Jesus Our Apostle and High Priest
The author compares Jesus to Moses, presenting Jesus...
The author compares Jesus to Moses, presenting Jesus as the ultimate example of faithfulness. Moses is a respected figure in Judaism, but this highlights Jesus's unmatched greatness.
1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.†
Jesus deserves more glory for two reasons: A...
Jesus deserves more glory for two reasons:
A person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. The Messiah is the one who builds God’s house (see 2 Samuel 7:13). This implies that Moses is part of the house (God’s people) that God has built.
While Moses was a servant in God’s house, Christ, as the Son, is the heir in charge of God’s entire house. Sons have a higher status than household servants.
A person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. The Messiah is the one who builds God’s house (see 2 Samuel 7:13). This implies that Moses is part of the house (God’s people) that God has built.
While Moses was a servant in God’s house, Christ, as the Son, is the heir in charge of God’s entire house. Sons have a higher status than household servants.
3For Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4And every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
5Now Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,† testifying to what would be spoken later. 6But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly† to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.
Do Not Harden Your Hearts
This passage serves as a warning, showing the...
This passage serves as a warning, showing the negative example of those who wandered in the wilderness for forty years and died there. The wilderness wanderings symbolize disobedience to God and its consequences (see Numbers 32:7–11; Deuteronomy 1:19–35; Psalm 106:24–26).
7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you hear His voice,8do not harden your hearts,as you did in the rebellion,in the day of testing in the wilderness,
Even after witnessing the miracles God performed for...
Even after witnessing the miracles God performed for them, the people of Israel tested God's patience by not trusting him in the wilderness (Numbers 14:11, 22). Their rebellion stemmed from their hearts consistently turning away from God. They did not want to obey God. As a result, God became angry with them.
The Peril of Unbelief
The author of Hebrews points to important words...
The author of Hebrews points to important words from Psalm 95. These include heart, today, hear, enter, rest, and unbelief. In the ancient world, Bible teachers would cite a passage from the Old Testament and then explain it. They often highlighted key words from the passage, much like preachers do today. This style of explanation was called midrash (a type of Jewish Bible interpretation).
12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. 13But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first. 15As it has been said:
“Today, if you hear His voice,do not harden your hearts,as you did in the rebellion.”†
These verses use a series of quick questions...
These verses use a series of quick questions and answers, a common rhetorical method. The three questions follow the ideas in Psalm 95:8–11: The people of Israel rebelled against God, God was angry, and God swore they would never enter his rest. The answers come from other Old Testament passages about the Israelites' rebellion in the wilderness (Numbers 14; Deuteronomy 9; Psalm 106). The author emphasizes the severe consequences of disobeying God.
16For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? 19So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter.