Hebrews 3:1–19

Original Meaning

A Positive Example: Jesus’ Faithfulness as a Son (3:1–6)

THE AUTHOR OF Hebrews often follows a distinct pattern in his exhortations—setting forth the exhortation itself and then its basis or grounds. This pattern provides the framework for 3:1–6 in the following manner. (1) In verses 1–2 we are challenged to consider Jesus as the paradigmatic image of faithfulness. In this exhortation the writer compares the Son of God with Moses. Jesus was faithful to the appointment God had given him, just as Moses was faithful to his appointed tasks. (2) In verses 3–6 the author then provides the basis for the exhortation of verses 1–2. He highlights two contrasts between Jesus and Moses and demonstrates why Jesus, not Moses, should merit our ultimate attention. To be sure, Moses plays an important role but only as his faithfulness sheds light on the greater role of the Son of God.

In verse 1 the word “therefore” effects a smooth transition from the previous statement concerning the high-priestly help offered believers by Jesus (2:17–18). As he usually does in his exhortation sections, the preacher addresses his audience directly, calling them “holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling” (3:1). That they are “holy” (hagioi) refers to the “purification of sins” in 1:3 and to Jesus as “the one who makes men holy” in 2:11. This leaves no doubt concerning the audience being addressed. The author’s challenge confronts those whom he considers part of the community of faith.

As those who are being brought to glory (2:10), the readers “share in the heavenly calling.” The verbal form “share” in the NIV actually translates a plural noun meaning “partakers” or “sharers” (metochoi), the same word used at 1:9 (“companions”). In the ancient world this word sometimes meant a companion to whom one related closely, such as a house mate or an associate in a business endeavor (e.g., Luke 5:7).2 In Hebrews 3:1 the term connotes an intimate relationship forged in a common spiritual reality. These believers share a “heavenly calling” because Hebrews depicts the Christian life as a pilgrimage of following our great high priest, Jesus, into the presence of God in the heavenly Most Holy Place (e.g., 4:14–16; 6:19–20; 10:19–25; 11:14–16; 12:22–24). Rather than living with an earthbound perspective, the Christ-follower, responding to God’s call, lives in light of a heavenly orientation.

The command to “fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess” forms the core of the author’s exhortation. “Fix your thoughts” renders the verb katanoeo, which can mean “consider, think about, notice, observe.” When Luke translates Jesus’ teaching that a person should “pay … attention to” the beam in one’s own eye (Luke 6:41) or “consider” the lilies of the field (12:27), he uses this word. From the context, the challenge of Hebrews 3:1 seems to be to consider carefully the example of Jesus as “the apostle and high priest whom we confess.”

Hebrews 3:1 is the only place in the New Testament where Jesus is called an “apostle.” This unusual designation for God’s Son probably concerns his role as the one sent to proclaim God’s name (2:12) and message (cf. Matt. 10:40; 15:24; Mark 9:37; Luke 10:16; Gal. 4:4).3 In the two key passages that frame the great central section of Hebrews, the author refers to “the confession” (homologia) of the Christian community (Heb. 4:14; 10:23).4 The believers, in following the example of the Old Testament faithful (11:13), are to be “confessors” (13:15); that is, they are to make a formal, public profession of faith in Christ. In the original context of Hebrews this may refer to a confession made at baptism. The preacher, therefore, calls his readers back to a serious focus on the one whom they had claimed in the past as the great center of their lives.

Furthermore, we are to fix our thoughts on Jesus’ being “faithful to the one who appointed him” (i.e., to God). The focus of our attention, therefore, rests not only on the exalted Lord at the right hand, but on the supreme example of the Incarnate One, who remained true to God’s appointment in the midst of adverse circumstances while here on earth (12:1–3).

Jesus’ faithfulness is comparable to that of Moses. They both were true to the calling they had received from God. Moses held a special place in the hearts of the Jews of the first century. He was considered to be the greatest person in history in certain strands of Jewish tradition, and in some, the Messiah was expected to be a “new Moses” (cf. Deut. 18:15–18: “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers …”).5 Other evidence suggests that Moses held an even higher status than the angels because of his special intimacy with God.6 Therefore, the author of Hebrews moves naturally from his discussion of the angels as Old Testament messengers (2:1–2) to the preeminent messenger of the old covenant—Moses himself.

Flowing from this introduction of Moses, the author in the following chapters will maintain a focused contrast between Jesus as founder of the new covenant and “the Mosaic era, the Mosaic covenant, and the Mosaic cult.”7 That Moses was faithful over a “house” (3:2) alludes specifically to Numbers 12:7 and means that his ministry involved establishment of and responsibility for a defined group of people in special relationship to God.

Whereas verse 2 draws a comparison between Jesus and Moses, verse 3 begins a treatment of the contrast between the two great figures—a contrast meant to highlight the superiority of Jesus’ example. This proclamation of Jesus’ superior worthiness expands in two directions. (1) In verses 3–4 the author draws an analogy using architectural imagery, probably playing off the reference to “house” in verse 2. To look at a beautiful, artfully crafted building may inspire appreciation or wonder, but praise belongs to the craftsman rather than the craft. In this case the author of Hebrews considers Moses as part of the house that Jesus built. The inference to which the analogy points is that Jesus, as God, has made Moses, a member of the people of Israel, and as Creator is worthy of more honor and glory than one of his creatures. Thus, the author continues to point to Jesus as God.

(2) Verses 5–6 proclaim Jesus as worthy of more glory than Moses by comparing their respective earthly roles, executed in faithfulness to God the Father. Moses was faithful “as a servant” (ōs therapon), whereas Christ was faithful “as a son” (ōs huios). The sphere of Moses’ ministry was “in all of God’s house,” meaning that his authority and leadership extended over all God’s people at that time. He, however, was a part of that house as a servant rather than an heir. The purpose of his role was to point to later revelation, anticipating the fullness of God’s revelation in the Son. Christ, on the other hand, was “over God’s house,” not in it. Servants have an obligation to faithfulness, but sons have a special, vested interest in and authority over the house. Jesus displayed a filial kind of faithfulness as the Lord and founder of his house, the new covenant people of God.

The author now shifts from the examples of Moses, and especially Jesus, to confronting the listeners with the question of their own faithfulness or lack thereof. We are part of the Son’s house (i.e., the new covenant people of God) “if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.” The word rendered “hold on” (katecho) could be used by ancient authors to mean “hold to, keep, detain, contain, occupy, or possess.” In secular sources students could be said to “retain” a body of teaching, which roughly parallels the Christian admonition to hold to the traditions of the faith (e.g., 1 Cor. 11:2; 15:2).8 In Hebrews the word is used to speak of keeping a tight grip on the Christian faith, keeping it from slipping away (4:14; 10:23). This “holding fast,” therefore, constitutes a main objective of the author for his congregation.

We are to “hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.” “Courage” (paressia) connotes public boldness and confidence, the opposite of shrinking from an open stand with the community of faith. Believers boast of the “hope” found in our new covenant relationship with Christ, through which our sins are forgiven and we draw near to God (6:11, 18; 7:19; 10:23).

The entire clause is, of course, conditional: We may be considered part of the people of God if we hold fast to the Christian faith.9

Bridging Contexts

AS WE SEEK to interpret this passage for our contemporary contexts, we confront a number of dynamics in this rich text that must be addressed. We must ask, for example, the significance of the shift in genre—the kind of literature—as we move from 2:18 to 3:1. Within that discussion we must ask the specific purpose of both the positive and negative examples used. What does the author wish to accomplish by the use of these examples? What presuppositions lie behind their use? What are the limitations of these examples, and how can we guard against reading more into them than the author intended? The interesting “conditional warnings” of 3:6, 14 and, especially, their mix of seemingly present and future time frames pose other issues of interpretation. Finally, we must attempt to discern the principles inherent in the author’s exhortation to faithfulness; does he give any direction in how one can maintain a life of faithful obedience?

A shift to exhortation. We have already marked several points of continuity between 2:10–18 and the unit under consideration. The author continues to speak of Jesus in terms of “son,” and 3:1 contains a reference to him as “high priest” (a transitional element that echoes 2:17). That there are those being brought to “glory” in 2:10 reflects a similar sentiment as expressed in the hearers’ being sharers in the “heavenly calling” of 3:1. The author knows how to lead his hearers from one thought to the next with smooth transitions. However, it is also important for us to note aspects of discontinuity as we move from one section of the discourse to another. We must ask: “What new dynamics or information does this portion of the book add to the discussion thus far?” and “What specific role does the author intend this passage to play?”

With 3:1 the author makes a decisive shift to exhortation as marked by his change in addressing the listeners directly as “holy brothers.” The function here, while closely intermeshed with and building on the expositional material on Christ, is distinct from it. The preacher uses conventional means of motivating his audience to action. This is the purpose of exhortation; we, however, must ascertain the nature of that motivation.

Examples as a means of motivation. In the ancient world preachers of the synagogue and Greco-Roman orators used positive examples to challenge their audiences to desired actions and negative examples to highlight those actions from which one should refrain. At its most basic level, the employment of an example assumes some analogy between the situation of the person(s) used as the example and the person(s) being addressed. To what end does the author of Hebrews introduce the great Old Testament figure, Moses?

The primary aspect of Moses’ life to which the author points is his faithfulness, the overarching theme of 3:1–19. The picture of Moses as a faithful servant in all God’s house (3:2, 5) proves useful to the author because the old covenant lawgiver provides a stark picture of fidelity in a position of leadership. With 2:10–18 the sermon has moved from a heavenly to an earthly focus, and Moses depicts a person of this world who has lived faithfully for God.

However, Moses does not serve as a direct example in 3:1–6 but rather as an indirect one. The author does not challenge the hearers to follow his example in this passage (that will come later in ch. 11). Rather, he uses Moses as a reference point from which to highlight the greater faithfulness of Christ. The preacher challenges his companions in the heavenly calling to “fix [their] thoughts on Jesus” (3:1). Since believers are “children,” we especially need an example of someone who has lived out a filial faithfulness. Thus Jesus, as the Son of God, provides an example superior to that of even the greatest of Old Testament figures. Furthermore, as the Creator he has a greater inherent authority than Moses, who was a part of his creation. Thus, the author builds on the greatness of Moses and asserts that as great as this religious figure might be, Jesus must be the object of a Christian’s ultimate focus.

The use of Moses in the exhortation of 3:1–6, therefore, affirms both the usefulness and the limitations of a human example. Such an example may be foundational for a discussion of devotion to God because it provides a picture of how others have responded positively to God in challenges somewhat analogous to our own. It also shows us that God has used imperfect human beings in his purposes in the past. Such examples, therefore, can be encouraging as we witness God’s use of those who struggle with sin as we do. We might point out that Moses is a scriptural example; the telling of Moses’ example was inspired by God for the benefit of the people of God. There must, therefore, be a distinction made between various levels of examples for a Christian.

Yet, Moses’ example primarily serves to emphasize the greater example of Christ. No sinful human example—even a scriptural one—suffices as the ultimate model for a Christian. Christ’s example eclipses all true examples for the community of faith. It is Jesus who provides the perfect picture of faithful commitment to God, for he alone lived apart from the taint of sin.

If Moses serves the author’s purpose in 3:1–6 by providing a positive portrayal of commitment, the desert wanderers of 3:7–19 offer a negative example of those who failed to take the desired action. Their use in Hebrews parallels Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 10:1–11 to avoid Israel’s mistakes. Having itemized their various sins to be shunned, Paul writes, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come” (10:11). In Hebrews 3 the author focuses on the wanderers’ sin of turning away from God in a time of testing; it may be that he uses this psalm in part because of the severe test being experienced by his hearers. As with the Israelite wanderers, if those who had confessed Christ turn their backs on him in their time of testing and discouragement, it will constitute disobedience.

Moreover, the preacher’s employment of the desert wanderers as paradigmatic affirms the danger to which his hearers are subject, since the example would be useless if there were no real parallel. No one would suggest that the readers of Hebrews should eschew disobedience because God might take them out to a literal desert to die. We also must be careful of assuming that the image directly corresponds to being cut off from a relationship with God by loss of salvation, although that possibility must be addressed. Jewish scholars debated whether those who fell in the desert had any part in the life to come; the author of Hebrews does not say specifically. The picture of those who fell provides a stark picture of judgment and the terrible possibility of falling away from God because of a hardened, sinful heart. Although the exact nature of that judgment has yet to be brought into focus, the danger depicted is severe. Their example shows that anyone who provokes God through unbelief and disobedience faces his wrath.

Interpreting the conditional clauses of 3:6 and 3:14. In analyzing the details of 3:1–19 the student encounters certain tensions in the author’s perspective on his audience. He addresses them as sharers “in the heavenly calling” in verse 1 only to put a condition on that designation in verse 14: “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” He refers to the community as Jesus’ “house” in verse 6, but then immediately qualifies that affirmation with “if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.”

How, then, should we interpret these conditional statements in verses 6 and 14? At least two insights give guidance for dealing with these complex passages. (1) In the main clauses of these conditional sentences (the part that grammarians refer to as the “apodosis”),12 the author seems to address the hearers corporately as Christians. This may seem obvious to many who read the English “we are his house” (v. 6) and “we have come” (v. 14), but Greek tense forms (e.g., the present used in v. 6 and the perfect in v. 14) may be used in conjunction with various time frames—including past, present, and future—or without reference to a time frame at all. We largely depend on the context to discern whether a specific time frame is in mind.

In 3:14 the writer states: “We have become sharers of Christ” (pers. trans.). In virtually every one of the thirty times the author uses the verb “to become” (ginomai) in the book, he speaks of a state of existence or status to which there has been a change from a former state of existence or status. For example, Christ has become better than the angels (1:4), a high priest (2:17; 5:5), and the source of eternal salvation (5:9). The hearers have become dull of hearing (5:11) and, in the past, had become sharers with those who had been persecuted (10:33). Noah became an heir of righteousness (11:7), Moses became grown (11:24), and heroes of the faith became mighty (11:34). Therefore, if we judge from the use of the term in the rest of Hebrews, “to become” in 3:14 probably refers to a new state of existence, namely, participation in this community.

Further, we have demonstrated that to be part of Jesus’ “house” and to be a “sharer” of him are references to the hearers as Christians. That the author understands this to be their state of existence finds support in his various references to them. He speaks of them as “holy brothers” (3:1), those who “share in the heavenly calling” (3:1), “dear friends” who manifest things accompanying salvation (6:9), and those who had made a Christian confession (3:1; 4:14; 10:23). He also indicates that they are those who have suffered for the Christian faith in the past (10:32), who are “sons” of God (12:5–13), who have come to Mount Zion (12:22–24), and who are part of the community of “saints” (13:24). These are a few of his designations for the people in the community to which he is writing. Thus, based on the broader context, when the author refers to them as Jesus’ house in 3:6 and as those who “share in Christ” in 3:14, he seems to affirm a present reality; he is addressing a group of Christ-followers.

(2) The reference to the congregation corporately as Christians is followed by a qualification. In effect the author says, “Point A is true, if point B is true”; that is, we are Christ’s house, providing that we hold on to …; we have come to be sharers with Christ, if we hold firmly till the end.… The closest parallels to these constructions as used in Hebrews are found in Paul’s writings. Notice how each statement of fact is followed by a qualification:

Romans 8:9: You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.

Romans 8:17: Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Romans 11:22: Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that [lit., if] you continue in his kindness.

2 Corinthians 13:5b: Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

Colossians 1:22–23: But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

Each of these Pauline examples, along with our passages from Hebrews, has to do with a person’s relationship to God! What interpretation offers an explanation?

The tensions inherent in these conditional constructions indicate a fundamental principle for dealing with matters related to a person’s relationship with Christ: Human perspective on the status of another person before God is limited. The author of Hebrews, Paul, you, and I—every human being—have limitations on what we can know about the spiritual condition of another person, and to some degree, we are dependent on an outward manifestation of spiritual realities (cf. Matt. 7:15–23; James 2:14–26). Thus, in Hebrews 4:1 the preacher encourages his readers’ caution lest, while the promised rest is available, any of them should seem (dokeo) to have fallen short of it. He has been persuaded of better things concerning them than the travesty described in 6:4–8 by their actions (6:9); it is through their perseverance that they will realize the full certainty of their hope (6:11).

These passages, in other words, speak of the limitations on human perspective when it comes to matters of salvation and fit well a larger theological vein in the New Testament. In 2 Corinthians 13:5a Paul exhorts his readers, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” First John offers similar admonitions: “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands” (1 John 2:3); “This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (2:5b–6); “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence …” (3:18–19). The inner reality of one’s relationship with God is manifested in outward action and gives assurance.

The author of Hebrews cannot give unqualified assurance to those drifting away from God that they indeed have a part in God’s house or are sharers in Christ. He addresses them collectively as believers, but realizes that some in the group may manifest a different reality as time goes on (cf. 1 John 2:19). Perseverance does not gain salvation but demonstrates the reality that true salvation indeed has been inaugurated.13 If the end comes and a person is not in relationship with Christ, it means that the person had never truly become Christ’s companion.

Five principles of faithfulness inherent in these examples.Hebrews 3:1–19 presents two units, one focusing on the positive example of Jesus and the other on the negative example of the fallen desert wanderers; both cohere around the theme of faithfulness. As we move to application of this text, the author’s underlying assumptions concerning the nature of faithfulness should be brought into focus. In other words, how would his hearers respond to his exhortation? How should one think about devotion in the Christian life?

(1) A healthy focus on Christ encourages one to faithfulness. We are to fix our thoughts on the One who is the supreme example of faithfulness (3:1–2). This is more than mental gymnastics or mere assent to a creed, for we are Christ’s house, his companions (3:6, 14). Therefore, the author continues to spotlight Jesus as the key to the problem facing his listeners and suggests that the health of one’s relationship to him will determine perseverance.

(2) Faithfulness is volitional as well as emotional or intellectual. Inherent in the exhortations and examples of Hebrews 3 is the assumption that the hearers should choose to remain faithful to God. They may be challenged emotionally by his examples and stimulated by the logic of his exposition, but these dynamics are in service to the motivational import of his discussion. He wants his audience to act on his challenge. The “Today” of Psalm 95:7 shows that the time of opportunity is now (Heb. 3:13).

(3) The twin failings of sinfulness and unbelief can hinder faithfulness. The sinful, disobedient heart turns away from God because it does not truly believe in him (3:12, 18–19). By deceit sin hardens the heart, bringing about rebellion and the judgment of God (3:13, 16–17). These failings characterize those who fell in the desert, their devastation providing a stark reminder that the unfaithful must face consequences.

(4) The faithful persevere in commitment until the end. If we are to be considered faithful, we must “hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast” (3:6), a statement that suggests public identification with Christ and the church. Faithfulness, therefore, must be lived out in the public arena in consistent Christ-following until the end. In this way the confidence we expressed at the beginning of our commitment will be validated as we hold firmly to it (3:14).

(5) Faithfulness is communal, each believer depending on others in the body of Christ for encouragement. We are part of a spiritual family and fellow travelers in a heavenly calling (3:1). We share a common experience in God’s household (3:6) and as Christ’s companions (3:14); therefore, we should offer one another daily encouragement (3:13).

Summary. In Hebrews 3:1–19 the genre of exhortation suggests that the author intends to motivate the listeners to take a desired course of action. He builds his challenge by use of powerful examples, both positive and negative. The author presents Christ himself as the ultimate, positive example of faithfulness, while utilizing the religious hero Moses as a reference point from which to focus on the greater example of Jesus.

Carrying out an exposition of Psalm 95 the preacher paints a stark portrait of unfaithfulness by using those faltering, faithless wanderers of the desert. The conditional sentences of 3:6 and 3:14 offer a special hermeneutical challenge with their qualifications on the hearers’ status as true Christians. These qualifications indicate the limitations on human perspective when it comes to matters of personal salvation and fit a larger theological viewpoint evidenced by other New Testament writers. Holding fast to one’s confidence in Christ, therefore, manifests the reality of one’s relationship to him. The whole of Hebrews 3 teaches that faithfulness is encouraged by a healthy focus on Christ. As a volitional dynamic, faithfulness may be affected adversely by sinfulness and unbelief and positively by others in the body of Christ. Finally, true faithfulness manifests itself most clearly in an endurance all the way to the end of the path that God has laid for us.

Contemporary Significance

OF HEROES AND SUPERSTARS. Some time ago a group of young children were asked whom they saw as heroes. Among the recipients of honor were Michael Jackson, Madonna, sports figures, and a United States president. The majority were what previous generations called “celebrities,” who reserved the term hero for those known for special courage, nobility, achievement, and sacrifice. Our age of high tech has transformed the movie actor, the singer, and the football star into larger-than-life figures, blurring the lines between superstar status and true heroism. Political leaders garner admiration for ingenuity rather than moral fortitude. In his 1995 review of the book Churchill by Norman Rose, Henry Kissinger offered insightful demarcations between true political heroes and mere superstars:

Our age finds it difficult to come to grips with figures like Winston Churchill. The political leaders with whom we are familiar generally aspire to be superstars rather than heroes. The distinction is crucial. Superstars strive for approbation; heroes walk alone. Superstars crave consensus; heroes define themselves by the judgment of a future they see it as their task to bring about. Superstars seek success in a technique for eliciting support; heroes pursue success as the outgrowth of inner values.

The modern political leader rarely ventures to comment in public without having tested his views on focus groups, if indeed he does not derive them from a focus group. To a man like Churchill, the very concept of focus groups would have been unimaginable.

Thus in the space of a generation, Churchill, the quintessential hero, has been transformed from the mythic to the nearly incomprehensible.14

Walking alone, inner values producing outward action—these are the materials of true heroism. In a U. S. News editorial of August 12, 1996, writer David Gergen, reflecting on the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, affirms that athletes like Kerri Strug, who, after spraining her ankle, completed a final vault to help her U.S. gymnastics team win the gold, deserve the designation hero. But Gergen laments the fact that “we reserve hero status these days for young men and women who can flip, sprint and swim their way into our hearts.” The editorialist suggests that even expanding our view of heroism to military generals and astronauts draws the parameters too narrowly. Heroes are often unsung, giving their lives quietly in a variety of walks in life. We as a culture have confused true heroism with fame.

The church has bought into this fuzzy thinking and the exaltation of superstardom. When a sports figure or rock star becomes a Christian, we see it as a special coup for the faith. We seem to think that their acceptance of Christianity gives special validity to the kingdom of God or that their fame will greatly advance the cause. The writer, the singer, or the athlete is interviewed for her special wisdom in life. The gilded image of the familiar face has obscured the truly heroic, who give their lives in the trenches of daily Christian sacrifice.

We need genuine heroes who can be held up as examples of devotion to Christ. Commenting on this need, Elisabeth Elliot writes, “How else shall we grasp the meaning of courage or strength or holiness? We need to see such truth made visible in the lives of human beings.…”15 In Hebrews 3:1–6 the author does not disparage the community’s attribution of honor to Moses; he builds on it. The use of a heroic example in this passage (although Moses’ example is used only indirectly) calls the preacher of today to consider how he or she uses examples in preaching and challenges modern church persons to reflect on whether they are distinguishing between superstars and true heroes.

At least five levels of examples can be demarcated, the first three with which the author of Hebrews does not deal but which serve to clarify his uses of examples. (1) Fictional heroes can include the allegory, fable, myth, or parable. Of allegory Dorothy Sayers writes:

Allegory is a distinct literary form, whose aim and method are to dramatize a psychological experience so as to make it more vivid and more comprehensible. Parable and fable are two other literary forms that do much the same thing. Each of them tells a literal story that is complete in itself, but which also presents a likeness to some spiritual or psychological experience so that it can be used to signify and interpret that experience; and the story is told, not for its own sake, but for the sake of what it signifies. At the bottom of all such stories there lies this perception of a likeness between two experiences, the one familiar and the other unfamiliar, so that the one can be used to shed light on the other.16

In allegories such as The Chronicles of Narnia, The Pilgrim’s Progress, The Faerie Queene, or The Divine Comedy writers express their feelings and perceptions of life, touching abstract qualities by presenting stories with which we can identify in some way. I have never gone sword in hand into battle against an evil oppressor, but I have taken joy in knowing some evil has been defeated. I have never taken a literal journey through a land inhabited by dangerous animals or other perils, but I am on a journey in which I need encouragement to have courage. The heroes of fiction may be accessed as potent illustrations of character; used well they stretch the imagination of how we might live more effectively.

(2) We can point to true heroes from the arenas of sports, the military, politics, personal achievement, or humanitarianism to draw analogies to spiritual truths. Churchill’s leadership, an athlete’s determination, the man who gives his life to save others—these can provide useful, parallel pictures of certain character qualities lauded in biblical literature. We must be careful, however, to keep in mind that these are not the spiritual realities themselves, but only illustrations that help to clarify certain greater spiritual truths.

(3) We need to do more in our preaching with great heroes of Christian history, from ancient times to modern. Think of figures such as the martyr Polycarp, who, in response to the governor’s offer of release if he would revile Christ, replied, “Eighty-six years I have been his servant, and he has never done wrong to me. How then can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?” (Martyrdom of Polycarp 9). William Tyndale, that great scholar of the 1500s, gave his life to translate parts of the Scriptures into English. He was strangled and burned in October 1536. Hudson Taylor, a missionary of the nineteenth century, brought numerous innovations to the modern missions movement and, at great personal cost, paved the way for millions in inland China to hear the gospel. Contemporary figures such as Billy Graham, who has maintained a ministry of integrity for decades, also serve as appropriate models for the faithful.

(4) Now we come to the most important examples and those used by the author of Hebrews: Followers of God in Scripture should be held up as examples of faithfulness, their examples being affirmed by God himself through the inspired Word. Some of my earliest memories are of a large, red Bible storybook, which my parents read to me as a preschooler. I learned of David, Daniel, and Paul from an early age. My son has just turned four years old, and I am teaching him of these heroes of the faith. We should preach David to show devotion and courage, Daniel to show trust, and Paul to demonstrate sacrifice in the face of an antagonistic culture. As Christian parents we should ask ourselves the identity of those whom our children are embracing as heroes and heroines. Are they more enamored with sports or cartoon figures than biblical examples of devotion to God?

(5) Finally, the author of Hebrews uses Jesus as the ultimate example of faithfulness. Spiritual examples of devotion are validated to the degree they are eclipsed by Christ himself. Great religious heroes like Moses serve as spiritual telescopes, tools used by God to magnify Someone greater than themselves. For it is to Jesus, the One who stands at the heart of the faith, that we must look if we are to endure in our Christian commitment. We must preach sound doctrine, but are we also utilizing the example of Jesus’ endurance in our teaching on daily Christian devotion? We must preach him as the cosmic Christ, who set the stars on their appointed paths, but are we employing his treading of the path to Calvary as an example of commitment and sacrifice? Are we helping our children, our congregations, and ourselves “fix [our] thoughts on Jesus” (3:1)? All other examples must be judged in light of this question, for he is not only the preeminent Lord of the universe but also our supreme example of a hero.

True and false assurances. Biblical theology provides a rich spectrum of truths about humanity and our relationship to God. From God’s sovereignty to human responsibility, from grace to judgment, from the deity of Christ to his humanity, from conversion to salvation consummated (i.e., glorification), many doctrinal truths must be held in balance with related, equally important truths.17 To focus on parts of Scripture to the exclusion of other parts proves damaging to the church and individual Christians, and we often get things out of balance. This tendency suggests one reason why systematic, exegetical study of the Bible is so important. Through such study we confront the whole counsel of God and, hopefully, adjust our perspectives accordingly.

The qualifications in 3:6, 14 highlight at least two areas in which many modern evangelicals have lost balance doctrinally and end up giving converts to Christianity false assurances in relation to salvation. The problem stems not from heresy per se, but from an emphasis on certain biblical teachings to the practical exclusion of others. Hebrews calls us to consider how we must adjust our thinking and practice.

(1) In some circles we emphasize the vital doctrine of grace to the point of minimizing personal responsibility and accountability in the Christian life. In effect we communicate, “If you have made a Christian confession, your relationship with God is secured—no matter how you live from this point on.”18 I actually hear people who are living blatantly sinful lifestyles and are disconnected from the church speak of their “conversion experience” as insurance against God’s judgment. They reason, “I’m OK with God because I have accepted Jesus as my Savior,” or “I joined the church years ago.”

Such people understand grace to mean that they are afforded an insider relationship with God that renders their present lifestyles meaningless. Similarly, in my New Testament survey classes I have had students who reject the notion of church discipline in the name of grace—and do so vehemently! “To love the sinner,” they say, “is what Jesus would do. Who are we to judge another person?” Thus they leave out the hard side of love that would bring an errant person back to spiritual health and relationship with the church (see 1 Cor. 5).

Both groups abuse the grace of God and garner it as a tool for promoting moral laxity. Paul addresses those who pervert his grace doctrine by suggesting it encourages a libertine lifestyle free from moral restraints (e.g., Rom. 6:1–4). He unequivocally asserts that nothing is further from the truth. Relationship with Christ involves the reckoning of oneself as dead to sin, denying sin’s mastery over the mortal body (6:8–14). Grace provides a means for freedom from sin, not freedom to sin.

For the author of Hebrews, those drifting away from God with hearts callused by sin are in serious trouble. The conditional clauses of Hebrews 3:6, 14 suggest that assurance of salvation—assurance that we have partaken of the grace of God—in part depends on the vitality of one’s ongoing relationship with Christ and the church. This is not to suggest that one earns salvation through faithfulness but that faithfulness is evidence of one’s salvation. It may be that a “drifter” truly has a relationship with Christ and will come around again to Christian commitment. Yet, the drifter in a state of drifting has no assurance of his or her right standing before God since God’s grace is not being manifested in that person’s life.

I grew up in a tradition that places such emphasis on the initial conversion experience that assurance of salvation is almost entirely related to that experience. If one struggles with assurance he or she is told, “Do you remember when you prayed to receive Christ? Do you believe you were sincere when you asked for salvation? If so, you can be sure you are a Christian. God does not lie, and in Romans 10:9–10 he says if you confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth and believe in your heart that God resurrected him, you will be saved.” It may well be that the one doubting salvation needs to be reminded of God’s faithfulness. However, grave danger lies in a focus on an experience—often in the distant past—and in an encouragement to put trust in a past prayer rather than in the God of salvation.

This same danger exists for those traditions in which a public confession of Christ is made following participation in a confirmation class of some sort. If we encourage individuals to anchor their assurance in any past event, we give them an uncertain foundation and may give false assurance to those who should really be doubting the reality of their relationship with God! Remember that the author of Hebrews is warning those who have made a confession of Christ in the past and suggests that some of their number may have fallen short (3:1). Jesus himself says that at the judgment some who called him “Lord” will be turned away for lack of a relationship with him (Matt. 7:22–23).

Therefore, we have no right to give assurance to those who have turned their backs on God—in fact, we should affirm their lack of assurance! We must never say, “I remember when you accepted Christ,” or “You went through confirmation when you were twelve,” using those experiences as a basis for giving them assurance of God’s acceptance. We cannot look into a person’s heart and see his or her spiritual condition. It would be better to say, “Since you have turned your back on God, the validity of your relationship with Christ has been called into question. You need to repent and examine yourself to see if you are in the faith.” The author of Hebrews does challenge his hearers to remember their past confession of Christ (4:14; 10:23)—but as a basis for faithfulness rather than a basis for assurance.

Cultivating faithfulness. We live in an age of sound bytes constantly luring us to new and better products or experiences with instant access to services, information, and opportunities. In this fast-paced age we sprint from one life experience to the next; to some, Hebrews’ emphasis on a “long-distance,” well-paced faith may seem out of step. Yet, obedience to God must be lived in the daily, often mundane experiences of life over a long period of time, often without immediate gratification for our effort. Hebrews 3 challenges believers of all ages to take seriously their commitment to Christ and remain faithful to him as a life pattern. How then can we cultivate lives of faithfulness, which will endure over the long haul?

(1) Faithfulness flows from a clear and healthy view of Jesus. In the author’s exhortation to consider Jesus, one finds the reminder that true, unflagging Christ-followers focus their purpose and perspective on the apostle and high priest whom we confess—Jesus himself. If Jesus is our ultimate example of faithfulness, we must have a clear picture of him. The author of Hebrews intends to help us in this matter by offering a lucid exposition of Scripture and Christian teaching concerning the person of Christ.

How, then, do we keep the Son of God in focus? Let me suggest at least two interlocking means. (a) We must have a doctrinally sound understanding of the Son. The author’s extensive treatment of early Christian doctrine concerning Jesus emphasizes this need. As believers we must, therefore, study Scripture and meditate on it. Further, reading great theological discussions that have taken place in the church’s history can help clarify our understanding of Jesus and guard against aberrant christologies. In our churches we should expound New Testament passages on Jesus (Hebrews would be a great place to start!) and offer basic theology classes for our members. Our private lives should include daily reading and study of the Bible, as well as times for reading and reflecting on theological works of both ancient and contemporary writers. If we are to be people sound in our thinking, these activities should constitute a normal aspect of Christian living.

(b) Another dimension of keeping Jesus in focus exists in cultivating intimacy with the Savior through prayer and obedience. Doctrine constitutes not an end in itself, but rather points us to the living Lord whom we serve. At its heart Hebrews concerns a powerful relational dimension. After all, we are his “companions” and on an adventure with him (3:14); we are part of Christ’s household (3:6) and are in process of learning faithfulness from him. In effect, his high priesthood wins us entrance into the presence of God, providing us a way to draw near (4:14–16). Yet, being a faithful companion of Christ in prayer and living a devoted life must be nurtured—a process for which our modern culture of haste is not always conducive.

One barrier to full intimacy with the Savior is hurriedness. Intimacy may not be rushed. To meet with the Son of God takes time. We cannot dash into his presence and choke down spiritual inwardness before we hurry to our one o’clock appointment. Inwardness is time-consuming, open only to minds willing to sample spirituality in small bites, savoring each one.

Intimacy with Christ comes from entering his presence with inner peace rather than bursting into his presence from the hassles of life. A relaxed contemplation of the indwelling Christ allows for an inner communion impossible to achieve while oppressed by busyness and care.

Holy living is not abrupt living. No one who hurries into the presence of God is content to remain for long. Those who hurry in, hurry out.19

Therefore, along with public confession we must attend to the health of our inner life. As Gordon MacDonald notes, when we neglect the inner life, we risk a “sinkhole” type of collapse in our lives and ministries since we do not have the spiritual and emotional resources to hold up under the external pressures we face.20 On the other hand, when we cultivate closeness with Jesus, meeting with him in prayer and allowing him through God’s Word to “speak with [us] face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (Ex. 33:11), we gain inner strength for endurance on the path by which we follow him. If we are struggling with faithfulness, we can begin to assess our situation by considering how clearly we see Jesus at present—both doctrinally and relationally. If the incessant crashes and explosions of personal challenges—be they persecution, sin problems, or other difficulties—threaten to drown out the voice of God, we can turn our trek back to spiritual health by seeking Jesus. He is experienced in making a way out of seemingly unconquerable situations.

(2) Faithfulness involves choosing obedience based on trust in God. Inherent in the author’s exhortations—“fix your thoughts on Jesus” (3:1), “do not harden your hearts” (3:8), “see to it … that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart” (3:12), and “encourage one another daily” (3:13)—lies an understanding that faithfulness is volitional rather than merely emotional or even intellectual. Thus we cultivate faithfulness by listening to God’s voice and choosing life patterns of obedience. Correspondingly we must reject sin, which hardens the heart toward God.

Practically speaking we must, therefore, expose our lives meaningfully to God’s Word and adjust our thoughts and lifestyles accordingly. This means hearing the Word preached and asking honestly, “What do I need to confess and from what do I need to repent?” and “How should my life be lived this week based on what I have heard?” Through times of reading and reflecting on Scripture we expose our inner lives to the voice of God for change, encouragement, and maturation. Once exposed, however, we must then act on the Word. This pattern of openness and of change takes faith in God and challenges us strenuously.

Modern Western culture has associated faith, to a great extent, with the miraculous, an association that is appropriate biblically. Yet we must hold up the association of faith with faithfulness if we are to be true to the broader picture of faith in Scripture. The author of Hebrews associates belief in God so closely with obedience to him that the two are practically indistinguishable. This association grows out of the author’s use of the desert wanderers as an example. They were disobedient to the voice of God in the desert because they did not trust him to win them entrance to the land of promise. In one sense, we can say that all sin originates from thinking that God has less than our best interests at heart (e.g., Gen. 3:1–7). The thief doubts God’s provision, the sexually immoral person denies the sufficiency of God’s design for sexual fulfillment, the religiously proud does not trust God’s priority on humility. On the relationship between faith and obedience George MacDonald writes:

Faith is that which, knowing the Lord’s will, goes and does it; or, not knowing it, stands and waits.… But to put God to the question in any other way than by saying, “What wilt thou have me to do?” is an attempt to compel God to declare Himself, or to hasten His work.… The man is therein dissociating himself from God so far that, instead of acting by the divine will from within, he acts in God’s face, as it were, to see what He will do. Man’s first business is, “What does God want me to do?”—not “What will God do if I do so and so?”21

(3) Faithfulness grows from an encouraging association with the community of faith. In 3:13 the author prompts us to “encourage one another daily.” In other words, the give and take of positive encouragement from others in the body of Christ provides a safeguard against heart-hardening sin and spiritual bankruptcy. If I am counseling someone struggling with faithfulness, I issue the challenge to renew commitment to a group of believers. We learn faith and deepen faith by exercising it, reading Scripture, and meditating on the great acts of God, but life lived with the people of faith is an indispensable ingredient in a faithful walk.

Those of us in church leadership must ask ourselves how we can foster meaningful subgroups in our churches into which believers can be assimilated and where they may find encouragement to face life’s challenges. As noted by Philip Yancey in his book Church: Why Bother? 22 in the intimacy of small church groups we are forced to rub shoulders with others in the body, many of whom are not like us. We grow from exposure to their walks with Christ and are encouraged in our own walks.

On March 10, 1904, the great escape artist Houdini was challenged to a contest by The Illustrated Mirror of London. The paper dared the showman to escape from a complex form of handcuffs with six locks on each cuff and nine tumblers on each lock. The performer took the challenge with thousands gathered at the London Hippodrome to see if he could escape these new bonds. Having been handcuffed securely, Houdini ducked down into a box to struggle out of sight of the crowd. After about twenty minutes the entertainer popped up out of the box; the gathering roared their approval but suddenly quieted as they realized the cuffs were still in place. Houdini smiled, asked for more light, and went back into the box. Fifteen minutes passed, and once again the escape artist appeared. Again the crowd cheered enthusiastically. Houdini smiled, saying that he just needed to flex his knees. Down he went. After about twenty minutes he came up again, taking a pocketknife from his vest and holding it in his teeth. Houdini slashed his coat to ribbons, freeing himself of the hot and heavy garment, and then jumped back into the box. The crowd cheered him on. This time he only stayed in the box for ten minutes and then emerged a free man holding the cuffs in his hands. The crowd gave an extended ovation for the master of escape. Later a reporter asked Houdini why he kept popping up out of the box when he was not yet free. He replied that he needed to hear the encouragement of the crowd.23

Those of us who live in Christian community struggle, often in dark solitude, against discouragement as a result of sin, conflict with culture, physical fatigue, relational discord, and other dynamics that close in around us. When we come out of our solitude into the light of Christian fellowship, we need to experience applause and encouragement from others in the body of Christ. This gives us the courage to go back to our struggles with new energy and hope. From a human point of view such affirmation can make all the difference in holding “firmly till the end” the confidence that began our Christian commitment.

Original Meaning

A Negative Example: The Faithless of the Desert (3:7–19)

WITH VERSE 7 the preacher moves quite naturally from the positive examples of Moses and Jesus to the negative example of those unfaithful wanderers who because of their disobedience failed and fell in the desert. To change the direction of the discussion, the author employs Psalm 95:7c–11 as a catalyst. This Old Testament quotation begins with its own exhortation: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.…” The “so” (dio) of Hebrews 3:7 builds on the implicit warning of the previous verse. In essence the author is saying, “since we cannot be considered Christ’s house if we do not hold fast, therefore” we must heed the admonition of this Old Testament passage. The phrase “as the Holy Spirit says” demonstrates the author’s view that this admonition provides a direct, fresh, contemporary word to his listeners. He understands Psalm 95:7c–11 as an important warning for those who are in danger of drifting.

The psalm quotation itself may be divided into three parts. (1) The exhortation “do not harden your hearts” lies at the center of the first part. This warning follows a temporal frame of reference (“today”) and a conditional clause (“if you hear his voice”). (2) The next portion (beginning with “as you did in the rebellion” and running through the end of verse 9) offers an example or illustration. In neither the Old Testament text nor the presentation of the psalm here in Hebrews does one find the phrase “you did” in “as … in the rebellion.” That is, the psalm’s author does not include his listeners in the negative example. Rather, the example is that of a former generation—“their fathers,” who had “tested and tried” the Lord in spite of his miraculous works on their behalf. Therefore, “do not harden your hearts as those people did in the rebellion” offers a better translation at this point. (3) The final segment of the psalm confronts the hearers with the judgment experienced by that rebellious generation. God “was angry” with them because of their wandering hearts and their lack of understanding his ways (Ps. 95:10). Therefore, he swore that they would not enter his rest (95:11).

In 3:12–19 the author of Hebrews takes the concepts “heart,” “day,” “today,” “hear,” “enter,” “test,” “rest,” “unbelief,” and “swear” from the psalm, weaving them into a potent commentary and exhortation. The unit begins with the twin exhortations to “see to it … that” (lit., “take care lest”) and “encourage one another” (vv. 12–13). The first of these confronts the listeners with a general warning directed at the community. The believers should “take care” or “beware” (blepo, “see,” used metaphorically) because within any Christian community there may be those whose outward association does not reflect the inward condition of the heart. The danger lies in anyone who might possess “a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.”

The second exhortation comes in the form of a positive admonition. The hearers are to “encourage one another daily” so that none of them will experience a spiritual hardening brought on by sin’s deceitfulness. Taken from the psalm, the word “today” speaks of the present time of opportunity for a right relationship with God. The author’s conviction that this psalm directly addresses this Christian congregation may be seen in the phrase “as long as it is called Today,” suggesting the contemporary relevance of the passage as the Word of God. For this community struggling with the problem of spiritual drifting, hardening of the heart was both a real danger and avoidable. If it was to be avoided, however, the recipients of Hebrews had to relate to one another in an atmosphere of encouragement.

Continuing with another sober word of warning, in 3:14 the author writes: “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” At 3:1 the author addresses the community as “sharers of the heavenly calling,”10 but in 3:14 he places a condition on that designation. The proposition “we have come to share in Christ” in the NIV translates a Greek clause more literally rendered with “we have become sharers [or companions, metochoi] of Christ” (cf. 3:1). The verb translated “have come” (gegonamen) is a perfect tense form and may be interpreted as focusing on a present state of being; that is, “we have become in the past and, therefore, are sharers.…” As in 3:1, to “share in” means simply to experience a relationship with a companion, namely, Christ—to be part of “his house” (3:6).

What then of the condition? The word for “if” is eanper, and in the New Testament literature only Hebrews uses this word. The condition placed on being companions of Christ has to do with holding “firmly … the confidence we had at first.” The word translated “hold” in 3:14 is the same as that used in 3:6, but here “firmly” is added. This word was used to refer to what was solid, durable, valid, confirmed, or guaranteed. In a legal or business sense it connoted the stability of a contractual relationship.11 It was something on which one could depend, and it speaks here of the dependability or firmness of the Christian’s commitment, a commitment that had been expressed with assurance at the inception of each believer’s relationship with the Lord. Thus, real Christian experience contains the quality of durability, lasting “till the end”—a reference to the death of the one holding the confidence or to the time when Christ returns (9:28).

In 3:15 the preacher ends a long Greek sentence started in verse 12 by quoting again the “exhortation” portion of the psalm (Ps. 95:7b–8a). This section of the psalm serves as a summary for verses 12–14, emphasizing again the warning against a hardened heart and the need to listen to God’s voice “today.” The quotation of verse 15 also leads into the final segment of this unit.

In 3:16–19 the author follows a stylistic pattern of asking a question and then providing an answer. The questions at the beginning of each verse are taken directly from the quote of Psalm 95:7c–11. The answers provided, however, derive from other Old Testament passages that have to do with the desert wanderings. That those who came out of Egypt with Moses were the same as those who rebelled against the Lord (Heb. 3:16) may be concluded from Deuteronomy 9; Numbers 14:1–38; or Psalm 106. That “those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert,” were the same as those with whom God was upset (Heb. 3:17) also derives from either Numbers 14:1–38 or Psalm 106. The concept of the disobedient ones as those to whom God swore they would not enter his rest (Heb. 3:18) finds expression in Deuteronomy 9:7, 24.

The unit concludes with a summary statement in 3:19, explaining that at its core the wanderers’ inability to enter God’s rest stemmed from their unbelief, thus linking the concepts of unbelief and disobedience (cf. Num. 14:11; Deut. 9:23; Ps. 78:22, 32).

Summary.Hebrews 3 builds a series of exhortations, based on positive and negative examples, and revolves around two types of Old Testament material. Forming a foundation for a more fervent consideration of Christ, verses 1–6 rests on a treatment of the great leader Moses, highly esteemed by the Jews of the first century. The audience’s admiration for Moses assures the rhetorical impact of demonstrating Jesus’ greater status. Verses 7–19, on the other hand, presents an extensive Old Testament quotation and a commentary/exhortation derived from it. The details of this text offer the preacher the substance of his exhortations. In short, the hearers are not to follow the example of those who fell in the desert but are to hold firmly to their Christian confidence, keeping a soft heart and a vigilance against sin. They accomplish this in part by encouraging one another during this present age in which they have opportunity (“today”) to respond obediently to God’s voice.

Bridging Contexts

AS WE SEEK to interpret this passage for our contemporary contexts, we confront a number of dynamics in this rich text that must be addressed. We must ask, for example, the significance of the shift in genre—the kind of literature—as we move from 2:18 to 3:1. Within that discussion we must ask the specific purpose of both the positive and negative examples used. What does the author wish to accomplish by the use of these examples? What presuppositions lie behind their use? What are the limitations of these examples, and how can we guard against reading more into them than the author intended? The interesting “conditional warnings” of 3:6, 14 and, especially, their mix of seemingly present and future time frames pose other issues of interpretation. Finally, we must attempt to discern the principles inherent in the author’s exhortation to faithfulness; does he give any direction in how one can maintain a life of faithful obedience?

A shift to exhortation. We have already marked several points of continuity between 2:10–18 and the unit under consideration. The author continues to speak of Jesus in terms of “son,” and 3:1 contains a reference to him as “high priest” (a transitional element that echoes 2:17). That there are those being brought to “glory” in 2:10 reflects a similar sentiment as expressed in the hearers’ being sharers in the “heavenly calling” of 3:1. The author knows how to lead his hearers from one thought to the next with smooth transitions. However, it is also important for us to note aspects of discontinuity as we move from one section of the discourse to another. We must ask: “What new dynamics or information does this portion of the book add to the discussion thus far?” and “What specific role does the author intend this passage to play?”

With 3:1 the author makes a decisive shift to exhortation as marked by his change in addressing the listeners directly as “holy brothers.” The function here, while closely intermeshed with and building on the expositional material on Christ, is distinct from it. The preacher uses conventional means of motivating his audience to action. This is the purpose of exhortation; we, however, must ascertain the nature of that motivation.

Examples as a means of motivation. In the ancient world preachers of the synagogue and Greco-Roman orators used positive examples to challenge their audiences to desired actions and negative examples to highlight those actions from which one should refrain. At its most basic level, the employment of an example assumes some analogy between the situation of the person(s) used as the example and the person(s) being addressed. To what end does the author of Hebrews introduce the great Old Testament figure, Moses?

The primary aspect of Moses’ life to which the author points is his faithfulness, the overarching theme of 3:1–19. The picture of Moses as a faithful servant in all God’s house (3:2, 5) proves useful to the author because the old covenant lawgiver provides a stark picture of fidelity in a position of leadership. With 2:10–18 the sermon has moved from a heavenly to an earthly focus, and Moses depicts a person of this world who has lived faithfully for God.

However, Moses does not serve as a direct example in 3:1–6 but rather as an indirect one. The author does not challenge the hearers to follow his example in this passage (that will come later in ch. 11). Rather, he uses Moses as a reference point from which to highlight the greater faithfulness of Christ. The preacher challenges his companions in the heavenly calling to “fix [their] thoughts on Jesus” (3:1). Since believers are “children,” we especially need an example of someone who has lived out a filial faithfulness. Thus Jesus, as the Son of God, provides an example superior to that of even the greatest of Old Testament figures. Furthermore, as the Creator he has a greater inherent authority than Moses, who was a part of his creation. Thus, the author builds on the greatness of Moses and asserts that as great as this religious figure might be, Jesus must be the object of a Christian’s ultimate focus.

The use of Moses in the exhortation of 3:1–6, therefore, affirms both the usefulness and the limitations of a human example. Such an example may be foundational for a discussion of devotion to God because it provides a picture of how others have responded positively to God in challenges somewhat analogous to our own. It also shows us that God has used imperfect human beings in his purposes in the past. Such examples, therefore, can be encouraging as we witness God’s use of those who struggle with sin as we do. We might point out that Moses is a scriptural example; the telling of Moses’ example was inspired by God for the benefit of the people of God. There must, therefore, be a distinction made between various levels of examples for a Christian.

Yet, Moses’ example primarily serves to emphasize the greater example of Christ. No sinful human example—even a scriptural one—suffices as the ultimate model for a Christian. Christ’s example eclipses all true examples for the community of faith. It is Jesus who provides the perfect picture of faithful commitment to God, for he alone lived apart from the taint of sin.

If Moses serves the author’s purpose in 3:1–6 by providing a positive portrayal of commitment, the desert wanderers of 3:7–19 offer a negative example of those who failed to take the desired action. Their use in Hebrews parallels Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 10:1–11 to avoid Israel’s mistakes. Having itemized their various sins to be shunned, Paul writes, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come” (10:11). In Hebrews 3 the author focuses on the wanderers’ sin of turning away from God in a time of testing; it may be that he uses this psalm in part because of the severe test being experienced by his hearers. As with the Israelite wanderers, if those who had confessed Christ turn their backs on him in their time of testing and discouragement, it will constitute disobedience.

Moreover, the preacher’s employment of the desert wanderers as paradigmatic affirms the danger to which his hearers are subject, since the example would be useless if there were no real parallel. No one would suggest that the readers of Hebrews should eschew disobedience because God might take them out to a literal desert to die. We also must be careful of assuming that the image directly corresponds to being cut off from a relationship with God by loss of salvation, although that possibility must be addressed. Jewish scholars debated whether those who fell in the desert had any part in the life to come; the author of Hebrews does not say specifically. The picture of those who fell provides a stark picture of judgment and the terrible possibility of falling away from God because of a hardened, sinful heart. Although the exact nature of that judgment has yet to be brought into focus, the danger depicted is severe. Their example shows that anyone who provokes God through unbelief and disobedience faces his wrath.

Interpreting the conditional clauses of 3:6 and 3:14. In analyzing the details of 3:1–19 the student encounters certain tensions in the author’s perspective on his audience. He addresses them as sharers “in the heavenly calling” in verse 1 only to put a condition on that designation in verse 14: “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” He refers to the community as Jesus’ “house” in verse 6, but then immediately qualifies that affirmation with “if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.”

How, then, should we interpret these conditional statements in verses 6 and 14? At least two insights give guidance for dealing with these complex passages. (1) In the main clauses of these conditional sentences (the part that grammarians refer to as the “apodosis”),12 the author seems to address the hearers corporately as Christians. This may seem obvious to many who read the English “we are his house” (v. 6) and “we have come” (v. 14), but Greek tense forms (e.g., the present used in v. 6 and the perfect in v. 14) may be used in conjunction with various time frames—including past, present, and future—or without reference to a time frame at all. We largely depend on the context to discern whether a specific time frame is in mind.

In 3:14 the writer states: “We have become sharers of Christ” (pers. trans.). In virtually every one of the thirty times the author uses the verb “to become” (ginomai) in the book, he speaks of a state of existence or status to which there has been a change from a former state of existence or status. For example, Christ has become better than the angels (1:4), a high priest (2:17; 5:5), and the source of eternal salvation (5:9). The hearers have become dull of hearing (5:11) and, in the past, had become sharers with those who had been persecuted (10:33). Noah became an heir of righteousness (11:7), Moses became grown (11:24), and heroes of the faith became mighty (11:34). Therefore, if we judge from the use of the term in the rest of Hebrews, “to become” in 3:14 probably refers to a new state of existence, namely, participation in this community.

Further, we have demonstrated that to be part of Jesus’ “house” and to be a “sharer” of him are references to the hearers as Christians. That the author understands this to be their state of existence finds support in his various references to them. He speaks of them as “holy brothers” (3:1), those who “share in the heavenly calling” (3:1), “dear friends” who manifest things accompanying salvation (6:9), and those who had made a Christian confession (3:1; 4:14; 10:23). He also indicates that they are those who have suffered for the Christian faith in the past (10:32), who are “sons” of God (12:5–13), who have come to Mount Zion (12:22–24), and who are part of the community of “saints” (13:24). These are a few of his designations for the people in the community to which he is writing. Thus, based on the broader context, when the author refers to them as Jesus’ house in 3:6 and as those who “share in Christ” in 3:14, he seems to affirm a present reality; he is addressing a group of Christ-followers.

(2) The reference to the congregation corporately as Christians is followed by a qualification. In effect the author says, “Point A is true, if point B is true”; that is, we are Christ’s house, providing that we hold on to …; we have come to be sharers with Christ, if we hold firmly till the end.… The closest parallels to these constructions as used in Hebrews are found in Paul’s writings. Notice how each statement of fact is followed by a qualification:

Romans 8:9: You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.

Romans 8:17: Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Romans 11:22: Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that [lit., if] you continue in his kindness.

2 Corinthians 13:5b: Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

Colossians 1:22–23: But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

Each of these Pauline examples, along with our passages from Hebrews, has to do with a person’s relationship to God! What interpretation offers an explanation?

The tensions inherent in these conditional constructions indicate a fundamental principle for dealing with matters related to a person’s relationship with Christ: Human perspective on the status of another person before God is limited. The author of Hebrews, Paul, you, and I—every human being—have limitations on what we can know about the spiritual condition of another person, and to some degree, we are dependent on an outward manifestation of spiritual realities (cf. Matt. 7:15–23; James 2:14–26). Thus, in Hebrews 4:1 the preacher encourages his readers’ caution lest, while the promised rest is available, any of them should seem (dokeo) to have fallen short of it. He has been persuaded of better things concerning them than the travesty described in 6:4–8 by their actions (6:9); it is through their perseverance that they will realize the full certainty of their hope (6:11).

These passages, in other words, speak of the limitations on human perspective when it comes to matters of salvation and fit well a larger theological vein in the New Testament. In 2 Corinthians 13:5a Paul exhorts his readers, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” First John offers similar admonitions: “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands” (1 John 2:3); “This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (2:5b–6); “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence …” (3:18–19). The inner reality of one’s relationship with God is manifested in outward action and gives assurance.

The author of Hebrews cannot give unqualified assurance to those drifting away from God that they indeed have a part in God’s house or are sharers in Christ. He addresses them collectively as believers, but realizes that some in the group may manifest a different reality as time goes on (cf. 1 John 2:19). Perseverance does not gain salvation but demonstrates the reality that true salvation indeed has been inaugurated.13 If the end comes and a person is not in relationship with Christ, it means that the person had never truly become Christ’s companion.

Five principles of faithfulness inherent in these examples.Hebrews 3:1–19 presents two units, one focusing on the positive example of Jesus and the other on the negative example of the fallen desert wanderers; both cohere around the theme of faithfulness. As we move to application of this text, the author’s underlying assumptions concerning the nature of faithfulness should be brought into focus. In other words, how would his hearers respond to his exhortation? How should one think about devotion in the Christian life?

(1) A healthy focus on Christ encourages one to faithfulness. We are to fix our thoughts on the One who is the supreme example of faithfulness (3:1–2). This is more than mental gymnastics or mere assent to a creed, for we are Christ’s house, his companions (3:6, 14). Therefore, the author continues to spotlight Jesus as the key to the problem facing his listeners and suggests that the health of one’s relationship to him will determine perseverance.

(2) Faithfulness is volitional as well as emotional or intellectual. Inherent in the exhortations and examples of Hebrews 3 is the assumption that the hearers should choose to remain faithful to God. They may be challenged emotionally by his examples and stimulated by the logic of his exposition, but these dynamics are in service to the motivational import of his discussion. He wants his audience to act on his challenge. The “Today” of Psalm 95:7 shows that the time of opportunity is now (Heb. 3:13).

(3) The twin failings of sinfulness and unbelief can hinder faithfulness. The sinful, disobedient heart turns away from God because it does not truly believe in him (3:12, 18–19). By deceit sin hardens the heart, bringing about rebellion and the judgment of God (3:13, 16–17). These failings characterize those who fell in the desert, their devastation providing a stark reminder that the unfaithful must face consequences.

(4) The faithful persevere in commitment until the end. If we are to be considered faithful, we must “hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast” (3:6), a statement that suggests public identification with Christ and the church. Faithfulness, therefore, must be lived out in the public arena in consistent Christ-following until the end. In this way the confidence we expressed at the beginning of our commitment will be validated as we hold firmly to it (3:14).

(5) Faithfulness is communal, each believer depending on others in the body of Christ for encouragement. We are part of a spiritual family and fellow travelers in a heavenly calling (3:1). We share a common experience in God’s household (3:6) and as Christ’s companions (3:14); therefore, we should offer one another daily encouragement (3:13).

Summary. In Hebrews 3:1–19 the genre of exhortation suggests that the author intends to motivate the listeners to take a desired course of action. He builds his challenge by use of powerful examples, both positive and negative. The author presents Christ himself as the ultimate, positive example of faithfulness, while utilizing the religious hero Moses as a reference point from which to focus on the greater example of Jesus.

Carrying out an exposition of Psalm 95 the preacher paints a stark portrait of unfaithfulness by using those faltering, faithless wanderers of the desert. The conditional sentences of 3:6 and 3:14 offer a special hermeneutical challenge with their qualifications on the hearers’ status as true Christians. These qualifications indicate the limitations on human perspective when it comes to matters of personal salvation and fit a larger theological viewpoint evidenced by other New Testament writers. Holding fast to one’s confidence in Christ, therefore, manifests the reality of one’s relationship to him. The whole of Hebrews 3 teaches that faithfulness is encouraged by a healthy focus on Christ. As a volitional dynamic, faithfulness may be affected adversely by sinfulness and unbelief and positively by others in the body of Christ. Finally, true faithfulness manifests itself most clearly in an endurance all the way to the end of the path that God has laid for us.

Contemporary Significance

OF HEROES AND SUPERSTARS. Some time ago a group of young children were asked whom they saw as heroes. Among the recipients of honor were Michael Jackson, Madonna, sports figures, and a United States president. The majority were what previous generations called “celebrities,” who reserved the term hero for those known for special courage, nobility, achievement, and sacrifice. Our age of high tech has transformed the movie actor, the singer, and the football star into larger-than-life figures, blurring the lines between superstar status and true heroism. Political leaders garner admiration for ingenuity rather than moral fortitude. In his 1995 review of the book Churchill by Norman Rose, Henry Kissinger offered insightful demarcations between true political heroes and mere superstars:

Our age finds it difficult to come to grips with figures like Winston Churchill. The political leaders with whom we are familiar generally aspire to be superstars rather than heroes. The distinction is crucial. Superstars strive for approbation; heroes walk alone. Superstars crave consensus; heroes define themselves by the judgment of a future they see it as their task to bring about. Superstars seek success in a technique for eliciting support; heroes pursue success as the outgrowth of inner values.

The modern political leader rarely ventures to comment in public without having tested his views on focus groups, if indeed he does not derive them from a focus group. To a man like Churchill, the very concept of focus groups would have been unimaginable.

Thus in the space of a generation, Churchill, the quintessential hero, has been transformed from the mythic to the nearly incomprehensible.14

Walking alone, inner values producing outward action—these are the materials of true heroism. In a U. S. News editorial of August 12, 1996, writer David Gergen, reflecting on the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, affirms that athletes like Kerri Strug, who, after spraining her ankle, completed a final vault to help her U.S. gymnastics team win the gold, deserve the designation hero. But Gergen laments the fact that “we reserve hero status these days for young men and women who can flip, sprint and swim their way into our hearts.” The editorialist suggests that even expanding our view of heroism to military generals and astronauts draws the parameters too narrowly. Heroes are often unsung, giving their lives quietly in a variety of walks in life. We as a culture have confused true heroism with fame.

The church has bought into this fuzzy thinking and the exaltation of superstardom. When a sports figure or rock star becomes a Christian, we see it as a special coup for the faith. We seem to think that their acceptance of Christianity gives special validity to the kingdom of God or that their fame will greatly advance the cause. The writer, the singer, or the athlete is interviewed for her special wisdom in life. The gilded image of the familiar face has obscured the truly heroic, who give their lives in the trenches of daily Christian sacrifice.

We need genuine heroes who can be held up as examples of devotion to Christ. Commenting on this need, Elisabeth Elliot writes, “How else shall we grasp the meaning of courage or strength or holiness? We need to see such truth made visible in the lives of human beings.…”15 In Hebrews 3:1–6 the author does not disparage the community’s attribution of honor to Moses; he builds on it. The use of a heroic example in this passage (although Moses’ example is used only indirectly) calls the preacher of today to consider how he or she uses examples in preaching and challenges modern church persons to reflect on whether they are distinguishing between superstars and true heroes.

At least five levels of examples can be demarcated, the first three with which the author of Hebrews does not deal but which serve to clarify his uses of examples. (1) Fictional heroes can include the allegory, fable, myth, or parable. Of allegory Dorothy Sayers writes:

Allegory is a distinct literary form, whose aim and method are to dramatize a psychological experience so as to make it more vivid and more comprehensible. Parable and fable are two other literary forms that do much the same thing. Each of them tells a literal story that is complete in itself, but which also presents a likeness to some spiritual or psychological experience so that it can be used to signify and interpret that experience; and the story is told, not for its own sake, but for the sake of what it signifies. At the bottom of all such stories there lies this perception of a likeness between two experiences, the one familiar and the other unfamiliar, so that the one can be used to shed light on the other.16

In allegories such as The Chronicles of Narnia, The Pilgrim’s Progress, The Faerie Queene, or The Divine Comedy writers express their feelings and perceptions of life, touching abstract qualities by presenting stories with which we can identify in some way. I have never gone sword in hand into battle against an evil oppressor, but I have taken joy in knowing some evil has been defeated. I have never taken a literal journey through a land inhabited by dangerous animals or other perils, but I am on a journey in which I need encouragement to have courage. The heroes of fiction may be accessed as potent illustrations of character; used well they stretch the imagination of how we might live more effectively.

(2) We can point to true heroes from the arenas of sports, the military, politics, personal achievement, or humanitarianism to draw analogies to spiritual truths. Churchill’s leadership, an athlete’s determination, the man who gives his life to save others—these can provide useful, parallel pictures of certain character qualities lauded in biblical literature. We must be careful, however, to keep in mind that these are not the spiritual realities themselves, but only illustrations that help to clarify certain greater spiritual truths.

(3) We need to do more in our preaching with great heroes of Christian history, from ancient times to modern. Think of figures such as the martyr Polycarp, who, in response to the governor’s offer of release if he would revile Christ, replied, “Eighty-six years I have been his servant, and he has never done wrong to me. How then can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?” (Martyrdom of Polycarp 9). William Tyndale, that great scholar of the 1500s, gave his life to translate parts of the Scriptures into English. He was strangled and burned in October 1536. Hudson Taylor, a missionary of the nineteenth century, brought numerous innovations to the modern missions movement and, at great personal cost, paved the way for millions in inland China to hear the gospel. Contemporary figures such as Billy Graham, who has maintained a ministry of integrity for decades, also serve as appropriate models for the faithful.

(4) Now we come to the most important examples and those used by the author of Hebrews: Followers of God in Scripture should be held up as examples of faithfulness, their examples being affirmed by God himself through the inspired Word. Some of my earliest memories are of a large, red Bible storybook, which my parents read to me as a preschooler. I learned of David, Daniel, and Paul from an early age. My son has just turned four years old, and I am teaching him of these heroes of the faith. We should preach David to show devotion and courage, Daniel to show trust, and Paul to demonstrate sacrifice in the face of an antagonistic culture. As Christian parents we should ask ourselves the identity of those whom our children are embracing as heroes and heroines. Are they more enamored with sports or cartoon figures than biblical examples of devotion to God?

(5) Finally, the author of Hebrews uses Jesus as the ultimate example of faithfulness. Spiritual examples of devotion are validated to the degree they are eclipsed by Christ himself. Great religious heroes like Moses serve as spiritual telescopes, tools used by God to magnify Someone greater than themselves. For it is to Jesus, the One who stands at the heart of the faith, that we must look if we are to endure in our Christian commitment. We must preach sound doctrine, but are we also utilizing the example of Jesus’ endurance in our teaching on daily Christian devotion? We must preach him as the cosmic Christ, who set the stars on their appointed paths, but are we employing his treading of the path to Calvary as an example of commitment and sacrifice? Are we helping our children, our congregations, and ourselves “fix [our] thoughts on Jesus” (3:1)? All other examples must be judged in light of this question, for he is not only the preeminent Lord of the universe but also our supreme example of a hero.

True and false assurances. Biblical theology provides a rich spectrum of truths about humanity and our relationship to God. From God’s sovereignty to human responsibility, from grace to judgment, from the deity of Christ to his humanity, from conversion to salvation consummated (i.e., glorification), many doctrinal truths must be held in balance with related, equally important truths.17 To focus on parts of Scripture to the exclusion of other parts proves damaging to the church and individual Christians, and we often get things out of balance. This tendency suggests one reason why systematic, exegetical study of the Bible is so important. Through such study we confront the whole counsel of God and, hopefully, adjust our perspectives accordingly.

The qualifications in 3:6, 14 highlight at least two areas in which many modern evangelicals have lost balance doctrinally and end up giving converts to Christianity false assurances in relation to salvation. The problem stems not from heresy per se, but from an emphasis on certain biblical teachings to the practical exclusion of others. Hebrews calls us to consider how we must adjust our thinking and practice.

(1) In some circles we emphasize the vital doctrine of grace to the point of minimizing personal responsibility and accountability in the Christian life. In effect we communicate, “If you have made a Christian confession, your relationship with God is secured—no matter how you live from this point on.”18 I actually hear people who are living blatantly sinful lifestyles and are disconnected from the church speak of their “conversion experience” as insurance against God’s judgment. They reason, “I’m OK with God because I have accepted Jesus as my Savior,” or “I joined the church years ago.”

Such people understand grace to mean that they are afforded an insider relationship with God that renders their present lifestyles meaningless. Similarly, in my New Testament survey classes I have had students who reject the notion of church discipline in the name of grace—and do so vehemently! “To love the sinner,” they say, “is what Jesus would do. Who are we to judge another person?” Thus they leave out the hard side of love that would bring an errant person back to spiritual health and relationship with the church (see 1 Cor. 5).

Both groups abuse the grace of God and garner it as a tool for promoting moral laxity. Paul addresses those who pervert his grace doctrine by suggesting it encourages a libertine lifestyle free from moral restraints (e.g., Rom. 6:1–4). He unequivocally asserts that nothing is further from the truth. Relationship with Christ involves the reckoning of oneself as dead to sin, denying sin’s mastery over the mortal body (6:8–14). Grace provides a means for freedom from sin, not freedom to sin.

For the author of Hebrews, those drifting away from God with hearts callused by sin are in serious trouble. The conditional clauses of Hebrews 3:6, 14 suggest that assurance of salvation—assurance that we have partaken of the grace of God—in part depends on the vitality of one’s ongoing relationship with Christ and the church. This is not to suggest that one earns salvation through faithfulness but that faithfulness is evidence of one’s salvation. It may be that a “drifter” truly has a relationship with Christ and will come around again to Christian commitment. Yet, the drifter in a state of drifting has no assurance of his or her right standing before God since God’s grace is not being manifested in that person’s life.

I grew up in a tradition that places such emphasis on the initial conversion experience that assurance of salvation is almost entirely related to that experience. If one struggles with assurance he or she is told, “Do you remember when you prayed to receive Christ? Do you believe you were sincere when you asked for salvation? If so, you can be sure you are a Christian. God does not lie, and in Romans 10:9–10 he says if you confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth and believe in your heart that God resurrected him, you will be saved.” It may well be that the one doubting salvation needs to be reminded of God’s faithfulness. However, grave danger lies in a focus on an experience—often in the distant past—and in an encouragement to put trust in a past prayer rather than in the God of salvation.

This same danger exists for those traditions in which a public confession of Christ is made following participation in a confirmation class of some sort. If we encourage individuals to anchor their assurance in any past event, we give them an uncertain foundation and may give false assurance to those who should really be doubting the reality of their relationship with God! Remember that the author of Hebrews is warning those who have made a confession of Christ in the past and suggests that some of their number may have fallen short (3:1). Jesus himself says that at the judgment some who called him “Lord” will be turned away for lack of a relationship with him (Matt. 7:22–23).

Therefore, we have no right to give assurance to those who have turned their backs on God—in fact, we should affirm their lack of assurance! We must never say, “I remember when you accepted Christ,” or “You went through confirmation when you were twelve,” using those experiences as a basis for giving them assurance of God’s acceptance. We cannot look into a person’s heart and see his or her spiritual condition. It would be better to say, “Since you have turned your back on God, the validity of your relationship with Christ has been called into question. You need to repent and examine yourself to see if you are in the faith.” The author of Hebrews does challenge his hearers to remember their past confession of Christ (4:14; 10:23)—but as a basis for faithfulness rather than a basis for assurance.

Cultivating faithfulness. We live in an age of sound bytes constantly luring us to new and better products or experiences with instant access to services, information, and opportunities. In this fast-paced age we sprint from one life experience to the next; to some, Hebrews’ emphasis on a “long-distance,” well-paced faith may seem out of step. Yet, obedience to God must be lived in the daily, often mundane experiences of life over a long period of time, often without immediate gratification for our effort. Hebrews 3 challenges believers of all ages to take seriously their commitment to Christ and remain faithful to him as a life pattern. How then can we cultivate lives of faithfulness, which will endure over the long haul?

(1) Faithfulness flows from a clear and healthy view of Jesus. In the author’s exhortation to consider Jesus, one finds the reminder that true, unflagging Christ-followers focus their purpose and perspective on the apostle and high priest whom we confess—Jesus himself. If Jesus is our ultimate example of faithfulness, we must have a clear picture of him. The author of Hebrews intends to help us in this matter by offering a lucid exposition of Scripture and Christian teaching concerning the person of Christ.

How, then, do we keep the Son of God in focus? Let me suggest at least two interlocking means. (a) We must have a doctrinally sound understanding of the Son. The author’s extensive treatment of early Christian doctrine concerning Jesus emphasizes this need. As believers we must, therefore, study Scripture and meditate on it. Further, reading great theological discussions that have taken place in the church’s history can help clarify our understanding of Jesus and guard against aberrant christologies. In our churches we should expound New Testament passages on Jesus (Hebrews would be a great place to start!) and offer basic theology classes for our members. Our private lives should include daily reading and study of the Bible, as well as times for reading and reflecting on theological works of both ancient and contemporary writers. If we are to be people sound in our thinking, these activities should constitute a normal aspect of Christian living.

(b) Another dimension of keeping Jesus in focus exists in cultivating intimacy with the Savior through prayer and obedience. Doctrine constitutes not an end in itself, but rather points us to the living Lord whom we serve. At its heart Hebrews concerns a powerful relational dimension. After all, we are his “companions” and on an adventure with him (3:14); we are part of Christ’s household (3:6) and are in process of learning faithfulness from him. In effect, his high priesthood wins us entrance into the presence of God, providing us a way to draw near (4:14–16). Yet, being a faithful companion of Christ in prayer and living a devoted life must be nurtured—a process for which our modern culture of haste is not always conducive.

One barrier to full intimacy with the Savior is hurriedness. Intimacy may not be rushed. To meet with the Son of God takes time. We cannot dash into his presence and choke down spiritual inwardness before we hurry to our one o’clock appointment. Inwardness is time-consuming, open only to minds willing to sample spirituality in small bites, savoring each one.

Intimacy with Christ comes from entering his presence with inner peace rather than bursting into his presence from the hassles of life. A relaxed contemplation of the indwelling Christ allows for an inner communion impossible to achieve while oppressed by busyness and care.

Holy living is not abrupt living. No one who hurries into the presence of God is content to remain for long. Those who hurry in, hurry out.19

Therefore, along with public confession we must attend to the health of our inner life. As Gordon MacDonald notes, when we neglect the inner life, we risk a “sinkhole” type of collapse in our lives and ministries since we do not have the spiritual and emotional resources to hold up under the external pressures we face.20 On the other hand, when we cultivate closeness with Jesus, meeting with him in prayer and allowing him through God’s Word to “speak with [us] face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (Ex. 33:11), we gain inner strength for endurance on the path by which we follow him. If we are struggling with faithfulness, we can begin to assess our situation by considering how clearly we see Jesus at present—both doctrinally and relationally. If the incessant crashes and explosions of personal challenges—be they persecution, sin problems, or other difficulties—threaten to drown out the voice of God, we can turn our trek back to spiritual health by seeking Jesus. He is experienced in making a way out of seemingly unconquerable situations.

(2) Faithfulness involves choosing obedience based on trust in God. Inherent in the author’s exhortations—“fix your thoughts on Jesus” (3:1), “do not harden your hearts” (3:8), “see to it … that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart” (3:12), and “encourage one another daily” (3:13)—lies an understanding that faithfulness is volitional rather than merely emotional or even intellectual. Thus we cultivate faithfulness by listening to God’s voice and choosing life patterns of obedience. Correspondingly we must reject sin, which hardens the heart toward God.

Practically speaking we must, therefore, expose our lives meaningfully to God’s Word and adjust our thoughts and lifestyles accordingly. This means hearing the Word preached and asking honestly, “What do I need to confess and from what do I need to repent?” and “How should my life be lived this week based on what I have heard?” Through times of reading and reflecting on Scripture we expose our inner lives to the voice of God for change, encouragement, and maturation. Once exposed, however, we must then act on the Word. This pattern of openness and of change takes faith in God and challenges us strenuously.

Modern Western culture has associated faith, to a great extent, with the miraculous, an association that is appropriate biblically. Yet we must hold up the association of faith with faithfulness if we are to be true to the broader picture of faith in Scripture. The author of Hebrews associates belief in God so closely with obedience to him that the two are practically indistinguishable. This association grows out of the author’s use of the desert wanderers as an example. They were disobedient to the voice of God in the desert because they did not trust him to win them entrance to the land of promise. In one sense, we can say that all sin originates from thinking that God has less than our best interests at heart (e.g., Gen. 3:1–7). The thief doubts God’s provision, the sexually immoral person denies the sufficiency of God’s design for sexual fulfillment, the religiously proud does not trust God’s priority on humility. On the relationship between faith and obedience George MacDonald writes:

Faith is that which, knowing the Lord’s will, goes and does it; or, not knowing it, stands and waits.… But to put God to the question in any other way than by saying, “What wilt thou have me to do?” is an attempt to compel God to declare Himself, or to hasten His work.… The man is therein dissociating himself from God so far that, instead of acting by the divine will from within, he acts in God’s face, as it were, to see what He will do. Man’s first business is, “What does God want me to do?”—not “What will God do if I do so and so?”21

(3) Faithfulness grows from an encouraging association with the community of faith. In 3:13 the author prompts us to “encourage one another daily.” In other words, the give and take of positive encouragement from others in the body of Christ provides a safeguard against heart-hardening sin and spiritual bankruptcy. If I am counseling someone struggling with faithfulness, I issue the challenge to renew commitment to a group of believers. We learn faith and deepen faith by exercising it, reading Scripture, and meditating on the great acts of God, but life lived with the people of faith is an indispensable ingredient in a faithful walk.

Those of us in church leadership must ask ourselves how we can foster meaningful subgroups in our churches into which believers can be assimilated and where they may find encouragement to face life’s challenges. As noted by Philip Yancey in his book Church: Why Bother? 22 in the intimacy of small church groups we are forced to rub shoulders with others in the body, many of whom are not like us. We grow from exposure to their walks with Christ and are encouraged in our own walks.

On March 10, 1904, the great escape artist Houdini was challenged to a contest by The Illustrated Mirror of London. The paper dared the showman to escape from a complex form of handcuffs with six locks on each cuff and nine tumblers on each lock. The performer took the challenge with thousands gathered at the London Hippodrome to see if he could escape these new bonds. Having been handcuffed securely, Houdini ducked down into a box to struggle out of sight of the crowd. After about twenty minutes the entertainer popped up out of the box; the gathering roared their approval but suddenly quieted as they realized the cuffs were still in place. Houdini smiled, asked for more light, and went back into the box. Fifteen minutes passed, and once again the escape artist appeared. Again the crowd cheered enthusiastically. Houdini smiled, saying that he just needed to flex his knees. Down he went. After about twenty minutes he came up again, taking a pocketknife from his vest and holding it in his teeth. Houdini slashed his coat to ribbons, freeing himself of the hot and heavy garment, and then jumped back into the box. The crowd cheered him on. This time he only stayed in the box for ten minutes and then emerged a free man holding the cuffs in his hands. The crowd gave an extended ovation for the master of escape. Later a reporter asked Houdini why he kept popping up out of the box when he was not yet free. He replied that he needed to hear the encouragement of the crowd.23

Those of us who live in Christian community struggle, often in dark solitude, against discouragement as a result of sin, conflict with culture, physical fatigue, relational discord, and other dynamics that close in around us. When we come out of our solitude into the light of Christian fellowship, we need to experience applause and encouragement from others in the body of Christ. This gives us the courage to go back to our struggles with new energy and hope. From a human point of view such affirmation can make all the difference in holding “firmly till the end” the confidence that began our Christian commitment.