The Son of God greater than Moses, so Unbelief towards Him incurs a Heavier Punishment than befell Unbelieving Israel in the Wilderness. Heb. 3:11-13
- 11 I sware in my wrarh ver. 18, 19; ch. 4:3. Num. 14:20–23, 25, 27–30, 35; 32:10–13, Deut. 1:34, 35; 2:14. “God usually swear by himself. This is a strong affirmation, or a settled and determined purpose. They shall not enter my rest. See on ch. 4:9. The rest referred to here was that of the land of Canaan, but which was undoubtedly regarded as emblematic of the “rest” in heaven.” Bernes, Albert &co. “When God expresseth great indignation in Himself against sin, it is to teach men the greatness of sin in themselves. 2. When men have provoked God by their impenitency to decree their punishment irrevocably, they will find severity in the execution. 3. It is the presence of God alone that renders any place or condition good or desirable, ‘they’ shall not enter My rest” (Dr. John Owen).
- 12 Take heed, brethren, ch. 2:1–3; 12:15, Mk. 23, 33. Lk. 21:8, Rom. 11:21, 1Co. 10:12, less there be in any of you Jer. 2:13; 7:24; 11:8; 16:12; 17:9; 18:12, Mk. 7:21–23, Job 21:14; 22:17, Ps. 18:21, Pr. 1:32, Is. 59:13, Jer. 17:5, Ho. 1:2, 1Th. 1:9. This is clear from the expression “in departing from the living God.” The reference here is plainly to the Lord Jesus Himself. In Matthew 16:16 the Father is denominated “the living God,” here and in 1 Timothy 4:10 the Son is, in 2 Corinthians 6:16 (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16) the Holy Spirit is. The unbelieving Jews denounced Jesus Christ as an impostor and were urging those who believed in Him to renounce Him and return to Judaism, and thus return to the true God, Jehovah. That Christ is true the living God the apostle had affirmed here, in v. 4, and he now warns them that so far from the abandonment of the Christian profession and a return to Judaism, would be the “departing from the living God.” Bernes, Albert &co
- 13 exhort one another ch. 10:24, 25, Act. 11:23, 1Th. 2:11; 4:18; 5:11, 2Tim. 4:2, daily, (1.) that it is their duty to exhort their brethren constantly; see ch. 10:25; 1Thess. 4:18; 5:11, Rom. 12:8. “While this is the special duty of the ministers of the gospel (1Tim. 6:2; 2Tim. 4:2; Titus 2:6, 15), it is also the duty of all the members of the churches, and a most important, but much-neglected duty. Is to be performed in such cases as the following (1.) Intimate friends in the church should exhort and counsel one another; should admonish each other of their faults. (2.) Parents should do the same thing to their children. (3.) Sunday schoolteacher are to be assistants to parents and to pastors. They often have under their care youthful members of the churches. They have an opportunity of knowing their state of mind, their temptations, and their dangers better than the pastor. (4.) The aged should exhort the young. His experience is the property of the church; and he is bound so to employ it as to be useful in aiding the feeble, reclaiming the wandering, recovering the backslider, and directing the inquiring. (5.) Church members should exhort one another. They belong to the same communion, and the same articles of faith. They are supposed to be united.” Bernes, albert &co
- “Less any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” Pr. 28:26, Is. 44:20, Ob. 3, Rom. 7:11, Eph. 4:22, Jas. 1:14. It promises more than it performs. It assures us of pleasure which it never imparts. It leads us on beyond what was supposed when we began to indulge in it. The man who commits sin is always under a delusion; and sin, if he indulges it, will lead him on from one step to another until the heart becomes entirely hardened.
