on that job, but when it got too bad he led them out for some rest and refreshment. They went across to Starbucks for milk and honey; it flowed there. Moses seemed really important for that house, until we were introduced to the owner’s son. Behind the scenes the owner had been guiding the building of the house along with his son, Joshua. Joshua had been a carpenter’s son, but because he had put so much into that house, so much suffering, so much sweat, so much blood, that the owner had adopted him and elevated him to lead architect and designer. The son was preparing the house for his family, and it is a large one.
The author of Hebrews has been narrating the story of Jesus’ place in God’s salvation history. God has worked in a variety of ways in history. Along with the privileges he has given to humankind have come responsibilities. Through the mediation of angels God had worked in the earliest history of humanity in the formation of the Israelite nation. God’s instructions for living in that ancient society were often ignored by the people, and they suffered the consequences. God worked through Moses, the great leader and prophet of the people, to bring them out of enslavement to a land he promised them, a land flowing with milk and honey. Hebrews wants us to understand that the role and status of Jesus as God’s son takes the work that God had done in the past to another level. And with that greater level comes even greater responsibilities and consequences. But because this work is carried out through God’s Son, it will achieve its purpose among humans and will bring us to our destination.
When we, as residents of a heavenly home, think about the role of Jesus being like Moses’, God’s faithful prophet, we realize that Jesus is to be honored even greater than Moses (3:1–2). Jesus is like the architect of the heavenly house and is more than a servant like Moses (3:3–4). He is, in fact, the Owner’s son and heir to the heavenly estate (3:5–6).
Jesus Is Characterized By Faithfulness To God (3:1–2)
Hebrews describes our relationship with God as a holy partnership in this building company (3:1). God’s work among us is not the building of a Christian society or nation like he did among the Israelites. Ours is a heavenly calling (2 Cor 5:2; Phil 3:14; Eph 2:4–7). We are called to give careful consideration to the role of Jesus in God’s salvation history. Part of our shared commitment about Jesus is that he is like Moses (3:2). Like Moses, Jesus was sent by God, he functions as high priest, and he is most notable for his faithfulness to God in every respect. The words of Hebrews allude to a verse from Num 12:7. Here the text is describing the way God would speak to other prophets by visions and dreams, but Moses is different than them: “My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my house.” Therefore, God will speak face-to-face with Moses. Jesus is faithful just like Moses “was faithful in all God’s house.”
It wasn’t until we were over forty that Suann and I owned our first house. It may take another forty years before we actually get the house furnished the way we would want it. Most of the time our house is just the building we live in. It has that lived-in look. I was talking with a woman who never watches TV. I asked her, “Then where do you eat your meals?” Once in awhile we clear off the place where the clothes are stacked, papers are piled, and the remnants of last month’s homework project still sit, and we eat together. Fall is approaching quickly and I need to give the lawn one last mow so that raking leaves isn’t like combing the grass. I caught myself thinking the other day, “Soon I need to brush the grass,” when I meant “mow the grass.” Currently I’m locked out of my garage. So until I get a locksmith to let me into the garage or a good wind blows it over, I won’t be able to get to the mower and take care of the outside of the house. All of that is to say, it takes a lot more to own a house than to pay the mortgage. A good homeowner is one who faithfully cares for the house.
We can rely on Jesus as the faithful landlord who manages the home in which we reside. This world is a place ideally suited for the kinds of creatures we are. There’s no reason to doubt that our experience of life goes on after our death in a home that is also designed by our creator to suit the kind of creatures God has made us to be.
Jesus is Claimed to be Fabricator and Furnisher (3:3–4)
In early Jewish teaching, Moses was highly praised and honored. The following text from the extra-biblical book titled Wisdom of Jesus ben Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus) is typical of the great acclaim accorded to Moses.
From his descendants the Lord brought forth a godly man, who found favor in the sight of all and was beloved by God and people, Moses, whose memory is blessed. He made him equal in glory to the holy ones, and made him great, to the terror of his enemies. By his words he performed swift miracles; the Lord glorified him in the presence of kings. He gave him commandments for his people, and revealed to him his glory. For his faithfulness and meekness he consecrated him, choosing him out of all humankind. He allowed him to hear his voice, and led him into the dark cloud, and gave him the commandments face to face, the law of life and knowledge, so that he might teach Jacob the covenant, and Israel his decrees. (Sirach 44:23b—45:5)
Hebrews claims that Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses (3:3). There are several senses of the word “house” in this passage. The word house could refer to the structure in which someone lived, even if that is a tent, perhaps equivalent to our terms “house” and “home.” It could also refer to a family group, a tribe of people, as in the expression, “the house of Jacob,” or “the house of David.” There’s also the expression “house of God,” which was a way to refer, first, to the tabernacle—the portable tent for worshipping God as nomads—and, secondly, to the temple in Jerusalem. Finally, it could refer to the church (1 Tim 3:15; 1 Pet 2:5 ; 4:17). Jesus is worth more glory than Moses to the same extent that the builder of a house is honored over the house.
A few years ago I listened in on a discussion about the basketball abilities of Michael Jordan. These two older guys were talking about the superhuman feats Jordan could accomplish, for which he rightly has been called Air Jordan. But what they were saying was that Jordan was able to run down the basketball court, jump, hang in the air, and do a slam-dunk—and make that leap from half-court line. The younger kids in the room were trying to correct them that Jordan jumped from the free-throw line, but they insisted it was from half-court. Moses was like Michael Jordan for the Jews. His feats became legendary and came to be glorified as superhuman. Yet, you could have Michael Jordan and Moses in the gym, but when Jesus enters, it’s Jesus’ “house”. Hebrews is saying, as great as Moses was, Jesus is worthy of even greater glory and honor.
Jesus is Comparatively Greater as the Son of the Founder (3:5–6)
Once again in these verses we have the grammatical construction that signals comparison: “Moses, on the one hand, was faithful as a servant. Christ, on the other hand, as a son.” Notice that comparison functions by praising the person or object to be compared. Then the comparison is made by showing how the other person or object is even greater. What that means is, Hebrews doesn’t denigrate what God did through Moses. But the author does praise Jesus by saying, as great as Moses was, Jesus is even greater. Hebrews makes the comparison that Moses is described as a servant, someone who is a mere attendant to religious ceremony. Jesus is also faithful like Moses, but he is faithful as God’s son.
Here the analogy subtly changes and the followers of Jesus become the house. Notice the conditional statement: “We are his house, if we should hold firm.” The main idea in Hebrews is that the early people of salvation history often did not hold fast, they did not possess the inheritance they were given, they did not enter the rest promised to them—because of unfaithfulness and disobedience. Hebrews says, there’s no guarantee here for you. Don’t be like them. You need to hold tight, give firm allegiance to Christ, don’t give up.
Suann used to work for a family business. It was a business started by a woman who was passing the business on to her very capable daughter. The son in the family was a nice guy, probably quite intelligent, but he wasn’t the front office person. He handled the finances and payroll behind the scenes. I got the benefit of going along
