Hebrews Study - Christ the High Priest cont.

Hebrews 3:1–11 NASB95

1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; 2 He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. 3 For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5 Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; 6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. 7 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, And saw My works for forty years. 10 “Therefore I was angry with this generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they did not know My ways’; 11 As I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

Therefore...

Because Christ has overcome death and sin as our Great High Priest

Because He’s become like us as a man

Because Jesus died and rendered powerless the devil who has the power of death.

Because we have been freed through Christ from the fear of death.

Because Christ has made propitiation for our sins

Because Jesus is our helper when we are tempted

Let’s consider how Jesus compares to Moses!

We’ve considered Jesus compared to the prophets.

We’ve considered Jesus compared to the angels

We’ve considered Jesus compared to man, compared to Adam who was given glory and dominion.

Now considering what Jesus has accomplished, let’s compare His faithfulness to that of Moses.

How does the author first describe Jesus in those first four verses?

Apostle (Who is our teacher?)

John 12:48–49 NASB95

48 “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. 49 “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.

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High Priest (Who or what is addressing my sin problem?)

Luke 5:20 NASB95

20 Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”

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Faithful (Who is our example?)

John 13:14–15 NASB95

14 “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

Appointed by God (Who is gifted?)

Matthew 3:16–17 NASB95

16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

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Worthy of glory (Who is deserving of praise?)

John 14:9 NASB95

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

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John 17:1 NASB95

1 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You,

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Builder (Who will establish the kingdom?)

Matthew 16:18 NASB95

18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

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Q: How has Jesus fulfilled these roles?

The risk before the Hebrews is having seen Christ they might revert back to an old way of thinking. They might revert back to someone who was faithful, but never able to save - never able to give the hope that Israel ultimately needed.

Hebrews 3:5–6 NASB95

5 Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; 6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

Our risk today is rarely reversion, but rather subversion.

Who in the New Testament also served in these roles who were faithful?

What happens if we turn these servants and witnesses into Saviors?

Moses’ role is much like our role! Servants and witnesses.