查經資料大全

 

| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index |

 

Hebrews Chapter Three

 

Hebrews 3

Thus the Lord is set before us as the Apostle and High Priest of believers from among the Jews the true people. I say "from among the Jews " not that He is not our Priest but that here the sacred writer places himself among the believing Jews saying "our;" and instead of speaking of himself as and apostle he points out Jesus as the Apostle; which He was in Person among the Jews. In principle it is true of all believers. That which He has said is the Lord's word and He is able to succour us when we are tempted. We are His house.

For we have here a third character of Christ. He is a "Son over his house." Moses was faithful in all the house of God as a servant in testimony to the things that were afterwards to be proclaimed. But Christ is over God's house; but it is not as a servant but as a Son. He has built the house He is God.

Moses identified himself with the house faithful therein in all things. But Christ is more excellent; even as he who builds the house is more excellent than the house. He who builds all things is God. And this is what Christ did.For in fact the house (that is the tabernacle in the wilderness) was a figure of the universe; and Christ passed through the heavens as the high priest passed into the sanctuary. All was cleansed with blood even as God will reconcile all thins by Christ in the heavens and on the earth. In a certain sense this universe is the house of God. He deigns to inhabit it. Christ created it all. But there is a house which is more properly His own. We are His house taking it for granted that we persevere to the end.

The Hebrew Christians were in danger-being attracted by their former habits and by a law and ceremonies which God Himself had established-of forsaking a Christianity in which Christ was not visible for things that were visible and palpable. The Christ of Christians far from being a crown of glory to the people was only an object of faith so that if faith failed He was deprived of all importance to them. A religion that made itself seen (the "old wine") naturally attracted those that had been accustomed to it.

But in fact Christ was much more excellent than Moses as he who has built the house had more honour than the house Now this house was the figure of all things and He who had built them was God. The passage gives us this view of Christ and of the house and also says that we are this house. And Christ is not the servant here; He is the Son over God's house.

We must always remember that which has been already remarked namely that in this epistle we have no the assembly as the body of Christ in union with Himself; nor even the Father either except as a comparison in chapter 12. It is God a heavenly Christ (who is the Son of God) and a people the Messiah being a heavenly Mediator between the people and God. Therefore the proper privileges of the assembly are not found in this epistle-they flow from our union with Christ; and here Christ is a Person apart who is between us and God on high while we are here.

There are still a few remarks which we may add here in order to throw light on this point and to assist the reader in understanding the first two chapters as well as the principle of the instructions throughout the epistle.

In chapter 1 Christ accomplishes by Himself as a part of His divine glory the purification of sins and seats Himself at the right hand of God. This work observe is done by Himself. We have nothing to do with it save to believe in and enjoy it. It is a divine work which this divine Person has accomplished by Himself; so that it has all the absolute perfection all the force of a work done by Him without any mixture of our weakness of our efforts or of our experiences. He performed it by Himself and it is accomplished. Thereupon He takes His seat. he is not placed there-He seats Himself upon the throne on high.

In chapter 2 we see another point which characterises the epistle-the present state of the glorified Man. He is crowned with glory and honour; but it is with a view to an order of things which is not yet accomplished. It is the Person of the Man Christ which is presented not the assembly in union with Him even when He is beheld as glorified in the heavens This glory is viewed as a partial accomplishment of that which belongs to Him according to the counsels of God as the Son of man. hereafter this glory will be complete in all its parts by the subjugation of all things.

The present glory therefore of Christ makes us look forward to an order of things yet future which will be full rest full blessing. In a word bedsides the perfection of His work the epistle sets before us the sequel of that which belongs to Christ in Person the Son of man not the perfection of the assembly in Him. And this embraces the present time the character of which to the believer depends on Christ's being now glorified in heaven while waiting for a future state in which all things will be subjected to Him.

In this chapter 2 we see also that He is crowned. He is not seen sitting there as in His original right though He had that glory before the world was but having been made a little less than the angels God crowns Him. We also plainly see that although the believing Hebrews are especially in view and even all Christians are classed under the title of Abraham's seed on the earth yet that Christ is viewed nevertheless as the Son of man and not as the Son of David; and the question is put "What is man?" The answer (the precious answer for us) is Christ glorified once dead on account of man's condition. In Him we see the mind of God with regard to man.

The fact that Christians themselves are viewed as the seed of Abraham plainly shews the way in which they are considered as forming part of the chain of the heirs of promise on earth (as in Rom 11) and not as the assembly united to Christ as His body in heaven.

The work is perfect; it is the work of God. He has by Himself made purification of sins. The full result of the counsels of God with regard to the Son of man is not yet come. Thus the earthly part can be brought in as a thing foreseen as well as the heavenly part although the persons to whom the epistle is addressed had part in the heavenly glory-participated in the heavenly calling-in connection with the present position of the Son of man.

The remnant of the Jews as we have said are considered as continuing the chain of the people blessed on earth whatever heavenly privileges they may also possess or whatever their especial state may be in connection with the Messiah's exaltation to heaven. We have been grafted into the good olive-tree so that we share all the advantages here spoken of. Our highest position and the privileges belonging to it are not here in view. Accordingly as writing to Hebrews and as one among them he addresses them that is to say Christians and believing Israelites. This is the force of the word "us" in the epistle; we must bear it in mind and that the Hebrew believers always form the word "us" of which the writer is also a part.

No one ought to harden his heart; but this word is especially addressed to Israel and that until the day when Christ shall appear. In speaking of it the author returns to the word that had formerly been addressed to Israel; not now in order to warn them of the danger they would incur by neglecting it. but of the consequences of departing from that which they had acknowledged to be true. Israel when delivered out of Egypt had provoked God in the wilderness (it was indeed the case also of Christians in this world) because they were not at once and without difficulty in Canaan.Those to whom he wrote were in danger of forsaking the living God in the same way; that is the danger was there before their eyes. They should rather exhort each other while it was still called to-day in order that they might not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.This word "to-day" is the expression of the patient activity of God's grace towards Israel even unto the end. The people were unbelieving; they have hardened their hearts; they have done so and will alas! do so to the end until judgment come in the Person of the Messiah-Jehovah whom they have despise. But until then God loves to reiterate "Today if ye will hear my voice." It may be that only a few will hearken; it may be that the nation is judicially hardened in order to admit the Gentiles; but the word "today" still resounds for every one among them who has ears to hear until the Lord shall appear in judgment. It is addressed to the people according to the long-suffering of God. For the remnant who had believed it was an especial warning not to walk in the ways of the hardened people who had refused to hearken-not to turn back to them forsaking their own confidence in the word which had called them as Israel did in the wilderness.

As long as the "today" of the call of grace should continue they were to exhort one another lest unbelief should glide into their hearts through the subtlety of sin. It is thus that the living God is forsaken. We speak thus practically not with reference to the faithfulness of God who certainly will not allow any of His own to perish but with regard to practical danger and to that which would draw us away-as to our responsibility-from God and for ever if God did not intervene acting in the life which He has given us and which never perishes.

Sin separates us from God in our thoughts; we have no longer the same sense either of His love His power or His interest in us. Confidence is lost Hope and the value of unseen things diminish; while the value of things that are seen proportionately increases. The conscience is bad; one is not at ease with God. The path is hard and difficult; the will strengthens itself against Him. We no longer live by faith; visible things come in between us and God and take possession of the heart. Where there is life God warns by His Spirit (as in this epistle) He chastises and restores. Where it was only an outward influence a faith devoid of life and the conscience not reached it is abandoned.

It is the warning against so doing that arrests the living. The dead-they whose consciences are not engaged who do not say "To whom shall we go? thou has the words of eternal life"-despise the warning and perish. This was the case with Israel in the wilderness and God sware unto them that they should not enter into His rest. (Num 14:21-23) And why? They had given up their confidence in Him. Their unbelief-when the beauty and excellence of the land had been reported to them-deprived them of the promised rest.

The position of the believers to whom this epistle is addressed was the same as this although in connection with better promises. The beauty and excellence of the heavenly Canaan had been proclaimed to them. The had by the Spirit seen and tasted its fruits; they were in the wilderness; they had to persevere to maintain their confidence unto the end.

Observe her-for Satan and our own conscience when it has not been set free often make use of this epistle-that doubting Christians are not here contemplated or persons who have not yet gained entire confidence in God: to those who are in this condition its exhortations and warnings have no application. These exhortations are to preserve the Christian in a confidence which he has and to preserve not to tranquillise fears and doubts. This use of the epistle to sanction such doubts is but a device of the enemy. Only I would add here that although the full knowledge of grace (which in such a case the soul has assuredly not yet attained) is the only thing that can deliver and set it free from its fears yet it is very important in this case practically to maintain a good conscience in order not to furnish the enemy with a special means of attack.

── John DarbySynopsis of Hebrews

 

Hebrews 3

Chapter Contents

The superior worth and dignity of Christ above Moses is shown. (1-6) The Hebrews are warned of the sin and danger of unbelief. (7-13) And of necessity of faith in Christ and of stedfastly following him. (14-19)

Commentary on Hebrews 3:1-6

(Read Hebrews 3:1-6)

Christ is to be considered as the Apostle of our profession the Messenger sent by God to men the great Revealer of that faith which we profess to hold and of that hope which we profess to have. As Christ the Messiah anointed for the office both of Apostle and High Priest. As Jesus our Saviour our Healer the great Physician of souls. Consider him thus. Consider what he is in himself what he is to us and what he will be to us hereafter and for ever. Close and serious thoughts of Christ bring us to know more of him. The Jews had a high opinion of the faithfulness of Moses yet his faithfulness was but a type of Christ's. Christ was the Master of this house of his church his people as well as their Maker. Moses was a faithful servant; Christ as the eternal Son of God is rightful Owner and Sovereign Ruler of the Church. There must not only be setting out well in the ways of Christ but stedfastness and perseverance therein to the end. Every meditation on his person and his salvation will suggest more wisdom new motives to love confidence and obedience.

Commentary on Hebrews 3:7-13

(Read Hebrews 3:7-13)

Days of temptation are often days of provocation. But to provoke God when he is letting us see that we entirely depend and live upon him is a provocation indeed. The hardening of the heart is the spring of all other sins. The sins of others especially of our relations should be warnings to us. All sin especially sin committed by God's professing privileged people not only provokes God but it grieves him. God is loth to destroy any in or for their sin; he waits long to be gracious to them. But sin long persisted in will make God's wrath discover itself in destroying the impenitent; there is no resting under the wrath of God. "Take heed:" all who would get safe to heaven must look about them; if once we allow ourselves to distrust God we may soon desert him. Let those that think they stand take heed lest they fall. Since to-morrow is not ours we must make the best improvement of this day. And there are none even the strongest of the flock who do not need help of other Christians. Neither are there any so low and despised but the care of their standing in the faith and of their safety belongs to all. Sin has so many ways and colours that we need more eyes than ours own. Sin appears fair but is vile; it appears pleasant but is destructive; it promises much but performs nothing. The deceitfulness of sin hardens the soul; one sin allowed makes way for another; and every act of sin confirms the habit. Let every one beware of sin.

Commentary on Hebrews 3:14-19

(Read Hebrews 3:14-19)

The saints' privilege is they are made partakers of Christ that is of the Spirit the nature graces righteousness and life of Christ; they are interested in all Christ is in all he has done or will do. The same spirit with which Christians set out in the ways of God they should maintain unto the end. Perseverance in faith is the best evidence of the sincerity of our faith. Hearing the word often is a means of salvation yet if not hearkened to it will expose more to the Divine wrath. The happiness of being partakers of Christ and his complete salvation and the fear of God's wrath and eternal misery should stir us up to persevere in the life of obedient faith. Let us beware of trusting to outward privileges or professions and pray to be numbered with the true believers who enter heaven when all others fail because of unbelief. As our obedience follows according to the power of our faith so our sins and want of care are according to the prevailing of unbelief in us.

── Matthew HenryConcise Commentary on Hebrews

 

Hebrews 3

Verse 1

[1] Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession Christ Jesus;

The heavenly calling — God calls from heaven and to heaven by the gospel.

Consider the Apostle — The messenger of God who pleads the cause of God with us.

And High Priest — Who pleads our cause with God. Both are contained in the one word Mediator. He compares Christ as an Apostle with Moses; as a Priest with Aaron. Both these offices which Moses and Aaron severally bore he bears together and far more eminently.

Of our profession — The religion we profess.

Verse 2

[2] Who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

His house — The church of Israel then the peculiar family of God. Numbers 12:7.

Verse 3

[3] 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.

He that hath builded it hath more glory than the house — Than the family itself or any member of it.

Verse 4

[4] For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

Now Christ he that built not only this house but all things is God - And so infinitely greater than Moses or any creature.

Verse 5

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

And Moses verily — Another proof of the pre-eminence of Christ above Moses.

Was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of the things which were afterwards to be spoken — That is which was a full confirmation of the things which he afterward spake concerning Christ.

Verse 6

[6] But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

But Christ was faithful as a Son; whose house we are while we hold fast and shall be unto the end if we hold fast our confidence in God and glorying in his promises; our faith and hope.

Verse 7

[7] Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voice

Wherefore — Seeing he is faithful be not ye unfaithful. Psalms 95:7 etc.

Verse 8

[8] Harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

As in the provocation — When Israel provoked me by their strife and murmurings.

In the day of temptation — When at the same time they tempted me by distrusting my power and goodness. Exodus 17:7.

Verse 9

[9] When your fathers tempted me proved me and saw my works forty years.

Where your fathers — That hard-hearted and stiff-necked generation. So little cause had their descendants to glory in them.

Tempted me — Whether I could and would help them.

Proved me — Put my patience to the proof even while they saw my glorious works both of judgment and mercy and that for forty years.

Verse 10

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

Wherefore — To speak after the manner of men.

I was grieved — Displeased offended with that generation and said They always err in their hearts - They are led astray by their stubborn will and vile affections.

And — For this reason because wickedness has blinded their understanding.

They have not known my ways — By which I would have led them like a flock.

Into my rest — In the promised land.

Verse 12

[12] Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.

Take heed lest there be in any of you — As there was in them.

An evil heart of unbelief — Unbelief is the parent of all evil and the very essence of unbelief lies in departing from God as the living God - The fountain of all our life holiness happiness.

Verse 13

[13] But exhort one another daily while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

But to prevent it exhort one another while it is called To-day - This to-day will not last for ever. The day of life will end soon and perhaps the day of grace yet sooner.

Verse 14

[14] For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

For we are made partakers of Christ — And we shall still partake of him and all his benefits if we hold fast our faith unto the end. If - But not else; and a supposition made by the Holy Ghost is equal to the strongest assertion. Both the sentiment and the manner of expression are the same as Hebrews 3:6.

Verse 16

[16] For some when they had heard did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

Were they not all that came out of Egypt — An awful consideration! The whole elect people of God (a very few excepted) provoked God presently after their great deliverance continued to grieve his Spirit for forty years and perished in their sin!

Verse 19

[19] So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

So we see they could not enter in — Though afterward they desired it.

── John WesleyExplanatory Notes on Hebrews

 

Chapter 3. Faithful Servant

As Long As It Is Called "Today"
Encourage One Another Daily

I. Worthy of Greater Honor than Moses

  1. Builder and the House
  2. God Different from Men
  3. Son vs. Servant

II. Warning against Heart-hardener

  1. The Second Warning
  2. What to Hear
  3. Often Test God

III. Never Enter Rest

  1. Out of Egypt
  2. Fall in the Desert
  3. Never Enter Canaan

── Chih-Hsin ChangAn Outline of The New Testament

                             
The Supremacy Of Jesus Over Moses (3:1-6)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. We have seen that the writer to the Hebrews sought to encourage 
   faithfulness to Jesus by illustrating His superiority...
   a. Over prophets - He 1:1-3
   b. Over angels - He 1:4-2:18
   -- Both of which were very important to the Jewish people
 
2. Highly revered also by the Hebrews was Moses...
   a. The author of the first five books of the Old Testament
   b. The deliverer
who led them out of Egyptian bondage and to the 
      promised land
   c. The Law-giver
through whom God revealed so much of the Jewish 
      religion
 
3. If the writer was to be successful in encouraging his brethren to 
   remain faithful to Jesus...
   a. He would have to compare Jesus with Moses
   b. He would have to illustrate "The Supremacy Of Jesus Over Moses"
   -- This he does
especially in He 3:1-6
which serves as the text 
      of our study
 
[In the first verse
we note the...]
 
I. THE CALL TO CONSIDER JESUS (1)
 
   A. TO WHOM THIS CALL IS GIVEN...
      1. The readers are described as:
         a. "holy brethren"
            1) I.e.
brethren who are sanctified
set apart for a holy
               purpose
            2) Cf. what was written in He 2:10-11
            3) It is to the brethren of Christ that these things are 
               being written!
         b. "partakers of the heavenly calling"
            1) They had come to share in the call from heaven
            2) This "calling" was the call of the gospel
               a) For that is how God calls us - 2 Th 2:13-14
               b) It is a call to glory - 2 Th 2:14; 1 Th 2:12
      2. Clearly the original recipients were Christians!
         a. Some commentators try to reason that they were not
because
            of the warnings found throughout this epistle
         b. But it is evident they were
which is why we need to give 
            earnest heed to the warnings!
 
   B. TO CONSIDER JESUS AS APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST...
      1. How is Jesus an "apostle"?
         a. The word means "one sent"
         b. Just as Moses was sent by God
so was Jesus
as foretold by
            Moses and the prophets that followed! - Ac 3:22-26; cf. 
            Jn 7:16
      2. How is Jesus a "high priest"?
         a. That is one of the important themes of this epistle
            1) Introduced in He 2:17
            2) Expounded upon in detail later in He 4:14-7:28
         b. He has made "propitiation" (an appeasing sacrifice) for our
            sins
through offering Himself on the cross - He 7:26-27
         c. He continues to intercede on our behalf - He 7:24-25
      -- Thus Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest "of our confession"
         (i.e.
whom we confess as Christians)
 
[As we now note the actual comparison  of Jesus with Moses
we are told
that...]
 
II. JESUS IS GREATER IN HIS PERSON (2-4)
 
   A. THE ISSUE IS NOT ONE OF FAITHFULNESS...
      1. Jesus was faithful to the One who appointed Him - cf. Jn 17:4
      2. Moses likewise was faithful - cf. He 11:24-29; Num 12:6-8
 
   B. JESUS IS GREATER BECAUSE HE IS THE BUILDER (CREATOR)...
      1. Jesus is worthy of more glory
just as one who builds a house
         has more honor than the house itself
         a. Jesus is the builder
         b. Moses is part of the house itself
         -- Implying that what Moses did was in service to the work of
            the Son!
      2. Once again the author declares the deity of the Son as the 
         Creator of all things - cf. He 1:2c
10; 3:4
 
[The comparison continues as we note that...]
 
III. JESUS IS GREATER IN HIS MINISTRY (5-6)
 
   A. MOSES WAS A FAITHFUL "SERVANT"...
      1. We have already seen that issue is not one of faithfulness 
         - Num 12:6-8
      2. Moses' task was to testify of things to come
which he did 
         faithfully - e.g.
Deu 18:15-19; cf. Lk 24:44
 
   B. JESUS IS A FAITHFUL "SON"...
      1. Moses was simply a servant IN the house
Jesus is the Son OVER
         the house
      2. Not only did Jesus do the work He was sent to do (Jn 17:4)
         but He was given authority over all the things of God - cf. 
         Mt 28:18; Jn 3:35; Ep 1:22
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. How is Jesus superior to Moses?
   a. Not in faithfulness
but in person and service
   b. Moses was a servant in the house of God; Jesus is the builder of
      the house
and serves as the Son over the house!
   -- Indeed
Moses points us forward to Jesus (cf. Deu 18:15-19); for
      one to forsake Jesus in an attempt to go back to Moses alone is 
      to frustrate the desire of Moses himself!
 
2. Speaking of the house of God
of which Jesus is the builder and over
   which He presides...
   a. The writer to the Hebrews affirms that "we" are the house of 
      Christ
      1) Speaking of the church
which is the house of God - 1 Tim 3:15
      2) In Christ
we are now "members of the household of God"
and
         together with the faithful saints of old (including Moses) we 
         are now "fellow-citizens" in the commonwealth of Israel! 
         - cf. Ep 2:11-22
   b. Yet our status as the "house" is conditional!
      1) "whose house we are IF we hold fast...." - He 3:6
      2) We must hold fast "the confidence and the rejoicing of the 
         hope firm to the end."
 
Therefore the need for steadfastness
and the reason this epistle is 
filled with exhortations to that end!  Indeed
the next exhortation 
begins in verse 7
which we shall examine in our next lesson ("A
Warning From The Wilderness").
 
Is your faith wavering?  Then heed the words of this epistle and...
 
      "consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession
      Christ Jesus".
 
As you contemplate His person and His ministry
it should help you hold
fast to your confession of faith!

 

A Warning From The Wilderness (3:7-19)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In the previous study
we considered "The Supremacy Of Jesus Over 
   Moses"...
   a. Jesus was superior
not in faithfulness
but in His person and 
      service
   b. Moses was a servant in the house of God 
   c. Jesus
however
is the builder of the house
and serves as the 
      Son over the house!
 
2. In He 3:6
the writer to the Hebrews affirms that "we" are the house
   of Christ...
   a. Referring to the church
which is the house of God - 1 Tim 3:15
   b. For in Christ
we are now "members of the household of God"
and
      together with the faithful saints of old (including Moses) we are
      now "fellow-citizens" in the commonwealth of Israel! - cf. Ep 2:
      11-22
 
3. Yet our status as the "house" is conditional!
   a. "whose house we are IF we hold fast...." - He 3:6
   b. We must hold fast "the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope
      firm to the end."
 
4. The need for steadfastness explains the exhortations in this 
   epistle...
   a. We saw the first exhortation in He 2:1-4
regarding the danger of
      drifting
   b. Now we come to the second exhortation
regarding the danger of 
      departing from the living God - He 3:7-19
 
[To warn against the danger of departing
the writer appeals to...]
 
I. THE EXAMPLE OF ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS (7-11)
 
   A. ISRAEL HARDENED THEIR HEARTS...
      1. The quotation in verses 7-11 is from Psa 95:7-11
         a. In which the Holy Spirit warned Israel not to be like the 
            fathers in the wilderness
         b. A warning which the Hebrew writer found just as necessary
            in his day
      2. In the wilderness
the Israelites had...
         a. Hardened their hearts in rebelling against God
         b. Tested (tried) God with their lack of faith
      3. This they did many times during the forty years of wandering
         but especially...
         a. At the beginning
with the incident at Massah ("tempted") 
            and Meribah ("contention") - cf. Ex 17:1-7
         b. Toward the end
with the incident at Kadesh - Nu 27:14; 
            cf. 20:1-13
 
   B. THEREFORE THEY DID NOT ENTER GOD'S REST...
      1. God became angry with that generation in the wilderness for 
         their persistent rebellion - e.g.
Psa 106:13-33
      2. So God swore that they would not enter His rest - cf. Nu 14:
         22-24
26-35
         a. Of those over the age of 20 when they departed from Egypt
            only Caleb and Joshua entered the promised land
         b. The rest (of which there were 603
548 men) died in the 
            wilderness!
 
[Because of hardened hearts Israel departed from God which led to 
rebellion.  In turn
they fell short of the Canaan rest that had been 
promised them.
 
With "A Warning From The Wilderness" fresh on their minds
the writer
then exhorts his brethren by warning them of...]
 
II. THE DANGER OF DEPARTING (12-14)
 
   A. THERE IS A NEED TO "BEWARE"...
      1. A believer can develop "an evil heart of unbelief"
         a. Remember that the recipients of this epistle were "holy 
            brethren
partakers of the heavenly calling" - He 3:1
         b. The warning against developing a heart of unbelief presumes
            a real possibility
         c. Thus a "believer" can become an "unbeliever"!
      2. Unbelief is produced as one is "hardened through the 
         deceitfulness of sin"
         a. Sin is deceitful...
            1) Promising pleasure
power
and prestige
            2) In the short term that may be true
but such things are
               "passing" (temporary)
               - e.g.
He 11:25; 1 Jn 2:17
         b. Because of its deceitfulness
it is easy to become 
            "hardened"
            1) I.e.
to be stubborn and not heed the Word of God
            2) It happened to Israel
and it can happen to us!
      3. The consequence of unbelief is "departing from the living God"
         a. As one grows in unbelief
so they drift away from God
         b. While a believer remains in fellowship with God
an 
            unbeliever can only depart further and further away from 
            God!
 
   B. THE SOLUTION IS TO "EXHORT ONE ANOTHER DAILY"...
      1. This is how a believer avoids becoming an unbeliever!
      2. Through mutual edification on a daily basis
we can prevent 
         the "hardening" that comes from sin's deceitfulness
      3. An important part of such exhortation is our assembling
         together - cf. He 10:24-25
         a. Which should certainly involve our assemblies on the first
            day of the week - e.g.
Ac 20:7
         b. But with a need for "daily exhortation"
should we be 
            content to limit our assembling to one service a week?
         c. If we have the opportunity to assemble more often
            shouldn't we?
      4. Even if it is only by phone
we should seek to "exhort one 
         another daily"!
 
   C. OUR PARTICIPATION IN CHRIST IS CONDITIONAL...
      1. Once again we see the conditional nature of our participation
         with Christ
         a. We are the house of Christ "...IF we hold the fast the
            confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end."
            - He 3:6
         b. We have become partakers of Christ "...IF we hold the 
            beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end
" - He 3:
            14
      2. What about the security of the believer?
         a. The "believer" does indeed enjoy the assurance of his 
            salvation
         b. But we have seen that a "believer" can develop "an evil 
            heart of unbelief"; i.e.
become an "unbeliever" - He 3:12
         c. When a "believer" becomes an "unbeliever"
what promises of
            security and salvation there may be to the believer are no
            longer applicable!
         -- Thus the many warnings to remain faithful
including that 
            of our Lord's - Re 2:10
 
[The danger of departing from God is so great
that the writer of 
Hebrews returns to "A Warning From The Wilderness"...]
 
III. THE EXAMPLE OF ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS REVISITED (15-19)
 
   A. ANOTHER APPEAL IS MADE...
      1. Quoting again from Psa 95:7-8
      2. The Hebrew writer applies the quotation to Christians
         a. They need to "hear His (God's) voice" - remember He 1:1-2;
            2:1-4?
         b. That is
hear with a desire to hearken
for they too can 
            easily harden their hearts "as in the rebellion"
 
   B. THE NEED FOR CHRISTIANS TO BELIEVE
AND OBEY...
      1. In the case of the Israelites
who was it that rebelled?
         a. All those who came out of Egypt (save Joshua and Caleb)!
         b. Though led by Moses
they still rebelled!
         -- We may have been delivered by Christ from the bondage of 
            sin
but rebellion is still possible!
      2. In the case of the Israelites
with whom was God angry forty
         years?
         a. Those who sinned
         b. And who died in the wilderness as a result of their lack of
            faith
         -- If we become hardened through the deceitfulness of sin
            shall we escape judgment?
      3. In the case of the Israelites
who did God not allow in the 
         promised land?
         a. Those who did not obey!
         b. Those who developed unbelief!
         -- Shall we enter our promised rest if we disobey through 
            unbelief?
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. When the apostle Paul related some of the same experiences of Israel
   in the wilderness
he wrote:
 
   "Now all these things happened to them as examples
and they were
   written for our admonition
upon whom the ends of the ages have 
   come." - 1 Co 10:11
 
2. It is for our own admonition that we have such warnings as that 
   found in our text...
   a. For the deceitfulness of sin is just as strong today
   b. For the hardening of one's heart is just as dangerous today
   c. For departing from God is just as possible today
   -- Thus the potential for falling short of our promised rest is just
      as much a reality for us as it proved to be for the Israelites in
      the wilderness!
 
3. That is why we need to "exhort one another daily"...
   a. To encourage one another to remain strong in faith - He 3:19
   b. To encourage one another to remain strong in obedience - He 3:18
   -- Have you exhorted your brother or sister lately?
 
Finally
did you notice how "faith" and "obedience" were used 
interchangeably in these last two verses?  These terms are not opposed
to one another
for in fact Paul himself wrote about "obedience to the
faith" (Ro 1:5; 16:26).  Faith is dead unless there is obedience (Ja 
2:17
26)
and so those who truly believe will obey.
 
That is why Jesus can be described as "the author of eternal salvation
to all who obey Him" (He 5:9).  Have you obeyed Jesus by obeying His
gospel? - cf. Ro 10:16; 2 Th 1:7-8; 1 Pe 4:17

 

--《Executable Outlines

 

Faithful servant

As long as it is called “Today”

Encourage one another daily

 

I.  Worthy of greater honor than Moses

1.    Builder and the house

2.    God different from men

3.    Son vs. servant

II.Warning against heart-hardener

1.    The second warning

2.    What to hear

3.    Often test God

III.       Never enter rest

1.    Out of Egypt

2.    Fall in the desert

3.    Never enter Canaan

-- Chih-Hsin ChangAn Outline of The New Testament