Hebrews 3:12

Take heed. Or, “take care,” “beware,” “consider,” literally, “see,” “look.” Those to whom the epistle is addressed, and all Christians who read it, are to give the most earnest heed to the experience of ancient Israel in order to avoid making the mistake they made.

Brethren. See on v. 1.

An evil heart of unbelief. This has ever been the root of difficulty in the matter of man’s relation to God. Thus it was with Israel in the wilderness, and later in the land of Canaan. This same difficulty prevents nominal Christians today from entering into the experience of “rest” that is possible through genuine faith in Christ Jesus. Israel’s lack of faith stands in marked contrast with the faithfulness of Moses and Christ (vs. 1, 2).

Departing. Gr. aphistemi, “to go away,” “to withdraw,” “to depart,” literally, “to stand off from.” Our word “apostasy” is derived from the related noun form apostasia, which is translated in Acts 21:21 as “to forsake” and in 2 Thess. 2:3 as “falling away” (see comments there). Christians are here admonished to beware of apostatizing in their hearts “from the living God,” the while they maintain the forms of religion. The experiences through which ancient Israel passed “happened unto them for ensamples,” or, “as lessons” (1 Cor. 10:11), and “were written down for our instruction” (RSV). Christians who, upon reviewing the obduracy of ancient Israel, consider themselves superior, will do well to heed the admonition, “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12; cf. vs. 1-10).

Living God. To separate oneself from the Source of life is to die.