3:1 {Holy brethren} (adelphoi hagioi). Only here in N.T., for hagiois in 1Th 5:27 only in late MSS. See Heb 2:11 for same idea. First time the author makes direct appeal to the readers, though first person in 2:1.
{Partakers} (metochoi). See Lu 5:7 for "partners" in the fishing, elsewhere in N.T. only in Hebrews (1:9; 6:4; 12:8) in N.T.
{Of a heavenly calling} (klˆse“s epouraniou). Only here in the N.T., though same idea in 9:15. See hˆ an“ klˆsis in Php 3:14 (the upward calling). The call comes from heaven and is to heaven in its appeal.
{Consider} (katanoˆsate). First aorist active imperative of katanoe“, old compound verb (kata, nous), to put the mind down on a thing, to fix the mind on as in Mt 7:3; Lu 12:24.
{Even Jesus} (Iˆsoun). No "even" in the Greek, just like the idiom in 2:9, the human name held up with pride.
{The Apostle and High Priest of our confession} (ton apostolon kai archierea tˆs homologias hˆm“n). In descriptive apposition with Iˆsoun and note the single article ton. This is the only time in the N.T. that Jesus is called apostolos, though he often used apostell“ of God's sending him forth as in Joh 17:3 (apesteilas). This verb is used of Moses as sent by God (Ex 3:10). Moffatt notes that apostolos is Ionic for presbeutˆs, "not a mere envoy, but an ambassador or representative sent with powers." The author has already termed Jesus high priest (2:17). For homologia (confession) see 2Co 9:13; 1Ti 6:12. These Hebrew Christians had confessed Jesus as their Apostle and High Priest. They do not begin to understand what Jesus is and means if they are tempted to give him up. The word runs through Hebrews with an urgent note for fidelity (4:14; 10:23). See homologe“ (homon, same, leg“, say), to say the same thing, to agree, to confess, to profess.

3:2 {Who was faithful} (piston onta). Present active participle with predicate accusative agreeing with Iˆsoun, "as being faithful."
{That appointed him} (t“i poiˆsanti auton). See 1Sa 12:6. Dative case of the articular participle (aorist active) of poie“ and the reference is to God. Note pistos as in 2:17. {As also was Moses} (h“s kai M“usˆs). The author makes no depreciatory remarks about Moses as he did not about the prophets and the angels. He cheerfully admits that Moses was faithful "in all his house" (en hol“i t“i oik“i autou), an allusion to Nu 12:7 (ean hol“i t“i oik“i mou) about Moses. The "his" is God's. The use of oikos for the people (family) of God, not the building, but the group (1Ti 3:15) in which God is the Father. But wherein is Jesus superior to Moses? The argument is keen and skilful.

3:3 {Hath been counted worthy of more glory than Moses} (pleionos doxˆs para M“usˆn ˆxi“tai). Perfect passive indicative of axio“, to deem worthy, permanent situation described with definite claim of Christ's superiority to Moses. Doxˆs in genitive case after ˆxi“tai. For para after the comparative pleionos see 1:4,9; 2:7.
{By so much as} (kath' hoson). A proportionate measurement (common use of kata and the quantitative relative hosos).
{Than the house} (tou oikou). Ablative case of comparison after pleiona. The architect is superior to the house just as Sir Christopher Wren is superior to St. Paul's Cathedral. The point in the argument calls for Jesus as the builder (ho kataskeuasas, first aorist active participle of kataskeuaz“, to found or build). But it is God's house as autou means (verses 2,5) and hou in verse 6. This house of God existed before Moses (11:2,25). Jesus as God's Son founded and supervised this house of God.

3:4 {Is God} (theos). God is the Creator of all things and so of his "house" which his Son, Jesus Christ, founded and supervises.

3:5 {And Moses} (kai M“usˆs men). "Now Moses indeed on his part" (men contrasted with de).
{In} (en). Moses was in "God's house" "as a servant" (h“s therap“n). Old word, in LXX, only here in N.T. and quoted from Nu 12:7f. Kin to the verb therapeu“, to serve, to heal, and therapeia, service (Lu 9:11) and a group of servants (Lu 12:42).
{For a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken} (eis marturion t“n lalˆthˆsomen“n). Objective genitive of the articular future passive participle of lale“. It is not certain what it means whether the "testimony" (marturion) is to Moses or to God and whether it points on to Christ. In 9:9 see parabolˆ applied to the old dispensation as a symbol pointing to Christ and Christianity.
{But Christ} (Christos de). In contrast with Moses (men in verse 5).
{As a son} (h“s huios). Instead of a therap“n (servant).
{Over his house} (epi ton oikon autou). The difference between epi and en added to that between huios and therap“n. It is very neat and quite conclusive, especially when we recall the high place occupied by Moses in Jewish thought. In Ac 7:11 the Jews accused Stephen of speaking "blasphemous words against Moses and God" (putting Moses on a par with God).

3:6 {Whose house are we} (hou oikos esmen hˆmeis). We Christians (Jew and Gentile) looked at as a whole, not as a local organization.
{If we hold fast} (ean katasch“men). Condition of third class with ean and second aorist (effective) active subjunctive of katech“. This note of contingency and doubt runs all through the Epistle. We are God's house if we do not play the traitor and desert.
{Boldness} (parrˆsian) {and glorying} (kai kauchˆma) some had lost. The author makes no effort to reconcile this warning with God's elective purpose. He is not exhorting God, but these wavering Christians. All these are Pauline words. B does not have mechri telous bebaian (firm unto the end), but it is clearly genuine in verse 14. He pleads for intelligent confidence.

3:7 {Wherefore} (dio). Probably this inferential conjunction (dia, ho, because of which) goes with mˆ sklˆrunˆte (harden not) in verse 8 rather than with blepete (take heed) in verse 12 unless the long quotation be considered a parenthesis. The long quotation in verses 7-11 is from Ps 95:7-11. After the quotation the author has "three movements" (Moffatt) in his discussion of the passage as applied to the Jewish Christians (3:12-19; 4:1-10; 4:11-13). The peril of apostasy as shown by the example of the Israelites is presented with vividness and power.
{As the Holy Ghost saith} (kath“s legei to pneuma to hagion). Just this phrase nowhere else in the N.T., except Act 21:11 (Agabus), though practically the same idea in 9:8; 10:15. In 1Ti 4:1 the adjective "Holy" is wanting as in Re 2; 3. But the writer quotes this Psalm as the Word of God and in 4:7 attributes it to David.
{If ye shall hear} (ean akousˆte). Condition of third class with ean and first aorist active subjunctive of akou“.

3:8 {Harden not} (mˆ sklˆrunˆte). Prohibition with mˆ and first aorist (ingressive) active subjunctive of sklˆrun“, late verb from sklˆros (dried up, stiff, hard) as in Ac 19:9; Ro 9:18.
{As in the provocation} (h“s ˆn t“i parapikrasm“i). Late compound from parapikrain“, late verb to embitter (para, pikros), found only in LXX and here and verse 15. It means embitterment, exasperation. For the simple verb pikrain“, to make bitter, see Col 3:19. The reference is to "Meribah" (Ex. 17:1-7).
{Like as in the day} (kata tˆn hˆmeran). "According to the day" as in Ac 12:1; 19:23.
{Of the temptation} (tou peirasmou). The reference is to "Massah" which took place at Rephidim.

3:9 {Wherewith} (hou). Literally, "where" (the wilderness) as in De 8:15.
{Tempted me by proving me} (epeirasan en dokimasiƒi). No word for "me." The Israelites "tested" God "in putting to the proof" (only N.T. use of this word from dokimaz“ and this from the LXX). They were not content with God's promise, but demanded objective proof (erga, deeds) of God.

3:10 {And saw} (kai eidon). "And yet saw."
{Wherefore} (dio). Not in the LXX, but it makes clear the argument in the Psalm.
{I was displeased} (pros“chthisa). First aorist active of prosochthiz“, late compound for extreme anger and disgust. In N.T. only here and verse 17.
{Err} (plan“ntai). Present middle indicative of plana“, to wander astray, common verb. {They did not know} (ouk egn“san). In spite of God's works (erga) and loving patience the Israelites failed to understand God's ways with them. Are we any better? They "cared not to take my road" (Moffatt).

3:11 {As I sware} (h“s “mosa). "Correlating the oath and the disobedience" (Vincent). First aorist active indicative of omnu“, old verb for solemn oath (6:13).
{They shall not enter} (ei eiseleusontai). Future middle of eiserchomai with ei as an anacoluthon for the Hebrew "im" (not). Really it is a condition of the first class with the conclusion not expressed, common in the LXX as here (Robertson, "Grammar", p. 1024).
{Into my rest} (eis tˆn katapausin mou). Old word from katapau“ (Heb 4:8), to give rest, in LXX, in N.T. only in Ac 7:49; Heb 3:11-4:11. Primarily the rest in Canaan and then the heavenly rest in which God dwells.

3:12 {Take heed} (blepete). Present active imperative as in Php 3:2 (three times) of blep“ in place of the more usual horate. Solemn warning to the Jewish Christians from the experience of the Israelites as told in Ps 95.
{Lest haply there shall be} (mˆ pote estai). Negative purpose with mˆ pote and the future indicative as in Mr 14:2. But we have in Col 2:8 mˆ tis estai as in Heb 12:25; mˆ occurs with the aorist subjunctive, and mˆ pote with present subjunctive (Heb 4:1) or aorist subjunctive (Ac 5:39).
{In any one of you} (en tini hum“n). The application is personal and pointed.
{An evil heart of unbelief} (kardia ponˆra apistias). A remarkable combination.
{Heart} (kardia) is common in the LXX (about 1,000 times), but "evil heart" only twice in the O.T. (Jer 16:12; 18:12). Apistias is more than mere unbelief, here rather disbelief, refusal to believe, genitive case describing the evil heart marked by disbelief which is no mark of intelligence then or now.
{In falling away from the living God} (en t“i apostˆnai apo theou z“ntos). "In the falling away" (locative case with en of the second aorist active (intransitive) infinitive of aphistˆmi, to stand off from, to step aside from (apo with the ablative case theou) the living God (common phrase in the O.T. and the N.T. for God as opposed to lifeless idols)). "Remember that to apostatize from Christ in whom you have found God is to apostatize from God" (Dods). That is true today. See Eze 20:8 for this use of the verb.

3:13 {So long as it is called today} (achris hou to sˆmeron kaleitai). The only instance in the N.T. of this conjunction (achri or achris or achris hou, etc.) with the present indicative in the sense of "so long as" or "while" like he“s. Elsewhere it means "until" and with either the aorist indicative (Ac 7:18), the future (Re 17:17), or the aorist subjunctive (Re 7:3).
{Lest any one of you be hardened} (hina mˆ sklˆrunthˆi tis ex hum“n). Negative purpose clause with hina mˆ (that not) and the first aorist passive subjunctive of sklˆrun“, the vivid verb from verse 8.
{By the deceitfulness of sin} (apatˆi tˆs hamartias). Instrumental case apatˆi (trick, fraud) as is always the case with sin (Ro 7:11; 2Th 2:10). Apostasy (12:4) is their peril and it is a trick of sin.

3:14 {For we are become partakers of Christ} (metochoi gar tou Christou gegonamen). Second perfect active of ginomai, "we have become," not the equivalent of esmen (are). For metochoi see 1:9; 3:1; 6:4. We have become partners with Christ and hence (gar, for) should not be tricked into apostasy.
{If we hold fast} (ean per katasch“men). The same condition as in verse 6 with per (indeed, forsooth) added to ean. Jonathan Edwards once said that the sure proof of election is that one holds out to the end.
{The beginning of our confidence} (tˆn archˆn tˆs hupostase“s). For hupostasis see 1:3; 11:1. These faltering believers (some even apostates) began with loud confidence and profession of loyalty. And now?

3:15 {While it is said} (en t“i legesthai). Locative case with en of the articular present passive infinitive of leg“, "in the being said." Thus the author (cf. same phrase in Ps 42:4) introduces the repeated quotation from verses 7,8. Probably it is to be connected with katasch“men, though it can be joined with parakaleite in verse 13 (treating 14 as a parenthesis).

3:16 {Who} (Tines). Clearly interrogative, not indefinite (some).
{Did provoke} (parepikranan). First aorist active indicative of parapikrin“, apparently coined by the LXX like parapikrasmos (verse 15) to which it points, exasperating the anger of God.
{Nay, did not all} (all' ou pantes). "A favourite device of the diatribe style" (Moffatt), answering one rhetorical question with another (Lu 17:8) as in verses 17,18, There was a faithful minority mentioned by Paul (1Co 10:7f.).

3:17 {With them that sinned} (tois hamartˆsasin). Dative masculine plural after pros“chthisen (cf. verse 10) of the articular first aorist active participle of hamartan“ (hamartˆsas, not hamart“n).
{Carcases} (k“la). Old word for members of the body like the feet, in LXX a dead body (Nu 14:29), here only in N.T.

3:18 {That they should not enter} (mˆ eiseleusesthai). Negative mˆ (cf. ei in verse 11) and the future middle infinitive in indirect discourse.
{To them that were disobedient} (tois apeithˆsasin). Dative masculine plural of the articular first aorist active participle of apeithe“, active disobedience with which compare apistias in verse 12,19.

3:19 {And we see} (kai blepomen). Triumphant conclusion of the exegesis of Ps 95. "So we see."