Unswerving

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
- Hebrews 10:23

This has always been one of my favourite verses of the Bible which I turn to regularly in my mind. A while ago I decided to see what different commentaries said about it – how they expressed its meaning, etc. I always love the depth of word “unswervingly” as it is used here and so I was interested to see what others saw in that word.

First off, here’s a definition of the word “unswerving/unswervingly”:
adj.

1. Not veering or turning aside
2. Constant; steady

adv.

1. In a constant and steadfast manner
2. Without swerving; in a direct and unswerving manner

So this is how we ought to be holding to our faith/hope, and remembering that keeps me good and focused!
Now into the commentaries…
With the word “hope” Jamieson, Faussett and Brown explain it this way: “‘our hope’; which is indeed faith exercised as to the future inheritance. Hope rests on faith, and at the same time quickens faith, and is the ground of our bold confession.”
Then continuing, looking at the word “unswervingly” (or as some translations have it “without wavering”) this commentary brings in yet another way of saying it: “without declension” (that is, without decline or decrease, no deviation from, etc). I also love the other description they use – “steadfast unto the end.” What a great way to express how we ought to be in our faith!
Thinking of this again, Barton W. Johnson’s commentary says, “the thought is, clinging to the faith professed and the hope in the soul without wavering.” I like this description because of the word “clinging”… what a great way of looking at it, especially when times are rough and that seems to be the only thing we can do.
Last, but not least, I also loved John Gill’s explanation of this verse as he describes it: “a constant and steadfast profession of their faith, to which he animates them by the faithfulness of a promising God, who will never leave nor forsake his people.”

So, with all of that said, let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful!!