ACC ~ Hebrews 3 v7 - 19

OVERVIEW:

For the early writers the word today in this passage clearly meant for all time. “For as we must not talk of a beginning of the days of Christ, so never suffer anyone to speak of an end of his kingdom” (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM). Hardness of heart causes unbelief (CHRYSOSTOM). “Today” means that they might never be without hope, even if they have sinned. Even if there is unbelief, as long as we are in this world, the “today” is in season (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, CHRYSOSTOM). Moreover, “today” means that we are called to listen to spiritual advice every day (CASSIODORUS). The evil of unbelief is the ultimate evil as it separates us from the living God (PHOTIUS).

In the Spirit, we have become partakers of Christ, who gives us faith and confidence (CHRYSOSTOM, THEODORE). The sin of “unbelief in the word of God” prevented Hebrew people from entering the promised land under the leadership of Moses (EPHREM). However, that entrance is granted to the Christians under the leadership of Jesus (JEROME).

3:7-13 | Do Not Harden Your Hearts

HE REMINDS THEM OF THE HISTORY. CHRYSOSTOM: From hardness comes unbelief. As in bodies the parts that have become callous and hard do not yield to the hands of the physicians, so also souls that are hardened yield not to the Word of God. For it is probable that some even disbelieved those things which had already been done; hence he says, “Take heed.” … Because the argument from the future is not so persuasive as from the past, he reminds them of the history in which they had lacked faith. For if your fathers, he says, because they did not hope as they ought to have hoped, suffered these things, much more will you. To them also is this word addressed, for “today,” he says, is “ever,” so long as the world lasts. Therefore, “exhort one another daily, as long as it is called ‘today.’” That is, edify one another, raise yourselves up, lest the same things should befall you. “Lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Do you see that sin produces unbelief? For as unbelief brings forth an evil life, so also a soul, “when it is come into a depth of evils, becomes contemptuous” and, having become contemptuous, it endures not even to believe, in order thereby to free itself from fear. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.3-4.

SEPARATION FROM THE LIVING GOD. PHOTIUS: Many have evil, unbelieving hearts. To have an evil, unbelieving heart means to have no faith. Evil is the love of property, wantonness, alcohol, and the like. … Beware that your heart may not become evil and unbelieving; unbelief, he says, is separation from the living God. FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 3.12.

THEY HAVE RECEIVED PHYSICAL FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: This word comes to ones who have already come to faith, as I understand it. So that it is fitting for you to praise the same things so that you might remain in the same opinions once and for all. This then Paul says, because those who believe and who have received the Spirit “share” in the substance of Christ, since they have received some physical fellowship with him. Then finally it remains to guard thoroughly this beginning with an uncontaminated mind. FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 3.12-14.

3:13 | As Long as It Is Today

TODAY CLEARLY MEANS FOR ALL TIME. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: Take also another like expression. “To this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their minds.” Does “to this day” mean “up to the time that Paul wrote the words and no longer”? Does it not mean until this present day and indeed to the very end? And if Paul should say, “We are come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ, having hope, when your faith is increased, to preach the gospel in lands beyond you,” you can see clearly that the phrase “all the way” sets no limit but indicates what lies beyond. With what meaning, therefore, ought you to recall the words “till he has put all enemies”? Just the same as in another saying of Paul, “But exhort each other daily, as long as it is called ‘today,’” which clearly means for all time. For as we must not talk of a beginning of the days of Christ, so never suffer anyone to speak of an end of his kingdom. For Scripture says, “his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.” CATECHETICAL LECTURES 15.32.

BY “THIS DAY” HE MEANS DAILY. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: “Give us this day our superessential bread.” Ordinary bread is not “superessential,” but this holy bread is superessential in the sense of being ordained for the essence of the soul. Not of this bread is it said that it “passes into the stomach and is discharged into the drain.” No, it is absorbed into your whole system to the benefit of both soul and body. By “this day” he means “daily,” as in Paul’s “while it is called ‘today.’” MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 5.15.

SAVING ADVICE MUST BE LISTENED TO CONTINUALLY. CASSIODORUS: “Today” means always, for the one who gives us advice pertaining to salvation must always have our attention. The Apostle expressed the meaning of this word powerfully: “But encourage one another every day, as long as it is called. ‘today.’” EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 94.7.

THAT THEY MIGHT NEVER BE WITHOUT HOPE. CHRYSOSTOM: He said “today,” that they might never be without hope. “Exhort one another daily,” he says. That is, even if persons have sinned, as long as it is “today,” they have hope; let them not then despair so long as they live. Above all things indeed, he says, “Let there not be an evil, unbelieving heart.” But even if there should be, let no one despair, but let that one recover; for as long as we are in this world, the “today” is in season. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.8.

THE PRESENT AGE IS ONE DAY. SEVERIAN OF GABALA: He introduces the present age as one day. FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 3.13.

3:14 | We Share in Christ

WE HAVE COME TO BE THROUGH FAITH. CHRYSOSTOM: What is the beginning of confidence? It means faith, through which we subsisted and have come to be and have been made to share in being. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.4.

BAPTISM IS OUR FIRST CONFIDENCE. THEODORET OF CYR: We shared in death with Christ the Lord through all-holy baptism, and after being buried with him we prefigured the resurrection, provided of course we kept faith firm. He referred to this by the phrase “first confidence.” Through it we were renewed, we were joined to Christ the Lord, and we shared the grace of the all-holy Spirit. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 3.

PARTAKERS IN CHRIST’S HYPOSTASIS. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: He says that those who have believed and shared in the Spirit have become partakers in Christ’s “hypostasis” in that they have received a certain natural communion with him. Now there remains the task of preserving this foundation with a pure resolve. COMMENTARY ON HEBREWS 3.12-13.

3:17-19 | Unable to Enter

THEY DIED IN THE DESERT. JEROME: They died, for they could not enter the promised land. They merely looked over toward the land of promise, but they could not enter it. The Jews beheld the promised land but could not enter it. They died in the desert. . . .We, their children, under the leadership of Jesus, have come to the Jordan and entered the promised land. HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 10 (PSALM 76).

GOD BROUGHT IN THEIR CHILDREN. THEODORET OF CYR: God urged them to leave for the promised land, but some spoke in opposition, citing fear and the multitude of the enemy. Hence God consumed them all individually in the desert and brought in their children in place of them. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 3.

A SIMILAR SITUATION. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: He wishes to show that all who went out through Moses perished because of their unbelief, so that these might fear all the more since they were in a similar situation to those against whom he was making the argument. FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 3.16-18.

BECAUSE THEY DID NOT BELIEVE. EPHREM THE SYRIAN: “To whom did he swear that they should never enter his rest?” To those who did not want to obey Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb … “So we see that they were unable to enter” the land promised to them, not because of their evil actions, even though they were wicked, but “because of unbelief” in the Word of God. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.