THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE

TO THE

In this chapter we will see the great high priestly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

3:1

Chapter 3 starts off by telling us to consider Jesus. This means to fully observe. There is not another Person in the history of time that is more worthy of our consideration than Jesus Christ! Not fully observing the Master is a very dangerous thing for us as servants to do (Isaiah 1:3; 5:12; 41:20; Ezekiel 12:3; 18:28; Haggai 1:5; 2:15; John 20:27 2Ti 2:7).

Who is the Jesus of the Bible? In this verse He is called the Apostle. The word "apostle" means ambassador, messenger, or he that is sent. The twelve apostles were sent by Christ, but Christ was sent by the Father (John 5:24; 20:21). Therefore, this makes Christ the ultimate Apostle. In this verse He is also called the High Priest. Christ entered into the Holy of Holies for all mankind. As the Apostle, Christ was sent by the Father to reveal the Father to man; and as High Priest He represents man to the Father. These two offices are understood by one word, "Mediator."

3:2, 3

Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. 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.

In these verses we see that Christ is lifted above one of the greatest leaders that has ever lived, Moses. The Bible tells us that both Christ and Moses were faithful in all the house of God. This means that they were both faithful to the people of God, and to their ministries. Moses was faithful to Israel by leading them out of Egypt to the promise land (Numbers 12:6, 7), and Christ was faithful to His people, the church, whom He died and rose from the dead for. Christ was faithful to the One that sent Him, even in His death (Philippians 2:8).

The phrase found in verse 2 "Who was faithful" in the Greek is present tense. This phrase, being in the present tense, means to us that Christ is still being faithful to us far after His work was completed (John 6:38-40). We, as true believers in Christ, have His precious promise that He will continue to stay faithful to His work throughout all eternity!

In verse 3 we see that Christ "was counted worthy of more glory than Moses." Not only was He faithful to the house of God, He built the house of God. The one who builds the house is given more glory than the who takes care of it.

These verses show the similarity of the faithfulness of Christ and Moses to what they were to do, but we also see that Christ is superior to Moses.

3:4-6

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

Verse 4 is yet another verse that proves that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true God. It states that the One who built all things is God, and the Bible clearly shows that Christ has built, or made, all things (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16, 17). Also, the word for God here, Theos, is the same Greek word used in chapter 1 for both God the Father and God the Son. This also goes with the previous verse, 3:3, where it says that Christ "hath built the house."

Verse 5 tells us that Moses had a good testimony because of his faithfulness "in all his house." The verse tells us that Moses’ faithfulness was a testimony to things spoken after. Basically his faithfulness was a witness to us that read of what he did, and tells us that we can be faithful as well. Moses and the testimonies of faithfulness is covered in chapters 11 and 12.

Verse 6 asks about the testimony that we will have. The phrase "if we hold fast" talks about our testimony as stewards of Christ. We have to realize that people are watching us, and one small mistake could ruin our testimony; and we are the only Bible that most people will ever read. We must remember "whose house are we." We are not our own, we are bought with a price (I Corinthians 6:19, 20). We are the house of God, and we must keep it clean with a good testimony. It is a hard path to take, but we can rejoice because Christ is there with us the entire time.

3:7-11

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

This passage is a quotation of Psalm 95:7-11. God is speaking to us here about the times when His people (Israel) would not hearken unto His voice. Numbers 14:22 says: "Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice." The ten times God was talking about was (1) At the Red Sea (Exodus 14:11, 12), (2) at Marah (Exodus 15:23, 24); (3) in the wilderness of sin (Exodus 16:2); (4) and (5) in connection with the manna (Exodus 16:20, 20); (6) at Rephidim (Exodus 17:1-3); (7) at Horeb (Exodus 32:7); (8) at Taberah (Numbers 11:1); (9) the complaint of the mixed multitude (Numbers 11:4); and (10) Kadesh-barnea (Numbers 14).

3:12, 13

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

We must not harden our hearts to Him as pertains to His house; we must solely listen and yield ourselves to Him. Deuteronomy 6:15 tells us that "God is a jealous God." James 4:4 and 5 talks about Christians having an affair with the world. James 4:5 says "The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy." This means that the Holy Spirit that dwells within the believer is jealous with envy when our attention is focused on something else.

Some times the Lord will tempt, or test, us to see if we entirely depend and trust on Him. The sin the Israelites were guilty of was that they tempted and provoked God, did not trust Him, murmured against Moses and God, and would not yield to the voice of the Lord (Exodus 17:1-7). While it is still today, we better yield to the Lord, for tomorrow we may not get another chance (Proverbs 27:1; Ecclesiastes 9:10). We must, as Christians, encourage one another today to be faithful to the Lord.

3:14, 15

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; 15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

In these verses we see an enforcing of the warning that we see starting back in chapter 2. When a person is born again, they become partakers of Christ. This goes back to us being heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. Therefore, we must hold fast and stay faithful till the end. If our faith in the Lord was true to begin with, then it will still be true when our work on earth is complete. We need always to be growing in the Lord.

3:16-19

For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. 17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

This plea can still be applied to us today. When we hear and understand what He wants us to do, we must not get a hardened heart. The "For" implies, ye need to take heed against unbelief: for, was it not because of unbelief that all our fathers were excluded (Ezekiel 2:3)? Some, when they listened, provoked God. It was not all the people that came out of Egypt, but those who wanted it their way (Numbers 14:11, 30; 22:14-30; Deuteronomy 1:26; Jude 5).

The rest that is being referred to here as far as Israel is concerned with, was Canaan land. It was the promised land they did not enter into because of their unbelief. Our heart should be soft and yielded to Him.