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| 1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus, |
The Apostle and Hight Priest – "The Apostle Paul calls our attention in this [spiritual - site Editor] direction saying, "Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." (Heb. 3:1.) But how few of those who read the Scriptures have ever followed the Apostle's suggestion? how few have ever considered Jesus from the standpoint suggested, --as the Church's Apostle or special teacher sent of God to specially guide and instruct the Church, and as the church's High Priest to whom the faithful occupy the relationship of under priests? Had more consideration been given by the Lord's people to these matters, a larger number would undoubtedly be much farther advanced than they are today, in the knowledge and love of God. They would have seen that if Christ is a special teacher, a special High Priest of the Church, and the Church his special pupils, brethren and under priests, then there must be, according to the Scriptures, at some future time, a still greater blessing in which both High Priests and under priests will be the agents of God in blessing all the families of the earth." - R3313:6 |
| 2 who is faithful to him that has constituted him, as Moses also in all his house. |
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| 3 For *he* has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, by how much he that has built it has more honour than the house. |
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| 4 For every house is built by some one; but he who has built all things is God. |
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| 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house, as a ministering servant, for a testimony of the things to be spoken after; |
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| 6 but Christ, as Son over his house, whose house are *we*, if indeed we hold fast the boldness and the boast of hope firm to the end. |
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| 7 Wherefore, even as says the Holy Spirit, To-day if ye will hear his voice, |
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| 8 harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness; |
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| 9 where your fathers tempted me, by proving me, and saw my works forty years. |
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| 10 Wherefore I was wroth with this generation, and said, They always err in heart; and *they* have not known my ways; |
I – Jehovah God.
Was grieved – Because of their unbelief. Even after seeing all his wonders in their release from the slavery of Egypt.
With that generation – Those living at the time they reached the promised land - because they did not exercise enough faith in God to enter into the land. |
| 11 so I swore in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest. |
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| 12 See, brethren, lest there be in any one of you a wicked heart of unbelief, in turning away from the living God. |
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| 13 But encourage yourselves each day, as long as it is called To-day, that none of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. |
Today – In one sense this refers to the Gospel Age, the age of sacrifice. More particularly though it refers to RIGHT NOW! Consider what Paul is saying in this context. He is comparing typical Israel, those who had already come into covenant relationship with God, and their opportunity to come into the land of promise, with us in our covenant relationship with God and our opportunity to enter into rest. If Israel had obeyed immediately, God would have driven out the inhabitants for them, little by little. But since they did not obey but instead listened to the evil report of the 10 spies, when they did come to the promised land, they had to do the battle and drive out the inhabitants themselves (though it was still with God's help.) |
| 14 For we are become companions of the Christ if indeed we hold the beginning of the assurance firm to the end; |
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| 15 in that it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation; |
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| 16 (for who was it, who, having heard, provoked? but was it not all who came out of Egypt by Moses? |
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| 17 And with whom was he wroth forty years? Was it not with those who had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? |
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| 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to those who had not hearkened to the word? |
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| 19 And we see that they could not enter in on account of unbelief;) |
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