3 1 Now he showeth how far inferior Moses is to Christ, 5, 6 even so much as the servant to the Master: and so he bringeth in certain exhortations and threatenings taken out of David, 8 against such as either stubbornly resist, 12 or else are very slow to obey.
1 Therefore, [a]holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly vocation, consider the [b]Apostle and high Priest of our [c]profession Christ Jesus:
2 [d]Who was faithful to him that hath [e]appointed him, [f]even as (A)Moses was in all his house.
3 [g]For this man is counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he which hath builded the house, hath more honor than the house.
4 For every house is builded of some man, and he that hath built all things, is God.
5 [h]Now Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a witness of the things which should be spoken after.
6 But Christ is as the Son, over his own house, [i]whose [j]house we are, if we hold fast that [k]confidence and that rejoicing of that hope unto the end.
7 Wherefore, as the holy Ghost saith, (B)Today if ye [l]shall hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the [m]provocation, according to the day of the temptation in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years long.
10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They [n]err ever in their heart, neither have they known my ways.
11 Therefore I swear in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest.
12 [o]Take heed brethren, lest at any time there be in any of you an evil heart, and unfaithful, to depart away from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, [p]while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 [q]For we are made partakers of Christ, if we keep sure unto the end that [r]beginning, wherewith we are upholden,
15 [s]So long as it is said, Today if ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
16 For some when they heard, provoked him to anger: howbeit, not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17 But with whom was he displeased forty years? Was he not displeased with them that sinned, (C)whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest, but unto them that obeyed not?
19 So we see that they could not enter in, because of unbelief.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 3:1 Having laid the foundation, that is to say, declared and proved both the natures of one selfsame Christ, he giveth him three offices, to wit, the office of a Prophet, king, and Priest: and as touching the office of teaching and governing, compareth them with Moses and Joshua, unto verse 14 of the next Chapter, and with Aaron touching the Priesthood. And he propoundeth that which he purposeth to speak of, with a most grave exhortation, that all our faith may tend to Christ, as to the only everlasting teacher, governor, and high Priest.
- Hebrews 3:1 The Ambassador or messenger, as Rom. 1:5, he is called the minister of circumcision.
- Hebrews 3:1 Of the doctrine of the Gospel which we profess.
- Hebrews 3:2 He confirmeth this exhortation with two reasons, first of all because Christ Jesus was appointed such an one of God: secondly, because he thoroughly executed the offices that his Father enjoined him.
- Hebrews 3:2 Apostle and high Priest.
- Hebrews 3:2 Now he cometh to the comparison with Moses, and he maketh them like one to the other in this, that they were both appointed rulers over God’s house, and executed faithfully their office: but by and by after he showeth that there is great unlikeness in that similitude.
- Hebrews 3:3 The first comparison: The builder of the house is better than the house itself, therefore is Christ better than Moses. The reason of the consequent is this: because the builder of this house is God, which cannot be attributed to Moses: and therefore Moses was not properly the builder, but a part of the house: but Christ as Lord and God, made all this house.
- Hebrews 3:5 Another comparison: Moses was a faithful servant in this house, that is, in the Church, seeing the Lord that was to come, but Christ ruleth and governeth his house as Lord.
- Hebrews 3:6 He applieth the former doctrine to this end, exhorting all men by the words of David to hear the Son himself speak, and to give full credit to his words, seeing that otherwise they cannot enter into that eternal rest.
- Hebrews 3:6 To wit, Christ’s.
- Hebrews 3:6 He calleth that excellent effect of faith (whereby we cry, Abba, that is, Father) confidence, and to confidence he joineth hope.
- Hebrews 3:7 So that God was to speak once again after Moses.
- Hebrews 3:8 In the day that they vexed the Lord, or strove with him.
- Hebrews 3:10 They are brutish and mad.
- Hebrews 3:12 Now weighing the words of David, he showeth first by this word, Today that we must not neglect the occasion while we have it: for that word is not to be restrained to David’s time, but it comprehendeth all the time wherein God calleth us.
- Hebrews 3:13 While today lasteth, that is to say, so long as the Gospel is offered to us.
- Hebrews 3:14 Now he considereth these words, If you hear his voice, etc., showing that they are spoken and meant of the hearing of faith, against which he setteth hardening through unbelief.
- Hebrews 3:14 That beginning of trust and confidence: and after the manner of the Hebrews, he calleth that beginning, which is chiefest.
- Hebrews 3:15 So long as this voice soundeth out.