@Heb 3:1-19. THE SON OF GOD GREATER THAN MOSES, WHEREFORE UNBELIEF TOWARDS HIM WILL INCUR A HEAVIER PUNISHMENT THAN BEFELL UNBELIEVING ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS.
As Moses especially was the prophet by whom "God in times past spake to the fathers," being the mediator of the law, Paul deems it necessary now to show that, great as was Moses, the Son of God is greater. EBRARD in ALFORD remarks, The angel of the covenant came in the name of God before Israel; Moses in the name of Israel before God; whereas the high priest came both in the name of God (bearing the name JEHOVAH on his forehead) before Israel, and in the name of Israel (bearing the names of the twelve tribes on his breast) before God (@Ex 28:9-29,36,38). Now Christ is above the angels, according to the first and second chapters because (1) as Son of God He is higher; and (2) because manhood, though originally lower than angels, is in Him exalted above them to the lordship of "the world to come," inasmuch as He is at once Messenger of God to men, and also atoning Priest-Representative of men before God (@Heb 2:17,18). Parallel with this line of argument as to His superiority to angels (@Heb 1:4) runs that which here follows as to His superiority to Moses (@Heb 3:3): (1) because as Son over the house; He is above the servant in the house (@Heb 3:5,6), just as the angels were shown to be but ministering (serving) spirits (@Heb 1:14), whereas He is the Son (@Heb 3:7,8); (2) because the bringing of Israel into the promised rest, which was not finished by Moses, is accomplished by Him (@Heb 4:1-11), through His being not merely a leader and lawgiver as Moses, but also a propitiatory High Priest (@Heb 4:14 5:10).
1. Wherefore--Greek, "Whence," that is, seeing we have such a
sympathizing Helper you ought to "consider attentively," "contemplate";
fix your eyes and mind on Him with a view to profiting by the
contemplation (@Heb 12:2). The Greek word is often used by
Luke, Paul's companion (@Lu 12:24,27).
brethren--in Christ, the common bond of union.
partakers--"of the Holy Ghost."
heavenly calling--coming to us from heaven, and leading us to heaven
whence it comes. @Php 3:14, "the high calling"; Greek "the calling
above," that is, heavenly.
the Apostle and High Priest of our profession--There is but one
Greek article to both nouns, "Him who is at once Apostle and High
Priest"--Apostle, as Ambassador (a higher designation than
"angel"-messenger)
sent by the Father (@Joh 20:21), pleading the
cause of God with us; High Priest, as pleading our cause
with God. Both His Apostleship and High Priesthood are comprehended
in the one title, Mediator
[BENGEL].
Though the title "Apostle" is
nowhere else applied to Christ, it is appropriate here in addressing
Hebrews, who used the term of the delegates sent by the high priest to
collect the temple tribute from Jews resident in foreign countries, even
as Christ was Delegate of the Father to this world far off from Him
(@Mt 21:37). Hence as what applies to Him, applies also to His
people, the Twelve are designated His apostles, even as He is the
Father's (@Joh 20:21). It was desirable to avoid designating Him
here "angel," in order to distinguish His nature from that of angels
mentioned before, though he is "the Angel of the Covenant." The "legate
of the Church" (Sheliach Tsibbur) offered up the prayers in the
synagogue in the name of all, and for all. So Jesus, "the Apostle of
our profession," is delegated to intercede for the Church before the
Father. The words "of our profession," mark that it is not of the legal
ritual, but of our Christian faith, that He is the High Priest. Paul
compares Him as an Apostle to Moses; as High Priest to Aaron. He
alone holds both offices combined, and in a more eminent degree than
either, which those two brothers held apart.
profession--"confession," corresponds to God having spoken to us
by His Son, sent as Apostle and High Priest. What God proclaims we
confess.
2. He first notes the feature of resemblance between Moses and
Christ, in order to conciliate the Hebrew Christians whom He addressed,
and who still entertained a very high opinion of Moses; he afterwards
brings forward Christ's superiority to Moses.
Who was faithful--The Greek implies also that He still is
faithful, namely, as our mediating High Priest, faithful to the trust
God has assigned Him (@Heb 2:17). So Moses in God's house (@Nu 12:7).
appointed him--"made Him" HIGH
PRIEST; to be supplied from the
preceding context. Greek, "made"; so in @Heb 5:5 1Sa 12:6,
Margin; @Ac 2:36; so the Greek fathers. Not as
ALFORD, with
AMBROSE and the Latins, "created Him," that is, as man, in His
incarnation. The likeness of Moses to Messiah was foretold by Moses
himself (@De 18:15). Other prophets only explained Moses, who
was in this respect superior to them; but Christ was like Moses, yet
superior.
3. For--assigning the reason why they should "consider" attentively
"Christ" (@Heb 3:1), highly as they regard Moses who resembled Him
in faithfulness (@Heb 3:2).
was--Greek, "has been."
counted worthy of more glory--by God, when He exalted Him to His own
right hand. The Hebrew Christians admitted the fact (@Heb 1:13).
builded the house--Greek, "inasmuch as He hath more honor than
the house, who prepared it," or "established it"
[ALFORD]. The
Greek verb is used purposely instead of "builded," in order to mark
that the building meant is not a literal, but a spiritual house: the
Church both of the Old Testament and New Testament; and that the
building of such a house includes all the preparations of providence
and grace needed to furnish it with "living stones" and fitting
"servants." Thus, as Christ the Founder and Establisher (in Old
Testament as well as the New Testament) is greater than the house so
established, including the servants, He is greater also than Moses, who
was but a "servant." Moses, as a servant, is a portion of the house, and
less than the house; Christ, as the Instrumental Creator of all things,
must be God, and so greater than the house of which Moses was but a
part. Glory is the result of honor.
4. Someone must be the establisher of every house; Moses was not the establisher of the house, but a portion of it (but He who established all things, and therefore the spiritual house in question, is God). Christ, as being instrumentally the Establisher of all things, must be the Establisher of the house, and so greater than Moses.
5. faithful in all his house--that is in all GOD'S house
(@Heb 3:4).
servant--not here the Greek for "slave," but "a ministering
attendant"; marking the high office of Moses towards God, though
inferior to Christ, a kind of steward.
for a testimony of, &c.--in order that he might in his typical
institutions give "testimony" to Israel "of the things" of the Gospel
"which were to be spoken afterwards" by Christ
(@Heb 8:5 9:8,23 10:1).
6. But Christ--was and is faithful (@Heb 3:2).
as a son over his own house--rather, "over His (GOD'S,
@Heb 3:4) house"; and therefore, as the inference from His being
one with God, over His own house. So @Heb 10:21, "having an High
Priest over the house of God." Christ enters His Father's house as
the Master [OVER it], but Moses as a servant
[IN it, @Heb 3:2,5]
[CHRYSOSTOM]. An ambassador in the absence of the king is very
distinguished--in the presence of the king he falls back into the
multitude [BENGEL].
whose house are we--Paul and his Hebrew readers. One old manuscript,
with Vulgate and LUCIFER, reads, "which house"; but the weightiest
manuscripts support English Version reading.
the rejoicing--rather, "the matter of rejoicing."
of the hope--"of our hope." Since all our good things lie in
hopes, we ought so to hold fast our hopes as already to rejoice, as
though our hopes were realized [CHRYSOSTOM].
firm unto the end--omitted in LUCIFER and
AMBROSE, and in one oldest
manuscript, but supported by most oldest manuscripts.
7-11. Exhortation from @Ps 95:7-11, not through unbelief to lose
participation in the spiritual house. Seeing that we are the house of
God if we hold fast our confidence . . . (@Heb 3:6). Jesus is
"faithful," be not ye unfaithful (@Heb 3:2,12). The sentence
beginning with "wherefore," interrupted by the parenthesis confirming
the argument from @Ps 95:7-11, is completed at @Heb 3:12, "Take
heed," &c.
Holy Ghost saith--by the inspired Psalmist; so that the words of the
latter are the words of God Himself.
To-day--at length; in David's day, as contrasted with the days of
Moses in the wilderness, and the whole time since then, during which
they had been rebellious against God's voice; as for instance, in the
wilderness (@Heb 3:8). The Psalm, each fresh time when used in
public worship, by "to-day," will mean the particular day when it was,
or is, used.
hear--obediently.
his voice--of grace.
8. Harden not your hearts--This phrase here only is used of man's
own act; usually of God's act (@Ro 9:18). When man is spoken of
as the agent in hardening, the phrase usually is, "harden his neck," or
"back" (@Ne 9:17).
provocation . . . temptation--"Massah-meribah," translated in
Margin "tentation . . . chiding," or "strife" (@Ex 17:1-7). Both
names seem to refer to that one event, the murmuring of the people
against the Lord at Rephidim for want of water. The first offense
especially ought to be guarded against, and is the most severely
reproved, as it is apt to produce many more. @Nu 20:1-13 and
@De 33:8 mention a second similar occasion in the wilderness of Sin,
near Kadesh, also called Meribah.
in the day--Greek, "according to the day of."
9. When--rather, "Where," namely, in the wilderness.
your fathers--The authority of the ancients is not conclusive
[BENGEL].
tempted me, proved me--The oldest manuscripts read, "tempted (Me) in
the way of testing," that is, putting (Me) to the proof whether I
was able and willing to relieve them, not believing that I am so.
saw my works forty years--They saw, without being led thereby to
repentance, My works of power partly in affording miraculous help,
partly in executing vengeance, forty years. The "forty years" joined in
the Hebrew and Septuagint, and below, @Heb 3:17, with "I
was grieved," is here joined with "they saw." Both are true; for, during
the same forty years that they were tempting God by unbelief,
notwithstanding their seeing God's miraculous works, God was being
grieved. The lesson intended to be hinted to the Hebrew Christians
is, their "to-day" is to last only between the first preaching of the
Gospel and Jerusalem's impending overthrow, namely,
FORTY YEARS; exactly
the number of years of Israel's sojourn in the wilderness, until the
full measure of their guilt having been filled up all the rebels were
overthrown.
10. grieved--displeased. Compare "walk contrary," @Le 26:24,28.
that generation--"that" implies alienation and estrangement. But
the oldest manuscripts read, "this."
said--"grieved," or "displeased," at their first offense.
Subsequently when they hardened their heart in unbelief still more, He
sware in His wrath (@Heb 3:11); an ascending gradation
(compare @Heb 3:17,18).
and they have not known--Greek, "But these very persons," &c.
They perceived I was displeased with them, yet they, the same persons,
did not a whit the more wish to know my ways
[BENGEL]; compare "but
they," @Ps 106:43.
not known my ways--not known practically and believingly the ways in
which I would have had them go, so as to reach My rest (@Ex 18:20).
11. So--literally, "as."
I sware--BENGEL remarks the oath of God preceded the forty years.
not--literally, "If they shall enter . . . (God do so to me and more
also)," @2Sa 3:35. The Greek is the same, @Mr 8:12.
my rest--Canaan, primarily, their rest after wandering in the
wilderness: still, even when in it, they never fully enjoyed rest;
whence it followed that the threat extended farther than the exclusion
of the unbelieving from the literal land of rest, and that the rest
promised to the believing in its full blessedness was, and is, yet
future: @Ps 25:13 37:9,11,22,29, and Christ's own beatitude
(@Mt 5:5) all accord with this, @Heb 3:9.
12. Take heed--to be joined with "wherefore," @Heb 3:7.
lest there be--Greek (indicative), "lest there shall be";
lest there be, as I fear there is; implying that it is not merely a
possible contingency, but that there is ground for thinking
it will be so.
in any--"in any one of you." Not merely ought all in general be on
their guard, but they ought to be so concerned for the safety of
each one member, as not to suffer any one to perish through their
negligence [CALVIN].
heart--The heart is not to be trusted. Compare @Heb 3:10, "They
do always err in their heart."
unbelief--faithlessness. Christ is faithful; therefore, saith
Paul to the Hebrews, we ought not to be faithless as our fathers
were under Moses.
departing--apostatizing. The opposite of "come unto" Him
(@Heb 4:16). God punishes such apostates in kind. He departs from
them--the worst of woes.
the living God--real: the distinctive characteristic of the God of
Israel, not like the lifeless gods of the heathen; therefore One whose
threats are awful realities. To apostatize from Christ is to apostatize
from the living God (@Heb 2:3).
13. one another--Greek, "yourselves"; let each exhort himself
and his neighbor.
daily--Greek, "on each day," or "day by day."
while it is called To-day--while the "to-day" lasts (the day of
grace, @Lu 4:21, before the coming of the day of glory and judgment
at Christ's coming, @Heb 10:25,37). To-morrow is the day when idle
men work, and fools repent. To-morrow is Satan's to-day; he cares not
what good resolutions you form, if only you fix them for to-morrow.
lest . . . of you--The "you" is emphatic, as distinguished from
"your fathers" (@Heb 3:9). "That from among you no one
(so the Greek order is in some of the oldest manuscripts) be hardened"
(@Heb 3:8).
deceitfulness--causing you to "err in your heart."
sin--unbelief.
14. For, &c.--enforcing the warning, @Heb 3:12.
partakers of Christ--(Compare @Heb 3:1,6). So "partakers of the
Holy Ghost" (@Heb 6:4).
hold--Greek, "hold fast."
the beginning of our confidence--that is, the confidence (literally,
substantial, solid confidence) of faith which we have begun
(@Heb 6:11 12:2). A Christian so long as he is not
made perfect, considers himself as a
beginner [BENGEL].
unto the end--unto the coming of Christ (@Heb 12:2).
15. While it is said--connected with @Heb 3:13, "exhort one another . . . while it is said, To-day": @Heb 3:14, "for we are made partakers," &c. being a parenthesis. "It entirely depends on yourselves that the invitation of the ninety-fifth Psalm be not a mere invitation, but also an actual enjoyment." ALFORD translates, "Since (that is, 'for') it is said," &c. regarding @Heb 3:15 as a proof that we must "hold . . . confidence . . . unto the end," in order to be "partakers of Christ."
16. For some--rather interrogatively, "For WHO was it that, when
they had heard (referring to 'if ye will hear,' @Heb 3:15), did
provoke (God)?" The "For" implies, Ye need to take heed against
unbelief: for, was it not because of unbelief that all our fathers were
excluded (@Eze 2:3)? "Some," and "not all," would be a faint way of
putting his argument, when his object is to show the universality of
the evil. Not merely some, but all the Israelites, for the
solitary exceptions, Joshua and Caleb, are hardly to be taken into
account in so general a statement. So @Heb 3:17,18, are
interrogative: (1) the beginning of the provocation, soon after the
departure from Egypt, is marked in @Heb 3:16; (2) the forty years of
it in the wilderness, @Heb 3:17; (3) the denial of entrance into the
land of rest, @Heb 3:18. Compare Note,
see on 1Co 10:5,
"with the majority of them God was displeased."
howbeit--"Nay (why need I put the question?), was it not all that came
out of Egypt?" (@Ex 17:1,2).
by Moses--by the instrumentality of Moses as their leader.
17. But--Translate, "Moreover," as it is not in contrast to
@Heb 3:16, but carrying out the same thought.
corpses--literally, "limbs," implying that their bodies fell limb from
limb.
18. to them that believed not--rather as Greek, "to them that disobeyed." Practical unbelief (@De 1:26).
19. they could not enter--though desiring it.