John Chrysostom

Faith is indeed great and bringeth salvation, and without it, it is not possible ever to be saved. It suffices not however of itself to accomplish this, but there is need of a right conversation also. So that on this account Paul also exhorts those who had already been counted worthy of the mysteries; saying, "Let us labor to enter into that rest." "Let us labor" (he says), Faith not sufficing, the life also ought to be added thereto, and our earnestness to be great; for truly there is need of much earnestness too, in order to go up into Heaven. For if they who suffered so great distress in the Wilderness, were not counted worthy of the promised land, and were not able to attain that land, because they murmured and because they committed fornication: how shall we be counted worthy of Heaven, if we live carelessly and indolently? We then have need of much earnestness.

And observe, the punishment does not extend to this only, the not entering in (for he said not, "Let us labor to enter into the rest," lest we fail of so great blessings), but he added what most of all arouses men. What then is this? "Lest any man fall, after the same example of unbelief." What means this? It means that we should have our mind, our hope, our expectation, yonder, lest we should fail. For that otherwise we shall fail, the example shows, "lest etc. after the same," he says.

But what is, "after the same example of unbelief"? As if one should say, why did they of old not see the land? They had received an earnest of the power of God; they ought to have believed, but yielding too much to fear and imagining nothing great concerning God, and being faint-hearted,-so they perished. And there is also something more to be said, as, that after they had accomplished the most part of the journey, when they were at the very doors, at the haven itself, they were sunk into the sea. This I fear (he says) for you also. This is the meaning of "after the same example of unbelief."

For that these also to whom he is writing had suffered much, he afterwards testifies, saying, "Call to mind the former days, in which after that ye had been enlightened, ye endured a great fight of afflictions." (c. x. 32.) Let no man then be faint-hearted, nor fall down near the end through weariness. For there are, there are those who at the beginning engage in the fight with the full vigor of zeal; but a little after, not being willing to add to all, they lose all. Your forefathers (he says) are sufficient to instruct you not to fall into the same sins, not to suffer the same things which they suffered. This is, "After the same example of unbelief." Let us not faint, he means (which he says also near the end of the Epistle. "Lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees"): "lest any man," he says, "fall after the same example." (c. xii. 12.) For this is to fall indeed.

Then, lest when thou hearest, "any man fall after the same example," thou shouldest conceive of the same death which they also underwent, see what he says: "For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword." For the Word falls upon the souls of these men more severely than any sword, causing grievous wounds; and inflicts fatal blows. And of these things he need not give the proof, nor establish them by argument, having a history so fearful. For (he would say) what kind of war destroyed them? What sort of sword? Did they not fall simply of themselves? For let us not be careless because we have not suffered the same things. While "it is called. To-day," it is in our power to recover ourselves.