Hebrews 3:1-6
Dear RTB’ers,
Only six verses, one tenth of some of our Leviticus readings!
“House” is mentioned seven times in today’s reading, with five different modifiers: God’s, a, the, every, and His. Verse 6b tells us that we are that house, “His house”. Moses relates to “God’s house” while Jesus relates to “His house” – in both cases God’s chosen people. Both Moses and Jesus were faithful in their houses (vv. 5-6), but, Moses was a servant in that house (v. 5) while Jesus was a Son (v. 6), and a son is certainly greater than a servant. Verse 6 is the key line in our reading today: And we are His house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. What does it take for us to …hold fast…?
As to question #1, what can Christ do for us and what does He demand from us as our Apostle and as our High Priest? Your replies…??
Blessings!
Two aspects of these verses jumped out at me today.
First, the writer says to “consider Jesus”; he is described as the “apostle” of our faith, our “high priest” in the faith, “worthy” of glory and honor, and “faithful” over God’s house.
Synonyms for the activity of considering: think on, meditate on, mull over, contemplate, reflect on, examine, study, ponder, and many others.
I find considering Jesus to be a joyful, rewarding, and hopeful activity. I needed the reminder to do this throughout my day!
Second, the metaphor that we are God’s “house” is not one I remember very often. It is different from the idea of being Christ’s body or bride or family.
So I am enriched by considering these things today! I hope you all are too.
Ok, I’m trying to answer question 2. Not sure I’ve got it, but I think the author is saying: one, that Jesus built the house (not Moses); two, that Jesus is God (Who built the house); and three, that Jesus is a Son, not a servant (like Moses).
It’s interesting to consider the Church as a house. At first I was reading “house “ as “household” but when you talk of God building all things, I think it really seems to mean “house”!
There is a bit of a play on words here with the term “house,” wherein both senses (i.e., as a building and as “household”) are intended. This is right in line with II Samuel 7, in which David says that he wants to build the LORD a “house” (meaning the Temple), but the LORD turns around and declares that, instead, He will build David a “house” (meaning the Davidic Dynasty, culminating in Christ, the eternal King of Kings and Lord of Lords).