"THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS" The Supremacy Of Jesus Over Moses (3:1-6) INTRODUCTION 1. We have seen that the writer to the Hebrews sought to encourage faithfulness to Jesus by illustrating His superiority... a. Over prophets - He 1:1-3 b. Over angels - He 1:4-2:18 -- Both of which were very important to the Jewish people 2. Highly revered also by the Hebrews was Moses... a. The author of the first five books of the Old Testament b. The deliverer, who led them out of Egyptian bondage and to the promised land c. The Law-giver, through whom God revealed so much of the Jewish religion 3. If the writer was to be successful in encouraging his brethren to remain faithful to Jesus... a. He would have to compare Jesus with Moses b. He would have to illustrate "The Supremacy Of Jesus Over Moses" -- This he does, especially in He 3:1-6, which serves as the text of our study [In the first verse, we note the...] I. THE CALL TO CONSIDER JESUS (1) A. TO WHOM THIS CALL IS GIVEN... 1. The readers are described as: a. "holy brethren" 1) I.e., brethren who are sanctified, set apart for a holy purpose 2) Cf. what was written in He 2:10-11 3) It is to the brethren of Christ that these things are being written! b. "partakers of the heavenly calling" 1) They had come to share in the call from heaven 2) This "calling" was the call of the gospel a) For that is how God calls us - 2Th 2:13-14 b) It is a call to glory - 2Th 2:14; 1Th 2:12 2. Clearly the original recipients were Christians! a. Some commentators try to reason that they were not, because of the warnings found throughout this epistle b. But it is evident they were, which is why we need to give earnest heed to the warnings! B. TO CONSIDER JESUS AS APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST... 1. How is Jesus an "apostle"? a. The word means "one sent" b. Just as Moses was sent by God, so was Jesus, as foretold by Moses and the prophets that followed! - Ac 3:22-26; cf. Jn 7:16 2. How is Jesus a "high priest"? a. That is one of the important themes of this epistle 1) Introduced in He 2:17 2) Expounded upon in detail later in He 4:14-7:28 b. He has made "propitiation" (an appeasing sacrifice) for our sins, through offering Himself on the cross - He 7:26-27 c. He continues to intercede on our behalf - He 7:24-25 -- Thus Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest "of our confession" (i.e., whom we confess as Christians) [As we now note the actual comparison of Jesus with Moses, we are told that...] II. JESUS IS GREATER IN HIS PERSON (2-4) A. THE ISSUE IS NOT ONE OF FAITHFULNESS... 1. Jesus was faithful to the One who appointed Him - cf. Jn 17:4 2. Moses likewise was faithful - cf. He 11:24-29; Num 12:6-8 B. JESUS IS GREATER BECAUSE HE IS THE BUILDER (CREATOR)... 1. Jesus is worthy of more glory, just as one who builds a house has more honor than the house itself a. Jesus is the builder b. Moses is part of the house itself -- Implying that what Moses did was in service to the work of the Son! 2. Once again the author declares the deity of the Son as the Creator of all things - cf. He 1:2c,10; 3:4 [The comparison continues as we note that...] III. JESUS IS GREATER IN HIS MINISTRY (5-6) A. MOSES WAS A FAITHFUL "SERVANT"... 1. We have already seen that issue is not one of faithfulness - Num 12:6-8 2. Moses' task was to testify of things to come, which he did faithfully - e.g., Deut 18:15-19; cf. Lk 24:44 B. JESUS IS A FAITHFUL "SON"... 1. Moses was simply a servant IN the house, Jesus is the Son OVER the house 2. Not only did Jesus do the work He was sent to do (Jn 17:4), but He was given authority over all the things of God - cf. Mt 28:18; Jn 3:35; Ep 1:22 CONCLUSION 1. How is Jesus superior to Moses? a. Not in faithfulness, but in person and service b. Moses was a servant in the house of God; Jesus is the builder of the house, and serves as the Son over the house! -- Indeed, Moses points us forward to Jesus (cf. Deut 18:15-19); for one to forsake Jesus in an attempt to go back to Moses alone is to frustrate the desire of Moses himself! 2. Speaking of the house of God, of which Jesus is the builder and over which He presides... a. The writer to the Hebrews affirms that "we" are the house of Christ 1) Speaking of the church, which is the house of God - 1 Tim 3:15 2) In Christ, we are now "members of the household of God", and together with the faithful saints of old (including Moses) we are now "fellow-citizens" in the commonwealth of Israel! - cf. Ep 2:11-22 b. Yet our status as the "house" is conditional! 1) "whose house we are IF we hold fast...." - He 3:6 2) We must hold fast "the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end." Therefore the need for steadfastness, and the reason this epistle is filled with exhortations to that end! Indeed, the next exhortation begins in verse 7, which we shall examine in our next lesson ("A Warning From The Wilderness"). Is your faith wavering? Then heed the words of this epistle and... "consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus". As you contemplate His person and His ministry, it should help you hold fast to your confession of faith!Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011
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