Daily Writing

Tuesday, 4 September 2018

For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. Hebrews 3:3

“For” expands on the thought of the previous verse. It said there that Christ Jesus “was faithful to Him who appointed Him.” Moses was then immediately introduced by saying that he “also was faithful in all His house,” meaning “God’s house.” The logic is that if Moses was faithful in all of God’s house, he was still faithful as a servant of God (as will be seen by the term “servant” in verse 3:4). With this understanding, we come to grasp what the author intends with the use of “For.” “For this One” refers to Christ Jesus. It is He who “has been counted worthy.”

The idea of being counted worthy ties again to His having been faithful to “Him who appointed Him.” Initially, it appears that He is on the same level as Moses. If Moses was faithful to God, and Jesus was faithful to God, then both are counted worthy to the same degree, right? No. The thought continues, “For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses.”

How can this be? To this point, nothing has been said of Him that would justify this, and yet the estimation is made nonetheless. Both were appointed by God, both were faithful, and yet Christ Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses. The idea of “glory” here is that He is worthy of more honor and dignity than that of Moses. This could cause consternation with a Jewish audience, because Moses, and the law which came through him, was considered the foundation of Jewish life. At the end of Deuteronomy, this is said of Moses –

“But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, ¹¹ in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, ¹² and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.” Deuteronomy 34:10-12

The man Moses was thus held in the highest esteem. To now speak of Jesus as being worthy of greater glory thus necessitates a sound and reasonable explanation. And so one is next provided beginning with, “inasmuch as He who built the house.” God is the Builder of the House, but here Christ Jesus is said to be the One who “built the house.”

The Greek word used signifies “to prepare” or “form.” This would include everything associated with the materials, arrangement, etc. This is the job of the architect. He lays out the plans, determines how much brick, piping, wood, etc are to be used. He then shows where those things go, even to the minutest detail. The word used so far has only been found four times in the three synoptic gospels when referring to John the Baptist preparing the way for the coming of the Lord. He was setting up and arranging Israel to be ready for Christ to accomplish His mission. In the case of Christ, it is He who has done all the preparation for the building of the house. It is because he built the house that He “has more honor than the house.”

It seems (but such is not the case) that the author has confusion of thought, equating Christ Jesus with God – God built the house over which Moses presided. But Jesus is the builder of the house. There is no confusion. Rather, it is then an explicit reference to Jesus’ deity. As Vincent’s Word Studies says, “The point of the whole, however, is that Moses was a part of the O.T. system – a servant in the house; while Christ, as one with God who established all things, was the founder and establisher of both the Old and the New Testament economies.”

Moses was a servant in God’s house, but he was a servant to Christ Jesus, and thus Christ Jesus is worthy of more glory, because He is God. The only reason why someone would deny this obvious conclusion is that they would come to the text with a presupposition that this cannot be what the author is saying. However, the next verses will bear out that this is exactly what is being said.

Life application: There are those who hold to the Law of Moses as binding today. However, if one understands that Christ Jesus is the Author of the Old Covenant, and that He has now authored a New Covenant in His blood, thus annulling the first, then it becomes clear that we are no longer under the Old. And such is the case. However, the author of Hebrews had to first demonstrate that Jesus is the Author of both. In doing so, what He has done in no way diminishes the Law of Moses, but rather exalts it in Him and for us. He accomplished for us what we could not do ourselves. Stand firm on the idea that we are not under the Old, but under the New. To reinsert the Law of Moses is to diminish what Christ has done, and it is demeaning to Him.

Lord God, You have freed us from the bondage of the law, and You have given us freedom in a New Covenant. Thank You for our Lord Jesus through Whom You did this wonderful work. How grateful we are that we are freed from condemnation, and we are now set on a path to glory which can never be removed again. When we receive Christ Jesus, we are guaranteed eternal life! Hallelujah for what You have done! Amen.

Monday, 3 September 2018

…who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. Hebrews 3:2

The word “who” here is speaking of Jesus who was just referred to in verse 3:1. However, this is a present participle, and so “who was faithful” doesn’t convey the meaning of what the author is saying. It is more appropriately rendered “is faithful,” or “being faithful.” We aren’t asked to merely “consider” Him as Jesus the Person, but to think of Him in His faithfulness to God and on our behalf. It is of Jesus that we rightly say, “being faithful to Him.” “Him” here is speaking of God.

Jesus was faithful to God from whom He came. In the eternal mind of God, a plan was set forth to accomplish the redemption of man. There is nothing arbitrary or haphazard in this plan. God determined what would come about, and it is He “who appointed Him.” This is now speaking of God appointing Jesus. God arranged that Jesus would be the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, as noted in the previous verse. It was God’s determination that Jesus would come from Him, uniting with humanity (the incarnation). In this, Jesus would perform all that was necessary to sanctify His people, making them acceptable to God once again. After that, He would continue on as the Mediator of this New Covenant. It is an eternal service of God.

Finally, in this verse, the author then brings in a new comparison, that of Moses. He says, “as Moses.” Moses was looked to as the highest and greatest example of a humble, faithful messenger of the Lord. The books of Moses, time and time again, carefully record his faithfulness in accomplishing the tasks set before him. He was chosen as the human deliverer of the people. He was set in the role of their lawgiver. He was faithful to receive the word of God and to pass it on as it was received. And he even performed priestly functions before the appointment of Aaron as the high priest of the covenant. In these things, he “also was faithful in all His house,” meaning Moses was faithful in God’s house. The comparison is made in these words – Moses was faithful; Jesus is faithful.

In this chapter, Moses will be mentioned four times. The comparison here is then as Moses was the messenger (apostle) sent by God on behalf of His people, so Jesus is the Apostle who was likewise sent. Later, the comparison of Aaron (as high priest) to Jesus (as High Priest) will be made, but the author is slowly and methodically showing the supremacy of Christ in all ways. In that of Moses, it is a high challenge as well as a sensitive one. Moses was, and indeed still is, revered as one of the greatest figures in Jewish history.

Abraham was the father of the faith; Moses was the great deliverer, lawgiver (messenger of the covenant), and leader of God’s people; David was their great king. The author must carefully not diminish the greatness of such people while at the same time show the supremacy of Jesus in all ways. He shall accomplish this because Jesus was the source of these figures’ faith, and He is the anticipated realization of everything they spoke of and hoped for. These men were not looking to be exalted in themselves, but to exalt the Lord through His coming Messiah.

Life application: If you speak to a Jew about the Law of Moses and degrade the person of Moses in the process, you will alienate that person immediately. When speaking of Jesus, it is necessary to show that He was the hope and anticipation of everything spoken by, and about, these men. In properly conveying this, there is a chance he will realize this and call on the One that these great men of faith only pointed to.

Lord God! There are great figures of faith in Scripture such as Abraham, Moses, and David. These men are remembered for their own faithfulness within Your plan, but they and their lives were only markers which pointed to the coming Messiah. What they did, and what they said, all looked in anticipation of Him. And He has come. In the Person of Jesus, all of their hope and all of the typology is realized. Thank You that we possess what they only anticipated. Thank You for Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Sunday, 2 September 2018

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, Hebrews 3:1

The word “Therefore” is a summary of all of the contents of Chapter 2. The words expressed here have their basis in the various thoughts which were put forth there. And so the author next states, “holy brethren.” The term “brethren,” in this sense, speaks of those who are united by faith in Christ. The only time that the word “holy” is affixed to “brethren,” other than here, is in 1 Thessalonians 5:27, but even that is not included in all manuscripts as it is here. The word “brethren” speaks of the unity of those in Christ as sons. This was seen in verse 2:10 where Christ brought “many sons to glory.” The word “holy” is affixed to it because of the sanctification of Christ seen in verse 2:11.

The term “holy brethren” is then being applied to those who are the called out of the Lord. As Israel was called out in the Old Testament and set apart as holy (e.g. Exodus 19:6), so the church was called out as holy because of Christ. It needs to be remembered that the author here is writing to Hebrews. The Gentiles (as in 1 Thessalonians 5:27) have been called out in Christ, and the Jews have likewise been called out in Him. It is He who has sanctified this body of believers.

The author then says, “partakers of the heavenly calling.” This idea was first stated in verse 2:10 in the term “bringing many sons to glory.” Glory is the heavenly calling that is possessed because of Christ. The “partaking” of that calling is based on Christ’s having “partaken of flesh and blood” as noted in verse 2:14. He first partook of our human nature, so that we could then partake of His heavenly state. The calling is from heaven, but it is based on His earthly work. In His triumphing over the flesh, He has imputed His righteousness and given to us the assured glory of heaven.

Based on this, we are asked to “consider.” The Greek word denotes to fix one’s thinking on a matter and to consider it fully, even to a definite and clear understanding of it. The NIV says, “fix your thoughts on Jesus.” Though the order doesn’t reflect the Greek of the verse, it is a well-stated translation nonetheless. We are to fix our thoughts on Him, mull over what He has done, pay heed to what it means in our lives, and so on.

Combined with the idea of “consider,” the author first states the descriptive title, “the Apostle.” The word signifies, “to send forth.” It focuses back on the position and authority of the sender. In this case, God sent Him. This goes back to verse 2:4 where it says, “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders.” These were accomplished through Christ by the full authority of God. It then goes to verse 2:9 where it says that Christ Jesus was sent, “that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” Jesus Christ is the grace of God, sent unto men. He was sent with a commission which included taking on our nature, and dying in that state. Thus, He is the Apostle par excellence.

The author next says, “and High Priest.” This refers back to verse 2:17 where it says, based on His incarnation and fulfilled work, that “He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

The idea of being an Apostle signifies the mission that Christ was sent on. He was sent by God to accomplish the work of God. The idea of being a High Priest is one of the position He now fills based on His accomplishment of the mission in establishing a New Covenant. He was not a high priest of the Old Covenant, nor could He be. That will be explained in Chapter 7. Rather, He was sent on His mission under the Old Covenant in order to establish the New Covenant, being now the High Priest of a far superior covenant.

The author’s words, “of our confession,” refer to our acknowledgment of Christ Jesus as Lord, having received Him as such, and embraced Him as the Messiah of the Jews and the Christ of the nations. The same applies to both Jews and Gentiles, but the context continues to be the author writing to a Jewish audience.

The author finishes the thought by stating who the Apostle and High Priest is, “Christ Jesus.” It is to be noted that some manuscripts (and thus some translations) do not include the word “Christ.” In them, it simply says, “the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus.” That would be more in line with verse 2:9 which said, “But we see Jesus…” It is Jesus who is the Person, and who did the things referred to, in Chapter 2. The author sums up all of that chapter in this one verse, and his pen then points to that Name above every name, Jesus.

Life application: If you are in a church which refers to the object of the faith as “Yehovah,” “Jehovah,” “Yahweh,” “YHVH,” or whatever name from the Old Testament that applies to the Lord, you have missed the point of what the New Testament is telling you. The Lord of the Old is Christ Jesus. They are One. God has determined that the name Yeshua, or Jesus, is the name which we are to speak, pray through, adore, follow, pursue, contemplate, and fix our thoughts on. To do otherwise fails to acknowledge the complete and finished work of what He has done in Messiah (Christ). Get your terminology straight, and set your eyes and heart on Jesus.

Lord God, the Name which is above every name is that of Jesus our Lord. You have slowly and steadily worked out Your plan of redemption in human history, culminating in what You did through Him. Help us to never trivialize this. Instead, may we exalt and glorify that magnificent name, JESUS, all the days of our lives. To Your glory. Amen.

Saturday, 1 September 2018

For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. Hebrews 2:18

The word “For” is based on the explanation given in the preceding verse. Christ “had to be made like his brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

In being made like His brethren, He endured suffering. As the author states, “in that He Himself has suffered.” It isn’t a matter of logical, but speculative, analogy such as, “Jesus came as a man; men suffer; therefore, Christ must have suffered.” Rather, the gospels bear out that He, in fact, suffered. And His suffering was in both small ways and in a great way. He did not exempt Himself from the trials, pains, and deprivations of life. He got sleepy and went without sleep. He got hungry and had to eat. He mourned and wept. The things common to man were shared in by Christ.

Further, He also endured even that which was beyond what men suffer. He was judged as a sinner when He had no sin. He was punished though there was no iniquity found in Him. And He died a torturous death, not for His own wrongdoing, but the wrongdoing of others.

In all of these ways, He was tempted, because suffering leads to temptation. The stress is on the temptation, not the suffering. In fact, the NAS – in accord with the analysis of Vincent’s Word Studies – phrases the verse as, “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” When He suffered from sleep deprivation, he was tempted to get cranky and sin. When He suffered hunger, He was tempted to get “hangry” and sin. Moreover, He was tempted both passively, and actively. His passive temptations (such as being hungry) could have led to wrongdoing, but He also was actively tempted by the devil as is noted in the gospels. This also could have led to wrongdoing.

In each way that He suffered, He could have fallen into sin through being tempted (Hebrews 4:15). Understanding this, the word “tempt” itself needs to be explained. It signifies “a test,” or “a trial.” Christ was tested through the temptations of suffering, and He remained without sin, having passed the test of perfection demanded by God’s holiness. The author then explains the importance of that for His people (His brethren) by saying, “He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

The idea here is one of empathy. It cannot be said that Christ is unable to empathize with us in our own temptations, afflictions, sufferings, and the like. He shared in our common humanity. He felt the pains we feel and endured the losses we endured. He was belittled by others, and was mocked openly, wrongfully accused throughout His ministry, and so forth. In this, He possesses the knowledge of what it is like to be so tempted, and He can thus give us aid and succor in our own lives as we face similar tests of our resolve and of our faith.

Life application: It is not uncommon to hear people complain that God must have no idea what they are going through. They will also call God unfair for the plight they face. First, God owes us nothing. There is nothing we can accuse God of, nor is there anything we can challenge God over. But even more, He was willing to participate in our humanity in order to understand the very weaknesses we face. Those who reject what the Son has done have rejected the greatest demonstration of God’s tender mercies. He didn’t send Jesus to show how bad we are in comparison to Him. He sent Jesus to reveal how much He cares for us.

Wonderfully loving God! You sent Jesus to participate in humanity and to show us how much You truly care for us. In His trials and tests, He has shown that He truly can empathize with our own times of trial and testing. Thus, He stands as a faithful High Priest who has earned the right to mediate between us. There is nothing we endure that He has not also faced. What a comfort it is to know that You have gone to such great lengths for us. Thank You for our faithful High Priest, Jesus. Amen.

Friday, 31 August 2018

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17

The word “Therefore” asks the reader to go back and review what brought about the coming statement. The words certainly cover everything back to verse 2:10 at least. There it spoke of bringing many sons to glory. Immediately after that it said, “For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one.” The thought of Christ sharing in humanity continued right up until verse 16. There, in verse 16, it spoke of giving aid to the seed of Abraham.

Understanding the context, the author says, “in all things.” There is a like for like comparison being made. It is not that the two will be somewhat alike, but that they are alike in all ways. This is confirmed by the next words, “He had to be made like His brethren.” If Christ were made like an angel (verse 2:7), He would not be “like man” in all ways. If He were exempt from a body which could suffer (verse 2:10), He would not be “like” us in all ways. If He were not able to be tempted (verse 4:15), He would not be like us in all ways. And so on.

The verse also directly refers to the final thought before this verse which mentioned “the seed of Abraham.” Christ was made like the seed of Abraham in all ways as well. Vincent’s Word Studies goes so far as to say, “Likeness is asserted without qualification. There was a complete and real likeness to humanity, a likeness which was closest just where the traces of the curse of sin were most apparent – in poverty, temptation, and violent and unmerited death.” This is correct. This closeness, to where the traces of the curse of sin are, was necessary in order “that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest.”

The high priest was selected from among the people of Israel. He shared in their family line, he shared in their culture, and he shared in their plight in all ways. He was, therefore, able to empathize with his people in the execution of his duties under the covenant that the Lord made with the people. The same is true with Christ in His ministry. Likewise, it was necessary for Him to be like those He ministered to as well, if He were to initiate a new covenant. The introduction of the role of Christ as High Priest at this point takes the reader back to the very opening words of the epistle. In verse 1:3 it said, “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

The thought of the purging of sin is that which pertains to priestly duties. The author has spent all of the past two chapters leading the reader to this point. It is a point which will be referred to from this point on as well. If there is to be a new covenant, there must be a High Priest to administer it. But if there was already a covenant in existence, there must be a valid reason why it needed to be set aside. The author’s words are preparing us for understanding these things by first showing that Christ is suitable to the role. After that, he will then address the how’s and why’s of the introduction of the New Covenant.

In being like His brethren in all ways, Christ is able to be the merciful and faithful High Priest that is needed. Without being able to empathize with His people, there would be a lack of mercy needed to properly conduct His duties. Without facing trials similar to His people, He could not faithfully represent them in their own petition for strength, or for mercy and forgiveness. But Christ can because He did.

He first lived the life necessary, and then He became our High Priest “in things pertaining to God.” This is referring to the system in which the High Priest conducts His duties. There is a need for One to act between God and the people; a Mediator. This job fell to Aaron and his sons under the Old Covenant. In the establishment of a new covenant, there would likewise be this need. The system of sacrifices necessary to appease God, the conveyance of prayers on behalf of the people, the communication of the will of God, the judgment in accord with the covenant’s laws, and so forth, all needed to be accomplished by a suitable mediator. Christ was set to fill this role in the coming of the New Covenant.

To complete the verse, the author then says, “to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” The Greek word chosen here, and translated as “propitiation,” is only found elsewhere in Luke 18:13 –

“And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’”

How could the High Priest truly Mediate in such a way as to petition God for mercy for such a wretched soul unless He had first been made “like His brethren” in all ways? The verb used for “make propitiation for” is akin to the cognate noun which signifies that which is the propitiation – the atoning sacrifice. It is what accomplishes the action which removes the wrath of God, allowing Him to be merciful. That noun is used by John twice – in 1 John 2:2 and 1 John 4:10. In both uses, it is speaking of the sacrifice of Christ Jesus for our sins. In the giving of His life, He is able to make that propitiation which is necessary for God to be merciful. He is the very focal point of God’s mercy, and therefore His ministry is perfectly sufficient to accomplish the obtaining of that mercy for His people.

Life application: How can God demonstrate infinite mercy upon His finite and fallen creatures? He can do it through His perfect Sacrifice, Jesus. In the giving of His Son, the void is bridged, the gap is crossed, and the wound of separation is healed. Christ Jesus is the very focus of God’s mercy to His creatures. We don’t just have a hope in eternal life, in Christ Jesus we have the absolute assurance of it. The enmity is ended, and reconciliation is realized because propitiation has been made.

Glorious, gracious, and merciful God… Thank You for Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.