Christ greater than Moses
It was a delicate thing to utter such a thought even to many of the Jews who had embraced Christianity, for the whole Hebrew nation guarded with intense jealousy the name and fame of Moses. But the writer acknowledges to the full the lofty dignity and splendid services of the ancient lawgiver, and then proceeds to show that Jesus Christ has been counted worthy of still greater honor.
I. CHRIST'S SIMILARITY TO MOSES. (Hebrews 3:2) The very fact of a comparison being instituted between Jesus and Moses reminds us of Moses' greatness. Moses had a romantic personal history; his character was adorned with the grandest gifts of grace and genius; and he accomplished an illustrious life-work. He was a type of Christ both in character and career. The Jews venerated him almost to idolatry as their deliverer, leader, lawgiver, prophet, and advocate with God. Now, Christ was "a Prophet like unto Moses" (Deuteronomy 18:15). He is the Moses of the New Testament. Hebrews 3:2 suggests points of resemblance between the two.
1. Each introduced a new dispensation. "The Law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." The Jews were "baptized unto Moses;" Christians are "baptized into Christ." The writings of Moses are to the Old Testament Scriptures what the granite formation is to the other strata of the earth's crust; so the written life of Christ is the foundation of New Testament Scripture.
2. Each was divinely commissioned and supported in his work. Moses, with his marvelous gifts, was raised up and trained and called by Providence to his life-task; and so was Jesus. Moses enjoyed peculiarly intimate intercourse with God, for "the Lord knew him face to face;" and so did Jesus.
3. Each was divinely recognized as "faithful." Fidelity to duty is the crown and flower of character. "My servant Moses is faithful in all mine house" (Numbers 12:7). "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (Matthew 17:5).
II. CHRIST'S SUPERIORITY TO MOSES. (Hebrews 3:3-6) It was right that the memory of the lawgiver should be cherished with profound veneration; but, behold, a greater than Moses is here. Jesus has merited still larger honor.
1. Christ is the "Builder" of the Church; Moses was only one of the stones in it. (Hebrews 3:3, Hebrews 3:4) The Son of God, "through whom also he made the ages" (Hebrews 1:2), is the real Founder of every dispensation of religion. He redeemed the Old Testament Church, not less than the New, with his blood, and caused it to grow by his Spirit. Moses only introduced the Hebrew economy; it was God in Christ who founded it. Moses was a constituent member of the Jewish Church, i.e. a ransomed sinner, saved by grace like other men; a "living stone" built into the spiritual house by Christ the Master Builder.
2. Christ is a "Son" set "over God's house;" Moses was only a "servant" within it. (Hebrews 3:5, Hebrews 3:6) Moses ministered in the Church as a confidential house-steward, or honored upper-servant; but Christ entered it as its Master, to preside over it by virtue of his Divine sonship. The author has already expatiated on this theme in Hebrews 1:1-14; and surely Jesus, the Apostle of Christianity, is more renowned than Moses, seeing that he is the very Image of God, and. the Lord of all the angels.
3. Christ is the incarnate "Word of God;" Moses was only his forerunner. (Hebrews 1:5) Moses bore "testimony" to "those things which were afterward to be spoken"—to the new and final revelation to be made at last, when God should speak "in his Son" (Hebrews 1:2). "Moses was the harbinger, Christ the illustrious Prince himself; the revelations of Moses were the faint twilight of the morning, those of Christ the full splendor of noonday; the institutions of Moses were the scaffolding, those of Christ the finished fabric of religious truth" (Lindsay).
CLOSING PRACTICAL REFLECTION. (Hebrews 1:6) If we remain perseveringly steadfast in our gospel faith, and joyful in our spiritual hope, we have therein the evidence that we ourselves belong to God's house, the Church.