(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
God’s Rest
- Therefore we should fear, lest any of you might seem to have fallen short while the promise to enter into His rest remains.
- For we have heard the gospel being proclaimed just as they also did, but they didn’t profit in hearing the message, it not *being united with faith in the men who heard.
- For we (the men who believed) enter into the rest, just as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath: “They will not enter into My rest.“1quotation/allusion to Psalm 95:11 although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.
- For He has spoken this way somewhere about the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.”2quotation/allusion to Genesis 2:2
- And again in this passage, “They will not enter into My rest.”3quotation/allusion to Psalm 95:11
- Therefore, since it remains for some to enter into it, and the men to whom the good news was formerly proclaimed didn’t enter in because of disobedience,
- He again appoints a day “today” (saying it through David after so long a time) just as it has been previously said: “If you hear His voice, you shouldn’t harden your hearts.”4quotation/allusion to Psalm 95:7-8
- For if Joshua had given them rest, He wouldn’t be speaking about another day after that day.
- Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God.
- For the man who entered into His rest has himself also rested from his works, just as God did from His own.
- Therefore, we should be diligently zealous to enter into that rest so someone won’t fall into disobedient unbelief by the same example.
- For the Word of God is living and effective, and He’s sharper than every double-edged sword; even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, and also of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart.
- And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and have been laid bare to His eyes, to whom we must give an account.
- Therefore, having a great high priest who has passed through the heavens (Jesus, the Son of God) we should hold fast to the confession.
- For we don’t have a high priest who isn’t able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one tempted in all things the same way we are, yet without sin.
- Therefore, we should approach the throne of grace with boldness, so we might receive mercy and might find grace for help in our time of need.
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