Letter to the Hebrews Volume 20

Jesus Christ Far Greater than Moses Part 2


Hebrews 3:2-4 Who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this Man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but He that built all things is God. KJV


The story of the life of Moses is a peculiar one, in that, by all human account he should have been slaughterd along with all the many other Israelite sons born during the time of his birth, for this was the edict or decree or order handed down by the Pharaoh of Egypt at that time, "And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive." (Exodus 1:22) (KJV). However, the Mother of Moses hid him as long as she possibly could from Pharaoh's soldiers and then placed him in an ark of her construction, as it is written, "And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink." (Exodus 2:3) (KJV). God then placed it upon the heart of Pharaoh's own daughter to pluck this child from the river and save his life and raise him in her own house, see (Exodus 2:4-10). When Moses discovered that he was not an Egyptian but a Hebrew, he then looked out upon the burdens of his people and even ended up killing an Egyptian because he saw him causing physical pain to a Hebrew (Exodus 2:12).


Later on Moses was called by God/Jesus to lead the Israelite people into freedom from the oppression of Pharaoh of Egypt and Moses was faithful to God as it is written here by the author of Hebrews comparing the assignment of Moses to that of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, "Who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house." (Hebrews 3:2) (KJV). The English word 'faithful' (we have defined numerous times and so we will do once again) is translated by the Greek word pistos meaning objectively trustworthy; subjectively trustful: - believing, faithful, sure, true. In other words, the two (Christ and Moses) were sure and true to God the Father believing Him and trusting Him completely to do all that He declared He would do. Here is what God the Father declared concerning Moses, "My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all Mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" (Numbers 12:7-8) (KJV). The writer of Hebrews here is first pointing out to the new Hebrew converts to Christianity the resemblance or similarity of purpose and function between the two, for it was Moses himself who declared the coming of Christ to the Old Testament Hebrews when he spake these words to them, "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken;" (Deuteronomy 18:15) (KJV).


Here is what Vincent's Word Studies had to say of this verse, "Jesus was faithful even as Moses was faithful. The subject of the High-Priesthood of Christ, introduced in this verse, is not carried out in detail by showing the superiority of Jesus to earthly high priests. This is reserved for Chapters 5-7. Instead, the writer proceeds to show that Christ is superior to Moses, as he has already shown His superiority to angels. He will thus have shown Christ's superiority to both the agencies by which the old covenant was mediated. The subject is a delicate one to treat for Jewish readers to whom Moses was the object of the deepest veneration; but the treatment displays tact by placing Moses in the foreground beside Christ as an example of fidelity to his commission. Justice is thus done to the familiar historical record, and to God's own testimony, Numbers 12:7. The general sense of the comparison is that Moses was as faithful as any servant in a house can be, while Christ was not a servant in the house, but a Son, and displayed His fidelity in that capacity." It was Christ Himself who spake to Abram (later known as Abraham), calling him from among his own people and making of him and through him the Jewish or Hebrew nation, as it is written, "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:1-3) (KJV).


Therefore, we find the writer of Hebrews declaring this very fact for and to the Hebrew converts to Christianity with these next words, "For this Man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house." (Hebrews 3:3) (KJV). Those of us who have some knowledge of design and construction are fully aware that the object/building of our design and construction surely is not greater than the one who designed it and constructed it, for it would not even exist but for its designer and builder. In like manner, it was Jesus Christ who called out one man from the earth (Abram) and through that one man built or formed the Jewish or Hebrew nation and certainly one member of that nation or family of humanity (Moses) is in no wise greater than the One who built the nation/family over many years (Jesus Christ). Here again is what Vincent's Word Studies had to say of this verse, "The argument is based on the general principle that the founder of a house is entitled to more honor than the house and its individual servants. There is an apparent confusion in the working out, since both God and Christ appear as builders, and Moses figures both as the house and as a servant in the house. The point of the whole, however, is that Moses was a part of the Old Testament system - a servant in the house; while Christ, as one with God who established all things, was the founder and establisher of both the Old and the New Testament economies."


To tie this all together neatly for us the writer of Hebrews makes it simple and clear who is responsible for building all things that exist, whether they be visible or invisible with these words, "For every house is builded by some man; but He that built all things is God." (Hebrews 3:4) (KJV). Therefore, seeing that Christ is in the bosom of the Father, that meaning, He is One with God the Father, then He is God and the builder of all things and far greater than Moses just as He is far greater than the angels He created. Let us allow this to sink in deeply for us and that is, God Himself came down to earth and put Himself into a feeble, flimsy, and frail human body so that He could draw men unto Him for eternal salvation with Him after the first man Adam disobeyed Him. One more time this is what Vincent's Word Studies had to say of this verse, "The application of built or established to Christ (Hebrews 3:3) is guarded against possible misapprehension. Christ is the establisher, but not by any independent will or agency. As the Son He is He that built, but it is as One with God who built all things. The special foundership of Christ does not contradict or exclude the general foundership of God."


If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…