Langziner, Daniel. “‘A Sabbath Rest for the People of God’: (Heb 4.9): Hebrews and Philo on the Seventh Day of Creation.” New Testament Studies 64.1 (2017): 94–107.
Abstract:
"This article examines the background of the concept of Sabbath rest
(σαββατισμός) in Heb 4.1–11. Special attention is given to the relation
between God's rest and God's activity, which seemingly are in tension
with each other: on the one hand, the author's argument is based on the
assumption that God entered his rest at the seventh day of creation and
stopped working forever (4.10); on the other hand, there is a clear
reference to God's works after creation
(3.9–10). A comparison with Philo's explanations of the seventh day of
creation, however, reveals that for a Jewish Middle Platonist this
tension does not appear to be a problem because rest and activity in God
are two sides of the same coin. It is argued that this background helps
to explain Hebrews’ concept of Sabbath rest. A concluding outlook shows
that the suggested Middle Platonic understanding of Hebrews 4 fits well
the context of the epistle as a whole, as the same coexistence of rest
and activity can also be found in Hebrews 7 in relation to Jesus’
intercession in the heavenly tabernacle."
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