Hebrews chapter 3

Jesus Christ is the center. We should not fall into unbelief like the people did in the desert. Instead, we should exhort each other day-by-day.

 


 

JESUS IS THE CENTER

 

VERSE 1. Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus,

consider … Jesus. We need to take a good look at Jesus Christ.

the Apostle. This is the only place in the Bible where Jesus is called an Apostle. It conveys that he was sent on a mission by God the Father.

High Priest of our confession. Jesus is the centerpiece of everything we believe.

 

VERSE 2. who was faithful to him who appointed him, as also Moses was in all his house.

was faithful. This notions derives from Numbers chapter 12:

Numbers 12:7. My servant Moses is not so. He is faithful in all my house.

as also Moses was. The author begins a comparison of Jesus and Moses.

 

VERSE 3. For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, because he who built the house has more honor than the house.

 

VERSE 4. For every house is built by someone; but he who built all things is God.

 

VERSE 5. Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken,

as a servant. Many people in Christian ministry refer to themselves as “servants” of the Lord Jesus. However, we can also be his friends! Read more »

 

VERSE 6. but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house. We are his house, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end.

We are his house. In the Old Testament era, the temple in Jerusalem was the House of God. But in our New Testament era, the LORD God dwells within his people. Read more »

confidence. When we walk with the LORD God, we can overcome our fears and be bold. As bold as a lion! Read more »

 

DO NOT FALL INTO UNBELIEF

 

VERSE 7. Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice,

 

VERSE 8. don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness,

the rebellion. This alludes to Psalm 95:

Psalm 95:8. Don’t harden your heart, as at Mariah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,

 

VERSE 9. where your fathers tested me and tried me, and saw my deeds for forty years.

 

VERSE 10. Therefore I was displeased with that generation, and said, ‘They always err in their heart, but they didn’t know my ways.’

 

VERSE 11. As I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter into my rest.’ ”

 

VERSE 12. Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there might be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God;

brothers. The author is writing to Christian believers.

falling away. Turning away and apostatizing is seen as a great danger, based on what happened to the children of Israel in the desert.

 

EXHORT EACH OTHER DAY BY DAY

 

VERSE 13. but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

exhort. The Greek word is παρακαλέω (“parakaleó”). It means encourage, comfort.

one another. The Greek word is ἑαυτοὺς (“heautous”). It means himself, herself, itself.

In other words, encourage yourselves daily. We are to get ourselves encouraged. We stage a sort of personal Pep Rally, to get ourselves enthused for Jesus Christ and the living of our faith life.

 

VERSE 14. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm to the end,

we have become partakers of Christ. That is,” we have come to share in Christ.” Or more literally, “we are partners with the Christ.”

 

VERSE 15. while it is said, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.”

 

VERSE 16. For who, when they heard, rebelled? Wasn’t it all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

 

VERSE 17. With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

he displeased forty years. Because of the unbelief of most of the people, the Hebrew people had to wander in the desert for 40 years.

 

VERSE 18. To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient?

 

VERSE 19. We see that they weren’t able to enter in because of unbelief.

because of unbelief. Their own lack of faith was the reason they did not enter the Promised Land.

 


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HEBREWS

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.