Hebrews 3:1-6

The superiority of Christ to Moses is illustrated in two ways: (a) Moses belonged to the house as part of it (i.e. was himself one of the members of the chosen community); Christ was the builder of the house. (b) Moses was a servant in the house (Numbers 12:7), while Christ was over it as the Son. The readers are again reminded (Hebrews 3:1) of the obligations resting on them. They share in a calling which identifies them with a heavenly world; for Christ their representative was an apostle, a messenger of God, in a far higher sense than Moses. It is true that Moses also was faithful to the task entrusted to him, but he was himself numbered with the community which he led. He was part of the house, while Christ was its builder, inasmuch as God, the ultimate builder of all things, had accomplished His creative work through Christ (Hebrews 3:4). Moses, moreover, had been only a servant in the house, although a faithful servant (Numbers 12:7), and the message which he brought was at best a foreshadowing of the greater message that was reserved for the future (Hebrews 3:5 f.). The faithfulness of Christ was that of the Son to whom the house belonged, and who had therefore a far higher responsibility. And we are that house, that community of which Christ is Lord, if only we can remain loyal to our splendid hope until it reaches fulfilment.