Jesus and Moses
1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters,tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11. partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess,tn Grk “of our confession.”
2 who is faithful to the one who appointed him, as Moses was also in God’stn Grk “his”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity. house.tc ‡ The reading adopted by the translation follows a few early mss and some versions (Ì13,46vid B vgms co Ambr). The majority of mss (א A C D Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï lat sy) insert “all” (“in all his house”), apparently in anticipation of Heb 3:5 which quotes directly from Num 12:7. On balance, the omission better explains the rise of ὅλῳ ({olw, “all”) than vice versa. NA27 puts ὅλῳ in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
3 For he has come to deserve greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves greater honor than the house itself!
4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.
5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’stn Grk “his”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity. housesn A quotation from Num 12:7. as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken.
6 But Christsn The Greek makes the contrast between v. 5 and v. 6a more emphatic and explicit than is easily done in English. is faithful as a son over God’stn Grk “his”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity. house. We are of his house,tn Grk “whose house we are,” continuing the previous sentence. if in fact we hold firmlytc The reading adopted by the translation is found in Ì13,46 B sa, while the vast majority of mss (א A C D Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï latt) add μέχρι τέλους βεβαίαν (mecri telou" bebaian, “secure until the end”). The external evidence for the omission, though minimal, has excellent credentials. Considering the internal factors, B. M. Metzger (TCGNT 595) finds it surprising that the feminine adjective βεβαίαν should modify the neuter noun καύχημα (kauchma, here translated “we take pride”), a fact that suggests that even the form of the word was borrowed from another place. Since the same phrase occurs at Heb 3:14, it is likely that later scribes added it here at Heb 3:6 in anticipation of Heb 3:14. While these words belong at 3:14, they seem foreign to 3:6. to our confidence and the hope we take pride in.tn Grk “the pride of our hope.”
Exposition of Psalm 95: Hearing God’s Word in Faith
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,sn The following quotation is from Ps 95:7b-11.
“Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks!tn Grk “today if you hear his voice.”
8 “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness.
9 “There your fathers tested me and tried me,tn Grk “tested me by trial.” and they saw my works for forty years.
10 “Therefore, I became provoked at that generation and said, ‘Their hearts are always wanderingtn Grk “they are wandering in the heart.” and they have not known my ways.’
11 “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’”tn Grk “if they shall enter my rest,” a Hebrew idiom expressing an oath that something will certainly not happen.
12 See to it,tn Or “take care.” brothers and sisters,tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11. that none of you hastn Grk “that there not be in any of you.” an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakestn Or “deserts,” “rebels against.” the living God.tn Grk “in forsaking the living God.”
13 But exhort one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,” that none of you may become hardened by sin’s deception.
14 For we have become partners with Christ, if in fact we hold our initial confidencetn Grk “the beginning of the confidence.” firm until the end.
15 As it says,tn Grk “while it is said.” “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks!tn Grk “today if you hear his voice.” Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”sn A quotation from Ps 95:7b-8.
16 For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership?tn Grk “through Moses.”
17 And against whom was Godtn Grk “he”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity. provoked for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?sn An allusion to God’s judgment pronounced in Num 14:29, 32.
18 And to whom did he swear they would never enter into his rest, except those who were disobedient?
19 Sotn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “So” to indicate a summary or conclusion to the argument of the preceding paragraph. we see that they could not enter because of unbelief.
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