HEBREWS
CHAPTER 3
Christ is the Apostle and High Priest of our profession—Jesus, being the son is more than a servant—Now is the time and the day of our salvation.
1 WHEREFORE, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, [ So the previous point he is making is that Jesus was higher than the angels, and now here that Jesus is higher than Moses the Savior to the Jewish people to this point. ] , inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
4 For every house is builded by some man; [ Literal rendering would suggest: "Every structure has an, architect, and various contractors or personal labor in order to complete the project. The architect may be employed by him for whose use the house is intended; but the efficient cause of the erection is that which is here to he regarded." The word house, here, is still taken in a metaphorical sense as above, it signifies family or Church. Now the general meaning of the words, taken in this sense, is: "Every family has an author, and a head or governor. Man may found families, civil and religious communities, and be the head of these; but God alone is the Head, Author, and Governor, of all the families of the earth; he is the Governor of the universe. But the apostle has a more restricted meaning in the words ta panta, all these things; and as he has been treating of the Jewish and Christian Churches, so he appears to have them in view here. ] ; but he that built all things is God.
5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, [ Referring to the above where Jesus Christ is the architect of the house. ] , as a servant, [ Moses was a servant in that house or church. He was a steward therein. ] for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; [ The Law given to MOses and then by Moses to man was a set of laws designed to point man toward God. Even Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer. ] ;
6 But Christ as a son over his own house; [ Jesus did those things that were asked of him by our Heavenly Father in order to for him to prepare a way for the salvation of all man (his house). the pronoun autou, without an aspirate, signifies "his own": ] whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence [ The word "parrhsia", which is here translated as confidence, is really much more it includes freedom of speech, liberty of access..., It would seem to distinguish an important Christian privilege. Under the old testament no man was permitted to approach to God: even the very mountain on which God published his laws must not be touched by man nor beast; and only the high priest was permitted to enter the holy of holies, and that only once a year, on the great day of atonement; and even then he must have the blood of the victim to propitiate the Divine justice. Here the doors are made open to us to approach God as individuals. We as individuals have acces to him. Having such access unto God, by such a Mediator, we may obtain all that grace which is necessary to fit us for eternal glory ] and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, [ These words are quoted from Psa. 95: 7; and as they were written by David, and attributed here to the Holy Ghost, it proves that David wrote, by the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit. As these words were originally a warning to the Israelites not to provoke God, lest they should be excluded from that rest which he had promised them, the apostle uses them here to persuade the Christians in Palestine to hold fast their religious privileges, and, the grace they had received, lest they should come short of that state of future glory which Christ had prepared for them. The words strongly imply, as indeed does the whole epistle, the possibility of falling from the grace of God, and perishing everlastingly; ] To day if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, [ "parapikrasmov?" From para, signifying intensity, and pikrainw, to make bitter; the exasperation, or bitter provocation.] , in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When [ "ou" or where; Suggesting that it was in the wilderness during the forty years that the Israelites seemed to continue to provoke the God even after all that he did for them during that time. ] your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was grieved [ God was displeased in the effort that they made to follow him when he provided every tenderness and affection that he could in their behalf. ] with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; [ They have set their hearts on something other than God and his glory. ] and they have not known my ways.
11 so I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) [
defined as "gaining the fulness of his Glory" D&C 84:24]
12 Take heed, [ Learn from the mistakes of the Israelites, do not be like them. ] 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, [ Encourage each other to do better, to be better. If we encourage for the right reason we as a group can help all. ] while it is called To day; [ Use the time that you have, today; because there is no promise of your tomorrow. ] lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence [ The word upostasiv, which we here translate confidence, from upo, under, and isthmi, to place or stand, signifies properly a basis or foundation; that on which something else is builded, and by which it is supported. Their faith in Christ Jesus was this hypostasis or foundation; on that all their peace, comfort, and salvation were builded. ] 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.
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 [ God is the giver of the Law. He is also the one who makes sure that the law is administered, if not there would be no real law. He does not do it to hurt but to lift and those who do not make the mark are simply left behind and are not premitted to enter his rest. ] that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?