Hebrews 4:16

Hebrews 4:16. Let us therefore come nigh a common word in this Epistle for drawing nigh to God by sacrifice, or under the Gospel through Christ (Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 10:1; Hebrews 11:6). St. Paul's word for a similar idea is generally different (see Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:12, we have boldness and access by faith) with the added idea when addressing Gentiles that they are brought nigh.

With boldness, rather with confidence (see chap. Hebrews 3:6), not as the Israelites trembled when they approached, not to the mercy-seat, but at most towards it the priest alone entering the holiest of all, but with the trust that tells all its wants to the throne of grace (not Christ as if He were the mercy-seat, as some have held, nor the throne of Christ, but), the throne of God Himself; not of His justice, however, nor of His providence, but of His grace made such in fact by the propitiation which Christ has offered, and in part by our assurance that the priest himself feels for us.

That we may obtain mercy pity partly, as His sympathy implies, but chiefly the means of forgiveness for the sins which still cleave to us as children (see 2 Timothy 1:18; Jude 1:21, where the idea is that the mercy we receive from day to day is confirmed and perfected in the day of God): we need continual forgiveness for continual sin (1 John 1:10; 1 John 2:1).

And grace. Whatever we need to perfect our holiness and happiness those gifts of free favour which prove God to be our friend, and will help us to persevere in the faith and obedience of the truth till we are partakers of the perfected grace which is glory the grace that is to be brought unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13).

For seasonable help is the literal rendering of the last clause, i.e help convenient, suitable to the occasion; ‘in time of need' is very good if that mean, as it may, ‘as we need it,' and so is appropriate to each emergency as it arises.

These exhortations were eminently suited to the condition of the Hebrew Christians. With such a High Priest, who has expiated our sins, has passed into the presence of God, thus proving the acceptance and the continuance of His work, whose Divine Sonship gives virtue to His sacrifice, whose perfect sympathy with us in all our weaknesses is made complete through His endurance of the same trials, let us persevere in the confession we have made seek from God with the boldness of children the mercy and the grace we need for emergencies and opportunities alike till our victory is complete. Nor less suited is the exhortation to ourselves. In every age the same temptations assail us, though they assume different forms; and in every age the maintenance of the truth as it is in Jesus, and habitual (mark the present tense, ‘continue coming') intercourse with God as the God of Peace and blessing under the influence of this truth, these are the true sources of our stedfastness.