4:1 The rest offered to Israel was not entered into and God still offers the promise of entering his rest to his people (cf. vv. 3, 6, 11). It follows that that promise cannot have referred to entry and possession of the land, but must have been a more fundamental kind of rest. The key word rest is drawn from the original quotation (3:11; cf. 3:18) and is the subject of the exposition that follows (cf. vv. 3–5, 8, 10, 11). Let us be careful (cf. 1 Cor. 10:12) is perhaps a little weak for the strong warning of phobēthōmen, “let us fear” (cf. KJV; RSV; NEB). To be found to have fallen short of the promised rest is a warning applied directly to the readers: none of you.

4:2 As is evident through the teaching of the epistle, the gospel for the author and readers refers to the cross and its ef…