Bible Commentaries
Hebrews 3

Verse 1

3:1 Wherefore, {1} holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the {a} Apostle and High Priest of our {b} profession, Christ Jesus;

(1) Having laid the foundation that is to say, declared and proved both the natures of one Christ, he gives him three offices, that is, the office of a Prophet, King and Priest, and concerning the office of teaching, and governing, compares him with Moses and Joshua from Hebrews 3:1 to Hebrews 4:14 , and with Aaron concerning the priesthood. He proposes that which he intends to speak of, with a grave exhortation, that all our faith may be directed towards Christ, as the only everlasting teacher, governor, and High Priest.

(a) The ambassador or messenger, as in Romans 15:8 he is called the minister of circumcision.

(b) Of the doctrine of the gospel which we profess.

Verse 2

3:2 {2} Who was faithful to him that {c} appointed him, {3} as also Moses [was faithful] in all his house.

(2) He confirms his exhortation with two reasons, first of all because Christ Jesus was appointed as such by God: secondly, because he thoroughly executed the offices that his Father commanded him.

(c) Apostle and High Priest.

(3) Now he comes to the comparison with Moses, and he makes them like one another other in this, that they were both appointed rulers over God’s house, and executed faithfully their office: but he later shows that there is great dissimilarity in the same comparison.

Verse 3

3:3 {4} 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.

(4) The first comparison: The builder of the house is better than the house itself, therefore Christ is better than Moses. The reason for the conclusion is this: because the builder of the house is God, which cannot be attributed to Moses; and therefore Moses was not the builder, but a part of the house: but Christ as Lord and God, made the house.

Verse 5

3:5 And {5} Moses verily [was] faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

(5) Another comparison: Moses was a faithful servant in this house, that is, in the Church, serving the Lord that was to come, but Christ rules and governs his house as Lord.

Verse 6

3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; {6} whose {d} house are we, if we hold fast the {e} confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

(6) He applies the former doctrine to his purpose, exhorting all men by the words of David to hear the Son speak, and to give full credit to his words, seeing that otherwise they cannot enter into that eternal rest.

(d) That is, Christ’s.

(e) He calls confidence the excellent effect of faith (by which we cry Abba, that is, Father), and to confidence he adds hope.

Verse 7

3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye {f} will hear his voice,

(f) So that God was to speak once again after Moses.

Verse 8

3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the {g} provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

(g) In the day that they troubled the Lord, or struggled with him.

Verse 10

3:10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway {h} err in [their] heart; and they have not known my ways.

(h) They are brutish and angry.

Verse 12

3:12 {7} Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

(7) Now consider in the words of David, he shows first by this word "today" that we must not ignore the opportunity while we have it: for that word is not to be limited to David’s time, but it encompasses all the time in which God calls us.

Verse 13

3:13 But exhort one another daily, {i} while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

(i) While today lasts, that is to say, so long as the gospel is offered to us.

Verse 14

3:14 {8} For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the {k} beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

(8) Now he considers these words, "If you hear his voice" showing that they are spoken and meant of the hearing of faith, opposite which he places hardening through unbelief.

(k) That beginning of trust and confidence: in the speech of the Hebrews, he calls "beginning" that which is chiefest.

Verse 15

3:15 {l} While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

(l) So long as this voice sounds out.