THE WORD OF GOD AND OUR SOUL

	HEBREWS 4.12. For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.
	13. There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
	14.  Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.
	15. For we don`t have a high priest who can`t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.
	16. Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for timely help. THE WORD OF GOD IS DYNAMIC
Verse 12 The word of God (o logoß tou qeou). That just quoted about the promise of rest and God's rest, but true of any real word of God. Living (zwn). Cf. the Living God (James 3:12)  In Philo and the Book of Wisdom the Logos of God is personified, but still more in John 1:1-18 where Jesus is pictured as the Logos on a par with God. "Our author is using Philonic language rather than Philonic ideas" (Moffatt). See John 6:63: "The words which I have spoken are spirit and are life." Active (energhß). Energetic, powerful (John 1:12; Philippians 3:21; Colossians 1:29).  Sharper (tomwteroß). Comparative of tomoß, cutting (from temnw, to cut), late adjective, here only in the N.T. Than (uper). Often so after a comparative (Luke 16:8; 2 Corinthians 12:13). Two-edged (distomon). "Two-mouthed" (di-, stoma), double-mouthed like a river (Polybius), branching ways (Sophocles), applied to sword (xipoß) by Homer and Euripides. Piercing (diiknoumenoß).  THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT ONLY DYNAMIC, BUT PENETRATES INTO OUR INNER BEING-- INTO OUR THOUGHT PROCESSES  DIVIDING SOUL h yuch  AND BODY PARTITIONING THEM.                   TO THE WORD OF GOD, SOUL AND BODY ARE SEPARATE ENITIES "Present middle participle f diikneomai, old verb to go through, here only in N.T. Even to the dividing (acri merismou). Old word from merizw (meroß, part), to partition." A.T. ROBERTSONS 1THESSALONIANS 5:23 "...soul, and body" h yuch kai to swma  May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. autoV de o qeoV thV eirhnhV agiasai umaV oloteleiV kai oloklhron umwn to pneuma kai h yuch kai to swma amemptwV1 Thessalonians 5:23;   Of soul and spirit (psuchß kai pneumatoß). As in 1 Thessalonians 5:23;   ... Quick to discern (kritikoß). Verbal adjective in -ikoß, from krinw, skilled in judging, as the surgeon has to be and able to decide on the instant what to do. So God's word like his eye sees the secret lurking doubt and unbelief "of the thoughts and intents of the heart"  (enqumhsewn kai ennoiwn kardiaß).  The surgeon carries a bright and powerful light for every dark crevice and a sharp knife for the removal of all the pus revealed by the light. It is a powerful picture here drawn.
Verse 13 That is not manifest (apanhß). Old adjective (a privative and painw, to show), here only in the N.T. God's microscope can lay bare the smallest microbe of doubt and sin. Naked (gumna).  Both soul and body are naked to the eye of God. Laid open (tetrachlismena). Perfect passive participle of trachlizw, late verb to bend back the neck (trachloß, Matthew 18:6) as the surgeon does for operating, here only in N.T. See Romans 16:4 for the peril of risking one's neck (trachlon upotiqenai).  GOD'S WORD PENETRATES OUR PERSON  OBVIOUSLY KNOWS OUR TRUTHFULNESS--GENUINESS "THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY GLORY AS FROM THE FATHER FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH." JOHN 1:14 "NOR WAS THERE ANY DECEIT IN HIS MOUTH." ISAIAH 53:9 "I HAVE COME INTO THIS WORLD TO WITNESS TO THE TRUTH, EVERYONE WHO  IS OF THE TRUTH HEARS MY VOICE." JOHN 18:37  God's eyes see all the facts in our inmost hearts. There are no mental reservations from God. With whom we have to do (proß on hmin o logoß). "With whom the matter or account for us is." There is a slight play here on logoß of verse Romans 12.  Surely every servant of Christ today needs to gaze into this revealing mirror and be honest with himself and God.
Verse 14 A great high priest (arcierea megan). The author now takes up the main argument of the Epistle, already alluded to in Romans 1:3; Romans 2:17; Romans 3:1, the priestly work of Jesus as superior to that of the Levitical line (Romans 4:14-12:3). Jesus is superior to the prophets (Romans 1:1-3), to angels (Romans 1:4-2:18), to Moses (Romans 3:1-4:13), he has already shown. Here he only terms Jesus "great" as high priest (a frequent adjective with high priest in Philo) but the superiority comes out as he proceeds. Who hath passed through the heavens (dielhluqota touß ouranouß). Perfect active participle of diercomai, state of completion.  Jesus has passed through the upper heavens up to the throne of God (Romans 1:3) where he performs his function as our high priest. This idea will be developed later (Romans 6:19; Romans 7:26-28; Romans 9:11,24).  Jesus the Son of God (Ihsoun ton uion tou qeou). The human name linked with his deity, clinching the argument already made (Romans 1:1-4:13).  Let us hold fast our confession (kratwmen thß omologiaß). Present active volitive subjunctive of kratew, old verb (from kratoß, power), with genitive to cling to tenaciously as here and Romans 6:18 and also with the accusative (2 Thessalonians 2:15; Colossians 2:19). "Let us keep on holding fast."  the confession of Christ.... This keynote runs all through the Epistle, the exhortation to the Jewish Christians to hold on to the confession (Colossians 3:1) of Christ already made. Before making the five points of Christ's superior priestly work (better priest than Aaron, Colossians 5:1-7:25; under a better covenant, Colossians 8:1-13; in a better sanctuary, Colossians 9:1-12; offering a better sacrifice, Colossians 9:13-10:18; based on better promises, Colossians 10:19-12:3), the author gives a double exhortation (Colossians 4:14-16) like that in Colossians 2:1-4 to hold fast to the high priest (Colossians 14) and to make use of him (Colossians 16).
Verse 15 That cannot be touched with the feeling (mh dunamenon sunpaqhsai). "Not able to sympathize with." First aorist passive infinitive of sunpaqew, late compound verb from the late adjective sunpaqoß (Romans 12:15), both from sunpascw, to suffer with (1 Corinthians 12:26; Romans 8:17), occurring in Aristotle and Plutarch, in N.T. only in Hebrews (here and Hebrews 10:34). One that hath been tempted (pepeirasmenon). Perfect passive participle of peirazw, as already shown in Hebrews 2:17. Without sin (cwriß amartiaß).  This is the outstanding difference that must never be overlooked in considering the actual humanity of Jesus.  He did not yield to sin. But more than this is true. There was no latent sin in Jesus to be stirred by temptation and no habits of sin to be overcome. But he did have "weaknesses" (asqeneiai) common to our human nature (hunger, thirst, weariness, etc.). Satan used his strongest weapons against Jesus, did it repeatedly, and failed. Jesus remained "undefiled" (amiantoß) in a world of sin (John 8:46). This is our ground of hope, the sinlessness of Jesus and his real sympathy.
Verse 16 Let us therefore draw near (prosercwmeqa oun). Present active middle volitive subjunctive of prosercomai. "Let us keep on coming to" our high priest, this sympathizing and great high priest.  For we have not recieved a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have recieved the spirit of adoptionas sons  by which we cry Abba Father.  Romans  The Spirit Himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:15-16111   Instead of deserting him, let us make daily use of him. This verb in Hebrews means reverent approach for worship (John 7:25; John 10:1,22; John 11:6).  Unto the throne of grace (twi qronwi thß caritoß). This old word (qronoß) we have taken into English, the seat of kings and of God and so of Christ (John 1:3,8), but marked by grace because Jesus is there (Matthew 19:28). Hence we should come "with boldness" (meta parrhsiaß).  Telling Jesus the whole story of our shortcomings. That we may receive mercy (ina labwmen eleoß). Purpose clause with ina and second aorist active subjunctive of lambanw. And find grace (kai carin eurwmen). Second aorist active subjunctive of euriskw.  We are sure to gain both of these aims because Jesus is our high priest on the throne. To help us in time of need (eiß eukairon bohqeian). Bohqeia is old word (from bohqew, Matthew 2:18 which see), in N.T. only here and Acts 27:17. Eukairoß is an old word also (eu, well, kairoß, opportunity), only here in N.T. "For well-timed help," "for help in the nick of time," before too late.