Bible Study Hebrews 3: 1-19

 

A Commentary of the Book of Hebrews

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: King James Version

Bible Study Hebrews 3: 1-19

Text:

3 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 2 who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. 3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. 4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. 5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6 but Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; 15 while it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. 17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 1: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;”

The author concludes his discussion on Christ's work and human nature by urging his audience—described as "partakers of the heavenly calling"—to focus their attention on Christ Jesus, identified here as the "Apostle and High Priest of our profession." The title "Apostle" denotes "one who is sent." Throughout His ministry, Jesus frequently identified Himself as being sent into this world by the Father, establishing Him as the preeminent Apostle and the ultimate source of all apostleship.

Verse 2: “ who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.”

The Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated unwavering fidelity to the One who appointed Him. His faithfulness was manifested both in His earthly mission to represent God to humanity and in His ongoing role as our representative before God.

Furthermore, Moses exhibited faithfulness within the entirety of his house. In this context, the term "house," which appears seven times in the subsequent verses, refers not to the personal domain of Moses, but to the house of God. Moses maintained his integrity within God's house, diligently fulfilling the specific calling he received.

Verse 3: “For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.”

In Hebrews 3:3-4, the terms "built" and "builded" carry an identical meaning, highlighting Jesus as the one who established the household. While Moses served as the house's designated guardian, Jesus is the one who constructed it and ensured it was fully prepared for occupancy.

Verse 4: “ For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.”

The author further asserts that "he that built all things is God." Because Jesus is identified as the one who "builded the house," He is presented as being on the same level as God. This establishes His superiority over Moses as an absolute certainty.

Verse 5: “And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;”

Jesus Christ's superiority over Moses is established through two primary distinctions. First, as the Creator, Christ stands above Moses, who is a created being. Second, while the highest praise for Moses was his role as a faithful servant of God, he was never titled a "son." In contrast, Christ is the Son of God. This distinction between a son and a servant within a household underscores Christ's preeminence as both the Creator and the Son.

Verse 6: “ but Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.”

The phrase "if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" reflects a rhetorical style often employed by the Apostle Paul, wherein the term "if" serves as a logical framework rather than a conditional requirement. This passage may be more clearly interpreted as "since we hold fast the confidence," suggesting that for those who are children of God and participants in the heavenly calling, perseverance and fidelity are natural outcomes. Consequently, the act of remaining steadfast serves as the definitive evidence of one's membership within the household of God. 

Verse 7: “Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,”

Given the significance of the messages delivered by prophets, angels, and Moses, the message from Jesus carries even greater weight. This context makes it vital to avoid unbelief regarding His word.

The citation from Psalm 95:7–11 commences with the exhortation, “To-day if ye will hear his voice.”

Verse 8: “harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:”

“Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation” is a plea to consider the superiority of Christ’s headship over Moses’ stewardship. The phrase “if ye will hear his voice”, indicates that they were hearing his voice. 

Verse 9: “when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.”

The author implies that testing God despite having witnessed His miracles for four decades was a fundamentally irrational act. This lack of sound judgment is underscored in verse 12 through the description of an “evil heart”. It is difficult to understand that “your fathers tempted me” even though they “saw my works forty years”. Given their observations, you would have thought they would have been obedient.

Verse 10: “Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.”

God expressed His profound displeasure, noting, "Wherefore I was grieved" (a sentiment perhaps more accurately described as "disgusted") "with that generation." This specific group of people perished in the wilderness due to their failings. Notably, Jesus later characterized the Pharisees and scribes of His time using similar language, calling them "an evil and adulterous generation."

The indictment that "they have not known my ways" carries significant weight. It underscores their failure to acknowledge God despite the overwhelming manifestations of His love and constant provision throughout their journey.

Verse 11: “So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

The divine decree, "They shall not enter into my rest," represents a form of discipline reinforced by God's own sacred oath. This judgment resulted in an irreversible outcome, vividly illustrated by the remains of the Israelites who lacked faith and perished in the desert.

Verse 12: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”

The term "brethren" is used here as a warning to those who might share the same flaws as the generation that died in the desert, never reaching the Promised Land. This group consisted of unbelieving Jews who remained among the "holy brethren" and were urged to embrace faith before their opportunity passed. Concerning the "evil heart," while it is a condition common to all humanity from birth, for these Hebrews, it was specifically evidenced by a rejection of the gospel that caused them to turn away from God. 

Verse 13: “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

The command to "exhort one another daily, while it is called To day" underscores the vital role of mutual support and accountability within the community of believers. Unbelief, at its core, is the act of forsaking God, a path that risks leaving an individual "hardened through the deceitfulness of sin". While the current era remains a period of divine grace and an open invitation to place one's trust in God, this window of opportunity is finite. 

Verse 14: “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;”

The author reinforces the point made in verse 6 by stating, "if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end." Our status as members of Christ's household is confirmed only "if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end."

Verse 15: “while it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.”

To prevent the same rebellious hardening experienced by those delivered from Egypt, the author stresses the need for constant, diligent obedience to God's voice today. Listening to the Lord's Word serves as the essential remedy for a calloused heart. Furthermore, in the Hebrew tradition, true "hearing" is only realized through the act of obedience.

Verse 16: “For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.”

The term "provoke" signifies that God was deeply offended by those who heard His word but failed to believe it. Although they possessed sufficient faith to leave Egypt, their belief did not extend beyond that initial step.

Verse 17: “But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?”

The inquiry posed in this verse—"With whom was he grieved forty years?"—identifies the target of God's displeasure as the multitude that departed from Egypt. This generation's history of sin led to their demise, with their remains scattered across the wilderness. Within that entire assembly, only Joshua and Caleb possessed the requisite faith to trust God's promises, making them the sole survivors to enter the land. Notably, even Moses was barred from the Promised Land; however, his exclusion stemmed not from a fundamental deficiency of faith, but from a specific act of rebellion when he struck the rock in a fit of rage instead of speaking to it according to God's explicit instructions.

Verse 18: “And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?”

The divine inquiry, “And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest,” refers specifically to the earthly rest of Canaan rather than the eternal realm of heaven. Due to their persistent lack of faith, this generation remained ignorant of the blessings of Canaan, failing to enjoy its abundance or experience the fulfillment that comes from absolute trust in Jehovah. God’s decree that they would be excluded from His rest was solidified by a sacred oath. While the Almighty’s word is inherently absolute, His use of an oath underscores the irrevocable nature of this judgment.

Once more, the author identifies the subjects of this divine displeasure as those who did not believe. It is critical to note that while their idolatry with the golden calf and their acts of immorality were grievous, these were not the primary barriers to God’s blessing. Rather, it was the fundamental sin of unbelief that ultimately barred them from their inheritance.

Verse 19: “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

The fundamental cause of their rebellion, sin, and defiance was a deep-seated unbelief—a collective failure to remain steadfastly anchored in the promises of God.