Chapter 14

David Lin

IN Chapter 12 we studied the use of the proof-text method of Bible interpretation by the apostles; in Chapter 13 we used the grammatical method in studying Hebrews 9:8-9, and now we shall proceed to use the historical method in dealing with an important passage in Hebrews.

Hebrews is peculiarly adapted to the needs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We have seen how Hebrews 9:8-9 is related to Daniel 8:14. Then in the Disappointment of 1844, Hebrews 10:35-38 was a source of courage to God's people.

That this admonition is addressed to the church in the last days is evident from the words pointing to the nearness of the Lord's coming: "For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." And it is plainly implied that there would be a seeming delay, and that the Lord would appear to tarry. The instruction here given is especially adapted to the experience of Adventists at this time. The people here addressed were in danger of making shipwreck of faith. They had done the will of God in following the guidance of His Spirit and His word; yet they could not understand His purpose in their past experience, nor could they discern the pathway before them, and they were tempted to doubt whether God had indeed been leading them. At this time the words were applicable: "Now the just shall live by faith." As the bright light of the "midnight cry" had shone upon their pathway, and they had seen the prophecies unsealed, and the rapidly fulfilling signs telling that the coming of Christ was near, they had walked, as it were, by sight. But now, bowed down by disappointed hopes, they could stand only by faith in God and in His word. The scoffing world were saying: "You have been deceived. Give up your faith, and say that the Advent movement was of Satan." But God's word declared: "If any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him." To renounce their faith now, and deny the power of the Holy Spirit which had attended the message, would be drawing back toward perdition. The Great Controversy, 408

The central topic in Hebrews is the sanctuary. Two other topics are faith and the Sabbath rest. In harmony with the passage quoted above, we take the discussion both on faith and on the Sabbath rest as also specially addressed to the church in the last days, namely the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The entire eleventh chapter is a commentary on the words quoted from Habakkuk 2:4: "The just shall live by faith." It is the seeming delay of the promised parousia that requires God's people to walk by faith and not by sight. Since much has been written on this topic elsewhere, we shall confine our present study to the Sabbath theme.

We note that Hebrews opens this theme with the words "The Holy Ghost saith." Considering the fact that the writer never lightly invokes the authority of the Holy Spirit, but always follows such an invocation with a solemn and important truth, (cf. Hebrews 9:8-9 and 10:15) we should therefore give special attention to the passage quoted from Psalm 95. Here the historical background of this psalm must be studied.

We see first that Psalm 95 is well adapted for use in public worship. The first half is evidently meant to be chanted by the congregation:

O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation. . . .The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture.

We note the repeated mention of the creative power of God, stressing the purpose of Sabbathkeeping. Because of this feature, this psalm has been incorporated into the liturgy of both the Greek and the Latin churches, in medieval as well as in modern times.

The second half of this psalm addresses the second person plural, saying, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways, unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

This change in the person addressed is the second peculiarity of this psalm. And the writer of Hebrews (Hebrews 3:7-11) tells us that the Holy Spirit is here speaking to God's people, and he places special emphasis on the word "Today." The first application he makes of this word is in Hebrews 3:13, as follows:

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. NIV

We note this rendering of the NIV follows the KJV closely, apparently ignoring the fact that in the Greek the article before the feminine word "Today" is neuter, which indicates that here "Today" does not refer to time, but represents the quotation. For the custom of referring to a scripture passage by its opening word is a common practice among the Jews. For instance, the first and third books of the Pentateuch are named after the opening words, "B'reshith" and "Vayikrah," and each of the other three books is named after the first prominent word in the opening sentences: "Shemoth," "Bemidbar," and "D'varim." Practically all Jewish songs and chants are referred to by their opening words. Psalm 95 as sung in the modern synagogue is mentioned by its first two words, "Lechu Neranano," which is now the recognized title of this psalm. Likewise, the Latin churches refer to the same psalm as the "Venite" (Latin for "Come"). Since the writer of Hebrews follows this common practice in speaking of the "Today," the readers of his day understood that he was referring to this quoted passage of Psalm 95. But most modern translators, not aware of this historical usage, thought the writer was speaking of time, and hence ignored the definite neuter article. They did so in 1611 when they produced the KJV; they did it again in 1973 when the NIV New Testament appeared. The fact that both translations capitalize the "T" in "Today" fails to bring out the meaning of the original. In keeping with the Greek text, a correct translation must retain the definite article: "the 'Today.' "

Another mistaken translation is found in rendering achris "while" or "as long as." In most translations of the New Testament, Hebrews 3:13 is the only place where this preposition is given the linear meaning, "as long as." It really means "until." The Greek word for "while" or "as long as" is heos.

A third error in translation is the impersonal form, "it is called." The correct rendering, "is called," makes the clause read, "until the 'Today' is called." Here is the most rational translation for this portion of Hebrews 3:13.

This then is a rare instance of three errors in translation occurring in one brief passage. Why were they committed and perpetuated? For the simple reason that the translators--every one a good Greek scholar--did not know the historical background of these words. Since the words, "until the `Today' is called" made no sense to them, they felt free to make alterations to obtain what they thought was a sensible clause. But just how sensible is the clause, "as long as it is called Today?" Can it be conceived that some other day is coming which will not be called Today? Most readers are familiar with this saying on account of its venerable age, for the KJV has popularized it since 1611, and they understand it to mean, "while the present opportunity lasts," or, "as long as probation lasts." It may perhaps be gained as a general impression, but the clause itself defies definition, as it is a wrong rendering.

Some may contend that the right translation also defies comprehension. What is the meaning of "until the 'Today' is called"? Here is our explanation: KaleŚtai, passive voice of kaleo, third person singular, meaning "is called," refers to the "calling out" or "sounding forth" of the "Today"passage by the cantor on the rostrum during Sabbath worship. We have seen that the division of Psalm 95 marks it as designed for antiphonal reading--the first portion by the congregation and the second by the cantor. Such an actual use of this psalm has continued from early centuries right down to our day. This custom is followed by many Ashkenazic and Yemenite Jewish communities. Some Sephardic congregations recite Psalms 95-100 inclusive. This general practice in Jewish liturgy can be traced to early years when Jewish traditions were first committed to writing. We have good reason to assume that this use of Psalm 95 prevailed in apostolic times.

On the force of these three facts: (1) the use of Psalm 95 in public worship on the Sabbath; (2) the presence of the neuter article before the feminine word "Today," and (3) the use of the preposition "until" (achris), we conclude that the "is called" in Hebrews 3:13 refers to the antiphonal response of the cantor after the congregation has read the first part of the psalm. Actually, the "Today" passage is called out by the Holy Spirit, who exhorts us to "Encourage one another daily, until the 'Today' passage is again proclaimed."

Some may object to our translation of kaleŚtai (is called) as somewhat strained. Perhaps so, if we confined our study to the uses of this verb in the New Testament and classic Greek literature. But we must keep in mind that the writer of Hebrews was a Jew writing to Jewish readers--all men of Semitic habits of thought and speech. We are therefore justified in understanding kaleo in the broader sense of the Hebrew word qara, which sense was no doubt dominant in Jewish thinking in the first century. In fact, qara is the ancient root from which the Greek kaleo was derived. Now in the Old Testament text of the KJV, qara is translated "call" 425 times,"cry" 94 times,"proclaim" or "make proclamation" 37 times, "read" 36 times (cf. Young's Analytica). In view of these facts we are not straining the sense when we take the kaleŚtai of Hebrews 3:13 to mean the "calling out" or proclaiming of the "Today" passage by the cantor.

Now to further reconstruct the historical background. From Acts we learn that in the first century most Jewish Christians continued to worship in the synagogues. Taking due account of the connotation of Hebrews 3:13, we know that the early Christian Jews were familiar with the use of the "ha-yom" (Today) psalm in their liturgy. This fact furnished the basis for this exhortation in Hebrews. God would here impress His people with the need to be sensitive to the movings of His Spirit--not to be indifferent to His repeated admonitions. For we are in danger of being gospel-hardened, after hearing it preached again and again. He therefore wants us to encourage each other daily, until the "Today" message is again sounded in our ears. It is only in this historical setting that the neuter article before "Today," the "until," and the "is called" in Hebrews 3:13 can be understood in their natural sense. Otherwise, the article must be ignored, the "until" must be changed, and the "call" must be understood in the sense of "regard."

One may argue that there is no explicit evidence that the Jews to whom Hebrews was first addressed were using Psalm 95 regularly in Sabbath worship as indicated above. We reply that the internal evidence in Hebrews 3:13 is itself the strongest proof of this point. Because only such a historical setting can account for the use of the neuter article, the "until" and the "is called" in such a combination. On the other hand, if we reject such a historical background, as do most translators, the verse must undergo the alterations indicated.

Hebrews 3:13 is the key to a better understanding of the repeated use of "Today" in this discussion of the Sabbath theme. When it is properly translated, the sabbatical nature of the theme stands out clearly from the start. The first impression received by the early Jewish readers of this epistle was that the writer was employing a very familiar passage (as familiar as the Lord's prayer to modern readers) to bring home an important admonition. He tells them that every time they hear the "Today" message uttered, they should recognize that it comes directly from the Holy Spirit. Do not treat it lightly. The very fact that it is repeated every Sabbath emphasizes the urgency of its message.

Here we pause to reconstruct a yet broader historical background. When Hebrews was written, more than 30 years had passed since the Lord's ascension. Many of the saints had gone to rest, yet the Lord had not returned. There was danger that the zeal of the second generation of believers should wane under the trials of disappointment, persecution and doubt. Jesus had said that He had gone to prepare a place for them, but just how and for how long, they did not know. The Holy Spirit, which was promised to lead them into all truth, was addressing them in this book, to tell them what Jesus was doing, and that He would come as promised, but that they must live by faith. "Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees . . . Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright."

A picture of a church languishing in weakness and worldliness makes up the general background against which we should view this epistle to the Hebrews. It is in this setting that the author elaborates on his Sabbath theme. Various commentators have pointed out that the Jewish Christians continued to keep the Sabbath after their conversion to the new faith, and there was no need to teach them to observe it. That is very true. The writer is not teaching the Jews to observe the Sabbath. Rather, he is admonishing them to strive to "enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." The issue at hand was not whether they should keep Sabbath, but whether they will appropriate the rest promised to the faithful on that day. "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest." Hebrews 4:2-3

Some commentators put the appropriation of God's promised rest in the future, comparing the bliss of heaven with the entrance into Canaan by the people of Israel. They point to the concluding remark, "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." Now we heartily accept this hope of a future rest, for it is a fact that the saints will enjoy true rest in the earth made new. And Hebrews 4:9 can be understood to point to such a rest. But in view of what we have studied respecting the Sabbath theme introduced by the "Today" Psalm, we ask, "What was the author's original purpose in writing this passage on the Sabbath, and what is the exact meaning of his words in Hebrews 4:9?" The margin of the KJV gives "keeping of a Sabbath" as an alternative reading for "rest" in this verse. The NIV renders it, "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God," which is representative of the majority of translations. But we must differ, for grammatical as well as for logical reasons.

First to discuss the logic of this theme. We see that the author of Hebrews does not draw an analogy of the entrance of Canaan by Israel with the entrance of the saints into heavenly rest. This analogy can only be inferred from Hebrews 4:9 as rendered by most translators. The Holy Spirit simply warns us not to harden our hearts when we hear God's voice. The entrance into His rest which the Israelites failed to realize when they entered Canaan, we may now experience through faith. "For we which have believed do enter into rest." This is definitely a present, not a future entrance. How is it realized? Simply by keeping our hearts tender and sensitive to the impression of the Holy Spirit as He speaks to us in Holy Writ. "Today--on the Sabbath--if you hear His voice, harden not your hearts." In those days the Jews had no Bibles in their homes, but they heard the voice of God regularly on Sabbaths as the Scriptures were read from the pulpit. See Luke 4:16-20. This fact is implied in Hebrews 4:11, whose context associates the entrance into God's rest with the word of God: "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful." That is, in order to enter into His rest, you must obey His voice, which speaks to you every Sabbath. That is the theme in a nutshell.

Some might object that the Sabbath is an intermittent rest which cannot be compared with the lasting rest of which God speaks in Psalm 95. Moreover, the Sabbath rest existed already in the days of Joshua, and the people could have entered it then, thus the "another day" in Hebrews 4:8 could not be the Sabbath. This objection overlooks the fact that Hebrews is emphasizing God's spiritual rest in contrast to rest from warfare which Joshua gave the people, as in Joshua 21:44: "The Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers." Then the words of Hebrews 4:8, "If Joshua + + (Editor's note: KJV has "Jesus:" many modern versions have "Joshua." Our Saviour's given name, in Aramais, was Yeshua, which is translated Joshua in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, it is transliterated into Greek, Iesous, and translated Jesus.) had given them rest," refer to spiritual rest, which is appropriated on the Sabbath. The Israelites could have entered it in Joshua's day, but they did not. In Psalm 95 God spoke of another day in contrast to the Joshua's time. The "another day" contrasts Joshua's "rest" with the Sabbath rest to be entered "Today." Since David composed Psalm 95 for Sabbath worship, it was only from his time that the call, "Today if ye hear His voice . . ." was heard by Israel. Whoever argues that the "another day" is not the Sabbath must give evidence to prove it. The word "limit" or "set" (horizo) indicates that the day is a specific day, not any and every day, nor endless days through eternity.

Hebrews 4:6-7 clearly identifies the "Today" of Psalm 95 with the Sabbath: "Again, He limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today. . ." The P46 papyrus omits the "day" and makes the "Today" the direct object of horizei (limit, or set), thus, "Again, He limiteth a certain 'Today'. . ." That is, the day called "Today" is the day set by God for the appropriating of His rest. And having established the historical background and liturgical usage of this psalm, we are now in a position to affirm that the "certain day" set by God is none other than the Sabbath. Incidentally, in the NIV the present tense of horizei is changed to the past tense. It should read, "God again sets a certain day, calling it today." The Holy Spirit is not talking about David's time, but the present Sabbath day when the people are gathered for worship. The present tense means that God sets every arriving Sabbath day as the time for entering into His rest. All facts we have given conspire to affirm that the "Today" of Psalm 95 refers to the seventh-day Sabbath.

More Corroborative Evidence

If it was indeed every Sabbath that the Jewish worshipers heard the "Today" psalm publicly read, then it would not have required special insight for them to associate the "Today" with the Sabbath, and the words "Encourage each other daily, until the 'Today' (message) is proclaimed," would have been intelligible to them. Now we can go a step further along this line of reasoning and surmise that if the liturgical use of this psalm was very general, then not only Christian Jews, but even non-Christian Jews might have associated the "Today" with the Sabbath. If we can find such documentary evidence, then it would constitute a forceful corroboration of the point we are making.

Extant Jewish writings yield two significant quotations which associate the "Today" of Psalm 95 with the Sabbath. A statement by Rabbi Levi, who lived about A.D. 300, is recorded in the Midrash Tehillim, vol. 2, 92, as follows: As soon as they (the Israelites) observe one Sabbath according to directions, they will be redeemed, as it is written, "Today, if ye will hear His voice," and it is said, "observe the Sabbath."

Since R. Levi is one of the early rabbis from whose lips the Jewish traditions were first transferred to writing, it is highly probable that this association of the "Today" with the Sabbath had its origin before the second century. Another passage from the Midrash Rabbah, vol. 25, 315, bears out this probability. Rabbi Johanan, who lived one generation earlier than R. Levi, is reported to have said: The Holy One, blessed be He, told Israel, "Though I have set a definite time for the millennium, which will come at the appointed time whether Israel returns to Me in penitence or not, still if they repent, even for one day, I will bring it before its appointed time." Hence, "Today, (redemption cometh) if ye would but hearken to His voice"; and just as we find the son of David will come as reward for the observance of one Sabbath day, because the Sabbath is equivalent to all the commandments.

R. Johanan did not connect the "Today" with the Sabbath as directly as R. Levi, but there is an association nevertheless, and this additional testimony implies that this association not only existed in more than one Jewish mind, but was also generally recognized. The writer of Hebrews then was not introducing a wholly strange and novel point of view, but used a familiar text as a ready implement to drive home his exhortation. He knew that if he merely composed his own words of admonition, they would soon be forgotten. But this psalm was often read, and with each reading his words would re-echo in the ears of his readers.

One may object that if the author of Hebrews understood "Today" to mean the Sabbath, he would have been more explicit, such as to say in Hebrews 4:7, "God again appoints the Sabbath, calling it "Today." Why did the writer say, "God set a certain day"? Such a complaint is equally if not more applicable against the view of a future entrance into God's rest, which is the only alternative to a present entrance. If Hebrews 4:7 is speaking of a future entrance, it should read, "God again set a certain day, "Tomorrow." No, God says, "Today," and every time this word is uttered publicly, it is the Sabbath. The Hebrew Christians must have understood this well. On the other hand, the writer was not explicit enough for his Gentile readers, because he was writing to Jews, and assumed their familiarity with Jewish traditions. Only when one reclaims these lost traditions is he able to understand whereof the author speaks.

Despite all this however, a truly open-minded student should be able to see the close connection between the "Today" of Psalm 95 and the Sabbath, even though he may not possess any knowledge of the use of this psalm in Jewish liturgy. He can gather from Hebrews 4:5-6 that the writer is equating the "rest" of Psalm 95 with the seventh-day Sabbath. Here is the passage according to the NIV:

For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh-day in these words, "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest."

Then after v. 7, which we have already discussed, we come to v. 8, which says, "For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day." Now if we follow the context closely, v. 7 has just quoted the "Today" passage for the third time, making it very clear that this "another day" is the "Today" of Psalm 95, namely, the seventh-day Sabbath.

The objection may be raised that such reliance on Jewish traditions denies the divine inspiration of the Scriptures. For since the Bible was written for all ages and peoples, God could not make the knowledge of Jewish traditions a prerequisite to the understanding of Scripture. Yet that is exactly what Inspiration has done. Instead of being a mass of ideas from heaven having no connection with things earthly, the Bible abounds with divine thoughts clad in human vesture and closely related to everyday life--pieces of dirt, as it were, mingled with the spittle of Christ to anoint the eyes of the blind. For this reason history, archaeology, geography and the natural sciences all conspire to clarify the Word of God. It is therefore consistent with the divine purpose that thorough use be made of Jewish traditions in studying this epistle to the Hebrews. For only when one becomes familiar with the Hebrew mind does he better begin to understand the words addressed to a Hebrew reader. In addition to studying what the author wrote, we must study what he assumed as well-known and did not write.

From Hebrews 3:7 to 4:8, the writer confines his discussion to Psalm 95, and its relation to the seventh-day Sabbath. But not a word has been said about the future rest. Yet strangely enough, many translators and commentators take Hebrews 4:9 to refer to a future rest. Here we must use the argument of logical sequence and contextual evidence to prove that the writer was not thinking of a future rest, but was simply making an incidental observation after his exhortation for the saints to exercise faith in God's Word and enter His Sabbath rest. His observation was this: since God has appointed His Sabbath as the day in which His people are to enter His rest, therefore it is natural that Sabbath observance remain with them, while the Mosaic ceremonies have passed away. This argument of logical sequence takes v. 9 as an incidental affirmation of an important fact.

Second, the context in v. 10, reads, "For anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his." This text is virtually a verbatim repetition of the reason for Sabbath observance given in the fourth commandment. Hence we say: A truly unprejudiced student of these passages cannot escape the conclusion that the writer is not speaking of a future rest, but is confining his discussion to the Sabbath rest mentioned in v. 4 and clearly implied in the "Today." On the other hand, proponents of a future entrance into rest must explain why no reference whatever is made to it throughout the discussion. Logically speaking, that would be a non sequitur. They must also explain how the context in verses 4 and 10 can fit the view of a future rest.

Now to study the grammatical evidence. Hebrews 4:9 presents two grammatical problems and a semantical one. We first tackle the meaning of the word, sabbatismos. It has been translated "a rest," "a Sabbath rest," "a keeping of Sabbath." A few simply render it "a sabbatism." Some adopt "Sabbathkeeping" with no article. S.T. Lowrie renders it "keeping the Sabbath day" and "observance of the Sabbath." He argues:It is not conclusive that sabbatismos, because it is not found in LXX, Philo, or Josephus, was an unusual word to his readers. It is as regularly formed as heortasmos, baptismos. Its use by Plutarch proves that it was a current word with only an ordinary meaning. It is quite gratuitous to suppose our author coins it. (Against Bleek) In Christian writers it is of common enough occurrence, and used in its simple meaning only, except in comments on our text, and then its (supposed) extraordinary sense is only made plain by amplifications. Justin uses it interchangeably with sabbata phulassein and sabbatizein (Sabbath observance). S.T. Lowrie, An Explanation of the Epistle to the Hebrews, p. 114, footnote

Assuming that we have the meaning of sabbatismos straight, the insertion of the indefinite article remains to be studied. Use of this article is so widely accepted that it is seldom disputed. But it is obvious that "a keeping of Sabbath" has a future reference as distinguished from the present practice of Sabbath-observance. This word is critical, and calls for careful study.

Since there is no word in Greek corresponding to the English indefinite article, it must be decided in each case whether its use is warranted. One authority says, It would have been very easy if the absence of the article in Greek always meant that the noun is indefinite, but we have seen that this is not the case. The anarthrous noun may per se be either definite or indefinite. A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the NT in the Light of Historical Research, p. 796

The generally accepted rule governing the use of the indefinite article with anarthrous nouns is that of necessity and fluency. That is, if the noun can be translated intelligibly without it, it is not used, and has a definite meaning. Examples of anarthrous nouns employing no article in the English and having a definite meaning may be found in I Corinthians 13:13 and Hebrews 6:2. And since "Sabbath-keeping" can be read intelligibly without the article, the burden of proof lies with those who insert it.

An example of the deep-seated influence of the traditional use of the indefinite article in this text is seen in a comparison of the definition of sabbatismos with that of baptismos in G.R. Berry's Greek Lexicon. There baptismos is defined as "the act of cleansing," while sabbatismos is defined as "a keeping of sabbath, sabbath rest." To be consistent, this lexicographer should either define baptismos as "an act of cleansing," or sabbatismos as "the act of keeping of sabbath, the sabbath rest." Here we have a clear case of a preconceived idea overriding grammatical rules.

The objection often raised against "Sabbath-observance" as a translation of sabbatismos is that Jewish Christians kept the Sabbath regularly, and there was no need to persuade them to do it. Any argument to prove the validity of the Sabbath institution would be pointless. Yet the same objection holds against the view of a future rest. Many promises and prophecies form a firm basis for the belief that all the saved will enter heavenly rest. What point is there in proving that it remains for the people of God?

We should ask: What is the main thrust of this dissertation on the Sabbath? Is it exhortation or argumentation? We say, It is exhortation, not argumentation. Yet there is a logical sequence. This sequence comes clear only as we comprehend the true referent of the "Today" and the meaning of Hebrews 3:13.

The entire passage from Hebrews 3:7 to 4:11 begins with a psalm read on the Sabbath and ends with an admonition to "labour to enter into" that Sabbath rest. To do so in practice is to humbly receive God's Word as it is

read every Sabbath, and continue to encourage one another daily, until God's Word is again sounded in our ears. Hebrews 4:9 then is not the logical conclusion to an extended argument, but an incidental remark that Sabbathkeeping remains with the people of God after all the other ceremonies have passed.

The translation, "remains for the people of God," and the use of an indefinite article with "Sabbathkeeping," both have a future connotation. That is, this rest that remains is to be appropriated in the future, and any effort to enter it is simply to strive to be saved. That is not the sense of the original text. Here the word for "remain" is apoleipo. It is the word for "leaving behind" or "remain behind." Paul used this word in his letter to Timothy: "The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus . . . bring with thee." 2 Timothy 4:13. This text also gives the right preposition. The Greek preposition here, as well as in Hebrews 4:9, is absent, but implied in the case form of the suffix of its object. The translator then must use his judgment as to what preposition to supply. In the Greek text, the suffixes of "Carpus" in 2 Timothy 4:13 and "people" in Hebrews 4:9 are both in the dative-associative case. These cases take the same form, so the translator must decide what Greek preposition is implied and then supply its English equivalent. Most translators of apoleipo in Hebrews 4:9 supply the preposition "for," many supply "to." But if we used "for" in 2 Timothy 4:13, the text would read, "The cloke that I left at Troas for Carpus . . ." Thus the sense would be altered. We think Paul did not leave it for Carpus, or he would not reclaim it. We believe the preposition "with" (for para) is the right one to use, not only here, but also in Hebrews 4:9. Now we have our correct translation: Then Sabbathkeeping remains with the people of God.

This phrase is not a logical conclusion to an extended argument, but an incidental remark after an extended exhortation. The writer is not trying to persuade the people of God to keep the Sabbath, but simply pointing out the reason for continued Sabbathkeeping. Lowrie (op. cit., p. 131, footnote) says, It is obvious that the rendering we have given verse 9 involves the most important consequences concerning the observance of the Sabbath. It makes our verse the most pointed New Testament proof text for the perpetual obligation of the Fourth Commandment.

The assertion that the proof-text method employed by our pioneers and the historical method used by our scholars "has been responsible for practically every theological difference of opinion over the past 40 years" is not supported by facts. The crux lies not wholly in methodology, but in the subjective desire of the human agent to know and practice the truth. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine." The two methods are not mutually exclusive. Each has its proper place in the study of Scripture, but neither of the two is foolproof, unless one is aided by the Holy Spirit. Christ's promise to send the Paraclete to guide His people into all truth is realized today in the gift of prophecy manifest in the writings of Ellen White, who had an active part in laying the foundations of our faith when our pioneers were puzzled by a babel of explanations all claiming to be based on the Bible.

The historical method is not applicable to the study of Bible prophecies extending to our day, because in treating prophecies as historical material, it looks for their fulfillment in the time of the writers. We have shown that many prophecies had no direct relevance for the people originally addressed. We have also cited instances where New Testament writers quoted Old Testament passages out of context as primary fulfillments of Messianic prophecies, proving that the proof-text method is used by God to reveal prophetic truths.

Desmond Ford's attempt to undermine our faith is based on this strategy: "Use Hebrews 9 and the grammatical-historical method to overthrow the Adventist interpretation of Daniel 8:14." We have given him tit for tat, using Hebrews 9 and the grammatical method to prove him wrong. His thesis is based on a version of Hebrews 9:8-9 incorporating four grammatical errors. A correct translation renders this text a companion to Daniel 8:14. The two are equally obscure, but when elucidated point to the same thing--Christ's entrance into the Most Holy Place. We have noted that as the vision of Daniel 8:14 was sealed, just so the corresponding text in Hebrews must also be sealed to prevent a premature disclosure.

This sealing in Hebrews is indicated by the words, mepo pephanerosthai ("has not yet been disclosed," wrongly changed to pluperfect tense in most versions). The seven thunders of Revelation 10 are seen to correspond to these two sealed texts. These three texts may be likened to the three lenses in a refracting telescope, which if aligned properly, bring to view distant objects.

The question is asked, "If Christ had been officiating in the first apartment all through the 18 centuries before He entered the Most Holy Place, how is it His people were not definitely informed of this until 1844?" The answer is that all spiritual truths are revealed progressively, as in the proportioning of the seven seals and the seven trumpets. The first five seals are briefly recounted, but the sixth seal is dwelt upon at length. The first four trumpets also take up little space, but the fifth and sixth occupy much space. This placing of the center of gravity in the end of time is a characteristic of all important prophecies. For it was in the mind of God to follow the natural laws of growth in His revelation of truth: "First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." The full corn is what counts. The disclosure of the sanctuary truths followed this order. Hebrews views the entire sanctuary service as one accomplished act, and refrains from a precise analogy of all details. A literal rendering of Hebrews 9:5 is "of which now is not (the time) to speak particularly." When Hebrews was written, the final stage of the "full corn" was yet future, but when time came for the way into the Holiest to be made manifest, the seal on Daniel 8:14 was opened, "There was seen [by the people of God] in His temple the ark of His testament," and the Midnight Cry has illuminated our path to this day.

Repudiation of the supernatural is the essence of modernism. Its manifestation among Adventist scholars is evident in the embarrassment some evince at the very mention of the Spirit of Prophecy. The thought that God would communicate directly with His church in modern times smacks of fanaticism, and "dignified" men of learning would stand at a distance from the "lunatic fringe." But we call their attention to this manifestation of the supernatural in two passages of Scripture written six centuries apart. It is God's provision to confirm our faith, so that we can point to these texts and say, "In the Book it is written of us." We can prove our unique identity sola Scriptura.

We have used the historical method to clarify two obscure passages in Hebrews 3 and 4. The "Today" in Hebrews 3:13 is not used adverbially, but is the catchword for the quotation from Psalm 95, and refers to the Sabbath on which this psalm was regularly chanted. The sabbatismos of Hebrews 4:9 is the gerundive term "Sabbathkeeping," and the use of an indefinite article is not justified. Psalm 95 indicates the prospect of a present entrance into God's rest. Thus Hebrews 4:9 becomes a companion text of Revelation 12:17 and 14:12 to identify the true people of God and to confirm the perpetuity of the Sabbath.

All efforts of the enemies of truth to destroy us will fail. Every method of Bible interpretation, when rightly applied, will serve to prove that we possess the faith once delivered to the saints. When studied under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Bible will continue to yield evidence to reinforce the two great pillars in the temple of Truth--the seventh-day Sabbath and the Midnight Cry based on Daniel 8:14.

Seventh-day Adventists are a people greatly beloved. How do we know it? Because the Lord has given us abundant light. It is God's way of showing favor. Concerning Abraham, the "friend of God," the Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?" "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." Genesis 18:17; 26:5. "He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation." Psalm 147:19-20. To Daniel the angel Gabriel said, "O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee. . . . Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days. . . . I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince." Daniel 10:11-21. What a glorious privilege to be admitted into the confidence of the Most High! Said Jesus to His disciples, "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love." What intimate communion God holds with His own!

We repeat: God is selective in His revelation of truth. "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." After Christ rose from the dead, He appeared "not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God . . . and he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead." Acts 10:41-42. Today God works in the same fashion. He recognizes the commandment-keeping people as His own, and sends His angel to explain to them the visions which Daniel was told to seal. Thus the greatly beloved man Daniel sealed up the vision for the greatly beloved people in the last days to unseal. Here is God's formula: He chooses them who obey His voice and keep His commandments to be His people and entrusts them with His Word of truth; He sends them forth to preach this Word to all the world. Every step in this process is a manifestation of God's wonderful grace: It is He who works in us "both to will and to do of His good pleasure." It is He who honors us with the knowledge of His Word and again it is He who sends us out to proclaim it.

In the execution of God's plan for the redemption of our race, He counts on the contribution of intelligent men and women acting on their own initiative. The ample provisions of God's grace call for our conscious cooperation, as it is written: "Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." Only as the human will acts in concert with the divine, is the prayer answered,

"Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."

David Lin

January 15, 1982

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