In the first chapter of Hebrews, the preacher showed how much superior to angels Jesus is. Then, in the second chapter he took on the question of why Jesus was for a little while made less than the angels, to offer us a way out of sin and death. Now he takes up the comparison between Jesus and the single most important man in the history of Judaism, Moses, who following God’s instructions and with God’s help, liberated them from slavery in Egypt, brought them to the edge of the Promised Land, and gave them the Law and the way of worship that faithful Israelites had followed for more than 1000 years. To re-evaluate Moses in light of Jesus was no small thing to ask of Jews. We see in the Gospels how much even the chosen disciples struggled with this. Jesus had to reassure them that the Holy Spirit would lead them, after Pentecost, into all truth. Hebrews is an important part of this overall process. It is good for us to remember this, if we find we need time to assimilate what he teaches.
Chapter 3
1 Therefore, holy “brothers,” sharing in a heavenly calling, reflect on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was “faithful in [all] his house.” 3 But he is worthy of more “glory” than Moses, as the founder of a house has more “honor” than the house itself. 4 Every house is founded by someone, but the founder of all is God. 5 Moses was “faithful in all his house” as a “servant” to testify to what would be spoken, 6 but Christ was faithful as a son placed over his house. We are his house, if [only] we hold fast to our confidence and pride in our hope.
7 Therefore, as the holy Spirit says:
“Oh, that today you would hear his voice,
8 ‘Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion
in the day of testing in the desert,
9 where your ancestors tested and tried me
and saw my works 10 for forty years.
Because of this I was provoked with that generation
and I said, “They have always been of erring heart,
and they do not know my ways.”
11 As I swore in my wrath,
“They shall not enter into my rest.”’” Psalm 95:7-11
12 Take care, brothers, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. 13 Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. 14 We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end, 15 for it is said:
“Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
‘Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion.’” Psalm 95:7-8
16 Who were those who rebelled when they heard? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt under Moses? 17 With whom was he “provoked for forty years”? Was it not those who had sinned, whose corpses fell in the desert? 18 And to whom did he “swear that they should not enter into his rest,” if not to those who were disobedient? 19 And we see that they could not enter for lack of faith.
Questions:
- Hebrews is the only New Testament book to refer to Jesus by either of these terms, “apostle” (once) and “high priest” (several times). Speculate: why do you think calling Jesus “apostle” did not catch on in the early Church?
- Jews considered Aaron the very first High Priest, not his younger brother, Moses. Yet Aaron was clearly subordinate to Moses. How might we explain that Jesus, though named here as a High Priest, is not also somehow subordinate to Moses?
- In verse 6, the preacher says, “we are his house.” Whose house is he referring to? And what is this “house”? What does the word refer to? The Hebrew language revels in wordplay and puns. How does “house” lend itself to that, as we can see in English?
- Take a look at Psalm 95, excerpted and commented on by the preacher. What situation in the historical life of the Israelites does God remind the worshippers of? How is that relevant to us today?
Note on questions: We are “strolling” through Hebrews, hitting some of the high points and rough spots, but a few questions cannot cover everything. If you have some other specific question about this reading, feel free to post your question in the “reply” box, and I will try to respond in a timely way. You may also direct a specific question to me at my email address which most of you have already from the Sunday Note each week. If you do not receive the SN, try me at jdmccullough [at] earthlink [dot] net.
Question 2
Because Jesus is God’s son, placed over His House . Moses is faithful servant in the House.
Question 4
40 years in the desert , not trusting in God, today when we loose faith , not trusting thru difficult times.
Question 1
Apostle , meaning one sent, the early church not being witness to Christ’s miracles, etc. and it taking time for the word to spread ,it would be difficult to see Jesus as one sent by God to fulfill His plan.
Question 3
God’s House / the Church, Christians,/ we are ” Temples of the Holy Spirit” so we better behave!!?
We are of the household of God as long as we keep our faith in God. This is what the Jews failed to do even after God had shown them many miracles in the desert. They still murmured and asked “Is the Lord in our midst or not?” It is tempting to doubt God when trials come and we lack understanding; but Jesus promises we will always have the Holy Spirit to guide us. Thus, we should give thanks and not despair in all seasons.
#1 Speculate: why do you think calling Jesus “apostle” did not catch on in the early Church?
The word Apostle means “sent”. It is fair to call Jesus “Apostle” because He was sent by the Father. In turn, the men we traditionally refer to as the Apostles were sent by Jesus.
It was the role of the Apostles to “…make disciples of all nations…” Now, preaching the Gospel in far away places, if the traditional Apostles were to also refer to Christ as “Apostle”, it might create a misunderstanding among the new Christians. That is, Jesus might be seen as merely the leader of a group of men, the “best among equals”, and the message of the God-man Messiah could have been diluted or lost among the new believers.
Good point, Matt!
#3 Whose house is he referring to? answer: “Reflect on Jesus”
And what is this “house” answer: “We are his house” – His Church
5 Moses was “faithful in all his house” as a “servant” to testify to what would be spoken, 6 but Christ was faithful as a son placed over his house. We are his house, if [only] we hold fast to our confidence and pride in our hope.
Moses was “faithful in all his HOWS (ways of doing things)” as a “servant” to testify to what would be spoke, but Christ was faithful as a SUN placed over his house (also: Christ was faithful as a SON (of God) placed over his HOWS (ways of doing things). We are his HOWS (ways of doing things: His hands and feet), if [only] we hold fast to our confidence and pride in our hope.
Christ the Son is faithful to us – His hands and feet – if we hold fast to our confidence and hope.
Like the pun/ HOWS !!
😉