Commentaries:
Moses is among that "great cloud of witnesses," and we can learn a great deal from his life. Here, the author says he was faithful as a servant. Can God give any higher tribute to a man than that? Nobody receives the accolades from God that Moses does. For instance, "Moses, the servant of God"—only five people in the Bible are called that.
He did the job God gave him, and he did it well. This is what set him apart: He was faithful. He fulfilled his responsibilities so well that, in verse 2, our Messiah—our Savior—is compared to Moses (not the other way around). The text says, ". . . even as Moses." That is pretty high praise.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Conviction and Moses
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Christ is greater, better, superior to Moses! Whoever the author of the book of Hebrews was, he handled this very delicately. He could have caused offense by seemingly putting Moses down, as Moses was held in high regard by the Jews. Yet, he was able to get across the fact that here was One greater than Moses in such a way that he showed that Moses, indeed, was faithful. However, he was faithful as a servant within the house of which Jesus Christ is the Builder.
Notice the word "confidence" in Hebrews 3:6. In Hebrews 4:16, the exact same word is translated as "boldness" These Hebrews were no longer rejoicing, nor were they bold. Their apathy had them just lying there, taking life in. They were observers, not doers, neglecting what had been given to them. Thus, the exhortation to be bold and confident in overcoming and growing, and to rejoice in the greatness of the message that has been given.
We could not have received a greater message than the one that we have been given. It is just not possible to hear any news greater than what God is preparing for His children.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Hebrews: A Message for Today
Jesus, the Son of God, is greater than Moses, a servant, and He is certainly greater than Elijah. We will do well if we first start with the teachings of Christ and use them to "interpret" the rest. He is the Chief Cornerstone (Isaiah 28:16; Ephesians 2:20). Upon Him, everything hangs.
In Hebrews 3, Paul admonishes us to hold fast to what Jesus taught us (see also Revelation 3:11). If we do, he writes, we also will be sons and daughters in His house. We will no longer be servants, but heirs, actual children of the Father (Romans 8:16-17).
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Why the Transfiguration?
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