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Heb_3:1. Ὅθεν ] refers back to the total characterization of Christ given in chaps. Heb_1:2. Wherefore, i.e. seeing that it stands in such wise with Christ, His nature and disposition. As regards its contents, ὅθεν is unfolded by the τὸν ἀπόστολον καὶ ἀρχιερέα τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν immediately following, inasmuch as by these designations the preceding total-characterization of Christ is recapitulated in its two main features (vid. infra). For if the author says: “Therefore regard well Jesus, the ἀπόστολος καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν !” that is only a Greek form of expression for the thought: “Therefore, because Jesus is the ἀπόστολος καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν , regard Him well!”
ἀδελφοὶ ἅγιοι ] belongs together. With Michaelis, to separate the two words from each other by a comma, would be permissible only if by the isolation thereof a gradation were obtained. But this is not the case; since then only two relations parallel to each other, namely, on the one side the relation of the readers to the author ( ἀδελφοί ), and on the other side their relation to the non-Christian world ( ἅγιοι ), would be rendered separately prominent.
ἀδελφοί ] designates the readers not as brethren of Christ (so with an unwarranted appeal to Heb_2:11-12; Heb_2:17, Peirce, Michaelis, Carpzov, Pyle; comp. also Delitzsch, according to whom this is at least also to be thought of), nor does it express the brotherly relation in the national sense, i.e. the descent from the Jewish people common to the author and readers (Chr. Fr. Schmid), but has reference to the spiritual, ideal brotherly relationship, into which author and recipients of the letter have been brought towards each other by the common bond of Christianity.
κλήσεως ἐπουρανίου μέτοχοι ] ye who are partakers of a heavenly calling. This second direct address—to which Grotius needlessly supplies “nobiscum”—strengthens the former, and the two forms of address explain the ground of the obligation to the κατανοεῖν , by pointing to the reader’s state of grace. κλῆσις stands actively. It denotes the call or invitation, which God[54] has by Christ given to the readers, to participation in the Messianic kingdom. This calling, however, is termed ἐπουράνιος , either because the blessings, the possession of which it promises, are existent in heaven and of heavenly nature (Grotius, al.), or, what is more probable, because they have come to men from heaven [so Owen], where God their supreme author has His throne, and whence Christ their proclaimer and procurer (Vermittler) was sent forth. It is possible, however, that both references are to be combined: “a calling which proceeds from heaven and leads to heaven.” So Bengel, Tholuck, Stuart, Ebrard, Bisping, Delitzsch, Riehm, Lehrbegr. des Hebräerbr. p. 693; Alford, Maier, Kurtz, and others.
κατανοήσατε ] direct your view to Jesus, sc. in order to cleave firmly to Him; regard well what He is and what you have in Him!
τὸν ἀπόστολου καὶ ἀρχιερέα τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν ] the Envoy and High Priest of our confession, is comprehended into a unity of idea by the article τὸν only once placed (“Him who is ἀπόστολος and ἀρχιερεύς in one person”), in connection with which τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν is then also most naturally referred in equal degree to both substantives. τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν , however, is not to be resolved into δν ὁμολογοῦμεν (Luther, Cameron, Calov. Wolf, de Wette, Maier, and others; similarly Delitzsch: “who is the subject-matter of our confession;” and Riehm, Lehrbegr. des Hebräerbr. p. 427 f.: “who appertains to our confession”), but stands, like πίστις , Gal_1:23, and ἐλπίς , Col_1:5, objectively: of our Christian confession (of our evangelical faith). Comp. Heb_4:14, Heb_10:23; 2Co_9:13; 1Ti_6:12-13. [So Calvin, Piscator, Owen (with hesitation), Stuart.] The opposition is to the pre-Christian or Mosaic confession, without, however, the emphasis, as Kurtz supposes, falling upon ἡμῶν , which is forbidden by the position of the words: The deputed One (sc. of God) for our confession, i.e. sent by God (comp. Gal_4:4; Mat_10:40, al.) in order to bring about our confession or Christian faith. The signification “mediator,” which Tholuck attaches to the word ἀπόστολος , after the example of Braun and others, appealing in favour thereof to the authority of Rabbinico-talmudic usage, the latter never has. The notion of mediator follows, alike for ἀπόστολον as also for ἀρχιερέα , only from the context. By ἀπόστολον , namely, is referred back to the main thought of the last and highest divine revelation (the λαλεῖν ), contained in Christ, of which the writer has treated Heb_1:1 to Heb_2:4; by ἀρχιερέα , to the main thought of the reconciliation of sinful humanity to God by Christ, then further treated in the second chapter. Aptly, therefore, does Bengel distinguish ἀπόστολου and ἀρχιερέα as “eum, qui Dei causam apud nos agit” and “qui nostram causam apud Deum agit.”
[54] For God, as everywhere with Paul also, not Christ, as Delitzsch supposes, is thought of as the καλῶν .