Hebrews 3:3 Commentary and Bible Study

But although both Moses and Christ were faithful to God who appointed them, the reality is that they are in quite different categories. How can a comparison be made between a house and the one who designed and built the house? That housebuilder is certainly greater than any house he has made. His honour cannot be reduced to the level of one building that he has constructed or even many, because a housebuilder has within him the capacity to build any number of additional houses. This is so obvious that it does not need further explanation. But this is the relationship between Moses and the Lord Jesus Christ. Moses is a creature created by the Living God. He was created for a particular purpose and he was obedient to God in his day in carrying out that purpose, but he was not himself the designer of the building or the one who constructed it. He was careful not to invent anything himself, but to take instruction from God alone, recognising that the building belonged to the Lord, and only the Lord could say how it should be (Exodus 25:40; Hebrews 8:5). Moses was instead part of that building – the building being the church of God in its typical form in Old Testament times, in which Moses played a significant part. He too was part of what God was constructing.But Jesus Christ is in an entirely different category. He was eternally worthy – he was God, but he could also be ‘counted worthy’ in his incarnate form. He is not part of the house under construction, but he is the one building the house and therefore receives honour as its designer and constructor. The design of this house reveals his perfect wisdom for it is made to be an education for mankind. By presenting it first in typical form through the nation of Israel, and by taking that nation through experiences which wonderfully correspond to the life of the New Testament church, he has put on display a lesson for all the world to see. By commanding Israel to implement the ceremonial law, he has given all men and women insight into the details of his redeeming work. In making the Tabernacle Moses stuck to the pattern shown him on the mount because nothing could be added by mere human wisdom. The same was true of every other detail of the law. How could human wisdom understand what was needed to provide salvation to lost sinners. God alone takes credit for the plan of salvation.