Jesus is Greater Than Moses (And Why That Changes Everything)
What’s Hebrews 3 about?
The author of Hebrews delivers a masterclass in showing why Jesus towers above even Moses – Israel’s greatest hero. It’s not just about religious hierarchy; it’s about understanding who deserves our ultimate trust and why hardened hearts lead to spiritual disaster.
The Full Context
Picture this: You’re writing to a group of Jewish Christians who are seriously considering walking away from Jesus and returning to traditional Judaism. The pressure is mounting, persecution is real, and Moses – the great lawgiver who spoke face-to-face with God – seems like solid ground compared to this crucified carpenter from Nazareth. This is exactly the crisis the author of Hebrews addresses in chapter 3.
The author doesn’t dismiss Moses or diminish his significance. Instead, he uses Moses as a stepping stone to reveal Jesus’ superior glory. This passage sits at the heart of the letter’s central argument: Jesus is better than the angels (Hebrews 1), greater than Moses (chapter 3), and superior to the Levitical priesthood (chapters 4-10). The stakes couldn’t be higher – this isn’t theological theory, but a life-and-death warning about the dangers of spiritual drift and the catastrophic consequences of unbelief.
What the Ancient Words Tell Us
The Greek word kataskeuazo in Hebrews 3:3 is absolutely fascinating. When the author says Jesus has been “counted worthy of more glory than Moses,” he uses this term that means “to construct” or “to build.” It’s the same word you’d use for an architect designing a house versus someone just living in it.
Here’s where it gets beautiful: Moses was pistos (faithful) in God’s house, but Jesus is pistos over God’s house. The preposition makes all the difference. Moses was the trusted servant managing the household; Jesus is the Son who owns the house. It’s like comparing a faithful butler to the prince who inherits the estate.
Grammar Geeks
The Greek construction in verse 6 – “we are his house” (oikos autou esmen hemeis) – puts the emphasis squarely on “we.” The author isn’t just making a theological point; he’s saying “YOU are God’s house, IF you hold fast.” The conditional clause that follows isn’t about earning salvation, but about proving its reality.
The word parrhesia (confidence/boldness) in Hebrews 3:6 was a political term in the ancient world. It described the right of a free citizen to speak openly in the public assembly. When the author says we must hold fast our parrhesia, he’s talking about our bold, free access to God – something that would have blown the minds of readers who were used to approaching God through elaborate temple rituals.
What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?
Imagine being a first-century Jewish Christian hearing this letter read aloud in your house church. Moses wasn’t just a historical figure to you – he was the hero, the man who talked with God face-to-face, who received the Law on Sinai, who led Israel out of Egypt. Suggesting anyone was greater than Moses? That’s fighting words.
But the author is brilliant. He doesn’t attack Moses; he honors him while elevating Jesus. It’s like saying, “You think Moses was amazing? You haven’t seen anything yet.” The original audience would have immediately caught the reference to Psalm 95 in verses 7-11. This wasn’t just a random Old Testament quote – it was a psalm they sang, probably weekly, that warned about the disaster in the wilderness when an entire generation died because of unbelief.
Did You Know?
The “rest” mentioned in Hebrews 3 isn’t just about the Promised Land. In Jewish thought, “rest” carried layers of meaning – the weekly Sabbath, the Sabbath year, the Year of Jubilee, and ultimately the messianic age when God would bring perfect peace. The author is saying Jesus offers something greater than any of these.
The house metaphor would have resonated deeply. In the ancient world, your house (oikos) wasn’t just your building – it was your entire household, including family, servants, and all who belonged to your sphere. When the author says “we are his house,” he’s declaring that believers aren’t just visitors in God’s presence; they’re permanent residents, family members with full rights and privileges.
Wrestling with the Text
Here’s something that puzzles many readers: Why does the author spend so much time on the wilderness generation? What does their failure 1,400 years earlier have to do with first-century Christians considering abandoning faith?
The answer cuts deep. The wilderness generation had everything – they saw the plagues in Egypt, crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, ate manna from heaven, drank water from the rock. They had Moses as their leader and God’s presence in the cloud and fire. Yet when it came time to enter the Promised Land, they said, “No thanks, we’ll stay in the wilderness.”
Wait, That’s Strange…
Notice that God wasn’t angry with the wilderness generation because they committed some terrible sin. He was angry because of their apistia (unbelief). They had evidence. They had promises. They had a track record of God’s faithfulness. But when push came to shove, they didn’t trust him enough to move forward.
The parallel is uncomfortable. These Hebrew Christians had everything too – they had seen Jesus, experienced his power, received the gospel, tasted the good word of God. But now, facing pressure and persecution, they’re considering walking away. The author is essentially saying, “Don’t become exhibit B of what happens when people with every reason to trust God choose unbelief instead.”
The phrase “hardening of heart” (sklerotes kardias) in verse 8 uses medical terminology. It’s the same word used for the hardening of arteries or the calcification of bones. Spiritual hardness isn’t dramatic – it’s gradual, like arteries slowly clogging until blood can’t flow freely. The author warns that unbelief works the same way, slowly cutting off the flow of spiritual life.
How This Changes Everything
Understanding Jesus’ superiority to Moses isn’t just theological trivia – it transforms how we approach God, handle doubt, and face life’s pressures. If Moses, with all his glory and authority, was just a faithful servant in God’s house, but Jesus is the Son who owns the house, then our relationship with God isn’t about external rituals or keeping rules. It’s about family membership.
The warning passages in Hebrews aren’t threats to true believers; they’re diagnostic tools. They reveal the difference between genuine faith and mere intellectual assent. True faith doesn’t just say, “I believe Jesus is great.” It says, “I’m holding fast to him no matter what comes.” It’s the difference between admiring a bridge and actually walking across it.
“The wilderness isn’t a place on the map – it’s a condition of the heart that refuses to trust God’s promises when they seem too good to be true.”
The “today” emphasis throughout this chapter is crucial. The author quotes Psalm 95:7-8 – “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” – not once, not twice, but repeatedly. There’s an urgency here. Faith isn’t a someday decision; it’s a today choice, made fresh each morning when we wake up and decide whether to trust God’s promises or our circumstances.
Here’s what changes when you really grasp this: Every time you’re tempted to walk away from God because life gets hard, you remember that you’re not just abandoning a religion – you’re walking away from family. You’re leaving the house where you belong. You’re choosing the wilderness when the Promised Land is right there waiting.
Key Takeaway
Jesus isn’t just another religious leader competing for your attention – he’s the Son of God who makes you part of God’s family. The question isn’t whether he’s worth following, but whether you’ll trust him enough to keep following when the path gets difficult.
Further Reading
Internal Links:
External Scholarly Resources:
- The Letter to the Hebrews by Craig Koester
- Hebrews by F.F. Bruce
- The Epistle to the Hebrews by William Lane
- Going On to Perfection by David Peterson
Tags
Hebrews 3:1, Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 3:12, Psalm 95:7-8, Moses, Jesus superiority, faithfulness, unbelief, hardened heart, wilderness generation, house of God, perseverance, apostasy, rest
