1 Therefore let us fear while we are invited to enter the rest of God, lest any of you be left behind.
2 We received the Gospel exactly as they did, but hearing the message did them no good, because they did not share the faith of those who did listen.
3 We are now to enter this rest because we believed, as it was said: I was angry and made a solemn vow: they will never enter my rest – that is the rest of God after he created the world.
4 In another part it was said about the seventh day: And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.
5 But now it is said: They will not enter my rest.
6 We must conclude that some will enter the rest of God and that those who first received the good news did not, because of their disobedience.
7 Yet God again assigns a day when he says: today, and declares through David many years later: If you hear God’s voice today, do not be stubborn.
8 So it was not Joshua who let them enter the land of rest; otherwise God would not have assigned another day later on.
9 Then some other rest, or sab bath, is reserved for the people of God.
10 For those who enter this rest of God rest from all their works as God rests from his work.
11 Let us strive, then, to enter the rest and not to share the misfortune of those who disobeyed.
12 For the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword. It pierces to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and judges the intentions and thoughts of the heart.
13 All creation is transparent to Him; everything is uncovered and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we render account.
Christ is our High Priest
14 We have a great High Priest, Jesus, the Son of God, who has entered heaven. Let us, then, hold fast to the faith we profess.
15 Our high priest is not indif ferent to our weaknesses, for he was tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sinning.
16 Let us, then, with confidence approach the throne of grace; we will obtain mercy and, through his favor, help in due time.
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Comments , Chapter 4
• 4.14 For the Jews, the High Priest – despite his personal defects – was a sacred person protecting the people from the punishment deserved by their sins. The people needed not only leaders to govern them, but an advocate before God. Aaron, Moses’ brother, the first priest of the Jews, had been such a man. His suc cessors, the High Priests, were to be the same.
This idea is developed here: the High Priest is the people’s representative before God, and he must be weak as they are but accepted by God. Christ is just that and perfectly so. Forgetting that Jesus is a man among humans is as serious for the faith as forgetting that he is the Son of God.
It is helpful to look at the role of Christ, the High Priest, at this time when the Church reminds us that all the faithful are associated with the priestly role of Christ. We must represent humanity before God; we are consecrated to God for that purpose.
In the Eucharist we thank God in the name of everyone. In daily life we must be instruments of the grace of God by being people who promote truth, encourage love and establish peaceful relationships.
He offered his sacrifice with tears and cries (v. 7). In the Bible, these words are used to express the insistent prayer of the oppressed children of God: they cry to God in such a loud voice that he listens to them. Thus, the night before his death, Jesus identified with men and wo men who suffer and do not want to die.