Shiloh Bible Church
Hebrews 3:1-6
Greater Than The Greatest
Introduction
Great … greater … greatest. We often use these terms when we make comparisons. For example, in baseball we say that Mickey Mantle was a great homerun hitter, and that Babe Ruth was greater, but that Hank Aaron was the greatest. We describe athletes and artists, medical doctors and musicians, statesmen and scholars, using such comparisons as great, greater, and greatest.
The Jewish people also had their favorites—people such as Adam and Abraham, David and Daniel, Solomon and Samson. But the Jews considered Moses the greatest of them all. They thought Moses was the greatest …
· Leader
It was Moses who led the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. And it was Moses who led the people of Israel throughout their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
The Jews also thought that Moses was the greatest …
· Lawgiver
Moses received the Law from God on Mt. Sinai. And Moses gave this Law to govern the nation of Israel. That’s why it’s referred to as the Law of Moses. To the Jews, the Law of Moses was the greatest thing in all the world. And you know that the Law of Moses included more than just the 10 Commandments. It also included the laws that governed the day-to-day lives of the people of Israel—how they were to relate to God and to one another and to those outside the nation. The Law of Moses included instructions for the priests and the sacrificial system and the tabernacle. Everything about Jewish life and religion reminded them of Moses—the giver of the Law.
So, the Jews regarded Moses as the greatest. They thought he was greater than the Old Testament prophets. The 12th century Jewish teacher Rabbi Maimonides proclaimed that Moses was so great that he “comprehended more of God than any man in the past or future ever comprehended or will comprehend.”
The Jews also thought Moses was greater than the angels. The 2nd century Rabbi Jose ben Chalafta declared that “God calls Moses faithful in all His house, and thereby he ranked him higher than the ministering angels themselves.”
To the Jews, Moses was simply the greatest. But as great as Moses was, there is someone who is even greater. And that someone is Jesus Christ. That’s what the writer of Hebrews tells us in chapter 3.
It is our practice on here at Shiloh on Sunday mornings to teach through a book of the Bible passage by passage, consecutively working through the text. We are presently engaged in a study of the New Testament epistle to the Hebrews. And we’ve completed chapters 1 and 2. In 1:1-3 we saw that Jesus is greater than the Old Testament prophets. In 1:4-2:18 we saw that Jesus is greater than the angels. And now in chapter 3 we discover that Jesus is greater than Moses. And as I said, Moses was regarded as greater than the prophets or the angels. So to say that Jesus is greater than Moses is to make an astonishing claim. And yet that is exactly what the writer of Hebrews does.
In Hebrews 3:1-6, the writer says that Jesus is greater than Moses in 3 ways. First, he says that Jesus is greater in His …
1. POSITION
Hebrews 3:1 states, “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.”
Notice that Jesus is referred to as our apostle and high priest. Now, our English word apostle is a transliteration of the Greek word. And the basic meaning of the word is “one who is sent forth.” And that’s what an apostle is—one sent forth to perform a task.
Now, Moses could be called an apostle—in the sense that he was sent by God to perform a task. God sent Moses to deliver the people of Israel from bondage and to lead them to the Promised Land. Likewise Jesus was an apostle. He was sent by the Father to perform a task. In His high priestly prayer, Jesus said in John 17:3-4, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”
So, both Moses and Jesus were apostles in the general sense of the word. Both were sent by God on a mission. But in addition to being an apostle, Jesus was also a high priest—which cannot be said of Moses. You’ll recall that it was Moses’ brother, Aaron who was set apart by God to be high priest over the nation of Israel. Therefore, Jesus is greater than Moses in His position—Jesus is both apostle and high priest.
The writer of Hebrews goes on to share a second way in which Jesus is greater than Moses. He is also greater in His …
2. PERFORMANCE
I see this in verses 2-4: “He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.”
Verse 2 tells us that Moses was faithful in all God’s house. This is actually a quote from Numbers 12:7. And in that context, the house of God is a reference to the tabernacle—the tent of meeting. That was the place where the altar of sacrifice and the holy of holies was located—the dwelling place of God. It was the place where Israel gathered to worship God.
Now, Moses was responsible to oversee the construction of the tabernacle and all its furnishings. But it was the Lord who gave Moses the plans—the blueprints for building. So, in a real sense, it was God who built the tabernacle. Not only that, but the writer of Hebrews tells us that God is the builder of everything—He is the Creator of the Universe. Moses was a faithful steward of the tabernacle, but Jesus was the faithful builder of the tabernacle. And so we see that Jesus is greater than Moses in His performance.
The writer of Hebrews goes on to share a third way in which Jesus is greater than Moses. He is also greater in His …
3. PERSON
Look at verse 5 with me: “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house.”
Notice the contrast—Moses is a faithful servant; but Jesus is a faithful Son. So, who is greater in a household—a servant in the house or a son over the house? A son, of course! Jesus is greater than Moses in His person.
Now, I want to remind you that the writer of Hebrews addresses this book to believers. Look at how he refers to his readers up in verse 1: “Therefore, holy brothers.” His readers are a congregation of individuals who have placed their faith in Christ as Savior.
But he addresses them further in verse 1 by saying, “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling.” Now, that word share is a significant word. It’s the Greek word metokos. And it’s used five times in the book of Hebrews. We find it in 1:9, 3:1, 3:14, 6:4, and 12:8. The only other place it is found in the New Testament is in Luke 5:7. There it describes a few of Jesus’ disciples as being partners in a fishing business. And that’s the basic meaning of the word—to be “partners, sharers, companions.”
And that’s what it means in verse 1. The writer says, “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling.” Well, who do we share or partner or companion with? And what is this “heavenly calling” the writer refers to? I believe the answer is found in 1:9 where the word metocoi is first used in Hebrews. Turn back a page to chapter 1. And let’s start at verse 8: “But about the Son [that is, Jesus] he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.” [Referring to Christ’s kingdom that He will establish on the earth when He comes again.] Verse 9: “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions [there’s the word metokos—sharers, partners, companions] by anointing you with the oil of joy.’”
We can be partners with Christ—sharers, companions with Him in ruling in His kingdom. When Jesus Christ returns to earth to set up His kingdom, we have the opportunity to rule and reign with Him. And although this invitation is open to all Christians, it is only the believers who persevere in their faith that will rule with Him. That’s what the writer of Hebrews says in 3:6: “But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house.” The word “house” is a reference to the metokos of verse 1—Christ’s partners in His kingdom. Verse 6 concludes: “And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.”
Ruling and reigning with Christ in His kingdom is not automatic. You must remain a devoted disciple and faithful follower of Jesus to rule with Him. Remember, entrance into Christ’s kingdom is a free gift, received by faith—and it can never be forfeited. But ruling with Him in His kingdom is a privilege reserved for His faithful followers and devoted disciples—believers who endure in the Christian life. They will be the ones who will be Christ’s metokos—partners, companions, sharers in His rule on earth.
Application
The author of this New Testament letter was writing to a congregation of Hebrew Christians—a congregation that was tempted to leave Christianity and return to Judaism. They were seriously considering going back to their former religion, placing themselves once again under the Law of Moses. In order to encourage them not to do this, the writer of Hebrews demonstrates that Jesus is greater than Moses—greater in His position; greater in His performance; greater in His person. So why return to something that is inferior?
And that same temptation faces us today. No, not the temptation to revert to Judaism. But the temptation to go back to who you were and what you did before you embraced Christ as Savior. Have you ever considered doing that—going back to your old way of life before you met Christ?
Now, why would a believer do that? Well, there are many explanations people offer. One is …
· The lust of the flesh—the believer is tired of living a holy life—he wants to indulge in the pleasures of sin.
· The lust of the eyes—the believer is tired of suffering for Christ and His cause—he wants to grab all the gusto he can out of life no matter who he has to hurt or step on to get it.
· The pride of life—the believer is tired of being mocked and ostracized for his faith in Christ—he wants to be part of the crowd and follow the way of the world.
These are a few reasons offered as to why a believer would abandon Christianity. But I think the basic problem—the core issue—behind a believer leaving the Christian faith is this: He took his eyes off Jesus. He took his eyes off Jesus and started focusing on his problems; his temptations—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life. He took his eyes off Jesus!
That’s why the writer of Hebrews tells us in verse 1: “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus.”
[Show basketball] The 2007 NBA championship recently concluded. Do you know who won? (San Antonio Spurs) Let me ask you another basketball trivia question: Do you know who the world’s best free throw shooter is? [Accept several responses] I guess that wasn’t really a fair question to ask. You’ve probably never heard of this man unless you’ve read about him in The Guinness World Book of Records. The man’s name is Tom Amberry. He’s a 71-year old foot doctor. And back in 1993 he set the world’s record by making 2,750 free throws in a row! He’d have gotten more except that they had to close the gym for the night. Imagine—2,750 in a row! What was his secret? When asked this he replied, “Concentration! The more I read about it and looked into it, the more I realized the only way you do it is practice. You have to perfect all parts of your technique; then it’s just focus and concentration. You have to put all other thoughts out of your mind.” He would bounce the ball three times [bounce the ball], focus, shoot ... and swish! The key to his success was concentration; focus; fixing his thoughts on the goal. And that’s what we must do—fix your thoughts on Jesus.
It’s when you take your eyes off Christ and focus on other people or other things or your problems that you are in danger of falling away.
Conclusion
When the storm is raging high,
When the tempest rends the sky,
When my eyes with tears are dim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
When my plans are in the dust,
When my dearest hopes are crushed,
When is passed each foolish whim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
When with dearest friends I part,
When deep sorrow fills my heart,
When pain racks each weary limb,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
When I track my weary way,
When fresh trials come each day,
When my faith and hope are dim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
Clouds or sunshine, dark or bright,
Evening shades or morning light,
When my cup flows o’er the brim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
“Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus.”
Let us pray.
Before I pray, let me ask you a question. Where are your eyes fixed today? Are they focused on Christ or on others? On material things or on Jesus? On your problems or on your Apostle and High Priest?
[Allow for meditation]
Clouds or sunshine, dark or bright,
Evening shades or morning light,
When my cup flows o’er the brim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
This is our desire and prayer, O Lord, in Jesus name. Amen.
Benediction:
“Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus.”
