Hebrews Chapter Three
1. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Therefore, holy brethren, participants in the heavenly invitation, consider carefully Christ Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession (literal).1
The writer is about to build upon what has just been established (therefore): Jesus Christ not only took on the flesh of humanity, but, more specifically, He was born in fulfillment of the promise, a descendant of Abraham – a Jew! In keeping with God’s eternal plan, He died for sin (as the sinless Sacrifice) and is now our High Priest, having made atonement for our sin, and our Mediator with the Father in heaven for us. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). To this point, the writer has very carefully explained Who Jesus is and what He has done, and, evidently, he has so much more to unveil.
The audience of this letter is now identified: holy brethren. Holy, from the Greek hagios, means to be pure, or, more specifically, consecrated to God, which includes a separation from sin.2 The writer has taken the time to ensure that the reader has a proper understanding of Jesus, and His significance under the spotlight of OT prophecy. To the Philippians, Paul wrote: “To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe” (Philippians 3:1) – in essence, he is saying that he would rather repeat himself in order to ensure their spiritual safety, than to assume that their understanding of the Lord is sound. The writer of Hebrews has followed this tact as well, having taken some time to establish exactly Who Jesus is within Scripture – ensuring a firm foundation of sound teaching upon which he will build further instruction.
The teaching of the book of Hebrews is directed toward those who are holy brethren – those who are set apart for the service of the Lord. These are consecrated to the Lord: truly born again, faithfully living in Christ, and with the Spirit of God abiding within – “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9b). Holy brethren are just that: brethren who have reckoned themselves to be dead to sin, and wholly devoted to living for the Lord (Romans 6:11).
We know that God is holy, for we read in the OT: “For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44a). God is holy; we have defined holy as being pure and consecrated, which is from our perspective; we understand our need to be completely dedicated to the Lord, with an equal hatred for sin. If we move this over to the Lord, we understand that He is completely separate from anything that is not pure and righteous. “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity” (Psalm 5:4-5). The Psalmist recognized that Jehovah is completely separated from anything that bears the taint of sin; although we are made in His image, our inherited sin nature stands as a barrier before God. As the Lord told Moses: “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live” (Exodus 33:20). Sinful man bears with him the sentence of death (Romans 6:23); only God was able to bridge the gap and bring reconciliation: within the OT, it was by faith in His promise to deal eternally with sin; in the NT, it is by faith in the Lord Jesus Who paid the price for our sin (and fulfilled the promise for the OT saints). God is eternally holy, and it is to His holiness that we must come through faith in the Lord and the enabling work of His Spirit within us.
How are we to understand partakers of the heavenly calling, or participants in the heavenly invitation? As we noted in our study of chapter one, the Greek word metochos, which primarily appears in this book, means sharing in, or participating in, something, or, as in Luke 5:7, it also includes business partnerships.3 In this case, the holy brethren are sharing in the divine invitation of God; calling, within this context, does not refer to our vocation, or station, in life, but, rather, to God’s invitation to salvation that is extended to all of humanity through Christ. Therefore, if we are sharing in God’s invitation to salvation, then that can only mean that we are truly saved – born again from on high and part of His ekklesia. To Timothy, Paul identified this as being a holy invitation: holy because it comes from God Who is holy, and because it is a calling to His holiness (2 Timothy 1:9). Again, it is evident that the holy brethren are children of God; a double emphasis is placed on this reality.
To those who are in Christ (sharing in God’s holy invitation of salvation), a command is given to carefully consider Christ with a view to fully understand, or, to clearly perceive Him within His role as Apostle and High Priest. This is used in conjunction with homologeo (confession, or profession), which literally means to speak the same thing;4 here it is our confession that must agree with what God has revealed concerning Christ. The careful consideration that we are to give to Christ is for the purpose of ensuring that our convictions (the basis for our confession) are in complete alignment with God’s Word (they are the same). It is our convictions that must be aligned (and realigned as necessary) to comply with the Scriptures; we must never fall into the trap of seeking to understand Scripture in the light of our preconceived ideas.
Our focus, in this case, is on Christ, and then how we understand His role as our Apostle and High Priest. We must ensure that our convictions concerning Christ as Apostle and High Priest are Biblically accurate so that our confession is true. Apostle (from apostolos) is someone who has been sent on a mission, along with the full authority to accomplish the assigned task.5 We touched on this briefly a bit earlier when we looked at Christ’s divine obligation (as a member of the Godhead) to fulfill God’s eternal plan to reconcile sinners to Himself (2:17). The Word became flesh for the purpose of dying for the sins of humanity; Jesus was born to accomplish that particular mission. As we ponder this carefully, we conclude that man is unable to save himself (Romans 3:10, 23), God did not scramble for a plan when Adam sinned (1 Peter 1:18-21), and Jesus came to fulfill His mission when the time was right (Galatians 4:4).
Christ’s role as High Priest (also to be a part of our confession) is something that the writer of Hebrews will take particular care to explain in much of what follows, so we will leave this for now. We must hold an accurate understanding of Jesus as our High Priest – a very significant teaching that is essential to appreciating our salvation.
2. Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
The writer begins with a consideration of Jesus as the Apostle, and the complexities of this. He is faithful to the One Who made Him, even as Moses in all of His house (literal).6 Regarding Moses’ faithfulness, we read this: “And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth …” (Numbers 12:6-8a). The Lord had just condemned Aaron and Miriam for their criticism of Moses, and now declared to them that Moses is more than a prophet in their midst because He speaks with him directly, and not through visions. It is the faithfulness of Moses as His leader of the children of Israel that brings Jehovah to make this statement. The writer draws a parallel to Jesus using a very prominent character within Judaism, someone with whom all of the Jews were very familiar, and again makes reference to an OT Scripture for support.
Now we must consider the first part of this verse; the full complexity of Jesus’ relationship with God the Father comes to the fore here.
First of all, we can easily see that Jesus is the One Who is described as being faithful. The focal word to which we must give very careful attention is the one that is translated as appointed, and which I show as made. The Greek word is poieo, which basically means to make or do, and its contextual meaning, for the most part, follows some form of these two.7 It is used to describe God as the One Who created (made) all things: “And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made [poieo] heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is” (Acts 4:24; cp. Acts 14:15, 17:24; Revelation 14:7). However, our verse points to what took place between God and the Lord Jesus – a very different matter! Here are two verses that tell us that God made Jesus: “For he [God] hath made [poieo] him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21); “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made [poieo] that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).8 God made Jesus to be sin for us, and He made Him Lord and Christ (the Anointed One, or the Messiah).9 Consider Daniel’s prophecy: “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah [mashiyach, anointed ] be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (Daniel 9:26).10 Daniel wrote of the time coming when the Jewish Messiah would die, but not for anything that He had done: Jesus, being sinless, died for the sins of humanity – He was cut off, but not for Himself. In this single prophecy of Daniel, we see the foretelling of Jesus as the One Who died for sins (He died for others) and His role as the Messiah. What this demonstrates is that there was a divine plan in place by which God made Jesus to be sin and made Him the Christ (Messiah).
We have noted earlier that Jesus came to earth as it was foreordained before the foundation of the world – He came in accordance with the eternal plan of God (1 Peter 1:20). John tells us: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7); “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us …” (John 1:14a). Jesus is the Word, the Creator of all things (John 1:3), Who, through the work of the Holy Spirit, received a body that was made in His own image (Luke 1:35). The Creator became the Created in order to make a full atonement for sin, which was the eternal plan of God (of which He had had a part in devising). Therefore, Jesus, Who is fully God (John 10:30), was made, and He remained completely faithful to the eternal plan that He, as the Word, was not only active in developing but also central in bringing to fruition.
The writer likens Jesus’ faithfulness to His mission (as Apostle) to Moses’ faithfulness to the Lord. Within Jewish history, Moses was unique in his relationship with the Lord, and of great prominence in having received the Laws from God that governed the lives of the children of Israel. However, as we consider what has been presented to this point, we understand that Jesus is God, and the last One through Whom humanity would receive new spiritual revelation (Hebrews 1:2); it is to this Jesus that we are charged to give our careful attention (Hebrews 3:1). Jesus, fully God, and yet, mysteriously, made by God for His earthly mission – eternal God made in His own image!
3. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
For this One has been considered to be worthy of more glory than Moses, as the one who did build the house has much more value than it [the house] (literal).
The writer draws a very interesting illustration of how much greater Jesus is than Moses: the builder of a house is of greater worth than the house that he has built – Jesus is the Builder, and Moses is a part of the house that Jesus is building. Paul explained the building that Jesus is doing this way: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22). As Paul clarifies that the Gentiles who are in Christ are part of the same construction project as the OT saints (fellowcitizens with the saints), Jesus, being that principal Corner, is the Stone Who is the reference for all of the subsequent stones that will be used in construction. The OT saints and the New Covenant saints are added to the structure that is founded upon the Apostles (NT) and Prophets (OT) who together form a foundation in keeping with the Chief Corner, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are told that Abraham, who lived in tents as he followed the Lord, anticipated a city whose designer and builder was God (Hebrews 11:10); we just looked at this, as Paul explained it to the Ephesians. The Psalmist hinted at the very same thing: those who are transplanted into the house of Jehovah, into the courts of our Elohim, will flourish (Psalm 92:13, literal).11 Transplanted is passive in the Hebrew, meaning that this is not something that we can do, but rather something that is done for us – in this case, it can only be by God. With the Chief Corner as the Reference, we (OT and NT saints alike) can be transplanted from death into life, from a habitation of darkness into the eternal light of the Lord!
Moses, who enjoyed a very unique and close relationship with Jehovah, is a part of the house that the Lord Jesus is building. God is always greater than those who have been made in His image; the Lord Jesus Christ (God) is worthy of more glory than Moses. Without the work of the Lord in making full atonement for sin available for all people, Moses, along with all of the other OT saints (and the NT saints), would be nothing.
4. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
For every house is built by someone, but He, God, did build all things (literal).12
In the same way that every house is made by someone, so God has made everything. Within the context: every builder is of more worth than his project; Jesus (as God and the Creator of all things) is of infinitely greater worth than even those who are created in His image.
As John witnessed the search of heaven and earth for someone who would be worthy to open the book that was sealed with seven seals, no one was found except the Lamb of God (Revelation 5:2-5). Why was Jesus found to be worthy to open this book? The four living creatures and the 24 elders explain: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9). Jesus, worthy above all!
5. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
And Moses [was] faithful in all to His household as an attendant, for a testimony of that which would be spoken (literal).13 The word servant does not come from the Greek doulos, as we might think; it is therapon, which can be understood as a servant, but it speaks of free service, rather than service as a slave.14 With regard to Moses, who is called the servant of the Lord (Numbers 12:7; Deuteronomy 34:5), servant, from the Hebrew ebed, leans more toward being a minister or ambassador – someone with whom there is a closer relationship and who has been commissioned for a specific service.15 As the Lord met Moses at the burning bush, He said to him: “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10): Moses’ call from God and his assignment are very clear. With great reluctance, Moses accepted the Lord’s commission; although he leaned heavily upon Aaron initially, it was not long before he was no longer dependent upon Aaron – he grew into what the Lord desired him to be for Israel (Exodus 8:16, 10:13, 14:13).
It was through Moses that the Lord brought His Ten Commandments to mankind, as well as the numerous laws and regulations that He provided to govern the daily lives of the children of Israel. For Israel, Moses became a testimony to God’s Law and His guidance for Israel: Jehovah provided Moses with the two tables of stone upon which He had written His Ten Commands, and, through the medium of angels, he also received the laws that governed Israel’s daily living (Galatians 3:19). As the Lord’s voice was heard by all of Israel at Mt. Sinai, they were filled with fear and asked Moses to speak to them on behalf of the Lord, for they did not want to have God speak directly to them again (Exodus 20:19). Therefore, Moses testified, or proclaimed, to Israel all that the Lord wanted them to know; “And he [Moses] took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:7). Indeed, Moses was faithful to Israel, and he became the voice of Jehovah to them; he spoke to them of things to come: 1) the blessings of obedience to the Lord (Deuteronomy 28:1-14), 2) the curses of disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15-68), and 3) of a coming Prophet Who would speak the truth of the Lord to them: “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him” (Deuteronomy 18:18). Through Moses, who had a very unique relationship with Jehovah, the Lord spoke of the Messiah to come – that Promised One Who would proclaim to them God’s truth. Jesus testified: “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak” (John 12:49-50). Moses prophesied of the coming Messiah (Prophet), and Jesus was the fulfillment!
6. But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
But Christ, as a Son over His household; of Whose family we are, on the condition that we keep a hold on the confidence and glorying of the sure hope until the end (literal).16
The contrast to Moses continues: Moses was faithful as a member of the household of God; Jesus, the Son of God, is over His own household that is comprised of those who have placed their faith in Him. We just learned that the one who builds the house is of greater value than the house (verse three); Jesus declared: “… upon this rock I will build my church …” (Matthew 16:18a): the rock is the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and it is upon this immovable truth that He will build His ekklesia – His called-out ones.17 The ekklesia is His, He is building it, and it is made up of those who are believing in Him and living in obedience to His commands. In Jesus’ words quoted above, the ekklesia is singular – there is one ekklesia, even as Jesus said that He would Shepherd only one flock (John 10:16; KJV mistranslated poimne [flock] as fold),18 and it is this that is His Body (Ephesians 1:22-23). However, when Jesus commissioned John to write His message and send it to the seven assemblies in Asia, the word (ekklesia) is used in a plural form (Revelation 1:11) so that we understand that each assembly, although obviously not the whole Body of Christ, did include those who had been called out of the world into Him. Therefore, we understand that Jesus is building one ekklesia, but that an assembly of His faithful ones can also bear the same name – context will determine how we are to interpret its use.
This ekklesia that Jesus is building, is represented by many metaphors. We have already noted flock and His Body, and another is household. The word that appears in our verse is the Greek oikos, or house (singular), but when used in a figurative sense (as here) it refers to a household.19 When Paul clarified for the Ephesians that they were no longer Gentiles who were excluded from Christ’s works, he wrote: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household [oikeioi] of God” (Ephesians 2:19). Household, as it appears here, is in its plural form; rather than referring to many households of God, it speaks to the many members of God’s one household, and stands in contrast to strangers (paroikoi).20 Jesus has only one Flock, one Body, one Household: each of these is used to refer to the many redeemed saints who are in Christ – different metaphors used to identify those who are Christ’s.
The writer goes on to declare that if we meet a specified condition, then we are members of His Household. The condition is that we must keep a hold on the confidence and glorying of the sure hope until the end. Let’s look at this very carefully, lest we fail to understand the full measure of what is being presented.
The focus of this is the certain, or dependable, hope – how are we to understand this? The Psalmist revealed the foundation for his hope: “For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth” (Psalm 71:5); “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope” (Psalm 130:5). In this latter text, wait (qavah) and hope (yachal), although different words in Hebrew, both include the concept of expectation;21 hoping for and waiting for are very closely connected. Jehovah and His Word were the sources of hope for the Psalmist (really, for all of the OT saints, as well as for us today), “for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption” (Psalm 130:7). As Paul began his first letter to Timothy, he noted the Lord Jesus as our hope (1 Timothy 1:1). For the OT saints, Jehovah was their Hope for mercy and redemption through faith in His promise: they waited for the Fulfillment of His promise – their hope was in Him. Jesus came and fulfilled the promise made, paid the price for sin, and is now our Sure Hope!
Jesus made a statement that fits well with our text: “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). Endure, from the Greek hupomeno, means to remain unchanged despite opposing circumstances (affliction, persecution, etc.),22 and follows Jesus’ warning against being led astray by many who will come in His name (Matthew 24:4-5). Therefore, to endure means to remain faithful to the Lord regardless of what comes our way; Jesus says that if this enduring continues unto the end, then that is the one (outos, a Greek demonstrative pronoun) who will be saved (yes, it is future tense).23 Our text says something that is very similar: if we retain a firm hold on (the confidence and glorying of ) the Hope (Christ) until the end, then we are members of His household. Both include the need, on our part, to be immovable: endure and keep a firm hold on; what’s more, in both cases it must be maintained unto the end. The end (Greek telos) speaks of the termination, or cessation, of something;24 therefore, if we are to hold steady until the end, then that can only mean that we must do so until we die or the Lord returns – that is the only end to which we can hold.
Having established a timeline for our perseverance, let’s look at the confidence and glorying, to see how they relate to our Sure Hope, Who is Christ. Confidence is from the Greek parrhesia, which, bringing together all and speech, means a freedom to speak,25 and is frequently accompanied by the thought of the joyousness that comes with such liberty.26 “And this is the confidence [parrhesia] that we have in him [Christ], that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14). It is often translated as boldness, which suggests an element of brashness that cannot have any part in our relationship with the Lord; we come to Him with confidence that He hears and cares.
Rejoicing (glorying), is from kauchema and points to the basis, or reason, for glorying; in this case, the reason for glorying is the sure hope that we have in Christ. Our confidence and our glorying both find their basis in our Sure Hope, Christ, Who is over the family into which we are born from above.
Now, let’s bring together all that we’ve considered so that we can clearly see the condition that the writer has outlined. If we hold fast to our Sure Hope unto the end, then we are members of Christ’s household. Jesus said, If anyone does not remain in Me, he is cast outside as a branch and becomes withered, and these are being gathered and are being thrown into the fire, and it is being burned (John 15:6, literal).27 Jesus presented exactly the same scenario: if we do not remain in Him, then we will be cast forth and are destined to burn; if we remain in Him, then we will be fruitful for Him (John 15:4). What this presents is this: it is very possible to not end well even if we have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus, become members of His household, and are abiding in Him. This runs contrary to much teaching within Evangelicalism, but our loyalty and commitment must be to the Lord and His Word. Theology is only as good as it adheres to the Scriptures; unfortunately, most theologies depart from what the Lord has given to us in His Word – some more than others. However, we are personally responsible to understand God’s Word correctly; a strong commitment to a theology will not open the doors of heaven. Jesus is the only Way to the Father (John 14:6), and He made it clear that we must love Him and obey His commands: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
7. Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8. Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9. When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
Wherefore, or for this reason; the writer is about to embark on further teaching based upon what has just been taught, but interrupts himself with an extensive quotation from Psalm 95. This wherefore will find its continuance after the quote.
Before he launches into the quote, he includes this significant preface: just as the Holy Spirit is saying (literal).28 This tells us that the writer: 1) views the OT Scriptures as the Word (and words) of God, and 2) the OT Scriptures are living and can be used of God to speak to NT saints. This is important in a day when there is a great neglect of the OT Scriptures, with some ignoring them altogether in favor of the NT. True, we must read and apply it carefully while paying particular attention to the OT context, but it provides us with the foundation for what takes place in the NT. Therefore, let’s go through this quote carefully to be sure that we are understanding what the Spirit of God intends.
Today if His voice ye will hear; this is the word order in the Hebrew and Greek texts.29 Also in both, hear (shama‘ [Hebrew], and akouo [Greek]) includes not only the audio perception but also obedience to what is heard. When we read God’s Word (His voice to us today), we must be prepared to live by what we read, which enhances the importance of understanding His Word correctly. This is not the day for complacency!
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness. Harden not is an imperative, or command, and is a charge to not become stubborn, obstinate or self-willed.30 Provocation is from the Greek parapikrasmo, which primarily means embitterment against God, and so rebellion; temptation (peirasmou) means to test or try.31 In the Hebrew, provocation (mᵉriybah) means quarrel, or strife, and temptation (maccah) speaks of trying or proving.32 This harkens back to the children of Israel speaking against Moses because, when they camped at Rephidim, they had no water: “And he [Moses] called the name of the place Massah [maccah], and Meribah [mᵉriybah], because of the chiding [contention or strife with Moses] of the children of Israel, and because they tempted [tested] the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?” (Exodus 17:7).33 The children of Israel had just experienced the marvelous works of the Lord in bringing them out of Egypt: the plundering of the Egyptians, opening a way through the Red Sea, and drowning the armies that came after them, yet now they turned on Moses (the Lord’s messenger to them) and the Lord! The warning issued is not to follow this example of allowing self-preservation to fill our minds, leading to a stubborn heart that is focused on self, and finally to rebellion against the Lord.
Israel tested (tempted) and proved the Lord, beginning very early in their journey toward the Promised Land (at Rephidim, as just noted), and when it was the Lord’s time for them to enter the Land, they believed the negative report brought by ten of the twelve spies who had been sent to survey the Land. The children of Israel were prepared to appoint a captain to take them back to Egypt (Numbers 14:4); when they heard that the Lord was going kill that generation in the wilderness, they set out for the Land (without Moses), only to be defeated by the first army that came against them (Number 14:40, 45). We would do well to notice that a better-late-than-never attitude does not always work with our obedience to the Lord. Forty years the children of Israel spent in the wilderness – the men of war who had been numbered as such by Moses (Numbers 1:2-3), all died in the wilderness (except Caleb and Joshua). The Lord determined that this would be their reward: “Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears [they had said, “would God we had died in this wilderness!” (Numbers 14:2)], so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you [the men of war, Numbers 1:2-3)], according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me” (Numbers 14:28-29). Of those who were numbered by Moses (603,550 men of war), only Joshua and Caleb entered the Land because they were the only two spies who brought a report on the Land that included what the Lord would do for them (Deuteronomy 2:14).
We are told that the Lord was grieved with that generation (namely, those who died in the wilderness). Grieved is a somewhat mild translation of prosochthisa (Greek) and quwt (Hebrew): the former means that the Lord was angry with them, and the latter, that He loathed them.34 Yes, that generation of Israel caused the Lord pain and sorrow because of their hardened hearts and their refusal to obey, but the Lord’s judgment was based upon a much deeper perception of the hearts of this faithless generation. The experiences of Israel with the Lord are recorded for our admonition – they have been written down for us so that we can learn from them (1 Corinthians 10:11); this part of their history tells us of God’s response to disobedience.
They do alway err in their heart is an interesting phrase, with some differences from the Hebrew that it is based upon. Err is from the Greek planontai, which (in NT applications) means to wander from the truth; this word is in the passive voice, which means that the subject is being led astray.35 This word and its voice is the same that as used in the LXX (the Greek version of the OT that was in common use at this time) for Psalm 95:10. However, the Hebrew ta‘ah means to wander about, or to go astray, but it appears in the text in its active form;36 this means that it is the people who are going astray in their hearts. Within the context, this is definitely more fitting: the children of Israel were not being led astray – they were actively turning away from what the Lord had commanded! Once again, we are reminded that the OT Scriptures that were in common use during the time of Christ, and immediately after, were not in Hebrew, but in Greek; the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew, was the common OT in use, even among the Jews.
One other note on this phrase, the Hebrew does not include anything to support the alway that appears in our text and in the LXX. The phrase translated from Hebrew is: a people who go astray in their hearts, they are.37
The final quote from Psalm 95 is: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. Let’s look at this carefully since this quote will be repeated by the writer of Hebrews later on. In the Hebrew, there is a little word (’im) included that, by itself, means if, but when used within the context of an oath (such as Psalm 95:11), it is a negative.38 Therefore, the KJV translation in Hebrews 3, “So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest,” is correct based upon the Hebrew text of Psalm 95. However, the LXX shows this as “if they will enter into My rest” (using the literal translation of the Hebrew ’im);39 the Greek NT, in turn, brought this forward when quoting from the LXX. Unfortunately, this misses the essence of the Hebrew quote used; in this case, the KJV translators followed the Hebrew meaning.
The writer of Hebrews provided a lengthy quote of the past activities of the children of Israel as a reminder of the need to give particular heed to the words of Jehovah. In our KJV, this is placed within brackets in order to show that it is additional information provided in support of what is being taught, but it is not essential.
12. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Now we must go back to verse seven and set the wherefore into its place here. We had just learned that Christ is our Sure Hope, and that we are a part of this Hope if we remain in Him. Wherefore, it is for this reason, and the writer continues his instruction.
Beware, brethren, that there never be in anyone of you a wicked heart of unbelief, to become apostate from the God Who is living (literal).40 The writer begins with a form of blepo, which literally means to see, or to look at.41 As is so often the case, how the word is used will determine its applied meaning. Here, it is in the imperative mood (it is a command), active voice and second person plural format: ye must be giving this close attention; clearly, this calls us to give, what is about to be presented, very careful consideration so that we understand it correctly.
Brethren, it is important to note, follows what is noted in verse one as being holy brethren. What might seem to be obvious is that these are brethren who are in Christ; those who have been set apart for His service, and who are living in faithful obedience to Him. Even though this might seem to be clearly evident, there are many today who will discount this reality because the teaching that follows does not agree with the theology to which they are committed.
Lest comes from unpote (in Greek), which is a combination of un (not) and pote (at some time): not at any time (time being unspecified).42 What the writer is about to express is never to be something that is the experience of those who are in Christ (brethren), and so we must give this matter close attention (beware) so that we do not fall victim to it.
The situation to which we must give special heed is this: we must guard against a wicked heart of unbelief. Within Scripture, believe (pisteuo) means to be persuaded of the truth of a matter, which, in turn, requires an examination and evaluation in order to become persuaded.43 Therefore, when we see the word unbelief (apistias) used in association with brethren, we recognize that this is a situation where a previous persuasion has been overturned: going from a carefully considered position of belief to something that is of a contrary understanding (no belief ). Such a change can only come by way of an evil, or wicked, heart. Jesus said that it is from the heart that all kinds of evil come (Matthew 15:19), and so for unbelief to be in a brother’s heart, a dramatic change must have taken place. Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth [meno, to continue or remain] in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).44 The fruit that comes from remaining in the Vine is a product of the Spirit of God working in us (Galatians 5:22-23), and will always be in keeping with God’s desire for us. Jesus also said this: if ye are loving Me, then My commandments you must keep (John 14:15, literal).45 A fruitful life must be one of obedience to the commands of the Lord; disobedience means that we do not love Him, and, if we do not love Him, then we certainly cannot be in Him! Do you see how easily an evil heart can enter? A simple matter of disobedience, without repentance, will lead to a place of being outside of the Lord (that evil heart); self-justified disobedience does not change the end.
Just so that there is no ambiguity in this matter, the writer spells out very clearly what an evil heart of unbelief involves: in departing from the living God. Departing is from the Greek word aphistemi, which means to become apostate.46 An apostate, generally speaking, is someone who has abandoned a previous loyalty; within a Christian context, this can only mean to refuse to continue to follow, obey, or recognize Jesus as Lord – to abandon faith in Him.47 The key to understanding apostasy correctly (and most today seem to have great difficulty in doing so) is to retain the thought of abandonment, or not continuing, within its definition. Granted, a proper application of this word does not permit the doctrine of once-saved-always-saved, and that is a problem for many Evangelicals today. Let’s consider what some bastions of the Evangelical faith have said on this matter.
We’re already somewhat familiar with John MacArthur’s view, but here’s another quote from him: “Once you have heard the gospel and understood its claims, and then say no to Jesus Christ [sic], you have fallen away. You have become apostate.”48 He has conveniently redefined apostate so as to make it fit into his theology, even though it is a complete departure from the generally accepted definition; it is deceptive to redefine words without alerting everyone to what you are doing.
Therefore, holy brethren, participants in the heavenly invitation, consider carefully Christ Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession (literal).1
The writer is about to build upon what has just been established (therefore): Jesus Christ not only took on the flesh of humanity, but, more specifically, He was born in fulfillment of the promise, a descendant of Abraham – a Jew! In keeping with God’s eternal plan, He died for sin (as the sinless Sacrifice) and is now our High Priest, having made atonement for our sin, and our Mediator with the Father in heaven for us. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). To this point, the writer has very carefully explained Who Jesus is and what He has done, and, evidently, he has so much more to unveil.
The audience of this letter is now identified: holy brethren. Holy, from the Greek hagios, means to be pure, or, more specifically, consecrated to God, which includes a separation from sin.2 The writer has taken the time to ensure that the reader has a proper understanding of Jesus, and His significance under the spotlight of OT prophecy. To the Philippians, Paul wrote: “To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe” (Philippians 3:1) – in essence, he is saying that he would rather repeat himself in order to ensure their spiritual safety, than to assume that their understanding of the Lord is sound. The writer of Hebrews has followed this tact as well, having taken some time to establish exactly Who Jesus is within Scripture – ensuring a firm foundation of sound teaching upon which he will build further instruction.
The teaching of the book of Hebrews is directed toward those who are holy brethren – those who are set apart for the service of the Lord. These are consecrated to the Lord: truly born again, faithfully living in Christ, and with the Spirit of God abiding within – “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9b). Holy brethren are just that: brethren who have reckoned themselves to be dead to sin, and wholly devoted to living for the Lord (Romans 6:11).
We know that God is holy, for we read in the OT: “For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44a). God is holy; we have defined holy as being pure and consecrated, which is from our perspective; we understand our need to be completely dedicated to the Lord, with an equal hatred for sin. If we move this over to the Lord, we understand that He is completely separate from anything that is not pure and righteous. “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity” (Psalm 5:4-5). The Psalmist recognized that Jehovah is completely separated from anything that bears the taint of sin; although we are made in His image, our inherited sin nature stands as a barrier before God. As the Lord told Moses: “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live” (Exodus 33:20). Sinful man bears with him the sentence of death (Romans 6:23); only God was able to bridge the gap and bring reconciliation: within the OT, it was by faith in His promise to deal eternally with sin; in the NT, it is by faith in the Lord Jesus Who paid the price for our sin (and fulfilled the promise for the OT saints). God is eternally holy, and it is to His holiness that we must come through faith in the Lord and the enabling work of His Spirit within us.
How are we to understand partakers of the heavenly calling, or participants in the heavenly invitation? As we noted in our study of chapter one, the Greek word metochos, which primarily appears in this book, means sharing in, or participating in, something, or, as in Luke 5:7, it also includes business partnerships.3 In this case, the holy brethren are sharing in the divine invitation of God; calling, within this context, does not refer to our vocation, or station, in life, but, rather, to God’s invitation to salvation that is extended to all of humanity through Christ. Therefore, if we are sharing in God’s invitation to salvation, then that can only mean that we are truly saved – born again from on high and part of His ekklesia. To Timothy, Paul identified this as being a holy invitation: holy because it comes from God Who is holy, and because it is a calling to His holiness (2 Timothy 1:9). Again, it is evident that the holy brethren are children of God; a double emphasis is placed on this reality.
To those who are in Christ (sharing in God’s holy invitation of salvation), a command is given to carefully consider Christ with a view to fully understand, or, to clearly perceive Him within His role as Apostle and High Priest. This is used in conjunction with homologeo (confession, or profession), which literally means to speak the same thing;4 here it is our confession that must agree with what God has revealed concerning Christ. The careful consideration that we are to give to Christ is for the purpose of ensuring that our convictions (the basis for our confession) are in complete alignment with God’s Word (they are the same). It is our convictions that must be aligned (and realigned as necessary) to comply with the Scriptures; we must never fall into the trap of seeking to understand Scripture in the light of our preconceived ideas.
Our focus, in this case, is on Christ, and then how we understand His role as our Apostle and High Priest. We must ensure that our convictions concerning Christ as Apostle and High Priest are Biblically accurate so that our confession is true. Apostle (from apostolos) is someone who has been sent on a mission, along with the full authority to accomplish the assigned task.5 We touched on this briefly a bit earlier when we looked at Christ’s divine obligation (as a member of the Godhead) to fulfill God’s eternal plan to reconcile sinners to Himself (2:17). The Word became flesh for the purpose of dying for the sins of humanity; Jesus was born to accomplish that particular mission. As we ponder this carefully, we conclude that man is unable to save himself (Romans 3:10, 23), God did not scramble for a plan when Adam sinned (1 Peter 1:18-21), and Jesus came to fulfill His mission when the time was right (Galatians 4:4).
Christ’s role as High Priest (also to be a part of our confession) is something that the writer of Hebrews will take particular care to explain in much of what follows, so we will leave this for now. We must hold an accurate understanding of Jesus as our High Priest – a very significant teaching that is essential to appreciating our salvation.
2. Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
The writer begins with a consideration of Jesus as the Apostle, and the complexities of this. He is faithful to the One Who made Him, even as Moses in all of His house (literal).6 Regarding Moses’ faithfulness, we read this: “And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth …” (Numbers 12:6-8a). The Lord had just condemned Aaron and Miriam for their criticism of Moses, and now declared to them that Moses is more than a prophet in their midst because He speaks with him directly, and not through visions. It is the faithfulness of Moses as His leader of the children of Israel that brings Jehovah to make this statement. The writer draws a parallel to Jesus using a very prominent character within Judaism, someone with whom all of the Jews were very familiar, and again makes reference to an OT Scripture for support.
Now we must consider the first part of this verse; the full complexity of Jesus’ relationship with God the Father comes to the fore here.
First of all, we can easily see that Jesus is the One Who is described as being faithful. The focal word to which we must give very careful attention is the one that is translated as appointed, and which I show as made. The Greek word is poieo, which basically means to make or do, and its contextual meaning, for the most part, follows some form of these two.7 It is used to describe God as the One Who created (made) all things: “And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made [poieo] heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is” (Acts 4:24; cp. Acts 14:15, 17:24; Revelation 14:7). However, our verse points to what took place between God and the Lord Jesus – a very different matter! Here are two verses that tell us that God made Jesus: “For he [God] hath made [poieo] him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21); “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made [poieo] that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).8 God made Jesus to be sin for us, and He made Him Lord and Christ (the Anointed One, or the Messiah).9 Consider Daniel’s prophecy: “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah [mashiyach, anointed ] be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (Daniel 9:26).10 Daniel wrote of the time coming when the Jewish Messiah would die, but not for anything that He had done: Jesus, being sinless, died for the sins of humanity – He was cut off, but not for Himself. In this single prophecy of Daniel, we see the foretelling of Jesus as the One Who died for sins (He died for others) and His role as the Messiah. What this demonstrates is that there was a divine plan in place by which God made Jesus to be sin and made Him the Christ (Messiah).
We have noted earlier that Jesus came to earth as it was foreordained before the foundation of the world – He came in accordance with the eternal plan of God (1 Peter 1:20). John tells us: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7); “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us …” (John 1:14a). Jesus is the Word, the Creator of all things (John 1:3), Who, through the work of the Holy Spirit, received a body that was made in His own image (Luke 1:35). The Creator became the Created in order to make a full atonement for sin, which was the eternal plan of God (of which He had had a part in devising). Therefore, Jesus, Who is fully God (John 10:30), was made, and He remained completely faithful to the eternal plan that He, as the Word, was not only active in developing but also central in bringing to fruition.
The writer likens Jesus’ faithfulness to His mission (as Apostle) to Moses’ faithfulness to the Lord. Within Jewish history, Moses was unique in his relationship with the Lord, and of great prominence in having received the Laws from God that governed the lives of the children of Israel. However, as we consider what has been presented to this point, we understand that Jesus is God, and the last One through Whom humanity would receive new spiritual revelation (Hebrews 1:2); it is to this Jesus that we are charged to give our careful attention (Hebrews 3:1). Jesus, fully God, and yet, mysteriously, made by God for His earthly mission – eternal God made in His own image!
3. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
For this One has been considered to be worthy of more glory than Moses, as the one who did build the house has much more value than it [the house] (literal).
The writer draws a very interesting illustration of how much greater Jesus is than Moses: the builder of a house is of greater worth than the house that he has built – Jesus is the Builder, and Moses is a part of the house that Jesus is building. Paul explained the building that Jesus is doing this way: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22). As Paul clarifies that the Gentiles who are in Christ are part of the same construction project as the OT saints (fellowcitizens with the saints), Jesus, being that principal Corner, is the Stone Who is the reference for all of the subsequent stones that will be used in construction. The OT saints and the New Covenant saints are added to the structure that is founded upon the Apostles (NT) and Prophets (OT) who together form a foundation in keeping with the Chief Corner, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are told that Abraham, who lived in tents as he followed the Lord, anticipated a city whose designer and builder was God (Hebrews 11:10); we just looked at this, as Paul explained it to the Ephesians. The Psalmist hinted at the very same thing: those who are transplanted into the house of Jehovah, into the courts of our Elohim, will flourish (Psalm 92:13, literal).11 Transplanted is passive in the Hebrew, meaning that this is not something that we can do, but rather something that is done for us – in this case, it can only be by God. With the Chief Corner as the Reference, we (OT and NT saints alike) can be transplanted from death into life, from a habitation of darkness into the eternal light of the Lord!
Moses, who enjoyed a very unique and close relationship with Jehovah, is a part of the house that the Lord Jesus is building. God is always greater than those who have been made in His image; the Lord Jesus Christ (God) is worthy of more glory than Moses. Without the work of the Lord in making full atonement for sin available for all people, Moses, along with all of the other OT saints (and the NT saints), would be nothing.
4. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
For every house is built by someone, but He, God, did build all things (literal).12
In the same way that every house is made by someone, so God has made everything. Within the context: every builder is of more worth than his project; Jesus (as God and the Creator of all things) is of infinitely greater worth than even those who are created in His image.
As John witnessed the search of heaven and earth for someone who would be worthy to open the book that was sealed with seven seals, no one was found except the Lamb of God (Revelation 5:2-5). Why was Jesus found to be worthy to open this book? The four living creatures and the 24 elders explain: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9). Jesus, worthy above all!
5. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
And Moses [was] faithful in all to His household as an attendant, for a testimony of that which would be spoken (literal).13 The word servant does not come from the Greek doulos, as we might think; it is therapon, which can be understood as a servant, but it speaks of free service, rather than service as a slave.14 With regard to Moses, who is called the servant of the Lord (Numbers 12:7; Deuteronomy 34:5), servant, from the Hebrew ebed, leans more toward being a minister or ambassador – someone with whom there is a closer relationship and who has been commissioned for a specific service.15 As the Lord met Moses at the burning bush, He said to him: “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10): Moses’ call from God and his assignment are very clear. With great reluctance, Moses accepted the Lord’s commission; although he leaned heavily upon Aaron initially, it was not long before he was no longer dependent upon Aaron – he grew into what the Lord desired him to be for Israel (Exodus 8:16, 10:13, 14:13).
It was through Moses that the Lord brought His Ten Commandments to mankind, as well as the numerous laws and regulations that He provided to govern the daily lives of the children of Israel. For Israel, Moses became a testimony to God’s Law and His guidance for Israel: Jehovah provided Moses with the two tables of stone upon which He had written His Ten Commands, and, through the medium of angels, he also received the laws that governed Israel’s daily living (Galatians 3:19). As the Lord’s voice was heard by all of Israel at Mt. Sinai, they were filled with fear and asked Moses to speak to them on behalf of the Lord, for they did not want to have God speak directly to them again (Exodus 20:19). Therefore, Moses testified, or proclaimed, to Israel all that the Lord wanted them to know; “And he [Moses] took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:7). Indeed, Moses was faithful to Israel, and he became the voice of Jehovah to them; he spoke to them of things to come: 1) the blessings of obedience to the Lord (Deuteronomy 28:1-14), 2) the curses of disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15-68), and 3) of a coming Prophet Who would speak the truth of the Lord to them: “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him” (Deuteronomy 18:18). Through Moses, who had a very unique relationship with Jehovah, the Lord spoke of the Messiah to come – that Promised One Who would proclaim to them God’s truth. Jesus testified: “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak” (John 12:49-50). Moses prophesied of the coming Messiah (Prophet), and Jesus was the fulfillment!
6. But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
But Christ, as a Son over His household; of Whose family we are, on the condition that we keep a hold on the confidence and glorying of the sure hope until the end (literal).16
The contrast to Moses continues: Moses was faithful as a member of the household of God; Jesus, the Son of God, is over His own household that is comprised of those who have placed their faith in Him. We just learned that the one who builds the house is of greater value than the house (verse three); Jesus declared: “… upon this rock I will build my church …” (Matthew 16:18a): the rock is the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and it is upon this immovable truth that He will build His ekklesia – His called-out ones.17 The ekklesia is His, He is building it, and it is made up of those who are believing in Him and living in obedience to His commands. In Jesus’ words quoted above, the ekklesia is singular – there is one ekklesia, even as Jesus said that He would Shepherd only one flock (John 10:16; KJV mistranslated poimne [flock] as fold),18 and it is this that is His Body (Ephesians 1:22-23). However, when Jesus commissioned John to write His message and send it to the seven assemblies in Asia, the word (ekklesia) is used in a plural form (Revelation 1:11) so that we understand that each assembly, although obviously not the whole Body of Christ, did include those who had been called out of the world into Him. Therefore, we understand that Jesus is building one ekklesia, but that an assembly of His faithful ones can also bear the same name – context will determine how we are to interpret its use.
This ekklesia that Jesus is building, is represented by many metaphors. We have already noted flock and His Body, and another is household. The word that appears in our verse is the Greek oikos, or house (singular), but when used in a figurative sense (as here) it refers to a household.19 When Paul clarified for the Ephesians that they were no longer Gentiles who were excluded from Christ’s works, he wrote: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household [oikeioi] of God” (Ephesians 2:19). Household, as it appears here, is in its plural form; rather than referring to many households of God, it speaks to the many members of God’s one household, and stands in contrast to strangers (paroikoi).20 Jesus has only one Flock, one Body, one Household: each of these is used to refer to the many redeemed saints who are in Christ – different metaphors used to identify those who are Christ’s.
The writer goes on to declare that if we meet a specified condition, then we are members of His Household. The condition is that we must keep a hold on the confidence and glorying of the sure hope until the end. Let’s look at this very carefully, lest we fail to understand the full measure of what is being presented.
The focus of this is the certain, or dependable, hope – how are we to understand this? The Psalmist revealed the foundation for his hope: “For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth” (Psalm 71:5); “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope” (Psalm 130:5). In this latter text, wait (qavah) and hope (yachal), although different words in Hebrew, both include the concept of expectation;21 hoping for and waiting for are very closely connected. Jehovah and His Word were the sources of hope for the Psalmist (really, for all of the OT saints, as well as for us today), “for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption” (Psalm 130:7). As Paul began his first letter to Timothy, he noted the Lord Jesus as our hope (1 Timothy 1:1). For the OT saints, Jehovah was their Hope for mercy and redemption through faith in His promise: they waited for the Fulfillment of His promise – their hope was in Him. Jesus came and fulfilled the promise made, paid the price for sin, and is now our Sure Hope!
Jesus made a statement that fits well with our text: “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). Endure, from the Greek hupomeno, means to remain unchanged despite opposing circumstances (affliction, persecution, etc.),22 and follows Jesus’ warning against being led astray by many who will come in His name (Matthew 24:4-5). Therefore, to endure means to remain faithful to the Lord regardless of what comes our way; Jesus says that if this enduring continues unto the end, then that is the one (outos, a Greek demonstrative pronoun) who will be saved (yes, it is future tense).23 Our text says something that is very similar: if we retain a firm hold on (the confidence and glorying of ) the Hope (Christ) until the end, then we are members of His household. Both include the need, on our part, to be immovable: endure and keep a firm hold on; what’s more, in both cases it must be maintained unto the end. The end (Greek telos) speaks of the termination, or cessation, of something;24 therefore, if we are to hold steady until the end, then that can only mean that we must do so until we die or the Lord returns – that is the only end to which we can hold.
Having established a timeline for our perseverance, let’s look at the confidence and glorying, to see how they relate to our Sure Hope, Who is Christ. Confidence is from the Greek parrhesia, which, bringing together all and speech, means a freedom to speak,25 and is frequently accompanied by the thought of the joyousness that comes with such liberty.26 “And this is the confidence [parrhesia] that we have in him [Christ], that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14). It is often translated as boldness, which suggests an element of brashness that cannot have any part in our relationship with the Lord; we come to Him with confidence that He hears and cares.
Rejoicing (glorying), is from kauchema and points to the basis, or reason, for glorying; in this case, the reason for glorying is the sure hope that we have in Christ. Our confidence and our glorying both find their basis in our Sure Hope, Christ, Who is over the family into which we are born from above.
Now, let’s bring together all that we’ve considered so that we can clearly see the condition that the writer has outlined. If we hold fast to our Sure Hope unto the end, then we are members of Christ’s household. Jesus said, If anyone does not remain in Me, he is cast outside as a branch and becomes withered, and these are being gathered and are being thrown into the fire, and it is being burned (John 15:6, literal).27 Jesus presented exactly the same scenario: if we do not remain in Him, then we will be cast forth and are destined to burn; if we remain in Him, then we will be fruitful for Him (John 15:4). What this presents is this: it is very possible to not end well even if we have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus, become members of His household, and are abiding in Him. This runs contrary to much teaching within Evangelicalism, but our loyalty and commitment must be to the Lord and His Word. Theology is only as good as it adheres to the Scriptures; unfortunately, most theologies depart from what the Lord has given to us in His Word – some more than others. However, we are personally responsible to understand God’s Word correctly; a strong commitment to a theology will not open the doors of heaven. Jesus is the only Way to the Father (John 14:6), and He made it clear that we must love Him and obey His commands: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
7. Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8. Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9. When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
Wherefore, or for this reason; the writer is about to embark on further teaching based upon what has just been taught, but interrupts himself with an extensive quotation from Psalm 95. This wherefore will find its continuance after the quote.
Before he launches into the quote, he includes this significant preface: just as the Holy Spirit is saying (literal).28 This tells us that the writer: 1) views the OT Scriptures as the Word (and words) of God, and 2) the OT Scriptures are living and can be used of God to speak to NT saints. This is important in a day when there is a great neglect of the OT Scriptures, with some ignoring them altogether in favor of the NT. True, we must read and apply it carefully while paying particular attention to the OT context, but it provides us with the foundation for what takes place in the NT. Therefore, let’s go through this quote carefully to be sure that we are understanding what the Spirit of God intends.
Today if His voice ye will hear; this is the word order in the Hebrew and Greek texts.29 Also in both, hear (shama‘ [Hebrew], and akouo [Greek]) includes not only the audio perception but also obedience to what is heard. When we read God’s Word (His voice to us today), we must be prepared to live by what we read, which enhances the importance of understanding His Word correctly. This is not the day for complacency!
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness. Harden not is an imperative, or command, and is a charge to not become stubborn, obstinate or self-willed.30 Provocation is from the Greek parapikrasmo, which primarily means embitterment against God, and so rebellion; temptation (peirasmou) means to test or try.31 In the Hebrew, provocation (mᵉriybah) means quarrel, or strife, and temptation (maccah) speaks of trying or proving.32 This harkens back to the children of Israel speaking against Moses because, when they camped at Rephidim, they had no water: “And he [Moses] called the name of the place Massah [maccah], and Meribah [mᵉriybah], because of the chiding [contention or strife with Moses] of the children of Israel, and because they tempted [tested] the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?” (Exodus 17:7).33 The children of Israel had just experienced the marvelous works of the Lord in bringing them out of Egypt: the plundering of the Egyptians, opening a way through the Red Sea, and drowning the armies that came after them, yet now they turned on Moses (the Lord’s messenger to them) and the Lord! The warning issued is not to follow this example of allowing self-preservation to fill our minds, leading to a stubborn heart that is focused on self, and finally to rebellion against the Lord.
Israel tested (tempted) and proved the Lord, beginning very early in their journey toward the Promised Land (at Rephidim, as just noted), and when it was the Lord’s time for them to enter the Land, they believed the negative report brought by ten of the twelve spies who had been sent to survey the Land. The children of Israel were prepared to appoint a captain to take them back to Egypt (Numbers 14:4); when they heard that the Lord was going kill that generation in the wilderness, they set out for the Land (without Moses), only to be defeated by the first army that came against them (Number 14:40, 45). We would do well to notice that a better-late-than-never attitude does not always work with our obedience to the Lord. Forty years the children of Israel spent in the wilderness – the men of war who had been numbered as such by Moses (Numbers 1:2-3), all died in the wilderness (except Caleb and Joshua). The Lord determined that this would be their reward: “Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears [they had said, “would God we had died in this wilderness!” (Numbers 14:2)], so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you [the men of war, Numbers 1:2-3)], according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me” (Numbers 14:28-29). Of those who were numbered by Moses (603,550 men of war), only Joshua and Caleb entered the Land because they were the only two spies who brought a report on the Land that included what the Lord would do for them (Deuteronomy 2:14).
We are told that the Lord was grieved with that generation (namely, those who died in the wilderness). Grieved is a somewhat mild translation of prosochthisa (Greek) and quwt (Hebrew): the former means that the Lord was angry with them, and the latter, that He loathed them.34 Yes, that generation of Israel caused the Lord pain and sorrow because of their hardened hearts and their refusal to obey, but the Lord’s judgment was based upon a much deeper perception of the hearts of this faithless generation. The experiences of Israel with the Lord are recorded for our admonition – they have been written down for us so that we can learn from them (1 Corinthians 10:11); this part of their history tells us of God’s response to disobedience.
They do alway err in their heart is an interesting phrase, with some differences from the Hebrew that it is based upon. Err is from the Greek planontai, which (in NT applications) means to wander from the truth; this word is in the passive voice, which means that the subject is being led astray.35 This word and its voice is the same that as used in the LXX (the Greek version of the OT that was in common use at this time) for Psalm 95:10. However, the Hebrew ta‘ah means to wander about, or to go astray, but it appears in the text in its active form;36 this means that it is the people who are going astray in their hearts. Within the context, this is definitely more fitting: the children of Israel were not being led astray – they were actively turning away from what the Lord had commanded! Once again, we are reminded that the OT Scriptures that were in common use during the time of Christ, and immediately after, were not in Hebrew, but in Greek; the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew, was the common OT in use, even among the Jews.
One other note on this phrase, the Hebrew does not include anything to support the alway that appears in our text and in the LXX. The phrase translated from Hebrew is: a people who go astray in their hearts, they are.37
The final quote from Psalm 95 is: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. Let’s look at this carefully since this quote will be repeated by the writer of Hebrews later on. In the Hebrew, there is a little word (’im) included that, by itself, means if, but when used within the context of an oath (such as Psalm 95:11), it is a negative.38 Therefore, the KJV translation in Hebrews 3, “So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest,” is correct based upon the Hebrew text of Psalm 95. However, the LXX shows this as “if they will enter into My rest” (using the literal translation of the Hebrew ’im);39 the Greek NT, in turn, brought this forward when quoting from the LXX. Unfortunately, this misses the essence of the Hebrew quote used; in this case, the KJV translators followed the Hebrew meaning.
The writer of Hebrews provided a lengthy quote of the past activities of the children of Israel as a reminder of the need to give particular heed to the words of Jehovah. In our KJV, this is placed within brackets in order to show that it is additional information provided in support of what is being taught, but it is not essential.
12. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Now we must go back to verse seven and set the wherefore into its place here. We had just learned that Christ is our Sure Hope, and that we are a part of this Hope if we remain in Him. Wherefore, it is for this reason, and the writer continues his instruction.
Beware, brethren, that there never be in anyone of you a wicked heart of unbelief, to become apostate from the God Who is living (literal).40 The writer begins with a form of blepo, which literally means to see, or to look at.41 As is so often the case, how the word is used will determine its applied meaning. Here, it is in the imperative mood (it is a command), active voice and second person plural format: ye must be giving this close attention; clearly, this calls us to give, what is about to be presented, very careful consideration so that we understand it correctly.
Brethren, it is important to note, follows what is noted in verse one as being holy brethren. What might seem to be obvious is that these are brethren who are in Christ; those who have been set apart for His service, and who are living in faithful obedience to Him. Even though this might seem to be clearly evident, there are many today who will discount this reality because the teaching that follows does not agree with the theology to which they are committed.
Lest comes from unpote (in Greek), which is a combination of un (not) and pote (at some time): not at any time (time being unspecified).42 What the writer is about to express is never to be something that is the experience of those who are in Christ (brethren), and so we must give this matter close attention (beware) so that we do not fall victim to it.
The situation to which we must give special heed is this: we must guard against a wicked heart of unbelief. Within Scripture, believe (pisteuo) means to be persuaded of the truth of a matter, which, in turn, requires an examination and evaluation in order to become persuaded.43 Therefore, when we see the word unbelief (apistias) used in association with brethren, we recognize that this is a situation where a previous persuasion has been overturned: going from a carefully considered position of belief to something that is of a contrary understanding (no belief ). Such a change can only come by way of an evil, or wicked, heart. Jesus said that it is from the heart that all kinds of evil come (Matthew 15:19), and so for unbelief to be in a brother’s heart, a dramatic change must have taken place. Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth [meno, to continue or remain] in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).44 The fruit that comes from remaining in the Vine is a product of the Spirit of God working in us (Galatians 5:22-23), and will always be in keeping with God’s desire for us. Jesus also said this: if ye are loving Me, then My commandments you must keep (John 14:15, literal).45 A fruitful life must be one of obedience to the commands of the Lord; disobedience means that we do not love Him, and, if we do not love Him, then we certainly cannot be in Him! Do you see how easily an evil heart can enter? A simple matter of disobedience, without repentance, will lead to a place of being outside of the Lord (that evil heart); self-justified disobedience does not change the end.
Just so that there is no ambiguity in this matter, the writer spells out very clearly what an evil heart of unbelief involves: in departing from the living God. Departing is from the Greek word aphistemi, which means to become apostate.46 An apostate, generally speaking, is someone who has abandoned a previous loyalty; within a Christian context, this can only mean to refuse to continue to follow, obey, or recognize Jesus as Lord – to abandon faith in Him.47 The key to understanding apostasy correctly (and most today seem to have great difficulty in doing so) is to retain the thought of abandonment, or not continuing, within its definition. Granted, a proper application of this word does not permit the doctrine of once-saved-always-saved, and that is a problem for many Evangelicals today. Let’s consider what some bastions of the Evangelical faith have said on this matter.
We’re already somewhat familiar with John MacArthur’s view, but here’s another quote from him: “Once you have heard the gospel and understood its claims, and then say no to Jesus Christ [sic], you have fallen away. You have become apostate.”48 He has conveniently redefined apostate so as to make it fit into his theology, even though it is a complete departure from the generally accepted definition; it is deceptive to redefine words without alerting everyone to what you are doing.
David Jeremiah
David Jeremiah, senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church, said in an interview with The Christian Post that, as Biblical prophecy unfolds “there will be a time when people who once embraced the truth will fall away from the truth.”49 He explains his position more fully: apostasy “applies to apparent Christians, to those who claim to follow Jesus, but then turn their backs on Him …. He knows more than enough [of the Gospel] to be saved, but he walks away from it anyway.”50 Notice that he speaks of apparent Christians, and those who claim to follow Jesus, neither of which makes the individual involved a born-again believer and follower of Christ! However, the doctrinal statement of his church clarifies what he is trying to explain: the “one who receives Christ’s salvation is eternally secure.”51 He, too, must quietly modify the definition of apostate in order to attempt to retain his theological integrity, even as he contradicts God’s Word.
Chuck Swindoll
It appears that Chuck Swindoll does not deal much with this subject; a search of his Insight for Living website brought up only four times that the word apostasy is used: three of those applied to ancient Israel, and one referred to the early Christians appearing to the Jews to have “forsaken the law of Moses – apostasy.”52 Within his doctrinal statement, he declares that those who place their faith in Christ, are “guaranteed eternal life with God.”53 However, after some careful navigating, I did find a message where he dealt with our text. He initially acknowledges that brethren speaks of Christians; however, he then goes on to subtly ignore that, and then completes his thought by applying the text to those who hear the truth, but never mix it with faith – in other words, they are not Christians.54 His explanation of this text bows to his doctrine of eternal security, even though he has quietly contradicted himself.
The reality of our text is that we must be alert (take heed) lest we should turn away from God’s Truth and lose our place in Christ. Jesus said, Ye will be hated by everyone because of My name; but the one to endure unto the end, this is the one who will be saved (Matthew 10:22, literal).55 Endure comes from the Greek hupomeno, which means to stand one’s ground, or to bear up courageously under suffering.56 This can only mean to live faithfully for the Lord regardless of circumstances; faithfulness includes obedience (John 14:15): if we are not living in obedience to Him, then we have abandoned the faith that we might still profess – we have become apostate! Notice, too, that Jesus specifies that it is the one to endure who will be saved; salvation is placed into the future (not the past), and it is contingent upon faithful obedience (to endure) unto the end – our death or the Lord’s return. Placing one’s faith in Christ is not the end – salvation has not been secured regardless of how we live; rather, such faith is the beginning of a life of obedience to the commands of the Lord. It is popular among Evangelicals to consider Jesus as their Savior, Intercessor, and Friend; however, what is less popular but critically important, is to know that He is our Lord and Master! “For ye are bought with a price [the shed blood of Jesus]: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20). We have been purchased out of sin by the Lord Jesus – He bought us and so we are His! Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14); unless we live in obedience to the Lord, we are not His friends. It may be that if we are His friends, then He is our Friend as well, but that can only come through obedience to His commands – unless He is our Master first (and we His obedient slaves), we cannot be His friends. How contrary to modern thinking.
This text follows the cited example of Israel who hardened their hearts against the Lord, did not obey His command to enter the Land, and perished in the wilderness. As we have examined God’s Word, we have seen the necessity of our obedience to the Lord – it is central to remaining in Him. Jesus’ words leave no doubt: if My commandments ye obey, [then] ye will remain in My love … (John 15:10a, literal).57 We are called to be alert lest our disobedience lead to a heart of wickedness and apostasy.
13. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
But be exhorting yourselves throughout every day, while it is being called today, in order that the deceitfulness of sin will not harden anyone of you (literal).58
The writer now provides a contrast to having an evil heart and becoming apostate from God: continually exhorting and being exhorted. Parakaleo (exhort) brings together two Greek words: para, meaning alongside of, and kaleo, to call;59 the antidote involves routinely summoning others who are in the faith so as to provide mutual encouragement and challenge. The protection against disobedience (the first step toward apostasy) is to have our minds continually brought back to the teachings and commands of the Lord. Obviously, mutual edification in error is not what the writer has in mind; “And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matthew 15:14b). What is missing from modern Christianity (broadly speaking) is Biblical exhortation that would serve to both affirm and challenge; between individuals it is rare, from pulpits it is even more rare.
The writer then includes a phrase that draws on his earlier quotation from the Psalms: while it is called To day. Psalm 95:7 – “To day if ye will hear his voice …”; to day refers to the present time: today if you will obey His voice … (literal).60 We do not have the luxury of being assured of tomorrow; we are finite creatures who are limited to an ever-unfolding now – we must not put off hearkening to the Lord because we are not assured of anything beyond the present moment. Therefore, our exhortation and/or encouragement of others (and ourselves) must be continually taking place, and our obedience to the Lord must never be delayed. We have just visited the example from Israel’s history that so aptly illustrates this truth.
There is a specific purpose for this continual exhortation: it is to prevent the deceitful nature of sin from causing us to become hardened against the Lord. Consider Jesus’ words concerning the Seed that fell among the thorns: And that sown among the thorns: this is the one who is understanding the Word, and the distraction of this present time and the deception of prosperity is choking the Word, and it becomes unfruitful (Matthew 13:22, literal).61 It is important to understand the word choking: the Greek sumpnigei literally means to cause to die – the weeds (in this case, the distraction of this present time and the deception of prosperity) are strangling the Word until it is without life within the heart of this person.62 Biblical exhortation will help us to keep our focus on the Lord Jesus, because you may be sure that Satan will use every means possible to draw us away from the Lord. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Devour is from the Greek katapin, meaning to overpower, or to bring under control;63Satan is not roaming the world looking for those who are already his – no! He is searching for the child of God who is not alert and can be deceived! Furthermore, Satan will not come expressing his dark personality; rather, he will come as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) – this is why we must be constantly watchful, lest he deceive us with his feigned righteousness. There are many times when he will come to us in the guise of a well-respected preacher who does not accurately teach the truth of God’s Word, but has a theology that bears the approval of the adversary! That is how vigilant we must be; everything must be tested by God’s Word: put all things to the test; hold fast to what passes the test (1 Thessalonians 5:21, literal).64 Theologies must be examined particularly carefully; frequently, “supporting” Scriptures are selected so as to appear to be favorable to a certain doctrine; our testing must go beyond what is provided and include the whole of Scripture. Then, if it passes the test, it may be accepted as being Biblical; if it fails, then we must reject both it and its messenger.
14. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
For we have become companions of Christ on the condition that we hold fast the original, firm conviction until the end (literal).65
There are several things of particular interest in this verse. The Greek word metochoi (partakers or companions) often means to share in or to participate with;66 its use in verse one, we showed as participants. However, we have noticed the use of brethren twice in this chapter, which followed Christ being made like unto His brethren (Hebrews 2:17), therefore, it seems very appropriate to show this as companions, His brethren.67 Have become is the verb in the first phrase, and it is in the active voice, perfect tense and indicative mood: this is an action that we take, it is a single, past action with ongoing results, and it is a statement of fact! We place our faith in the Lord Jesus – the required action that sees us brought into Christ; this is the action that establishes our relationship with the Savior. We do it once, and thereafter unfolds a life of obedience to the Lord – a past action with continuing results. Through this action, we have become companions of Christ – no question, it is a statement of fact.
However, that is not the end because the writer immediately applies a condition to this amazing relationship with the Savior (on the condition that, or if ). It is not a question as to whether we are companions of Christ (the indicative mood identifies this as a reality), but, as we reflect on the warning issued two verses earlier, the fact that a condition is introduced makes it clear that it is very possible to lose this favorable standing with the Lord.
The condition is this: we must retain the original, firm conviction that we have of the Lord and what He has done, and that conviction must be held until the end. Conviction (confidence) is from the Greek hupostasis, bringing together hupo (under) and histemi (to place or set) to present the idea of a foundation – an objective reality that provides a strong basis for conviction of faith and confidence of action.68 Our conviction comes through our evaluation of the Gospel and our conclusion that it is the Truth; it is our conviction that leads us to action. Two words are used to refine the conviction: original and firm. Original is from the Greek arche, most frequently translated as beginning, which is quite vague; even when this was written, there were differing convictions held by many people regarding the Gospel, but original points back to the Gospel as it was first unveiled. That first conviction that brought faith in Christ according to the true Gospel, was firmly held – it was a firm conviction based upon a thorough evaluation of the Gospel.
Therefore, we must have a strong conviction of the true Gospel message, and we must retain that conviction until the end – our death or the Lord’s return. Notice, this is a conviction, not an opinion or philosophy; as such, it must be the basis for how we live. As it is our foundation for living, so we are the companions of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, if we do not hold fast to this original, firm conviction, then we are no longer the companions of the Lord.
15. While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 16. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. 17. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18. And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
The writer returns to Psalm 95:7b-8a as a reminder from Israel’s history: if you will hearken to His voice, then do not stiffen your hearts in rebellion, like Israel did at Meribah (Exodus 17:7). Right after declaring that we are companions with Christ if we retain a firm hold on the true Gospel, a warning from Israel’s past is issued again. We must remain alert lest we permit a rebellious heart to destroy our relationship with the Lord; rebellion begins with something as apparently innocent as an easily justifiable case of disobedience. Obedience and disobedience still stand in opposition to one another; we cannot claim to heed the voice of God while living in disobedience to Him.
The writer now elaborates on this repeated illustration in order to strengthen his case for careful living. For, having obeyed, who did rebel? yet not all who came out of Egypt by Moses. Now with whom was He angry [for] forty years? Was it not with those who did sin, whose dead bodies did fall in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear [that] they will not enter into His rest, if not to those who disobeyed? (literal).69
The children of Israel who came out of Egypt, did so in obedience to the leading of the Lord through Moses; they had participated in that first Passover and experienced the Lord’s protection of their firstborn, they had walked through the Red Sea on dry ground, and saw the Lord destroy the armies of Egypt who tried to follow them. These who had obeyed the Lord and had seen Him work, now rebelled against Him – they did not trust Him to bring them into the Promised Land. They would rather have died in Egypt or in the wilderness than to trust the Lord to bring them into the Land that He had promised (Numbers 14:2). The Lord granted the armies of Israel their desire, they feared to go up and so they all perished in the wilderness over forty years; only Caleb and Joshua would enter the land because they saw the Lord’s ability to give them the Land (Numbers 14:29-30). A whole generation of Israel perished because they feared the giants of the Land more than God. Their rebellion against the Lord took the form of disobedience, which sprang from an evil heart of unbelief (Hebrews 3:12); this is the spirit of Satan that is working in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2), which can also enter into our hearts (brethren) if we are not alert.
Canaan, the Promised Land, was presented by the Lord as a land that flowed with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8) – a land that produced an abundance of all that the children of Israel would need, thereby making it a land of rest for them. However, for those who refused to believe that the Lord could overcome the “giants” of the Land, despite witnessing His victory over the Egyptian armies, they would never see the abundance of the Promised Land. As the people heard the reports of those who had surveyed the Land, they only heard the ten negative reports and refused to give any attention to Caleb and Joshua who saw the Lord’s ability to overcome the obstacles of the Land. The people’s lament was: “Would God that [If only] we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God [If only] we had died in this wilderness!” (Numbers 14:2).70 Indeed, the Lord granted them their desire, for every man of war (except Caleb and Joshua) died in the wilderness (Numbers 14:29; 32:13). They hardened their hearts against what the Lord commanded (an evil heart of unbelief evidenced by their disobedience), and lost access to the Land of rest – a Land flowing with milk and honey.
The warning has been issued again: we must be watchful lest we, like Israel, should rebel against the Lord and lose what He has promised to those who remain faithful to Him. We must not forget Jesus’ words that the one who will be saved (future tense) is the one who remains faithful to Him unto the end (Matthew 24:13); eternal salvation is not ours the moment that we place our faith in the Lord Jesus, rather, it comes after living a life of faithful obedience to Him. Jesus also said: 1) If My commandments you obey, [then] you will abide in My love …” (John 15:10a, literal); 2) if ye are loving Me, [then] My commandments you must be obeying (John 14:15, literal).71 What must be deeply etched into our minds is that our obedience to the Lord’s commands is imperative for our eternal salvation, where we will abide forever in His love.
Consider carefully Paul’s words to the Romans: because the way of thinking of the flesh [is] hostility toward God, for it is not in subjection to the Law of God, indeed it is not able; moreover, those who are in the flesh are not able to please God. Now ye [beloved of God, saints called by God (Romans 1:7)] are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God is dwelling in you, and if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this one is not His! (Romans 8:7-9, literal).72 It is very clear that anyone whose guiding principles are of the flesh (KJV carnal ), is not in Christ, and is actually in rebellion against God (hostility). Such a person cannot live in obedience to God’s commands, and even if he did appear to follow some of them, such would not be pleasing to Him. But, Paul says, the beloved of God are indwelt by the Spirit of God, and are, therefore, also living in submission (obedience) to the Law of God (in contrast to the one whose thinking is fleshly). The underlying principle is that where the Spirit of God abides, there will also be obedience to the commands of God. It follows, then, that if we are in Christ by faith, it is impossible for us to remain in Him without living in obedience to His commands. Jesus’ words affirm this: if ye are loving Me, [then] My commandments you must be obeying (John 14:15, literal).73 Today it is not uncommon to hear of carnal Christians, but that is an oxymoron: a Christian who lives in hostility toward God? One of God’s commands is that if we are in Christ, then we must be accounting ourselves to be dead to sin and alive unto God through Christ (Romans 6:11). Such a person is living faithfully for Christ!
And the stinger of death [is] sin [sin brings death (Romans 6:23)], and the strength of sin [is] the Law [the Law defines sin (Romans 7:9)], but thanks to God Who is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55-56, literal).74 It is only through Jesus that we are able to gain the victory over sin – He died for my sin so that I, through faith in Him, do not have to be eternally separated from Him (the second death). “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Revelation 21:7). It is the overcoming one who will inherit eternity with the Lord; it is only through faith in Christ and remaining faithfully obedient to Him that I can be numbered among the overcomers. This is not a works salvation; I can do nothing for my salvation because it is God’s gift (Ephesians 2:8), but God has prepared good works for me to do after I have received His free gift (Ephesians 2:10). It is untenable to think that these good works could be anything else but obedience to the Lord – not for salvation, but because of salvation (Philippians 2:12). Yes, our salvation is free, but Jesus calls us to count the cost of following Him, lest we begin well but are not able to finish (Luke 14:26-33). Paul disciplined himself lest after proclaiming the full Gospel to others, he should be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:27). Living in obedience to the Lord will cost us; it will take great effort, yet it is the only way to the Father, and Jesus has given us His Spirit to be our strength and guide. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
The example of Israel is given to us for our instruction: obedience to the Lord is the only way to discover all that He has for us! Disobedience can only lead to spiritual ruin.
19. So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
And we find that they were not able to enter because of unbelief (literal).75
The details of Israel’s failure are recorded in Scripture so that we can be warned by them (1 Corinthians 10:11). It was their lack of trust in the Lord that resulted in the demise of a significant number of Israelites; unbelief (a lack of trust) excluded them from the Promised Land, likewise unbelief is able to make us apostates from the Lord (Hebrews 3:12). Consider it carefully: unbelief cannot enter into the heart of an unbeliever because it is already there – unbelief is all that they know, regardless of how religious they may be. However, once someone becomes a child of God, his heart is filled with belief and he must become very vigilant against the lure of the devil. John the Baptist understood this: The one who is believing in the Son is having life everlasting; and the one who is disobeying the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God is abiding on him (John 3:36, literal).76 This was illustrated in the lives of the Israelites: as they disobeyed the Lord by not entering the Land, they were denied access to a life in the Land of plenty, and the wrath of God remained on them until that whole generation of adults was dead. It is our obedience to the Lord that tells Him that we believe Him; it is disobedience that flows from a heart that has permitted unbelief to enter. We must be alert to the ploys of the enemy and remain faithful to the Lord – that is our only hope for salvation. “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure [remain faithful] unto the end, the same shall [will (future tense)] be saved” (Mark 13:13).77
The reality of our text is that we must be alert (take heed) lest we should turn away from God’s Truth and lose our place in Christ. Jesus said, Ye will be hated by everyone because of My name; but the one to endure unto the end, this is the one who will be saved (Matthew 10:22, literal).55 Endure comes from the Greek hupomeno, which means to stand one’s ground, or to bear up courageously under suffering.56 This can only mean to live faithfully for the Lord regardless of circumstances; faithfulness includes obedience (John 14:15): if we are not living in obedience to Him, then we have abandoned the faith that we might still profess – we have become apostate! Notice, too, that Jesus specifies that it is the one to endure who will be saved; salvation is placed into the future (not the past), and it is contingent upon faithful obedience (to endure) unto the end – our death or the Lord’s return. Placing one’s faith in Christ is not the end – salvation has not been secured regardless of how we live; rather, such faith is the beginning of a life of obedience to the commands of the Lord. It is popular among Evangelicals to consider Jesus as their Savior, Intercessor, and Friend; however, what is less popular but critically important, is to know that He is our Lord and Master! “For ye are bought with a price [the shed blood of Jesus]: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20). We have been purchased out of sin by the Lord Jesus – He bought us and so we are His! Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14); unless we live in obedience to the Lord, we are not His friends. It may be that if we are His friends, then He is our Friend as well, but that can only come through obedience to His commands – unless He is our Master first (and we His obedient slaves), we cannot be His friends. How contrary to modern thinking.
This text follows the cited example of Israel who hardened their hearts against the Lord, did not obey His command to enter the Land, and perished in the wilderness. As we have examined God’s Word, we have seen the necessity of our obedience to the Lord – it is central to remaining in Him. Jesus’ words leave no doubt: if My commandments ye obey, [then] ye will remain in My love … (John 15:10a, literal).57 We are called to be alert lest our disobedience lead to a heart of wickedness and apostasy.
13. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
But be exhorting yourselves throughout every day, while it is being called today, in order that the deceitfulness of sin will not harden anyone of you (literal).58
The writer now provides a contrast to having an evil heart and becoming apostate from God: continually exhorting and being exhorted. Parakaleo (exhort) brings together two Greek words: para, meaning alongside of, and kaleo, to call;59 the antidote involves routinely summoning others who are in the faith so as to provide mutual encouragement and challenge. The protection against disobedience (the first step toward apostasy) is to have our minds continually brought back to the teachings and commands of the Lord. Obviously, mutual edification in error is not what the writer has in mind; “And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matthew 15:14b). What is missing from modern Christianity (broadly speaking) is Biblical exhortation that would serve to both affirm and challenge; between individuals it is rare, from pulpits it is even more rare.
The writer then includes a phrase that draws on his earlier quotation from the Psalms: while it is called To day. Psalm 95:7 – “To day if ye will hear his voice …”; to day refers to the present time: today if you will obey His voice … (literal).60 We do not have the luxury of being assured of tomorrow; we are finite creatures who are limited to an ever-unfolding now – we must not put off hearkening to the Lord because we are not assured of anything beyond the present moment. Therefore, our exhortation and/or encouragement of others (and ourselves) must be continually taking place, and our obedience to the Lord must never be delayed. We have just visited the example from Israel’s history that so aptly illustrates this truth.
There is a specific purpose for this continual exhortation: it is to prevent the deceitful nature of sin from causing us to become hardened against the Lord. Consider Jesus’ words concerning the Seed that fell among the thorns: And that sown among the thorns: this is the one who is understanding the Word, and the distraction of this present time and the deception of prosperity is choking the Word, and it becomes unfruitful (Matthew 13:22, literal).61 It is important to understand the word choking: the Greek sumpnigei literally means to cause to die – the weeds (in this case, the distraction of this present time and the deception of prosperity) are strangling the Word until it is without life within the heart of this person.62 Biblical exhortation will help us to keep our focus on the Lord Jesus, because you may be sure that Satan will use every means possible to draw us away from the Lord. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Devour is from the Greek katapin, meaning to overpower, or to bring under control;63Satan is not roaming the world looking for those who are already his – no! He is searching for the child of God who is not alert and can be deceived! Furthermore, Satan will not come expressing his dark personality; rather, he will come as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) – this is why we must be constantly watchful, lest he deceive us with his feigned righteousness. There are many times when he will come to us in the guise of a well-respected preacher who does not accurately teach the truth of God’s Word, but has a theology that bears the approval of the adversary! That is how vigilant we must be; everything must be tested by God’s Word: put all things to the test; hold fast to what passes the test (1 Thessalonians 5:21, literal).64 Theologies must be examined particularly carefully; frequently, “supporting” Scriptures are selected so as to appear to be favorable to a certain doctrine; our testing must go beyond what is provided and include the whole of Scripture. Then, if it passes the test, it may be accepted as being Biblical; if it fails, then we must reject both it and its messenger.
14. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
For we have become companions of Christ on the condition that we hold fast the original, firm conviction until the end (literal).65
There are several things of particular interest in this verse. The Greek word metochoi (partakers or companions) often means to share in or to participate with;66 its use in verse one, we showed as participants. However, we have noticed the use of brethren twice in this chapter, which followed Christ being made like unto His brethren (Hebrews 2:17), therefore, it seems very appropriate to show this as companions, His brethren.67 Have become is the verb in the first phrase, and it is in the active voice, perfect tense and indicative mood: this is an action that we take, it is a single, past action with ongoing results, and it is a statement of fact! We place our faith in the Lord Jesus – the required action that sees us brought into Christ; this is the action that establishes our relationship with the Savior. We do it once, and thereafter unfolds a life of obedience to the Lord – a past action with continuing results. Through this action, we have become companions of Christ – no question, it is a statement of fact.
However, that is not the end because the writer immediately applies a condition to this amazing relationship with the Savior (on the condition that, or if ). It is not a question as to whether we are companions of Christ (the indicative mood identifies this as a reality), but, as we reflect on the warning issued two verses earlier, the fact that a condition is introduced makes it clear that it is very possible to lose this favorable standing with the Lord.
The condition is this: we must retain the original, firm conviction that we have of the Lord and what He has done, and that conviction must be held until the end. Conviction (confidence) is from the Greek hupostasis, bringing together hupo (under) and histemi (to place or set) to present the idea of a foundation – an objective reality that provides a strong basis for conviction of faith and confidence of action.68 Our conviction comes through our evaluation of the Gospel and our conclusion that it is the Truth; it is our conviction that leads us to action. Two words are used to refine the conviction: original and firm. Original is from the Greek arche, most frequently translated as beginning, which is quite vague; even when this was written, there were differing convictions held by many people regarding the Gospel, but original points back to the Gospel as it was first unveiled. That first conviction that brought faith in Christ according to the true Gospel, was firmly held – it was a firm conviction based upon a thorough evaluation of the Gospel.
Therefore, we must have a strong conviction of the true Gospel message, and we must retain that conviction until the end – our death or the Lord’s return. Notice, this is a conviction, not an opinion or philosophy; as such, it must be the basis for how we live. As it is our foundation for living, so we are the companions of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, if we do not hold fast to this original, firm conviction, then we are no longer the companions of the Lord.
15. While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 16. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. 17. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18. And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
The writer returns to Psalm 95:7b-8a as a reminder from Israel’s history: if you will hearken to His voice, then do not stiffen your hearts in rebellion, like Israel did at Meribah (Exodus 17:7). Right after declaring that we are companions with Christ if we retain a firm hold on the true Gospel, a warning from Israel’s past is issued again. We must remain alert lest we permit a rebellious heart to destroy our relationship with the Lord; rebellion begins with something as apparently innocent as an easily justifiable case of disobedience. Obedience and disobedience still stand in opposition to one another; we cannot claim to heed the voice of God while living in disobedience to Him.
The writer now elaborates on this repeated illustration in order to strengthen his case for careful living. For, having obeyed, who did rebel? yet not all who came out of Egypt by Moses. Now with whom was He angry [for] forty years? Was it not with those who did sin, whose dead bodies did fall in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear [that] they will not enter into His rest, if not to those who disobeyed? (literal).69
The children of Israel who came out of Egypt, did so in obedience to the leading of the Lord through Moses; they had participated in that first Passover and experienced the Lord’s protection of their firstborn, they had walked through the Red Sea on dry ground, and saw the Lord destroy the armies of Egypt who tried to follow them. These who had obeyed the Lord and had seen Him work, now rebelled against Him – they did not trust Him to bring them into the Promised Land. They would rather have died in Egypt or in the wilderness than to trust the Lord to bring them into the Land that He had promised (Numbers 14:2). The Lord granted the armies of Israel their desire, they feared to go up and so they all perished in the wilderness over forty years; only Caleb and Joshua would enter the land because they saw the Lord’s ability to give them the Land (Numbers 14:29-30). A whole generation of Israel perished because they feared the giants of the Land more than God. Their rebellion against the Lord took the form of disobedience, which sprang from an evil heart of unbelief (Hebrews 3:12); this is the spirit of Satan that is working in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2), which can also enter into our hearts (brethren) if we are not alert.
Canaan, the Promised Land, was presented by the Lord as a land that flowed with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8) – a land that produced an abundance of all that the children of Israel would need, thereby making it a land of rest for them. However, for those who refused to believe that the Lord could overcome the “giants” of the Land, despite witnessing His victory over the Egyptian armies, they would never see the abundance of the Promised Land. As the people heard the reports of those who had surveyed the Land, they only heard the ten negative reports and refused to give any attention to Caleb and Joshua who saw the Lord’s ability to overcome the obstacles of the Land. The people’s lament was: “Would God that [If only] we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God [If only] we had died in this wilderness!” (Numbers 14:2).70 Indeed, the Lord granted them their desire, for every man of war (except Caleb and Joshua) died in the wilderness (Numbers 14:29; 32:13). They hardened their hearts against what the Lord commanded (an evil heart of unbelief evidenced by their disobedience), and lost access to the Land of rest – a Land flowing with milk and honey.
The warning has been issued again: we must be watchful lest we, like Israel, should rebel against the Lord and lose what He has promised to those who remain faithful to Him. We must not forget Jesus’ words that the one who will be saved (future tense) is the one who remains faithful to Him unto the end (Matthew 24:13); eternal salvation is not ours the moment that we place our faith in the Lord Jesus, rather, it comes after living a life of faithful obedience to Him. Jesus also said: 1) If My commandments you obey, [then] you will abide in My love …” (John 15:10a, literal); 2) if ye are loving Me, [then] My commandments you must be obeying (John 14:15, literal).71 What must be deeply etched into our minds is that our obedience to the Lord’s commands is imperative for our eternal salvation, where we will abide forever in His love.
Consider carefully Paul’s words to the Romans: because the way of thinking of the flesh [is] hostility toward God, for it is not in subjection to the Law of God, indeed it is not able; moreover, those who are in the flesh are not able to please God. Now ye [beloved of God, saints called by God (Romans 1:7)] are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God is dwelling in you, and if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this one is not His! (Romans 8:7-9, literal).72 It is very clear that anyone whose guiding principles are of the flesh (KJV carnal ), is not in Christ, and is actually in rebellion against God (hostility). Such a person cannot live in obedience to God’s commands, and even if he did appear to follow some of them, such would not be pleasing to Him. But, Paul says, the beloved of God are indwelt by the Spirit of God, and are, therefore, also living in submission (obedience) to the Law of God (in contrast to the one whose thinking is fleshly). The underlying principle is that where the Spirit of God abides, there will also be obedience to the commands of God. It follows, then, that if we are in Christ by faith, it is impossible for us to remain in Him without living in obedience to His commands. Jesus’ words affirm this: if ye are loving Me, [then] My commandments you must be obeying (John 14:15, literal).73 Today it is not uncommon to hear of carnal Christians, but that is an oxymoron: a Christian who lives in hostility toward God? One of God’s commands is that if we are in Christ, then we must be accounting ourselves to be dead to sin and alive unto God through Christ (Romans 6:11). Such a person is living faithfully for Christ!
And the stinger of death [is] sin [sin brings death (Romans 6:23)], and the strength of sin [is] the Law [the Law defines sin (Romans 7:9)], but thanks to God Who is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55-56, literal).74 It is only through Jesus that we are able to gain the victory over sin – He died for my sin so that I, through faith in Him, do not have to be eternally separated from Him (the second death). “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Revelation 21:7). It is the overcoming one who will inherit eternity with the Lord; it is only through faith in Christ and remaining faithfully obedient to Him that I can be numbered among the overcomers. This is not a works salvation; I can do nothing for my salvation because it is God’s gift (Ephesians 2:8), but God has prepared good works for me to do after I have received His free gift (Ephesians 2:10). It is untenable to think that these good works could be anything else but obedience to the Lord – not for salvation, but because of salvation (Philippians 2:12). Yes, our salvation is free, but Jesus calls us to count the cost of following Him, lest we begin well but are not able to finish (Luke 14:26-33). Paul disciplined himself lest after proclaiming the full Gospel to others, he should be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:27). Living in obedience to the Lord will cost us; it will take great effort, yet it is the only way to the Father, and Jesus has given us His Spirit to be our strength and guide. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
The example of Israel is given to us for our instruction: obedience to the Lord is the only way to discover all that He has for us! Disobedience can only lead to spiritual ruin.
19. So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
And we find that they were not able to enter because of unbelief (literal).75
The details of Israel’s failure are recorded in Scripture so that we can be warned by them (1 Corinthians 10:11). It was their lack of trust in the Lord that resulted in the demise of a significant number of Israelites; unbelief (a lack of trust) excluded them from the Promised Land, likewise unbelief is able to make us apostates from the Lord (Hebrews 3:12). Consider it carefully: unbelief cannot enter into the heart of an unbeliever because it is already there – unbelief is all that they know, regardless of how religious they may be. However, once someone becomes a child of God, his heart is filled with belief and he must become very vigilant against the lure of the devil. John the Baptist understood this: The one who is believing in the Son is having life everlasting; and the one who is disobeying the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God is abiding on him (John 3:36, literal).76 This was illustrated in the lives of the Israelites: as they disobeyed the Lord by not entering the Land, they were denied access to a life in the Land of plenty, and the wrath of God remained on them until that whole generation of adults was dead. It is our obedience to the Lord that tells Him that we believe Him; it is disobedience that flows from a heart that has permitted unbelief to enter. We must be alert to the ploys of the enemy and remain faithful to the Lord – that is our only hope for salvation. “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure [remain faithful] unto the end, the same shall [will (future tense)] be saved” (Mark 13:13).77
END NOTES:
1 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
2 Friberg Lexicon; Vine’s “holy.”
3 Friberg Lexicon.
4 Vine’s “confession.”
5 Friberg Lexicon.
6 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
7 Friberg Lexicon.
8 Strong’s Online.
9 Friberg Lexicon.
10 Strong’s Online.
11 Leningrad Hebrew OT; BDB; https://hebrew.billmounce.com/BasicsBiblicalHebrew-09.pdf.
12 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
13 Stephanus 1550 NT; Meyer’s NT Commentary, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/3-5.htm; Liddell-Scott Lexicon.
14 Liddell-Scott Lexicon.
15 Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon, p. 740.
16 Stephanos 1550 NT; Mounce Greek-English Dictionary; Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
17 Strong’s Online.
18 Ibid.
19 Friberg Lexicon.
20 Ibid.
21 Strong’s Online.
22 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
23 Strong’s Online; Friberg Lexicon.
24 Gingrich Lexicon.
25 Strong’s Online.
26 Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
27 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
28 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon.
29 Stephanus 1550 NT; Leningrad Hebrew OT.
30 Leningrad Hebrew; BDB; Gesenius Hebrew-English Lexicon.
31 Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
32 Strong’s Online; BDB.
33 Ibid.
34 Friberg Lexicon; Strong’s Online; BDB.
35 Friberg Lexicon.
36 Leningrad Hebrew OT; BDB.
37 https://biblehub.com/interlinear/psalms/95-10.htm.
38 BDB.
39 Septuagint, Bibleworks 8; Friberg Lexicon (included is a note that Hebraistically, within an oath, it forms a strong negative).
40 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon.
41 Friberg Lexicon.
42 Ibid.
43 Strong’s Online.
44 Gingrich Lexicon.
45 Stephanus 1550 NT;
46 Gingrich Lexicon.
47 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apostasy.
48 John MacArthur, The MacArthur NT Commentary – Hebrews, p. 92.
49 https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-apostasy-is-a-great-falling-away.html.
50 https://www.davidjeremiah.org/prophecyexperience/what-is-apostasy (transcribed).
51 https://shadowmountain.org/about/what-we-believe.
52 https://insight.org/resources/daily-devotional/individual/the-bible-s-realistic-portrayal.
53 https://insight.org/about/essential-beliefs.
54 https://www.insightforliving.ca/broadcast/growing-up-in-gods-family/GUFD12.
55 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
56 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon; Vine’s “endure.”
57 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
58 Ibid.
59 Strong’s Online.
60 BDB.
61 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
62 Friberg Lexicon.
63 Ibid.
64 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
65 Stephanus 1550 NT; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
66 Friberg Lexicon.
67 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
68 Strong’s Online; Friberg Lexicon.
69 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
70 BDB.
71 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
72 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
73 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
74 Ibid.
75 Stephanus 1550 NT.
76 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
77 Strong’s Online.
1 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
2 Friberg Lexicon; Vine’s “holy.”
3 Friberg Lexicon.
4 Vine’s “confession.”
5 Friberg Lexicon.
6 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
7 Friberg Lexicon.
8 Strong’s Online.
9 Friberg Lexicon.
10 Strong’s Online.
11 Leningrad Hebrew OT; BDB; https://hebrew.billmounce.com/BasicsBiblicalHebrew-09.pdf.
12 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
13 Stephanus 1550 NT; Meyer’s NT Commentary, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/3-5.htm; Liddell-Scott Lexicon.
14 Liddell-Scott Lexicon.
15 Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon, p. 740.
16 Stephanos 1550 NT; Mounce Greek-English Dictionary; Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
17 Strong’s Online.
18 Ibid.
19 Friberg Lexicon.
20 Ibid.
21 Strong’s Online.
22 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
23 Strong’s Online; Friberg Lexicon.
24 Gingrich Lexicon.
25 Strong’s Online.
26 Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
27 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
28 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon.
29 Stephanus 1550 NT; Leningrad Hebrew OT.
30 Leningrad Hebrew; BDB; Gesenius Hebrew-English Lexicon.
31 Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
32 Strong’s Online; BDB.
33 Ibid.
34 Friberg Lexicon; Strong’s Online; BDB.
35 Friberg Lexicon.
36 Leningrad Hebrew OT; BDB.
37 https://biblehub.com/interlinear/psalms/95-10.htm.
38 BDB.
39 Septuagint, Bibleworks 8; Friberg Lexicon (included is a note that Hebraistically, within an oath, it forms a strong negative).
40 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon.
41 Friberg Lexicon.
42 Ibid.
43 Strong’s Online.
44 Gingrich Lexicon.
45 Stephanus 1550 NT;
46 Gingrich Lexicon.
47 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apostasy.
48 John MacArthur, The MacArthur NT Commentary – Hebrews, p. 92.
49 https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-apostasy-is-a-great-falling-away.html.
50 https://www.davidjeremiah.org/prophecyexperience/what-is-apostasy (transcribed).
51 https://shadowmountain.org/about/what-we-believe.
52 https://insight.org/resources/daily-devotional/individual/the-bible-s-realistic-portrayal.
53 https://insight.org/about/essential-beliefs.
54 https://www.insightforliving.ca/broadcast/growing-up-in-gods-family/GUFD12.
55 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
56 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon; Vine’s “endure.”
57 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
58 Ibid.
59 Strong’s Online.
60 BDB.
61 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
62 Friberg Lexicon.
63 Ibid.
64 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
65 Stephanus 1550 NT; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
66 Friberg Lexicon.
67 Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
68 Strong’s Online; Friberg Lexicon.
69 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
70 BDB.
71 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
72 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
73 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
74 Ibid.
75 Stephanus 1550 NT.
76 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
77 Strong’s Online.