The author is writing to Hebrews, hence the name "Hebrews". Because of his intended audience he appeals to their knowledge of their scriptures, the Old Testament. He also gives convincing evidence throughout the book as to the deity and greatness of Jesus as the Christ. The One who is above all men, angels and authority. Jesus is in fact the exact representation of God.
The text below explains how much greater Jesus was than Moses, a Jewish hero. While Moses was a servant, Jesus is the Son. We should then remain in Christ. Don't lose heart in your pursuit of the Lord, and certainly don't turn your hearts away from God, like the Jews did in the desert. May we always hold firmly to Christ in full recognition of the superior value found in knowing him rather than in knowing anything else this world may offer. And rejoice because He holds on to you!
Hebrews 3:1-14
1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. 3Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
7So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, 8do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, 9where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. 10That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' 11So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.' "[a]
12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
Questions
1. What do you like in this passage?
2. What is difficult about this passage?
3. What did you learn about God?
4. What is He leading you to do?
5. What part will you take with you and think about today?
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2 comments:
i liked it how he compared it to a house... it helped me picture what was being said!
oh!
and the verse "13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."...
i like this one!
I like that too. We don't often think that our encouraging one another protects us from sin.
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