信的人得享安息

因此,上帝既然仍旧应许让人进入祂的安息,我们就该战战兢兢,免得有人失去这福分。 因为我们和他们一样听到了福音,只是他们听了道后没有凭信心领受,结果没有得到益处。 正如上帝曾说:

“我在愤怒中起誓说,
‘他们绝不可进入我的安息。’”

但我们这些已经信的人能够进入祂的安息。其实造物之工自创世以来就已经完成了, 因为圣经论到第七日时说:“第七日,上帝歇了一切的工。” 又说:“他们绝不可进入我的安息。” 既然最终会有人进入安息,而那些从前听过福音的人因为不信没能进去, 上帝就另定了一个日子,称之为“今日”。正如多年后,祂借着大卫说:

“你们今日若听见祂的声音,
不可心里顽固。”

如果当初约书亚已经让他们得到了安息,上帝就不必另定一个日子了。 这样说来,必定另有一个安息日为上帝的子民存留,使他们可以真正安歇。 10 因为人进入上帝的安息,就是歇了自己的工作,好像上帝歇了祂的工作一样。 11 因此,我们要竭力进入那安息,免得重蹈他们的覆辙,因不顺服而倒毙。

12 上帝的话有生命、有功效,锋利无比,胜过一切两刃的利剑,甚至能够剌入并分开魂与灵、关节与骨髓,辨明人一切的思想和动机。 13 受造物在上帝面前都无法隐藏,因为万物都是赤裸裸地暴露在上帝眼前,我们必须向祂交账。

大祭司耶稣

14 我们既然有一位已经升上高天的尊贵大祭司——上帝的儿子耶稣,就应当持守我们所认定的信仰。 15 因为我们这位大祭司并非不能体恤我们的软弱,祂与我们一样曾经面对各样的试探,却从来没有犯罪。 16 所以,让我们坦然无惧地到祂赐恩的宝座前,好领受怜悯和恩典,作随时的帮助。

信的人可以進入安息

所以,那進入安息的應許,既然還給我們留著,我們就應該戰戰兢兢,恐怕我們中間有人像是被淘汰了。 因為有福音傳給我們,像傳給他們一樣,只是他們所聽見的道,對他們沒有益處,因為他們沒有用信心與所聽見的打成一片(“沒有用信心與所聽見的打成一片”,有古卷作“沒有用信心與聽從這道的人打成一片”)。 然而我們信了的人,就可以進入那安息。正如 神所說:

“我在烈怒中起誓說,

他們絕不可進入我的安息!”

其實 神的工作,從創立世界以來已經完成了。 因為論到第七日,他在聖經某一處說:“在第七日 神歇了他的一切工作。” 但在這裡又說:“他們絕不可進入我的安息。” 既然這安息還留著要讓一些人進去,但那些以前聽過福音的人,因為不順從不得進去; 所以 神就再定一個日子,就是過了很久以後,藉著大衛所說的“今天”,就像前面引用過的:

“如果你們今天聽從他的聲音,

就不要硬著心。”

如果約書亞已經使他們享受了安息, 神後來就不會再提到別的日子了。 這樣看來,為了 神的子民,必定另外有一個“安息日”的安息保留下來。 10 因為那進入 神安息的人,就歇了自己的工作,好像 神歇了自己的工作一樣。 11 所以,我們要竭力進入那安息,免得有人隨著那不順從的樣子就跌倒了。 12 因為 神的道是活的,是有效的,比一切兩刃的劍更鋒利,甚至可以刺入剖開魂與靈,關節與骨髓,並且能夠辨明心中的思想和意念。 13 被造的在 神面前沒有一樣不是顯明的,萬有在他的眼前都是赤露敞開的;我們必須向他交帳。

我們的大祭司耶穌

14 我們既然有一位偉大的、經過了眾天的大祭司,就是 神的兒子耶穌,就應該堅持所宣認的信仰。 15 因為我們的大祭司並不是不能同情我們的軟弱,他像我們一樣,也曾在各方面受過試探,只是他沒有犯罪。 16 所以,我們只管坦然無懼地來到施恩的寶座前,為的是要領受憐憫,得到恩惠,作為及時的幫助。

Enter the rest

Therefore, since the promise that we can enter into rest is still open, let’s be careful so that none of you will appear to miss it. We also had the good news preached to us, just as the Israelites did. However, the message they heard didn’t help them because they weren’t united in faith with the ones who listened to it. We who have faith are entering the rest. As God said,

And because of my anger I swore:
        They will never enter into my rest![a]

And yet God’s works were completed at the foundation of the world. Then somewhere he said this about the seventh day of creation: God rested on the seventh day from all his works.[b] But again, in the passage above, God said, They will never enter my rest![c] Therefore, it’s left open for some to enter it, and the ones who had the good news preached to them before didn’t enter because of disobedience. Just as it says in the passage above, God designates a certain day as “today,” when he says through David much later,

Today, if you hear his voice,
        don’t have stubborn hearts.[d]

If Joshua gave the Israelites rest, God wouldn’t have spoken about another day later on. So you see that a sabbath rest is left open for God’s people. 10 The one who entered God’s rest also rested from his works, just as God rested from his own.

First summary of the message

11 Therefore, let’s make every effort to enter that rest so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience, 12 because God’s word is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates to the point that it separates the soul from the spirit and the joints from the marrow. It’s able to judge the heart’s thoughts and intentions. 13 No creature is hidden from it, but rather everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of the one to whom we have to give an answer.

14 Also, let’s hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God’s Son; 15 because we don’t have a high priest who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin.

16 Finally, let’s draw near to the throne of favor with confidence so that we can receive mercy and find grace when we need help.