Hebrews -- Holding on to Jesusਨਮੂਨਾ

Consider Jesus

Hebrews 3 opens with a powerful invitation to fix your thoughts on Jesus. Some translations use the word “consider,” which in Greek is katanoein, a word rich with meaning. It implies more than a glance or casual notice. Anyone can look at a thing or even notice it without really seeing it. It means to observe deeply, to dwell upon, and to seek understanding.

To consider Jesus is to set the full attention of your heart and mind on Him, to look long enough that your soul is changed. This same word is used in Luke 12:24: “Consider the ravens.” It’s a call to look with a purpose of learning, growing and understanding. While we may never fully understand Jesus, the most faithful posture of the believer is to keep looking and to fix our attention on Him regardless of our circumstances. In doing so, we begin to see Jesus as God intended us to: as our ultimate representative, our High Priest, and our faithful Savior.

Jesus is not only our Savior but also the One who fully represents both God to us and us to God. He is called “the Apostle and High Priest of our confession,” a confession not only of words but of life (Matthew 10:32, Romans 10:9 NIV). To confess literally means “to say the same thing.” When we confess our sins, we agree with God about them. When we confess Christ, we agree with the Father about His Son, our need for Him, and His ability to save. God didn’t send a mere messenger; He sent the Messenger. Not just a priest, but the High Priest. In every way, Jesus surpasses every human mediator, prophet, or leader before Him.

Hebrews goes on to emphasize that Jesus is greater than Moses, not to dishonor Moses, but to place him in proper perspective. Moses was indeed faithful, glorified by God in many ways: His shining face after meeting with God (Exodus 34:29–35). His defense by God before Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 12:6–8). His vindication in the rebellion of Korah (Numbers 16). But Jesus received even greater glory: at His baptism (Matthew 3:16–17). At the Transfiguration (Mark 9:7). At His resurrection and exaltation (Acts 2:26–33). Moses was part of the household of God, but Jesus is the builder of the house. Moses was a servant; Jesus is the Son. The original readers of Hebrews grew up revering Moses. He represented the law, leadership, and the voice of God to the people. But the writer gently lifts their eyes to someone higher, to Jesus, the One greater than Moses, who leads us not to the law, but to the gift of grace.

Beyond warning against drifting (Hebrews 2), Hebrews 3 addresses another deeper issue: the hardening of the heart. It wasn’t just persecution from the outside that threatened the early believers; it was what was happening inside of them that was even more serious: doubt, discouragement, and indifference. Even today, believers can harden our hearts in many ways: by returning to old habits or patterns. By doubting God’s promises. By demanding signs. By presuming upon God’s mercy. The writer reflects on Israel’s rebellion in the wilderness. They had seen miracles, heard God’s voice, experienced His provision, and still, they hardened their hearts in unbelief. That generation failed to enter God’s rest. Why? Not because of sin alone, but because they stopped believing. Unbelief is not mere confusion; it’s a refusal to trust. It is not the inability to understand, but the unwillingness to surrender. Doubt may trouble the faithful, but unbelief resists God. The heart that harbors sin becomes numb to it, and slowly distant from God.

There is great danger in the deceit of sin. Sin is rarely obvious. It whispers lies: “This won’t hurt anyone.” “You can deal with it later.” “This isn’t that big of a deal.” “God will forgive you anyway.” But as Hebrews warns, “Encourage one another daily … so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13 NIV). Sin deceives in its appearance, in its promises, in its excuses. And over time, its grip tightens. What once felt wrong begins to feel normal. The danger isn’t just what you do; it’s who you’re becoming. There is a reward for not being hardened by sin’s deceitfulness, and falling into unbelief. That reward is entering into God’s rest. In chapters 3 and 4, the theme of entering rest appears eleven times. That rest, the peace and fulfillment God offers, was denied to Israel not because of sin, difficulty, or lack of guidance, but because of unbelief. Their failure was not in beginning the journey but in refusing to continue in faith. They crossed the Red Sea, walked through the wilderness, saw miracles—and still fell short because they stopped trusting. Jesus warned of this in the parable of the sower. Some receive the word with joy but fall away in difficulty or distraction. It’s not enough to begin well; true faith perseveres.

Fix your thoughts on Jesus. Don’t glance at Him; gaze. Don’t treat Him like background noise; listen. Don’t reduce Him to a part of your life. Let Him be the center and sole focus. Jesus is greater than any voice from your past, stronger than any struggle in your present, and more faithful than any fear about your future. Don’t drift. Don’t harden your heart. Don’t stop trusting.

Consider Jesus.