The chapter begins, Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus. To consider means to think carefully about someone. Moses was a faithful servant, and his life pointed ahead to what would be spoken later. Jesus is faithful as a Son over God’s house, and God’s people are that house.

Psalm 95 is quoted three times in this chapter. Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion. The Israelites who left Egypt with Moses saw God’s deeds for forty years, yet they kept doubting him. The letter sums it up. We see that they weren’t able to enter in because of unbelief.

The answer to a hard heart is daily encouragement. Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there might be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief. Instead, exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called today. Sin is deceitful; it can trick people slowly. Friends who speak truth and hope help one another hold their confidence firm to the end.

For the first readers of Hebrews, Moses was the greatest leader in their history. The letter honors Moses rather than criticizing him. Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken. Moses’ faithfulness pointed forward. Christ is faithful as a Son over his house, and the house belongs to the Son. The letter adds that God’s people are his house if they hold fast their confidence and hope firm to the end.

Verses 7 to 11 quote Psalm 95. The psalm remembers Massah and Meribah, where the people tested God in the wilderness even after seeing his deeds for forty years. God said, They always err in their heart, but they didn’t know my ways. The psalm warns later generations not to repeat that story. The repeated word today means the invitation is still open; each new day is a fresh chance to listen and trust.

Verses 12 to 19 apply the psalm. A heart of unbelief turns away from the living God. The remedy is community. Exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called today, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. The chapter ends with three questions about who rebelled, who sinned, and who disobeyed, and then gives the answer. We see that they weren’t able to enter in because of unbelief.