What's Wrong with John Piper's Interpretation of Hebrews 3:14?

John Piper’s interpretation of Hebrews 3:14 is typical of the Calvinists, who misinterpret this verse to be referring to salvation, not fellowship. Concerning this, Piper says that the writer to the Hebrews “clarifies that losing confidence finally and decisively (apostasy) does not mean we lose union with Christ, but that we never had it. He says in Hebrews 3:14, ‘We have come to share in Christ [union with Christ], if indeed we hold our original confidence [substance, ὑποστάσεως, hupostaseōs] firm to the end.’ Future perseverance in faith confirms the past reality of faith.”[1] But several things can be said in response to Piper’s statement which argue against his Calvinistic interpretation of Hebrews 3:14:

(1) The Greek word metochos does not mean “union with Christ”. Notice that the brackets in Piper’s statement are added by Piper. In other words, Piper is adding his Calvinistic presupposition into the text. The text doesn’t say “union with Christ”. The writer to the Hebrews is not talking about “union with Christ”; rather, he’s talking about sharing with Christ (cf. Heb. 3:14 in the Weymouth NT: “sharers with Christ”). The BDAG lexicon affirms this when it gives the following definitions for metochos: “1. sharing/participating in,…sharing in Christ…Hb 3:14. But perhaps this passage belongs under [definition] 2.” For definition 2, the BDAG lexicon gives this definition for metochos: “(business) partner, companion…cp. Hb 1:9 (Ps 44:8 [Ps 45:7]).”[2] In other words, the BDAG lexicon affirms that the Greek word metochos in Hebrews 3:14 has to do — not with “union with Christ” (as Piper wants us to believe) — but rather with being a “companion” or a “fellow” (Heb. 1:9, KJV, cf. Ps. 45:7) with Christ. Also compare Luke 5:7 in Wycliffe’s translation: “And they beckoned to fellows [Gr. metochois], that were in another boat, that they should come, and help them.” Someone has said that fellowship is two fellows in a ship rowing in the same direction. I think that is a helpful way to explain it. In other words: two people can be in a boat together, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're always rowing in the same direction. As J. Vernon McGee has said, in 3:14 the writer to the Hebrews is talking about daily living, not salvation. The context is service (cf. 3:2, 3:5), not salvation. In 3:6 the writer to the Hebrews says, "whose house we are, if we hold firmly to our confidence...firm until the end." It's important to point out that a son can go out of his father's house (as did the prodigal son!); that doesn't make him not a son. Rather, it makes him a disobedient son, one that is not in fellowship (cf. Heb. 1:9, 3:14) with his father, and one that is not partaking of all that the father has for him.

(2) Something else that can be said in response to Piper’s statement is in regards to when he says that “Future perseverance in faith confirms the past reality of faith.”[3] While this is true, it says nothing about those who don’t persevere! What’s more, the context of Hebrews 3:14 is fellowship, not salvation. The Greek word metochos (“partakers”) in verse 14 means “a sharer, a companion, a fellow”. The word metochos is a synonym for fellowship, “fellows” (Heb. 1:9, KJV). Compare Hebrews 3:14 with what the apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:10, “that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings [Gr. pathēmatōn], being conformed to His death.” Remember, the Hebrew Christians to whom the epistle to the Hebrews is written had experienced “sufferings” for their faith in Christ! Hebrews 10:32-35 says, “But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings [Gr. pathēmatōn, the same word for “sufferings” as in Philippians 3:10], partly, by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners, and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward [not the free gift of salvation, but a reward].” So in context, Hebrews 3:14 has reference to sharing with Christ in His sufferings (cf. Heb. 2:9, 10, 18), “which has a great reward” (Heb. 10:35) — not salvation (i.e. not “union with Christ”], but a reward! Piper says that heaven is a reward (see Piper, What Is Saving Faith?, p. 176), but that’s unbiblical. The apostle Paul says that “heaven is free” (Gal. 4:26, Worldwide English NT). It should also be pointed out that many of the Israelites “who came out of Egypt led by Moses” (Heb. 3:16) were eternally saved (see Exod. 14:30-31; cf. Psa. 106:12), but they failed to enter the Promised Land (the place of fellowship and service) because of their unbelief (Heb. 3:19). They had saving faith, but they did not persevere in faith!

(3) The concept of “union with Christ” (that Piper reads into Hebrews 3:14) is from Romans 6:5, not Hebrews 3:14. The idea of being “united with Christ” (Rom. 6:5) is a positional truth (something that is true of every believer in Christ, because of our identification with Him in His death), whereas the idea of sharing with Christ (Heb. 3:14) is based on the believer’s practice and has to do with fellowship and rewards. Commenting on Hebrews 3:14, Marvin Vincent affirms: “We are made partakers of Christ [μετοχοι γαρ του χριστου γεγοναμεν] . Rend. we are become fellows with Christ. For fellows see Luke 5:7; Hebrews 1:9. It marks even a closer relation than ‘brethren.’”[4] Someone might wonder if sonship and fellowship are all that separated?  In regards to this question, I think the statement by Dr. Sumner Wemp is very good when he writes: “Relationship is based on birth; fellowship is based on behavior. There is a vast difference. Many who overlook this vital fact have great turmoil, not being certain of their salvation.”[5] Also see the article by J. Hampton Keathley III titled: “Christian Fellowship”.[6] The truth is, Piper’s belief that Hebrews 3:14 has reference to “union with Christ” is nothing more than eisegesis: reading his theological viewpoint into the text instead of deriving the actual meaning from the text.

These are three problems with Piper’s interpretation of Hebrews 3:14 which argue against his Calvinistic presupposition that true believers will always persevere in faith. The Bible indicates that true believers will not always persevere in faith!

ENDNOTES:

[1] John Piper, What Is Saving Faith? (Wheaton: Crossway Publishers, 2022), p. 176, brackets his. 

[2] Walter Bauer, Frederick William Danker, Editor, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2001), Third Edition (BDAG), p. 570, cf. Heb. 3:14 in the NET Bible: “partners with Christ”.

[3] John Piper, What Is Saving Faith?, p. 176.

[4] Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1903), vol. 4, p. 418. For more information see: Joseph C. Dillow, The Reign of the Servant Kings, 3rd Edition (Hayesville, NC: Schoettle Publishing Co., 1992, 1993, 2001), pp. 102-103. I agree with Dillow when he says that “being Christ’s partner is not the same as being His son. Only sons are partners, but not all sons are partners--only those who ‘hold firmly to the end the confidence’ they had at first.” (Ibid., p. 103.) Dillow goes on to say: “As most commentators now agree, being a partner and being a Christian are not synonymous. All partners are Christians, but not all Christians are partners. Only those who persevere to the final hour (Heb. 3:14).” (Ibid., p. 448.)

[5] C. Sumner Wemp, How On Earth Can I Be Spiritual? (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1978), p. 99.

[6] J. Hampton Keathley III, “Christian Fellowship” (June 15, 2004), https://bible.org/article/christian-fellowship (accessed September 3, 2022).