EPISTLE: Hebrews 3:1-14

Reading: 

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. 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. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 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. Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

Commentary: 

The writer of the book of Hebrews (perhaps Paul) is here working in the word to keep the Hebrews from hardening their heart against Christ and His Gospel. He points out that while Moses was a faithful servant in God's house, Jesus was a faithful Son over His own house (whose house are we by faith). Moses then is nothing in comparison to Christ, in that the Maker of the house is more important than the house itself. Since the Jews held Moses high by way of thinking they could save themselves by keeping Moses' law, the writer emphasizes Christ is of far greater importance, for "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." Those Christians who turn away from Christ, hardening their hearts against Him by unbelief, will never enter God's holy rest (heaven). God has forgiven all sins through Christ, but the one sin which can never be forgiven is to die in unbelief concerning Christ. "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." May none of us be deceived away from Christ by our own heart, but let us fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on Him.