Hebrews 3:1-6 Lesson 417

Hebrews 3:1-6
Lesson 417

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

In lesson 416, we learned that Jesus is greater than the angels in heaven.
Now Jews learn that Jesus is greater than their icon, Moses (3:1-5).

Believers are God's house (3:6).

"Many Jewish Christians, in their infantile state (Hebrews 5:11-13), had not yet fully learned the relation of Christ to Moses. It seems that they still thought of Moses as the Law-Giver, and of Christ as an executive to enforce the Law of Moses on all other nations: Moses first, Christ under him. But they had it just backward. Christ is as far above Moses, as the heir and owner of a house is above the servants in the house."

("Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; page 649)

Pharaoh's daughter finds baby Moses (circa 1650).

By the French painter and engraver Sebastien Bourdon (1616-1671).

Who was Moses -

Moses was a prophet of Israel (Deuteronomy 34:10), the author of the first five books in the Old Testament (the Pentateuch), a revered Jewish leader and icon who, with God's help, led an estimated 3,000,000 Israelites out of Egyptian bondage to form the Jewish nation. The son of Amram and Jochebed (Exodus 6:20), Moses was born a Levite Jew (Exodus 2:1) in 1571 BC when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt (Exodus 1:13-14). Afraid that the growing population of Jewish slaves would someday turn against their Egyptian masters (Exodus 1:10), Pharaoh Rameses ordered midwives to kill all male Jewish babies at birth (Exodus 1:15-16). When the midwives refused (Exodus 1:17), Pharaoh ordered all male babies to be "cast into the river" (Exodus 1:22). To save the infant Moses' life, his mother Jochebed hid him in a basket in the reeds on the banks of the Nile River (Exodus 2:3). Pharaoh's daughter found Moses (Exodus 2:5-6) and raised him as her son. Growing up, he received an education (Acts 7:22) and all the advantages given to the son of a king. But at the age of forty, Moses killed an Egyptian for mistreating a Hebrew (Exodus 2:11-12; Acts 7:23-24) and was forced to flee Egypt. Moses fled to Midian (Exodus 2:15) near Sinai, where he married and lived the simple life of a Shepard (Exodus 3:1) for forty years until God appeared to him in the form of a burning bush (Exodus 3:1-22; Acts 7:30-34). Following God's instructions, the eighty-year-old Moses returned to Egypt to liberate the Israelites. After God brought a series of ten miracles/plagues down on the Egyptians (Exodus 7:1-12:51), Pharaoh allowed the enslaved Israelites to leave Egypt a free people. The Israelites wandered through the wilderness for the next forty years, searching for the Promised Land (Canaan). Moses, "the mediator of the old covenant," received the Mosaic Law (the First Covenant, the Ten Commandments) from God on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:1-35), prophesied the coming of the Messiah (John 5:46; Acts 7:37), was likened to Christ (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 7:37), and appeared with Jesus during the transfiguration (Matthew 17:3-5; Mark 9:2-4; Luke 9:29-30). Moses lived to be one hundred and twenty years old (forty years in the royal palace, forty years as a fugitive in Midian, and forty years in the wilderness) and died on Mount Nebo in Moab (eight miles east of the mouth of the Jordan River). In Jude 1:9, we see Satan arguing with Michael the Archangel over Moses' body. Satan lost the argument and God buried Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5-7). The story of Moses can be found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Study Tip:

Take notes.
Notes help us learn and remember.
They keep us organized, focused, and help us follow up on thoughts and ideas.

The Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Hebrews

The King James Bible

Hebrews 3:1-6
Jesus is greater than Moses

1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

3 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.

4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Margin notes:

"Wherefore." (3:1) - Chapter three continues the theme from verses 2:5-18 (lesson 416).

"Partakers of the heavenly calling." (3:1) - "Partners sharing the heavenly calling."

"Apostle." (3:1) - From the Greek word "apostello," meaning "to send." An apostle is an advocate, disciple, ambassador, proponent, messenger, or missionary. It is a person who believes in an idea or cause and persuades others to follow it. As we learn in this passage, Jesus was the first Christian Apostle, sent to petition God's cause with mankind. Jesus selected twelve disciples/apostles to join Him in His ministry. They traveled with the Messiah, heard the great sermons, witnessed the miracles, and learned at Jesus' feet. Jesus prepared them to build the church after His crucifixion and granted them the power to heal the sick and injured, drive out demons (Mark 3:14-15), and raise the dead (Acts 9:39-41, 20:8-12). After Jesus' resurrection and ascension, the apostles spread the good news of salvation throughout the Roman Empire.

"The High Priest of our profession." (3:1) - "The High Priest of our faith."

"Appointed him." (3:2) - "Chose Him (Jesus)."

"Moses was faithful in all his house." (3:2) - This is a paraphrase of God's testimony to Moses (Numbers 12:7). Just as Moses was "faithful" to the "house" of Israel, Jesus is "faithful" to all humanity.

"This man." (3:3) - Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

"Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant." (3:5) - Moses was faithful to Israel as a servant of God. But Moses did not build the house. If Moses was a servant then Jesus must be greater than Moses.

"A testimony of those things which were to be spoken after." (3:5) - Moses' was a forerunner of the birth, life, suffering, and death of Jesus Christ. See "Today's Question" below.

"A son over his own house." (3:6) - "A son over God's house." Again, Moses was a servant in the house, but Jesus rules the house.

"Whose house are we." (3:6) - Christians are part of God's house.

"If we hold fast." (3:6) - If we hold fast to our faith, we will be saved (Matthew 10:22).

New Living Translation

Hebrews 3:1-6
Jesus Is Greater Than Moses

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God's messenger and High Priest.

2 For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God's entire house.

3 But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself.

4 For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God.

5 Moses was certainly faithful in God's house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later.

6 But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God's entire house. And we are God's house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's question:

1. How is Moses likened to Jesus?

Know anyone else interested in Free Bible lessons? Tell them about us.

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. Moses is likened to Jesus because -

1) As infants, both were threatened by bloodthirsty kings.
    Moses in Exodus 1:22 and 2:1-10 and Jesus in Matthew 2:13-17.

2) Both acted as mediators between God and mankind.
    Moses in Exodus 32:30-32 and Jesus in 1 Timothy 2:5-6.

3) Moses brought the Mosaic Law to the Jewish people written in stone, while Jesus brought the Law of the Spirit
written on the human heart.
Moses in Exodus 19:1-22 and Jesus in 2 Corinthians 3:3.

4) God used both to free people from slavery.
    Moses freed the Israelites from Egyptian slavery in Exodus 12:1-35, while Jesus freed mankind from the slavery of sin in Colossians 1:13-14.

Despite these similarities with Jesus, Moses could not offer the gift of forgiveness. Only Jesus Christ can do that.



Application thought for the day:

In this passage, we see that Jesus is an Apostle of God, our high priest, and the head of God's house (3:6).

Think about what this means and what your relationship with Jesus should be.

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
© 2023 evolke

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