Hebrews 4:2

We also had the promise to enter into the kingdom through our faith and spiritual way of life, as well as those who accepted the command through the law so that … they might possess the land granted to them. "But the message" of the law "which they heard did not benefit them because it did not meet with faith" in the hearers. "We who have believed" in Christ and his gifts "enter" faithfully "that rest." They, on the other hand, did not enter into that rest in consequence of the vow made through David, who said, "I swore in my anger that they should not enter my rest."

"Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it; for to us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them when it is said, To-day if ye hear His voice" (for "To-day" is "at every time").

Then he adds "but the word of hearing did not profit them, as they were not mixed by faith with them that heard." How did it not profit? Then wishing to alarm them, he shows the same thing by what he says.

Then, again, from gloomy ones, "Let us fear, lest at any time a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." For that is manifest and confessed.

It was fitting for them to be afraid, he says so that they might not be found lacking because of the depravity of their opinion, when they themselves had received the promise of access into the rest. For let no one suppose that the promise of the things to come are sufficient for him, just as it was not sufficient for them. For they were not joined to the things promised in accordance with faith. Therefore, one ought to read as follows, "They did not attach themselves in faith to the things that they heard," namely, the promises that were made to them from God through Moses.

We ought to be afraid … lest we, too, who have received the promise of the entrance into the rest, may be found lacking through a wickedness of purpose. For let no one think that the promise of things to come suffices him any more than it did them. Indeed, they did not understand in faith what had been promised.

Hearing the words does not suffice for salvation; accepting it in faith is necessary, and holding it firm. After all, what benefit was God's promise to those who received it, but did not receive it faithfully, trust in the power of God or, as it were, associate closely with God's words?

"Let us therefore fear." In the saying, he says, "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion (Heb. 3:15), let us therefore fear." And the "therefore" has been added. For the sake of being lengthy, so that the construction may not seem incoherent, the "therefore" has been placed. Let us fear, he says, lest any of you should seem to come short of entering into his rest. For the promise of entering into his rest still remains for those who wish. And this is the kingdom of heaven.
"lestany one of you may seem to have come short of it." They are lacking in entering. However, he did not say, "They have come short," but rather, "may seem to have come short."
"For we are also evangelized just as they were." We have been evangelized about the good things to come, just as they were in a symbolic way about the earth.
"but the word which they heard did not profit them." You see that this is what he says, that nothing will profit you from becoming hearers of the preaching, if you do not also bring in what is from yourselves, namely faith; for the word which you heard by itself has not benefited even those in the past. But see how on our part the matter was called the gospel, as a promise of true goods, and as given from a crown and victory; but on their part, a matter of hearing.
"not being mixed with faith." That is to say, do not be mixed with it [the word]. From this, the idea of believing without hesitation is hinted at. And he says that those who believed heard. For they truly heard, those who also believed. Paul speaks about Joshua and Caleb. And this he says: The word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed and as if blended and united with faith in those who heard it, namely, those who believed concerning Jesus.

He says, not being mixed, that is, with those who have believed. How were they to be united? With faith, he says, that is, through faith. For if these had believed just as those did, they would have been gathered into one, as if by a kind of glue of faith, uniting them.

He says, "Not having joined themselves to the things they heard," that is, the things they believed. How was it possible for them to be joined to those things? "By faith," he says, that is, through faith. For if the latter had believed as the former had, they would have been joined together into one, since their faith would have joined them together and blended them together.

And we have received the good news concerning future blessings, just as they did prefiguratively about the promised land. But it will be completely useless to us if we likewise do not believe and do not lay aside all faintheartedness, just as hearing did not profit them either. Notice how in relation to us he called the matter "good news," that is, a promise of future blessings, and moreover ones that are given as a reward for victory; whereas in relation to them he called it "the word heard."

That is, those not united through faith and not in agreement with those who heard, but rather having withdrawn from them. By "those who heard" he means here those who believed; for they truly can be called hearers. Saint John Chrysostom understood by "those who did not hear" the supporters of Caleb and Joshua, for they did not take part in the rebellion, did not mingle, did not revolt, and did not perish together with the rest of the rebels, who all shared one opinion. With whom then? With those who heard and received no benefit. So said this saint out of his great and profound wisdom, but to me, the unworthy one, he did not grant to understand in what sense he said this.

Then he shows what anxiety should press us. In regard to this he does two things: first, he states his intention; secondly, he proves it (v. 3). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he shows that this promise has been made to us; secondly, that that promise is not enough (v. 2b).

He says, therefore: for good news came to us as to them. Here it should be noted that the things promised in the Old Testament should be understood spiritually: 'All things happened to them in a figure' (1 Cor. 10:11); 'What things soever were written, were written for our learning' (Rom. 13:4).

Then when he says, but the message did not benefit them, he shows that the promise is not enough, but that we should be solicitous; hence, he says that the message, which was heard and not believed, profited them nothing: 'For not the hearers but the doers of the law will be justified' (Rom. 2:13). And he says, not being met [mixed] with faith, because just as the union of intellect and thing understood make one thing, so the believer's heart and formed faith make one thing: 'He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit' (1 Cor. 6:17). For the words of God are so efficacious that they should be believed as soon as they are heard: 'your testimonies are become exceedingly credible' (Ps. 92:5).