The Houses of Hebrews 3

By Steve Seibel

Christ is worthy of more glory than Moses cf. Heb. 3:3…Why?

Because Christ’s present ministry is better than Moses’ past ministry. Paul uses two houses to illustrate this point to Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. Who around AD 65-67, lost everything when Rome gave authority to the Jewish high priest to take all their possessions cf. Heb. 10:34. They also were no longer allowed into the temple or synagogues, their employment was hindered and they were disowned by their families. This was done because they were Christians. Those Christians who were once zealous of the law cf. Acts 21: 17-21, are now faced with life apart from Judaism, friends and family; they must transition from law to grace. To this end Paul writes the book of Hebrews to prove to these Jewish Christians that what they have under grace is better than what they had under the law cf. Heb. 7:19; 8:6; 11:40.

Paul uses two houses to teach positional truth and it’s relevance for present tense salvation by comparing Moses’ house (the law), with Christ’s house (the church).

Moses’ House

1. Moses’ was faithful in his house as a slave cf. Heb. 3:5.

* He was appointed a house slave in the house.

* He was not the master of the house cf. Ex. 3:1-14.

* He was not the builder of the house cf. Heb. 3:4.

2. Moses’ house was the law cf. Heb. 3:5.

* He was a household slave in his house.

* It was his responsibility to deliver the law and represent the children of

Israel before God cf. Ex. 19:3-8.

3. Moses was a witness of those things that shall be spoken of in the future

cf. Heb. 3:5.

* There is no present tense verb or action used in this verse with

reference to Moses. This verse only deals with what Moses did in the

past ( the context demands that “was” be supplied), and his testimony

concerning the things that will be spoken of in the future. The reason for

this, is that Paul wanted the readers to see the future tense from their

point of view and not Moses’.

* This illustrates the fact that the law was not in existence from God’s

point of view at the time that the book of Hebrews was written.

* This indicates that Moses’ house did not exist after Pentecost but will

exist in the future.

* Moses’ witness testified of specific things that would be true in the

future i.e., not the same laws but a new set of laws cf. Mt 5:27-30;

13:41-42.

* Moses’ house could not help anyone in the present even though the

temple and the priesthood were extant because God was dealing with a

new group of people…the church cf. Gal. 3:26-29; Eph. 1:17-23;

Rom. 11:13-25.

Christ’s House

1. Christ was faithful in His’ house cf. Heb. 3:2-3.

* He was worthy of more glory than Moses.

* He still is worthy of more glory than Moses.

* He will be worthy of more glory than Moses.

* The significance of the perfect tense shows that all the above

statements are true.

2. Christ built the house cf. Heb. 3: 3-4.

* He has more honor than the house.

* Moses was not greater than his house. When Moses died the law did

not cease to exist cf. Gal. 4:4-5.

* Without a living Christ there is no house (church), cf. I Corn. 15:16-18.

3. Every house is built by someone but the One who built Christ’s house is

God cf. Heb. 3: 3-4.

* Christ is God cf. Mt. 16:18 (literally “upon this bedrock I will house-

build my church”) and John 8:34-35.

* It was God’s idea to replace Moses’ house with Christ’s house

cf. Eph. 1:3-6.

* Christ also built Moses’ house cf. Ex. 3:13-14 “I Am sent you”’ and

John 8:24 “Unless you believe that I Am, you will die in your sins”.

4. Christ is a son over His house cf. Heb. 3:6.

* Christ is the heir and so are those in His house, i.e., they are His brethren

cf. Heb. 2:11-12.

* In Moses’ house no one will rise above a slave.

5, We are Christ’s house cf. Heb. 3:6.

* He built the house (it is called a spiritual house by Peter cf. I Pet. 2:5).

* He is God.

* He is the heir of the house.

* This house is not completely built cf. I Pet. 2:3-10; Eph. 4:11-16

(compare the term house-build with edification i.e., they share the same

root). This explains why there exists a hope for its completion i.e. when

the house is completed and then it will receive its inheritance.

* In the meantime, this hope will give Christ’s house confidence and

boldness in the present i.e. resurrection life cf. II Tim. 1:1.

* This idea of a promise of resurrection life agrees with the immediate

context which is emphasing positional truth cf. Heb 2:11 (out of one

thing), Heb. 3:1 (brethren, saints, sharers of a heavenly calling) and

Heb.3:14 (the Christ).

Paul follows his comparison of Moses with Christ with a discourse that shows the relevance of positional truth for daily life cf. Heb. 3:7-4:11. He warns these Jewish Christians that if they harden their hearts i.e., they are stubborn towards positional truth; then they will not enter into a rest promised by God. He uses the example of the children of Israel, who rejected God’s promise of a rest (in the land He promised to them cf. Num. 13:1-14:35), and died in the wilderness. In like manner if Christians are stubborn towards the use of positional truth in their daily life, they will also die before they enter into God’s rest. This does not mean that they will lose their salvation but they will miss out on the benefits from their position in Christ in this life i.e., become sharers of “the Christ that know His’ ways” cf. Heb. 3:10,14. Specifically in this context, those who have lost everything in this life could have found rest in Christ and been refreshed despite their present circumstances. This is why Paul says in Heb, 3:1 “Wherefore, brethren, saints sharers of a heavenly calling, start considering the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus”. Our position in Christ is a part of our profession that we should start considering now… otherwise we too will suffer the consequences for our stubbornness!!