How to explain these verses in Hebrews?

[LoveChurch]

Hebrews 4

4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works."

9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;

10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

How to respond to someone combining verse 4 with verse 10??? Since it says we are to rest from our works "just as God did from his? And also stressing the word “remains” meaning to stay the way it was before. What is the best response to this claim?

 

[zgraf2]

Not sure I understand why you’re finding the series of passages so troublesome. Perhaps I’m misunderstanding what you’re asking…

But it seems to me that St. Paul is just doing a little wordplay on the word “rest” here…

1, Indeed in the story of creation, God rested on the seventh day.
2. And since resting on the Sabbath is one of the commandments, one should certainly try to follow that directive.
3. The person who deliberately shuns the commandment to rest on the Sabbath day may be committing serious sin which could prevent him/her from entering into God’s eternal rest – i.e., heaven.

Might not be much more complicated than that…

 

[LoveChurch]

Huh? I’m asking because it says the seventh day specifically to rest.

Catholicism says to rest the 1st/8th day.

So what then is the answer to this?

 

[Todd_Easton]

The following is commentary on Hebrews 3:8 – 4:13 from the Catholic Biblical Association’s 1942 book, A Commentary on the New Testament:

3, 8-18: Exhortation. Another warning, which continues to 4 , 13. The Promised Land of Palestine was a type of the joy and rest of the heavenly home to which Christians have been called. Just as the Israelites in the desert, because of their unbelief, were excluded from their destined repose in the Promised Land, Christians through lack of faith may never reach the joy and repose of heaven. Ps. 94, 8-11 is quoted, commented upon, and applied to the readers, who were in some danger of losing their faith. 16. The Greek here may be translated as two questions: “Who were they, who having heard did provoke? Were they not all those who were led out of Egypt by Moses?”

4, 1-13: Our Promised Land. The Rest promised by God to His people was more than a mere repose in the Land of Canaan. It was to be a participation in His own Sabbath Rest entered upon after His work of creation. That Rest had been offered to the Israelites of old, but they failed to obtain it because of their unbelief. It was promised again in the time of David, centuries after the occupation of the Land by Josue. That promise of God regarding His Rest still remains, and is accessible to the Christians. As of old, unbelief may prevent one from entering. Faith and labor are necessary.

 

[Vico]

Hebrews 4

4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works."

9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;

10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

How to respond to someone combining verse 4 with verse 10??? Since it says we are to rest from our works "just as God did from his? And also stressing the word “remains” meaning to stay the way it was before. What is the best response to this claim?

One “enters God’s rest” at the end of life in heaven, per the Haydock Commentary.

From the Haydock Commentary (excerpt):

The apostle here examines what David, as a prophet, could mean, when he said of some: they shall not enter, or, if they shall enter into my rest.

His argument is this: David could not prophesy of that rest, by which God, after he had created all things, (Gen. ii. 2.) is said to have rested the seventh day, when he had finished the works of the creation.

Nor could David speak of that other time of resting, which was promised and given to the Israelites, when, having conquered all their enemies, they were introduced by Jesus, or Josue, into the promised land of Chanaan; for these two rests were passed long before his prophecy:

therefore David must speak of some rest that was to come afterwards, when he said: To-day, if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts, &c.

Therefore it must needs follow that some day of rest, some sabbatism, as he calls it, after his time, must remain for the people of God, that should not harden their hearts: and from hence he concludes that David had in view that eternal rest of happiness which the Messias was to obtain for us, a rest without end in the kingdom of heaven.

 

[Fauken]

Catholicism says to rest the 1st/8th day.

So what then is the answer to this?

Catholicism never changed the Sabbath. We keep Sundays holy because of Christ’s resurrection, not because of the Sabbath.

 

[LoveChurch]

4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works."

9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;

10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

But people keep pointing to verse 10 that says we “rests from their works, just as God did from his” - which The author of Hebrews says God rested the 7th day.

Catholicism teaches us we don’t need to rest the 7th day, that is my question. Nobody has told me how to answer people who make this claim.

 

[Fauken]

Catholicism teaches us we don’t need to rest the 7th day, that is my question. Nobody has told me how to answer people who make this claim.

Where does it teach that? And why aren’t you posting verses 5 through 8? We should also take a look at the verses preceding it, like at the end of Hebrews 3:

“3:17 And with whom was he offended forty years? Was it not with them that sinned, whose carcasses were overthrown in the desert?
3:18 And to whom did he swear, that they should not enter into his rest: but to them that were incredulous?
3:19 And we see that they could not enter in, because of unbelief.
4:1 Let us fear therefore lest, the promise being left of entering into his rest, any of you should be thought to be wanting.
4:2 For unto us also it hath been declared in like manner as unto them. But the word of hearing did not profit them, not being mixed with faith of those things they heard.
4:3 For we, who have believed, shall enter into rest; as he said: As I have sworn in my wrath: If they shall enter into my rest; and this indeed when the works from the foundation of the world were finished.”

Does that look like Paul is talking about the Sabbath? Or the faithlessness of the Jews in the time of Moses? Why did the Jews wander for 40 years? Was it because they didn’t rest on the Sabbath?

This is why we shouldn’t cherry pick verses.

 

[LoveChurch]

I didn’t post the entire chapter because we didn’t need the entire wall of text. I am sure we all have a Bible here.

But the answers so far are very discouraging for upholding the Catholic faith… I did not know how to respond to Hebrews 4:10 and nobody is giving me an answer. This is disheartening…

4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.

9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;

10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

Please someone be able to give me an answer for verse 10 in light of verse 4 in the whole context. I really need an answer. Verse 10 says we rest just as God rested, and it says God rested the 7th day. Please I need an answer.

 

[Fauken]

But the answers so far are very discouraging for upholding the Catholic faith… I did not know how to respond to Hebrews 4:10 and nobody is giving me an answer. This is disheartening…

What’s wrong with the answers you’ve gotten so far? And I showed you the context of Hebrews 4, you cannot read Hebrews 4:10 separated from the preceding verses as a commandment to keep the Sabbath. People have posted commentary about those verses as well. If you’re going to say these answers are discouraging non-answers, please say why.

 

[LoveChurch]

Hebrews 4

4 … “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.

10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

Okay please explain Hebrews 4:10 in the context of Hebrews 4:4. I know what the rest of Hebrews says but I need an answer for Hebrews 4:10.

It says I must rest from my work “just as God did from his”. And he defines that 6 verses back as the 7th day rest.

Please I really would like an answer for a defense. This will help my belief if I understand the answer. I need an answer for Hebrews 4:10 specifically.

 

[Fauken]

Okay please explain Hebrews 4:10 in the context of Hebrews 4:4. I know what the rest of Hebrews says but I need an answer for Hebrews 4:10.

It says I must rest from my work “just as God did from his”. And he defines that 6 verses back. Please I really would like an answer for a defense. This will help my belief if I understand the answer.

I did. And I said you couldn’t just look at Hebrews 4:4 for it. The very last verses of Hebrews 3 follow into Hebrews 4. Hebrews 3 was not talking about the Sabbath, it was talking about resting in God in faith, which is something the Jews failed to do with Moses. Why would Paul in a discussion about faith suddenly make such a sharp turn and go, “Oh by the way, guys, you still need to rest on the Sabbath”? That makes no sense.

 

[RhodesianSon]

Unless you’re a seventh day Adventist I’m not sure why you’re hung up on this. The Church gathers on Sunday because that’s the day Christ rose. We aren’t Jews.

 

[LoveChurch]

Is that the true Catholic response? I need an explanation for Hebrews 4:10 you just say it’s not the Sabbath but you don’t say what hebrews 4:10 is. I really hope the true Catholic teaching has a more direct explanation against the argument

Please can anyone explain to me Hebrews 4:4 and Hebrews 4:10

Hebrews 4:4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.

4:9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;

4:10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

I need to understand Hebrews 4:10 please. I need a response to the argument. It says to rest from our works “just as God did from his”. I need someone who can answer this question as soon as possible so I can learn the defense against this argument.

 

[Fauken]

I need to understand Hebrews 4:10 please. I need a response to the argument. It says to rest from our works “just as God did from his”. I need someone who can answer this question as soon as possible so I can learn the defense against this argument.

Tell me why Hebrews 4:10 must be read alone and ignore the context from both before Hebrews 4:4 and the ending of Hebrews 3.

I’ll be frank, you don’t sound like you’re looking for answers. This is the third or fourth time you’ve now just posted those verses and how you need answers. You haven’t addressed what anyone has said or why their arguments are faulty beyond reposting the verses and how Hebrews 4:10 claims we must observe the Sabbath.

 

[LoveChurch]

What do you mean read alone? If you cannot explain Hebrews 4:10 in its context then please I will wait for a more knowledgeable person to defend the argument.

I just want to know what hebrews 4:10 means in its context. It’s not a hard question. I already knew the explanations for Hebrews ch3 in the past.

 

[BartholomewB]

Is it an SDA you’re debating with?

 

[whatistrue]

If you cannot explain Hebrews 4:10 in its context

(Bold mine)

It seems to me that “in context” is exactly how it was being explained, but you didn’t seem to like the explanation and rather than supplement your question with reasons why you think the answer is deficient you keep repeating the same question which seems to look at the verse in isolation (i.e. not in context). That’s the disconnect.

 

[LoveChurch]

It seems to me that “in context” is exactly how it was being explained, but you didn’t seem to like the explanation and rather than supplement your question with reasons why you think the answer is deficient you keep repeating the same question which seems to look at the verse in isolation (i.e. not in context). That’s the disconnect.

Okay here was the “answer” given to me…

Does that look like Paul is talking about the Sabbath? Or the faithlessness of the Jews in the time of Moses? Why did the Jews wander for 40 years? Was it because they didn’t rest on the Sabbath?

Those are all questions. Not answers… He never answered the question

I was asking for someone to give a defense, to explain Hebrews 4:10 in its context. This is a simple question. I could really use some help understanding the way to explain Hebrews 4:10 in its context which Hebrews 4:4 is part of the context. Faulken only said the things I already knew. But the question I am presented with is new to me, I havent heard this point brought out before and was asking for help to understand.

 

[whatistrue]

That was clearly not the only answer given. You are simply ignoring the remainder just as you are ignoring the actual context (not whatever you are thinking of and incorrectly calling context in your follow up). I suspect either a language issue or purposeful obtuseness.