Hebrews 3:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here he makes a transition. Then he speaks as follows (Heb 4:1-2). Here "Today" means always. See also Heb 3:7, 8, 16.

He confirms what he meant by saying "to the end," and says that this is indicated by the expression "Today." For "Today" means always, as he also said above: "But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today" (Heb 3:13). Or, more acceptably, as Saint John Chrysostom says, the Apostle makes a transition from the words, "while it is said, Today, if you will hear His voice," to what follows: "Therefore let us fear, lest, while a promise remains," and so forth (Heb 4:1).

"While it is said, Today." This verse is closely connected with the preceding one, as an application of the phrase "to the end."

The discourse just completed above concerning Moses' apostleship gives the Apostle occasion to draw several strong moral exhortations for his readers from the history of that same ministry of Moses. Having become partakers of the heavenly calling and having yielded themselves to Christ's guidance, Christians must firmly preserve their boldness and hope to the end. They must do this despite every temptation from Christ's enemies. In this matter the New Testament Israel should take as an example those Israelites of Moses' time who were steadfast and strong in spirit. Throughout the forty years of wandering, they did not lose their faith and kept themselves from murmuring. Such were Joshua and Caleb, despite all the temptations and calamities in the wilderness.

The Apostle explains the necessity of observing this condition by the example of the Israelites. While God's warning voice is still heard by all, one must take it to heart and not harden one's heart like the Hebrews. Consider, such is the Apostle's thought, who were those who heard the voice and yet murmured against God? The reading τίνες is more natural and corresponds to the following interrogative pronoun. But can one even ask this? Were they not all those who came out of Egypt under the guidance of Moses, διά Μωυαεως? Was it not the sinful and disobedient whom God punished, depriving them of the possibility of seeing the land of Canaan and resting in it? Yes, the Hebrews serve us Christians as a striking example of the harmful consequences to which unbelief in God's words leads.