by 
Jon C. Laansma is the Gerald F. Hawthorne Professor of New Testament Greek and Exegesis in the Classical Languages program at Wheaton College, IL. Among other things he has authored I Will Give You Rest: The Rest Motif in the New Testament with Special Reference to Mt 11 and Heb 3-4 and The Letter to the Hebrews: A Commentary for Preaching, Teaching, and Bible Study. Today’s topic: What does the Greek wording of Heb. 4:1-11 tell us about the writer’s idea of God’s promise of entering into his resting place to celebrate the Sabbath?
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A Word in Edgewise 
I have always been fascinated with this passage. God’s rest is a most desirable thing to enter. Connecting Sabbath Rest from Genesis 2 where all creative acts are completed by God and mankind is invited to share in the God’s rest not after laboring 6 days but upon their first full day of existence. perhaps indicating all labor should result from a point of rest. Rest and faith seem somewhat linked and without faith or rest it is impossible to please Him. Resting in God’s finished work also speaks to justification and rest from it leads to ones labor or sanctification but without faith which is generated by the Spirit as we accept the work on behalf of mankind by God through His Son it is impossible to please Him. The text also brings the rest of entering the promised land signifying rest from enemies or warfare. Something that never was fully achieved by Israel as the words of David are brought up to signify reason being a lack of faith. We enter God’s rest by faith and the good news of God’s achievements should be the basis of our rest. John Walton makes a good case for understanding God’s rest in Genesis 2 is his beginning to dwell or rule over the order brought about in creation. Jesus Himself seems to have begun His Rule over New Creation after Resting in the tomb over Sabbath. Then arising as LORD over all even death. The Sabbath blessing comes from our participation in God’s rule that is established by Him both in creation and in redemption. Those who enter God’s rest by faith in what He has accomplished will find rest from all weariness even as Jesus declared we will find it in Him. He is what the Sabbath rest pointed to. He was the blessing for all nations through Abraham.
David, I have always been fascinated with this passage. God’s rest is a most desirable thing to enter. Connecting Sabbath Rest from Genesis 2 where all creative acts are completed by God and mankind is invited to share in the God’s rest not after laboring 6 days but upon their first full day of existence. perhaps indicating all labor should result from a point of rest. Rest and faith seem somewhat linked and without faith or rest it is impossible to please Him. Resting in God’s finished work also speaks to justification and rest from it leads to ones labor or sanctification but without faith which is generated by the Spirit as we accept the work on behalf of mankind by God through His Son it is impossible to please Him. The text also brings the rest of entering the promised land signifying rest from enemies or warfare. Something that never was fully achieved by Israel as the words of David are brought up to signify reason being a lack of faith. We enter God’s rest by faith and the good news of God’s achievements should be the basis of our rest. John Walton makes a good case for understanding God’s rest in Genesis 2 is his beginning to dwell or rule over the order brought about in creation. Jesus Himself seems to have begun His Rule over New Creation after Resting in the tomb over Sabbath. Then arising as LORD over all even death. The Sabbath blessing comes from our participation in God’s rule that is established by Him both in creation and in redemption. Those who enter God’s rest by faith in what He has accomplished will find rest from all weariness even as Jesus declared we will find it in Him. He is what the Sabbath rest pointed to. He was the blessing for all nations through Abraham.
Library Mike
I agree, Mike: It’s a rich vein to explore as a wider biblical theme, with more to uncover. Thanks for that response!
Jon