A Torah Verse By Verse Commentary Of Paul's Epistles by Re'tzon Ha'El - HTML preview

Chapter 3

V1 Apostolos/sent one-Yeshua was sent to us by Elohim the Father. He is the High priest of our homologia/confession. Our confession is defined as subjection unto the gospel of Yeshua the Messiah cf 2 Cor 9:13. In this chapter the author requests us to consider our High Priest.

V2 Yeshua was appointed by His Father. He stresses throughout the gospel of John that He did nothing of His own accord, but strictly according to the will of the Father. Moses did the same cf Jn 5:30.

V3-4 However Yeshua is greater than Moses as Moses himself was and is in the body of Yeshua the Messiah. Yeshua as Elohim built/created all things including Moses himself, hence by default is more glorious in nature. The Hebrews considered Moses to be the greatest man that ever lived, hence the author’s comparison and analogy to depict how far greater Yeshua is. 

V5-6 Moses was a faithful servant in the Tabernacle of Elohim, which represented the body of Messiah who was yet future. The outer court represented the body, the inner court the soul, and the Holy of Holies the spirit. Yeshua is that living embodiment of the tabernacle, of which we are fitly joined into cf Eph 4:15-16. It is stressed that we are only considered a part of the body of Messiah for as long as we continue to follow in His ways, in hope of salvation which is awarded at the end cf 1 Pet 1:9. Having defined the angel’s roles as servants versus Yeshua the ruler, the author further differentiates Moses as a servant too in comparison to the ruling Son of Elohim Yeshua the potentate.

V7 -11 Ps 95:7-11. This is a continuance of the admonition given in v6 to remain faithful in Yeshua to our very last breath if we are to attain salvation which leads to eternal life. The errant ways of the Israelites in the wilderness despite having been redeemed by the blood of the lamb on the doorposts, was a shadow picture of our spiritual lives after redemption by the blood of Messiah. Redemption does not guarantee salvation. It is simply the first step on the rather arduous road to salvation fraught with temptation, trials, persecutions and tribulation. The parable of the sower and the seeds beautifully portrays the various paths that believers follow in their Christian walk.

Only those sown on good ground attain salvation at the end. The rest fail and are doomed facing the reality of eternal damnation. It is frightening to know that of the 600 000 men and countless women above the age of 20 (age of accountability) in the wilderness wanderings of the Exodus, only 2 men (Joshua and Caleb) were eligible to enter the promised land. That is 1 in 300 000. In a current world of 7 billion it would equate to 23 333 people making it to heaven. Obviously, the odds are better post exodus, but the point is frighteningly clear enough to encourage us to remain in Messiah to the very end. How do we abide in Messiah? The answer lies in the following scripture: Jn 14:15; 15:1-10.

Katapusis/rest in v11 refers to a state of eternal life devoid of fear for the future.

V12 In YHVH’s economy unbelief is not viewed as a point of neutrality, but rather as having an evil heart which is contrary to Him. It is apostasy and it is in reference to believers who turn away from the faith. The use of the word brethren further confirms that believers and not non-believers are being warned in this instance.

V13 We as the body of Messiah are to encourage and strengthen each other through fellowship, to avoid being deceived by Satan’s immense army of demons and fallen angels hell-bent on luring us back into sin, which leads to death.

V14 Again a repeated call for us to remain faithful and true to the very end of our spiritual walk, lest we slip up and lose that hope of salvation. Paul was fully aware of this possible eventuality, the very thought of which terrified him cf Phil 2:12; 2 Tim 2:12.

One can only be considered a partaker of Messiah if they complete their race of life in Him. The once saved always saved is a dangerously delusional doctrine. Besides salvation only occurs at the end, making the doctrine an oxymoron in itself.

V15-19 Typical of Paul’s writings, hence my belief that Paul penned this epistle, the author uses repetition to drive the message home as profoundly as he can.