Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights Jesus not just as our High Priest (interceding for us with God) but also as an "Apostle" – God's ultimate messenger to us, declaring God's truth and mission. This dual role shows Jesus is the vital, complete link between heaven and us, perfectly representing both God to us and us to God.
Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,
English Standard Version (ESV)
After marvelously demonstrating Jesus' superiority over angels and humanity in the previous chapter, the author now directly addresses the readers as "holy brothers" and "partakers of a heavenly calling." He urges them to fix their gaze on Jesus, not just as a figure from the past, but as the divine messenger (Apostle) and ultimate High Priest who perfectly represents their faith and pleads their case before God. This exhortation sets the stage for a comparison between Jesus and Moses, highlighting Christ's even greater authority and role.
The "heavenly calling" isn't just a nice idea; it's a powerful invitation from God and a promise of where we're headed.
The verse calls believers "partakers of a heavenly calling." This means:
Jesus holds two crucial roles that directly impact our relationship with God. What are they, and why do they matter so much?
The verse identifies Jesus as both "the Apostle and High Priest of our confession."
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What we "confess" isn't just words; it's the active embrace of who Jesus is and what He's done.
The phrase "of our confession" points to the active faith response of believers.
Understand the original words
hagios adelphos · Greek Adjective and Noun
A designation for believers, indicating those set apart for God's purposes and made righteous through faith in Christ; emphasizing their shared spiritual identity and common relationship with God.
klēsis epouranios · Greek Adjective and Noun
An invitation to divine fellowship and salvation; it is the summons from God to experience the eternal blessings of His kingdom, initiated and sustained by Him.
apostolos · Greek Noun
One who is sent with a specific mission or authority; in this context, it refers to Jesus as the One commissioned and sent by the Father to represent Him to humanity.
archiereus · Greek Noun
A mediator between God and people who offers sacrifices and prayers on behalf of the people; Jesus serves as the ultimate mediator who offered His own life as the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice.
homologia · Greek Noun
The act of professing, declaring, or agreeing with God's truth; it refers to the Christian faith or creed that believers hold to and publicly declare.
This passage beautifully echoes the idea of Jesus as God's 'Apostle,' who was sent by the Father to reveal His will and bring eternal life, aligning with Jesus' role as the one sent by God to communicate divine truth.
Exodus 3:10Here, God commissions Moses, calling him to be His 'sent one' to deliver Israel, mirroring the concept of Jesus as the ultimate 'Apostle' sent by God to lead His people to a greater salvation.
Leviticus 16:3This chapter describes the high priestly duties of Aaron in the Most Holy Place, providing a direct Old Testament parallel for Jesus' role as our High Priest who enters heaven on our behalf.
Romans 8:34This verse highlights Jesus' present work of intercession at God's right hand, powerfully reinforcing His function as our High Priest who advocates for us before the Father.
1 Timothy 2:5This passage directly states there is 'one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,' encapsulating the combined roles of Apostle (revealing God to us) and High Priest (representing us to God) that Hebrews 3:1 emphasizes.
wesleyHebrews 3:1: "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;"
3:1 The heavenly calling - God calls from heaven, and to heaven, by the gospel. Consider the Apostle - The messenger of God, who pleads the cause of God with us. And High Priest - Who pleads our cause with God. Both are contained in the one word Mediator. He compares Christ, as an Apostle, with Moses; as a Priest, with Aaron. Both these offices, which…
pulpitHebrews 3:1: "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;"
Verse 1. - Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus (Ξριστὸν before Ἰησοῦν is ill supported, and to be rejected from the text). Reference to what has gone before is perceptible throughout this verse. The persons addressed are "holy," as being among the "sanctified" (Hebrew…
The verse highlights Jesus not just as our High Priest (interceding for us with God) but also as an "Apostle" – God's ultimate messenger to us, declaring God's truth and mission. This dual role shows Jesus is the vital, complete link between heaven and us, perfectly representing both God to us and us to God.
After marvelously demonstrating Jesus' superiority over angels and humanity in the previous chapter, the author now directly addresses the readers as "holy brothers" and "partakers of a heavenly calling." He urges them to fix their gaze on Jesus, not just as a figure from the past, but as the divine messenger (Apostle) and ultimate High Priest who perfectly represents their faith and pleads their case before God. This exhortation sets the stage for a comparison between Jesus and Moses, highlighting Christ's even greater authority and role.
After marvelously demonstrating Jesus' superiority over angels and humanity in the previous chapter, the author now directly addresses the readers as "holy brothers" and "partakers of a heavenly calling." He urges them to fix their gaze on Jesus, not just as a figure from the past, but as the divine messenger (Apostle) and ultimate High Priest who perfectly represents their faith and pleads their case before God. This exhortation sets the stage for a comparison between Jesus and Moses, highlighting Christ's even greater authority and role.
"Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession," — The verse highlights Jesus not just as our High Priest (interceding for us with God) but also as an "Apostle" – God's ultimate messenger to us, declaring God's truth and mission. This dual role sho…
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Last reviewed October 2026