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Bible Study/Commentary
Hebrews 3: Today, If You Will Hear His Voice, Do Not Harden Your Hearts!
Hebrews Chapter 3 builds upon the themes of the person of Jesus as God's son, and His superiority over Moses.
The chapter discusses the faithfulness of Jesus, and contrasts His role, as God's Son who is over God's house, with that of the role of Moses' as a servant.
It further provides a stern warning about the dangers of unbelief, and hardening one's heart towards God, using the example of the Israelites in the desert during their Exodus from Egypt.
Bible Study/Commentary
Verses 1-6: Jesus is Compared to Moses
The author calls believers "holy brothers and sisters" and "partners in a heavenly calling," encouraging them to contemplate Jesus as the apostle and high priest of their confession.
Here, the author introduces a comparison between Jesus and Moses. Moses was faithful as a servant in God's house, but Jesus is worthy of more honor as the Son of God over God's house.
This comparison emphasizes the author's statements of Christ's superiority.
Verses 7-11: The Holy Spirit's Warning
The author quotes Psalm 95 as a warning, in which the Holy Spirit warns us not to harden our hearts, as the Israelites did in the wilderness, which led to God's wrath and their exclusion from their rest in the promised land.
Verses 12-19: Warning Against Unbelief
The author further emphasizes the warning against unbelief, encouraging mutual vigilance within the body of Christ, to prevent a departure from the living God due to the deceitfulness of sin.
The example of the Exodus generation is cited again, highlighting how their unbelief and disobedience led to their inability to enter God's rest.
Overall Summary
Hebrews Chapter 3 focuses on the comparison of Jesus with Moses, underscoring the superior status of Jesus as God's Son, over the house of God.
The chapter serves as a sobering warning against the hardness of heart and unbelief, using the example of the Exodus from Egypt to exemplify the consequences of such attitudes.
The overarching message of this chapter is to remain faithful to God, just as Jesus was faithful, and to take heed to the lessons from the past.
It encourages the readers to persevere in their faith, emphasizing that they are part of God's house, that is, if they hold onto their courage and hope in Christ.
Hebrews 3
Jesus Greater Than Moses
3 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
A Rest for the People of God
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your fathers put me to the test
and saw my works for forty years.
10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation,
and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;
they have not known my ways.’
11 As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest.’”
12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
Q & A
Hebrews 3:1-2
Q1: Who is being addressed in these verses, and how is Jesus described?
A1: Holy brothers who share in a heavenly calling are being addressed. Jesus is described as the apostle and high priest of their confession, faithful to Him who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house.
Hebrews 3:3-4
Q2: In what way is Jesus considered worthy of more glory than Moses, and what analogy is used to illustrate this point?
A2: Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. Every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.
Hebrews 3:5-6
Q3: How does the faithfulness of Moses compare to that of Christ, and who is identified as Christ's house?
A3: Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, testifying to things to be spoken later. Christ is faithful over God's house as a son, and believers are identified as His house if they hold fast their confidence and boasting in hope.
Hebrews 3:7-11
Q4: What warning is given based on the experience of the Israelites, and what is quoted from the Holy Spirit?
A4: The warning is not to harden hearts as in the rebellion, as the Israelites did in the wilderness. The Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts," recalling the rebellion in the wilderness.
Hebrews 3:12-13
Q5: What caution is given to the brothers, and how are they encouraged to prevent hardening of hearts?
A5: The caution is against having an evil, unbelieving heart leading to falling away from the living God. They are encouraged to exhort one another daily, as long as it is called "today," to avoid being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 3:14-15
Q6: What condition is set for sharing in Christ, and what is reiterated about not hardening hearts?
A6: Believers share in Christ if they hold their original confidence firm to the end. It is reiterated that they should not harden their hearts as in the rebellion.
Hebrews 3:16-19
Q7: Who rebelled and did not enter God's rest, and why were they unable to enter?
A7: Those who rebelled were the ones who left Egypt led by Moses. They sinned, their bodies fell in the wilderness, and due to disobedience, God swore that they would not enter His rest. They were unable to enter because of unbelief.