Jamieson, Fausset and Brown on Hebrews 4:1

CHAPTER 4

He 4:1-16. The Promise of God's Rest Is Fully Realized through Christ:

Let Us Strive to Obtain It by Him, Our Sympathizing High Priest.

1. Let us ... fear--not with slavish terror, but godly "fear and trembling" (Php 2:12). Since so many have fallen, we have cause to fear (He 3:17-19).

being left us--still remaining to us after the others have, by neglect, lost it.

his rest--God's heavenly rest, of which Canaan is the type. "To-day" still continues, during which there is the danger of failing to reach the rest. "To-day," rightly used, terminates in the rest which, when once obtained, is never lost (Re 3:12). A foretaste of the rest Is given in the inward rest which the believer's soul has in Christ.

should seem to come short of it--Greek, "to have come short of it"; should be found, when the great trial of all shall take place [Alford], to have fallen short of attaining the promise. The word "seem" is a mitigating mode of expression, though not lessening the reality. Bengel and Owen take it, Lest there should be any semblance or appearance of falling short.