Hebrews 3:16 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Hebrews 3:16

Comments

The Scripture is careful to tell us that although the vast majority of the children of Israel complained to God constantly, adopted the most pessimistic view of their situation, and readily accepted the evil report of the spies, nevertheless there were exceptions, notably Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 14:30). This is important because the purpose of these exhortations in the Epistle to the Hebrews is to urge the readers to exercise faith, and if there were none who did so in ancient Israel, then the situation would appear hopeless. In the next verse, the majority are identified as those whose carcasses fell in the wilderness, but it is precisely in these terms that Caleb and Joshua are made exceptions: they were not among those who died in the wilderness (Numbers 26:65). All heard God’s word spoken to them, but very few believed.

Application

To refuse to hear what God has to say to us is to spurn his gracious overture. What right do we have to expect God ever to speak to us again after the fall? His willingness to continue to offer us mercy is something so beyond our control that we ought to value it above all other gifts we have received. When we refuse to hear and despise his offer of mercy, we insult him in the most violent way possible. He has given us something that is above all price and we refuse to acknowledge the gift or set any value on it. No wonder this provokes his anger. How can he let such provocation go on indefinitely and not respond to it? Ultimately mercy can never be allowed to become weakness or else it loses its special value, and therefore mercy refused becomes double wickedness..

Questions

The translation varies here with different versions. Many do not want to place any limitation on the number of those who provoked the Lord, and so translate the second clause in a way that confirms that all who came out of Egypt provoked through their unbelief. Since there is a negative particle in the sentence, they handle this by introducing a question expecting the answer yes – ‘Was it not all who came out of Egypt led by Moses?’ But the KJV sees this as a limitation on the number of those who provoked, and so does not rework the negative particle in this way. It uses the word ‘howbeit’ to translate the Greek for ‘but’, ‘nevertheless’, or ‘yet’ together with the negative, to make an exception, and this agrees with the word ‘some’ in the first phrase which already implies a limitation.

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

Hebrews 3:16 Commentary and Bible Study