The Letter of St. Paul
to the
Hebrews
Chapter
3
¹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, holy partners in a heavenly calling, consider that Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, ² was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses also "was faithful in all God's house." ³ Yet Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honour than the house itself.
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verses 1 to 3)
Oh God my Father, it seems that many of the Hebrews remained attached to Moses of the "Old Testament" who for them had appeared to be a form of a godhead. However Moses was only one of many labourers in the construction of the house, and that praise and worship is to be given to You alone, for You are the actual owner of the house, which is Your people of yesterday and today and those that are still to be born till the end of time, amongst which I am a member Amen.
⁴ (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) ⁵ Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later.
⁴ (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) ⁵ Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later.
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verse 4)
Oh God my Father, I agree that You are the builder of all things, You created all and all is still under Your control whether we admit it or like it or not. I pray that as people who consider You as our God and Father we be all prophets in the sense of showing others Your way and lovingly encouraging others to follow and love You Amen.
⁵ Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later. ⁶ Christ however, was faithful over God's house as a son, and we are his house if we hold firm the confidence and the pride that belongs to hope.
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verses 5 to 6)
Oh God I pray that we remain faithful to You and to our baptism. May we live all that we believe in and remain committed to You Amen.
⁷ Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, ⁸ do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, as on the day of testing in the wilderness, ⁹ where your ancestors put me to the test, though they had seen my works ¹⁰ for forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, "They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.' ¹¹ As in my anger I swore, "They will not enter my rest."
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verses 7 to 11)
Oh God when witnessing Your presence we may all have a different attitude. There are some of us, who take You at Your word, and there are others who need more time to place their trust in You. On the other hand, such people place You through tests by experimenting with You before they actually realise, that they cannot live without You. This verse reminds me of the first time I heard Your strong and powerful voice. One cannot hear such a voice, make such an experience and remain the same.
¹² Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verse 12)
Oh God my beloved Father I pray for Your protection against the forces of evil, for the evil one shoots at me arrows of depression, negativity, and unbelief in order to persuade me not to believe in You and place my trust in the ways of the world.
¹³ But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today", so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end.
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verse 13)
Oh God my beloved Father, may we seek each other's well being on many levels, instead of using criticism that has a negative effect on others selfesteem and faith Amen. May we build each other up so that as one body we be physically fit, spiritually and even psychologically Amen as You want us to be.
¹⁴ For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. ¹⁵ As it is said, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verses 14 to 15)
Oh God my beloved Father, today can mean any day of our life. Therefore we are to be always tuned with our eyes and ears focussed on heaven and be ready to answer to Your call Amen. Oh God make me obedient to Your will and not to mine in times of trials help me to overcome my needs, wishes emotions and desires, and overcome the dragon within in order to obey Your will Amen.
¹⁶ Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses? ¹⁷ But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not those who sinned whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who were disobedient? ¹⁹ So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verses 16 to 19)
Oh God my Father, if there is anything that really hurts is when we show a lack of trust and belief in You. You who have always been faithful to me and others during the worst of crisis in our lives. I pray that I learn more to trust in You my God and Father Amen.
Oh God my beloved Father every day You knock on the doors of our hearts and mind in order to communicate with us, however we are not always in a position to respond. We end up wanting to do it our way instead of accepting to do it Your way. Amen.
Oh God my beloved Father, I would like to end the third chapter of St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews with the following prayer:-
Oh God my beloved Father, many times I have sought to seek Your ways and act according to such ways, however there are times when I do not hear Your voice, or see You act in my daily life, even though I fully believe that You are active and end up acting according to my way instead of Yours. I pray that You take control of the given situations and may Your will be done and not mine. Amen.
Thank You Jesus.
Oh God my Father, I agree that You are the builder of all things, You created all and all is still under Your control whether we admit it or like it or not. I pray that as people who consider You as our God and Father we be all prophets in the sense of showing others Your way and lovingly encouraging others to follow and love You Amen.
⁵ Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later. ⁶ Christ however, was faithful over God's house as a son, and we are his house if we hold firm the confidence and the pride that belongs to hope.
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verses 5 to 6)
Oh God I pray that we remain faithful to You and to our baptism. May we live all that we believe in and remain committed to You Amen.
⁷ Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, ⁸ do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, as on the day of testing in the wilderness, ⁹ where your ancestors put me to the test, though they had seen my works ¹⁰ for forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, "They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.' ¹¹ As in my anger I swore, "They will not enter my rest."
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verses 7 to 11)
Oh God when witnessing Your presence we may all have a different attitude. There are some of us, who take You at Your word, and there are others who need more time to place their trust in You. On the other hand, such people place You through tests by experimenting with You before they actually realise, that they cannot live without You. This verse reminds me of the first time I heard Your strong and powerful voice. One cannot hear such a voice, make such an experience and remain the same.
¹² Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verse 12)
Oh God my beloved Father I pray for Your protection against the forces of evil, for the evil one shoots at me arrows of depression, negativity, and unbelief in order to persuade me not to believe in You and place my trust in the ways of the world.
¹³ But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today", so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end.
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verse 13)
Oh God my beloved Father, may we seek each other's well being on many levels, instead of using criticism that has a negative effect on others selfesteem and faith Amen. May we build each other up so that as one body we be physically fit, spiritually and even psychologically Amen as You want us to be.
¹⁴ For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. ¹⁵ As it is said, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verses 14 to 15)
Oh God my beloved Father, today can mean any day of our life. Therefore we are to be always tuned with our eyes and ears focussed on heaven and be ready to answer to Your call Amen. Oh God make me obedient to Your will and not to mine in times of trials help me to overcome my needs, wishes emotions and desires, and overcome the dragon within in order to obey Your will Amen.
¹⁶ Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses? ¹⁷ But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not those who sinned whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who were disobedient? ¹⁹ So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
(The Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews Chapter 3 verses 16 to 19)
Oh God my Father, if there is anything that really hurts is when we show a lack of trust and belief in You. You who have always been faithful to me and others during the worst of crisis in our lives. I pray that I learn more to trust in You my God and Father Amen.
Oh God my beloved Father every day You knock on the doors of our hearts and mind in order to communicate with us, however we are not always in a position to respond. We end up wanting to do it our way instead of accepting to do it Your way. Amen.
Oh God my beloved Father, I would like to end the third chapter of St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews with the following prayer:-
Oh God my beloved Father, many times I have sought to seek Your ways and act according to such ways, however there are times when I do not hear Your voice, or see You act in my daily life, even though I fully believe that You are active and end up acting according to my way instead of Yours. I pray that You take control of the given situations and may Your will be done and not mine. Amen.
Thank You Jesus.
