(Chapter 3:1-19)
As mentioned in the Introduction, chapters 3–10:18 focus on Christ as “the High Priest of our confession.” This has to do with His entrance into heaven to carry out His present service of intercession for us (Rom. 8:34), after having made expiation for sin.
Christ’s Priesthood—Manward and Godward
Chapters 1-2 have unfolded the glories of Christ as the Son of God and the Son of Man, and thus, have shown Him to be perfectly fitted to enter into service as our great High Priest. Having introduced Him as such, at the end of chapter 2, the writer now proceeds with the ministration of His priesthood in the following chapters. This is both manward and Godward.
As to the manward side (chaps. 3–7)—He succours (helps) those who are tempted (chap. 2:18), He sympathizes with those with infirmities (chap. 4:14), He grants grace and mercy to those in need (chap. 4:16), He has compassion on the ignorant and those out of the way (chap. 5:2), and He saves those who come unto God by Him (chap. 7:25).
As to the Godward side (chaps. 8–10)—He secures the new covenant and its blessing for Israel (chap. 8), He offers himself without spot to God as a supreme sacrifice to put away sin and thus purge the conscience of the believer (chaps. 9-10), and He presents the praises of the saints to God (chaps. 10:21; 13:15).
Both of these aspects of Christ’s priestly work are seen in chapter 2:17—“a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God.” “Merciful” pertains to our side of His priestly service and “faithful” has to do with God’s side.
A Brief Outline of Chapters 3-4
Before taking up the actual function of Christ’s priesthood in chapter 5, the writer touches on some preliminary things in connection with that office. A brief breakdown of chapters 3-4 are as follows:
The sphere in which Christ’s high priestly service is exercised—God’s house (chap. 3:1-6).
The circumstances which have called for it—the wilderness (chap. 3:7-19).
The rest to which the wilderness journey leads (chap. 4:1-11).
The provision which God has made so that we would be preserved from failing (chap. 4:12-16).
The Sphere of Christ’s High Priestly Service—the House of God
In chapters 3-4, the writer brings forward the two greatest leaders in the early history of the legal system—Moses and Joshua—and compares them to Christ. He shows, again, that Christ is in every way superior to them.
Chap. 3:1-2—He addresses these Hebrew believers as: “Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling.” This is something altogether different from what they had known and had been a part of as Jews in Israel. They were once brethren in a national calling of God with earthly hopes and an earthly inheritance (Deut. 7:6-8). But by receiving Christ by faith, they had been taken “out from” that earthly calling and made part of a new thing of God’s making—the Church (Acts 26:17). Addressing them as such, they are viewed in their Christian position with a heavenly calling.
As Christians, they are asked to “consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus, who is faithful to Him that has constituted Him, as Moses also in all His house.” As mentioned already, considering Christ as “the Apostle” of our confession has been before us in chapters 1-2. Considering Christ as “the High Priest” of our confession is now what is before us in chapters 3-10:18.
Moses is introduced in verse 2 for the purpose of comparing his faithfulness to Christ’s (Num. 12:7). This is seen in the words, “as also.” Christ was “faithful to Him (God) that appointed Him.” Thus, both were faithful.
The Threefold Superiority of Christ over Moses
Vss. 3-4—After the comparison, the writer proceeds to give three great contrasts between Christ and Moses: Firstly, Christ the High Priest of our confession is “counted worthy of more [greater] glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.” The “house” which Moses made and ministered in was the earthly tabernacle in the wilderness (Ex. 25-30). It was but a figurative representation, or “pattern,” of the house that Christ built and ministers in—which is the whole universe (chap. 8:2, 5; 9:23). The writer identifies it as “all things.” Thus, Moses served in a mere model of the real house. The sphere of Christ’s high priestly work, therefore, is incomparably greater. In order that no one would mistake who Christ the Builder of God’s house is, the writer adds, “He that built all things is God.” Thus, he identifies Christ as God, and immediately, this sets Him apart from Moses as far as the Creator is above the creature.
Vs. 5—Secondly, Moses’ ministry served as “a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after.” That is, it testified of “good things to come” (chaps. 9:11; 10:1), which things have been brought in by Christ. This, again, shows Christ to be greater than Moses.
Vs. 6—Thirdly, Moses was a “servant” in the house wherein he ministered, but Christ is “Son over His (God’s) house.” It hardly needs to be said that a son is greater than a servant. The prodigal son understood this difference, and said, “I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants” (Luke 15:19).
As to God’s house, the writer tells us that in these Christian times it has another meaning. He says: “Whose house we are” (NASB). Believers on the Lord Jesus Christ are viewed as being God’s spiritual house today. We are “built together for a habitation of God” (Eph. 2:22; 1 Peter 2:5). By introducing believers as the house of God, we learn that we are in the sphere in which Christ’s priesthood is exercised.
The writer then says, “If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (vs. 6b). He mentions this because there was a possibility of some apostatizing. On the other hand, those who were real would prove to be God’s house by holding fast. This shows that continuance in the path of faith is the evidence of one’s reality.
The Circumstances Which Call for Christ’s High Priestly Service—the Wilderness
Chap. 3:7-19—It is in the ways of God to test all profession. All who take the path of faith and thus identify themselves with the Christian position in this world will be tested as to their reality or the lack thereof. And there is no place like “the wilderness” to bring this out. We speak now of the wilderness in a figurative sense. Just as Israel passed through a great wilderness, on their way from Egypt to Canaan, which was fraught with dangers and enemies, and had their faith tried, believers on the Lord Jesus are also passing through a scene of spiritual danger and testing as they walk through this world on the path of faith. This time of testing and learning in our Christian experience can be referred to as our wilderness journey (Rom. 5:3-5; 1 Peter 5:10).
Thus, the wilderness is where the reality of our profession is put to the test by the circumstances we meet. We prove the reality of our faith by our continuance in the path, regardless of the severity of the hardships in the way. Those same circumstances also manifest the true state of a merely professing believer; it will be evident in his drawing back from Christian ground, which is apostasy. This was what was happening with this company of Hebrews who had professed faith in Christ. The trials and persecutions that they were experiencing were proving that most of them had real faith, but sadly, those same trials and persecutions were also manifesting that there was an absence of real faith in some. Those who are false will eventually let go of their confession of faith in Christ and depart from the path.
In the latter half of chapter 3, the writer turns to speak of the wilderness circumstances which call for the exercise of Christ’s priesthood, which, if a believer avails himself of it (chap. 7:25), will hold him on course and help him to continue in the path “firm unto the end.”
Second Warning Against Apostasy
(Chapter 3:7–4:11)
The Danger of Unbelief
This leads the writer to give a second warning against apostasy. In a parenthesis (vss. 7-11), he quotes from Psalm 95 to bring before the Hebrews the seriousness of refusing to go on in the path of faith. This is the first of five quotes from that psalm. The circumstance to which the psalmist refers was Israel’s unbelief at Kadesh-barnea in what is called “the provocation” (Num. 13-14). The promised land was before them; all they had to do was to believe the Word of the Lord through Moses, and go in and take it. But they were filled with unbelief and refused. The children of Israel provoked the Lord to wrath by refusing to go into the land of Canaan which God had given them.
The Ten Temptations
The “provocation” at Kadesh was the tenth time Israel had tempted the Lord in the first two years of their wilderness journey (Num. 14:22). These are:
Not trusting the Lord at the Red Sea concerning Pharaoh’s army (Ex. 14:11-12; Psa. 106:7).
Questioning the wisdom of the Lord in leading them into the wilderness (Ex. 15:24).
Asking for bread to fulfill their lust (Ex. 16:2; Psa. 78:18).
Trying to gather the Manna on the Sabbath day (Ex. 16:27-28).
Questioning whether the Lord was truly among them (Ex. 17:2, 7; Psa. 78:19-20).
Worshipping the golden calf (Ex. 32:7-14; Psa. 106:19).
Complaining against the Lord (Num. 11:1-3).
Lusting after Egypt’s foods (Num. 11:4-9).
Criticizing their leader—Moses (Num. 12:9).
Despising the pleasant land (Num. 14:1-5; Psa. 106:24-25).
The first five temptations were before the giving of the Law when Israel was still in a period of grace under God’s hand, and therefore, they were not made to feel the consequences of their sins. But the last five were after the giving of the Law, when the people were under the responsibility of their covenant relationship with the Lord (Ex. 24), and therefore, they had to bear the consequences of their sins in various strokes of governmental judgment from God.
By quoting Scripture, as the writer does here in chapter 3:7-11, he gave the Hebrews a warning that came straight from the Word of God. He identifies the speaker as “the Holy Spirit.” (He does not say, “As David saith....”) Thus, the first warning was from the Son (chap. 2:1-4), and now, this second warning is from the Holy Spirit. It could not be clearer that God was speaking to them! The gravity of this fact was calculated to soberize them. It is significant that in quoting the passage, the writer used the quote from Psalm 95 in the present tense. He says, “As the Holy Ghost saith....” This shows that even though it was written hundreds of years earlier, the Holy Spirit was still speaking through it. Such is the “living” Word of God (Heb. 4:12). He says, “If ye will hear His voice....” The use of “if,” here, brings in the condition of willingness and obedience.
Vss. 12-13—The writer then makes his application from the quotation: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” His use of the word “brethren,” here, refers to the natural ties that he had with his fellow countrymen of “the stock of Israel” (Phil. 3:5)—not, as in verse 1, where it is used in reference to fellow Christians of “the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10). His point in this passage could not be clearer. The same sin of “unbelief” that marked Israel of old and led to their downfall in the wilderness could be theirs also! If they neglected the voice of God, their hearts would become “hardened through the deceitfulness of sin,” as was Israel’s in old times.
Two Kinds of Hearts
There are two kinds of hearts under consideration in the epistle to the Hebrews:
“An evil heart” of unbelief that departs from God (chap. 3:12). This is apostasy. W. Kelly translates “departing,” as “falling away,” an expression used elsewhere in Scripture to denote apostasy (2 Thess. 2:3; Heb. 6:6; Luke 8:13). It is the same word used in 1 Timothy 4:1, in which J. N. Darby translates it as “apostatize.” As mentioned in the Introduction, apostasy is something that only a mere professing believer would do by renouncing Christianity. Thus, an evil heart of unbelief is not referring to backsliding, which a believer may do if he gets cold in his soul. (The weakness of faith in a believer is not the subject of the warnings in the epistle; all departure from God, in Hebrews, is apostasy.)
“A true heart” that draws near with full assurance of faith (chap. 10:22). This is something that a true believer will do when instructed in the truth unfolded in this epistle.
The fact that they were to “exhort one another daily” because of “the deceitfulness of sin” shows that we need to be together often. We can’t exhort one another if we seldom see one another! This shows that we are to watch for one another’s souls as our brother’s keeper.
Vs. 14—While the previous verses warn against apostasy, this verse encourages faith to carry on in the path. As stated already, believers in this epistle are seen as being part of the new creation race. As such, they are viewed as “sons” of God (chap. 2:10), as “brethren” of Christ (chap. 2:11), and as the “companions” of Christ (chap. 3:14). These terms denote our relationship with the Lord as Head of the race. (Our link to Christ, as the Head of His body, of which we are the members, is a different relationship and is not the subject in Hebrews.) The writer’s point here is that true believers will prove themselves to be such by holding on “stedfast unto the end.”
Vs. 15—The writer returns to the quote from Psalm 95 to emphasize another key word in it—“Today....” This shows that there was an urgency to hearing His voice and in responding appropriately and immediately.
Three Searching Questions
Vss. 16-19—In another parenthesis, the writer again speaks of Israel’s history in the wilderness to bring out the effects of the sin of unbelief. He asks three searching questions which emphasize the solemn fact that an evil heart of unbelief is easily deceived by sin, and that deceitfulness hardens the heart so that no reproof can touch it. Thus, the person whose heart has hardened becomes fixed in his course toward damnation. This is very solemn indeed.
Firstly, he asks, “Who was it, who having heard, provoked?” Was it just a few? No, it was the mass of the people—“All that came out of Egypt by Moses” (vs. 16). Likewise, all to whom he was writing were being tested in this way. And, if they did not respond in faith to God’s Word, they too could “provoke” Him to wrath.
Secondly, he asks, “With whom was He grieved forty years?” It was “them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness” (vs. 17). What the writer refers to here, goes beyond the day of provocation to take in Israel’s whole course in the wilderness. By the end of forty years, all who were of that generation who had despised the pleasant land had been “wasted out” from among them (Deut. 2:14-15). They were dealt with by a stroke of God’s governmental judgment and died in the wilderness. Likewise, with these Hebrews, if unbelief was found in them, they could experience a similar stroke of divine judgment and also be taken away from the earth through death prematurely! This actually happened to thousands of them by the hand of the Romans in 66-70 A. D.
Thirdly, he asks, “To whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest?” It was those who “believed not” (vss. 18-19). Thus, the net result for all who did not believe was the forfeiture of God’s rest in the land of Canaan. This was the case with most of them. They never entered the land, and thus, they failed to reach that rest. Similarly, those among the Hebrews who would not believe would not enter God’s eternal rest! Whether then or now, “unbelief” is what keeps people from entering His rest. Mere profession is not enough to carry a person through to heaven and into the rest of God.