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In this chapter the apostle applies what he had said in the chapter foregoing concerning the priesthood of Christ, I. In a serious pathetic exhortation that this great high priest, who was discovered to them, might be seriously considered by them (Heb 3:1-6). II. He then adds many weighty counsels and cautions (Heb 3:7 to the end).

INTRODUCTION TO HEBREWS 3 The apostle having discoursed, in the preceding chapters, concerning the dignity of Christ's person, and his wondrous grace in the assumption of human nature, and suffering in the room and stead of his people, exhorts the Hebrews in this to a serious consideration of him, attention to him, and faith in him, and constancy in it; the arguments he uses to engage them to these things are taken from the grace and benefit they themselves were partakers of through him, from the office in which he was, and his faithfulness to his Father in the discharge of it, Heb 3:1 which is illustrated in the case of Moses, who was faithful in the house of God, and whom Christ excelled, and therefore was worthy of more honour; partly, because he is the builder of the house; and partly, because he is a Son in it, when Moses was only a servant; which house is Christ's own, and consists of true and steadfast believers in him, Heb 3:2, wherefore the exhortation to regard him is renewed, enforced, and expressed in the words of the Holy Ghost, Heb 3:7 which are taken out of Psa 95:7 and applied to the present case: hence the apostle cautions against unbelief, as being a great evil in itself, and bad in its consequence, causing persons to depart from the living God, Heb 3:12, in order to prevent which he advises to a daily exhortation of each other to their duty, that so they might not be hardened in sin through the deceitfulness of it, Heb 3:13 and the rather it became them to be concerned to hold fast their faith in Christ to the end, since this is the grand evidence of being a partaker of him, Heb 3:14. And then the exhortation in the above passage of Scripture is recited, Heb 3:15 to show, that though not all the persons spoken of, yet some did provoke the Lord by their unbelief, and unbecoming carriage, Heb 3:16 wherefore, by the example of punishment being inflicted on such, of which instances are given in the forefathers of these people, such as their carcasses falling in the wilderness, and their not entering into the land of Canaan, which they could not, because God swore they should not, being grieved and provoked by them, and because of their unbelief, they are dissuaded from the same evils, lest they should be punished in like manner, Heb 3:17.

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation,.... , "the generation of the wilderness", as the Jews often call them; and which they say was more beloved than any generation (e); and yet they will not allow them a part in the world to come; See Gill on Heb 3:11. When God is said to be grieved with them, it is to be considered as an anthropopathy, as speaking after the manner of men, as in Gen 6:5. The word signifies, that he was wearied by them, and weary of them; that he loathed them, and was displeased with them; it shows the notice God took of their sin; the heinousness of it, his displicency at it, and determination to punish it: the cause of his grief and indignation were their unbelief, ingratitude, and idolatry: and said, they do alway err in their heart; all sins are errors, or aberrations from the law of God; all men err in this sense: these people erred in their hearts, for there is error in the understanding, and will, and affections, as well as in life and actions; and they may be said to err in their hearts, because their sins not only sprung from the heart, but they were done heartily, or with their hearts, and that continually; which shows the sottishness of this people: their stubbornness and rebellion; their want of integrity, and their constancy in sinning: heart sins, as well as others, are taken notice of by God: and they have not known my ways; they did not take notice of God's ways of providence towards them; nor did they approve of, and delight in his ways of worship and duty, or in his commands. (e) T. Hieros. Avoda Zara, fol. 39. 2.

Paul, having treated of hope, and having said that "We are His house, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end"; next shows that we ought to look forward with firmness, and he proves this from the Scriptures. His discourse was concerning Hope, and that it behooves us to hope for the things to come, and that for those who have toiled here there will assuredly be some reward and fruit and refreshment. This then he shows from the prophet. He says that there are "three" rests: one, that of the Sabbath, in which God rested from His works; the second, that of Palestine, into which when the Jews had entered they would be at rest from their hardships and labors; the third, that which is Rest indeed, the kingdom of Heaven; which those who obtain, do indeed rest from their labors and troubles. Of these three then he makes mention here. And why did he mention the three, when he is treating of the one only? That he might show that the prophet is speaking concerning this one. For he did not speak (he says) concerning the first. For how could he, when that had taken place long before? Nor yet again concerning the second, that in Palestine. For how could he? For he says, "They shall not enter into My rest." It remains therefore that it is this third.

But it is necessary also to unfold the history, to make the argument more clear. For when they had come forth out of Egypt, and had accomplished a long journey, and had received innumerable proofs of the power of God, both in Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness, they determined to send spies to search out the nature of the land; and these went and returned, admiring indeed the country, and saying that it abounded in noble fruits, nevertheless it was a country of strong and invincible men: and the ungrateful and senseless Jews, when they ought to have called to mind the former blessings of God, and how when they were hemmed in the midst of the armies of so many Egyptians, He rescued them from their perils, and made them masters of their enemies' spoils; and again, in the wilderness He clave the rock, and bestowed on them abundance of waters, and gave them the manna, and the other wonderful things which He wrought; when they ought, I say, to have remembered this, and to have trusted in God, they considered none of these things, but being struck with terror, just as if nothing had been done, they said, we wish to go back again into Egypt, "for God hath brought us out thither" to "slay us, with our children and wives." God therefore being angry that they had so quickly cast off the memory of what had been done, sware that generation, which had said these things, should not enter into the Rest; and they all perished in the wilderness. When David then, he says, speaking at a later period, and after these events, after that generation of men, said, "To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts," that ye may not suffer the same things which your forefathers did, and be deprived of the Rest; he evidently said this as of some future rest. For if they had received their Rest (he says) why does He again say to them, "To-day if ye will hear His voice harden not your hearts," as your fathers did? What other rest then is there, except the kingdom of Heaven, of which the Sabbath was an image and type?

"I was provoked with that generation." That is, I was burdened by it, because they always distrusted and tested Me.

Having spoken about hope and about the need to await with confidence the reward and rest there from the labors here, he next proves on the basis of the prophet's words: believers will enter into rest, but unbelievers will not enter, just as the ancients did not enter. For after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and received in the wilderness countless proofs of God's care for them and His power, they resolved to send spies to examine the nature of the land they intended to enter. Those who were sent returned and spoke with amazement about the nature of that land and about the fact that it was inhabited by unconquerable people. And so the people, who should have paid attention to the unconquerable power of God, struck by these words, murmured and decided that they should return to Egypt. Therefore God, angered that they had so quickly forgotten so many wonders, swore that the murmuring generation would not enter the land of promise — and indeed, all of them perished in the wilderness, except Caleb and Joshua. Therefore, if David, speaking after this generation had already passed, said: "Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts" (Heb. 3:15), it was so that you would not suffer the same fate as your forefathers and not be deprived of rest; it is clear that he was speaking of some other rest, which we must obtain. For if they truly attained rest, then why does he say: "Today... do not harden your hearts," like the fathers, lest you too fail to enter into rest? What other rest is this, if not the Kingdom of Heaven, of which the Sabbath served as a type, and the entry into Palestine by the children of that unbelieving generation served as a foreshadowing? For there are three rests: the rest of the Sabbath, when God rested from His works. David was not thinking of speaking about this rest now, since it had been long ago. Another is the entry into the land of promise, upon entering which the Jews were to find rest from wars and wandering. And he is not speaking of this now either, for Palestine at that time, in the days of David, had already been occupied by the Hebrews. How then would David speak of it as something not yet obtained? Thus, he meant another rest, into which Joshua could not lead his people. What rest is this, if not the rest in heaven? Therefore strive so that you are not deprived of it through unbelief, like our forefathers. Such is the meaning of this entire very significant passage: it must be examined in parts. But note that one must not demand an account from God, but must believe in Him, whether He saves from calamities or not. He also accuses them of the fact that they tempted Him, that is, without testing they did not trust in Him as almighty.

181. – Then (v. 10b) he describes the punishment for their sin. For which cause, i.e., for which sin, I was provoked, i.e., outraged: not that there is anger in God except metaphorically, because He punishes as one in anger does. This punishment is frequently mentioned in Exodus and Numbers, for they were often prostrated. Hence in 1 Cor. (10:5) he speaks of the punishment of that sin. Or I was near, namely, by punishing them. For when the Lord helps the good and punishes the wicked, He is near them; but when He conceals men's sins because they repent, and dissembles the affliction of the just in order that their merit may increase, then He seems to be far away: 'The clouds are his covert, and he does not consider our things, and he walks about the poles of heaven' (Jb. 22:14). Or, near, in regard to divine mercy, because the fact that he punishes them in this life is a sign of great mercy: 'Here burn, here cut, but spare me in eternity' (Augustine). 182. – Then (v. 10c) he describes the sin of provocation in detail. And this is clear from (v. 11). In regard to this he does two things: first, he mentions the sin; secondly, he adds the punishment (v. 11). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he mentions their persistence in evil; secondly, their departure from the good (v. 10d). 183. – He says, therefore, I was always near them, namely, by punishing them, and I said, namely, in the eternal plan: They always go astray in heart: 'You have always been rebellious against the Lord' (Dt. 31:27); 'If the Ethiopian can change his skin, or the leopard his spots: you also may do well, when you have learned evil' (Jer. 13:23). Thus, therefore, a person provokes God in one way, when he obstinately clings to evil; in another way when he scorns the good. Hence, he says, They have not known my ways, i.e. not with simple ignorance, but affected. The sin, therefore, is this: they have not known, i.e., they refused to know: 'We desire not the knowledge of your ways' (Jb. 21:14); 'He would not understand that he might do well' (Ps. 34:4). Or, they have not known, i.e., they have not approved, as the Apostle says: 'The Lord knows who are his' (2 Tim. 2:19).

Jesus is the High Priest of our profession, Heb 3:1. And is counted worthy of more honor than Moses, as the Son Israelites did, and were excluded from the earthly rest in Canaan, Heb 3:7-11. We should be on our guard against unbelief, Heb 3:12. And exhort each other, lest we be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; and we should hold fast the beginning of our confidence to the end, and not provoke God as the Israelites did, and who were destroyed in the wilderness, Heb 3:13-17. They were promised the earthly rest, but did not enter because of unbelief, Heb 3:18, Heb 3:19.

Wherefore I was grieved - God represents himself as the Father of this great Jewish family, for whose comfort and support he had made every necessary provision, and to whom he had given every proof of tenderness and fatherly affection; and because, they disobeyed him, and walked ill that way in which they could not but be miserable, therefore he represents himself as grieved and exceedingly displeased with them. They do alway err in their hearts - Their affections are set on earthly things, and they do not acknowledge my ways to be right - holy, just, and good. They are radically evil; and they are evil, continually. They have every proof, of my power and goodness, and lay nothing to heart. They might have been saved, but they would not. God was grieved on this account. Now, can we suppose that it would have grieved him if, by a decree of his own, he had rendered their salvation impossible?

THE SON OF GOD GREATER THAN MOSES, WHEREFORE UNBELIEF TOWARDS HIM WILL INCUR A HEAVIER PUNISHMENT THAN BEFELL UNBELIEVING ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS. (Heb. 3:1-19) Wherefore--Greek, "Whence," that is, seeing we have such a sympathizing Helper you ought to "consider attentively," "contemplate"; fix your eyes and mind on Him with a view to profiting by the contemplation (Heb 12:2). The Greek word is often used by Luke, Paul's companion (Luk 12:24, Luk 12:27). brethren--in Christ, the common bond of union. partakers--"of the Holy Ghost." heavenly calling--coming to us from heaven, and leading us to heaven whence it comes. Phi 3:14, "the high calling"; Greek "the calling above," that is, heavenly. the Apostle and High Priest of our profession--There is but one Greek article to both nouns, "Him who is at once Apostle and High Priest"--Apostle, as Ambassador (a higher designation than "angel"-messenger) sent by the Father (Joh 20:21), pleading the cause of God with us; High Priest, as pleading our cause with God. Both His Apostleship and High Priesthood are comprehended in the one title, Mediator [BENGEL]. Though the title "Apostle" is nowhere else applied to Christ, it is appropriate here in addressing Hebrews, who used the term of the delegates sent by the high priest to collect the temple tribute from Jews resident in foreign countries, even as Christ was Delegate of the Father to this world far off from Him (Mat 21:37). Hence as what applies to Him, applies also to His people, the Twelve are designated His apostles, even as He is the Father's (Joh 20:21). It was desirable to avoid designating Him here "angel," in order to distinguish His nature from that of angels mentioned before, though he is "the Angel of the Covenant." The "legate of the Church" (Sheliach Tsibbur) offered up the prayers in the synagogue in the name of all, and for all. So Jesus, "the Apostle of our profession," is delegated to intercede for the Church before the Father. The words "of our profession," mark that it is not of the legal ritual, but of our Christian faith, that He is the High Priest. Paul compares Him as an Apostle to Moses; as High Priest to Aaron. He alone holds both offices combined, and in a more eminent degree than either, which those two brothers held apart. profession--"confession," corresponds to God having spoken to us by His Son, sent as Apostle and High Priest. What God proclaims we confess.

grieved--displeased. Compare "walk contrary," Lev 26:24, Lev 26:28. that generation--"that" implies alienation and estrangement. But the oldest manuscripts read, "this." said--"grieved," or "displeased," at their first offense. Subsequently when they hardened their heart in unbelief still more, He sware in His wrath (Heb 3:11); an ascending gradation (compare Heb 3:17-18). and they have not known--Greek, "But these very persons," &c. They perceived I was displeased with them, yet they, the same persons, did not a whit the more wish to know my ways [BENGEL]; compare "but they," Psa 106:43. not known my ways--not known practically and believingly the ways in which I would have had them go, so as to reach My rest (Exo 18:20).