Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom396agree, but, “they were not mixed”—that is, they stood apart, but not factiously when all the othershad one and the same mind. Here it seems to me that a faction too is hinted at. 2822[6.] ( Ch. iv. 3 .) For “we who have believed,” he says, “do enter into rest.” From what this isevident, he adds: “as He said, as I have sworn in My wrath, if they shall enter into My rest: althoughthe works were finished from the foundation of the world.” This indeed, is not evidence that weshall enter in, but that they did not enter in. What then? Thus far he aims to show that as that restdoes not hinder the speaking of another rest, so neither does this [exclude] that of Heaven. Up tothis point then, he wishes to show that they [the Israelites] did not attain to the rest. For because hemeans this, he says ( ver. 4, 5 ), “For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise,And God did rest the seventh day from all His works. And in this place again, If they shall enterinto My rest.” Thou seest how that doth not hinder this from being a rest?Ver. 6, 7 . “Seeing therefore it remaineth” (he says) “that some must enter therein, and they towhom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: again he limiteth a certain day,saying in David, To-day, after so long a time; as it has been said before.” 2823 But what is it that hemeans? “Seeing then” (he means) that “some must” certainly “enter in,” and “they did not enterin.” And that an entrance is proclaimed, and that “some must enter in,” let us hear from what thisis clear. Because after so many years (he says) David again says: “To-day if ye will hear His voice,harden not your hearts” ( ver. 8 ), “For if Joshua had given them rest he would not afterward havespoken of another day.” It is evident, that he says these things, as of persons who are to attain somerecompense.[7.] Ver. 9 . “There remaineth therefore a rest 2824 for the people of God.” Whence [does thisappear]? From the exhortation, “Harden not your hearts”: for if there were no rest, these exhortationswould not have been given. Neither would they have been exhorted not to do the same things [withthe Jews] lest they should suffer the same things, unless they were about to suffer the same. Buthow were they who were in possession of Palestine about to suffer the same things [i.e. exclusionfrom the rest] unless there were some other rest?And well did he conclude the argument. For he said not rest but “Sabbath-keeping”; calling thekingdom “Sabbath-keeping,” by the appropriate name, and that which they rejoiced in and wereattracted by. For as, on the Sabbath He commands to abstain from all evil things; and that thosethings only which relate to the Service of God should be done, which things the Priests were wontto accomplish, and whatsoever profits the soul, and nothing else; so also [will it be] then. Howeverit is not he who spoke thus, but what? ( Ver. 10 ), “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hathceased from his own works, as God [did] from His.” As God ceased from His works, he says, sohe that hath entered into His rest [hath ceased]. For since his discourse to them was concerningrest, and they were desirous to hear when this would be, he concluded the argument with this.2822αἰνίττεσθαι . That is, is indirectly condemned, by the contrast of the conduct of Caleb and Joshua. St. Chrys. reversesthe expression of the Epistle, and says, “ Caleb and Joshua were not mixed with the unbelievers, ” when the Apostle had said,“ the unbelievers were not mixed with them. ”2823προείρηται . This is the correct reading of the sacred text Heb. iv. 7 : for which the common editions [i.e. the TextusReceptus . All critical editors have προείρ .—F.G.] have εἴρηται , “ it is said. ”2824σαββατισμὸς570