For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
For - Justifying Hebrews 4:9.
He that is entered - whosoever once enters.
His rest - God's rest, prepared by God for His people (Estius). Rather, the man's rest; that assigned to him by God.
Hath ceased, х katepausen (G2664), akin to katapausis (G2663)] (Hebrews 4:3). The aorist is indefinite, 'rests.' The past tense implies the certainty of it, as also that in this life a kind of foretaste in Christ is already given (Grotius) (Jeremiah 6:16).
From his own works - even from those that were good and suitable previously. Labour was followed by rest even in paradise (Genesis 2:3; Genesis 2:15). The work and subsequent rest of God are the archetype to which we should be conformed if we would be supremely happy. The argument is, He who once enters rest, rests from labours; but God's people have not yet rested from them: therefore they have not yet entered the rest; so it must be still future. Alford, 'He that entered into his (Isaiah 11:10; Matthew 25:21; Matthew 25:23) rest (namely, Jesus, our Forerunner, Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 6:20, in contrast to Joshua the type, who did not bring God's people into the heavenly rest), He Himself (emphatic) rested from His works (Hebrews 4:4), as God (did) from His own х idion (G2398)] works.' The argument, though generally applying to anyone who has entered his rest, probably alludes to Jesus in particular, the antitypical Joshua, who, having entered His rest at the Ascension, has ceased from His earthly work of redemption, as God on the seventh day rested from physical creation. Not that He has ceased to carry on redemption-nay, He upholds it by His mediation-but He has ceased from those portions of it which constitute the foundation: the sacrifice has been once for all accomplished. Compare as to God's creation, once for all completed and rested from, but now still upheld (note, Hebrews 4:4; 1 Peter 4:1-2).