In the closing verses of Hebrews 2 the writer tells us that Jesus took on flesh and died because “it behooved him in all things, to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in all things pertaining to God and make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-18). Immediately after these things, the writer urged, “Wherefore holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, even Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1).
Having been urged to consider Jesus, the high priest of our confession, let us first consider what the writer has said of Him in the previous verses. We have learned that since we, as His brethren, His children, are flesh and blood, Jesus partook of the same that through death He might bring to naught him that had the power of death, the devil. And that He might also deliver all those who fear of death were in bondage.
Thus, we have learned in 2:17 that it behooved Christ that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest that He should come in flesh as we who dwell in the flesh. It is written of him in 4:14 that “we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; he hath been tempted in all point like we, but without sin,” and we learned that as our high priest, He can offer the sacrifice for us that removes our sins.
In appealing to us to consider Jesus, the Holy Spirit assured us that Jesus was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as was Moses in his house (3:2). It was clearly the Spirit’s aim to introduce Moses into the text to show that just as Jesus is higher than angels, Jesus is higher than Moses, who was also faithful.
When the writer showed in the first chapter that Jesus is higher than angels, he offered no criticism of angels; he simply showed that while angels are high, they are lower than Jesus. This is certain for in the first chapter he wrote, “When he bringeth in the firstborn into the world he saith ‘Let all the angels of God worship him.’” Now Moses is introduced into the text and just as the Holy Spirit offered no criticism of angels, so neither does the Spirit offer criticism of Moses. Still, while both Jesus and Moses were “faithful,” there is a major difference between the two: Moses was a servant over his house and Jesus was (is) a Son (Hebrews 3:5). And, the Spirit showed that just as he who built the house is greater than the house, so Jesus is higher than Moses. Jesus is the builder of the house, but Moses — and we == are the house Jesus built (Hebrews 3:6).
The Spirit reminds us that we are Christ’s house “if we hold our glorying and boldness firm unto the end” (Hebrews 3:6). To that end of holding fast, the Spirit said, “Today, if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, like as in the day in the trial in the wilderness when your fathers tried me by proving me and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was displeased with this generation and said, They do always err in their hearts, as I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest” (Hebrews 3:7-11).
“The day of the trial in the wilderness” was a day when the twelve spies returned from 40 days of spying out the land of Canaan, and while all the spies acknowledged that Canaan was a good land, ten of them had also seen giants there and said, “We cannot take the land.” Although two of the spies sought to persuade the multitude that they could take the land, the multitude would not be persuaded and determined to return to Egypt. God was angry and said, “They shall not enter my rest.” God consigned the multitude (all 20 years old and above; those who were numbered in the census made when they left Egypt) to wander for 40 years in the wilderness until all of those adults were dead. There were only two exceptions: the two spies (Joshua and Caleb) who had offered a good report of the land and assured the multitude they could, with the help of God, take the land.
Jim McDonald