Hebrews 4:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here "Today" means "always." What do these words mean? Since someone must certainly enter, he says, and those men did not enter, God appoints another, third rest. Let us hear how he proves that someone must enter, and that someone certainly will enter. He proves it by the fact that "after so long a time" David again says, "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." Of which hardened men does he remind them, and of which unbelievers? Is it not the Jews? The meaning of his words is this: they heard, he says, just as we hear, but they received no benefit. Therefore do not think that you will benefit from the mere hearing of the preaching. They also heard, but received no benefit, because they did not believe.

After so long a time David again says, "Do not harden your hearts," like the fathers who did not enter because of unbelief. He gives us grounds to infer the opposite, that we shall enter if we believe. Clearly this is the future rest, and it awaits us.

For David surely was not speaking about Palestine, since they already possessed it then. Nor was the discourse about the seventh day, for that existed from the creation of the world. Therefore there exists a certain third rest, the Kingdom of Heaven, into which the true Jesus and faith in Him lead us.

That there must be two Sabbaths, one a type and the other the true one, is evident from the words: "Again He appoints another day, Today," in David's mouth. David speaks after so much time had passed from when the first Sabbath was given: "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." Do not be like those who perished in the wilderness and did not enter His rest.

"Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience," He "again appoints a certain day, Today, saying in David after so long a time. As it was said before: Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the provocation." Then, teaching that the Prophet does not say this about Palestine, the Apostle draws his conclusion.

"Again He appoints a certain day, Today, in David." If this is so, then through David He determines a certain day. That is, "Today" means every time, as has already been clearly stated. "Saying after so many years, as it has been said before." This was so many years after those who believed God entered the promised land. "Saying" refers to God, that is, the Holy Spirit, as has already been said. But how was it said? "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." This has already been explained in full detail. "For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not afterward have spoken of another day." If Joshua, who gave the promised land as an inheritance to the children of the unbelievers, had given rest to those to whom the words "Today.

"Again He appoints a certain day, Today." The Apostle bases his proof on this: long after the Hebrews entered the promised land, the outward symbol of rest, the Lord again says through David that those who hardened their hearts shall not enter God's rest.

In David's mouth this expression may seem only a recollection of the past. Yet, considered apart from biblical history, it presents the fact of God's unchangeable decree concerning a disobedient people. At the same time, it is the eternal word of preaching, calling believers to the enjoyment of divine rest.

If, as has become clear to all, the rest is precisely God's rest, continuing always and at all times, and if someone, τινάς, must enter it, then God again invites people to enter this rest. He does this because He sees that the Israelites could not enter His rest because of their unbelief. He does this long after the Hebrews entered the land of Canaan and, in their opinion, had already entered God's rest, namely in the time of David.