Hebrews 4:1-16

What is the theme of this chapter?

God's three rests — His creation rest, His Canaan rest, and His redemption rest (Christ!)

What is the key verse(s) of this chapter?  Verse 12

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?

I liked Williams' description of verses 12-15; how we as Christians want the Word of God (sword) to cut the sin from our lives, but that that same Word is also sympathetic to our struggles because He was tempted in all ways that we are.  Such a comfort!

Additional observations/questions:

Back to chapter two's question: "Verses 3 and 4 are the hardest verses for me to understand; is the audience unsaved Hebrews or slothful, believing Hebrews?  For now I'm leaning toward unsaved Hebrews, but maybe I'll change my mind as I study more of this book."  Have I come any closer to a conclusion on this?  Maybe the audience is neither.  Maybe it was just Hebrews who had believed Jesus Christ is the Messiah but now needed to understand all that the cross had accomplished, partly because Judaism as a religion (sacrifices, etc) was about to come to an end in 70 AD, but mostly because it was the next step in increasing their understanding.  I think McLean was probably right when he said, "...the book of Romans explains the cross to the body of Christ, Hebrews explains the cross to Israel."

One new question:  Is it necessary that we approach the throne of grace in order to obtain mercy and grace as Ryrie suggested, or do we already have both, as McLean suggested?  A possible answer might be that we always have it, but we don't always make use of it.  So when we go before the throne of grace, perhaps He doesn't dispense it, but rather we access it and put it to use. 

Hebrews 4:14-16

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.


v 14 - "The word "through" is the clue that opens up the truth here which shows that Messiah is better than Aaron.  The latter as high priest in Israel, passed through the court of the tabernacle, through the Holy Place, into the Holy of Holies, which were all figures or types of realities.  Messiah as High Priest of the New Testament passed through the heaven of the clouds, the heaven of the starts,  into the heaven of heavens, the centralized abode of Deity.  Since Messiah passed through the realities of which the tabernacle was only a type, and Aaron passed through the things that were the types, Messiah is better than Aaron.  But there is another way in which Messiah is seen to be better than Aaron.  The events that took place when Messiah passed through the heavens, show that He is infinitely better than Aaron.  Aaron could never have performed such a feat.  The reference here is to our Lord's Easter morning ascension from the resurrection tomb to heaven as High Priest having made atonement for sin at the Cross.  In Israel, the atonement was  not complete at the brazen altar.  Not until the high priest had carried the atoning blood into the Holy of Holies, and had sprinkled it on the Mercy Seat, was the atonement complete.  Likewise, our Lord's atonement was not complete at the Cross.  Not until He had entered heaven as the High Priest having made atonement for sin, was His atonement complete.  He, glorified High Priest, in His body of flesh and bones but no blood, had to present Himself at the Mercy Seat in  Glory in His bloodless body, the evidence that sin had been paid for.  The writer says of Him, "By His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us (9:12)." (Wuest)

"The idea that the crucified Messiah had risen to be Israel's high priest must have come as quite a shock, as this is the first time that fact is mentioned in all the  Bible.  Jesus Christ Himself told people to honor the man seated in Moses' seat of authority (Matthew 23:1-2).  It bears repeating that, just as the book of Romans explains the cross to the body of Christ, Hebrews explains the cross to Israel." (McLean) 

v 15 - has been tempted in all things as we are, yet with sin - "Not that Christ experienced every temptation man does, but rather that He was tempted in all areas in which man is tempted (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 1 John 2:16), and with particular temptation specially suited to Him.  This testing was possible only because He took the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. 8:3), for had there not been an incarnation, Jesus could not have been tempted (cf. James 1:13).  Yet our Lord was distinct from all other men in that He was without sin; i.e., He possessed no sin nature as we do.  Because He endured and successfully passed His tests, He can now offer us mercy and grace to help in time of need, for He knows what we are going through." (Ryrie)

v 16 -  "His grace comes when we come in our time of need, and not until." (Ryrie)

"The people of Israel's situation always involved finding where God was and doing what He said when they got there, whether it be the mercy seat of Exodus 25:17-22 or by drawing nigh unto God in James 4:5-9.  We learn from Paul's teaching for our dispensation that we have God's sufficient grace (Ephesians 4:7) without going anywhere.  Since there has been so much bad preaching and teaching about this verse, most Christians believe that they go boldly to the throne of grace when they pray; but few things could be further from the truth for our dispensation.  Having been accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6) and being at peace with God (Romans 5:1), we would not need to go to God's throne to obtain the mercy we already possess.  Not only that, when Paul prayed three times for removal of the thorn in his flesh, Paul learned that God's sufficient grace was already in place, without Paul's going to a throne and asking (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)." (McLean)

"The Christian does not wish for sympathy with the sin that is in him.  He detests it — he desires it to be slain with the two-edged sword — to have no mercy shown to it.  This is the purpose and action of the sword.  But he does desire sympathy for his weakness and difficulties and temptations, and this sympathy he finds in all perfection in the Great High Priest who wields the sword.  These Divine provision of the sword and the Priest encourage him to hold fast his confession in spite of the difficulties that beset his path.  There is an ever-present danger of coming short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23), of the grace of God (Heb. 12:15), and of the rest of God (Heb. 4:1)." (Williams)

Hebrews 4:11-13

Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.


v 11 - let us be diligent - "We must be diligent in our experience to enter the rest into which we have already entered.  The same Greek word is used in Eph. 4:3; 2 Tim. 2:15; 2 Peter 1:10; 3:14." (Ryrie)

v 12 - the word of God - here meaning His inspired Word, the Scriptures

living and active - It has the power to reach to the inmost parts of one's personality and to judge the innermost thoughts.

"The Hebrews are warned that the ninety-fifth Psalm is the Word of God — a death-dealing sword from whose double edge nothing escapes (v. 12).  And what is true of the ninety-fifth Psalm is true of the whole Bible.  It is living and effective.  It is living, for it is the Word of the living God (3:12); and effective, for when He said "They shall not enter" their carcases fell in the Wilderness (2:17)." (Williams)

soul and spirit - "The meaning is that the Word pierces to the depths of soul and spirit, not between the two.  They stand for the innermost facets of our immaterial nature, just as joints and marrow the material aspect.  Both soul and spirit can be involved in what please or displeases God.  (For soul, see Mark 12:30 and 1 Peter 2:11; for spirit, wee 1 Cor. 2:11 and 2 Cor. 7:1)." (Ryrie)

""Piercing" is the translation of diikneomai which means "to go through."  The words "The dividing asunder of soul and spirit," do not mean, "the dividing asunder of soul from spirit."  Nor is it "the dividing asunder of joints from marrow."  The case in Greek is the genitive of description, defining the action in the verb in this case.  It is a going through the soul, a going through the spirit.  Joints and marrow are not in contact with one another, and cannot therefore be said to be divided asunder.  The preposition prefixed to the verb is dia which means "thought," in the sense of "the sword pierced through the heart."  The dividing asunder here is not that of one from another, but of one thing in itself by the action of something separating its constituent elements from one another by piercing it.  Vincent says, "The form of the expression is poetical, and signifies that the word penetrates to the inmost recesses of our spiritual being as a sword cuts through the joints and marrow of the body.  The separation is not of one part from another, but operates in each department of the spiritual nature." (Wuest)

v 13 - with whom we have to do - "Better, to whom we must give an account — lit., to whom is our word.  A play on the Greek term for "word"; i.e., if our lives confirm to "the word of God" (v. 12), then our word (account) in the day of judgment will be acceptable to God." (Ryrie)

"The word trachelizo literally means to have the throat exposed.  It is taken from the games, and signified to bend back the neck.  Here the metaphor may be taken either from the sacrifice of a victim or from a mode of punishment.  Whatever the metaphorical sense is, the warning is that there is no hiding oneself in any part of our being from God." (Vine)

Hebrews 4:6-10

Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.” For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

vs 5-9 - "The divine promise still holds good; the believer may enter into God's rest through faith.  This is true of both salvation and sanctification.  Rest in the Christian life comes through complete reliance on God's promises and full surrender to His will (2 Cor 5:7; Col 2:6).  The word in verse 9 (rest) indicates that, just as God ceased from His creative activity on the seventh day (v 4), so believers may cease from working for their salvation and self-reliance in sanctification.  Or this sabbath-rest in sanctification may look forward to believers' future rest in heaven." (Ryrie)

v 7 - a certain day - "the day of the Pentecostal era.  After the close of that day individual Hebrews of course had the Gospel preached to them, but as sinners and not as Hebrews; for in the present Gospel of the heavenly election there is neither Jew nor Greek — only saved sinners." (Williams)

v 8 - "Joshua (Moses' successor) could not lead all the people into the rest of dwelling in their promised land because of their unbelief.  Likewise the believer today cannot enjoy a fully satisfying Christian life unless he believes all the promises of God, and even then he looks forward to that perfect future rest." (Ryrie)

v 9 - "The writer used here a different Greek work for "rest."  In his previous references to the idea of rest, he has used katapausis, meaning "a cessation from activity," thus "a rest," a general word for the idea of rest.  Now, he uses sabbatismos, the word used of the Sabbath rest.  The word points back to God's original rest, and speaks of the ideal rest.  It is a Sabbath rest because the believer reaches a definite stage of attainment and has satisfactorily accomplished a purpose, as God did when He finished the work of creation.  It is not the believer's rest into which he enters and in which he participates, but in God's unique, personal rest in which the believer shares." (Wuest)

v 10 - "The popular view that this verse treats of the sinner ceasing from his dead works and finding rest in Christ, is destroyed by the argument of the whole passage, and also by remembering that the works that God ceased from were good works, whilst the works of self-righteousness that the sinner ceases from are "evil works," (1 John 3:12) and therefore they cannot be compared." (Williams)

Hebrews 4:3-5

For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, “AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS”; and again in this passage, “THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.”


vs 3-4 -  Only believers enter into salvation rest.

"God found His rest, in regard to creation, in that in which true rest lies, namely, in the completion and perfection of His work.  See Genesis 1:31; 2:1, 2; and Exodus 31:17, "and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed."  The seventh day was declared in this last passage to be a sign between God and Israel forever, not between Himself and the Gentiles, nor between Himself and the church.  The phrase connected with the church is not "from foundation..." but "before the foundation of the world" (Eph 1:4).  God's appointment of the day of rest for Israel was a reversal of their slavery under Pharaoh." (Vine)

"The meaning is, that we who have believed have entered into rest in accordance with God's declaration to the effect that those who did not believe should not enter into rest.  The point the writer makes is that faith is the condition of entering into the rest.  The words "although the works were finished from the foundation of the earth," assume the reader's acquaintance with the account of creation in Genesis.  The providing of a rest is implied in the completion of God's works.  The  unbelieving generation which came out of Egypt did not enter into Canaan rest, although God had provided that rest into which they might have entered." (Wuest)

"Four "rest" are presented in quick succession, the first being the kingdom rest (Hebrews 3:11) which is likened to the day of rest during the creation week (Hebrews 4:4).  Those first two rests prepare the Hebrew reader to address the millennial rest (Hebrews 4:9) which is for the Hebrew believers (Hebrews 4:19) who perform the required labours (Hebrews 4:11)." (McLean)

"God's three "rests" are now presented.  His creation rest (v. 4); His Canaan rest (v. 6) and His redemption rest (v. 1).  The first two are fore-pictures of the third.  It is emphatically "His rest" (v. 1), and they who believe enter into it (v. 3).  It is Christ — the True Sabbath — God's rest; and that repose can never fail nor be disturbed.  Into that rest — His own rest — God invites sinners to enter.  Unbelief shuts out from that rest (v. 6) and belief admits to it (v. 3).  The Apostle besought these Messsianic Hebrews to be on their guard lest through unbelief they should come short of entering it (v. 1), just as, through unbelief, their fore-fathers came short of the promised Canaan rest.  They went a certain distance and then perished.  They did not continue to the end (3:6 and 14).  The great Sabbath rest of this chapter that "remains," i.e., that is now provided for the people of God, i.e., for the Hebrew people — is not heaven, nor the Millennium, as is popularly understood, but is the great redemption rest of Luke 7:50.  This is the argument of verses 1-11.  These Hebrews were urged to give all diligence ("labour" v. 11) to enter into that rest.  That rest intends real conversion, the New Birth, conscious salvation and peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, as set out in Rom. 3-8.  Just as their forefathers did not, through unbelief, enter into God's Canaan rest, so these Hebrews were warned that they also would surely perish if they did not enter into God's redemption rest in Christ.  To accept Jesus as the promised Messiah did not necessarily mean the great moral change of the New Birth; but that birth, typified by the passage of the Jordan, was necessary, and it only followed faith in Christ as an atoning Saviour (1:3)." (Williams)

v 4 - He...said in Gen 2:2 - "After the work of creation was finished, God rested; i.e., He enjoyed the sense of satisfaction and repose that comes with the completion of a task.  It is in this sense that rest issued in verses 1 and 3." (Ryrie)

Hebrews 4:1-2

Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

v 1 - "Although God has promised believers today that they may enter His rest, some may fail to experience it because of unbelief." (Ryrie)

"A promise being left" (v. 1).  "There remaineth therefore" (v. 9), i.e., He still leaves a promise, and there still remains a rest.  This Gospel rest, and the kingdom connected with it, "remained" from Pentecost to the destruction of Jerusalem.  It was nationally rejected through unbelief, and lost.  But just as the children (Neh. 9) entered Canaan, so will the future children be engraced with the faith of their believing fathers (Mal. 4:6) and will look upon Him with faith who loved them and washed them from their sins in His own blood (Rev. 1:5).  The glad tiding preached in the Wilderness promised the milk and honey of Canaan; the glad tidings preached during the Pentecostal era announced forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (v. 2)." (Williams)

v 2 - "To understand this verse we must identify the pronouns.  "Us" refers to the first-century Jewish readers of this letter, "them" to the generation which came out of Egypt.  The words "the gospel was preached" are the translation of a verb which means "to announce good news."  The character of the good news must be defined by the context.  The good news which was announced to the first-century readers of this epistle was that of a spiritual rest in Messiah.  The good news given to the generation which came out of Egypt was that of a temporal, physical rest in a land flowing with milk and honey, offered to a people who had been reduced to abject slavery for 400 years and who had lived on a diet of leeks, garlic, and onions during that time.  But the writer says that this good  news did not profit this generation, "not being mixed with faith in them that heard it."" (Wuest)

mixed with faith - "This does not mean that the glad tidings were profitless to them because they did not add faith as they listened.  It is most true that salvation results from listening and believing, but the argument of this verse is that there were two companies, the company of the believers and the company of the unbelievers, and because these latter were not one in faith with the former, therefore, they failed to enter Canaan." (Williams)

Hebrews 3:1-19

What is the theme of this chapter?

Christ Jesus is superior to Moses — the supreme object of faith — and the dire consequences of unbelief.

What is the key verse(s) of this chapter?  Verses 18-19

And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?

It was brought home to me once again how very important it is to determine the audience and times (ages) when interpreting the Word of God.  If I had taken verses 6 and 14 at face value, without looking at who it was written to and under what circumstances, I would have concluded that I could lose my salvation.

Additional observations/questions:

Back to chapter two's question: "Verses 3 and 4 are the hardest verses for me to understand; is the audience unsaved Hebrews or slothful, believing Hebrews?  For now I'm leaning toward unsaved Hebrews, but maybe I'll change my mind as I study more of this book."  Have I come any closer to a conclusion on this?  Maybe the audience is neither.  Maybe it was just Hebrews who had believed Jesus Christ is the Messiah but were being prodded to move on because Judaism as a religion (sacrifices, etc) was about to come to an end in 70 AD. 

Hebrews 3:16-19

For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

Israel's sin is described as provacation or rebellion (v 16), sin (v 17), disobedience (v 18), and unbelief (v 19).

disobedient - Greek word apeitheo, which means "not to allow one's self to be persuaded, not to comply with, to refuse or withhold belief" - They were of that non-persuasible type that would not listen to reason, stiff-necked, obstinate, unbelieving.

"There are three interrogatives (vs. 16, 17 and 18).  The first contemplates Israel coming out of Egypt; the second, her conduct in the Wilderness; and the third, her judgment at the end.  The answer to the first question (v. 16) is that all did provoke — the exception of Joshua and Caleb did not contradict the national fact.  The answer to the second interrogative (v. 17) is that all who sinned perished; and the answer to the third interrogative (v. 18) is that all the unbelievers lost the promised land of blessing through unbelief — it shut them out.  Just as at the beginning the people murmured because they were not at once and without difficulty established in Canaan, so at the close they turned away because the Messiah did not at once expel the Romans and restore the throne of David.  At each period the nation desired material rather than moral wealth." (G Williams)

"Should you reread Numbers chapter fourteen, note that Israel saw God's miracles, signs and wonders, and even heard God's voice from heaven; yet some had hardened themselves against God and did not enter into Canaan's promised land.  The deceitfulness of sin and the specific sin of unbelief were what provoked God against them; and they fell in the wilderness without hope.  The evil heart of unbelief angered God in Deuteronomy 15:9, and that anger hovers over the book of Hebrews." (G Williams)

Hebrews 3:13-15

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.”

"That 'To-day' (v. 13) was then very near its close.  This was God's last prophetic message to His ancient people.  It was written just before the Apostle's violent death, and just as the Romans as God's instruments of judgment were being prepared to march against Jerusalem.  That day of God's patience then closed for Israel as a nation; but grace reigned embracing both Jews and Gentiles, gathering out of them a people to Messiah's Name; and this action still continues.  Verse 14 may be thus, paraphrased: 'For we shall be made partakers with Christ (in His millennial kingdom) if we hold' etc.  The aim of the Epistle was to bring on those Hebrews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah and were at the same time zealous of the Law — to bring them on to the end, i.e., to true conversion, to the New Birth, into a spiritual Canaan — the 'rest' of verse 18.  They were invited to share that rest with Christ immediately, (Matt 11:28-30) and at His appearing to share also His millennial rest." (G Williams)

"The inspired writer warns against hardening the heart in verse 13, and now in this verse exhorts against it.  He uses the unbelieving generation in the wilderness as an example, which at the borders of Canaan refused to follow Caleb and Joshua into the Promised Land, but chose to take the advice of the others.  In the last analysis it was lack of faith in God and His power to give them victory over the giants.  This is the provocation spoken of." (Kenneth S Wuest)

Hebrews 3:7-12

Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, ‘THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS’; AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’” Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.

v 7-11 - The quote is from Ps 95:7.  The children of Israel challenged God's authority over them by their rebellion in the wilderness.  Because of this, they failed to enter into the rest of dwelling in Canaan and they perished in the wilderness.

v 11 - 'rest' - (a point of emphasis at this juncture in the book of Hebrews - 3:11, 18; 4:1, 3-5, 8-11)

v 12 - The writer now applies Israel's experience to the dangers facing his readers.

"Having reminded his readers of the defection of the wilderness generation, the writer now proceeds to warn them against committing a similar sin.  He says "Take heed."  The word is 'blepete', a present imperative involving durative involving durative action.  "Be seeing to it constantly, keep a watchful eye ever open," is the idea.  The words, "lest there be" are in a construction in the Greek which indicates that with the fear that the thing spoken of may occur, there is also a suspicion that it will occur.  The words "in any certain individual of your number" show that the writer is appealing to each one individually." (Kenneth S Wuest)

"The word "departing deserves special attention.  It is 'aphistemi' which is made up of 'apo' "off," and 'histemi' "to stand," the compound word meaning "to stand off from."  This was exactly the position of these Hebrews.  They were standing aloof from the living God.  The idea is not that of departing, but of standing off from.  Our word "apostasy" is derived from a form of this Greek word.  Apostasy is defined as the act of someone who has previously subscribed to a certain believe, and who now renounces his former professed belief in favor of some other which is diametrically opposed to what he believed before.  In other words, his new belief is not merely a new system of faith, but one which at every point negates his former belief.  These Jews, should they renounce their professed faith in the New Testament system and go back to the First Testament sacrifices, would be embracing that which is brought in again would negate the New Testament.  It was a question of the Levitical sacrifices or the crucified Messiah.  In making a profession of Messiah as High Priest and then renouncing that professed faith to return to a dependence upon the sacrifices which God set aside at the Cross, the person would commit the sin called apostasy." (Kenneth S Wuest)

"Simply stated, these people may fail to access the heavenly calling of this chapter's first verse if their heart is evil and unbelieving.  This is not the imputed righteousness Paul teaches in Romans chapter four but rather the conditional standing whereby, as in ages past, some did not enter into God's rest.  Hence the parenthetical remark explains the tenuous situation to the Hebrew people using the illustration of Moses and his house." (T D McLean)

Hebrews 3:1-6

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

holy brethren - (found only here in the NT) - believing Israel, identified elsewhere as the little flock (Lk 12:32)

"Believing Israel would be those who were baptized by John (Matthew 3:11) and were subsequently baptized with the Holy Ghost (Matthew 3:11, John 1:33).  These are the people of Ezekiel 36:24-32; these are the people at Pentecost who must endure to the end (Matthew 24:13, Acts 3:19-21)." (T D McLean)

Apostle - Jesus is the Apostle, meaning "the one sent from God to represent God to man" (Jn 5:24)

High Priest - Jesus is also the High Priest, meaning "the one who represents man to God."

v 3 - Christ is better than Moses because Christ is the builder of God's house whereas Moses was but a servant in the house.

"In verse 3, Messiah is seen as the Builder of the house of Israel.  In this verse, the writer guards that fact against any possible misunderstanding on the part of his readers.  Messiah is the Builder of the house of Israel, but not by an independent will or agency of His own.  He as the Son built the house, but it was as one with God who built all things, that He built the house of Israel.  The special foundership of Messiah does not exclude the general foundership of God." (Kenneth S Wuest)

v 5-6 - Christ as a Son and the one over the house is therefore superior to Moses, the servant and the one in the house. 

if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end - Again, the question must be who is the "we."  Of course the "we" is the Hebrew readers.  Now must these Hebrew readers be separated by those who truly believe and those who are only feigning belief?  My guess at this point in this study is no — thinking back to Ananias and Sapphira as an example.  Since Ananias and Sapphira sinned against the Holy Spirit, does that mean they never truly believed in the first place?  Again, my guess is no, but I'm certainly in the minority to take this position.  Here are three different author's point of views, some of which I agree with more than others:

"This verse must be understood in the light of its historical background and context.  The purpose of the writing of the Epistle to the Hebrews was to meet a certain condition in the first century.  It was to reach Jews who had outwardly left the temple sacrifices, had identified themselves with the visible Christian Church, had made a profession of Messiah as High Priest, and who were at the time suffering persecution from apostate Judaism in an effort to force them to renounce their professed faith in Messiah and return to the First Testament sacrifices.  Now — if under the pressure of this persecution they should hold fast their confidence and rejoicing of their hope in Messiah to the end of their lives, that would show that they were saved, and if not, that would indicate that they had never been saved.   This verse therefore cannot be made to refer in a secondary application to the present day, since the conditions in the first century which the verse was written to meet, do not obtain today." (Kenneth S Wuest)

"As God patiently pleaded with Israel at the first by miracles and signs and wonders, so at the end (vs. 6 and 14) He again, and also with miracle (2:4), pleaded for a like period, i.e., from Pentecost to the Judgment.  During both periods the nation hardened its heart; the rejecters all perished, and the miracles ceased.  'They' (vs. 11), Greek: 'These very persons'.  They did not continue steadfast unto the end.  (Compare John 8:31) and lost the 'rest' (v. 18), just as their unbelieving forefathers lost the land." (G Williams)

Israel is never said to be complete in Christ as are we (Colossians 2:10); and so Israel awaits God's grace being brought to it at the return of Christ to this Earth (Acts 3:19-21, Romans 11:26-28, 1 Peter 1:13).  While we are in heavenly places (Ephesians 1:30, Israel will get its prayer answered and the kingdom will come with God's will done on Earth (Matthew 6:10-13).  As long as Israel's grace and Israel's kingdom remain in the future, the individual Hebrew's position remains conditional (Matthew 24:13), as our text states." (T D McLean)