Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
III. Jesus, Faithful and Compassionate High Priest
Chapter 3
Jesus, Superior to Moses.[a] 1 Therefore, holy “brothers,” sharing in a heavenly calling, reflect on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was “faithful in [all] his house.”(A) 3 But he is worthy of more “glory” than Moses, as the founder of a house has more “honor” than the house itself.(B) 4 Every house is founded by someone, but the founder of all is God. 5 Moses was “faithful in all his house” as a “servant” to testify to what would be spoken, 6 [b](C)but Christ was faithful as a son placed over his house. We are his house, if [only] we hold fast to our confidence and pride in our hope.
Israel’s Infidelity a Warning. 7 [c]Therefore, as the holy Spirit says:
“Oh, that today you would hear his voice,(D)
8 ‘Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion
in the day of testing in the desert,
9 where your ancestors tested and tried me
and saw my works(E) 10 for forty years.
Because of this I was provoked with that generation
and I said, “They have always been of erring heart,
and they do not know my ways.”
11 As I swore in my wrath,
“They shall not enter into my rest.”’”
12 Take care, brothers, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. 13 Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. 14 We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end,(F) 15 for it is said:
“Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
‘Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion.’”(G)
16 (H)Who were those who rebelled when they heard? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt under Moses? 17 With whom was he “provoked for forty years”? Was it not those who had sinned, whose corpses fell in the desert?(I) 18 And to whom did he “swear that they should not enter into his rest,” if not to those who were disobedient?(J) 19 And we see that they could not enter for lack of faith.
Chapter 4
The Sabbath Rest. 1 Therefore, let us be on our guard while the promise of entering into his rest remains, that none of you seem to have failed. 2 For in fact we have received the good news just as they did. But the word that they heard did not profit them, for they were not united in faith with those who listened. 3 For we who believed enter into [that] rest, just as he has said:(K)
“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter into my rest,’”
and yet his works were accomplished at the foundation of the world. 4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner, “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works”;(L) 5 and again, in the previously mentioned place, “They shall not enter into my rest.”(M) 6 Therefore, since it remains that some will enter into it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, 7 he once more set a day, “today,” when long afterwards he spoke through David, as already quoted:(N)
“Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
‘Harden not your hearts.’”
8 Now if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterwards of another day.(O) 9 Therefore, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God. 10 And whoever enters into God’s rest, rests from his own works as God did from his. 11 Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience.
12 Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.(P) 13 No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.(Q)
Jesus, Compassionate High Priest. 14 [d]Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.(R) 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.(S) 16 So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.(T)
Chapter 5
1 [e]Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.[f] 2 He is able to deal patiently[g] with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness 3 and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people.(U) 4 No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.(V) 5 In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to him:
“You are my son;
this day I have begotten you”;(W)
6 just as he says in another place:[h]
“You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.”(X)
7 In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death,[i] and he was heard because of his reverence.(Y) 8 Son though he was,[j] he learned obedience from what he suffered;(Z) 9 and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,(AA) 10 declared by God high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.(AB)
IV. Jesus’ Eternal Priesthood and Eternal Sacrifice
Exhortation to Spiritual Renewal. 11 [k]About this we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, for you have become sluggish in hearing. 12 Although you should be teachers by this time, you need to have someone teach you again the basic elements of the utterances of God. You need milk, [and] not solid food.(AC) 13 Everyone who lives on milk lacks experience of the word of righteousness, for he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties are trained by practice to discern good and evil.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.