The Book of HEBREWS
James J. Barker
Lesson 07
CONSIDER THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST
INTRODUCTION:
- We saw in chapters 1 and 2 that Christ is better than the angels.
- In a
previous message, I quoted William Newell, who wrote: “Jewish minds thought much
of angelic glory. They had received
the law as ordained by ministry of angels (Acts 7:53). They were wont, therefore, to regard
with awe and wonder these obedient messengers of God’s power. There can be no stronger proof of this
than John’s temptation to worship one (Rev. 19:10; 22:8, 9). Hence the weight of
the further testimony here to Christ’s glory.”
- Jews
also had high regard for Moses.
Moses’ name is mentioned 848 times in the Bible – 768
times in the Old Testament, and 80 times in the New Testament.
- To
many people, Moses represents Judaism.
Often in Scripture, the law is referred to as “the law of
Moses.”
- John
1:17 says, “For
the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ.”
- The
key word in the epistle to the Hebrews is “better.” The word “better” is found 13 times in
the epistle (cf. 1:4).
- Here in our text, it is said
that our Lord is better than Moses.
Moses was sent by God to deliver the Israelites from bondage in
Egypt.
- But Christ was sent to
deliver the whole world from bondage to sin (John 3:16, 17). The word “Wherefore” (3:1)
is there to remind us that the author of this epistle is continuing his argument
that Christ is better than anything Judaism has to offer (cf. 2:1; 4:1;
6:1).
- The author (probably Paul)
is writing to “holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling”
(3:1). The word “heavenly” is
found six times in this epistle.
- “the heavenly gift” (6:4) --
salvation
- the “shadow of heavenly
things” (8:5) – referring to the
tabernacle
- “the heavenly things” (9:23)
– referring to the heavenly
tabernacle
- an heavenly country (11:16) –
the new Jerusalem, called…
- “the heavenly Jerusalem”
(12:22)
- In the book of Hebrews, the heavenly
is contrasted with the earthly, and the heavenly is always far
better.
- The Israelites were God’s earthly
people, but the NT church is God’s heavenly people.
I.
CHRIST IS OUR APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST (3:1).
- An “apostle”
is one who is sent by God (cf. John 17:3, 18).
- Christ is
our great high priest (2:17; 3:1; 4:14, 15; 5:1, 5, 10; 6:20; 7:26; 8:1, 3; 9:7,
11, 25; 10:21; 13:11).
- Both the
apostle and the high priest were appointed by God, and did not take the office
on themselves. Both were
representative offices, in which the holders were acting on behalf of
others.
- “The apostle
represents God to man; a priest represents man to God. The Lord Jesus Christ combines both
functions” – John Phillips.
- This brings
us to verses 2 & 3, where a comparison is made between Christ and
Moses. Moses performed the function
of an apostle in acting as God’s representative to the people. He also served as their intercessor
before God.
- However,
Moses was never referred to as an apostle or a high priest. His brother Aaron was the first high
priest.
- Christ is
shown to be superior to Moses in perfectly fulfilling both functions – as an
apostle sent from God, and as our great high priest (cf. 4:14-16).
II.
CHRIST WAS COUNTED WORTHY OF MORE GLORY THAN
MOSES
- The word
“house” is used here in different ways. In Numbers 12:7, the LORD says, Moses
was “faithful in all mine house.”
Here in Hebrews 3:5, it is “his house.” This refers to the
tabernacle.
- But Hebrews
3:6 says, “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are
we…” This refers to the
church.
- Hebrews 3:2
says, “Moses was faithful in all his house,” and verse 4 says, “For every
house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is
God.”
- The Bible teaches Christ is
God (cf. Hebrews 1:8). Therefore,
Christ “built all things.”
- Referring to Christ, John
1:3 says, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing
made that was made.”
- In Matthew
16:18, our Lord said, “I will build my church; and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it.”
- First
Timothy 3:15 says “the house of God” is “the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” Christ built this house, which is
something no man could ever accomplish, even a great man like Moses.
- Moses was
faithful (3:2), but Christ is a “merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people”
(2:17).
- Moses laid
the foundation of Israel’s theocracy.
Moses was in charge of building the tabernacle, with all its
furnishings.
- Moses was a great builder,
but Christ is the builder. John 1:3 says, “All things were made by
him; and without him was not any thing made that was
made.”
- You will recall that when our Lord
was up on the Mount of Transfiguration with Elijah and Moses, Peter suggested
building three tabernacles – one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah
(Matthew 17:4).
- Then God spoke from heaven, “This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matt. 17:5). Moses and Elijah were great men of God,
but they should not be put on the same level as the Lord Jesus
Christ.
- Christ is superior to Moses in every
way, because Christ is God.
III.
MOSES WAS A SERVANT OF GOD, BUT CHRIST IS THE SON OF
GOD
- Here is another contrast: Moses was a servant
in the house (3:5), whereas Christ is a Son over the house – “over his
own house” (3:6).
- “For a
testimony of those things which were to be spoken after” (3:5) refers to the
fact that Moses was in many ways a picture and type of Christ, but the antitype
is always greater than the type.
- Moses said
in Deuteronomy 18:15, “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from
the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye
shall hearken.”
- Christ is
“like unto” Moses in many ways, but He is far greater than Moses.
- Other types
and foreshadowings of Christ would include the manna from heaven, the Rock that
was smitten, the brazen serpent, etc.
- Luke 24:27
says, “And beginning at
Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them
in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”
CONCLUSION:
- There are
several warnings given in this epistle, and one is found in Hebrews 3:6 ff–
“if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto
the end. Wherefore…”
- William
Newell wrote, “These warnings of Hebrews are not given to create
uncertainty, but to avoid presumption and carelessness.”
- People
interpret these warning passages in different ways, but one thing is certain –
holding fast in the faith proves our faith is real.
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