from the beginning of creation (Gen.2:2). He makes clear that the eternal rest of God was always offered to Israel through Yeshua the King Messiah, and that the temporal rest offered in the land has always been a shadow of the eternal rest that exists outside of time and space. Not that Israel will fail to possess the land promised to her by God as an everlasting possession (Gen. 15), but that she will possess that land renewed, recreated, everlasting, in the Olam Haba (world to come).
“Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’” -Joshua 1:13 NIV
Therefore, the temporary, earthly rest gained under the leadership of Joshua at God’s instruction was pointing to the transcendent and eternal, metaphysical, spiritual, rest of God established in creation and fully filled in the renewed creation.
2 For, indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word, essence they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united, mixed, tempered together with those who in faith heard, listened, received, understood.
“For, indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did;” The good news/Gospel (euaggelizō[G], vesra tovah[H]) the generation escaping Egypt had received was in historical context, the news of the promised rest of God in the promised land of Israel (Joshua 1:13). However, it was also the transcendent good news of Messiah, Who, resurrected and unbound by time and space has made salvation available to all, regardless of their position within the limitations of chronology. That Good News made evident in the delivering of the snake bitten through gazing upon the defeated snake held up on a bronse stake by Moses the drawn out one (Num. 21).
Therefore, “we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did;” makes the Good News/Gospel of Yeshua the King Messiah available to every generation. Anything else denies God’s justice and impugns His character, for in a certain place Messiah has said “No one comes to the Father (God) except through Me” (John 14:6). From the first man Adam until the last human to be born prior to the goal (end) of the present created order, all are offered an opportunity of redemption and eternal life by the just God of creation through the Last Adam (Yeshua) [1 Cor. 15:45].
“The word they heard did not benefit them because they were not united, together with those who in faith heard, listened” Not because they were entirely devoid of faith of any kind, but because they were not united in faith with those who truly listened to the voice of God (specifically Joshua & Caleb: Num. 13:30-14:10). In short, faith alone is not enough, faith grows in relationship and is proved in action (Yaakov [James] 2:14-25). The emphasis is on the need for each believer to be strengthened by the community of faith. This is pretext to the explicit allusion to the same idea recorded later in the Book to the Hebrews.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” -Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV
3 For we who have believed, trusted, committed (pisteuō[G], hama’amiyniym[H]) enter (eiserchomai[G]) His rest (katapausis[G], menuchato[H]), just as He has said, “As I swore (omnuō[G], nishbatiy[H]) in My anger, flaring nostril (orgē[G], veafiy[H]), ‘They certainly shall not enter (eiserchomai[G], im-yevoun[H]) My rest (katapausis ego[G], el-menuchatiy[H]).’” [Psalm 95:10-11 LXX] although His works (ergon[G]) were finished from the foundation (katabolē[G], behivaseid[H]) of the world, earth and heavens (kosmos[G], eretz veshamayim[H]). 4 For He has said (ereō[G]) somewhere about (peri[G]) the seventh day (hebdomos[G], al yom hashviyiy[H]): “And God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) rested, sat down (katapauō[G], vayishbot[H]) on the seventh day (bayom hashviyiy[H]) from all (mekol[H]) His works (ergon[G], melachto[H])” [Gen. 2:2];
3 For we who have believed, trusted, committed, enter His rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My anger, flaring nostril, ‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’” [Psalm 95:10-11 LXX] although His works were finished from the foundation of the world, earth and heavens.
Psalms 95, requoted here, was sung during the weekly Shabbat services in the Temple and remains part of the weekly Shabbat liturgy in the synagogue to this day. The writer’s Jewish audience understand the intrinsic connection between this Psalm and the weekly Shabbat.
In the same way that entering into the physical rest of the land of Canaan demanded faith in God’s promise, so too entry into the eternal rest through salvation in Messiah demands faith as an ongoing commitment to walking with Yeshua in God.
“we who have believed, trusted, committed, enter His rest…” Those of us who believe and are committed to Yeshua in God have begun and are continuing to “enter His rest”. The text is in the present continuous sense, meaning that it is an ongoing process.
It’s important to remember that belief (faith, trust) births action and action is the reciprocating child of belief. One who believes that action is incumbent upon him is in bondage to himself, but the one whose actions are born of his belief is free. Nothing free ever comes from obligation.
“His works were finished from the foundation of the world, earth and heavens.” The eternal Shabbat established in God has been present and offered to humanity from the foundation of creation. His rest is already a reality for those willing to receive it. “His rest” means that the rest in question belongs to and is in God. It is made available to humanity (always first for the Jew and also always for the Gentile ref. Rom. 1:16) through Yeshua the King Messiah. The rest God calls us to is not “our rest” but “His rest”.
The rest in question is present in the receipt of salvation, discipleship, future Messianic age and the Olam Haba (world to come) as a complex unity. It is all these and no single separated part of the sum.
Rav Kattina teaches that the six millennia of world history will be followed by a millennium of Shabbat, the Messianic age (Sanhedrin 97a). In Biblical Hebrew thought 1000 is symbolic of eternity or perpetuity. Therefore, Jewish tradition affirms the eternal nature of the Shabbat rest of the Olam Haba (world to come).
4 For He has said somewhere about the seventh day: “And God rested, sat down on the seventh day from all His works” [Gen. 2:2];
Once again the writer does not quote chapter and verse. Rather he alludes to a text that is well known and presumes the audience will be familiar with it. The Hebrew text of Genesis 2:2 literally says that God “sat down on the seventh day”. In very simple and profound terms, to receive the good news of Yeshua is to sit in immutable rest and security with God (the YHVH Merciful Elohiym Judge).
5 and again in this place (uvamakom hazeh[H]), “‘They certainly shall not enter (eiserchomai[G], im-yevoun[H]) My rest (katapausis ego[G], el-menuchatiy[H]).’” [Psalms 95:11] 6 Because (epei[G]) therefore (oun[G]), it remains (apoleipō[G]) for some to enter (eiserchomai[G]) it, and those who before (proteron[G]) had good news preached (euaggelizō[G], vesra tovah[H]) to them failed to enter (eiserchomai[G]) because of disobedience, apathy, (apeitheia[G])
5 and again in this place, “‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’” [Psalms 95:11] 6 Because therefore, it remains for some to enter it, and those who before had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, apathy,
“Those who before” Are those of the generation that came out of Egypt. Therefore, the generation that escaped Egypt also were given the euaggelizo Good News (as previously explained) but with the exception of Joshua and Caleb and their families, that generation rejected the Good News through disobedience and apathy. The generation escaping Egypt was given the Torah at Sinai and with it the weekly Shabbat sign of distinction commanded to ethnic Israelites (Exodus 31:16-17). Following this, while numerous acts of disobedience contributed, nonetheless one single act of disobedience prevented the disbelieving of that generation from entering the rest of the promised land (Joshua 1:13). It was their refusal of the euaggelizo Good News/Gospel spoken by Joshua (& Caleb) concerning the promised land. Joshua being a type in both name and action for the future King Messiah Who would lead Israel into the eternal promised land (Olam Haba). Note that the disobedient who failed to enter the rest were weekly Shabbat keepers.
Once again, the writer of the Book to the Hebrews, understanding that in the context of Psalms 95, the rest being entered into was the promised land (Eretz Yisrael), now makes a comparative drash alluding to the eternal rest of God as having been established from the beginning of creation (Gen.2:2). He makes clear that the eternal rest of God was always offered to Israel through Yeshua the King Messiah, and that the rest offered in the land has always been a shadow of the eternal rest that exists outside of time and space, albeit in the eternal land (Israel [chosen, ethnic] will have the promised land Ertez Yisrael in the world to come, but it will be renewed/recreated undefiled).
“Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’” -Joshua 1:13 NIV
Therefore, the temporary, earthly rest gained under the leadership of Joshua son of Nun, at God’s instruction, was pointing to the transcendent and eternal, metaphysical, spiritual rest of God established in creation. This is evidenced by the continuing invitation of Psalms 95:7-8.
7 He again (palin[G]) determined (horizo[G]) a certain (tis[G]) day (hemera[G]), “Today,” (sēmeron[G], hayom[H]) saying (lego[G]) through David[H] (Beloved) after (meta[G]) so long (tosoutos[G]) a time (chronos[G]) just as has been said before, “Today (sēmeron[G], hayom[H]) if (ean[G], im[H]) you hear (akouō[G], tishmau[H]) His voice (phone[G], bekolo[H]), Do not (me[G]) harden (sklērunō[G]) your hearts.” [Psalms 95:7-8] 8 For if Yeshua/Yehoshua[H] (Iesous[G] Joshua: YHVH Saves) had given them rest (katapauō[G]), he would not have spoken of another (allos[G]) day (hemera[G]) after that.
7 He again determined a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” [Psalms 95:7-8]
“Today” Meaning both David’s time and the time of the writing of the Book to the Hebrews.
King David lived centuries after Joshua. Therefore, the settlement of Canaan by Joshua, Caleb and the generation following those who were disobedient, did not fully fill the promise of rest. That promise being one of eternal rest in the recreated promised land within the Olam Haba (world to come).
The everlasting nature of the Shabbat rest of God is further illuminated by Yeshua the King Messiah:
“And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” -Matthew 22:31-32 ESV
“if you hear His voice” Does not mean “if the message is spoken to you” but “if, once the message has been spoken to you, you choose to hear, listen, receive, understand…”
“Do not harden your hearts” These words are spoken to soft hearts as a warning against hardening.
“Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi went to the Messiah. He said to the Messiah: Greetings to you, my rabbi and my teacher. The Messiah said to him: Greetings to you, bar Leva’i. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: When will the Master come? The Messiah said to him: Today. Sometime later, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi came to Elijah. Elijah said to him: What did the Messiah say to you? He said to Elijah that the Messiah said: Greetings [shalom] to you, bar Leva’i. Elijah said to him: He thereby guaranteed that you and your father will enter the World-to-Come, as he greeted you with shalom. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to Elijah: The Messiah lied to me, as he said to me: I am coming today, and he did not come. Elijah said to him that this is what he said to you: He said that he will come “today, if you will listen to his voice” (Psalms 95:7).” -Talmud Bavliy Sanhedrin 98a 17
8 For if Yehoshua (son of Nun) had given them rest, he would not have spoken of another day after that.
The Greek Iesous meaning Yeshua is used here to refer to Joshua son of Nun and not to Yeshua the Messiah. Yehoshua or its shortened form Yeshua was a common name among Jews of every period, being that Joshua is a hero of Biblical Jewish faith whose name means YHVH is salvation. Because the writer of Hebrews was writing to first century Jewish believers he need not clarify which Yeshua he is speaking of. Those who received this work understood the context of the Scripture which the writer was expounding. Where the King Messiah is meant a qualifying title or description is included, as is the case later in this chapter, where He is called Yeshua the Son of God (v.14).
If those of the generation of Joshua had entered the rest being spoken of, David would not have had to speak of another day called “today”.
9 Consequently, there remains (apoleipō[G]) a Shabbat[H] [rest, sitting, blessing] (sabbatismos[G]) for the people (laos[G], le’am[H]) of God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]). 10 For the one who has entered (eiserchomai[G]) His rest (katapausis[G], menuchato[H]) has himself also rested, restrained (katapauō[G]) from his own (autos[G]) works (ergon[G]), as the God (ho Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) did from His. 11 Therefore let’s be diligently labouring (spoudazō[G]) to enter (eiserchomai[G]) that rest (katapausis[G]), so that no one will fall (piptō[G]) according to the same example, pattern (hupodeigma[G]) of disobedience, apathy, (apeitheia[G]).
9 Consequently, there remains a Shabbat (rest, sitting, blessing) for the people of God.
“there remains a Shabbat” First, this verse speaks of “a Shabbat” and not “the Shabbat (weekly)”. Shabbat can refer to the weekly Shabbat, or to any of the high days of the Biblical festivals. Thus, Israel has many Shabbatot (sabbaths). What’s more, Shabbat literally means “rest” (those foolish Messianics who claim the word “rest” is not present in the text of Heb. 4:9, clearly don’t understand the Hebrew language, Biblical or otherwise).
Had the writer intended to convey the weekly Shabbat as being the Shabbat that remains he would have used the definite article and called it “the Shabbat”. The Shabbat that remains cannot be the weekly Shabbat observed in the sin affected creation. That weekly Shabbat will not remain, because eternity is a perpetual Shabbat and not a temporary break in the sin affected weekly rhythm of the present order. Further still, the disobedient generation who did not enter the rest that remains, were weekly Shabbat keepers (as per Sinai and the giving of Torah). Therefore, to claim that the Shabbat being spoken of here is the weekly Shabbat is to diminish the promise and make it worthless.
The idea that the Shabbat rest of God that remains is everlasting is consistent with ancient Jewish writings. Qumran’s 4QShirShabba describes the heavenly host celebrating the transcendent heavenly Shabbat. Likewise Mishnah Tamid 7:4 describes the Messianic age as an eternal Shabbat. Neither of which are the weekly Shabbat, which is not more than a shadow of the heavenly Shabbat. Weekly Shabbat keeping is of benefit only if it is observed in freedom out of love and acknowledged as a “sign” between God and the ethnic descendants of Jacob.
If you keep the Shabbat out of obligation you have failed to obey the commandment. Obligation is hard work, there is no rest in obligation (Shemot [Exodus] 31:16-17, Galatians 5:1).
“for the people of God” In the context of the Book to the Hebrews “the people of God” are the Jewish people, in particular the Messiah following Jews of the first century C.E. (the recipients of this work). The Hebrew descriptor “People of God” alludes to the ethnic descendants of Jacob (Judges 40:2; 2 Samuel 14:13). The Greek “laos” used here in the Book to the Hebrews is used throughout the Septuagint LXX to refer to ethnic Israel, the descendants of Jacob (Exodus 33:13, 16; Deut. 7:6; Hosea 4:6, 8, 12). The most common Biblical application of the phrase “People of God” is to ethnic Israel, the descendants of Jacob.
While it’s true that elsewhere in the Brit Chadashah (NT) Gentile followers of Yeshua are grafted into the wider meaning of the descriptor “People of God” (Acts 15:14; 18:10; Romans 9:25; 11; 1 Peter 2:10), it is nonetheless not the case in the present passage.
This does not negate an application by extension to all Messiah followers, but it does establish context so as to avoid the zealous overreach of the law keeping rhetoric of certain Messianic Jews and far too many Messianic Gentiles (so called). Those who insist that these verses support the idea that all followers of God must keep the weekly Shabbat, have not read them in context, nor have they properly considered the wider Scriptural imperative regarding the weekly Shabbat.
Additionally, being grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel (Rom. 11; Eph. 2) does not make a Gentile person ethnically or spiritually Jewish any more than being a part of the Commonwealth of Great Britain makes an indigenous Cree person (Canadian native) a Briton (tribal, ethnic, of Britain). Those grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel feed from the faith root of the natural olive tree (ethnic Jews/Israelites) but do not fruit the same variety of fruit as the natural tree.
As a manager of a garden centre for a number of years (prior to becoming a Spiritual Leader) I noted that the multi-graft olive trees we sold fruited the fruit of their original (wild) plants where they had been grafted to the natural (base stock) plant. In short, a burgundy-brown coloured (Kalamata) olive from a wild tree grafted to the green olive (Castelvetrano) of the natural tree, nonetheless fruited burgundy-brown year after year, likewise a black olive (Bella di Cerignola) from another wild tree, and so on (we sold trees of up to four grafts of wild olives attached to the root stock of the base plant). After all, what is the point of a multi-graft olive tree that bears only the fruit of the natural tree?
With regard to the teaching of Romans 11/Ephesians 2, spiritually and ethnically speaking, being grafted in by faith through Yeshua the King Messiah to the root source (that which feeds the tree) does not mean a loss of ethnicity (culture, uniqueness, identity, flavour, colour), nor does it mean appropriation of the mother tree’s ethnicity (culture, uniqueness, identity, flavour, colour).
Learn this lesson well Gentile brothers and sisters: God did not make a mistake when He made you of a different ethnicity to that of Israel (Jewish people). Nor does He require you to become Jews. Freedom is in Messiah alone, all else is idolatrous nonsense. Be the Messiah essential you, expressing all that is godly within your own ethnic cultural identity in Yeshua.
The Shabbat in question (Heb. 4:9) has clearly not been entered into by the ancient generation of disobedient Israelites (escaping Egypt) who nonetheless had kept the weekly Shabbat since receiving the command at Sinai, and died subsequently after complaining against God. Therefore, the weekly Shabbat cannot possibly be the Shabbat being spoken of here.
We are again reminded that added to this is the fact that the audience of the Book to the Hebrews are first century Jewish believers who are already keeping the weekly Shabbat, but are nonetheless being admonished to work to enter Shabbat (v.10-11), why? If they’re already keeping the weekly Shabbat, why would they need to work at entering, unless the Shabbat being spoken of is not the weekly Shabbat. The weekly Shabbat (which the believing Jews were already keeping) is instead used as an example of the transcendent Shabbat of God accessed by those who receive His Son Yeshua in faith and action.
10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested, restrained from his own works, as the God did from His.
“the one who has entered His rest” Means that the believing Jew who has already entered God’s rest and will continue to. “The one who has entered” is the believing Jew. The rest being spoken of, called “His rest”, is the transcendent Shabbat of God (the nearest subject) established before the foundation of the world. Therefore, the one who has entered the transcendent Shabbat rest of God in Yeshua may well understand that rest, based on the observance of the weekly Shabbat, however, the weekly Shabbat is not the focus of this passage, rather the eternal Shabbat is.
We note that the one who has entered God’s rest has also, that is already through faith, chosen to “rest from his own works” as God rested from His work. In the case of God, His work was “very good” but in the case of the human being his work is sin affected and motivated by the evil inclination (Gen. 6:5). Therefore, the Jew who has entered the eternal Shabbat rest of God through Yeshua has learned to rest from the vanity of his own works. In short, there is no such thing as works based salvation (rest). Salvation unto rest is through Messiah in God alone and not by works, lest anyone should boast (commit idolatry)[Ephesians 2:8-9].
“For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any human should boast.” - Ephesians 2:8-9
It is to the great shame of many in the Messianic movement and those numerous Gentile Messianic zealots and pseudo Christian cults who do the same, that we have often taught law keeping lies based on the decontextualised teaching of Scripture portions like Hebrews 4:9-10.
These verses are not teaching that all believers must keep the weekly Shabbat, but that Jewish believers who keep the weekly Shabbat possess it as a reminder of their position within the eternal Shabbat rest of God. Meaning that the weekly Shabbat commanded to “the children of Israel”[Exodus 31:16-17] (not to all believers but to the ethnic descendants of Jacob) is a shadow cast by the heavenly Shabbat. This is consistent with the wider teaching of the Book to the Hebrews (Heb. 8:4-5).
The writer could not be more clear in pointing out that weekly Shabbat observance does not give the observer access to the eternal Shabbat of God. If it did, all those Shabbat keeping Israelites of the disobedient generation (who received and practiced the commandment for some time prior to refusing the message of God sent via Moses and through Joshua and Caleb) would have entered. What’s more, as the Scripture teaches, the weekly Shabbat is first and foremost a “sign” (ot, miraculous banner) between God and the descendants of Jacob alone (Exodus 31:16-17). An ethno-religious, very specific sign pointing to the eternal Shabbat purchased by the ethno-religious Jewish Messiah Yeshua. It is not a sign on the Gentiles (believers or not), nor is it incumbent upon them.
The Scriptures refute the false teaching that says the weekly Shabbat is incumbent on Gentile Christians. Rabbinical Judaism agrees and requires that Gentile God fearers need only keep the moral Law of Torah, sometimes referred to as the Noachide laws. Those moral laws predating the giving of the Torah and the ethno-religious sign of Shabbat. In fact, many of the moral laws which predate Torah are evidenced in other ancient moral codes such as the Hammurabi Codex 1755 B.C.E (which predates the Torah 1312 B.C.E by some 400 years) The early Jewish Church fathers also agree, and by the direction of the Holy Spirit gave the Gentile believers a concise form of the Noachide laws to guide them (Acts 15:1-35), laws which excluded the weekly Shabbat commandment.
Further still, in response to those who reject Scripture and claim the entire Torah to be incumbent on Gentiles, we ask “Where is it recorded that Adam, Noah, Abraham or even Jacob and his sons observed the weekly Shabbat?”
For further clarification please read the following exert from my previous article on the subject:
The Weekly Shabbat is Not Incumbent on Gentile Christians
“Remember Yom Shabbat, to keep it holy. You are to work six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Shabbat to ADONAI your God. In it you shall not do any work—not you, nor your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your cattle, nor the outsider that is within your gates.” Exodus 20:8-10 (TLV)
Note that this commandment, given specifically to Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) is to be observed by all Jews but only by foreigners (Gentiles) who live within the Jewish community: specifically among the people of Israel on their way to and within the land of Israel. This does not apply to today’s Christians who worship the God of Israel but live outside of Israel and further still, outside of the Jewish communities within the diaspora. The commandment to keep the weekly Shabbat is specifically a sign on the ethnic, religious chosen people of Israel (Jews):
“So Bnei-Yisrael is to keep the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and Bnei-Yisrael forever, for in six days ADONAI made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.’” -Exodus 31:16-17 (TLV)
We note that the weekly Shabbat is a sign between God and the ethnic, religious people of Israel (Jews). It is not a sign upon the nations.
When Yeshua said:
“the Shabbat was made for man and not man for the Shabbat” (Mark 2:23-28)
The only “men” present were Jews. Further, He used an example from the Tanakh in which only Jews participated. If we interpret His words to apply to all human beings, we are ignoring the historical and Scriptural context of what He said and impugning His character by suggesting that He contradicted the Torah (Exodus 31:16-17).
To the contrary, He is making a drash (comparative teaching) on a commandment given specifically to Israel (ethnic, religious , empirical) and not to the nations. Thus, when He says “man” He means “man” within the context of Israel (Jews) and not humanity in general.
If we go further and interpret His words figuratively to apply the Shabbat to all nations, we must by reason of logical progression be speaking of the eternal Shabbat at the end of the age, that is the Olam Haba (world to come) and not to the temporal weekly Shabbat commanded specifically to the Jews. All figurative interpretation must submit to the plain meaning of the text.
In the context of Yeshua’s words the command to keep Shabbat is not made incumbent on Gentile Christians, (who did not yet exist at the time Yeshua spoke), rather He was explaining to the Pharisees that the sign of the Shabbat upon Israel’s “men” was one of rest and restoration through the work of God and was not a form of rest purchased by either the restraint or the actions of Jewish “men” (and women).
All this is done to keep the Shabbat as a sign on the ethnic, religious Jewish people until the end of the age, when:
“‘it will come to pass,
that from one New Moon to another,
and from one Shabbat to another,
all flesh will come to bow down before Me,’
says ADONAI.” -Isaiah 66:23 (TLV)
The prophet Isaiah is clearly prophesying a time yet future (it will come), and is not, as some suggest, inferring that all nations should keep the weekly Shabbat in the present age.
This is also seen in Zechariah 14:16 where, at the end of the age (not now), the survivors of the defeated nations will repent and go up to Jerusalem to join with ethnic, religious Israel in celebration of the festival (signs) placed on the Jews. Neither passage denotes a requirement for weekly Shabbat observance by Gentile Christians in the present.
When Yeshua says “The Son of Man is Lord of the Shabbat” He is alluding to the Messianic title given to the Messiah in the prophecy of Daniel (Dan. 7:13-14) in order that He might be recognised as the Messiah by His disciples and any among the Pharisees who might understand and repent. While it is true that He is the Messiah over all men, we do not glean this understanding from the context of Mark 2:23-28.
I remind the reader that the weekly Shabbat is a sign between God and the ethnic, religious people of Israel (Jews). It is not a sign upon the nations.
“So Bnei-Yisrael is to keep the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and Bnei-Yisrael forever, for in six days ADONAI made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.’” -Exodus 31:16-17 (TLV)
Those who teach that Gentile Christians must keep the weekly Shabbat are in fact teaching Gentile Christians to usurp one of the signs that sets ethnic, religious Israel apart from the nations. Ironically, in doing so, these “Seventh Day Adventists”, “Hebrew roots Christians”, so called “Messianic Gentiles” and sadly far too many Messianic Jews, are literally teaching the practice of “Replacement Theology” (Successionism, Supersessionism, Continuationism etc.), which many of them claim to detest. Thus, they have become the worst kind of hypocrites.
I stand in opposition to those movements who seek to place Gentile Christians under bondage to commandments that were never incumbent upon them.
This is not to say that Gentile Christians can’t choose to keep the weekly Shabbat as free members of the body of Messiah Yeshua, rather it is to say that the weekly Shabbat is not incumbent upon Gentile Christians.
As a Jew and a follower of Yeshua set free for freedom, I don’t keep the weekly Shabbat out of a sense of obligation, but because I have come to understand that in Yeshua every day is Shabbat.
11 Therefore let’s be diligently labouring to enter that rest, so that no one will fall according to the same example, pattern of disobedience, apathy.
Once again those Jews who receive Yeshua are admonished to walk diligently in Him. Within time and space we are entering His rest so as not to remain in apathetic disobedience.
As explained by the text itself and its context, “that rest” is the eternal Shabbat of God established in creation and not the weekly Shabbat.
The Shabbat rest spoken of is God’s, as is the labour of entering. So what is the “work/labour of God”?
“Yeshua answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe, trust, be committed in the One He has sent.” - John 6:29
We recall that the writer of the Book to the Hebrews has called Yeshua Ha Shaliach (The Sent One) the Apostle (Heb. 3:1).
Discipleship begins and continues in Yeshua. It is true that in Yeshua we have been saved. It is further important to realise that we are being saved. A date on a calendar is not proof of redemption, but the fruit of righteousness is evidence of it.
“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” -Hebrews 10:14 NIV
12 For living (zaō[G], chay[H]) and effective (energēs[G]), is the word, essence (ho logos[G], ha’davar[H]) of God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) and sharper (tomōteros[G]) above (huper[G]) any two-edged (distomos[G]) short sword (machaira[G]), even piercing (diikneomai[G]) so as to divide (merismos[G]) soul life (psuchē[G], nefesh[H])) and spirit (pneuma[G], ruach[H]), of both joints (harmos[G]) and marrow (muelos[G]), and able to discern (kritikos[G]) the thoughts (enthumēsis[G]) and intentions (ennoia[G]) of the heart [inner being, core] (kardia[G], leiv[H]).
12 For living and effective, is the word, essence of God and sharper above any two-edged short sword, even piercing so as to divide soul life and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart (inner being, core).
“living and effective, is the word, essence of God and sharper above any two-edged short sword, even piercing so as to divide soul life and spirit, of both joints and marrow,” The couplets of Jewish poetry are present here in order to firmly establish the action of God’s living word essence in the person of Messiah. Soul to joint, spirit to marrow, seemingly indiscernible elements that show God’s intimate work through His living word (davar[H]).
The Greek “logos” equivalent to the Hebrew “davar” conveys more than written word (ketvi[H]). The Word (John 1) is present and active participating in the redemption of creation, dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow, getting to the heart (inner being, core) of the human condition and bringing salvation and rest.
“The heart (inner being, core) is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” -Jeremiah 17:9
“short sword” The Greek macharia describes an extremely sharp short sword or long dagger (Heb. 11:34, 37) often used by ancient Greeks and Romans as a stabbing weapon in close combat. An intimate weapon used up close. The same word is used to describe the “sword of the Spirit” as the word of God (Eph. 6:17). A surgical precision is inferred.
“able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” A non-Jewish writer, in keeping with the Greco-Roman worldview, might have written “discern the thoughts of the mind and intentions of the heart”. But the Jewish writer shows that he understands the heart in terms of Jewish consciousness, as the convergent centre of being (core). He does not convey God as dividing heart and mind but as the One Who discerns the thoughts and intentions of the inner person (heart, core).
13 Neither is there any creature, building, ordinance (ktisis[G]), hidden (aphanēs[G]) from His sight, presence, face (enōpion[G]), but all things (hakol[H]) individually and collectively (pas[G]) are naked (gumnos[G]) and opened (trachēlizō[G]) before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give an account (hemin logos[G]) [alt. diyn lepeneyv[H] to be judged before His face]. 14 Therefore, since we have a great (megas[G]) high priest (archiereus[G], kohen gadol[H]) Who has passed (dierchomai[G]) through the heavens (Ouranos[G], hashamayim[H]), Yeshua[H] (Iesous[G]) the Son (ho uihos[G], ha ben[H]) of the God (ho Theos[G], ha Elohiym[H]), let’s hold fast (krateō[G]) to our profession (homologia[G]).
13 Neither is there any creature, building, ordinance, hidden from His sight, presence, face, but all things individually and collectively are naked and opened before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give an account.
Nothing and no one is hidden from The Word of God (Yeshua), Who is the subject of the previous verse. God has committed all judgment to Yeshua (John 5:22; Acts 17:31; Romans 2:16). No one can Hide from God (Psalms 139:7-12).
The early Jewish believers are reminded of Yeshua’s intimate presence and their right standing before Hashem in the Messiah. The believer stands as though naked before God in Messiah, thus, we must constantly seek to be aware of Him and the right use of our parts (every element of our soul existence) in Him.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.” - 2 Corinthians 5:10
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Yeshua the Son of the God, let’s hold fast to our profession.
Yeshua was introduced as Kohen HaGadol at 2:17. The writer now begins an exposition of Psalms 110:4 (Heb. 4:14-7:28), focusing on the role of Messiah Yeshua as Kohen HaGadol of a transcendent priesthood that is superior to that of Aaron. Being that it existed before creation and makes atonement possible for all who believe (1 Peter 1:19-20; Rev. 13:8).
Having reminded the Jewish believers of the reality of the present and coming Judgement of God. The writer of Hebrews now reminds them of the present and continued mediation provided by Messiah Yeshua the Son of God and Kohen Gadol “Great High Priest”.
Yeshua will one day be our Judge, and is now and unto that day our intercessor and advocate (Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1). What’s more, our names are written in His book of life (Rev. 21:27).
“Who has passed through” Means that through His death and resurrection, being without sin, Yeshua passed through all realms and offered atonement in the heavenly holy of holies, and is therefore subject to none, but God has made all subject to Him.
Because Yeshua has passed through the heavens to atone for us just as the Levitical high priest of Israel made atonement in the holy place (Lev. 16:15, 17) [a shadow of the heavenly things ref. Heb. 8:5; 10:1], we must hold fast together to the profession, testimony, witness of our faith. Not simply a confession, which is an admission of belief, but a profession, and active proclamation of that belief.
15 For we do not have a high priest (archiereus[G], kohen gadol[H]) Who is unable to sympathize, have compassion (sumpatheō[G]) with our weaknesses (astheneia[G]), but One who has been tempted, tried, examined, proved (peirazō[G]) in all things just as we are, yet without (chōris[G]) sin [missing the mark set by God’s holiness] (hamartia[G]). 16 Therefore let us come freely (meta[G]) with boldness, confidence (parrhēsia[G]) to the throne (thronos[G]) of grace, unmerited favour, practical love (charis[G], harachamiym[H]), so that we may receive (lambanō[G]) mercy (eleos[G], chaniynah[H]) and find (heuriskō[G]) grace (charis[G], chesed[H]) for help (boētheia[G], la’azar[H]) at the time of our need (eukairos[G]).
15 For we do not have a high priest Who is unable to sympathize, have compassion with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted, tried, examined, proved in all things just as we are, yet without sin [missing the mark set by God’s holiness].
Hebrews 2:5-18 explains that Yeshua had a human nature like ours but remained sinless. Therefore, He is able to sympathize with us rather than empathize, because being tempted and tried in every way that it is possible for a human being to be challenged, He nonetheless remained sinless. He understands the pressures of the sin affected world (sympathy) but has not acted on them, or experienced sin (empathy).
The three primary forms of human sin are reflected in 1 John 2:15-17:
“15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” -1 John 2:15-17 KJV
1. Lust of the flesh
2. Lust of the eyes
3. Pride of life
It was to these three that Adam and Eve succumbed in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-6).
Yeshua on the other hand resisted all three (Matt. 4:1-11).
“For God has done what the Torah, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,” -Romans 8:3
That is not to say that the Torah is weak but that our weak flesh is unable to meet the standard it sets. Thus, Yeshua came in the weakness of our flesh in order to overcome that weakness and offer us freedom from it.
16 Therefore, let us come freely with boldness, confidence to the throne of grace, unmerited favour, practical love, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.
We can come freely and with confidence before the throne of God’s grace in Messiah because Messiah approaches with us and in us. He is both Judge and Mediator of the faithful.
“Throne of grace” is an unusual title, the more common designation being “throne of glory” (Jer. 14:21; Matt. 19:28). Because the context denotes Yeshua’s judgement seat, it seems likely that the “Throne of grace” refers to Yeshua’s throne. However, this does not negate the unity of God’s throne with Yeshua’s throne. As we have read previously, Yeshua is seated in the right hand of God. Locational earthly distinctions become redundant when seeking to understand the metaphysical realities of the Godhead. The Throne of God is described in 1 Kings 22:19; Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel 1:26; Daniel 7:9.
Jewish tradition identifies multiple thrones, including a throne of God’s judgement and a throne of God’s mercy/grace (Targum in Psalms 29. 10. Talmud Bavliy Avoda Zara, fol. 3. 2. Zohar in Genesis fol. 38. 3. & in Numbers fol. 91. 2. & 93. 2. Megillat Esther, fol. 95. 1. Raziel, fol. 32. 1.)
"let my prayer come before Your throne of glory, and let my cry come before Your throne of thy mercy". -Raziel fol. 3. 1.
This is consistent with the present text.
By the grace of God Yeshua the King Messiah comes to set us free from our human propensity for sin and to walk with us in and toward the eternal Shabbat rest of God, so that we are holding His hand as we approach the throne of judgement and grace. Therefore we walk in terrified security, love engulfed fear, blissful trembling, toward Yeshua the Judge, being in Yeshua the High Priest, knowing that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Why then would we ever be less than confident, or more than humble, except by allowing ourselves to be deluded through turning our gaze away from the King Messiah and toward the apathy of unbelief.
In our time of greatest need we have need of none other than the King Messiah.
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown
Chapter 4 continues the exposition of Psalm 95:7-11, and makes a drash (comparative teaching) using the term “rest” as a simile for “Shabbat”, with the purpose of revealing the present, ongoing, and coming eternal rest (Shabbat) of God, which has been established from the beginning of creation. That rest being present in the Kingdom of God manifest within time and space unto the goal and the convergence of the Olam Haba [world to come] (what many Christians often refer to as Heaven: a misnomer given Rev. 21:1-3).
The Shabbat in question is that Shabbat which is both established in the seventh day of the creation week and proceeds the cosmic week that follows the week of creation. The weekly Shabbat observed by the people of Israel (descendants of Jacob) is a shadow of the eternal Shabbat, in the same way that the earthly Temple is a shadow of heavenly things (Heb. 8:4-5).
Shabbat, from the Hebrew root sheva (7, blessing, rest, sit), and related to the Hebrew word shevet (sit, dwell, settle) reflects the fullness of the attributes of God’s nature, His rest and blessing (Isaiah 6:1-5). Therefore, In God through Messiah the eternal Shabbat (rest) has existed from the foundation of the world and thus, from our view within time and space, the temporal rest of the promised land which Joshua lead Israel into (Joshua 1:13) is preceded and superseded by the eternal rest of God through Yeshua. This is consistent with the theme of Messiah’s superiority, His all-existing nature. Yeshua is Lord of the Shabbat (not just the temporal weekly Shabbat but also of the transcendent Shabbat reflected in it.
This teaching does not do away with the observance of the weekly Shabbat by the Jewish believer (ethnic descendant of Jacob), rather it illuminates the weekly Shabbat as a reminder of the rest experienced by creation in the beginning, and acts as a foretaste of the eternal Shabbat which already exists and will swallow up the present sin affected creation with fire (judgement) and renewal (2 Peter 3:10).
It’s important at this point to remind the reader that the audience of this work are late first century Jewish followers of Yeshua the King Messiah, and that their understanding sees all that is being taught in relationship to God’s continued redemptive purposes and His immutable promises to Israel, the blood descendants of Jacob. They are faced with properly understanding the nature of the passing earthly shadows of the heavens (the role of Torah, priesthood, sacrificial system, priestly practice, and Shabbat). Note that the earthly shadows are passing, neither obligatory nor permanent.
As is the case with all Scripture (scrolls of the original texts), there are no chapter breaks or verse markers (or punctuation for that matter) in the scroll of the Book to the Hebrews. It’s important to see the text of this chapter as a continuation of the previous chapter, the last verses of chapter 3 being:
18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient, apathetic? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
Which rest did the disobedient among the generation leaving Egypt not enter?
““Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’” -Joshua 1:13 NIV
The rest being used as an example is the rest obtained by God’s gift of the promised land Eretz Yisrael.
If we fail to keep this in mind we will fail to understand the remainder of the teaching.
BOOK TO THE HEBREWS Chapter 4 (Author’s translation)
1 Fear therefore, lest while a promise remains [is to come] of entering into His rest, any one of you [souls] may seem [be thought to have] come short, fallen behind.
2 For, indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word, essence they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united, mixed, tempered together with those who in faith heard, listened, received, understood.
3 For we who have believed, trusted, committed, enter His rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My anger, flaring nostril, ‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’” [Psalm 95:10-11 LXX] although His works were finished from the foundation of the world, earth and heavens.
4 For He has said somewhere about the seventh day: “And God rested, sat down on the seventh day from all His works” [Gen. 2:2];
5 and again in this place, “‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’” [Psalms 95:11]
6 Because therefore, it remains for some to enter it, and those who before had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, apathy,
7 He again determined a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” [Psalms 95:7-8]
8 For if Yehoshua (son of Nun) had given them rest, he would not have spoken of another day after that.
9 Consequently, there remains a Shabbat (rest, sitting, blessing) for the people of God.
10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested, restrained from his works, as the God did from His.
11 Therefore let’s be diligently labouring to enter that rest, so that no one will fall according to the same example, pattern of disobedience, apathy.
12 For living and effective, is the word, essence of God and sharper above any two-edged short sword, even piercing so as to divide soul life and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart (inner being, core).
13 Neither is there any creature, building, ordinance, hidden from His sight, presence, face, but all things individually and collectively are naked and opened before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give an account.
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Yeshua the Son of the God, let’s hold fast to our profession.
15 For we do not have a high priest Who is unable to sympathize, have compassion with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted, tried, examined, proved in all things just as we are, yet without sin [missing the mark set by God’s holiness].
16 Therefore let us come freely with boldness, confidently to the throne of grace, unmerited favour, practical love, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.
HEBREWS 3 (line upon line)
1 Fear (phobeō[G]) therefore (oun[G]), lest while a promise (epaggelia[G], ha’havtacha[H]) remains [is to come] (lavo[H]) of entering (eiserchomai[G]) into (eis[G]) His (autos[G]) rest (katapausis[G], menuchato[H]), any one of you [souls](lenafsheinu[H]) may seem [be thought] (dokeō[G]) to have come short, fallen behind (hustereō[G]). 2 For (kai[G]), indeed (gar[G]) we have had good news preached (euaggelizō[G], vesra tovah[H]) to us, just as they also did; but the word, essence (logos[G], hadavar[H]) they heard (sham’u hem[H]) did not benefit (ōpheleō[G]) them, because they were not united, mixed, tempered together (sugkerannumi[G]) with those who in faith (pistis[G], be’emunat[H]) heard, listened, received, understood (akouō[G]).
1 Fear therefore, lest while a promise remains [is to come] of entering into His rest, any one of you [souls] may seem [be thought to] have come short, fallen behind.
“Fear therefore” The Jewish believers of the first century are admonished to have holy fear of God because the generation of their ancestors who disobeyed God in the desert “were not able to enter because of unbelief.” In short, “fear God and avoid unbelief”.
“lest while a promise remains of entering into His rest, any one of you [souls] may seem to have come short, fallen behind.” While the promise of entering His (God’s) rest remains, continues to be accessible to the Jewish believers (meaning unto the goal of time and space), we must be careful not to fall short of it through unbelief.
While the original temporal rest of the promised land offered by God through Joshua (Joshua 1:13) had been entered into by some (Joshua, Caleb and their families along with the subsequent generation born of the disobedient), even some of those who received this Book to the Hebrews (Jewish believers still living in the land of Israel prior to 70 C.E), it was nonetheless always to be a temporal shadow of the eternal land promised to Israel (part of the world to come), entry to which continues to be offered to the descendants of Jacob through the final Joshua, Yeshua the King Messiah.
The writer of the Book to the Hebrews, understanding that in the context of Psalms 95, the rest being entered into was the promised land (eretz Yisrael) [ref. Joshua 1:13], now makes a comparative drash alluding to the eternal rest of God as having been established from the beginning of creation (Gen.2:2). He makes clear that the eternal rest of God was always offered to Israel through Yeshua the King Messiah, and that the temporal rest offered in the land has always been a shadow of the eternal rest that exists outside of time and space. Not that Israel will fail to possess the land promised to her by God as an everlasting possession (Gen. 15), but that she will possess that land renewed, recreated, everlasting, in the Olam Haba (world to come).
“Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’” -Joshua 1:13 NIV
Therefore, the temporary, earthly rest gained under the leadership of Joshua at God’s instruction was pointing to the transcendent and eternal, metaphysical, spiritual, rest of God established in creation and fully filled in the renewed creation.
2 For, indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word, essence they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united, mixed, tempered together with those who in faith heard, listened, received, understood.
“For, indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did;” The good news/Gospel (euaggelizō[G], vesra tovah[H]) the generation escaping Egypt had received was in historical context, the news of the promised rest of God in the promised land of Israel (Joshua 1:13). However, it was also the transcendent good news of Messiah, Who, resurrected and unbound by time and space has made salvation available to all, regardless of their position within the limitations of chronology. That Good News made evident in the delivering of the snake bitten through gazing upon the defeated snake held up on a bronse stake by Moses the drawn out one (Num. 21).
Therefore, “we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did;” makes the Good News/Gospel of Yeshua the King Messiah available to every generation. Anything else denies God’s justice and impugns His character, for in a certain place Messiah has said “No one comes to the Father (God) except through Me” (John 14:6). From the first man Adam until the last human to be born prior to the goal (end) of the present created order, all are offered an opportunity of redemption and eternal life by the just God of creation through the Last Adam (Yeshua) [1 Cor. 15:45].
“The word they heard did not benefit them because they were not united, together with those who in faith heard, listened” Not because they were entirely devoid of faith of any kind, but because they were not united in faith with those who truly listened to the voice of God (specifically Joshua & Caleb: Num. 13:30-14:10). In short, faith alone is not enough, faith grows in relationship and is proved in action (Yaakov [James] 2:14-25). The emphasis is on the need for each believer to be strengthened by the community of faith. This is pretext to the explicit allusion to the same idea recorded later in the Book to the Hebrews.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” -Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV
3 For we who have believed, trusted, committed (pisteuō[G], hama’amiyniym[H]) enter (eiserchomai[G]) His rest (katapausis[G], menuchato[H]), just as He has said, “As I swore (omnuō[G], nishbatiy[H]) in My anger, flaring nostril (orgē[G], veafiy[H]), ‘They certainly shall not enter (eiserchomai[G], im-yevoun[H]) My rest (katapausis ego[G], el-menuchatiy[H]).’” [Psalm 95:10-11 LXX] although His works (ergon[G]) were finished from the foundation (katabolē[G], behivaseid[H]) of the world, earth and heavens (kosmos[G], eretz veshamayim[H]). 4 For He has said (ereō[G]) somewhere about (peri[G]) the seventh day (hebdomos[G], al yom hashviyiy[H]): “And God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) rested, sat down (katapauō[G], vayishbot[H]) on the seventh day (bayom hashviyiy[H]) from all (mekol[H]) His works (ergon[G], melachto[H])” [Gen. 2:2];
3 For we who have believed, trusted, committed, enter His rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My anger, flaring nostril, ‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’” [Psalm 95:10-11 LXX] although His works were finished from the foundation of the world, earth and heavens.
Psalms 95, requoted here, was sung during the weekly Shabbat services in the Temple and remains part of the weekly Shabbat liturgy in the synagogue to this day. The writer’s Jewish audience understand the intrinsic connection between this Psalm and the weekly Shabbat.
In the same way that entering into the physical rest of the land of Canaan demanded faith in God’s promise, so too entry into the eternal rest through salvation in Messiah demands faith as an ongoing commitment to walking with Yeshua in God.
“we who have believed, trusted, committed, enter His rest…” Those of us who believe and are committed to Yeshua in God have begun and are continuing to “enter His rest”. The text is in the present continuous sense, meaning that it is an ongoing process.
It’s important to remember that belief (faith, trust) births action and action is the reciprocating child of belief. One who believes that action is incumbent upon him is in bondage to himself, but the one whose actions are born of his belief is free. Nothing free ever comes from obligation.
“His works were finished from the foundation of the world, earth and heavens.” The eternal Shabbat established in God has been present and offered to humanity from the foundation of creation. His rest is already a reality for those willing to receive it. “His rest” means that the rest in question belongs to and is in God. It is made available to humanity (always first for the Jew and also always for the Gentile ref. Rom. 1:16) through Yeshua the King Messiah. The rest God calls us to is not “our rest” but “His rest”.
The rest in question is present in the receipt of salvation, discipleship, future Messianic age and the Olam Haba (world to come) as a complex unity. It is all these and no single separated part of the sum.
Rav Kattina teaches that the six millennia of world history will be followed by a millennium of Shabbat, the Messianic age (Sanhedrin 97a). In Biblical Hebrew thought 1000 is symbolic of eternity or perpetuity. Therefore, Jewish tradition affirms the eternal nature of the Shabbat rest of the Olam Haba (world to come).
4 For He has said somewhere about the seventh day: “And God rested, sat down on the seventh day from all His works” [Gen. 2:2];
Once again the writer does not quote chapter and verse. Rather he alludes to a text that is well known and presumes the audience will be familiar with it. The Hebrew text of Genesis 2:2 literally says that God “sat down on the seventh day”. In very simple and profound terms, to receive the good news of Yeshua is to sit in immutable rest and security with God (the YHVH Merciful Elohiym Judge).
5 and again in this place (uvamakom hazeh[H]), “‘They certainly shall not enter (eiserchomai[G], im-yevoun[H]) My rest (katapausis ego[G], el-menuchatiy[H]).’” [Psalms 95:11] 6 Because (epei[G]) therefore (oun[G]), it remains (apoleipō[G]) for some to enter (eiserchomai[G]) it, and those who before (proteron[G]) had good news preached (euaggelizō[G], vesra tovah[H]) to them failed to enter (eiserchomai[G]) because of disobedience, apathy, (apeitheia[G])
5 and again in this place, “‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’” [Psalms 95:11] 6 Because therefore, it remains for some to enter it, and those who before had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, apathy,
“Those who before” Are those of the generation that came out of Egypt. Therefore, the generation that escaped Egypt also were given the euaggelizo Good News (as previously explained) but with the exception of Joshua and Caleb and their families, that generation rejected the Good News through disobedience and apathy. The generation escaping Egypt was given the Torah at Sinai and with it the weekly Shabbat sign of distinction commanded to ethnic Israelites (Exodus 31:16-17). Following this, while numerous acts of disobedience contributed, nonetheless one single act of disobedience prevented the disbelieving of that generation from entering the rest of the promised land (Joshua 1:13). It was their refusal of the euaggelizo Good News/Gospel spoken by Joshua (& Caleb) concerning the promised land. Joshua being a type in both name and action for the future King Messiah Who would lead Israel into the eternal promised land (Olam Haba). Note that the disobedient who failed to enter the rest were weekly Shabbat keepers.
Once again, the writer of the Book to the Hebrews, understanding that in the context of Psalms 95, the rest being entered into was the promised land (Eretz Yisrael), now makes a comparative drash alluding to the eternal rest of God as having been established from the beginning of creation (Gen.2:2). He makes clear that the eternal rest of God was always offered to Israel through Yeshua the King Messiah, and that the rest offered in the land has always been a shadow of the eternal rest that exists outside of time and space, albeit in the eternal land (Israel [chosen, ethnic] will have the promised land Ertez Yisrael in the world to come, but it will be renewed/recreated undefiled).
“Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’” -Joshua 1:13 NIV
Therefore, the temporary, earthly rest gained under the leadership of Joshua son of Nun, at God’s instruction, was pointing to the transcendent and eternal, metaphysical, spiritual rest of God established in creation. This is evidenced by the continuing invitation of Psalms 95:7-8.
7 He again (palin[G]) determined (horizo[G]) a certain (tis[G]) day (hemera[G]), “Today,” (sēmeron[G], hayom[H]) saying (lego[G]) through David[H] (Beloved) after (meta[G]) so long (tosoutos[G]) a time (chronos[G]) just as has been said before, “Today (sēmeron[G], hayom[H]) if (ean[G], im[H]) you hear (akouō[G], tishmau[H]) His voice (phone[G], bekolo[H]), Do not (me[G]) harden (sklērunō[G]) your hearts.” [Psalms 95:7-8] 8 For if Yeshua/Yehoshua[H] (Iesous[G] Joshua: YHVH Saves) had given them rest (katapauō[G]), he would not have spoken of another (allos[G]) day (hemera[G]) after that.
7 He again determined a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” [Psalms 95:7-8]
“Today” Meaning both David’s time and the time of the writing of the Book to the Hebrews.
King David lived centuries after Joshua. Therefore, the settlement of Canaan by Joshua, Caleb and the generation following those who were disobedient, did not fully fill the promise of rest. That promise being one of eternal rest in the recreated promised land within the Olam Haba (world to come).
The everlasting nature of the Shabbat rest of God is further illuminated by Yeshua the King Messiah:
“And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” -Matthew 22:31-32 ESV
“if you hear His voice” Does not mean “if the message is spoken to you” but “if, once the message has been spoken to you, you choose to hear, listen, receive, understand…”
“Do not harden your hearts” These words are spoken to soft hearts as a warning against hardening.
“Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi went to the Messiah. He said to the Messiah: Greetings to you, my rabbi and my teacher. The Messiah said to him: Greetings to you, bar Leva’i. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: When will the Master come? The Messiah said to him: Today. Sometime later, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi came to Elijah. Elijah said to him: What did the Messiah say to you? He said to Elijah that the Messiah said: Greetings [shalom] to you, bar Leva’i. Elijah said to him: He thereby guaranteed that you and your father will enter the World-to-Come, as he greeted you with shalom. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to Elijah: The Messiah lied to me, as he said to me: I am coming today, and he did not come. Elijah said to him that this is what he said to you: He said that he will come “today, if you will listen to his voice” (Psalms 95:7).” -Talmud Bavliy Sanhedrin 98a 17
8 For if Yehoshua (son of Nun) had given them rest, he would not have spoken of another day after that.
The Greek Iesous meaning Yeshua is used here to refer to Joshua son of Nun and not to Yeshua the Messiah. Yehoshua or its shortened form Yeshua was a common name among Jews of every period, being that Joshua is a hero of Biblical Jewish faith whose name means YHVH is salvation. Because the writer of Hebrews was writing to first century Jewish believers he need not clarify which Yeshua he is speaking of. Those who received this work understood the context of the Scripture which the writer was expounding. Where the King Messiah is meant a qualifying title or description is included, as is the case later in this chapter, where He is called Yeshua the Son of God (v.14).
If those of the generation of Joshua had entered the rest being spoken of, David would not have had to speak of another day called “today”.
9 Consequently, there remains (apoleipō[G]) a Shabbat[H] [rest, sitting, blessing] (sabbatismos[G]) for the people (laos[G], le’am[H]) of God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]). 10 For the one who has entered (eiserchomai[G]) His rest (katapausis[G], menuchato[H]) has himself also rested, restrained (katapauō[G]) from his own (autos[G]) works (ergon[G]), as the God (ho Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) did from His. 11 Therefore let’s be diligently labouring (spoudazō[G]) to enter (eiserchomai[G]) that rest (katapausis[G]), so that no one will fall (piptō[G]) according to the same example, pattern (hupodeigma[G]) of disobedience, apathy, (apeitheia[G]).
9 Consequently, there remains a Shabbat (rest, sitting, blessing) for the people of God.
“there remains a Shabbat” First, this verse speaks of “a Shabbat” and not “the Shabbat (weekly)”. Shabbat can refer to the weekly Shabbat, or to any of the high days of the Biblical festivals. Thus, Israel has many Shabbatot (sabbaths). What’s more, Shabbat literally means “rest” (those foolish Messianics who claim the word “rest” is not present in the text of Heb. 4:9, clearly don’t understand the Hebrew language, Biblical or otherwise).
Had the writer intended to convey the weekly Shabbat as being the Shabbat that remains he would have used the definite article and called it “the Shabbat”. The Shabbat that remains cannot be the weekly Shabbat observed in the sin affected creation. That weekly Shabbat will not remain, because eternity is a perpetual Shabbat and not a temporary break in the sin affected weekly rhythm of the present order. Further still, the disobedient generation who did not enter the rest that remains, were weekly Shabbat keepers (as per Sinai and the giving of Torah). Therefore, to claim that the Shabbat being spoken of here is the weekly Shabbat is to diminish the promise and make it worthless.
The idea that the Shabbat rest of God that remains is everlasting is consistent with ancient Jewish writings. Qumran’s 4QShirShabba describes the heavenly host celebrating the transcendent heavenly Shabbat. Likewise Mishnah Tamid 7:4 describes the Messianic age as an eternal Shabbat. Neither of which are the weekly Shabbat, which is not more than a shadow of the heavenly Shabbat. Weekly Shabbat keeping is of benefit only if it is observed in freedom out of love and acknowledged as a “sign” between God and the ethnic descendants of Jacob.
If you keep the Shabbat out of obligation you have failed to obey the commandment. Obligation is hard work, there is no rest in obligation (Shemot [Exodus] 31:16-17, Galatians 5:1).
“for the people of God” In the context of the Book to the Hebrews “the people of God” are the Jewish people, in particular the Messiah following Jews of the first century C.E. (the recipients of this work). The Hebrew descriptor “People of God” alludes to the ethnic descendants of Jacob (Judges 40:2; 2 Samuel 14:13). The Greek “laos” used here in the Book to the Hebrews is used throughout the Septuagint LXX to refer to ethnic Israel, the descendants of Jacob (Exodus 33:13, 16; Deut. 7:6; Hosea 4:6, 8, 12). The most common Biblical application of the phrase “People of God” is to ethnic Israel, the descendants of Jacob.
While it’s true that elsewhere in the Brit Chadashah (NT) Gentile followers of Yeshua are grafted into the wider meaning of the descriptor “People of God” (Acts 15:14; 18:10; Romans 9:25; 11; 1 Peter 2:10), it is nonetheless not the case in the present passage.
This does not negate an application by extension to all Messiah followers, but it does establish context so as to avoid the zealous overreach of the law keeping rhetoric of certain Messianic Jews and far too many Messianic Gentiles (so called). Those who insist that these verses support the idea that all followers of God must keep the weekly Shabbat, have not read them in context, nor have they properly considered the wider Scriptural imperative regarding the weekly Shabbat.
Additionally, being grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel (Rom. 11; Eph. 2) does not make a Gentile person ethnically or spiritually Jewish any more than being a part of the Commonwealth of Great Britain makes an indigenous Cree person (Canadian native) a Briton (tribal, ethnic, of Britain). Those grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel feed from the faith root of the natural olive tree (ethnic Jews/Israelites) but do not fruit the same variety of fruit as the natural tree.
As a manager of a garden centre for a number of years (prior to becoming a Spiritual Leader) I noted that the multi-graft olive trees we sold fruited the fruit of their original (wild) plants where they had been grafted to the natural (base stock) plant. In short, a burgundy-brown coloured (Kalamata) olive from a wild tree grafted to the green olive (Castelvetrano) of the natural tree, nonetheless fruited burgundy-brown year after year, likewise a black olive (Bella di Cerignola) from another wild tree, and so on (we sold trees of up to four grafts of wild olives attached to the root stock of the base plant). After all, what is the point of a multi-graft olive tree that bears only the fruit of the natural tree?
With regard to the teaching of Romans 11/Ephesians 2, spiritually and ethnically speaking, being grafted in by faith through Yeshua the King Messiah to the root source (that which feeds the tree) does not mean a loss of ethnicity (culture, uniqueness, identity, flavour, colour), nor does it mean appropriation of the mother tree’s ethnicity (culture, uniqueness, identity, flavour, colour).
Learn this lesson well Gentile brothers and sisters: God did not make a mistake when He made you of a different ethnicity to that of Israel (Jewish people). Nor does He require you to become Jews. Freedom is in Messiah alone, all else is idolatrous nonsense. Be the Messiah essential you, expressing all that is godly within your own ethnic cultural identity in Yeshua.
The Shabbat in question (Heb. 4:9) has clearly not been entered into by the ancient generation of disobedient Israelites (escaping Egypt) who nonetheless had kept the weekly Shabbat since receiving the command at Sinai, and died subsequently after complaining against God. Therefore, the weekly Shabbat cannot possibly be the Shabbat being spoken of here.
We are again reminded that added to this is the fact that the audience of the Book to the Hebrews are first century Jewish believers who are already keeping the weekly Shabbat, but are nonetheless being admonished to work to enter Shabbat (v.10-11), why? If they’re already keeping the weekly Shabbat, why would they need to work at entering, unless the Shabbat being spoken of is not the weekly Shabbat. The weekly Shabbat (which the believing Jews were already keeping) is instead used as an example of the transcendent Shabbat of God accessed by those who receive His Son Yeshua in faith and action.
10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested, restrained from his own works, as the God did from His.
“the one who has entered His rest” Means that the believing Jew who has already entered God’s rest and will continue to. “The one who has entered” is the believing Jew. The rest being spoken of, called “His rest”, is the transcendent Shabbat of God (the nearest subject) established before the foundation of the world. Therefore, the one who has entered the transcendent Shabbat rest of God in Yeshua may well understand that rest, based on the observance of the weekly Shabbat, however, the weekly Shabbat is not the focus of this passage, rather the eternal Shabbat is.
We note that the one who has entered God’s rest has also, that is already through faith, chosen to “rest from his own works” as God rested from His work. In the case of God, His work was “very good” but in the case of the human being his work is sin affected and motivated by the evil inclination (Gen. 6:5). Therefore, the Jew who has entered the eternal Shabbat rest of God through Yeshua has learned to rest from the vanity of his own works. In short, there is no such thing as works based salvation (rest). Salvation unto rest is through Messiah in God alone and not by works, lest anyone should boast (commit idolatry)[Ephesians 2:8-9].
“For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any human should boast.” - Ephesians 2:8-9
It is to the great shame of many in the Messianic movement and those numerous Gentile Messianic zealots and pseudo Christian cults who do the same, that we have often taught law keeping lies based on the decontextualised teaching of Scripture portions like Hebrews 4:9-10.
These verses are not teaching that all believers must keep the weekly Shabbat, but that Jewish believers who keep the weekly Shabbat possess it as a reminder of their position within the eternal Shabbat rest of God. Meaning that the weekly Shabbat commanded to “the children of Israel”[Exodus 31:16-17] (not to all believers but to the ethnic descendants of Jacob) is a shadow cast by the heavenly Shabbat. This is consistent with the wider teaching of the Book to the Hebrews (Heb. 8:4-5).
The writer could not be more clear in pointing out that weekly Shabbat observance does not give the observer access to the eternal Shabbat of God. If it did, all those Shabbat keeping Israelites of the disobedient generation (who received and practiced the commandment for some time prior to refusing the message of God sent via Moses and through Joshua and Caleb) would have entered. What’s more, as the Scripture teaches, the weekly Shabbat is first and foremost a “sign” (ot, miraculous banner) between God and the descendants of Jacob alone (Exodus 31:16-17). An ethno-religious, very specific sign pointing to the eternal Shabbat purchased by the ethno-religious Jewish Messiah Yeshua. It is not a sign on the Gentiles (believers or not), nor is it incumbent upon them.
The Scriptures refute the false teaching that says the weekly Shabbat is incumbent on Gentile Christians. Rabbinical Judaism agrees and requires that Gentile God fearers need only keep the moral Law of Torah, sometimes referred to as the Noachide laws. Those moral laws predating the giving of the Torah and the ethno-religious sign of Shabbat. In fact, many of the moral laws which predate Torah are evidenced in other ancient moral codes such as the Hammurabi Codex 1755 B.C.E (which predates the Torah 1312 B.C.E by some 400 years) The early Jewish Church fathers also agree, and by the direction of the Holy Spirit gave the Gentile believers a concise form of the Noachide laws to guide them (Acts 15:1-35), laws which excluded the weekly Shabbat commandment.
Further still, in response to those who reject Scripture and claim the entire Torah to be incumbent on Gentiles, we ask “Where is it recorded that Adam, Noah, Abraham or even Jacob and his sons observed the weekly Shabbat?”
For further clarification please read the following exert from my previous article on the subject:
The Weekly Shabbat is Not Incumbent on Gentile Christians
“Remember Yom Shabbat, to keep it holy. You are to work six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Shabbat to ADONAI your God. In it you shall not do any work—not you, nor your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your cattle, nor the outsider that is within your gates.” Exodus 20:8-10 (TLV)
Note that this commandment, given specifically to Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) is to be observed by all Jews but only by foreigners (Gentiles) who live within the Jewish community: specifically among the people of Israel on their way to and within the land of Israel. This does not apply to today’s Christians who worship the God of Israel but live outside of Israel and further still, outside of the Jewish communities within the diaspora. The commandment to keep the weekly Shabbat is specifically a sign on the ethnic, religious chosen people of Israel (Jews):
“So Bnei-Yisrael is to keep the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and Bnei-Yisrael forever, for in six days ADONAI made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.’” -Exodus 31:16-17 (TLV)
We note that the weekly Shabbat is a sign between God and the ethnic, religious people of Israel (Jews). It is not a sign upon the nations.
When Yeshua said:
“the Shabbat was made for man and not man for the Shabbat” (Mark 2:23-28)
The only “men” present were Jews. Further, He used an example from the Tanakh in which only Jews participated. If we interpret His words to apply to all human beings, we are ignoring the historical and Scriptural context of what He said and impugning His character by suggesting that He contradicted the Torah (Exodus 31:16-17).
To the contrary, He is making a drash (comparative teaching) on a commandment given specifically to Israel (ethnic, religious , empirical) and not to the nations. Thus, when He says “man” He means “man” within the context of Israel (Jews) and not humanity in general.
If we go further and interpret His words figuratively to apply the Shabbat to all nations, we must by reason of logical progression be speaking of the eternal Shabbat at the end of the age, that is the Olam Haba (world to come) and not to the temporal weekly Shabbat commanded specifically to the Jews. All figurative interpretation must submit to the plain meaning of the text.
In the context of Yeshua’s words the command to keep Shabbat is not made incumbent on Gentile Christians, (who did not yet exist at the time Yeshua spoke), rather He was explaining to the Pharisees that the sign of the Shabbat upon Israel’s “men” was one of rest and restoration through the work of God and was not a form of rest purchased by either the restraint or the actions of Jewish “men” (and women).
All this is done to keep the Shabbat as a sign on the ethnic, religious Jewish people until the end of the age, when:
“‘it will come to pass,
that from one New Moon to another,
and from one Shabbat to another,
all flesh will come to bow down before Me,’
says ADONAI.” -Isaiah 66:23 (TLV)
The prophet Isaiah is clearly prophesying a time yet future (it will come), and is not, as some suggest, inferring that all nations should keep the weekly Shabbat in the present age.
This is also seen in Zechariah 14:16 where, at the end of the age (not now), the survivors of the defeated nations will repent and go up to Jerusalem to join with ethnic, religious Israel in celebration of the festival (signs) placed on the Jews. Neither passage denotes a requirement for weekly Shabbat observance by Gentile Christians in the present.
When Yeshua says “The Son of Man is Lord of the Shabbat” He is alluding to the Messianic title given to the Messiah in the prophecy of Daniel (Dan. 7:13-14) in order that He might be recognised as the Messiah by His disciples and any among the Pharisees who might understand and repent. While it is true that He is the Messiah over all men, we do not glean this understanding from the context of Mark 2:23-28.
I remind the reader that the weekly Shabbat is a sign between God and the ethnic, religious people of Israel (Jews). It is not a sign upon the nations.
“So Bnei-Yisrael is to keep the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and Bnei-Yisrael forever, for in six days ADONAI made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.’” -Exodus 31:16-17 (TLV)
Those who teach that Gentile Christians must keep the weekly Shabbat are in fact teaching Gentile Christians to usurp one of the signs that sets ethnic, religious Israel apart from the nations. Ironically, in doing so, these “Seventh Day Adventists”, “Hebrew roots Christians”, so called “Messianic Gentiles” and sadly far too many Messianic Jews, are literally teaching the practice of “Replacement Theology” (Successionism, Supersessionism, Continuationism etc.), which many of them claim to detest. Thus, they have become the worst kind of hypocrites.
I stand in opposition to those movements who seek to place Gentile Christians under bondage to commandments that were never incumbent upon them.
This is not to say that Gentile Christians can’t choose to keep the weekly Shabbat as free members of the body of Messiah Yeshua, rather it is to say that the weekly Shabbat is not incumbent upon Gentile Christians.
As a Jew and a follower of Yeshua set free for freedom, I don’t keep the weekly Shabbat out of a sense of obligation, but because I have come to understand that in Yeshua every day is Shabbat.
11 Therefore let’s be diligently labouring to enter that rest, so that no one will fall according to the same example, pattern of disobedience, apathy.
Once again those Jews who receive Yeshua are admonished to walk diligently in Him. Within time and space we are entering His rest so as not to remain in apathetic disobedience.
As explained by the text itself and its context, “that rest” is the eternal Shabbat of God established in creation and not the weekly Shabbat.
The Shabbat rest spoken of is God’s, as is the labour of entering. So what is the “work/labour of God”?
“Yeshua answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe, trust, be committed in the One He has sent.” - John 6:29
We recall that the writer of the Book to the Hebrews has called Yeshua Ha Shaliach (The Sent One) the Apostle (Heb. 3:1).
Discipleship begins and continues in Yeshua. It is true that in Yeshua we have been saved. It is further important to realise that we are being saved. A date on a calendar is not proof of redemption, but the fruit of righteousness is evidence of it.
“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” -Hebrews 10:14 NIV
12 For living (zaō[G], chay[H]) and effective (energēs[G]), is the word, essence (ho logos[G], ha’davar[H]) of God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) and sharper (tomōteros[G]) above (huper[G]) any two-edged (distomos[G]) short sword (machaira[G]), even piercing (diikneomai[G]) so as to divide (merismos[G]) soul life (psuchē[G], nefesh[H])) and spirit (pneuma[G], ruach[H]), of both joints (harmos[G]) and marrow (muelos[G]), and able to discern (kritikos[G]) the thoughts (enthumēsis[G]) and intentions (ennoia[G]) of the heart [inner being, core] (kardia[G], leiv[H]).
12 For living and effective, is the word, essence of God and sharper above any two-edged short sword, even piercing so as to divide soul life and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart (inner being, core).
“living and effective, is the word, essence of God and sharper above any two-edged short sword, even piercing so as to divide soul life and spirit, of both joints and marrow,” The couplets of Jewish poetry are present here in order to firmly establish the action of God’s living word essence in the person of Messiah. Soul to joint, spirit to marrow, seemingly indiscernible elements that show God’s intimate work through His living word (davar[H]).
The Greek “logos” equivalent to the Hebrew “davar” conveys more than written word (ketvi[H]). The Word (John 1) is present and active participating in the redemption of creation, dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow, getting to the heart (inner being, core) of the human condition and bringing salvation and rest.
“The heart (inner being, core) is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” -Jeremiah 17:9
“short sword” The Greek macharia describes an extremely sharp short sword or long dagger (Heb. 11:34, 37) often used by ancient Greeks and Romans as a stabbing weapon in close combat. An intimate weapon used up close. The same word is used to describe the “sword of the Spirit” as the word of God (Eph. 6:17). A surgical precision is inferred.
“able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” A non-Jewish writer, in keeping with the Greco-Roman worldview, might have written “discern the thoughts of the mind and intentions of the heart”. But the Jewish writer shows that he understands the heart in terms of Jewish consciousness, as the convergent centre of being (core). He does not convey God as dividing heart and mind but as the One Who discerns the thoughts and intentions of the inner person (heart, core).
13 Neither is there any creature, building, ordinance (ktisis[G]), hidden (aphanēs[G]) from His sight, presence, face (enōpion[G]), but all things (hakol[H]) individually and collectively (pas[G]) are naked (gumnos[G]) and opened (trachēlizō[G]) before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give an account (hemin logos[G]) [alt. diyn lepeneyv[H] to be judged before His face]. 14 Therefore, since we have a great (megas[G]) high priest (archiereus[G], kohen gadol[H]) Who has passed (dierchomai[G]) through the heavens (Ouranos[G], hashamayim[H]), Yeshua[H] (Iesous[G]) the Son (ho uihos[G], ha ben[H]) of the God (ho Theos[G], ha Elohiym[H]), let’s hold fast (krateō[G]) to our profession (homologia[G]).
13 Neither is there any creature, building, ordinance, hidden from His sight, presence, face, but all things individually and collectively are naked and opened before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give an account.
Nothing and no one is hidden from The Word of God (Yeshua), Who is the subject of the previous verse. God has committed all judgment to Yeshua (John 5:22; Acts 17:31; Romans 2:16). No one can Hide from God (Psalms 139:7-12).
The early Jewish believers are reminded of Yeshua’s intimate presence and their right standing before Hashem in the Messiah. The believer stands as though naked before God in Messiah, thus, we must constantly seek to be aware of Him and the right use of our parts (every element of our soul existence) in Him.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.” - 2 Corinthians 5:10
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Yeshua the Son of the God, let’s hold fast to our profession.
Yeshua was introduced as Kohen HaGadol at 2:17. The writer now begins an exposition of Psalms 110:4 (Heb. 4:14-7:28), focusing on the role of Messiah Yeshua as Kohen HaGadol of a transcendent priesthood that is superior to that of Aaron. Being that it existed before creation and makes atonement possible for all who believe (1 Peter 1:19-20; Rev. 13:8).
Having reminded the Jewish believers of the reality of the present and coming Judgement of God. The writer of Hebrews now reminds them of the present and continued mediation provided by Messiah Yeshua the Son of God and Kohen Gadol “Great High Priest”.
Yeshua will one day be our Judge, and is now and unto that day our intercessor and advocate (Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1). What’s more, our names are written in His book of life (Rev. 21:27).
“Who has passed through” Means that through His death and resurrection, being without sin, Yeshua passed through all realms and offered atonement in the heavenly holy of holies, and is therefore subject to none, but God has made all subject to Him.
Because Yeshua has passed through the heavens to atone for us just as the Levitical high priest of Israel made atonement in the holy place (Lev. 16:15, 17) [a shadow of the heavenly things ref. Heb. 8:5; 10:1], we must hold fast together to the profession, testimony, witness of our faith. Not simply a confession, which is an admission of belief, but a profession, and active proclamation of that belief.
15 For we do not have a high priest (archiereus[G], kohen gadol[H]) Who is unable to sympathize, have compassion (sumpatheō[G]) with our weaknesses (astheneia[G]), but One who has been tempted, tried, examined, proved (peirazō[G]) in all things just as we are, yet without (chōris[G]) sin [missing the mark set by God’s holiness] (hamartia[G]). 16 Therefore let us come freely (meta[G]) with boldness, confidence (parrhēsia[G]) to the throne (thronos[G]) of grace, unmerited favour, practical love (charis[G], harachamiym[H]), so that we may receive (lambanō[G]) mercy (eleos[G], chaniynah[H]) and find (heuriskō[G]) grace (charis[G], chesed[H]) for help (boētheia[G], la’azar[H]) at the time of our need (eukairos[G]).
15 For we do not have a high priest Who is unable to sympathize, have compassion with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted, tried, examined, proved in all things just as we are, yet without sin [missing the mark set by God’s holiness].
Hebrews 2:5-18 explains that Yeshua had a human nature like ours but remained sinless. Therefore, He is able to sympathize with us rather than empathize, because being tempted and tried in every way that it is possible for a human being to be challenged, He nonetheless remained sinless. He understands the pressures of the sin affected world (sympathy) but has not acted on them, or experienced sin (empathy).
The three primary forms of human sin are reflected in 1 John 2:15-17:
“15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” -1 John 2:15-17 KJV
1. Lust of the flesh
2. Lust of the eyes
3. Pride of life
It was to these three that Adam and Eve succumbed in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-6).
Yeshua on the other hand resisted all three (Matt. 4:1-11).
“For God has done what the Torah, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,” -Romans 8:3
That is not to say that the Torah is weak but that our weak flesh is unable to meet the standard it sets. Thus, Yeshua came in the weakness of our flesh in order to overcome that weakness and offer us freedom from it.
16 Therefore, let us come freely with boldness, confidence to the throne of grace, unmerited favour, practical love, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.
We can come freely and with confidence before the throne of God’s grace in Messiah because Messiah approaches with us and in us. He is both Judge and Mediator of the faithful.
“Throne of grace” is an unusual title, the more common designation being “throne of glory” (Jer. 14:21; Matt. 19:28). Because the context denotes Yeshua’s judgement seat, it seems likely that the “Throne of grace” refers to Yeshua’s throne. However, this does not negate the unity of God’s throne with Yeshua’s throne. As we have read previously, Yeshua is seated in the right hand of God. Locational earthly distinctions become redundant when seeking to understand the metaphysical realities of the Godhead. The Throne of God is described in 1 Kings 22:19; Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel 1:26; Daniel 7:9.
Jewish tradition identifies multiple thrones, including a throne of God’s judgement and a throne of God’s mercy/grace (Targum in Psalms 29. 10. Talmud Bavliy Avoda Zara, fol. 3. 2. Zohar in Genesis fol. 38. 3. & in Numbers fol. 91. 2. & 93. 2. Megillat Esther, fol. 95. 1. Raziel, fol. 32. 1.)
"let my prayer come before Your throne of glory, and let my cry come before Your throne of thy mercy". -Raziel fol. 3. 1.
This is consistent with the present text.
By the grace of God Yeshua the King Messiah comes to set us free from our human propensity for sin and to walk with us in and toward the eternal Shabbat rest of God, so that we are holding His hand as we approach the throne of judgement and grace. Therefore we walk in terrified security, love engulfed fear, blissful trembling, toward Yeshua the Judge, being in Yeshua the High Priest, knowing that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Why then would we ever be less than confident, or more than humble, except by allowing ourselves to be deluded through turning our gaze away from the King Messiah and toward the apathy of unbelief.
In our time of greatest need we have need of none other than the King Messiah.
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown
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