Hebrews 3:10-19

10 quadraginta annos propter quod infensus fui generationi huic et dixi semper errant corde ipsi autem non cognoverunt vias meas

11 sicut iuravi in ira mea si introibunt in requiem meam

12 videte fratres ne forte sit in aliquo vestrum cor malum incredulitatis discedendi a Deo vivo

13 sed adhortamini vosmet ipsos per singulos dies donec hodie cognominatur ut non obduretur quis ex vobis fallacia peccati

14 participes enim Christi effecti sumus si tamen initium substantiae usque ad finem firmum retineamus

15 dum dicitur hodie si vocem eius audieritis nolite obdurare corda vestra quemadmodum in illa exacerbatione

16 quidam enim audientes exacerbaverunt sed non universi qui profecti sunt ab Aegypto per Mosen

17 quibus autem infensus est quadraginta annos nonne illis qui peccaverunt quorum cadavera prostrata sunt in deserto

18 quibus autem iuravit non introire in requiem ipsius nisi illis qui increduli fuerunt

19 et videmus quia non potuerunt introire propter incredulitatem

Hebrews 3:10-19 Meaning and Commentary

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 3:1,2 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 3:2-6, wherefore the exhortation to regard him is renewed, enforced, and expressed in the words of the Holy Ghost, Heb 3:7-11 which are taken out of Ps 95:7-11 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 3:17-19.