7 Wherefore, even as says the Holy Spirit, To-day if ye will hear his voice, 8 harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness; 9 where your fathers tempted [me], by proving [me], and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was wroth with this generation, and said, They always err in heart; and they have not known my ways; 11 so I swore in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest. 12 See, brethren, lest there be in any one of you a wicked heart of unbelief, in turning away from [the] living God. 13 But encourage yourselves each day, as long as it is called To-day, that none of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we are become companions of the Christ if indeed we hold the beginning of the assurance firm to the end; 15 in that it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation; 16 (for who was it, who, having heard, provoked? but [was it] not all who came out of Egypt by Moses? 17 And with whom was he wroth forty years? [Was it] not with those who had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to those who had not hearkened to the word? 19 And we see that they could not enter in on account of unbelief;)
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Hebrews 3:7-19
Commentary on Hebrews 3:7-13
(Read Hebrews 3:7-13)
Days of temptation are often days of provocation. But to provoke God, when he is letting us see that we entirely depend and live upon him, is a provocation indeed. The hardening of the heart is the spring of all other sins. The sins of others, especially of our relations, should be warnings to us. All sin, especially sin committed by God's professing, privileged people, not only provokes God, but it grieves him. God is loth to destroy any in, or for their sin; he waits long to be gracious to them. But sin, long persisted in, will make God's wrath discover itself in destroying the impenitent; there is no resting under the wrath of God. "Take heed:" all who would get safe to heaven must look about them; if once we allow ourselves to distrust God, we may soon desert him. Let those that think they stand, take heed lest they fall. Since to-morrow is not ours, we must make the best improvement of this day. And there are none, even the strongest of the flock, who do not need help of other Christians. Neither are there any so low and despised, but the care of their standing in the faith, and of their safety, belongs to all. Sin has so many ways and colours, that we need more eyes than ours own. Sin appears fair, but is vile; it appears pleasant, but is destructive; it promises much, but performs nothing. The deceitfulness of sin hardens the soul; one sin allowed makes way for another; and every act of sin confirms the habit. Let every one beware of sin.
Commentary on Hebrews 3:14-19
(Read Hebrews 3:14-19)
The saints' privilege is, they are made partakers of Christ, that is, of the Spirit, the nature, graces, righteousness, and life of Christ; they are interested in all Christ is, in all he has done, or will do. The same spirit with which Christians set out in the ways of God, they should maintain unto the end. Perseverance in faith is the best evidence of the sincerity of our faith. Hearing the word often is a means of salvation, yet, if not hearkened to, it will expose more to the Divine wrath. The happiness of being partakers of Christ and his complete salvation, and the fear of God's wrath and eternal misery, should stir us up to persevere in the life of obedient faith. Let us beware of trusting to outward privileges or professions, and pray to be numbered with the true believers who enter heaven, when all others fail because of unbelief. As our obedience follows according to the power of our faith, so our sins and want of care are according to the prevailing of unbelief in us.