Christ Superior to Moses
Hebrews 3:1-6
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Heb.3.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Οθεν: ADV
- αδελφοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- αγιοι: ADJ,voc,pl,m
- κλησεως: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- επουρανιου: ADJ,gen,sg,f
- μετοχοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- κατανοησατε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,pl
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- αποστολον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- αρχιερεα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ομολογιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- Ιησουν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Hebrews 4:14 (verbal): Calls Jesus a great/high priest and links him with the believers' confession—echoes 'archierea' (high priest) and 'our confession' language of Heb 3:1.
- Hebrews 2:11-12 (thematic): Emphasizes Jesus' kinship with believers ('brothers') and shared sanctification, resonating with the address 'holy brothers' and the idea of common participation in a heavenly calling.
- Hebrews 2:17 (thematic): Explicitly presents Jesus as a merciful and faithful high priest who atones for sins, paralleling the title 'high priest' applied to Jesus in Heb 3:1.
- Psalm 110:4 (allusion): The Old Testament foundation for Jesus' priesthood (order of Melchizedek) undergirds Hebrews' characterization of Jesus as priest—an implicit background for the 'high priest' designation in 3:1.
- Hebrews 10:23 (verbal): Uses the same root idea of holding fast to 'the confession of our hope,' echoing the notion of 'our confession' found in Heb 3:1 and the pastoral concern for perseverance.
Alternative generated candidates
- Therefore, holy brothers who share in the heavenly calling, consider Jesus—the apostle and high priest of our confession.
- Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus;
Heb.3.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πιστον: ADJ,acc,sg,m
- οντα: PART,pres,act,acc,sg,m
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ποιησαντι: VERB,aor,act,part,dat,sg,m
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- ως: ADV
- και: CONJ
- Μωυσης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- οικω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Numbers 12:7 (quotation): OT source quoted/echoed by Hebrews: 'Not so with my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house'—the explicit basis for calling Moses faithful.
- Hebrews 3:5 (verbal): Immediate parallel in the same chapter repeating the language that 'Moses was faithful in all God’s house,' expanding the comparison between Moses and Christ.
- Hebrews 3:3-6 (structural): Contextual contrast: these verses set Jesus as worthy of more glory than Moses, juxtaposing Jesus' greater status with Moses' faithfulness as servant in God’s house.
- Psalm 105:26 (allusion): Refers to 'Moses his servant,' echoing the OT characterization of Moses as God's servant/representative within Israel—background for Hebrews' claim.
- Deuteronomy 34:10 (thematic): Declares Moses' unparalleled prophetic role ('no prophet like Moses'), thematically supporting Hebrews' portrayal of Moses as a faithful, singular servant in God's house.
Alternative generated candidates
- He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses also proved faithful in all God's house.
- who was faithful to the one who appointed him, even as Moses also was faithful in all his house.
Heb.3.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πλειονος: ADJ,comp,gen,sg,f
- γαρ: PART
- ουτος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- δοξης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- παρα: PREP
- Μωυσην: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ηξιωται: VERB,perf,mid/pass,ind,3,sg
- καθ᾽οσον: CONJ
- πλειονα: ADJ,acc,pl,neut
- τιμην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εχει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- οικου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- κατασκευασας: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- αυτον·: PRON,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Hebrews 3:4 (verbal): Immediate verbal parallel: continues the builder/house imagery ('For every house is built by someone…'), fleshing out the claim that the builder is greater than the house.
- Hebrews 3:6 (structural): Develops the same argument structurally: Christ as faithful Son over God's house — the house belongs to Christ, explaining why he merits greater honor than Moses.
- Hebrews 1:4 (thematic): Parallel method and theme of superiority: the Son is shown to be far superior to prior heavenly figures (angels), using comparative language to establish Christ's preeminence.
- John 1:17-18 (thematic): Contrasts Moses and Jesus thematically: 'the law through Moses' vs. 'grace and truth through Jesus Christ,' supporting the claim that Jesus surpasses Moses in role and revelation.
- Ephesians 2:20-22 (thematic): Uses builder/house and cornerstone imagery (Christ as foundation/cornerstone and the church as God’s dwelling), echoing Hebrews’ argument that the one who builds/founds the house has greater honor than those within it.
Alternative generated candidates
- For Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses; for the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.
- For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—since the builder of a house has more honour than the house.
Heb.3.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πας: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- γαρ: PART
- οικος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- κατασκευαζεται: VERB,pres,pass,ind,3,sg
- υπο: PREP
- τινος: PRON,gen,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- παντα: ADJ,nom,pl,n
- κατασκευασας: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Hebrews 11:10 (verbal): Uses the same builder/maker language — God as the one who constructs (the city with foundations); close verbal and conceptual parallel to God as the builder of all things.
- Psalm 127:1 (thematic): Contrasts human builders with the Lord as the true builder of a house; stresses dependence on God for building and establishment, echoing Hebrews' point about God as builder of all.
- Colossians 1:16 (verbal): Explicitly ascribes the creation of all things to Christ/God ('by him all things were created'), paralleling Hebrews' claim that God is the builder/creator of everything.
- John 1:3 (verbal): Affirms that 'all things were made through him,' matching Hebrews' assertion that the builder of all things is God and emphasizing divine agency in creation.
Alternative generated candidates
- For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.
- For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.
Heb.3.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- Μωυσης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- μεν: PART
- πιστος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- ολω: ADJ,dat,sg,m
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- οικω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- ως: ADV
- θεραπων: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- μαρτυριον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- λαληθησομενων: PART,fut,pass,gen,pl,n
Parallels
- Numbers 12:7 (quotation): God’s words about Moses: “Not so with my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house” — the explicit OT source echoed by Hebrews’ description of Moses as faithful in the house.
- Hebrews 3:2 (structural): Immediate parallel within the epistle: earlier assertion that Jesus was faithful to Him who appointed Him, ‘as Moses also was faithful in all his house,’ linking Moses’ faithfulness to the comparison with Christ.
- Hebrews 3:3-6 (structural): Contextual development of the same contrast: Jesus as builder (greater) and Moses as faithful servant of the house — expands the theological point behind v.5.
- Deuteronomy 34:10 (thematic): Summation of Moses’ unique status — ‘Since then there has arisen no prophet like Moses’ — underscores his faithfulness and singular role as God’s servant and spokesman for Israel.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, bearing witness to the things that were to be spoken later.
- And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony to the things that were to be spoken later;
Heb.3.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Χριστος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ως: ADV
- υιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- οικον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου·ος: PRON,gen,sg,m
- οικος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εσμεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,pl
- ημεις: PRON,nom,pl,1
- εαν: CONJ
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- παρρησιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- καυχημα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ελπιδος: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- κατασχωμεν: VERB,pres,act,subj,1,pl
Parallels
- Hebrews 3:5 (structural): Immediate context contrast: Moses is called a faithful servant in God’s house, preparing the argument that Christ is faithful as Son over God’s house (sets up v.6).
- Hebrews 10:23 (verbal): Uses very similar language urging believers to 'hold fast the confession/hope'—echoes the exhortation to keep boldness and the boast of hope in 3:6.
- Ephesians 2:19-22 (thematic): Believers portrayed as the household/temple of God built on Christ the cornerstone—parallels 'we are his house' and Christ’s central role.
- 1 Peter 2:5 (allusion): Believers pictured as 'living stones' being built into a spiritual house and priesthood—comparable image of the church as God’s house referenced in Heb 3:6.
- Romans 5:2 (verbal): Speaks of 'boasting in the hope of the glory of God,' echoing the motif of boasting/confidence in hope found in Hebrews 3:6.
Alternative generated candidates
- But Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast the confidence and the boast of our hope to the end.
- but Christ is faithful as a son over his own house; and we are his house, if indeed we hold fast the confidence and the boast of our hope to the end.
Therefore, holy brothers who share the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus.
He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses also proved faithful in all God's house.
For Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses—just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.
For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Now Moses was faithful as a servant in God's house, bearing witness to the things that were to be spoken later. But Christ is faithful as Son over God's house—and we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to the confidence and the hope in which we boast.