Just about everybody knows who Moses was, especially those who regularly read the Bible. He would certainly be counted as one of the great people in history. And Moses was definitely a great believer and follower of God, so much so that he was selected by God, along with the prophet Elijah, to meet with Jesus on the mount when He was transfigured. The Jewish people bestow upon him their greatest honor, with King David and Abraham following close behind. Nonetheless, he is not the greatest, as there is One that deserves even more honor, as we shall see in our Scripture passage for today.
One theme of the Book of Hebrews is that Jesus is greater. The author goes into detail throughout the book how Jesus is greater, among other things, than angels, than the Jewish high priests, and Levitical priesthood. In the early years of the church, some of the Jewish believers were contemplating leaving their new Christian faith because of persecution, and returning to their Jewish faith. The author of Hebrews strongly urged them not to do so, because Jesus is greater than anything that they had in their former faith. Here in chapter 3, he describes how Jesus is greater than even their national hero, Moses.
As we begin, the author gives the title Apostle to the Lord Jesus (vs. 1). The word “apostle” means “sent one”. Jesus was sent to earth by God the Father. We also read that Jesus is called a High Priest here. The High Priest would bring a sacrifice for the sins of the people into the Temple, into the Holy of Holies, seeking forgiveness from God. Jesus is our High Priest in that He offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus is also the center of our confession of faith, as stated here.
The Jewish people revered Moses, believing that he faithfully carried out all that God wanted him to, which he certainly did. Jesus also faithfully carried out His position as Apostle and High Priest. Hebrews says that Moses was faithful in all of God’s house (vs. 2). Both Moses and Jesus faithfully fulfilled their individual divine appointments to care for the people of God. The word “house” here refers to a family of people rather than a building, the same way it is used when we refer to the “House of Windsor” or the “House of Romanov”.
The steward or overseer of a household must be faithful. Moses was faithful in serving in God’s house as a steward. Jesus is the builder or founder of that house. Moses was only a part of God’s household of faith, though certainly an important part. However, Jesus was the Creator of that household (vs. 3-4). As the 2nd Person of the Trinity, Jesus is equal to God the Father. Jesus is greater than Moses.
Moses was faithful as a servant. Jesus is faithful as the Son. Even as one of the highest ranking servants in God’s house, Moses could never hold the position of Son, which is Jesus’s alone (vs. 5-6). Moses was a witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. Jesus was and is that message, the full revelation of God (Hebrews 1:1-3). Moses was faithful as a testimony to that which was to come in Jesus.
Because Jesus lives in us as believers, we can be courageous and hopeful to the end (vs. 6). We need to be constantly looking to Jesus to show us His path (Hebrews 12:2). Our Scripture says to “consider” Jesus, meaning to think carefully about, contemplate, reflect on, and examine. First, we need to be sure that we are a part of God’s household. Are you a part of the family of God? Have you accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior? If so, are you carefully examining His Word and life? With our thoughts fixed solely on Jesus, we need to be seeking to follow Him every step of our life.
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