January 26, 2003
First Church of the Brethren
H. Kevin Derr
Hebrews 3:1-6
“Jesus our High Priest”
1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. 3Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5Moses was faithful as a
servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
Jesus of Nazareth is identified with two titles here in this section. One is Apostle, the other is High Priest. These are not the typical titles that we associate with Jesus, Christ, Savior, Lord, Brother, and even Friend are ones that are far more common in our understanding. Yet, here in one of the most elegant and refined works of the New Testament, we encounter these two titles.
Apostle, is one that we typically apply to the 12 disciple who walked with Jesus, to Paul, as he states, an apostle, abnormally born. Apostle, literally “one who is sent” is given to Jesus,
as the One sent from the Father. High Priest is the other title, and this is one that will likely be
more difficult for us to integrate than Apostle. High Priest is not a common title, or identifier in
our culture or our practice of faith. Yet, the image, the title, is that of High Priest. The Author of Hebrews stretches our understanding of who Jesus is, and at the same time affirms the calling we have as those who have been set apart for service to the Living God, as the household of Jesus, one built by God to be faithful in all things.
We will explore this text but it will be centered on an OT text from 1 Samuel 2:35 which
reads, “I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart
and mind, I will establish his house, . . .” The author of Hebrews understood this Word of the
Lord to Eli to be about Jesus of Nazareth, the faithful priest, who God will raise up for himself
and establish his house, or his household... We see this thought in the closing portions of the
second chapter when the Author of Hebrews is speaking about Jesus with his brothers and sisters, with the children that God has given him... you begin to see the house of Jesus established. Today we will look at this idea more fully, of Jesus as High Priest and Apostle.
I. The author of Hebrews with “Therefore, holy
brothers.” Whenever you are reading in the NT
and you see a “Therefore” you always know that this
passage rests or is dependent on what came before,
so you must read it in light of the previous
passage.
A. Since those who are believers are mentioned
previously as Jesus’ siblings, we now
find that the Author of Hebrews is speaking
to those he is writing to as, “Holy
brothers,” now please ladies don’t be upset
with this, remember that “Brother” in this
sense is used as an inclusive word to
mention all the siblings of Jesus.
1. This title of Holy Brothers is
rooted in Jesus’ solidarity with all
of humanity,and is recognized in
2:13b with these words, “Here am I,
with the Children God has given me”
in essence with my household.
2. Remember, the Oldest brother
inherited the Father’s position, and
the rest typically remained in the
household, so, yes, it is
appropriate to speak of the
older brother as the one who would
head the household.
B. The author of Hebrews speaks of the siblings
here as Holy Brothers to remind them,
and in this to remind you and I as well,
that there are some unique things that come
with being part of Jesus’ household.
1. He reminds us that we are ones “who
share in the heavenly calling”
a. This we can read it in a few
ways, one that I find
striking is that we who
follow Jesus will ultimately
follow Jesus into death, and
from death to resurrection
and then to glorification.
b. Jesus who is the Champion,
the Pioneer, the Trail
Blazer, and we then
are the ones who follow the
path, the way, the pattern
of Jesus himself.
c. So, Jesus who destroyed the
power of death, so we are no
longer living as slaves to
death, but are freed this
fear.
d. Thus we share in Jesus
heavenly calling, this is
where Jesus is leading
his siblings, his brothers
and sisters.
2. The author of Hebrews mentions this
really in manner that suggests that
it secondary, that it is something
we know and only need to be reminded
of, it is not his point, just a step
along the way.
C He then tells us to “fix your thoughts on
Jesus”. He is saying, set your mind,
concentrate, keep this foremost in thinking,
and at the same time it is reminiscent of
things we have heard others say.
1. Consider if you will, Romans 12:1-2,
“Therefore, I urge you brothers, in
view of God’s mercy to offer your
bodies as living sacrifices, holy
and pleasing to God - this is your
spiritual act of worship. Do not
conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test
and approve what God’s will is - his
good, pleasing and perfect will.”
A. Notice again the emphasis on
the mind, and what we think
about, what we focus our
thoughts on. It affects who
we are and what we will do,
for what we think about
dictates how we will act.
B. We are urged by Paul to
conform our minds to God’s
will
2. Another that you will quickly
recognize is Philippians 4:8
“Finally brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is
right, whatever is admirable -
if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy - think about such
things.
A. Here again is the mention to
fix our thoughts, to set our
minds, to focus our thinking
on specifics, good things,
positive things, holy
things.
B. This is all just another way
of saying what the Author of
Hebrews has said, to fix our
thoughts on Jesus.
D. This is all just a preamble to why we should
think about Jesus: Why? Because Jesus
the Apostle and High priest whom we
confess
1. Apostle sounds to strange to us, but
it was used often in the
intertestamental period by
Hellenistic Jewish authors, to speak
of those sent by God.
A. Apostle is literally the one
who is sent, and Jesus was
sent to us by the Father,
think of John 3:16 and you
quickly pick up the image.
B. It can quickly become a
helpful way to understand
Jesus, the one sent to us by
God
2. And likewise the 12, are also sent by
God, and thus apostles
3. But what about High Priest A. The High Priest is one who
serves on behalf of all
people, especially in
the sacrifice of atonement
made on the Day of Atonement
B.Jesus, as the Champion,
fights for the whole of the
people of God, and as the
High Priest, he serves as
intermediary, offering to God
the sacrifice for Atonement
for all people.
C. This idea our Author will
develop in greater detail
later in the sermon,
but for now it is listed as
a reminder, as a reflection
point, to think about Jesus
who is our Champion and our
High Priest.
II. Before he takes the High Priest track, he pushes us
to consider the Law Giver, the one who
God used to shape Israel as a people, the one God
used as the liberator from Egypt.
A. Now he says, “He was faithful to the one who
appointed him, just as Moses was
faithful in all God’s house.”
1. Jesus was faithful, just as Moses
was faithful.
2. Jesus is better than the angels, now
what about Moses, the one who gave
the Law, the one who is greater than
the a prophet who only hears from
God in dreams and visions, but the
one who saw the form of God himself,
the one who spent so much time with
God that his face glowed and the
people were afraid of him so he
veiled his face so not to worry
them, can Jesus be better than
Moses too?
B. In this regard, the Author of Hebrews says,
“Jesus has been found worthy of greater
honor than Moses, just as the builder of a
house has great honor than the house
itself.
1. Moses may have built the house of
Israel at God’s direction, but if
you remember, Hebrews 1:2, “. . .
through whom he made the universe.”
2. Moses may have built the house of
Israel, but Jesus is the one through
whom God made the universe.
3. So, Jesus is worthy of greater honor
than Moses
C. Vs. 4 really continues this thought, “4For
every house is built by someone, but God is
the builder of everything.”
1. Moses deserves a specific honor, but
the greatest honor belongs to God
2. This is not a difficult notion to
settle in ones mind, but yet, it
reminds us not to elevate people to
far, for they are after all only
servants in God’s house
III. It is in Vs. 5 & 6 that the author of Hebrews
makes the Jesus and Moses comparison
A. Vs. 5 "5Moses was faithful as a servant in
all God’s house, testifying to what would
be said in the future”
1. Moses was faithful as a servant
2. Moses was a faithful servant in all
God’s house and he did as h was
told, and he testified to what would
be said, he testified about the one
who was to come, he testified about
Jesus.
B. Vs. 6 sets up the comparison, 6But Christ
is faithful as a son over God’s house.
1. But Jesus, now identified as the
Christ, is faithful, as we have
already established, just as Moses
was faithful
2. The difference comes in how they
were faithful in God’s household
A. Moses as a servant
B. Jesus the Christ, the
Messiah, as a Son
3. The servant is part of the
household, but if there is a son,
the son will inherit the household.
The faithful son is worthy of
greater honor than a faithful
servant
C. This passage closes with these words, And we
are his house, if we hold on to our
courage and the hope of which we boast.
1. We are his house, if we hold to our
courage and our hope
2. It is a condition statement, if we
hold
3. We are the house of God if, we hold
4. Again the Author of Hebrews gives us
a warning about not wavering in our
faith, but to hold fast, and faith
especially in Hebrews ties with
faith, endurance, holding fast,
faithis an enduring faith, something
that is to stand the tests of time
and persecution, of pain and
suffering, of peace and
prosperity, as well as need and
want.
5. In his typical style, we are given
the warning, but not told the
consequences, we are rather told and
encouraged to hold fast with courage
and hope.
