Hebrews 3

Ver. 1.—the Apostle and High Priest of our profession.] That is, of the doctrine and religion which we profess. Bp. Fell. An “apostle” properly means a messenger, a person sent by another upon some business. It is applied to Christ, who was by the Father sent into the world, not to condemn but to save it. The term “High Priest” is applied to Him by way of eminence, and according to its spiritual and real import. Parkhurst. As to His apostleship, Christ is compared by St. Paul with Moses; and as to His high priesthood, with Aaron: and He is shewn in what follows to have excelled them both in their respective offices. Dr. Wells.

—[If we hold fast the confidence &c.] If we continue our Christian profession courageously, in despite of all fear; and our cheerfulness in all that befalls us here be founded on our hope of deliverance and relief from Christ on those terms on which He hath promised it. Dr. Hammond.

This church, to which the Apostle writes, was much persecuted; and upon it some deserted, or dissembled and concealed, the Christian profession. Therefore in this epistle he frequently inculcates and recurs to the necessity of perseverance therein, and extreme danger of falling away from it. For which he shews them the great power and readiness of Jesus, the High Priest of our profession, (infinitely exceeding in dignity the former Levitical,) formerly acquainted with infirmities, now exalted into glory, to succour and protect them in all afflictions: and also His omniscience, power, and justice, to discern, punish, and destroy, all backsliders and unbelievers. Bp. Fell.

Ver. 1. — should seem to come short of it.] That is, should fail of it. Dr. Whitby. It is observed by critics, that the verb, rendered “seem,” is often used as an expletive. See Matt. iii. 9; Mark x. 42; Luke viii. 18; 1 Cor. x. 12. Dr. Wells.

Hebrews 3:2

2. Who was faithful &c.] He hath as faithfully performed every part of His great office for the Christian church, as you can imagine, or the Scripture declares, Moses to have done towards the Jewish church, when it describes him “faithful in all His house;” that is, the church of God, Numb. xii. 7. Pyle.

Hebrews 3:3

3.—this man] The word “man” is not in the original: the pronoun might be rendered ‘he,’ as it is in Acts x. 36. Or the passage might run, ‘This apostle or lawgiver was counted, &c.’ Dr. Macknight. ‘This Jesus,’ as corresponding to the express mention of Moses in the following words. Drs. Whitby and Wells.

—worthy of more glory than Moses.] As it was their attachment to the Mosaick law, and the writings of the Old Testament, that hindered so many Jews from embracing Christianity, it is with the utmost propriety of address that the Apostle here undertakes to shew, that Christ was superior to Moses; and by a necessary consequence, to the rest of the Prophets and sacred authors, whom they acknowledged to be inferior to this great Prophet. Dr. Doddridge.

—he who hath builded the house] The original verb signifies to set things in order, chap. ix. 6. It signifies likewise to form a thing as an artilber doth; in which sense it is applied to Noah’s forming the ark, chap. xi. 7. In this passage it signifies the forming of a church or religious society, by bestowing on it privileges, and by giving it laws for the direction of its members. Dr. Macknight.

—than the house.] Than all the members together, and consequently than any one member of the house, as Moses was. Dr. Wells.

Hebrews 3:4

4. For every house is builded by some man;] ‘By some one,’ as head or master of it. Dr. Wells. For every family or kingdom hath some original or founder; but God is the Founder of all, both of the church of the Jews, and now of the Christians: and such is our Christ, of whom we speak. Dr. Hammond. The argument seems plainly to run thus: He that governs all things is God: but Christ, as Father of His family, governs all

things in His house; that is, the church dispersed throughout all the world; and hath, in order thereunto, all judgment and all power in heaven and earth committed unto Him: he must therefore be God; that is, the exercise of His kingly office shews, that He must be God as well as man. Dr. Whitby.

Builder of “all things,” Eph. iii. 9; but especially of the temple, the church of God, Zech. vi. 12; Matt. xvi. 18. This supereminent dignity of our Lord Christ, that all things were made by Him, and are subjected unto Him, the Apostle often repeats. See chap. i. 2, 3, 10. Again, for subjection, chap. i. 6, 13; ii. 5, 7, 8, &c. Bp. Fell.

Hebrews 3:5

5.—Moses verily was faithful—for a testimony] His ministry was prophetic, and bore witness in all the principal circumstances of it to the greater ministry of Christ, who was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, because He was the Master and Builder of that house, in which Moses was no more than a servant. The fidelity of Moses under all the various trials of his ministry, is the circumstance here selected by the Apostle, and chiefly insisted on; but there was scarcely a circumstance attending his whole character which did not afford some “testimony” to the ministry of Christ. Jones of Nayland.

—which were to be spoken after:] By Christ and His Apostles. Dr. Wells. That is, the dispensation or religion of Christ, as appears most clearly from John v. 46, 47; Luke xxiv. 44; Acts xxvi. 22; and many like passages. Pyle.

Hebrews 3:6

6.—as a son over his own house:] As the Son of God, and therefore as the true Lord and Owner of this house. Bp. Hall. Christ, whilst on earth, acted in a very different manner from Moses: He was faithful as Moses was: but in His intercourses with God, He demeaned Himself as a Son to His Father, and was more than once by a voice from heaven expressly styled the beloved Son of God: and in His intercourses with His disciples, He gave them precepts or commands in His own name, and by His own authority, expressly asserting Himself to be their Lord and Master, and carrying Himself as a Lord and Master “over His own house.” Dr. Wells.

In the first chapter of this epistle we find that Christ is not only preferred to the angels, but is described as a Being of a totally different order. This opposition is carried on through the whole second chapter, one passage of which plainly declares Christ’s existence previous to His incarnation, and that He was not of the order of angels: “He took not on Him the nature of angels but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.” Lest, however, this assertion of Christ’s being of the seed of Abraham should lead the Hebrews to think Him a mere man, the Apostle immediately proceeds to point out, in the third chapter, the marked difference between Him and Moses the legislator of the Jews, who was always considered by them as the greatest of their Prophets. He says, that “Moses was faithful as a servant,—Christ as a Son;”

The danger of unbelief.

Annu DOMINI 64. hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

a Ps. 66. 7. 7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, “To day if ye will hear his voice,

Hebrews 3:7

7. Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, &c.] Which is an obligation for us to adhere to Christ; and persevere, whatever difficulties we meet with; and not to apostatize or fall off from Him, as the Israelites did, when the Scripture saith of and to them, “To day” &c. Dr. Hammond.

These words are quoted from Ps. xcv.; which the Apostle tells us, chap. iv. 7, was written by David. Wherefore, seeing he here calls David’s words “a saying of the Holy Ghost,” he teaches us that David wrote his psalms by inspiration; as our Lord likewise testifies, Matt. xxii. 43. The judgments of God, executed on sinners in ages past, being designed for the reproof and instruction of those who come after, the Holy Ghost by David very properly founded His exhortation to the people in that age, upon the sin and punishment of their fathers in the wilderness. And the Apostle for the same reason fitly applied the words, which the Holy Ghost spake to the people by David, to the Hebrews in his day, to prevent them from hardening their hearts, when they heard God’s voice speaking to them in the Gospel by His Son. Dr. Macknight.

Hebrews 3:12

12. Take heed, brethren, &c.] Take heed that their case, in respect of that temporal blessing of Canaan, be

not your’s now, in respect of the eternal blessings of Christ’s religion. Pyle. If they were so punished for rebelling against Moses the servant, how much more you for rebelling against the Son Jesus? Bp. Fell.

—[an evil heart of unbelief.] Nothing but an evil heart can make unbelief desirable, or even supportable. For to every good heart it must be the greatest joy to know, that the world is governed by infinite wisdom, justice, and goodness; and the greatest affliction, to have any doubt of it. If therefore we find the thought of such a Governour unwelcome, if we could inwardly wish there were none, we may be assured our “heart is not right.” And though we could with such a disposition bring ourselves almost or completely to imagine there is none; what possible security can abutting our eyes give us against danger; or what excuse can wilfully denying God make for disobeying Him? Abp. Secker.

—[unbelief.] Unbelief of His power or of His goodness, to accomplish His promises; see Numb. xiv.: upon which straightway followed disobedience, and backsliding from Him and His laws. Bp. Fell.

—[in departing from the living God.] So called, to shew that He is always able to punish unbelievers. Let it be here noted, that as he, who believeth in Christ, believeth in God the Father also, John xii. 44; so he who deserteth Him, doth also desert the Father who sent Him, and “maketh Him a liar,” 1 John v. 9, 10: for “whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father,” 1 John ii. 23. Dr. Whitby.

Hebrews 3:13

13.—[while it is called To day:] That is, as long as the time of our probation here upon earth lasteth. Dr. Wells.

—[lest any of you be hardened] By little and little grow to a contempt of grace, and an unconsciousness of sinning, and wilful disobedience. Bp. Fell.

Hebrews 3:14

14. For we are made partakers of Christ, &c.] For all our Christian profession hitherto will stand us in no stead, unless we persevere constant to the end in the courage and patience, which Himself hath exemplified to us. Dr. Hammond. The expression, “if we hold the beginning of our confidence stelfast unto the end,” supposes that they who were partakers of the heavenly calling, and had at present cause of rejoicing, see ver. 6, might not hold it “firm and steadfast unto the end,” but might “fall off” from it, might “depart from the living God,” ver. 12; chap. iv. 11. Yes, the Apostle in this epistle doth plainly suppose, that “they who had tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,” &c. might “fall away,” chap. vi. 4-6:

The rest of Christians is attained by faith. Anno DOMINI 64.

Hebrews 3:17

17. — was it not with them that had sinned.] Namely, by their unbelief. Dr. Whitby.

18. — but to them that believed not? In His power and goodness to supply all their needs in the desert, and possess them of the promised land of rest. They “believed not,” that through His power they should overcome the nations and should possess Canaan: see Numb. xiv.: upon which followed their doom of not entering, ver. 23. Again: they “believed not” that He could provide meat and drink enough for them in the barren wilderness, &c. Bp. Fell.

Hebrews 3:19

19. — they could not enter in because of unbelief.] The conclusion of the Apostle’s reasoning, concerning the sin and punishment of the ancient Israelites, contained in this verse, ought to make a deep impression on every reader, since it shews, in the strongest colours, the malignity of unbelief, and teaches us that it is the source of all the sin and misery prevalent among mankind. Our first parents sinned through their not believing God, when He said, “In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die:” and their posterity sin, through their not believing what God hath suggested to them by their own reason, and by revelation, concerning the rewards and punishments of a future state. Dr. Macknight.

Chap. IV. St. Paul continues to shew, that, as the disobedient Israelites did not enter into the land of Canaan, so neither shall the unbelieving Christians enter into the kingdom of heaven. For this purpose he observes, that what David says in the Psalms, of the people’s entering into God’s rest, is to be understood, not so much of the land of Canaan, as of the true rest which consists in the enjoyment of the salvation that Christ hath obtained for us. He concludes from thence, that we ought to labour to enter into this rest: he declares that unbelievers shall not escape those threatenings, which the word of God has denounced against them, since His word is true, and divine, and powerful. And lastly, to encourage the Hebrews to persevere in the Christian profession, and to be constant under afflictions, he represents that Jesus Christ is a merciful High Priest, who is ascended into heaven; and who, having Himself suffered, is inclined to have compassion

infirmities, but not sin, 16 we must and may go boldly to the throne of grace.

LET us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.