Greater that Moses
Reading: Hebrews chapter 3 verses 1-6.
The theme of the book of Hebrews;
• Ill: Plane - Is like a banner waving high in the sky, so high that everyone can see it:
• The message it contains is short but true: ‘Christ is superior’.
The first few chapters of this letter have already testified to this fact:
• Chapter 1: He is superior to the prophets.
• Because he is God’s final word to mankind.
• Chapter 1-2: He is superior to angels.
• They are created beings and he is the creator,
• And now as we break into chapter 3;
• We are going to see that Christ is superior to Moses.
Note: As Western Gentile Christians:
• We might see a move from angels to Moses as a step down;
• But not to an Eastern Jew,
• Because, Moses is set apart from all other Jewish prophets;
• To understand the premise, the comparison;
• We need to think about what we know concerning Moses
Ill:
• Remember he started life and ended life in most unusual circumstances;
• At the beginning of his life, God miraculously protected him as a baby;
• And at the end of his life, God himself personally provided for his burial.
• And between those two miraculous points in his life;
• There are recorded for us miracle after miracle after miracle!
• Ill: Remember he was the man God spoke to ‘face to face’.
• He had seen the very glory of God (in fact for a brief time he reflected the glory of God on his face)
• Ill: He was the one who led the nation to freedom;
• He had led them out of the slavery and the misery of Egypt.
• Ill: He was the one entrusted to receive the Old Testament Law;
• (e.g. 10 commandments and the writer of the first 5 books of the Bible).
• In fact to a Jew Moses and the Law were synonymous.
• Even the New Testament often refers to the commands of God as the ‘Law of Moses’.
• Ill: It was Moses who gave the people the plans for the Tabernacle;
• Ill: And it was Moses who gave the people the plans for d the Ark of the Covenant.
Quote John MacArther:
• “Some Jews believed that Moses was greater than angels.
• God spoke to the prophets in visions, but to Moses he spoke face-to-face.
• He spoke to him in a burning bush.
• He spoke to him out of heaven.
• He spoke to him on Mount Sinai and wrote the commandments with a finger of fire.
• Moses was above all others, God’s man”.
So the writer of this letter wants to remind his readers that Moses was great, but Jesus Christ is even greater!
• For them going back to Moses and the Law would be a backward step.
• Ill: Looking longingly at a photo when you have the real person there.
• Because Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Law;
• For these Jewish Christians the entire system of Jewish religion came through Moses.
• But the writer wants to show his readers that something even better came through Jesus Christ!
In this section, we learn that Jesus Christ is superior to Moses in at least two respects:
• Before the writer draws some comparisons;
• The writer starts by giving us some similarities!
• Both were human beings.
Note:
• It’s worth noting that the writer of this letter constantly refers to the Son of God;
• Not by his title: “Lord Jesus Christ”
• But the writer deliberately uses only his human name – “Jesus”.
• e.g. In chapter 3 verse 1 he says; “Fix your thoughts on Jesus”.
• e.g. In chapter 3 verse 3 he says; “Jesus who has been found worthy”.
• e.g. In chapter 4 verse 4 he says; “We have a great high priest…..Jesus”
• e.g. In chapter 5 verse 7 he says; “In the days of his flesh Jesus offered up prayers”.
• e.g. In chapter 6 verse 4 he says; “The inner shrine where Jesus has gone before us”.
• 17 times in this letter the writer uses the singular human name of Jesus,
Question: Why?
Answer:
• Remember the background of the letter;
• This letter was written to a bunch of 1st century Christians who were in danger of giving up.
• They were Christians from a Jewish background;
• Who were rejected by their fellow Jews because of their allegiance to Jesus Christ.
• They were also used as a ‘scapegoat’ by the Roman emperor Nero;
• Who blamed them for all things, whenever he needed a get out clause!
• And so to escape Nero’s fierce persecution (i.e. Chapter 10 verses 32-34).
• They were being tempted to reject Christ and go back into the safety of Judaism.
Note: 17 times in this letter the writer uses the singular human name ‘Jesus’:
• The writer of this letter is reminding his readers that Jesus was and is fully human:
• More than that - He knows how we feel;
• He knows about difficulties we face first hand;
• Because as a man on earth he has been there!
• e.g. He lived amongst us – born in a stable into a refugee family!
• e.g. He suffered alongside us – he lived in despised Nazareth – he was rejected by his people!
• e.g. He died for us – he gave up his life in terrible circumstances!
• e.g. He prays for us in heaven, as one who fully understands our needs.
• That is why the writer tells them to ‘Consider Jesus’
• Because he constantly considers us.
• And he enters deeply and sympathetically into our needs.
So at the same time of reminding his readers of the humanity of Jesus:
• He was and is the same as us;
• The writer now instructs his readers of the uniqueness of Jesus.
Notice:
• From verse 1;
• What the writer says concerning his readers.
(1).
• They converted people because in verse 1 he calls them. "Holy brothers".
• This term could only be applied to people in the family of God.
• It was not a term used for Jews or Gentiles.
• But it was a term used for men & women who had been converted, who were Christians.
(2).
• That the writer was referring to people who were active in the local church,
• That is clear from his use of the phrase "sharers/partakers of the - heavenly calling."
• No unconverted Jew or Gentile would fit that description;
• Or could ever claim that blessing!
Ill:
• The word translated as "share/partakers":
• Is elsewhere in the New Testament translated “partners” e.g. Luke chapter 5 verse 7;
• Where it describes the relationship of four men in the fishing business:
• We might say; “They were in it together.”
The sign of a healthy Christian is that twofold outlook:
• They have a heavenly hope;
• But they also have earthly responsibility.
• Fellowship with God.
• Fellowship with other believers.
As a result of these two truths:
• The end of verse 1 says:
• That they were able to give a "confession" of their faith in Jesus Christ.
• The word simply means "to say the same thing."
• All true Christians "say the same thing" when it comes to their experience of salvation.
Notice: the link/transition/crossover/the contrast:
• In verse 1 the writer reminds the readers of this letter;
• That it was NOT Moses but Jesus Christ who saved them!
• And so in verse 1 the writer does not exhort them to consider Moses,
• But to consider Jesus.
• N.I.V: puts it as “Fix your thoughts”.
• C.E.V: “Think about Jesus”.
• K.J.B. “Consider Jesus”
• Ill: This is no quick glance at Jesus Christ.
• It is a careful, thoughtful consideration of who Jesus is and what He has done.
• The reason so many Christians are weak and worried and discontented;
• Is that they have stopped considering Christ and are looking back to former things.
IN VERSES 1-2 WE ARE GIVEN TWO REASONS WHY JESUS IS GREATER THAN MOSES:
(1a). Jesus is an Apostle & High Priest (vs 1).
• The title "apostle"
• Means "one sent with a commission."
Ill:
• In Jewish terms
• It was used to describe to describe the envoys of the Sanhedrin (the supreme court of the Jews).
• It meant that these representatives carried the authority of the Sanhedrin in their duties.
Ill:
In Greek terms it is used again and again to mean ambassador.
• An ambassador carries the authority and speaks the word of the king and country he represents.
• Ill: In a foreign land the British ambassador’s voice is the voice of Britain.
• To receive the ambassador is to receive the one he represents,
• In the same way; to reject the ambassador is to reject the one he represents.
In the Old Testament:
• Moses was never called an apostle;
• Although he did do the work of an apostle.
• He was called and commissioned by God to fulfil a particular ministry.
• He was sent to his people and told them the message God had given him.
BUT JESUS IS SUPERIOR TO MOSES:
(a).
• Because Moses could only deliver God’s message to the people.
• Whereas Jesus was and is the message to God’s people!
• Moses could never say “believe in me, trust in me” he pointed people to God & his Law.
• Jesus could constantly say; “believe in me, trust in me”
(b).
• Moses brought information bit by bit;
• And then other prophets came afterwards and added to his message.
• But Jesus Christ is the final word of God.
• Ill: Chapter 1 verses 1:
“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son”.
(1b). Jesus is the High Priest (verse 1b).
• Moses was primarily a prophet;
• Who on occasion served as a priest (e.g. Psalm 99 verse 6):
• But Moses never was or is never described as a high priest.
• That title belonged to his brother Aaron.
Yet in chapters 4 and 5 Jesus has the title "Great High Priest":
Quote:
As the Apostle, Jesus Christ represented God to men;
And as the High Priest, he now represents men to God in heaven.
Ill:
• The Latin term for priest is ‘pontifex’
• Which means ‘a bridge-builder’.
• The priest is the person who builds a bridge between man and God.
• To do that he must know both man and God.
Ill:
Job in the Old Testament (chapter 9 verse 32-33) said:
“God is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court.
33 If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both.”
• Other versions use the expressions;
• “If only there was a go-between, umpire, middle-man, mediator to bring us together”.
Note:
• As an Apostle Jesus represented God to the people.
• As a High Priest Jesus represents people to God!
• That’s why Paul could write in 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 5
• “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”.
• He is the one and only person through whom men & women can come to God
• And through whom God comes to people!
(2a). Jesus the Builder (verse 3-6).
“Jesus has been found worthy of greater honour than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honour than the house itself.
4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future.
6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast”.
• The word "house" is used seven times in these 5 verses (verses 2-6).
• And the mere repetition of the word tells us that this word is important.
• For many people the word house connotes a place of worship, a building.
• But the New Testament never refers to a building as God’s house!
• It refers to the people of God as the place where God dwells.
• e.g. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19:
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”
• In the Old Testament:
• Moses ministered to Israel, the people of God under the Old Covenant.
• In the New Testament and today, Christ ministers to His church,
• The people of God under the New Covenant e.g. "whose house are we," (verse 6).
Ill:
William Tyndayle translation of Matthew chapter 16 verse 18:
• “Upon this rock I will build my Church”
• “Upon this rock I will build my congregation”.
So house in this chapter is not referring to a materiel building but a people:
• ill: You find an illustration of this dual use of "house" in 2 Samuel chapter 7.
• David wanted to build a temple for God, a house in which God could dwell.
• But God told David that He would build David's house (i.e. household, family);
• And make a covenant with David's descendants (people).
THESE VERSES IN CHAPTER 3 ARE FULL OF CONTRAST BETWEEN MOSES AND CHRIST:
• The writer of the letter is not trying to depreciate or run down Moses;
• Rather he is emphasising Jesus is worth much more glory than Moses.
So he contrasts the two:
• Moses was a servant in the house,
• While Jesus Christ is a Son over the house.
• Moses was a member of the household,
• But Jesus built the house, he was the architect.
• Moses knew God personally;
• Jesus was and is God permanently.
• The Prophet Moses spoke about things to come,
• But Jesus Christ brought the fulfilment of these things (verse 6).
The implication is plain:
• To forsake the way of Christ for the way of Moses;
• Is to go from the greater to the lesser.
• It is to abandon the permanent in favour of the temporary.
AS WE FINISH ONE MORE CONTRAST COMES TO MIND:
• Moses was primarily the prophet of Law;
• While Jesus Christ is the messenger of grace.
• Moses helped prepare the way for the saviour;
• Jesus is that way!
Quote:
“The law came through Moses,
but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”.
