Hebrews 4

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:1

Verse 1 1.Let us therefore fear, etc. He concludes that there was reason to fear lest the Jews to whom he was writing should be deprived of the blessing offered to them; and then he says, lest anyone, intimating that it was his anxious desire to lead them, one and all, to God; for it is the duty of a good shepherd, in watching over the whole flock so to care for every sheep that no one may be lost; nay, we ought also so to feel for one another that every one should fear for his neighbors as... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:2

Verse 2 2.For to us, etc. He reminds us that the doctrine by which God invites us to himself at this day is the same with that which he formerly delivered to the fathers; and why did he say this? That we may know that the calling of God will in no degree be more profitable to us than it was to them, except we make it sure by faith. This, then, he concedes, that the Gospel is indeed preached to us; (68) but lest we should vainly glory, he immediately adds that the unbelieving whom God had... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:3

Verse 3 He now begins to embellish the passage which he had quoted from David. He has hitherto taken it, as they say, according to the letter, that is, in its literal sense; but he now amplifies and decorates it; and thus he rather alludes to than explains the words of David. This sort of decoration Paul employed in Romans 10:6, in referring to these words of Moses, “Say not, who shall ascend into heaven!” etc. Nor is it indeed anything unsuitable, in accommodating Scripture to a subject in... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:7

Verse 7 7.But there is some more difficulty in what he immediately subjoins, that there is another today appointed for us in the Psalm, because the former people had been excluded; but the words of David (as it may be said) seem to express no such thing, and mean only this, that God punished the unbelief of the people by refusing to them the possession of the land. To this I answer, that the inference is correct, that to us is offered what was denied to them; for the Holy Spirit reminds and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:8

Verse 8 8.For if Jesus had given them rest, or, had obtained rest for them, etc. He meant not to deny but that David understood by rest the land of Canaan, into which Joshua conducted the people; but he denies this to be the final rest to which the faithful aspire, and which we have also in common with the faithful of that age; for it is certain that they looked higher than to that land; nay, the land of Canaan was not otherwise so much valued except for this reason, because it was an image and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:10

Verse 10 10.For he that is entered into his rest, or, For he who has rested, etc. This is a definition of that perpetual Sabbath in which there is the highest felicity, when there will be a likeness between men and God, to whom they will be united. For whatever the philosophers may have ever said of the chief good, it was nothing but cold and vain, for they confined man to himself, while it is necessary for us to go out of ourselves to find happiness. The chief good of man is nothing else but... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:11

Verse 11 Having pointed out the goal to which we are to advance, he exhorts us to pursue our course, which we do, when we habituate ourselves to selfdenial. And as he compares entering into rest to a straight course, he sets falling in opposition to it, and thus he continues the metaphor in both clauses, at the same time he alludes to the history given by Moses of those who fell in the wilderness, because they were rebellious against God. (Numbers 26:65.) Hence he says, after the same example,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:12

Verse 12 12.For the word of God is quick, or living, etc. What he says here of the efficacy or power of the word, he says it, that they might know, that it could not be despised with impunity, as though he had said, “Whenever the Lord addresses us by his word, he deals seriously with us, in order that he may touch all our inmost thoughts and feelings; and so there is no part of our soul which ought not to be roused.” (71) But before we proceed further, we must inquire whether the Apostle... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:13

Verse 13 13.Neither is there any creature, etc. The conjunction here, as I think, is causal, and may be rendered for; for in order to confirm this truth, that whatever is hid in man is discerned and judged by God’s word, he draws an argument from the nature of God himself. There is no creature, he says, which is hid from the eyes of God; there is, therefore, nothing so deep in man’s soul, which cannot be drawn forth into light by that word that resembles its own author, for as it is God’s... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:14

Verse 14 14.Seeing then that we have, or, Having then, etc. He has been hitherto speaking of Christ’s apostleship, But he how passes on to his second office. For we have said that the Son of God sustained a twofold character when he was sent to us, even that of a teacher and of a priest. The Apostle, therefore, after having exhorted the Jews obediently to embrace the doctrine of Christ, now shows what benefit his priesthood has brought to us; and this is the second of the two points which he... read more

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:1

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:2

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:7

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:8

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:10

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:11

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:12

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:13

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 4:14

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