James Swetnam 108 regards the possibility of entering into God’s sabbath rest 33. The prepara- tion for this immediate paraenetic antecedent for Heb 4,12 begins, of course, at Heb 3,7, with its citation of Ps 95,7-8. Following this citation there is a short paraenesis culminating in Heb 3,14 which echoes Heb 3,6 even to the point of having the same verbal form of katevcw: katavscw- men 34. Thus Heb 3,14 acts as a conclusion to the paraenesis following the citation of Ps 95,7-11 at Heb 3,7-11 35. With v. 15 36 and the citation of Ps 95,7-8 begins a new subsection which terminates with a citation of the same verses (in somewhat abbreviated form) at Heb 4,7. The imagery of Heb 4,12 in the interpretation being followed here suggests that Joshua is being considered from the standpoint of circum- cision. The circumcision of the body which he effected was unequal to the task of ushering God’s people into God’s own rest; only the circum- cision of the heart effected by the lovgo~ can make such an entrance possible. The section Heb 4,8-11 thus assumes an intrinsic paraenetic coheren- cy centering on the efficacy of the lovgo~ of 4,12 as regards circumcision and entrance into God’s own rest. Given the parallel nature of Heb 4,13 with regard to 4,12, the inference suggests itself that Heb 4,14-16, sym- metrical with Heb 4,8-11 as regards both length and position, assumes the position of the immediate paraenetic consequence of Heb 4,13 which centers on the intercessory efficacy of the lovgo". Thus Heb 4,14-16 describes the function of Christ as intercessor with God, as introduced by the phrase prov~ o}n hJmi`n oJ lovgo". The imagery is not of ‘entrance’ but of ‘approaching’—prosevrcesqai, a word which has cultic overtones in Hebrews 37. V. 16 indicates the aspects under which approaching the arciereu~ is being considered: e[leo~ and cavri" 38. j v 33 «Sabbatliches Feiern wird die «Daseinsweise» des in die Gottesruhe eingekomme- nen Volkes Gottes sein» (Gräßer, An die Hebräer, 220). 34 «V. 14 is so similar in content to v. 6 as to have affected the textual tradition» (Ellingworth, Hebrews, 225). 35 The rather unusual configuration involving Heb 3,12-14 seems to be caused by the desire of the author to emphasize the word uJpovstasi~ in 3,14. This word would seem to be of particular importance in Hebrews, acting as an indicator, with three analogous meanings, of the major divisions of the epistle: Heb 1,1 – 3,6 (cf. the use of uJpovstasi~ in 1,3), Heb 3,7 – 10,39 (cf. the use of uJpovstasi~ at 3,14), and Heb 11,1 – 13,19 (cf. the use of uJpovstasi~ at Heb 11,1). Any attempt to discern a macrostructure in the epistle would seem to have to come to terms with this word. 36 «The grammatical connections between vv. 14, 15, and 16 are uncertain» (Ellingworth, Hebrews, 225). Ellingworth suggests four possible interpretations. The one followed here is his #4: a full stop is placed after v. 14 and a comma after v. 15 (cf. Ellingworth, Hebrews, 225-226). 37 Cf. Ellingworth, Hebrews, 269-270. 38 Attridge (Hebrews, 142) suggests that e[leo~ may refer in 4,16 to past transgres- sions, while cavri~ refers to contemporary and future needs.