Pastor David B. Curtis
Pastor David B. Curtis
We come this morning to the second of five warning passages in the book of Hebrews. The first warning was in 2:1-4. This second warning is the longest of the five and runs from 3:1 thru 4:16. We must keep in mind the theme of Hebrews as we analyze its parts. The theme of Hebrews is the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old covenant. This letter is written to encourage those suffering Christians to persevere in spite of the tribulation they were experiencing. First, the writer stressed that Jesus is better in every way compared to the Old Covenant system. Second, the New Covenant is better in every way compared to the Old Covenant. And third, the faith of the New Covenant is better in every way compared to the faith of the Old Covenant. He seriously tried to demonstrate to these struggling Christians that the new age that was dawning would bring to completion the new and much better covenant. With that in mind, let's look at our text for today.
Hebrews 3:1 (NKJV) Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,
The author begins this second warning section with a call to faithfulness in verses 1-6. The main verb of verse 1 is an imperative "consider", which is from the Greek word katanoeo. Katanoeo is in the aorist active imperative, second person plural of the compound intensive verb from kata meaning: "down" and noieo meaning: "to exercise the mind." It has the idea of throughly and carefully noticing someone or something. In this case it refers to Jesus. "Contemplate Him being faithful" - the obvious intention in this, as the following context makes clear, is for the purpose of imitation. Put your mind on Jesus and let it remain there, that you may understand who He is and what he wills. The Spirit continually says to these believers and to us, "Consider Jesus."
A similar admonition is found in:
Hebrews 12:3 (NKJV) For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
This whole book of Hebrews is written to help us consider Jesus. There is more to consider about Jesus than you could ever exhaust in this life. In chapter one, the point was that Jesus is superior to angels. Jesus made and sustains the world (1:1-2, 10), but the angels run errands in it (1:14). In chapter two, Jesus takes on human flesh and fulfills the hope of Psalm 8 for all his people (2:7-8). And the point at every stage of this book is: Consider this Jesus! Ponder him. Fix your eyes on him. If your mind is like a compass moving through a world of magnets, making it spin this way and that, make Jesus the North Pole of your mental life, that your mind comes back to again and again through the day.
When life get rough and problems seem to have no solution and everything goes bad and disappointment and depression become normal and temptations seem impossible to resist - focus your attention on Jesus and keep it there until He begins to unfold before your eyes in all His glorious power.
Matthew 14:27-30 (NKJV) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
Like Peter, when we focus on the trials and temptations, we begin to sink. So, how do we contemplate Jesus? The Living Word has revealed Himself through the written Word. Spend time in the Bible.
John 5:37-40 (NKJV) "And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 "But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 "But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
The Scriptures reveal Christ to us. Occupation with Christ is the key to spiritual victory. We are specifically told to contemplate His faithfulness. The "Therefore" with which 3:1 opens draws an inference from the preceding unit that encompasses the first two chapters. What did the first two chapters concern? The writer simply presented Jesus, in all his deity and all his humanity, with a concluding emphasis on what he did for us. The writer wants us to "consider" Jesus, then, based on who he is and what he's done for us.
The Christians to which the author writes were being hard pressed by their enemies to show themselves unfaithful toward God. They were admonished, therefore, to consider the faithfulness of Jesus under all the trials he endured, as well as his present patience and service. Because of his faithfulness to God and to us, we are admonished to be faithful in our Christian service and walk. The faithfulness of Christ should be our motive for our faithfulness to Him.
In the book of Psalms, which recounts, more than any other book in the Bible, the struggles of the godly and their total dependence upon God's faithfulness we find reference to God's faithfulness some forty times. Consider for a moment the absolute necessity of the faithfulness of God, every aspect of our Christian life rests upon the faithfulness of God: our salvation, sanctification, our deliverance from temptation, our forgiveness of sins.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NKJV) But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
Faithfulness is part of God's character, and as his children, it should be part of ours. But the virtue of faithfulness is costly, and few people are willing to pay the price.
What is Faithfulness?
Galatians 5:22 (NKJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Here we see that faithfulness is a product of the Spirt. But what is it? The biblical word denotes: "that which is firm and can be counted upon, dependable, reliable, trustworthy, loyal." If you trace the idea of faithfulness throughout the Scripture, you'll find that it entails honesty, dependability and loyalty.
You cannot become a faithful person merely by trying. There is a divine dimension. But it is also true that you will not become a faithful person without trying. Jesus said to the Church at Smyrna:
Revelation 2:10 (NKJV) "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
There is something we must do, even though it is at the same time the fruit of the Spirit. This is what I call "dependant discipline." We are to be dependant upon God while disciplining ourselves. There is a great reward for faithfulness.
One of the most important ingredients in a marriage is faithfulness to your spouse, and one of the most important ingredients in our Christians walk is faithfulness to Christ. We are his bride.
To whom is the author writhing? Who are the recipients of this call to contemplate Christ? First century believers! Two common New Testament designations of Christians are joined together in the phrase "holy brethren." The adjective "holy" (hagios) comes from the verb "to sanctify" (hagiazo). To be sanctified, then, is to be made holy, which means: "to be set apart for something." In the context of Chapter 2, Jesus set us apart for the purpose of reigning in glory.
It is refreshing, is it not, to be called "holy brethren?" You may not consider this to be true of yourself. However, if you are in Christ Jesus, it is true. There is no way that this can be interpreted other than "believers." And it is clear that the author is stressing it, "Therefore believers....". When we consider our holiness and what Jesus did to make us holy, we are given a whole different way of looking at Jesus - one that fills us with thankfulness.
The word "partakers" is the Greek word metochos. It means: "partners or companions." Metochos is used four other times in the epistle of Hebrews. Each time it is in reference to Christians.
The book of Hebrews was written to believers. To further emphasize this, he says they are, "...partakers of the heavenly calling...."- The heavenly calling is the call to glory. It is the glory we have fallen from in our sin and rebellion against God. But now God has provided a "great salvation." He sent his Son to taste death for us, deliver us from the futility and defeat and misery and condemnation of sin and death, and lead us to glory. Believers, we have been glorified! Glorification is nothing more than dwelling in God's presence. So, the "heavenly calling" is the calling to inherit the fullness of salvation in Jesus Christ.
There is a triple statement here as to the persons addressed, they are called: holy, brethren, and partners. What could be clearer? I stress this because if you interpret these warning passages as applying to unbelievers, you eviscerate the book of Hebrews.
Remember our message on "Biblical Theology"? In that message I told you about three theological positions on these warning passages. We talked about the Arminian view, the Lordship view, and the Free Grace view. The Lordship view teaches that these warning passages are directed to professing Christians. They confess faith in Christ, and many even become active church members, but they are not really saved. The trials and temptations of life cause them to reveal their true identity and fall away.
The Free Grace view teaches that these warnings are directed to believers who are in danger of coming under the temporal judgement of God. Eternal life is not in view, physical life is.
We, as believers, need to hold a theological position, we need a frame or grid work to filter things through. And this grid work must be formed from a diligent study of the Bible. All theology must come from exegesis - out of the text of the Bible.
Let me share with you a comment on this verse from someone who holds the Lordship view. Weust writes, "The writer refers to New Testament believers, the saints, set apart ones. The writer, knowing in his heart that some were not saved, yet addresses them upon the basis of their profession, not upon that of his own estimation of there spiritual status." In other words, "You're not really believers, but I'll call you believers because you think you're believers." This violates the 1st law of logic, the law of contradiction. The law of contradiction states that every word has a definite meaning. Here our author uses "holy brethren", but he knows they're not really believers? That doesn't make sense to me. May I remind you that God's word is inspired and inerrant! If God calls them "believers," then they are believers. The writer of Hebrews is saying, "Believers, consider Christ!"
We are to contemplate His faithfulness as both Apostle and High Priest. Apostle means: "one sent forth of God." He comes forth to us from God and proclaims our salvation:
Hebrews 2:3 (NKJV) how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
John 8:26 (NKJV) "I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."
Jesus was sent of God and he was a faithful Apostle.
"High priest" means one who is a go-between, who offers a sacrifice so that there can be reconciliation. As High Priest he is faithful in making propitiation and also extending help. In all these things he exhibits faithfulness to God.
"...the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus" - the word "confession" is the Greek word homologia. It means: "to speak that same thing as another, to agree with someone else." The idea here is that of the believer agreeing with God as to the report He gives in the Bible of His Son. That is the believer's confession.
The superiority of the Lord Jesus Christ is a suitable subject for contemplation. What does the author want us to consider about Jesus today from Hebrews 3:1-6? The answer is: Consider his superiority over Moses.
Hebrews 3:2 (NKJV) who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.
Moses is taken as an example of faithfulness. Moses was esteemed by the Jews far above any other Jew who ever lived. He was the one who led Israel out of Egypt. It was Moses who brought them the law, and for a time Moses' face reflected God's glory.
Both angels and Moses were associated with the Sinatic, or Mosaic, Covenant, and the readers of this letter were considering returning to it. Clearly, Moses was an important person with an important message, but the readers had an inflated opinion of both Moses and the law. Perhaps they were even thinking, as they thought before they came to Christ, that Moses and his words were superior to Jesus and his words. Therefore, the writer compares Jesus with Moses to show the superiority of Jesus. In these verses, he wants to show his readers that Jesus was superior to Moses in faithfulness.
The Hebrew Christians revered and honored Moses, and were sorely tempted to put themselves back under the law of Moses and therefore are reminded of the infinite superiority of Christ over Moses and of grace over law.
"...who was faithful to Him who appointed Him...." - Do not take the faithfulness of Christ for granted! It was accomplished in the arena of temptation and struggle. God sent His Son on a mission transcending the fondest expectations of both men and angels. How refreshing to read the various expressions of that mission in Scripture. Jesus was sent to be "the Savior of the world":
1 John 4:14 (NKJV) And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
To fulfill the Law and the Prophets:
Matthew 5:17 (NKJV) "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
To bring Divine illumination to God's children:
John 12:46 (NKJV) "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
To destroy the devil:
Hebrews 2:14 (NKJV) Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
To save sinners:
1 Timothy 1:15 (NKJV) This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
To give His life a ransom for many:
Matthew 20:28 (NKJV) "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
To show His justice and justify sinners:
Romans 3:25-26 (NKJV) whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
To condemn sin in Christ's flesh, and fulfill the righteousness of the Law in believers:
Romans 8:3-4 (NKJV) For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
That we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ:
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
By saying the Son was "faithful to Him Who appointed Him," the Spirit is affirming the above objectives - and more - were all accomplished by the Son. The mission of our Savior was large, and the work exacting! Yet, He fulfilled it to the finest detail. He was "faithful to Him that appointed Him!"
The reference to Moses being faithful in all God's house was drawn from Numbers 12:7 in which the tabernacle furnished the backdrop:
Numbers 12:6-8 (NKJV) Then He said, "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. 7 Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. 8 I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?"
Hence God's house, in the Old Testament situation, would be the tabernacle itself which Moses had constructed in strict obedience to the divine directions. The tabernacle was the center of the priestly and worshiping arrangements and communion.
Hebrews 3:3 (NKJV) For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house.
The Son is faithful over an even greater house. The Son has a personal honor that is greater than the honor of Moses. As the Olympics just ended, we don't have any difficulty tracking with the word "glory," and one person being worthy of more glory than another person. There's more glory in gold than in silver, and more in silver than in bronze.
Verse 3 says that Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses in relation to God's house. And he gives an astonishing reason - because Jesus is the builder of the house, and Moses is a part of the house. Look at it carefully, verse 3: "[Jesus] has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses." In what way? "By just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house." In other words, he is saying, "Jesus is to the people of God as a builder is to a house. Moses is to the people of God as one of the people of God is to God's household. Therefore, Jesus is Moses' builder. In short, Jesus made Moses."
It would be as if the decathlon contestants were gathered together one night bragging about who of them was the greatest, and Jesus was one of the decathlon contestants. And one said, "I threw the javelin farther than anyone else. I'm the greatest." Another said, "I put the shot farther than anyone else. I'm the greatest." Another said, "I jumped higher than anyone else. I'm the greatest." And eventually they all look toward Jesus in his burgundy sweat suit sitting calmly in the corner, and someone says, "What about you?" And Jesus says, "I made all of you. So I'm the greatest."
Jesus is worthy of as much more glory than every gold medal winner of the Olympics as the builder of a house is worthy of more glory than the house. He made the house. He made Moses. He made the minds and hearts and legs and arms of the Olympic athletes. So Jesus is the greatest.
The founder of a house is greater than the house or any member of it. Moses is seen here as simply a part of the Old Testament house - a servant:
Hebrews 3:5 (NKJV) And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,
But Christ is viewed as the founder of the house:
Hebrews 3:4 (NKJV) For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.
What seems to be implied here is that in some sense the "all things" constitutes a house of which Jesus Christ is the founder. The house over which the Son presides has a universal scope to it, which goes well beyond the scope of the Old Testament tabernacle.
Hebrews 3:5 (NKJV) And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,
The difference between a servant and a son is that the son, by inheritance, owns the house, and is Lord over the house, and provides for those in the house out of his wealth. But the servants don't own anything in the house, and the servants follow the word of the owner. The servants receive their provision from the owner. So again, Jesus, as a son, is superior to Moses in these three ways; he owns the house of God; he rules the house of God; and he provides for the house of God. By comparison, Moses is just a servant in the house. He doesn't own it; he doesn't rule it; and he doesn't provide for it from his wealth.
The distinction being made is that of a servant versus a son. "Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant," while "but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house." Moses was a steward, Jesus has been given the house! If it was not for Christ, Moses would have had no ministry at all!
The Old Testament house was simply a witness to future revelation. The house over which the Son presides is, in fact, the priestly and worshiping apparatus today.
John 4:20-24 (NKJV) "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
Worship is no longer limited to Jerusalem but is to be done everywhere and anywhere in spirit and truth.
Moses was a servant, but Jesus Christ is the Son, whose house "we" are. The earthly building was but a visible exhibition of the existing spiritual reality - the presence of God. It did not create the latter but merely displayed it. So, God's people today, singly and unitedly, are to exhibit and maintain before men the truth concerning God and His Son.
1 Peter 2:5 (NKJV) you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
We are a spiritual house, and as such we should be offering up spiritual sacrifices.
Hebrews 3:6 (NKJV) but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
The word "holdfast" is the Greek word katecho. It is used in nautical circles in the meaning of: "holding one's course toward". Luke uses it in:
Acts 27:40 (NKJV) And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made [katecho] for shore.
He uses it here of the storm tossed ship that held its course toward shore.
He says we are members of Christ's house "...if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope...." - The word "confidence" is the Greek word parrhesia, which comes from pan, meaning: "all" and hrema, meaning: "speak." Its dominant idea is one of boldness and confidence which are exhibited in freedom of speech. This is used throughout the book of Acts to refer to the openness and frankness with which a disciple testified of his faith in Christ.
The word "rejoicing" comes from the Greek word kauchema, which means: "to boast". It means: "something one can boast about." They could boast about their hope which was to receive the inheritances of salvation.
The literal Greek reads, "a house we are if truly the confidence and the boast of the hope until the end firm we hold fast." Please notice that there is a condition here - "if". They were His house "if" they held fast their boldness and hope.
The author did not mean that his readers could forfeit their eternal salvation; it is an error to identify the word "house" with the body of Christ, the true universal church. House here has the idea of a visible witness, a place of communion, or priestly function, as the Old Testament contest shows. (Numbers 12).
Many writers see the idea of "house" here as referring to the body of Christ. They say that "house" equals eternal life. One Lordship writer says, "this is not a condition of salvation but a confirming evidence of salvation. if one does not hold fast, he never truly was of Christ's house."
What is biblically the evidence of eternal life? It is faith.
1 John 5:1 (NKJV) Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
"Is born of God" is in the past tense - "has been born of God."
Another writer says, "The meaning is simply that continuance is the proof of reality." If what these writers are saying is true, than these warnings have no meaning to believers. And therefore, it would mean nothing to the readers of this letter, because they were believers - holy brethren.
Listen to what one writer says:
We often think that considering Jesus is something that unbelievers should do. 'Consider Jesus,' we say to the seeker and the perplexed. And that's right. But this book of Hebrews is devoted to helping Christians consider Jesus. 'Holy brethren . . . consider Jesus.' Well why say that? Don't holy brethren automatically consider Jesus? The answer is No. Remember the warning back in Hebrews 2:1, 'We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.' The danger is constantly in our way that we will stop considering Jesus and become more interested in other things and drift away from the word and perhaps never return and prove that we were never truly partakers of the heavenly calling. So Hebrews calls us (Christians!) again and again to 'Consider Jesus.'
What on earth is he saying? He says this warning is to Christians but if we don't take heed to it, we prove that we are not really Christians.
The Greek ean "if" is a third class condition which means: "maybe you will, maybe you won't. It shows clearly that this relationship is conditional. Whereas in Romans 6:5, the "if" is a first class condition and means: "since".
Romans 6:5 (NKJV) For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
If this was not a condition of salvation but a confirming evidence, the author would have used a 1st class condition - since. The condition of being his house is a conditional experience.
If "continuance" is the proof of reality, then how do we know for sure that we are saved? How do we know that we will continue? In this view, assurance must be postponed logically until death, because only then will I know I've continued to the end.
Another writer says, "The one who falls away never really was saved. True saints persevered, and their perseverance was the evidence of their salvation." He then sites:
1 John 2:19 (NKJV) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
The "us" indicates the apostolic circle to which the writer belonged. By looking at the next verse, you can see the us/you contrast.
1 John 2:20 (NKJV) But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
This us/you contrast is also seen in:
1 John 1:1-3 (NKJV) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life; 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us; 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
The false prophets had withdrawn from the apostolic fellowship. The statement of 2:19 cannot be taken as a general proposition about the lifestyle of the born-again believers. John is talking about heresy and defection from the faith, and declaring that such defection would have been inconceivable if these individuals had truly shared the Apostles spirit and perspective.
Another verse used to prove that true believers continue is found in:
John 8:24 (NKJV) "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
John 8:30 (NKJV) As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.
Compare :
John 6:47 (NKJV) "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.
To:
John 8:31 (NKJV) Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
One writer said, "'Believe' in the gospel of John doesn't always imply saving faith." Then what does John 6:37 mean? He who believes in me "sometimes" has everlasting life?
This same writer goes on to say, "Sometimes in John we have cases which someone is said to believe in him (said by who - the Holy Spirit? DBC) but the context makes it explicitly clear that it was not true faith." The only way the context could make it clear that they didn't really believe is if it said so. This is a case of his theology dictating his exegesis.
John 8:31 (NKJV) Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
Jesus is speaking to believers and he says "if" you abide". It is a conditional relationship. A disciple is one who abides in His word, this is the same idea as in Hebrews 3:6.
G.H. Lang writes, "As it was necessary for each Israelite to trust, follow and obey Moses if he would enjoy in fact the advantages of the new position into which the grace of God had called him, and which the power of God could assure to him, so must we set our undivided attention on Jesus. For just as through failure to trust and obey Moses many Israelites, though redeemed by blood and set apart to God failed to enjoy the advantages of that position, even so must we give all heed lest we fall away and lose our heavenly privileges."
Faithfulness is what matters, as Moses and Christ were faithful, so are we to be. We're to be faithful apostles sharing with men God's message. We're to be faithful priests offering up spiritual sacrifices. We're to hold fast our boldness and our rejoicing firm unto the end.
This is not easy, discipleship is costly, we'll be ridiculed, slandered, persecuted and rejected. The only way we'll make it is to fix our attention on Jesus, contemplate Him. Our strength comes from Him as we fix our minds on Him through his word.
Moses could give the Law, but he could not place it within men's hearts. He could tell the people what God demanded, but he could not make them willing. He could bring them to the borders of the promised land, but he could not take them in!
Contemplate the faithfulness of Jesus. This warning section is bracketed by verses which speak of Christ's priestly role of interceding for us. (2:17-18 and 4:14-16). He's faithful to us, may we walk in faithfulness to Him.
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