Battle Creek Bible Class.—July 11, 1868.
By James White
VERSE 1. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. Q. Why is this word “wherefore” used? A. Because the Son of God has revealed the will of God; and he has suffered to become our High Priest. Q. In what sense were they his “holy brethren”—in the Jewish faith, or in the faith of Christ? A. They were “partakers of the heavenly calling,” therefore in the church of Christ—Jewish converts. Q. What is the meaning of heavenly calling? A. Calling of God in the gospel. Q. Why is Jesus called an Apostle? A. Apostle means, one sent. It is often said in Scripture that the Father sent him; used here in special contrast with Moses, the one sent of God in the former dispensation. Remark. The Jews valued their religion, 1, as being from God; 2, as given by Moses, who was so highly esteemed and revered; and 3, because of the priesthood, by which the will of God was made known, and his favor procured. Verse 2. Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. Q. Who is spoken of as being faithful? Q. Over what house was Moses faithful? A. The house of Israel. The term, house, was first used for family, and afterward came to be used in a more extended sense, as referring to a people or nation. Verse 3. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house, hath more honor than the house. Q. What do we learn from this verse? A. That Christ is the builder of the house in which he is faithful. Verse 4. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. Q. What relation does this verse have to the argument? A. It does not seem to have any; but is rather thrown in parenthetically, to direct attention to God’s supremacy. Verse 5. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after. Q. What is meant by a testimony of those things to be spoken after? A. That which was given to Moses was of a typical nature, and testified of Christ and his gospel. Verse 6. But Christ as a Son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Q. What is the house here referred to? A. The “household of faith,” the church. Q. What is the condition of our belonging to this house? A. Holding fast unto the end. Remark. Dr. Barnes draws from this an argument on perseverance, saying: “If men profess religion and then fall away, no matter what were their raptures and triumphs, it proves that they never had any real piety. No evidence can be strong enough to prove that a man is a Christian, unless it leads him to persevere to the end of life.” But the context will not sustain that view. Paul applies that condition to those whom he addresses as “holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling,” and exhorts them to continue steadfast, in view of the danger of letting slip these truths, chap. ii, 1, and so falling by unbelief, and coming short of the rest promised, chap. iv, 1. There seem to be two phases of this hope: 1, the confidence; 2, the rejoicing. The first is doubtless possessed by many who do not reach the second. The first believes the promises of God; the second embraces them. The first is the result of the faith of credence, which may be very strong so far as the truthfulness of the promise is concerned; the second springs from appropriating faith, which brings the truth home to the heart with a heavenly unction. Let us all remember that we are to hold fast both the confidence and the rejoicing of our hope, if we would enter into that rest which remaineth for the people of God. Verses 7–11. Wherefore, (as the Holy Ghost saith: To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness; when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Q. Where is this quotation in parenthesis taken from? Q. What do we learn by the expression applied to it, “as the Holy Ghost saith”? A. It proves that Paul regarded the Psalm as being written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Q. What seems to be its object? A. It is given as a warning against rebellion. Q. What do we learn from the expression, “to-day”? A. That present obedience is required. Q. What is meant by “the provocation”? A. Time when the children of Israel provoked God by murmuring and rebellion. Q. What of the day of temptation? A. Time when they tempted or tried the patience of God with their murmurings. Q. How did the fathers prove him? A. Tested his faithfulness and forbearance. Q. How was he grieved by them? A. Became offended and indignant over their oft-repeated rebellions. Q. What was his rest here referred to? A. The peaceable possession of the land of Canaan. Q. Must we consider them all finally lost? A. Not necessarily. God declared that they should wander in the desert till all over twenty years of age had died; and this word was fulfilled. Yet it was not only possible, but probable, that many of them repented under the instruction they received through Moses, and the manifestations of God’s presence, power, and glory, as shown in his miracles and in the service of the sanctuary. Verse 12. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Q. What is the ground of this warning? A. It is connected with the 6th verse by the word, “wherefore,” verse 7. For the reason that our receiving the rest, or blessing, of God is made contingent on our steadfastness. Verse 13. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Q. What is to be understood by exhorting daily? A. Continually; improving every opportunity to build one another up. Remark. This is too much, yes, almost wholly, neglected. Q. What do you understand by this, “while it is called to-day”? A. While we have time—the present is the only time assured to us. Q. Why should this be done? A. Lest any fall through the deceitfulness of sin. Sin is deceptive, and we may be able to break the snare, and free a soul from deception. “A word fitly spoken” may save some one from falling away. Verse 14. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. This is about parallel with verse 6. Verse 15. While it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. A re-iteration of the quotation in verses 7 and 8. Verse 16. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit, not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. Q. Does this expression indicate that any great number did provoke? A. It does not, as given in our version. But a different reading is adopted by many, which Dr. Clarke says only requires a change of accent, throwing it all into an interrogative form, thus: “But who were those hearers that did bitterly provoke, but all those who came out of Egypt by Moses?” Of this, Clarke says it is likely the true reading; and Barnes remarks: “It accords with the remainder of the exhortation, which consists of a series of questions; and it agrees with the scope and design of the whole.” Verse 18. And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? Q. Where is this testimony found? Verse 19. So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Q. How is it “we see” this? A. By observing the relation of cause and effect; and by faith in the testimony of the Scriptures.