By: Noah Barr
The Son of the House
Hebrews 3:1-6
3 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
Often a child answers the knock on the door or the ring of the bell. Mom and Dad are busy at the moment and the child is the first one to the door. They open to a guest or maintenance man “Are your parents’ home?” The child is no less special, but their audience is less important. The child does not have the answers the guest is looking for. Rarely would a maintenance man think it is necessary to explain all the details of his arrival to a child. He or she simply asks for the child’s parents. The child is less knowledgeable and, in most cases, doesn’t even know what the person is there for. Therefore, it is most prudent to go straight to the father or mother. It would have been unthinkable for people to go to the son while the father was there. In the same way Jesus was rejected as the Son of God. There was no way that Jesus could be as significant as His Father…or could He?
Continuing his address, the preacher of Hebrews stressed the seriousness of Christ’s existence and the Christian’s union with Him. Our union with Christ does not come from a contract that we sign before heading off to other pleasures. Our union with Christ impacts every part of our life whether we understand it or not. The preacher spoke saying: “Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession” (Heb. 3:1). Those who have placed their trust in Jesus are ‘holy’ brothers and sisters. We have been set apart for Christ Himself. We are in so close of a relationship to Christ that we are brothers and sisters. We are also called sons and daughters of the Lord and by this we have a closer relationship than any two human beings could ever have. Since Christ is our brother and our Father, it seemed ridiculous to the preacher that Christians could ignore Jesus. If this truth was not enough, the preacher continued with even greater reason to turn to Christ alone.
“Who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses- as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)” (V. 2-4). In the Old Testament, we read the narrative of the Israelites who were led out of Egypt by the hesitant Moses. Moses relied on the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and became the most faithful leader in Israel’s history. Moses was like a manager who operated his bosses’ business with great care and faithfulness. In Moses’ case he was faithful over the Israelite people who belonged to God. He was faithful with something that belonged to another, with God’s very own people who were called God’s house. Moses obeyed God in all His instructions to the people and was superior in his service. “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” (Ex. 33:11) The Hebrews had every good reason to hold Moses up high and go back to the sacrifices he instituted and yet as great as Moses was, there was someone greater.
“Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope” (V. 5-6). Moses had been a faithful servant but one came who was better than Moses. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came and was faithful over God’s people. Moses led the people to God, but Jesus is God. Moses was a man, but Jesus was the God man. Moses led the people to God but could not save their souls. In fact, Moses faithfulness was most evident in that he pointed the Israelites to Jesus who was to come.
Jesus came and won the salvation of His people! Jesus was faithful over the house of God and even more miraculous is that Jesus Himself built the house! Moses was simply a member of the house but Jesus created the house. Therefore, since a house cannot be built without a builder, the builder is more important and receives more honor than the house itself. Without Jesus, the church (the spiritual house of God) would never have been built and because of all this, it was most urgent that the Hebrews forsake the old sacrifices and fully trust in the ultimate sacrifice.
The word “consider” in verse one, is not to be thought of lightly. The way Hebrews uses this word is not like a good deal that someone should consider. The tone is not flamboyant but carries a strong urgency. By using this word, the Bible means that we should observe well, understand, think very carefully and examine closely the Lord Jesus. He must be taken seriously and pondered with our mind and heart. To the Hebrews this would have meant that they could not simply take a look at Jesus and brush Him off but had to look closely and ponder who He is. To fail to do so would carry dire consequences. For if Jesus was who He claimed to be, then to neglect Him and His message would have eternal consequences. Jesus is not just the servant of the house, nor is he just the son of the House but He is the builder of the house! In a twist of events the Father says the only way to get to Me is through my Son. All authority belongs to the Son. He is God in the flesh and in Him we are the house of God!