Hebrews 4:3 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

For we who have believed, &c.— This stands connected with the former part of the preceding verse: "Unto us was the good tidings of a rest preached, as well as unto them: For all we who have believed,—or, all who do believe, do enter into rest." Faith is the way by which men must expect to enter into whatever rest God promises in one age or another. The rest which was preached to them of old, they, for want of faith, and for acting disobediently, did not enter into; as appears from the declaration of God,—So I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest: But that rest which is preached to us, is a far superior, an infinitely more advantageous rest; even such a rest as God himself entered into,when his works were finished at the creation of the world; and consequently it is quite different from that which was spoken of the children of Israel in the wilderness. It is not therefore the land of Canaan which is eminently called my rest, but a state where there is to be no more labour, nor sorrow; Revelation 7:16-17. The term Και τοι does not in this place signify although, but for indeed, or for; and the true meaning is, "All we that believe, that is to say, who perseveringly believe, (as the whole epistle proves,) are to enter into God's rest;—not that which the children of Israel entered into, and was then called my rest, but that which was eminently so called; that which was so called when the world was made." There are then two different things spoken of under the terms of my rest: the one, that at the end of the creation, when God's works were finished; the other, when the Israelites entered Canaan. This latter is but a trifle, compared with the former: for that of which we have the good news, signifies a state of perfect happiness and repose from all labour and burdensome fatigue; and this is the state into which all who perseveringly believe and obey, are to enter.