Jesus was greater than moses

JESUS WAS GREATER THAN MOSES
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Hebrews 3:3 ForJesus has been counted worthy of
greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a
house has greater honor than the house itself.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The Sublimest Contemplation
Hebrews 3:1
W. Jones
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, etc.
I. THE CHARACTERIZATION OF CHRISTIANS.
1. They are fraternal in relation. "Brethren." These Hebrew Christians were
brethren in a twofold sense to the writer of the Epistle - first, as being his
kindred according to the flesh; and next, as being of the same religious faith.
Every Christian is a member of a glorious brotherhood. We are brothers
inasmuch as we have all one Father and one elder Brother; we are animated
by one Spirit; we are tending to one home, our "Father's house." Letus
endeavorto realize this relationship, and to practicallyexpress its spirit.
"Love the brotherhood."

2. They are consecratedin character. "Holybrethren." By applying to them
the term "holy," the writer does not affirm that all those whom he was
addressing were in a state of sinless purity. The adjective conveys two ideas -
consecrationand transformation. Christians are holy because they have
consecratedthemselves to the Lord, and are being transformed into moral
resemblance to him.
3. They are exalted in privilege. "Partakersofa heavenly calling." This calling
"is the invitation given on the part of God and Christ to men, to come and
partake of the blessings proffered" in the gospel. In two sensesit is "a
heavenly calling."
(1) It is heavenly in its origin; a calling from heaven. The holy voices and
gracious invitations are from above. All saving influences and impulses are
from God.
(2) It is heavenwardin its end; a calling to heaven. Spiritual, sublime, eternal,
heavenly, are the blessings to which we are called. It is "the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus."The "partakers"ofthis calling are not those who have
merely heard the callto gospelblessings, but those who have both heard and
acceptedthat call.
II. THE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LORD AND SAVIOR.
1. He is "the Apostle of our confession. There is here a comparisonof Jesus
with Moses.Moseswas sent" ofGod to be the emancipator, chieftain, and
ruler of the Israelites (see Exodus 3:10, 12, 14, 15). In this sense he was an
apostle of God. Jesus Christwas the Sent of God (see John 3:34; John 5:36,
37; John 6:29; John 10:36;John 17:18). He was sent on a still grander mission
of redemption (see Isaiah61:1-3). Moreover, the Jews designatedthe minister
of the synagogue,who had the charge of its affairs and presided over them, an
apostle. And in the verse following our text the writer goes onto speak of
Jesus and Moses as eachpresiding over the affairs of a house. In this sense
also our Lord is "the Apostle of our confession."He is sent, not only to
emancipate, but also to rule over his Church; to be both "a Prince and a
Savior."

2. He is "the High Priest of our confession. Here the comparisonis with
Aaron. As Aaron was high priest of the Jews, and, as such, made expiation for
the sins of the people, so our Savior has made atonementfor the sins of the
world by the offering of himself in sacrifice. Throughhim we approachunto
God. He maketh intercessionfor us. He pleads with us and in us and for us.
Through him we shall rise to heaven. As the Apostle, he is the Representative
of God to men; as the High Priest, he is the Representative of men with God.
3. He is Jesus. There is perhaps a reference here to Joshua, the greatgeneral
of the Israelites, who led them into the promised land. Thou shalt call his
name Jesus:for he shall save his people from their sins." How great, then, is
our Lord and Savior!
III. THE ATTITUDE WHICH CHRISTIANS SHOULD MAINTAIN
TOWARDS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOUR. "Wherefore, holy brethren...
considerthe Apostle and High Priest," etc.
1. The argument. "Wherefore,"i.e. becausewe have in Jesus such"a merciful
and faithful High Priest," sucha mighty and gracious Helper, we should
attentively considerhim. And such considerationwould be likely to strengthen
the Christian faith of any who were in danger of falling back into Judaism;
for they would find him a greaterApostle than Moses, a greaterHigh Priest
than Aaron, a greater"Captainof salvation" than Joshua. The greatprinciple
is this, that the greatestsafeguardagainstweariness, discouragement, and
apostasyis an earnestconsiderationofJesus;a believing, steadfast, looking
unto him.
2. The exercise. "Considerthe Apostle," etc. Contemplate him as "the Apostle
of our confession." How much greateris he than Moses!Moses did not lead
the people into the Promised Land, or even enter therein himself; but Jesus
has enteredheaven as our Forerunner, has led multitudes into its blessedness,
will lead all his people there. Contemplate him as "the High Priest of our
confession."How much greateris he than Aaron! Aaron's priesthood was
imperfect, typical, preparatory; but our Lord's is gloriouslyperfect. By his
sacrifice he has made full atonement; his intercessionis divinely efficacious.
Contemplate him as our Savior, "Jesus."He is "mighty to save;" "able to

save to the uttermost," etc. Here is the sublimest contemplation. In weakness
and weariness considerhim, and you will be strengthened and animated. In
darkness considerhim, and the night will shine even as the day. In sin
considerhim, and you will seek andobtain forgiveness. In sorrow consider
him, and the troubled heart will grow calm and restful. In death considerhim,
and his rod and staff will comfort you, and he himself will lead you through its
dark portals into the joys and glories of heaven. Let this be our constant
attitude - "looking unto Jesus." -W.J.
Biblical Illustrator
He that hath built all things is God.
Hebrews 3:3-6
Divine socialism
John Clifford, D. D.

1. "He that built all things is God." He beganin the undated past, and He
keeps on in sundry ways and with diverse materials from generationto
generation. To-dayis built up out of yesterdayand all its predecessors, and
the vastand prolific morrow will be constructedout of the incomprehensible
and mighty to-day.
2. "Know ye that the Lord, He is God. It is He who hath made us and not we
ourselves." "We are His workmanship," createdofold, with a body that is a
finely built machine, opulent in resources, andapt for our uses;with a mind
of surprising capacities;perceptionand reason, memory and conscience, hope
and trust, reverence and love, and above all with a spirit that links us with the
Infinite, makes us susceptible of being "createdanew in Christ Jesus,"after
the type of His holy life. The home is His work, built as the primary institution
for choking in the germ the destructive self-seeking ofthe human race, and
developing that love which forgets self, considers all, and creates an
atmosphere of domestic and socialozone that refreshes and exhilarates
everybody who breathes it.
3. But God's supreme building work goes very far beyond that unit of
civilisation, the home, and seeksto constructout of the individuals of which
the world is composedone vast moral commonwealth, a spiritual republic, a
divine " house," in which selfishness shallbe killed outright, and God and
freedom, righteousness andlove, reign for ever and ever; a "house" with
servants like Moses,sons like Jesus, faithful in all things; a free, aggressive,
and holy spiritual community; a perfect form of society, into which nothing
enters that defiles, or makes a lie. This is the Divine ideal, the sum and crown
of the long and patient labours of God upon men, the image and pattern of the
things, towards the realisationof which all the pulling down and plucking up
of nations, and states, and churches, and all the reconstructing of systems and
societies, stedfastlyand assuredlytend.
4. "Whose house are we" — we Hebrews recently become followers of Jesus,
but not the less belonging to God's building; for He goes forwardamid the
wreck of systems, the sacking ofJerusalem, with unbroken persistence,calm
and sure, though not swift, towards the eternally pre-ordained top-stone. The
fires of God (Hebrews 12:29) sweepthrough the structure with a fierce and

cleansing blast, not a grain of gold is lost; but lo! here I an ampler edifice, on a
wider foundation, richer in its architecturalbeauty, rises into sight as the
dwelling-place of the sons of men.
5. Whence it follows, if you are able to hear it, that in the truest sense Godis
the first Socialist. the Author of that gospelwhichhas done more to create
motive and inspire practicalenthusiasm for the real welfare of men, than all
other systems and agenciesand persons put together.
6. Two workers ofunapproachable greatness standout with decisive
significance as socialcreators andorganisers. Manybuilders have done
excellently, hut Moses,a faithful servant in the house of the Father, and Jesus,
a faithful Son, have excelledthem all. The making of Israel was in the hands
of Moses. The making "of all things new" is the work of Christ.
7. Moses, indeed, was faithful in all His house as a servant, and built up, as
Ewald says, "forthe first time in all human history a whole nation, prepared
to put itself under obligation to live hereafteronly in accordancewith true
religion and her requirements, and to look for salvationin all time to come
only from loyalty in its religious life, and the love of the true God, which this
loyalty pre-supposes."Betterfoundation than that can no man lay — God,
freedom, righteousness,love;and on every part of it is prophetically written
the name of the coming Christ.
8. But the chief purpose of the writer of the letter to the Hebrews is to show
that Christ is a greaterBuilder than Moses. Inwhat, then, was Jesus greater
than Moses?In the basis on which He built? No: for both built on the same. In
the spirit in which He did His work? No;for both could say, '" It is my meat
to do the will of my Father, and to finish His work." In fidelity to His trust?
Yes; but this is not in the writer's mind: but rather the fact that Christ proves
Himself to be nearer the founts and sources ofspiritual power.(1)Did Moses
speak of a "definite Deity"? Christ's view of God as the Fatherand Saviour of
all men, and of all alike, is the fullest gospelmen have yet seen, and makes the
amplest provision for all the needs of the individual and sociallife of
mankind.(2) Did Moses build on the heights of freedom? Christ much more! It
is to His incarnation and sacrifice we owe the knowledge ofthe unutterable

worth of one soul, the marvellous possibilities of one corrupted and lost
human being! From him comes the impulse to liberty.(3) Is Mosesa
legislator? so also is Christ. He did not come to destroy the law and the
prophets, but to fill out and realise their plan; not to demolish their often-
dropped ideal, but to take it up and embody it in the life of men. He leads to
higher ways of action; to patience, forbearance, forgivenessand self-devotion,
for the sake ofthe weakestand worst;and what men could not do or suffer
under "the law" they accomplishwith ease and grace under the gospel.(4)
Since Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, is greaterthan Moses the servant of
God, in that He furnishes the one thing that was lacking, viz., motive-power;
and furnishes it on a scale oflimitless magnitude, and with a fitness for human
need that leaves nothing to desire, "let us hold fast our boldness and the
glorying of our hope to the end," and so prove that we are of this Divine
house. God's commonwealthis as sure to be establishedas the heavens and
earth are built. Only let us give His gospelfree play; treat it as containing the
key to all our socialproblems as well as to our individual uses, and it will
prove itself as victorious over the difficulties of humanity as it has signally
triumphed in the experience ofnumberless individuals.(5) But recollect, we
only belong to that "house" in so far as "we hold fastour boldness" and do
not fail in bravo deeds, in bold initiative, in courageouspersistence, in the
speechand work that vindicate and back our confidence. God has no room for
cowards and idlers.(6) Partnership in that "house" requires another quality,
viz., that of holding fast"the glorying of our hope," i.e., our exulting
hopefulness. "In socialthings," says John Morley, "we may be sure undying
hope is the secretofvision," and it is also the secretof patient work. "We are
saved' socially' by hope." Amid all this conflict of human passionand
opinion, God's work of salvation and regenerationgoes on, "without haste
and without rest," towards its long since predicted consummation.
(John Clifford, D. D.)
The being and attributes of Godproved from His works
N. Emmons, D. D.

I. THIS WORLD MIGHT HAVE HAD A BEGINNING. There is nothing
absurd in this supposition. We can easilyconceive that there was a time when
the heavens and earth mid not exist; and consequentlythat there was a time
when they first came into existence. Now, if the world existed of necessity, it
would be absolutelyimmutable, or incapable of change.
II. If this world might have begun to exist, then IT MIGHT HAVE HAD A
CAUSE OF ITS EXISTENCE. Upon this principle the apostle supposes that "
every house is builded by some man," or owes its existence to some cause. And
this mode of reasoning from the effect to the cause, is perfectly agreeable to
common sense. Should the greatestsceptic traveltwo or three hundred miles
into a wild wilderness, and there discovera very ancient and eleganthouse, he
would instantaneously draw the conclusionin his own mind that that house
was built by some man.
III. If the world might have had a cause, then IT MUST HAVE HAD A
CAUSE. When a number of men walk in procession, they bear the relation of
antecedentand consequentto eachother, but not the relation of cause and
effect. The motion of those who walk before is no cause ofthe motion of those
who walk behind. The operation of our own minds gives us a clearand
distinct perception of cause and effect. When we walk, we are conscious ofa
powerto produce motion. Our idea of cause and effectis as clearand distinct
as our idea of heat and cold, and is as truly correspondent to an original
impression. This being established, the way is prepared to show, that if the
world might have had a cause, it must have had a cause.
IV. THE CAUSE WHICH PRODUCED THIS WORLD MUST BE EQUAL
TO THE EFFECTPRODUCED. No causecanproduce an effectsuperior to
itself. Forjust so far as an effectsurpasses the cause, it ceases to be an effect,
and exists of itself.
1. The Creatorof all things must be possessedof almighty power. This is the
first attribute of the first cause whichHis greatand marvellous works impress
upon the mind.

2. The Author and Framer of the world must be supremely wise and
intelligent. Mankind have always admired the beauty of the world. Uniformity
amidst variety appears through every part of creation.
3. The builder and upholder of the world must be everywhere present. It is the
nature of all createdbeings and objects to be constantlyand absolutely
dependent upon their Creator.
4. The Makerand Governorof the world must be a being of boundless
knowledge. He must necessarilyknow Himself, and be intuitively acquainted
with all His natural and moral perfections. And by knowing these, He must
necessarilyknow all possibles;that is, all things which lie within the limits of
omnipotence.
5. The first, supreme and intelligent Cause of all things must be eternal. To
suppose the first Cause had a cause ofHis existence, is to suppose there was a
cause before the first Cause; or to suppose He was the cause of His own
existence, is to suppose that He existedand operatedbefore He did exist; or to
suppose that He came into existence without any cause, is to suppose what has
been proved to be impossible.
6. The Framer of our bodies and the Father of our spirits must be a being of
moral rectitude. The moral faculty of man carries in it a cleardemonstration
of the moral rectitude of his Maker. Besides,the whole world bears
innumerable marks of the Divine goodness.Deductions:—
1. If it be true that the visible world displays the being and perfections of the
Deity, then all who reasonthemselves into atheism are guilty, of extreme folly.
2. If there be a being of supreme powerand intelligence, who is the Creator
and Proprietorof the world, then there is greatreasonto think that He will
dispose of all things to His own glory.
3. If there be a being who hath made us, and who will absolutely dispose of us,
then it is very desirable to receive a revelation of His will.
4. It there be a God who is possessedofevery natural and moral perfection,
then it is fruitless for those who believe and acknowledgeHis existence to deny

the divinity of the Scriptures in order to getrid of their disagreeable
doctrines.
5. If there be a God, then all His reasonable creaturesare bound to be
religious. Our capacityto know God obliges us to glorify Him as God.
(N. Emmons, D. D.)
God in History
A. T. Pierson, D. D.
There is a Godin history. The undevout historian, like the undevout
astronomer, is mad. Every house is built by some one, but He that built all
things is God. There is a house, a structure that fills the ages, its foundations
laid millenniums ago. Greatevents are like columns in their structure, like
arches, like gracefulpinnacles, and a glorious dome shall complete it by and
by. And it must be a foolthat can look on the structure of history, with all its
marvellous adjustments and adaptations, its many and varied apartments, its
evidence of architecture, symmetry, and beauty, and say there is no Architect
in history.
(A. T. Pierson, D. D.)
Christ as a Son overHis own house.
Christ the Lord, and Mosesthe servant
A. Saphir.
To speak of Moses to the Jews was always a very difficult and delicate matter.
It is hardly possible for Gentiles to understand or realise the veneration with
which the Jews regardMoses, the servant of God, Think of the history of
Moses.It was wonderful from the very commencement. His whole life was a
sacrifice oflove and of obedience to the God of His fathers Abraham, and
Isaac, and Jacob;a life of self-denial and affection to the people of his choice.

Look at his peculiar position. He was mediator of the covenant, the
ambassador(apostle)and plenipotentiary (as it were)of God. All God's
dealings with Israelwere transactedthrough him. Look, again, at the work
Moses accomplished;at the greatthings which the grace ofGod performed
through him. Through him Godbrought Israel out of Egypt, and led them
through the RedSea;He gave the ten commandments and the whole law b v
him; by him the whole national life of Israelwas organised. But after
admitting fully the excellence ofMoses,the apostle proceeds to show the still
greaterglory of our Lord Jesus Christ. It must have struck you that in many
respects Moses was a type of Jesus. But yet, what a difference! The zeal of
Moses was notfree from earth-born elements, and had to be purified. But
there was nothing in Jesus that was of the earth earthy; no sinful weaknessof
the flesh was in Him who condescendedto come in the likeness ofsinful flesh.
But notice the imperfection of Moses as a servant. How different was Jesus!
He declared the full, perfect, and free love of God. The house, the building,
means the children of God, who by faith, as lively stones, are built upon Christ
Jesus the Foundation, and who are filled with the Holy Ghost; in whom God
dwells, as in His temple, and in whom God is praised and manifestedin glory.
A Christian is like the tabernacle;he is a sanctuary. There is the holy of
holies, the holy place, and the outer court. But in all the glory of God is to be
revealed;the holiness of God to be shownforth. His body is the Lord's; the
members of his body are Christ's members. God is to walk in it, to dwell in it,
to rest in it. He is to be not merely a visitor, but an indwelling guest, "abiding
in him." How manifold are the mansions in which He dwells! As there are
many mansions in the Father's house above, as there are many mansions in
His Church below, so also are there many rooms in the spiritual house of the
individual believer; in various manifestations of grace, strength, and love,
does God dwell in us. But the apostle adds-shallI call it a condition? shall I
call it an encouragement? "Ifyou hold fastthe confidence and the rejoining of
your hope unto the end." And with the exhortation is the word of promise:
"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a goodwork in
you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." "Theythat trust in the Lord
shall be like Mount Sion, which cannotbe moved, but standeth fast for ever."
Oh, blessedword and promise of God, that He will keepus unto the end I
"Hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of your hope firm unto the end."

Faith is the mother of Hope; but how often is the mother strengthened and
cheeredby the daughter! Cherish the hope which in Christ Jesus is given unto
you who believe in the Saviour.
(A. Saphir.)
Christ as a Son overHis own house
John Smyth, D. D.
I. AS A SON OVER HIS OWN HOUSE, CHRIST EXERCISES THE
PREROGATIVESOF EXCLUSIVE SUPREMACY.
II. CHRIST AS A SON OVER HIS OWN HOUSE IS ITS ONLY
REDEEMER.
III. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS A SON OVER HIS OWN HOUSE HAS
PROCURED FOR IT THE GIFTS AND THE GRACES OF HIS HOLY
SPIRIT.
1. During His personalministry, our Lord instructed " His own house" in the
things which pertained to the kingdom of God. As the Prophet of the Church,
He made knownthe whole counselof God for the obedience of faith.
2. Our Lord was, moreover, evenin His estate of humiliation, "a Sonover His
own house," as its Sovereignfrom whom emanate all the laws which regulate
both its internal economy and "the outward business of the house of God."
3. Christ is no longervisibly present in that house over which He presides as a
Son. "The heavens must retain Him until the times of the restitution of all
things." Still, He is truly and ever present by His Spirit, whom He sends forth
in every age to carry forward many of the sublime designs of His mission into
the world.
(John Smyth, D. D.)
The spiritual house

C. Molyneux, M. A.
I. First of all, THE HOUSE? WHAT HOUSE IS THIS? "Whose house are
we." It is a house composedof all true believers. It is a spiritual edifice. Only
look at the contrast;the house of bondage and the house of light and liberty;
the former under Mosesas a servant, and yet a master — the latter under
Jesus the Son, and He also the Master. Oh I what a precious truth it is, that
the believerpasses from the one to the other.
II. Now, let us CONSIDER THE PROOF THE TEXT GIVES TO US
WHEREBYA MAN MAY KNOW WHETHER HE REALLY BELONGS TO
THIS HOUSEHOLD. It does not say, "If you hold fast your confidence and
the rejoicing of the hope," you shall belong to this house; but it says, "Whose
house we are" if we do so and so. That is the proof of my being a member of
that house. Observe here the contrastis not betweenbelonging to the house of
Christ and no house. Observe, it is not betweenhaving religion and no
religion. It does not say, "If you have confidence, and if you have hope, you
prove that you are religious, as contrastedwith those who have no religion";
but you prove that you belong to the house of Christ, as contrastedwith the
house of Moses. Thatshows us that whatever a man may say about his
religion, yet if he has not confidence, he has gone back to the Mosaic
dispensation. Now I do say to you, this house of Christ, as contrastedwith the
house of Moses, is a glorious house. It has no parallel in the universe. There is
nothing like the household of God, belonging to Christ; even angelic
intelligences, though a part of that household, are eventually not to be
compared to the members of Christ's household. The believer is brought into
such a union with God's own Son, as communicates to him a blessedness
unknown to any other creature. Evennow, look at the wonderful privileges to
which believers are called — fellowshipwith the Father and His Son, Jesus
Christ, and Community of nature with Christ; Christ having humanity, we
having the Divine nature! Only conceive whatis held out to us — the glorious
promise that we shall behold the glory that He had with the Father before the
world was!The apostle says, "whose house are we, if we hold this fast"; if this
is manifest in our feelings and deportment. We must get that kind of
confidence that neither hell nor earth can shake, andthat is to be gotby
implicit trust in the promises of the Lord. So againthe expectation:you are to

hold fast the confidence "and the rejoicing of the hope." What hope? That He
will come again;"the glorious appearing of the greatGod and our Saviour,
Jesus Christ";that is the hope. There is a rejoicing of common expectation;
but the expectationof the Christian must be definite. Let me give you two or
three important practicalrules for retaining this confidence and hope.
1. First of all, thoroughly understand the relationship into which you enter
when you enter the house of Christ. Understand thoroughly your relation to
God the Father. It is in proportion as you see that, togetherwith your
relationship to the Son and Holy Ghost, that you feel confidence that you shall
hold fast. Feelthis: if God be my Farther, will He give me a stone if I ask Him
for bread? Certainly not. Then how much more will He not give me His own
Spirit if Christ be my own Saviour? Will He withhold the robe of
righteousness in which I may stand before Him? Certainly not, if Christ died
that I might have it. If the Holy Ghostbe an indweller of my soul, will He quit
me? Certainly not.
2. Then another thing bear in mind that you should hold fast;that this work is
the work of the Holy Ghost, through whateverinstrumentality the Holy Ghost
may operate on you. Learn, therefore, to exercise anunqualified dependence
on the Holy Ghost. While you are using every possible means, learn to be
always dependent on the Holy Ghost, as completelyas though you did
nothing, at the same time remembering that the Holy Ghost does work by
means.
3. Another thing: remember that the path of duty is the path in which all these
things are met with and enjoyed.
(C. Molyneux, M. A.)
The Church Christ's house
M. Henry.
No less power was requisite to make the Church than to make the world. The
world was made out of nothing, the Church made out of materials altogether

unfit for such a building. Christ, who is God, drew the platform of the
Church, provided the materials, and by almighty powerdisposedthem to
receive the reform. He has compactedand united this His house, and has
settled the orders of it, and crowned all with His own presence, which is the
true glory of this house of God.
(M. Henry.)
Christ in relation to the true Church
Homilist.
I. HE OWNS IT.
1. This proprietorship is founded on His creative work.
2. His redemptive work.
II. HE OCCUPIES IT.
1. As a permanent Resident.
2. As a hospitable Host.
3. As A Master.
(Homilist.)
Whose house are we
Christians are God's house
W. Jones, D. D.
What a singular honour is this, that we should be God's house — yea, His
dwelling-house.
I. A nobleman hath many houses, whichhe dwells not in himself, but letteth
them forth to other men. We are not houses to let, but God Himself dwelleth

in us; we are His mansion-house. It pleasethHim of His infinite mercy to
dwell in such base houses as we are.
2. If God dwell in us, and we be His house, then bow neat and handsome
should it be kept. Shall a king's house be overgrownwith weeds Shallthere be
filthy corners in a king's palace? And shall we that profess ourselves to be
God's house he full of pride, envy, and malice? The devil found his house
sweptand garnished to his mind, and shall not God's house be sweptfor the
entertaining of Him? Let us garnish ourselves, whichare God's house, with
the sweetflowers offaith, love, hope, zeal, humility, temperance, patience,
sobriety, that God may take delight to dwell in us.
3. There is no man, especiallyif he dwell in a house, and it be his own, but will
bestow needful reparations on it; and do you think God will suffer His house
to lie unrepaired? Nay, being God's house, we shall want nothing for soul or
body. If we decay in faith, zeal, and other graces ofHis Spirit, He will in due
seasonrepairthem again; He will keepHis house wind-tight and water-tight;
He will preserve it from wind and weather — yea, the gates ofhell shall never
prevail againstHis house.
4. A man may have a house and be defeatedof it: some wrangling lawyermay
wring it out of his hand, or he may be wearyof his house, and make it away.
None can snatchGod's house out of His hand; He is no changeling;He will
keepHis house for ever. What? are we the house of God simply? Live as we
list, and do what we will? No, verily; but if we hold fast the confidence, &c.
One specialquality of a good house is to be firm and stable. If it be a tottering
house, ready to shake in every wind and tempest, a man will have small joy to
dwell in it; even so, we that be the house of God Almighty must not be
wavering and inconstant, but we must stand sure, and hold fast the graceswe
have received. There be two things which we must hold fast:faith and hope;
the boldness that we have by faith to come into the presence of God, to whom
we have accessby Christ, apprehended by faith, and by virtue whereofwe
may boldly call God Father, and open our minds freely to Him — that is the
nature of the word.
(W. Jones, D. D.)

Of those who are the house of Christ
W. Gouge.
This pronoun (we) may be taken two ways —
1. Jointly, for the whole Catholic Church, which is the societyof all that ever
did or shall believe in Jesus Christ.
2. Distinctly, for every particular believer. Forthe body of a particular
professoris said to be the temple of the Holy Ghost(1 Corinthians 6:19). Fitly
are saints styled a house.For —
1. As stones and timber, they are brought togetherand fitly laid, and that for
God to dwell among them (2 Corinthians 6:16).
2. As a house is setupon a foundation (Luke 6:48), so are saints built upon the
foundation of the apostles andprophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief
Corner-stone (Ephesians 2:20).
3. As Solomon's temple was beautified and adorned with silver, gold, variety
of pictures, and other ornaments (2 Chronicles 3:4; 1 Kings 6:29), so saints
are deckedand adorned with the various graces ofGod s Spirit (Galatians
5:22, 23).
4. As a house inhabited hath a governorover them, so the societyof saints
have one over them who is calledthe Masterof the house (Matthew 10:25).
5. As in a house there is a household which consistethof children, servants,
and others, so in the Church of God (Matthew 15:26; Luke 11:7).
6. As in a greathouse there are variety of officers, so in the Church there are
stewards, ministers, and others (2 Corinthians 12:28).
7. As in a house all needful provision useth to be stored up, so in this house of
Christ there is bread of life, waterof life, and needful food and
refreshing.Singularcomforts must needs hence arise to those that are parts
and members of this house; and that by reasonof —

1. The sure foundation whereonit is settled(1 Corinthians 3:11).
2. The fast knitting of the parts of the house together(Ephesians 2:21).
3. The excellent ornaments thereof, which are the glorious graces ofGod's
Spirit,
4. The good laws and constitutions for better governing the same, being all
containedin the Word of God.
5. The wise Governor thereof.
6. The excellent household.
7. The useful offices in it.
8. The variety and sufficiency of provisions appertaining thereto.Thatwhich is
expectedof such as are of this house is —
1. That they cleanse themselvesfrom all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (2
Corinthians 7:1; 2 Corinthians 6:16-18). Otherwise this house of Christ may
prove the devil's stye.
2. That they deck and adorn themselves with the graces ofGod's Spirit
(Colossians3:12).
3. That they be subject to their Governor, and to the goodorders that He
establishethamong them.
4. That they be content with the place and portion which the Masterof the
household allots unto them.
5. That they maintain unity amongstthemselves;for a house divided against
itself shall not stand (Matthew 12:25).
(W. Gouge.)
If we hold fastthe confidence.
If we hold fastthe confidence

D. Dickson, M. A.
1. That some professors in the visible Church may make defection, and not
persevere to the end.
2. That such as shall make final defection hereafterare not a part of God's
house for the present, howsoevertheybe esteemed.
3. That true believers must take warning, from the possibility of some
professors'apostasy, to look the better to themselves, and to take a better
gripe of Christ, who is able to keepthem.
4. That true believers both may and should hold fast their confidence unto the
end; yea, and must aim to do so, if they. would persevere.
5. That true believers have ground and warrant, in the promises of the gospel,
both to hope for salvation, and to rejoice and glory in that hope, as if it were
present possession.
6. That the more a man aimeth at this solid confidence and gloriationof hope,
the more evidence he giveth that he is of the true house of God.
(D. Dickson, M. A.)
Holding fast
A. Maclaren, D. D.
The word which is rendered "confidence" inthis verse is not the same as that
which appears in other places in the same chapter. "We are made partakers
of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfastunto the end,"
says the fourteenth verse. "We are His house if we hold fast the confidence
and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." The two things are
substantially the same, and yet there is a shade of difference in the meaning of
eachof them. The word in my text translated"confidence" literallymeans
"frank speech" saying everything is literally the rendering of the expression.
And the thought is just this, when you are upon terms of perfect confidence
with anybody, as we say, we "know him," or "I can say anything I like to

him." And that is the sort of thing this writer enjoins as the essentialof the
Christian man's relationship to God. Two friends, two lovers, a parent and a
child, that understand eachother, it does not matter much what they are
talking about; anything will serve, because eachknows thatdown to the very
bottom of the other heart it is joy to that other heart to make itself manifest.
But if there be the slightesttinge of distrust or alienation, like a sensitive
plant, the leaves all fold themselves together, and so shut themselves up, and
constraining silence comes. So, says my text, this marks the true relation to
God, that there is such perfecttrust that there is perfect frankness. And so
you get, you know, such other words as these in this same Epistle, about
"having access withconfidence," about"coming boldly to the Throne of
grace," andthe like, all of them carrying the same suggestionofintimacy.
Hold fast the frank speech, whichis a child of trust, and the trust which is the
parent of the frank speech. And my text gives us a practicalhint when it calls
this temper and disposition the confidence of hope. It is preciselyin the
measure in which we cherish the Christian hope with regard to that future —
that guilt, and with guilt anxiety, and with anxiety fear, being all done away
with, there comes this full and free communication. The child that doubts the
father's favour, and is conscious ofits own faults, sulks in the cornerand says
nothing. The child that is sure of its Father's forgiveness, andis conscious of
its own faults, has no rest till it tells its faults. And so the frankness which
comes of confidence is based upon that assurance whichcovers all the future
with a greatlight of hope, and all the past with a greatlight of pardon and
oblivion. And then the other side of this disposition is conveyedby that other
significant word, "Hold fast," not only the confidence, but the "glorying,"
which is more nearly the meaning of the word than the "rejoicing" of our
version, the "glorying," which likewise is the fruit of hope. Now, this
"glorying" does not mean an act of glorying, but it means the subject matter,
or the occasion. Thatis to say, it does not describe a man's disposition or
notion, but it describes something outside of him, which excites that emotion,
and on which it is fixed. So you see my text has two horns to it, as it were;the
one lays hold of something in me, and says to me, "You see to it that you hold
fast your confidence," andthe other points to something without me, and says,
"In order that you may see that you keep hold of the thing which entitles you
to rejoice, to triumph, to glory, to boastyourselves." Thatis to say, we have

here setforth the greatfacts of the gospel, all gatheredup into that one word,
the matter for our boasting, and that boasting which is no self-complacent
bragging of our own strength, but a certain triumphant exultation in a thing
that lies outside of us, and with which we have nothing to do but acceptit, that
glorying, the confidence of which I have been speaking, is, in a certainsense,
the child of hope. Forthe more we are familiar with the greatissues to which
God is leading us, if we will, the more we shall keepfirm hold of the ground
for rejoicing and triumph which lies in the message ofHis love. And all life.
with all its bitterness, with its changes, and defeats, and sorrows, itwill all,
smitten, as it were, into beauty by this light of the future that falls upon it, it
too will all become material for triumph, for exultation, for gladness. And now
let me saya word as to the effort that is required to keepthis hold of which
my text speaks. The word is a very vivid and very natural one, the metaphor
strong but most familiar, the grasp of a muscular hand which tightens itself
round something that it will not part with, is setbefore us as the analogue to
which our Christian dispositionand temper is to be conformed. And so we
come just to these two practicaladvices — "Hold fastthe inward emotion;
and hold fastthe outward Object upon which it rests." How do you hold fast
an inward emotion? How call we stereotype and make permanent the flowing
currents of our inward life? Perhaps not absolutely is it possible for us to do
so. All emotion is evanescent. Wellthen, swiftly renew it as it dies. The carbon
points in the electric lamp burn awaywith tremendous rapidity, but there is a
little mechanicalactionbehind them which keeps pushing them forward with
proportionate swiftness, so that there is always a fresh surface presentedto be
consumed and to be illuminated. And so you and I can do, day by day
renewing the temper which day by day is dropping away, as it were, burnt
out, we cancultivate the habit of frank speechto God. If you want to hold fast
your confidence, cultivate as you canthe habit of coming near to God, and
telling Him everything. And that we may, let us beware of dropping into the
evils which certainly will break that communion and will darken that
confidence. Forno man will be on frank terms with God that has not got
coiledin his heart some evil which he knows to be a devil, and yet will not cast
out. And then, on the other hand, as we have to cultivate the inward emotion,
so we have to cultivate our firm graspof the outward thing, the material and
ground of our glorying and of our hope. All muscular effort tends to

relaxation. That is to say, if a man lays hold of a rope ever so tightly, unless
there is a continual renewalof the muscular impulse the grasp will slackenby
degrees. There are three ways by which you lose your hold of God's truth.
Some of you let it be draggedout of your hands by violence;some of you let it
drop out of your hands by carelessness;and some of you fling it awayout of
your hands because you want to clutch something else. And so for all three
ways by which men lose their Christianity here comes the exhortation: hold
fast the ground of your glorying, and keepa tight grip of Jesus Christ. Those
whose slack hands let Him go generallyopen their hands a finger at a time, or
a joint at a time, and do not know what they are doing until the palm is open
and empty.
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)
Marks of the Church of God
E. Deering, B. D.
Here the apostle settethdown three especialmarks by which the children of
God are known:the first is the joy of their hope; the second, the assurance of
it; the third, the constancyand perseveranceunto the end. And let us not
think but that God hath done thus with us, whom He hath chosento eternal
life. He hath prepared our hearts to know and feel His unspeakable gift which
He hath given us; for if we should bestow any gift upon men, we are not so
unwise to give a precious thing unto him that knows not what it is; we would
not give him a diamond that would think it to be a piece of glass, norwe
would not give him a pearl that would think it to be a grain of salt, for we
should lose both our labour and our thanks. And shall we think the Lord will
so bestow His heavenly blessings? WillHe give His gifts to those that know
them not, who cannot give Him againthe praise of His goodness? No, He will
never do it; but, as Petersaith, He hath takenus for His own people to the end
we should show forth His virtues that hath called us out of darkness into His
marvellous light; and therefore, if we be in the covenant of His grace,
appointed to the inheritance of His glory, it is impossible we should not feel
the comfortof it, and know the height and breadth of His greatmercy and

grace. Another thing here to be learned, if we will know ourselves to be this
house and Church of God, is, that as we hold this hope, so we must hold it
steadfastand without wavering unto the end, for so, the apostle saith, we must
have steadfastassuranceofour hope; he calleth it in the sixth chapter "a frill
persuasionof hope." St. Paul calleth it his intentive hope, a hope in which he
shall never be frustrate. So that this assurance is in a true and living hope, and
it castethout mistrust and wavering, even as faith doth, for faith and hope
cannot be separate, neitherin nature nor property; but if you have faith, you
have hope, and as your faith is, so is your hope — a sure faith, a lively hope; a
wavering faith, a blind hope; for our faith is a persuasionof the love of Godin
Christ, and our hope is an apprehension of the glory which by that love is
given unto us. It cannot be that we should know the love and grace ofGod,
which is our faith, but we must know the fruit of His love, that is, His glory
and eternallife, which is our hope; if therefore we be sure that God doth love
us in Jesus Christ, we are also sure that Godwill glorify us through Jesus
Christ; and as our faith rejoiceth in God's favour, so our hope rejoicethin
God's glory; and as our faith is sure that nothing shall separate the love of
God from us, so our hope longeth after the incorruptible inheritance which we
feel and know is laid up in heaven. So this constancyand boldness of our hope,
without wavering, laid up in our breasts, and crying still within us, "Come,
Lord Jesu," this hope is our warrant we be the house of God. Now, the third
thing which we must here mark for our instruction is perseverance, forso he
saith, "We must hold our rejoicing continual unto the end." A most necessary
thing, and such as without which all our labour is lost, but a thing hard to
attain unto, know it by the experience of it, for scarceone of a greatmany
doth grow up into fervency of zeal. and so continueth unto the end. And
therefore the more danger is unto us in this behalf, the more watchful we must
be to avoid the peril. The greatestenemywe have to make us fall, that we
should not hold this constancyto the end, is our own flesh. And if it may have
any rule in this work we are undone, for flesh will like of nothing long. Even
as Solomonsaith, the eye is not satisfiedwith seeing, nor the ear with hearing;
but be the tune never so sweet, atlast we desire another.
(E. Deering, B. D.)

The nature and advantages ofthe believer's confidence
Donald Fraser, D. D.
I. ON WHAT THE STRENGTHAND PERMANENCYOF THIS FEELING
OF CONFIDENCEDEPENDS, Itdepends on a continued realisationof the
Lord Jesus Christ, the greatobject of our faith, and an enlargement of our
views concerning His glory and excellency. No desire or resoluteness onour
part to retain the sentiment of confidence will avail, without presentationto
the mind of the objectby which it is excited (see vers. 1, 2). In the construction
of this sentence, as wellas in what follows, it is remarkable how the inspired
writer always keeps in view the connectionof those whom he addresses with
Him of whom He speaks. Is He an Apostle or High Priest? — it is "of our
profession." Is He a Son over His own house? — it is added, "whose house are
we." This appropriation of Him to us gives us a peculiar interest in all that is
said of Him.
II. THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS FEELING OF CONFIDENCEAS
PROMOTINGTHE MORAL GOOD OF THE SOUR. Whilst the great
question of our peace with God remains undecided, the prevailing motive
under which any religious effort can be put forth is fear; itself not the
legitimate motive, but leaguedas it must be with the paralysing influence of
uncertainty on so momentous a concern, it can have no steady or permanent
efficacyin producing efforts for good. Therefore, the apostle says, "Ye have
not receivedthe spirit of bondage againto fear, but the spirit of adoption."
Unquestionably a spirit of fear is not a spirit of power;and those moralists
who expectgreat results by exciting fear in the minds of men must be
disappointed; it is as if a generalshould expectto achieve a greatvictory by
filling the minds of his soldiers with fear when entering on the contest. We
know how easy, and in many caseshow successful, an enterprise is made by
having the mind supported by confidence in matters of this world; the same
principle holds in religion, that a spirit of confidence in Godis a spirit of
powerfor enduring and accomplishing what His holy will requires. There is,
no doubt, a material difference betweenthe confidence of the men ,,f this
world, connectedas it is with high self-estimation, and leading to presumption
and insolence whichoften defeatitself, and that confidence of the believer in

God, which is connectedwith the lowestestimate of himself, and with the most
entire meekness and humiliation of spirit, and which is seen, as often exercised
in the patient endurance of reproaches and trials, as in the strenuousness of
the soulfor religious objects. But as human nature is constituted, peace of
mind, with the hope of support, and enterprise, and successfrom God, all
entering into the idea of a believer's confidence, give him a spirit of power in
the greatundertaking of his soul's salvation, by which he pursues a resistless
course, utterly unknown to minds under the vacillating influence of
uncertainty and fear — difficulties yield, and enemies are repelled before him;
and there is a moral influence and dignity in his characterto which the
consciencesofothers give the secrethomage due to power. But the main
strength of the feeling of confidence towards Godwhich faith begets consists
in its exciting love to God, which is the greatlegitimate principle of moral
obedience. Farther, the effectupon the understanding is no less striking or
deserving of notice in forming an estimate of the moral efficacyof believing
confidence in the truth of God. The apostle says that God hath given us "the
spirit of a sound mind," by which we are certainly to understand a greater
degree of rationality, and of the influence of our reasonon our heart and
habits. It is easyto accountfor uncultivated men becoming intellectual, by
having their minds strongly excited by the weightof an eternal interestto
study, and reasonfrom day to night upon the most profound of all subjects.
And it is no less easyto determine why intellectual irreligious men cannot
reasonsoundly upon religion — they have not been impelled to inquiry by the
same pressure;they have not learned the views nor imbibed the principles
which would enable them to reason, eitherwith sense or safety, on this
momentous subject. It is not the mere exercise ofthe understanding, but the
nature of the subjects about which it is conversant, that gives it force as a
moral engine, the greatestmetaphysicianmay be completely outdone in
judging of matters of common life by a man of plain common sense, andin
matters connectedwith the soul's salvationhis judgment may be completely
outdone by a plain Bible Christian. But even when the mind has been
employed with the utmost attention on the truth, and comes to its conclusions,
their efficacyis small and unabiding until the confidence of faith in the Divine
testimony becomes a fixed sentiment in the mind. A conclusiondepending on a
process ofreasoning may strongly impress us whilst we retain the recollection

of the process by which we arrived at it; but when that is lost, its impression is
weak, and utterly fails before an opposing temptation. How often is it the case
with men that they feellittle confidence in their own conclusions, however
legitimately they may appear to have arrived at them, unless they are fortified
by the concurring opinions of those who are reputed wise. This observation
leads to the conclusionto which we desire you to come on this subject — that
it is not the mere cultivation of the faculty of reason, nor its exercise onthe
appropriate subjects, that give it realforce and steadiness forhabitually
influencing our moral character, but the distinct apprehension of the Divine
testimony concurring with and sanctioning the different positions to which the
mind has assented. Reasonand faith in the Christian are closelyallied in that
exercise, forthough the Christian must, on the testimony of God, receive some
things as true which are above the comprehension of his reasonin the present
state, God does not propose to him what is contrary to it; and in the peculiar
points, the faith of which is essentialto salvation, God leads the human mind
to an understanding of that which He requires it to believe.
III. THE INFLUENCE THIS CONFIDENCE HAS ON HAPPINESS. In its
lowestdegree it produces a repose of the soul, to which the gay and thought.
less of this world are utter strangers. It is equally obvious that the state of
mind in which it possesses energyto pursue the dictates of the higher faculties,
wherein it is exempted from the control of degrading passions, andespecially
has its leading affectionits chief desire, toward that greatSource of all good,
to which, by its original relations, it was allied, and for enjoying which its
capacities were framed, must be the happiest state of the soul; and that all
apparent happiness, in a different state, is as delusive in its nature as it is
transitory in its duration. Recourse to God, consideredin itself, is at all times
an unfailing source ofjoy to the soul that has confidence in Him. It is inward,
and independent of outward combinations, which he could not command; it
accords with stillness and retirement, which are so irksome to the children of
pleasure;it purifies and ennobles the soul; nor is there in it, when rightly
understood, the leastvestige of delusiveness orenthusiasm; for, though not
depending upon sense, orcarried on through its medium, its evidence of
reality is quite as satisfactory. He whose soulgoes out in confidence to God
knows God's existence — His attention to his desires — His approbation of

the confidence which the soul cherishes in Him from the testimony of His
written Word — of that RecordofTruth which will survive and prove its
reality when all the objects of time and sense shall have passedawayfor ever.
(Donald Fraser, D. D.)
Means for perseverance
W. Gouge.
To help us on in holding out, these gracesfollowing, among others, are very
useful.
1. Humility. This is the basis and foundation when the fore-mentioned house is
settled. Christ saith that a man who builds a sure house digs deep (Luke 6:48).
God giveth grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34). For this very end we are
forbidden to be high-minded, lest we fall (Romans 11:20). Self-conceitedness
and pride make men careless(Revelation3:17).
2. Sincerity. Tills is an inward soundness. If the foundation be not sound, the
edifice cannotbe well settled on it. Soundness is that which maketh last and
endure. Sappy, rotten timber will quickly fail. Counterfeit grace will not last.
3. A settledresolution to hold out to the end (Psalm 119:106).
4. Jealousy. Jealousy, Isay, in regardof the temptations whereunto we are
subject, and of our own weakness.Satanis subtle (1 Peter5:8). Sin is deceitful
(Hebrews 3:13); and we are of ourselves foolish, and prone to yield to sin and
Satan. If we be secure or careless, we may be soontakenas birds in a net.
5. Prudence. Forthe manifestation hereofavoid occasions whichmay draw
thee out of thy Christian course.
6. Growth in grace. Bythis we shall be the more strengthened and the better
enabled to hold out.
7. Walking with God. By this he that never saw death pleasedGod all the days
of his life (compare Genesis 5:24 with Hebrews 11:5).

8. Stedfastexpectationof the prize or reward that is setbefore thee. It is said
of Moses that he had respectunto the recompense ofthe reward(Hebrews
11:26).
9. Prayer-faithful, fervent, constantprayer. Christ used this means for
Himself (Hebrews 5:7). This means He also used that Peter's faith might not
fail. By the foresaidmeans we may continue to enjoy our spiritual strength, as
Calebdid his bodily strength (Joshua 14:11), and as Moses, whosenatural
force abated not (Deuteronomy 34:7), we shall still bring forth fruit in old age
(Psalm 92:14).
(W. Gouge.)
Christian stability
W. Arnot, D. D.
An established, experienced, hopeful Christian is, in the world, like an iceberg
in a swelling sea. The waves rise and fall. Ships strain and shiver, and nod on
the agitatedwaters. But the iceberg may be seenfrom far, receiving the
breakers on its snow-white side, casting them off unmoved, and, where all else
is rocking to and fro, standing stable like the everlasting hills. The cause of its
steadiness is its depth, Its bulk is bedded in calm waterbeneath the tumult
that rages onthe surface. Although, like the ships, it is floating in the water, it
receives and throws off the angry waves like the rocks that gird the shores.
Behold the condition and attitude of Christians!They float in the same sea of
life with other men, and bear the same buffetings; but they are not driven
hither and thither, the sport of wind and water. The wave strikes them,
breaks over them, and hisses pastin foam; but they remain unmoved. They
were not caughtby surprise while they had a slight hold of the surface. The
chief part of their being lies deep beyond the reach of these superficial
commotions. Their life, "hid with Christian God," bears without breaking all
the strain of the storm.
(W. Arnot, D. D.)

Example of stability
J. Hartwig.
The Macrocystispyrifera is a marine plant, rising from a depth of one
hundred and fifty or two hundred feet, and floating for many fathoms on the
surface of the sea. Darwinsays, "Iknow few things more surprising than to
see this plant growing and thriving amid the greatbreakers of the Western
Ocean, which no masses ofrock, howeverhard, can long resist. The stem is
round, slimy, and smooth, and seldom has a diameter of so much as an inch."
How greatits resistanceto withstand the strain of such a sea!In spite of storm
and breakers, the species maintains itself from century to century; for the
strength with which it clings to the nakedrock, and faces the fury of the
elements, has been poisedby the wisdom of God.
(J. Hartwig.)
Means of stability
John Arndt.
As we tie a tender tree to some other tree that it may not be brokenby the
winds, and castanchorin a storm to fix the ship that it may not be driven by
the tempest; so ought we to join and apply our weak andfaint hearts to the
firm pillar of God's word, and fix the ship of our souls by the anchor of hope,
that it sink not.
(John Arndt.)
Confidence in death
Donald Cargill, on the scaffold, July 27, 1681, as he handed his well-used Bible
to one of his friends that stoodnear, gave this testimony: "I bless the Lord
that these thirty years and more I have be, n at peace with God, and was

never shakenloose ofit. And now I am as sure of my interest in Christ, and
peace with God, as all within this Bible and the Spirit of God canmake me.
And I am no more terrified at death, or afraid of hell because ofsin, than if I
had never had sin: for all my sins are freely pardoned and washedthoroughly
awaythrough the precious blood and intercessionofJesus Christ."
Confidence to the end
The time came when Luther was to write no more. He was at Eisleben,
attending a Protestantsynod. It was the 17th February, 1546. He felt that. he
was dying. "Pray, brethren; oh! pray for the spread of the gospel," he said to
his fellow-labourers. Thenhe took a turn or two in the room, and lay down.
"Friends, I am dying. Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commit my spirit."
"Reverendfather," said Dr. Jonas, "do you die firm in the faith you have
taught?" Luther opened his eyes, which were half-closed, lookedfixedly at
Jonas, and replied, firmly and distinctly, "Yes." That was the last word he
uttered; then his great spirit went home.
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(3) For this man was counted.—Rather, ForHe hath been accounted, by God,
who hath crownedHim with glory and honour (Hebrews 2:9). In this reward
lies containedthe proof that He was faithful. This is probably the connection
of thought; others join this verse with the first: “ConsiderHim . . . for He hath
receivedhigher glory than Moses.”
Inasmuch as.—Thatis, in proportion as: the glory attained by Jesus exceeds
the glory of Moses,as the honour due to the builder of the house exceeds that
possessedby the house itself. It is not said that Jesus is the Builder; but the

relation in which He stands to the Builder of the house is compared with that
of Moses to the house. (See Hebrews 3:5-6.) “Builded” is not a happy word
here (especiallyif we considerthe sense in which “house” is used), but it is not
easyto find a suitable rendering. The meaning is, He who prepared or formed
the house, with all its necessaryparts and arrangements.
BensonCommentary
Hebrews 3:3-4. For, &c. — The apostle proceeds in this verse, and the three
following, with his design of evidencing the excellenceofChrist above Moses,
as he had done before in reference to angels, and all other revealers of the will
of God to the church; the word for denoting the connectionof this paragraph
with Hebrews 3:1 : “Considerhim,” says he; for he is worthy of more glory
than Moses.— The church being called the house of God, and that by God
himself, the apostle takes advantage ofthe metaphor to express the dignity of
Christ. He that buildeth the house, &c. — The verb κατασκευαζω, here used,
and rendered to build, signifies to set things in order, Hebrews 9:6. It likewise
signifies to form a thing as an artificer doth; in which sense it is applied to
Noah’s forming the ark, Hebrews 11:7. In this passage itsignifies the forming
a church, or religious society, by bestowing on it privileges, and by giving it
laws for the direction of its members. And, as the apostle is speaking of the
forming of the Christian Church, his meaning is, that Jesus, who formed the
Christian Church, is a more honourable or greaterpersonthan all the
members of that church collectively;consequently greaterthan any particular
member of it. By making this observation, the apostle intimated that Moses,
being a member of the JewishChurch, which he formed as God’s servant, and
needing its services and privileges equally with the Israelites, he was not to be
compared with Jesus, who by his own authority had erectedand supported
the church in all ages and places, andhad need of none of the privileges or
services ofthe church which he had formed. For every house is builded by
some man — As the discourse is not concerning a material edifice, but
concerning the Jewishand Christian Churches, every house must mean every
church or religious society;perhaps also every community, state, or
government righteously established, is included in this generalexpression. But

he that built all things — Or all these things, as Beza renders the expression,
namely, the whole church, and all the persons that belong to it, or the parts of
it, in all ages;the expressionall things being properly restrained to the subject
treated of, and the word used by the apostle to express the building of the
house, plainly declaring that it is the same kind of building he is treating of,
and not the absolute creationof all things, which is nowhere expressedby that
word; is God— “The words may be so understood as to signify either that
God made or built all these things, or that he who made and built all these
things is God; the first sense making God the subject, the latter the predicate
of the proposition. But as to our purpose, they amount to the same thing; for if
he who made them is God, his making of them declares him to be so. And that
it is the Lord Christ who is intended in this expression, will appear
immediately; for, 1st, If God absolutely, or God the Father be intended, then
by the building of all things, the creationof the world is designed;so they all
grant who are of that opinion; but that this is not so, we have already
demonstrated from the words themselves. 2d, The introduction of God
absolutely, and his building of all things in this place, is no way subservient to
the apostle’s purpose;for what light or evidence doth this contribute to his
principal assertion, namely, that Christ was more honourable than Moses,
and that on accountof his building the house of God, the confirmation
whereofhe doth in these words expresslydesign? 3d, It is contrary to his
purpose. Forhe doth not prove the Lord Christ to be deservedly preferred
before Moses, unless he manifest that by his own power he built the house of
God in such a manner as Moses was notemployed in; whereas, according to
this interpretation, he assigns the principal building of the house to another,
even the Father, and so overthrows what he had before asserted. This then is
that which by these words the apostle intends to declare;namely, the ground
and reasonwhence it is that the house was or could be in that glorious manner
built by Christ, even because he is God, and so able to effectit; and by this
effectof his powerhe is manifested so to be.” — Owen.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
3:1-6 Christ is to be consideredas the Apostle of our profession, the
Messengersentby God to men, the greatRevealerof that faith which we
profess to hold, and of that hope which we profess to have. As Christ, the

Messiah, anointedfor the office both of Apostle and High Priest. As Jesus, our
Saviour, our Healer, the greatPhysician of souls. Considerhim thus. Consider
what he is in himself, what he is to us, and what he will be to us hereafterand
for ever. Close and serious thoughts of Christ bring us to know more of him.
The Jews had a high opinion of the faithfulness of Moses, yethis faithfulness
was but a type of Christ's. Christ was the Masterof this house, of his church,
his people, as well as their Maker. Moseswas a faithful servant; Christ, as the
eternal Sonof God, is rightful Owner and SovereignRuler of the Church.
There must not only be setting out wellin the ways of Christ, but stedfastness
and perseverance thereinto the end. Every meditation on his person and his
salvation, will suggestmore wisdom, new motives to love, confidence, and
obedience.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
For this man - The Lord Jesus. The word "man" is understood, but there can
be no doubt that he is referred to.
Was counted more worthy - Was more worthy; or is more worthy. The word
used here does not refer to anything that had been saidof him, or to any
estimate which had been made of him. It means simply that he was worthy of
more honor than Moses. how he was so, Paul proceeds to show.
Of more glory - - δόξης doxē̄̄̄ s. Honor, dignity, regard. He really had a higher
rank, and was worthy of more respect. This was saying much for the Messiah,
and that it was proper to say this, Paul proceeds to show. He did not attempt
in any way to undervalue Moses andhis institutions. He gave him all the
honor which the Jews were themselves disposedto render him. He admitted
that he had been eminently faithful in the station where God had placedhim;
and he then proceeds to show that the Lord Jesus was entitled to honor
superior to that, and that hence the Christian religion had more to attachits
friends to it than the Jewishhad.
Inasmuch as he who hath builded the house - The idea here is, either that he
who is the makerof a house - the architect - is worthy of more respectthan
the house itself; or that he who is the founder of a family is worthy of more
honor than the family of which he is the founder. It seems to me that the

former is the meaning - for the latter is not always true. The founder of a
family may be really deserving of much less respectthan some of his
descendants. But it is always true that the architectis worthy of more respect
than the house which he makes. He exhibits intellect and skill. The house,
howeversplendid, has neither. The plan of the house was drawn by him; its
beauty, its proportions, its ornaments, are what he made them, and but for
him they would not have existed. Michelangelo was worthyof more honor
than "St. Peter's Cathedral" at Rome; and Sir Christopher Wren worthy of
more than "St. Paul's Cathedral" at London. Galileo is worthy of more praise
than the telescope, andFulton more than a steam-engine. All the evidence of
skill and adaptedness that there is in the invention had its origin in the
inventor all the beauty of the statue or the temple had its origin in the mind of
him that designedit. An author is worthy of more honor than a book; and he
that forms a work of art is worthy of more respectthan the work itself. This is
the idea here. Paul assumes that all things owedtheir origin to the Son of
God; Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 1:8,Hebrews 1:10. He was the author of the
universe; the source of all wise and well-founded systems;the originatorof the
Jewishdispensationover which Moses presided. Whateverbeauty or
excellence there might have been, therefore, in that system, was to be traced to
him; and whateverability even Mosesdisplayedwas imparted by him. Christ
is really the head of the family over which Mosespresided, and has claims,
therefore, to higher honor as such.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
3. For—assigning the reasonwhy they should "consider" attentively "Christ"
(Heb 3:1), highly as they regard Moses who resembledHim in faithfulness
(Heb 3:2).
was—Greek,"has been."
counted worthy of more glory—by God, when He exalted Him to His own
right hand. The Hebrew Christians admitted the fact (Heb 1:13).
builded the house—Greek,"inasmuchas He hath more honor than the house,
who prepared it," or "establishedit" [Alford]. The Greek verb is used
purposely insteadof "builded," in order to mark that the building meant is

not a literal, but a spiritual house: the Church both of the Old Testamentand
New Testament;and that the building of such a house includes all the
preparations of providence and grace neededto furnish it with "living stones"
and fitting "servants." Thus, as Christ the Founder and Establisher(in Old
Testamentas well as the New Testament)is greaterthan the house so
established, including the servants, He is greateralso than Moses, who was
but a "servant." Moses,as a servant, is a portion of the house, and less than
the house;Christ, as the Instrumental Creatorof all things, must be God, and
so greaterthan the house of which Moseswas but a part. Glory is the result of
honor.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses:the Spirit proves
to the Hebrews, that the gospelProphet was not only like to, but more
excellentthan, their greatestprophet, and who had familiarity with God
beyond others, as God testifieth, Numbers 12:6-8. This he proves by an
undeniable supposition, that God is better than man; such is Christ; which he
demonstrates by a work of God, his making the church and all things. If he
made the church, then he is better than the whole church, and worthy of more
honour than Moses,who is but a member of it. Forthis, man is not in the
original, this gospelProphet, who was God as well as man, the apostle and
High Priestof Christians, was esteemedand accountedby God the Father, the
best judge of worth, and who appointed him to his offices:he treated him
more honourably than Moses, as he deservedit, having realexcellencyand
worth in himself. He was God’s Son, Moses his servant. He lay in God’s
bosom, saw his face, was his fellow, Zechariah 13:7 John 1:14,18;Moses only
heard his voice, and saw his back parts, Exodus 33:19,20,23 34:5-7. Moses’s
face only shined, but Christ’s personwas entirely glorious, Exodus 34:29,30 2
Corinthians 3:7: compare Matthew 17:2-6 2 Peter1:17.
Inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house;
he is the cause, principal, efficient, and architect of this building, not a stone is
laid in it without him. By this metaphor of house to which it relateth, is meant

God’s spiritual building and temple, 1 Corinthians 3:10,16,17;styled God’s
household or family, Ephesians 2:19-22:in sum, God’s church, built by and
on Christ, of which Moses was but one living stone or member, 1 Peter2:4-8.
Therefore this builder ought to be esteemedand honoured above the church,
or Moses, a member of it.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses,.... Moseswas
counted worthy of glory and honour, and had it given him, both by God and
by men; by God, as appears from the work he calledhim to, to deliver his
people Israel, to revealhis mind and will to them, and to rule and govern
them; and from the favours he showedhim, as the miracles he did by him, the
near converse he admitted him to, and the view he gave him of his glory,
which he made to pass before him, and his regard to him at his death and
burial, as well as the testimony he gave of him; and he was counted worthy of
honour by men, and who gave it him, as Pharaohand his people, and the
Israelites. The Jews give very greatcommendations of him; they call him a
father in the law, a father in wisdom, and a father in prophecy (u); and say,
that he is the father, master, head, and prince of all the prophets (w); yea, the
greatprophet expectedin the last days, they say, will be but next to Moses,
their master (x): they observe, that there were more miracles wrought by, and
for him, than were wrought by, and for all the prophets that have been since
the world began(y); so that he not only exceededthem in the excellencyand
sublimity of prophecy, but in the multitude of miracles;but Christ is worthy
of more glory than Moses, andhas it given him by God, angels, and men: he is
a greaterSaviour than Moses;Moses was but a temporal saviour, but he is the
author of spiritual and eternalsalvation: he is a greaterprophet than Moses,
being the only begottenSon of God, who lay in the bosomof the Father, and
has declaredhim, his mind and will, his Gospel, grace,and truth, as Moses
never did: he is a greaterKing than he, being made higher than the kings of
the earth: he did more miracles than Moses, andhad a greatertestimony from
God than he had, as that he was his beloved Son, and to be heard; he was also
raised, from the dead, and is set down at the right hand of God, and is
appointed Judge of all; he is ministered to, and worshipped by angels, is
believed on by men, who ascribe the whole glory of their salvation to him.

Inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house;
this "house", or"temple", as the Arabic version renders it, is the church, of
which Christ is the builder; though not to the exclusionof the Fatherand the
Spirit, who are coefficientbuilders with him, nor of ministers of the Gospelas
instruments, nor of believers in a private capacity, who build up one another;
but he has the chief concernin the building, which lies in the conversionof
souls, and in the edification of them, and is carried on by his Spirit in the
ministry of the word and ordinances, and from hence he has a glory; see
Zechariah 6:12 a greaterglorythan Moses, seeing he was but a part of this
house, at most but a pillar in it; but Christ is the builder, foundation, and
cornerstone.
(u) T. Bab. Megilia, fol. 12. 1.((w) Shemot Rabba, sect. 21. fol. 106. 3. Maimon.
Yesode Hattorah, c. 7. sect. 6. Obede Cochabim, c. 1. sect. 3. & in Misn
Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 1. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 18. 3.((x) Maimon. Teshubah, c.
9. sect. 2.((y) Menassehben Israel, Conciliat. in Deut. qu. 11.
Geneva Study Bible
{4} Forthis man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuchas
he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
(4) The first comparison:The builder of the house is better than the house
itself, therefore Christ is better than Moses.The reasonfor the conclusionis
this: because the builder of the house is God, which cannot be attributed to
Moses;and therefore Moses wasnot the builder, but a part of the house: but
Christ as Lord and God, made the house.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Hebrews 3:3.[56] Continued alleging of reasons for the καταΝΟΉΣΑΤΕ,
Hebrews 3:1, in bringing into more distinct relief the exaltedness ofChrist
above Moses. Hebrews 3:3 is not, as de Wette supposes, explicationor analysis
of Hebrews 3:2. Fora placing upon a parallel cannot be explained or analysed
by a placing superior.

ΑὟΤΟς] sc. Ἰησοῦς.
On ΠΑΡΆ after a comparative, see at Hebrews 1:4.
ἨΞΊΩΤΑΙ]has been counted worthy, sc. by God. The verb stands, as
ordinarily (comp. 2 Thessalonians 1:5;2 Thessalonians1:11;1 Timothy 5:17;
Hebrews 10:29), in the real sense, so that it includes the notion of the
possessionobtained.
The figure in the proposition of comparison, καθʼὅσον πλείονα τιμὴν ἔχει τοῦ
οἴκου κ.τ.λ., is occasionedby the preceding ἘΝ ὍΛῼ Τῷ ΟἼΚῼ ΑὐΤΟῦ
added in Hebrews 3:2. The words contain a truth of universal validity, the
application of which, for the rest, to Christ and Moses, followsofitself.
Greaterhonour than the house (in the wider sense [of household], the family
and servants included therein) has he who has prepared it. Thus, also, Christ
stands higher in honour and glory than Moses. Forfounder and establisherof
the house of God, or the divine kingdom,—whichin its first formations
reaches back to the time of the Old Covenant, but by the New Covenantcomes
to full realization,—is Christ; while Moses is only a part of the οἶκος itself,
only a (ministering, cf. Hebrews 3:5) member of this house, or an ΟἸΚΈΤΗς
in the same. Confusing and full of caprice is the indication of the connectionof
thought of Hebrews 3:3-6 as given by Delitzsch. See, in opposition to him,
Riehm, Lehrbegr. des Hebräerbr. p. 309.
τοῦ οἴκου]is governedby the comparative ΠΛΕΊΟΝΑ:more (greater)honour
than the house. Mistakenlydo Homberg, Wolf, Peirce, Michaelis,Heumann,
Semler, Morus, Ernesti, Heinrichs, Paulus, Stengel, and others make it
depend upon τιμήν: greaterhonour of the house, or in the house.

κατασκευάζειν]implies more than ΟἸΚΟΔΟΜΕῖΝ. Notonly the erectionof
the house, but also the arrangementthereof, the providing of it with the
necessaryfurniture and servants, is thereby expressed.
[56] Comp. Gabler, Dissert. exeg. in illustrem locum Hebrews 3:3-6, Jena
1778. (Reprintedin the Opuscc. acad. vol. II. Ulm 1831, 8.)
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
3. Forthis man] Rather, “ForHe,” i.e. Christ. The “for” depends on the
“Consider.”
was counted worthy] Rather, “hath been deemed worthy,” namely, by God.
more glory] Rather, “a fuller glory” (amplioris gloriae, Vulg.).
of more glory than Moses]Eagerlyas the writer is pressing forwards to
develop his original and central conceptionof Christ as our Eternal High
Priest, he yet has to pause to prove His superiority over Moses, becausethe
Jews had begun to elevate Mosesinto a position of almostsupernatural
grandeur which would have its effecton the imaginations of wavering and
almost apostatising converts. Thus the Rabbis said that “the soulof Moseswas
equivalent to the souls of all Israel;” (because by the cabbalistic process called
Gematria the numerical value of the letters of “Mosesour Rabbi” in Hebrew
= 613, which is also the value of the letters of “Lord God of Israel”). They said
that “the face of Moses.was like the Sun;” that he alone “saw through a clear
glass” not as other prophets “through a dim glass” (comp. St Paul’s “through
a mirror in a riddle,” 1 Corinthians 13:12) and that whereas there are but
fifty gates ofunderstanding in the world, “all but one were opened to Moses.”
See the Rabbinic referencesin my Early days of Christianity, 1. 362. St Paul

in 2 Corinthians 3:7-8 contrasts the evanescing splendour on the face of Moses
with the unchanging glory of Christ.
he who hath builded the house]The verb (κατασκευάσας)implies rather
“equipped” or “established” than “builded” (see Hebrews 9:2; Hebrews 9:6,
Hebrews 11:7 and note on Hebrews 1:2; Wis 13:4).
hath more honour than the house] The point of this expressionis not very
obvious. If takenstrictly it would imply that Moses was himself“the house”
which Christ built. But οἶκος, “house” or“household” means more than the
mere building (οἰκία), It means the whole theocratic family, the House of
Israelin its covenantrelation; and though Moses wasnot this House, he was
more than a servant in it being also its direct representative and human head.
(There is a somewhatsimilar phrase in Philo, De plant. Noe, 16.)
Bengel's Gnomen
Hebrews 3:3. Πλείονος, of more) Christ, a prophet as Moses, Acts 3:22, note
(whereas the other prophets only explained Moses);and yet He was different
from Moses, ch. Hebrews 8:9; John 1:7. He is greaterthan Moses according to
this passage.—γὰρ, for) The reasonassigned(Ætiology)has relation to
κατανοήσατε, consider.—δόξης, glory)Presentlyafterwards, τιμὴν, honour:
τιμὴ here rather denotes something internal; δόξα follows it.—τοῦ οἴκου)The
genitive is governedby πλείονα, the comparative;for it is an Enthymeme [a
covertsyllogism, wherein one or other premiss needs to be supplied], as
follows:Christ is greaterthan the house (for the house is being prepared
[‘built,’ κατασκευάζεται];Christ hath prepared [‘built’] the house and all
things, and so Christ is God): therefore Christ is greaterthan Moses.The
reasonis: for Moses is less than the house, as a minister and as in some
measure a portion of the house;comp. Matthew 12:6, note.
Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - For of more glory than Moses hath this man (so A.V., for οὕτος,
supplying "man," though it is to be observed that the humanity of the person
spokenof is not expressedin the original) been counted worthy (ἠξίωται:cf.
Luke 7:7; 1 Timothy 5:17; Hebrews 10:24; 2 Thessalonians 1:11), by so much
as more honor than the house hath he that built (or, established)it. Here the
accountof Christ's superiority to Moses begins. Onthe severalexpressions
used we remark:
(1) The initiatory γὰρconnects the sentence logicallywith κατανοήσατε inver.
1, and thus retains its usual sense of"for."
(2) The form of comparisonin the Greek, πλείονος παρὰ, is the same as in
Hebrews 1:4, where the accountof Christ's superiority to angels began(on
which see supra).
(3) The "glory" (δόξα) here assignedto Christ is the" glory and honor"
spokenof above as attained by him in consequence ofhis human obedience
(cf. Hebrews 2:9, "becauseofthe suffering of death crownedwith glory and
honor"). This, rather than "the glory he had with the Fatherbefore the world
was" (John17:5), is suggestedby the word ἠξίωται, as well as by the drift of
the preceding chapters. We may suppose also a reference, in contrast, to the
transitory "glory" on the countenance of Moses (ἡ καταργουμένη), whichis
contrasted(2 Corinthians 3.) with the ὑπερβαλλούση δόξα in Christ. We
observe, further, that in the latter part of the verse τιμή is substituted for
δόξα, as more suitable to the mundane comparisonof a house and its builder.
(4) Κατασκευάζεινmay include the idea of fitting up and furnishing a house
as well as building it. But what is the drift of the intended argument? It is
usual, with the Fathers generally, to suppose that Christ (οὕτος)is intended to
be denoted as the Builder or Establisherof the house in which Hoses was a

servant, and that the argument is that he, as such, is necessarilygreaterthan
the servant, who was but a part of the house, or household, thus established.
Οϊκος, it is to be observed, may include in its meaning the familia, as wellas
the house itself, as κατασκευάζεινmay include the idea of constituting the
whole establishment (cf. infra, "whose house we are"). Among moderns,
Hofmann and Delitzschdeny this identification of ὁ κατασκευάσας with
οὕτος:against which there are the following reasons:
(1) The SON has not been representedso far in the Epistle as the originatorof
the economyof redemption. Notwithstanding distinct intimations of his
eternal proexistent Deity (as in Hebrews 1:1, 2, 10), it has been as the Messiah,
the Apostle and High Priest, manifested in time, and passing through
humanity to glory, that he has been regarded in the preceding argument. Nor
is there any proof here adduced of his being the Builder of the "house," so as
to justify the conclusionon this ground of his glory being greaterthan that of
Moses.
(2) The word ἠξίωται ("has been counted worthy of") suggests(as has been
already remarked) refer once to the glory wonby him, "on accountof the
suffering of death," rather than to his pristine glory as the Divine Builder.
(3) Elsewhere in the New Testament, whenthe Church is referred to under
the figure of a house, it is spokenof as God's building (cf. Hebrews 10:21; 1
Timothy 3:15; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16;2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:22; 1
Peter4:17; 1 Peter2:5). It is never spokenof as Christ's.
(4) The wording of ver. 3 does not necessitatethe identification of ὁ
κατασκευάσας with οὕτος. Καθ ὅσον means "so far as;" it implies only that
the glory of Christ is greaterthan that of Moses, in proportion as the honor of
the builder is greaterthan that of the house.

(5) The identification increasesthe difficulty of understanding the relevance to
the argument of ver. 4, of which more will be said presently. Taking, then, ὁ
κατασκευάσας to denote God the Father, we may state the argument thus:
God is the Builder, or Founder, of his own house. Christ has been already
shown to be his SON, associatedwith him in dignity and power, and, as such,
Lord over his Father's house. Moses, onthe other hand, as appears from
Numbers 12:7, was but a servant in God's house. As, then, the Founder is to
the house, so is the Sonand Lord to a servant in it; the Son partaking of the
glory of the Founder; the servant only of that of the house in which he serves.
According to this view of the argument, the premises have been established,
and the conclusionfollows;the relationof Christ to the Builder of the house
has been setforth in the preceding chapter, and may be now assumed;that of
Moses is sufficiently shown by the quotation from the Pentateuch. Thus also
vers. 5 and 6 are found to carry out naturally the idea here introduced,
instead of unexpectedly starting a different one.
Vincent's Word Studies
Was counted worthy (ἠξίωται)
Used both of reward which is due (1 Timothy 5:17) and of punishment
(Hebrews 10:29).
Of more glory (πλείονος δόξης)
Comp. Hebrews 2:8, Hebrews 2:9.
Inasmuch as (καθ'ὅσον)
Rend. by so much as. The argument is based on the generalprinciple that the
founder of a house is entitled to more honor than the house and its individual
servants. There is an apparent confusionin the working out, since both God
and Christ appear as builders, and Moses figures both as the house and as a
servant in the house. The point of the whole, however, is that Moses was a
part of the O.T. system- a servant in the house;while Christ, as one with God

who establishedall things, was the founder and establisherof both the Old
and the New Testamenteconomies.
PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
Hebrews 3:3 ForHe has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses,by
just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.
(NASB: Lockman)
Greek:pleionos garoutos doxes para Mousenexiotai(3SRPI)kath' oson
pleiona timen echei(3SPAI) tou oikouo kataskeuasas(AAPMSN)auton.
Amplified: Yet Jesus has been consideredworthy of much greaterhonor and
glory than Moses, justas the builder of a house has more honor than the
house [itself]. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
KJV: For this man was countedworthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch
as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
NLT: But Jesus deserves farmore glory than Moses, justas a person who
builds a fine house deserves more praise than the house itself. (NLT - Tyndale
House)
Phillips: For this man has been consideredworthy of greaterhonour than
Moses,just as the founder of a house may be truly saidto have more honour
than the house itself. (Phillips: Touchstone)
Weymouth: For Jesus has been counted worthy of greaterglorythan Moses,
in so far as he who has built a house has higher honour than the house itself.
Wuest: Forthis One was counted worthy of more glory than Moses by so
much as he who built it has more honor than the house (Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses,
by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.

FOR HE HAS BEEN COUNTED WORTHYOF MORE GLORY THAN
MOSES:pleionos gar houtos doxes para Mousenexiota (3SRPI):(Heb 3:6;
1:2, 3, 4; 2:9; Colossians 1:18)
Worthy (515)(axioo - see discussionof relatedadjective axios)means to
considersomething of a comparable merit or worth, here referring to Jesus
"worthiness"!
The verb counted worthy is perfecttense, speaking of the permanent state of
Jesus being counted worthy.
And so John records that in heaven "thousands of thousands" are "saying
with a loud voice, "Worthy (corresponding adjective form axios) is the Lamb
that was slain to receive powerand riches and wisdom and might and honor
and glory and blessing. (Rev5:12-note)
Moses was onlya part of God’s householdof faith, whereas Jesus was the
Creatorof that household and, therefore, is greaterthan Moses andequal to
God.
Spurgeon- See the superiority of Christ to Moses;Moses is honored by being
calledthe servant of God, but Jesus is the Son of God, and as Son, Master
over His ownhouse.
BY JUST SO MUCH AS THE BUILDER OF THE HOUSE: kath' hosonho
kataskeuasas(AAP):(Zechariah 4:9; 6:12,13;Matthew 16:18;1Corinthians
3:9; 1Peter2:5, 6, 7)
By just so much - A proportionate measurement.
Vincent - The argument is based on the generalprinciple that the founder of a
house is entitled to more honor than the house and its individual servants.
There is an apparent confusion in the working out, since both God and Christ
appear as builders, and Moses figures both as the house and as a servant in
the house. The point of the whole, however, is that Moses was a part of the OT
system - a servantin the house; while Christ, as one with God who established
all things, was the founder and establisherof both the Old and the New
Testamenteconomies.

Builder of the house (2680)(kataskeuazo)means to equip, make ready,
construct, furnish. This verb expresses more that mere constructionof the
house. It includes the supply of all necessaryfurniture and equipment. It's the
idea of adorning and equipping with all things necessary.
HAS MORE HONOR THAN THE HOUSE: kath osonpleiona timen echei
(PAI) tou oikou:
Simply stated, the architect is superior to the house.
Albert Barnes - Michelangelo was worthyof more honor than “St. Peter’s
Cathedral” at Rome; and Sir Christopher Wren worthy of more than “St.
Paul’s Cathedral” at London. Galileo is worthy of more praise than the
telescope,and Fulton more than a steam-engine. All the evidence of skill…
that there is in the invention had its origin in the inventor all the beauty of the
statue or the temple had its origin in the mind of him that designedit. An
author is worthy of more honor than a book; and he that forms a work of art
is worthy of more respectthan the work itself. This is the idea here.
Jesus is counted as worthy of more glory on the basis of the truth that the one
who builds a house has more honor than the house. Who built the house?
Messiahbuilt the house of Israel and Moses is but a member of that house.
Since Jesus has more honor than the house of Israel, it follows that He is
worthy of more honor than Moses, forMoses is a member of the house of
Israel.
Kenneth Wuest - now, having prepared the ground, the writer comes out
boldly with the assertionthat Messiahwas countedworthy of more glory than
Moses,on the basis of and measured by the principle that the one who builds
a house has more honor than the house. Messiahbuilt the house of Israel.
Moses is a member of that house. Since Messiahhas more honor than the
house of Israel, it follows that He is worthy of more honor than Moses, for
Moses is a member of the house of Israel. Since Messiahis better than Moses,
the Testamentwhich He inaugurated must be better than the one Moses was
instrumental in bringing in, and for the reasonthat a superior workman turns
out a superior product. (Ibid)

Spurgeon- And Moses was but one stone in the house. Though in a certain
sense he was a servant in it, yet in another, and, for him, a happier sense, he
was only a stone in the house which the Lord Jesus Christ had built. Let us
think of our Lord as the Architect and Builder of His own Church, and let our
hearts count Him worthy of more glory than Moses;let us give Him glory in
the highest. Howeverhighly a Jew may think of Moses—andhe ought to think
highly of him, and so ought we—yetinfinitely higher than Moses must ever
rise the incarnate Sonof God.
Dr. Jack L. Arnold
Lesson9
Jesus Christ Is Superior to Moses
Hebrews 3:1-6
One of the most difficult tasks in the interpretation of the book of Hebrews is
to think like a Jew. This book was written to a group of professing Hebrew-
Christians who were seriouslyconsidering leaving Christianity to go back into
Judaism. The author of Hebrews goes to the Old Testamentto show how
Christ is superior to all the Old Testamentteachings, andwhy they must not
leave Christ and go back into the Old Testamentsystem.
Hebrews 3:1-6 shows us that Jesus Christ is superior to Moses. Itis very
difficult for us as Gentiles removed 2000 years from New Testamenttimes to
understand the reverence and esteemin which Moses was heldby the Jews.
Almost all of Jewishreligious history was relatedin some wayto Moses.

Moses was his own prophet, priest and king. Through Moses,Israelwas freed
from Egyptian bondage. Moses wasthe mediator of the Old Covenant or the
Mosaic Law. Throughhim, the whole of the Levitical economywas instituted
- the tabernacle, the priesthood, the sacrifices. Moseswas the administrator
of the theocracyfor Israel. Moseswas the hero of every Jew, for he was the
supreme leader and lawgiver.
If Christ is the Messiah, then it would have to be proven that Christ was
better than Moses. No Jew wouldfollow a man with fewercredentials than
Moses. With greatfinesse, the author does not defame Moses,but he exalts
Christ to show that Christ is superior to Moses.
CHRIST’S HIGH OFFICES (Hebrews 3:1)
“Therefore…” -- In chapter one of Hebrews, we saw that Christ was truly
God. In chaptertwo, we saw He was truly man. It was also declaredthat
Christ was a “merciful and faithful high priest” (Heb. 2:17), so now the
author begins to tell us how Christ was a “faithful” high priest.
Since Christ is the God-man, our High Priest, we are to relate these truths to
our lives, and the first step in this process is to meditate on Christ by
considering Him.
“...holybrethren...” -- The author assumed that the vast majority of people to
whom he was writing were true, born-again believers in Jesus Christ. He
addresses them as brethren basedon their outward professionof faith in
Jesus Christ. They are also called“holy” in that they have been “setapart” to
God for divine service. Theyare members of the Christian brotherhood and
separatedfrom their unbelieving Jewishkinsmen.

In God’s eyes, there is only one brotherhood and that is the brotherhood of all
true believers in Christ. These true believers have different backgrounds,
talents, temperaments, education, rank and race, but they form one
brotherhood separatedto the service ofGod.
Some time ago I was askedto lead a dorm discussionat VPI for the Inter-
Varsity Christian Fellowship. During the discussiontime, severalof the
students askedme about the brotherhood of man and how I felt about it. The
question was askedbecausethere were about five Orientals and three blacks
in the audience. I said I do not believe in the brotherhood of all men, and
immediately they tabbed me as a fighting fundamentalist of the white,
protestant, middle class. Theysaid, “You are then againsthaving people of
different races in your church.” I replied that not every white man was my
brother, not every oriental was my brother, not every black man was my
brother and not every red man or brown man was my brother. My brothers
and sisters are any and all who have placedtheir faith in Christ. The true
brotherhood of Christ consists ofall Orientals, blacks, whites or browns that
have been calledby God to salvationthrough Christ. For my brothers and
sisters in Christ, I live and would gladly die. There was silence among the
students and those of another race listened to what I had to say about the
gospelof Christ.
“...partakersofa heavenly calling...” -- These Hebrew-Christians were sharers
in the calling that comes only from God. All Christians are associatedwith
one another in the holy brotherhood because ofthe sovereigncallof God to
salvation.
“And we know that God causes allthings to work together for goodto those
who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Forwhom
He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His

Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and who He
predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Rom. 8:28-30).
“…who (God) has savedus, and calledus with a holy calling, not according to
our works, but according to His own purpose and grace whichwas granted us
in Christ Jesus from all eternity…” (2 Tim. 1:9).
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner
worthy of the calling with which you have been called…” (Eph. 4:1).
We are Christians at this very hour because Godhas sovereignlycalled us to
be Christians in His divine plan.
Note carefully that this is a “heavenlycalling” in that it originatedfrom
heaven and it takes us to heaven. This is also a heavenly calling in that in the
Old Testamentmuch of the Jewishhope was an earthly hope, but in the New
Testamentthe Church has a heavenly hope, for the Church has its eyes fixed
upon a city whose Makerand Builder is God, the new and eternal Jerusalem.
This is the first mention of the contrastof heavenand world, or material
things of this world, which are temporary and heavenly things which are
eternal.
The book of Hebrews is a heavenly book. Christ fulfilled all the Old
Testamenttypes and shadows. WhenChrist rose from the dead and ascended
to the right hand of the Father, He took everything of spiritual significance up
to heaven. Our whole worship now is spiritual and heavenly. Our Christ is in

heaven; our worship is in heaven; our home is in heaven. We no longer need
altars, buildings, tabernacles, candles,becausewe are a heavenly people
serving a heavenly Christ!
“...considerJesus, the Apostle and High Priestof our confession...” --These
Christians were to give deep contemplation to Christ and fix their spiritual
eyes on Christ. It was only as they seriouslyconsideredChrist that they
would not leave Christianity for Judaism. It is only as we think about,
meditate on, give attention to Christ that we learn to love Him and long to
please Him.
Christians have made a confession(profession)of faith in Christ as Lord,
Savior, King, Priestand Prophet. The word “confession” means that when
the Christian makes his initial act of faith in Christ he agrees orconsents to
the factthat Christ is Lord, Savior, King, Prophet and Priest as God has
declaredHim to be.
A true believer is one who confessesChristto men.
“Thatif you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart
that God raisedHim from the dead, you shall be saved;for with the heart
man believes, resulting in righteousness, andwith the mouth he confesses,
resulting in salvation” (Rom. 10:9-10).
“Every one therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confesshim
before My Father who is in heaven. But whoevershall deny Me before men, I
will also deny him before My Fatherwho is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33).

Jesus was greater than moses

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