Hebrews 3

In this post I will be highlighting some key points from the third chapter of Hebrews. You can either pull out your own Bible or read the chapter here.

Notice again that this chapter starts with the word “therefore.” Chapter two pointed to the salvation that Jesus offers us. Therefore, “consider Jesus.”

Here’s how some other Bible translations render Hebrews 3:1:

• Fix your thoughts on Jesus (NIV)
• Think carefully about this Jesus (NLT)

The first verse here is calling the recipients of this letter to keep their minds focused on Jesus. Remember and consider all that He has done and the significance of His sacrifice.

This is a good reminder for us as well. If we allow the noise of this world to be louder than the voice of Jesus, our focus will turn the wrong way. Our relationship with Him should be our number one priority.

Also notice that in the first verse, the author addresses the “holy brothers”—with some translations rendering it “brothers and sisters.” The word holy here is singling out those who have accepted Jesus. He is our Lord and Savior. And thanks to Him, we have been “set apart.”

In this chapter, the author spends time proving that Jesus is greater than Moses. To the Jewish people, Moses was a great hero. He helped rescue the Israelites from Egypt, guided them to the promised land, was the prophet through whom God gave the Law, and wrote the first five books of the Bible. It’s understandable why the people looked up to Moses.

Still, Jesus is superior. The author reminds the audience that Jesus is the apostle and High Priest (v1), the builder of the house (v3,4), and the Son (v6). Jesus is God in the flesh and what He offers is eternal.

Verse 7 starts off with, “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says…” And then the remainder of verse 7 and verses 8-11 are pulled from Psalm 95.

“The writer of Hebrews does something spectacular with the introductory clause in verse 7. He prefaces a quotation of the Psalms with the words, ‘as the Holy Spirit says.’ In doing so, the author dramatically affirms the divine inspiration of Scripture.” [1]

The reference to Psalm 95 is a reminder how the Israelites in the wilderness had hard hearts. They didn’t trust God to supply their needs. They complained about many things such as lack of water, lack of meat, the leadership of Moses and Aaron, and the giants in the promised land.

Verse 11 ends with “They shall not enter my rest.”

The Israelites in the desert didn’t get to enter the promised land. However, note that “Rest” in Scripture metaphorically refers to God’s blessings of safety, security, and salvation.

The author is using this as a warning to the audience of this letter. And it’s a warning to us as well. Those who are unfaithful to God will miss out on God’s best. He is a good God and He wants to be generous to us. But we have to walk in His will.

Verse 12 warns against having “an evil, unbelieving heart.” Even if we have been a follower of Jesus for decades, there will be times when we lose hope. Circumstances in life can cause us to believe that God is silent. Clinging to the Lord and our faith is vital, even when we feel like we are wandering in the wilderness as the Israelites did.

“Is God faithful? Will He really come through for you? Does He really love you? Are you really the heir He says you are? These are truths we must settle in our souls long before those wilderness seasons come.” [2]

Verse 13 tells the audience to encourage one another, to come alongside one another, and to help their fellow believers to hold onto faith. This is important for us as well. God created us for community. Finding a church and having Christian friends is something that will help grow our faith. And we, in turn, can help others in their faith.

“We require constant reminders of God‘s unfailing love to us.” [3]

In this verse, I appreciate how the author includes “as long as it is called ‘today.’” Today is what we have to work with. We must take advantage of the time we are given.

The audience was negatively influenced by the naysayers. And the Israelites in the wilderness were also easily influenced by the fear and unbelief of those around them. This illustrates the importance of surrounding yourself with faithful followers of Christ.

When others speak out against our faith or when we face difficulties in life, we will see if we are truly tethered to the Lord or not. We all might have times of deep discouragement, and Jesus understands our struggles. However, when we brush ourselves off and run back to the feet of our Savior, we see evidence that He is truly in our hearts.

“If we really believe the gospel, if we have committed our life to Jesus Christ, then at the end of the day, the end of the year, the end of life, our commitment will still stand. The greatest proof of salvation is continuance in the Christian life. The true believer stays with Christ. When someone departs from the gospel, backs away from the faith, we can only conclude that this person never believed. Staying with the Lord marks the difference between possession and profession.” [4]

Verse 15 once again pulls from Psalm 95 to remind the audience, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” The author wants to make this point clear because the recipients of this letter are at great risk of doing just that.

The last several verses in this chapter remind the audience again of how much the Israelites missed out on because of their rebellion and lack of faith.

This chapter reminds us how vital it is to keep our focus on Jesus. We are reminded that the Holy Scripture is God breathed and something that feeds us. We are reminded of the importance of holding onto our faith, so that we don’t miss out on the blessings God has in store for us. And we are also reminded of the powerful impact in a community of believers.

Personally, as I worked through this chapter I was reminded of how important it is to trust God through life’s ups and downs. He is always faithful to us. I pray we, too, can remain faithful to Him.

Thank you for reading. God bless!

© 2018-2026 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

[1] Mohler, R. Albert, Jr. Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2017.

[2] Larson, Susie. Prevail: 365 Days of Enduring Strength from God’s Word. Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 2020.

[3] Stanley, Charles F., gen. ed. The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible. New International Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2017.

[4] MacArthur, John. Hebrews: Christ: Perfect Sacrifice, Perfect Priest (MacArthur Bible Studies). Nashville, Thomas Nelson, 2007.

Unless noted otherwise, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.