Hebrews Chapter 3

God’s King-Son – 3:1-19

Jesus is a more faithful High Priest (1-6)

Therefore– Because of the magnificence of God’s King-Son.

Holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling – Clearly believers are the ones addressed. Partakers is the word metochoi, first mentioned in 1:9 and mentioned two times in this chapter (also in verse 14).

Consider Jesus, the Apostle – Apostle means a delegate or messenger who has been sent forth with orders.

High Priest of our confession – Jesus is our royal high priest to whom the Hebrews had publicly affirmed their belief.

Being faithful to Him who appointed Him as Moses also was in all his house – Jesus was, and currently is, faithful to God in His priestly role. Moses’ house is probably a reference to the tabernacle in which Moses served.

For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house – The creator of a building always gets more glory than the building itself. Moses served faithfully in the tabernacle but it was Jesus who designed that system of worship.

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God – If God built everything, and Jesus Christ built God’s house, Jesus is God!

Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant… Moses functioned as a servant in the tabernacle which was a picture of God’s greater house.

Christ was faithful as a Son over His house – Jesus will not serve in His house but will reign overit as King.

Whose house we are – This is probably not referring to the church as the body of Christ but more likely to the privilege believers have in their priestly functions and worship. A believer can never be removed from the body of Christ but he or she can be removed from their place of privilege.

If we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end – “The writer’s point… was that his readers should follow the example of faithfulness to God that Moses and

Jesus set or they could lose their privilege as priests.”
Dr. Tom Constable

The Catastrophe of Unbelief (7-11)

This quotation from Psalm 95 is repeated three times in Hebrews Chapters 3 and 4 (3:7-11, 3:15, and 4:7). The emphasis is on the word “today” which occurs five times in these two chapters. “Today” stresses the urgency of immediate action!

As in the day of trial in the wilderness – The remainder of chapters 3 and chapter 4 use the wilderness generation at Kadesh Barnea (Numbers 13-21) as the back-drop and illustration of the danger and consequences of unbelief. Numbers 32:6-15 is a brief recap of the results of this sin.

They shall not enter my rest – “For Israel, “rest” meant the enjoyment of all that God had promised the nation, not just entrance into the Promised Land.” Dr. Tom Constable For us, as Christians, rest is the enjoyment of all that God has promised us, not just going to heaven.

The Second Warning – 3:12-4:16

Take care brethren – The warning is to believers about the danger of apostasy (to depart from).

An evil unbelieving heart – If we do not guard our hearts we have the potential to find ourselves in this condition; falling away from God.

But encourage one another day after day as long as it is called today – Continual, regular encouragement in godliness between believers is crucial in avoiding a heart that becomes hardened by sin.

For we have become partakers of Christ if… The “if” is a 3rd class conditional meaning it may or may not happen in the future. Eternal life is a free gift received by faith, whereas being a partaker (companion) with Christ requires perseverance in our assurance until the end.

For who provoked when they had heard? –

-Those who came out of Egypt

-Those who sinned

-Those who were disobedient

The result – They did not enter the promised rest

The reason - Unbelief