Hebrews 3:19
in Hebrews 3So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.
KJV
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
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This verse in Hebrews 3
Commentary
11 notes on this verseSo we see that they could not enter in,.... To God's rest, the land of Canaan, for they died by the plague before the Lord, and their carcasses fell in the wilderness, before they came to it, Num 14:37 and the reason was, because of unbelief; their distrust of God, his power, and his providence; this instance is produced by the apostle, to show the evil nature of unbelief, and the sad effects of it; to deter persons from it, and that they might take heed of encouraging it; and which instance he further improves in the following chapter.
This site's exposition
was it not with them that had sinned
on Hebrews 3:17-19
But with whom was he grieved forty years turns the question format into the chapter's closing argument, was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness, Numbers 14:29's own verb echoed in the Greek. And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not repeats the pairing of sin and unbelief a third time in three verses, the writer pressing one point from every angle available. So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief closes the chapter on the single word the whole argument has narrowed to, unbelief, apistia, the same danger named at verse 12 and the very thing chapter 4 will now press toward the readers' own rest.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS · Written before 373.
proposed
"To whom did he swear that they should never enter his rest?" To those who did not want to obey Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb … "So we see that they were unable to enter" the land promised to them, not because of their evil …
God urged them to leave for the promised land, but some spoke in opposition, citing fear and the multitude of the enemy. Hence God consumed them all individually in the desert and brought in their children in place of them.
"For some when they had heard did provoke, howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses: And with whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see, that they could not enter in because of unbelief." After again repeating the testimony, he adds also the question, which makes the argument clear. For he said (he repeats), "To-day if ye hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation." Of whom does he speak (he says) as having been hardened? Of whom as not believing? Is it not of the Jews? Now what he says is to this effect. They also heard, as we hear: but no profit came to them. Do not suppose then that by "hearing" what is proclaimed ye will be profited; seeing that they also heard, but derived no benefit because they did not believe. Caleb then and Joshua, because they agreed not with those who did not believe, escaped the vengeance that was sent forth against them. And see how admirably he said, not, They did not agree, but, "they were not mixed" - that is, they stood apart, but not factiously when all the others had one and the same mind. Here it seems to me that a faction too is hinted at.
"And we see that they were not able to enter." Behold, he says, before our eyes lies the punishment of unbelief. For they, having been unbelief, did not enter the promised land.
The Medieval Church1 voice
From this we see that the disobedient did not enter; that is, the punishment for sin is before our eyes and is acknowledged by all.
4 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Hence, it is clear that they could not enter into His rest because of their unbelief. Therefore, he says, we see, because we have experienced that they could not enter because of their unbelief. Or we see by their punishment that they could not enter …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And to whom did he swear? &c. Whence observe, (1.) God is grieved only with those of his people who sin against him, and continue in sin. (2.) God is grieved and provoked most by sins publicly committed by the generality of a nation; when sin becomes epidemic, it is most provoking.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
So we see ... - We see from the direct testimony of the Old Testament that unbelief was the reason why they were excluded from the promised land. Let us learn in view of the reasoning and exhortations here: (1) The evil of unbelief. It excluded that whole generation, consisting of many hundred thousand souls, from the land of promise - the land to which they had looked with ardent hopes, and with warm desires. It will exclude countless millions from heaven.
So we see that they could not enter in - It was no decree of God that prevented them, it was no want of necessary strength to enable them, it was through no deficiency of Divine counsel to instruct them; all these they had in abundance: but they chose to sin, and would not believe. Unbelief produced disobedience, and disobedience produced hardness of heart and blindness of mind; and all these drew down the judgments of God, and wrath came upon them to the uttermost. 1. This whole chapter, as the epistle in general, reads a most awful lesson against backsliders, triflers, and loiterers in the way of salvation. Every believer in Christ is in danger of apostasy, while any remains of the evil heart of unbelief are found in him. God has promised to purify the heart; and the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin. It is therefore the highest wisdom of genuine Christians to look to God for the complete purification of their souls; this they cannot have too soon, and for this they cannot be too much in earnest. 2. No man should defer his salvation to any future time. If God speaks to-day, it is to-day that he should be heard and obeyed. To defer reconciliation to God to any future period, is the most reprehensible and destructive presumption. It supposes that God will indulge us in our sensual propensities, and cause his mercy to tarry for us till we have consummated our iniquitous purposes. It shows that we prefer, at least for the present, the devil to Christ, sin to holiness, and earth to heaven. And can we suppose that God will be thus mocked? Can we suppose that it can at all consistent with his mercy to extend forgiveness to such abominable provocation? What a man sows that shall he reap. If he sows to the flesh, he shall of the flesh reap corruption. Reader, it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 3. […]
The words behind it
8 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| βλέπομεν | blepomen | we see | G991 → | 132 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἠδυνήθησαν | edunethesan | they were able | G1410 → | 207 times |
| εἰσελθεῖν | eiselthein | to enter in | G1525 → | 194 times |
| δι᾽ | di᾽ | because of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| ἀπιστίαν.¶ | apistian | unbelief. | G570 → |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
βλέπομενwe see
blepomenG991 →132 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἠδυνήθησανthey were able
edunethesanG1410 →207 times
εἰσελθεῖνto enter in
eiseltheinG1525 →194 times
δι᾽because of
di᾽G1223 →664 times
ἀπιστίαν.¶unbelief.
apistianG570 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Mark 16:16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
it leads to
- John 3:15–16
that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 11:25–26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
- John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
- Romans 10:9–14
that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
- John 3:18–19
Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
- John 3:15–16
Through
John 3:36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
it leads to
- John 5:24
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 1:12
But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—
- John 5:24
Through
John 3:18Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
it leads to
- 1 John 5:10
Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him; whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that…
- 1 John 5:10
Where this verse is studied
About Hebrews
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS; John Calvin, Commentary on Hebrews; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 6; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 3; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.