But exhort one another every day, whilst it is called today, that none of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

“Take also another like expression. "To this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their minds." Does "to this day" mean "up to the time that Paul wrote the words and no longer"? Does it not mean until this present day and indeed to the very end? And if Paul should say, "We are come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ, having hope, when your faith is increased, to preach the gospel in lands beyond you," you can see clearly that the phrase "all the way" sets no limit but indicates what lies beyond. With what meaning, therefore, ought you to recall the words "till he has put all enemies"? Just the same as in another saying of Paul, "But exhort each other daily, as long as it is called 'today,' " which clearly means for all time. For as we must not talk of a beginning of the days of Christ, so never suffer anyone to speak of an end of his kingdom. For Scripture says, "his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom."”

“Wherefore "exhort ye one another daily, while it is called to-day." That is, edify one another, raise yourselves up: lest the same things should befall you. "Lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." Seest thou that sin produces unbelief? For as unbelief brings forth an evil life, so also a soul, "when it is come into a depth of evils, becometh contemptuous", and having become contemptuous it endures not even to believe, in order thereby to free itself from fear. For "they said", "The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard." And again, "Our lips are our own: who is Lord over us?"; and again "Wherefore hath the wicked man provoked God to wrath?"; and again, "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God; they are corrupt and become abominable in their doings." "There is no fear of God before his eyes, for he was deceitful before Him, to find out his iniquity and to hate." Yea and Christ also says this same thing, "Every one that doeth evil, hateth the light and cometh not to the light." "To-day," that they might never be without hope. "Exhort one another daily," he says, "while it is called today," that is, even if a man have sinned, as long as it is "To-day," he has hope: let no man then despair so long as he lives. Above all things indeed, he says, "let there not be an evil heart of unbelief." But even suppose there should be, let no man despair, but let him recover himself; for as long as we are in this world, the "To-day" is in season... "But exhort one another." Observe the gentleness and mildness of the expression: he said not "Rebuke," but "Exhort." Thus we are required to bear ourselves towards those who are straightened by affliction. This he says also in writing to the Thessalonians, "Warn them that are unruly", but in speaking of the feeble-minded, not so, but what? "Comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men"; that is, do not cease to hope; do not despair. For he that does not encourage one who is straightened by affliction, makes him more hardened. "Lest any of you," he says, "be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." He means either the deceit of the devil (for it is indeed a deceit, not to look for the things to come, to think that we are without responsibility, and that we shall not pay the penalty for our deeds here, neither will there be a resurrection); or in another sense insensibility or despairing is deceit. For to say, "What is there left? I have sinned once for all, I have no hope of recovering myself," is deceit.”

“Above, the Apostle showed, by the authority of the Psalmist, that Christ must be firmly obeyed. But in that authority he set down three things: admonition, fault, and punishment; here he expounds these three in order. He does the first here, "see"; the second there, "but some"; the third there, "but to whom did he swear." In the admonition, however, there are two things, namely, the admonition itself, and the condition of that admonition. Hence he expounds these two. First the first, here; second the second, there, "for partakers of Christ." But in the first admonition he exhorts to two things: namely, to careful consideration; second, to mutual admonition, there, "but exhort." He says therefore, "see." For each one ought to consider in himself in what state he is. Gal. 6:4: "let each one prove his own work." Jer. 2:23: "see your ways in the valley." "See," therefore, brethren, as regards each one in himself, because each one is a part of the society, and God has commanded each one concerning his neighbor, Ecclus. 17:12. "See," that is, test one another, "lest perhaps there be in any of you," etc., as if to say: many among you are in a state of perfection, yet on account of frailty and the freedom of the will there could be evil in some of you. Job 4:18f.: "behold, they that serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he found perverseness: how much more they that dwell in houses of clay, and have an earthly foundation?" Jn. 6:71: "did I not choose you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" Therefore let no one be solicitous only for himself, but also for each one of his society. But what? "Lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief." Behold the evil of which the Apostle speaks, namely, an unbelieving heart, that is, not firm in faith, in which the malice of the soul consists: for as the good of the soul is in cleaving to God — Ps. 72:27: "but it is good for me to adhere to God," which, namely, is through faith — so to withdraw from God through unbelief is the evil of man. Jer. 2:19: "know and see, O Israel, that it is an evil and bitter thing that thou hast left the Lord," etc. And therefore he says "of departing," because through unbelief one withdraws from the living God. Jer. 2:13: "they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water." But he says "from the living God," because he is both life in himself and the life of the soul. Jn. 1:4: "in him was life." He says this in order to show that through withdrawal from God, man incurs spiritual death. But if this evil is found in someone, is one therefore to despair? No, but rather he ought to be exhorted, that is, admonished: therefore he says, "but exhort one another every day," that is, continually, namely by examining one's own conscience, and leading it to the good, "while it is called today," that is, as long as the present time of grace lasts, which is all as it were one day. Jn. 9:4: "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day." And this is so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For as was said above, the heart is hardened through obstinacy in evil. But by this someone clings firmly to sin, because he is deceived. For it is natural to the appetite to cling to the good; but it withdraws from the good because it is deceived. Prov. 14:22: "they err that work evil"; and Prov. 13:13, according to another text: "deceitful souls err in sins." Wis. 5:6: "therefore we have erred from the way of truth." Consequently, when he says "partakers," etc., he expounds the condition of the admonition, as if to say: this condition is more effective than that one, because they only heard, but we have been made partakers of Christ. And he speaks properly, because in the Old Testament there was only hearing, nor was grace conferred from the work performed; but in the New Testament there is both the hearing of faith and grace is given to the one performing it. Hence we have been made partakers of Christ. Jn. 1:16: "of his fullness we have all received." But we are partakers of grace, first through the reception of faith. Eph. 3:17: "that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts." Second, through the sacraments of faith. Gal. 3:27: "as many of you as have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ." Third, through participation in the body of Christ. 1 Cor. 10:16: "the bread which we break, is it not the participation of the body of the Lord?" But it must be known that participation in Christ is twofold. One imperfect, which is through faith and the sacraments; the other perfect, which is through the presence and vision of the reality; the first we already have in fact, but the second in hope. Yet along with this, hope has this condition, namely, if we persevere. Hence he says, "if however the beginning," etc. For whoever is baptized in Christ receives a certain new nature, and Christ is in a certain way formed in him. Gal. 4:19: "my little children, whom I bring forth again, until Christ be formed in you." This indeed will be truly perfected in us in our homeland, but here only the beginning, and this through formed faith, because unformed faith is dead. James 2:20: "faith without works is dead." Hence this is not for us the beginning of participation in Christ, but formed faith is. Below, 11:1: "but faith is the substance of things to be hoped for," that is, the foundation, and as it were the beginning. He says therefore: we are partakers of Christ, if however we hold firm unto the end the beginning of his substance, namely formed faith. But on the contrary: it seems that fear is rather the beginning, because it says, Ps. 110:9: "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." I respond. It must be said that faith is formed through charity. But charity is not without chaste fear. And therefore formed faith always has this fear attached to it. Hence both faith and fear are the beginning. But that which is added when it is said, "today," etc., has been entirely expounded. Then, when he says "for some who, having heard," he expounds what he had said concerning their fault, as if to say: you have been made partakers of Christ, if you do not harden your hearts as those who heard, but provoked — "but not all," that is, yet not all. For two, namely Caleb and Joshua, remained steadfast, as is found in Num. 14:6, and they also strengthened the others. And through this it is given to understand that, when not the whole Church falls, but only some, even if many, nevertheless the evil will be punished, but not the good, as in those two. 3 Kings 19:18: "I have left me seven thousand men, who have not bowed their knees to Baal." Rom. 11:5: "a remnant have been saved according to the election of God." Then, when he says "but to whom," etc., he expounds what he had said concerning the punishment. And first, that which he had said, "I was offended"; second, that which he had said, "I swore in my wrath," etc., there, "but to whom did he swear," etc. He says therefore, "but with whom was he offended forty years? Was it not," etc. From which it is clear that that which he said above, "forty years," refers to that, "I was offended." Hence he says that he was offended with them for those forty years. Hence it must be known that all who went out of Egypt died in the desert, as is said in Jos. 5:4. Yet not all were struck down; but some indeed by God, as when the earth was opened, and swallowed up Dathan and Abiron, as is said in Ps. 105:17, and concerning this it is found in Num. 16:31ff. Others indeed were struck down by Moses, as is evident in the casting of the calf, as is evident in Ex. 32:16. Others indeed by enemies, as is evident in many places. And these things are sufficiently found in 1 Cor. 10:1ff. Others indeed died their own death. Therefore not all were struck down. Hence it was not a general punishment, but it was a special punishment. And none except those two who have been mentioned entered the land of promise. And concerning this land he says, "but to whom did he swear," that is, firmly decreed, that they should not enter into his rest, except to those who were unbelieving, namely at the words of the spies? Hence it is clear that on account of unbelief they were not able to enter into his rest; and for this reason he says, "we see," because they experienced that on account of their unbelief they were not able to enter. Or, "we see," that is, ourselves, namely through that punishment which has been mentioned, that they were not able, etc.”

“But exhort one another daily,.... In order to prevent unbelief and apostasy. The phrase is sometimes rendered, "comfort one another", or, "yourselves together", as in Th1 5:11 which the saints may do, by discoursing together about divine things; by praying together; by instructing one another in the doctrines of the Gospel; by putting one another in mind of the covenant of grace, and its promises; and by observing the near approach of everlasting happiness with Christ. And though the business of exhortation greatly belongs to ministers of the word, yet it ought not to be neglected by private believers; who ought, when it becomes necessary, to exhort one another to prayer; to an attendance on the word and ordinances; to a regard to their conversations; to a close adherence to their profession; and to a believing view and consideration of Christ, the apostle and high priest of it; and to a due concern for his truth and interest: and this should be done in love, with good and consolatory words, and in things, in which the saints are concerned, and do themselves regard; and it is an affair which requires prudence and faithfulness; and supposes that God's own people may be dull, heavy, and sluggish; and this is to be done "daily", every day, as often as there is an occasion, and an opportunity for it; and while it is called today; while the Gospel dispensation continues; or while the time of life lasts. This shows that the phrase "today", in Psa 95:7 did not respect David's time only. The Syriac version renders it, "until that day which is called today": until the everlasting day appears, when there will be no need of such exhortations, nor any danger of what follows: lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; actual sin, which is a transgression of the law; every sin is of an hardening nature, and by being often committed, an habit is contracted, and a callousness brought upon the heart and conscience; or the corruption of nature, indwelling sin, may be meant; an evil and a corrupt heart, which deceives through promises of pleasure, or profit to a man's self, or of secrecy and impunity; it suggests the power a man has to repent at pleasure, and the mercy of God, by which means the man is drawn in to it, and by frequent repeating it, grows hardened in it.”

“But exhort one another daily - This supposes a state of chose Church fellowship, without which they could not have had access to each other. While it is called to-day - Use time while you have: it, for by and by there will be no more present time; all will be future; all will be eternity. Daily signifies time continued. To-day, all present time. Your fathers said: Let us make ourselves a captain, and return back unto Egypt, Num 14:4. Thus they exhorted each other to depart from the living God. Be ye warned by their example; let not that unbelieving heart be in you that was in them; exhort each other daily to cleave to the living God; lest, if ye, do not, ye, like them, may be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

“To day. The duration of the present life may be accounted but a day, which God destines for the trial of our faith and obedience; we ought, therefore, to labour hard during the short time of the present day, that we may live and reign with God for all eternity. We cannot too often entertain this truth in our hearts, if we wish to square our lives after the gospel. The heart of man becomes insensibly hardened to Christian truths, when its natural corruption is not courageously attacked.”

“one another--Greek, "yourselves"; let each exhort himself and his neighbor. daily--Greek, "on each day," or "day by day." while it is called To-day--while the "to-day" lasts (the day of grace, Luk 4:21, before the coming of the day of glory and judgment at Christ's coming, Heb 10:25, Heb 10:37). To-morrow is the day when idle men work, and fools repent. To-morrow is Satan's to-day; he cares not what good resolutions you form, if only you fix them for to-morrow. lest . . . of you--The "you" is emphatic, as distinguished from "your fathers" (Heb 3:9). "That from among you no one (so the Greek order is in some of the oldest manuscripts) be hardened" (Heb 3:8). deceitfulness--causing you to "err in your heart." sin--unbelief.”