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Selected Verse: Hebrews 3:6 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Heb 3:6 |
King James |
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. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
But Christ--was and is faithful (Heb 3:2).
as a son over his own house--rather, "over His (GOD'S, Heb 3:4) house"; and therefore, as the inference from His being one with God, over His own house. So Heb 10:21, "having an High Priest over the house of God." Christ enters His Father's house as the Master [OVER it], but Moses as a servant [IN it, Heb 3:2, Heb 3:5] [CHRYSOSTOM]. An ambassador in the absence of the king is very distinguished--in the presence of the king he falls back into the multitude [BENGEL].
whose house are we--Paul and his Hebrew readers. One old manuscript, with Vulgate and LUCIFER, reads, "which house"; but the weightiest manuscripts support English Version reading.
the rejoicing--rather, "the matter of rejoicing."
of the hope--"of our hope." Since all our good things lie in hopes, we ought so to hold fast our hopes as already to rejoice, as though our hopes were realized [CHRYSOSTOM].
firm unto the end--omitted in LUCIFER and AMBROSE, and in one oldest manuscript, but supported by most oldest manuscripts. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
But Christ as a Son over his own house - He is not a servant. To the whole household or family of God he sustains the same relation which a son and heir in a family does to the household. That relation is far different from that of a servant. Moses was the latter; Christ was the former. To God he sustained the relation of a Son, and recognized Him as his Father, and sought in all things to do his will; but over the whole family of God - the entire Church of all dispensations - he was like a son over the affairs of a family. Compared with the condition of a servant, Christ is as much superior to Moses as a son and heir is to the condition of a servant. A servant owns nothing; is heir to nothing; has no authority, and no right to control anything, and is himself wholly at the will of another. A son is the heir of all; has a prospective right to all; and is looked up to by all with respect. But the idea here is not merely that Christ is a son; it is that as a son he is placed over the whole arrangements of the household, and is one to whom all is entrusted as if it were His own.
Whose house we are - Of whose family we are a part, or to which we belong. That is, we belong to the family over which Christ is placed, and not to what was subject to Moses.
If we hold fast - A leading object of this Epistle is to guard those to whom it was addressed against the danger of apostasy. Hence, this is introduced on all suitable occasions, and the apostle here says, that the only evidence which they could have that they belonged to the family of Christ, would be that they held fast the confidence which they had unto the end. If they did not do that, it would demonstrate that they never belonged to his family, for evidence of having belonged to his household was to be furnished only by perseverance to the end.
The confidence - The word used here originally means "the liberty of speaking boldly and without restraint;" then it means boldness or confidence in general.
And the rejoicing - The word used here means properly "glorying, boasting," and then rejoicing. These words are used here in an adverbial signification, and the meaning is, that the Christian has "a confident and a rejoicing hope." It is:
(1) confident - bold - firm. It is not like the timid hope of the Pagan, and the dreams and conjectures of the philosopher; it is not that which gives way at every breath of opposition; it is bold, firm, and manly. It is.
(2) "rejoicing" - triumphant, exulting. Why should not the hope of heaven fill with joy? Why should not he exult who has the prospect of everlasting happiness?
Unto the end - To the end of life. Our religion, our hope, our confidence in God must he persevered in to the end of life, if we would have evidence that we are his children. If hope is cherished for a while and then abandoned; if people 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. |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
But Christ
Replacing the human name Jesus, and being the official name which marks his position over the house.
As a son (ὡς υἱὸς)
The fidelity of Moses and the fidelity of Christ are exhibited in different spheres: of Moses in that of servant; of Christ in that of son.
Over his own house (ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ)
Comp. Heb 10:21, and notice ἐπὶ over his house, and ἐν in all his house, of Moses. For "his own house" rend. "his house," referring to God. Reference to Christ would destroy the parallel. It is said by some that the matter of respective positions is irrelevant: that the main point is fidelity, and that therefore it does not matter whether Moses was a son or a servant, provided he was faithful. But the writer evidently feels that Christ's position as a son enhanced his fidelity. Comp. Heb 5:8. The implication is that Christ's position involved peculiar difficulties and temptations.
Whose house (οὗ)
God's house. The church is nowhere called the house of Christ.
We (ἡμεῖς)
Even as was the house in which Moses served. The Christian community is thus emphatically designated as the house of God, implying the transitoriness of the Mosaic system. Comp. Co1 3:16, Co1 3:17; Co2 6:16; Eph 2:22; Pe1 4:17.
Hold fast (κατάσξωμεν)
The verb is used in N.T. as here, Th1 5:21; Plm 1:13; of restraining or preventing, Luk 4:42; of holding back or holding down with an evil purpose, Rom 1:18; Th2 2:7; of holding one's course toward, bearing down for, Act 27:40.
The confidence and the rejoicing of the hope (τὴν παρρησίαν καὶ τὸ καύχημα τῆς ἐλπίδος)
The combination confidence and rejoicing N.T.o. Rejoicing or boasting of hope N.T.o, but comp. Th1 2:19. For παρρησία confidence see on Ti1 3:13. The entire group of words, καύχημα ground of glorying, καύχησις act of glorying, and καυχᾶσθαι to glory, is peculiarly Pauline. Outside of the Pauline letters καυχᾶσθαι occurs only Jam 1:9; Jam 4:16; καύχησις only Jam 4:16; and καύχημα only here. The thought here is that the condition of being and continuing the house of God is the holding fast of the hope in Christ (ἐλπίδος of the object of hope) and in the consummation of God's kingdom in him; making these the ground of boasting, exultantly confessing and proclaiming this hope. There must be, not only confidence, but joyful confidence. Comp. Rom 5:3; Eph 3:12, Eph 3:13; Phi 3:3.
Firm unto the end (μέχρι τέλους βεβαίαν)
Textually, there is some doubt about these words. Westcott and Hort bracket them. Tischendorf retains, and Weiss rejects them. The latter part of this verse marks the transition to the lesson of the wilderness-life of the exodus; the writer fearing that the fate of the exodus-generation may be repeated in the experience of his readers. We are God's house if we steadfastly hold fast our Christian hope, and do not lose our faith as Israel did in the wilderness. The exhortation to faith is thrown into the form of warning against unbelief. Faith is the condition of realizing the divine promise. The section is introduced by a citation from Psa 95:7, Psa 95:8. |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
But Christ was faithful as a Son; whose house we are, while we hold fast, and shall be unto the end, if we hold fast our confidence in God, and glorying in his promises; our faith and hope. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
But Christ as a Son over his own house - Moses was faithful as a servant In the house; Jesus was faithful, as the first-born Son, Over the house of which he is the Heir and Governor. Here, then, is the conclusion of the argument in reference to Christ's superiority over Moses. Moses did not found the house or family, Christ did; Moses was but in the house, or one of the family, Christ was over the house as its Ruler; Moses was but servant in the house, Christ was the Son and Heir; Moses was in the house of another, Christ in his own house.
It is well known to every learned reader that the pronoun αυτου, without an aspirate, signifies his simply; and that with the aspirate, αὑτου, it signifies his own: the word being in this form a contraction, not uncommon, of ἑαυτου. If we read αυτου without the aspirate, then his must refer to God, Heb 3:4.
But Christ as a Son over his (that is, God's) house: if we read αὑτου, with the aspirate, as some editions do, then what is spoken refers to Christ; and the words above convey the same sense as those words, Act 20:28 : Feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Some editions read the word thus; and it is evident that the edition which our translators used had the word αὑτου, his own, and not αυτου, his. The Spanish and London Polyglots have the same reading. From the most ancient MSS. we can get no help to determine which is to be preferred, as they are generally written without accents. The two first editions of the Greek Testament, that of Complutum, 1514, and that of Erasmus, 1516, have αυτου, his; and they are followed by most other editions: but the celebrated edition of Robert Stephens, 1550, has αὑτου, his own. The reading is certainly important; but it belongs to one of those difficulties in criticism which, if the context or collateral evidence do not satisfactorily solve it, must remain in doubt; and every reader is at liberty to adopt which reading he thinks best.
Whose house are we - We Christians are his Church and family; he is our Father, Governor, and Head.
If we hold fast the confidence - We are now his Church, and shall continue to be such, and be acknowledged by him If we maintain our Christian profession, την παρῥησιαν, that liberty of access to God, which we now have, and the rejoicing of the hope, i.e. of eternal life, which we shall receive at the resurrection of the dead. The word παρῥησια, which is here translated confidence, and which signifies freedom of speech, liberty of access, etc., seems to be used here to distinguish an important Christian privilege. Under the old testament no man was permitted to approach to God: even the very mountain on which God published his laws must not be touched by man nor beast; and only the high priest was permitted to enter the holy of holies, and that only once a year, on the great day of atonement; and even then he must have the blood of the victim to propitiate the Divine justice. Under the Christian dispensation the way to the holiest is now laid open; and we have παρῥησιαν, liberty of access, even to the holiest, by the blood of Jesus. Having such access unto God, by such a Mediator, we may obtain all that grace which is necessary to fit us for eternal glory; and, having the witness of his Spirit in our heart, we have a well grounded hope of endless felicity, and exult in the enjoyment of that hope. But If we retain not the grace, we shall not inherit the glory. |
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;
2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.