We know that one of the reasons why the epistle to the Hebrews was written was to encourage the Hebrew believers who wanted to go back to Judaism, to not give up. For these believers, Judaism was everything and for them, they grew up hearing that Moses was the greatest.
Hence the argument turns to a question that would have been unavoidable for a Jewish audience:
What about Moses?
Moses wasn’t just another biblical figure. He was the figure—the mediator of the Law, the leader of the Exodus, and the foundation of Israel’s covenant identity. If Jesus is truly the final revelation of God, then His relationship to Moses must be clarified.
Hebrews 3:1–6 does exactly that.
“Consider Jesus” — A Call to Reevaluate
The passage begins with an invitation:
“Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.”
The word consider means more than casual thought. It means to fix one’s attention carefully and deliberately. The author is urging believers—especially those tempted to drift back toward the Law—to recenter their focus on Jesus.
Jesus is described here as both:
- Apostle — the One sent from God
- High Priest — the One who brings us to God
Moses functioned as a mediator, but Jesus fulfills both directions of mediation perfectly.
Moses Was Faithful — And Hebrews Says So
Hebrews does something important next: it honors Moses.
“He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house.”
This is not a dismissal of Moses. Scripture itself affirms Moses’ faithfulness. The comparison that follows is not about character, obedience, or sincerity. It is about role and status.
The Builder and the House
The key distinction appears in verses 3–4:
“Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.”
Moses belongs within God’s house.
Jesus is the builder of the house.
The “house” here refers to God’s covenant people. Moses served among them. Jesus stands above them as the One through whom the people exist.
Verse 4 presses the point even further:
“The builder of all things is God.”
Without saying it bluntly, Hebrews places Jesus firmly on the Creator side, not the created side. This is a subtle but powerful affirmation of Christ’s divine identity.
Moses the Servant, Christ the Son
Hebrews then clarifies Moses’ role:
“Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later.”
Moses was faithful, but his ministry was forward-looking. He testified to realities that would come later. His leadership pointed beyond itself.
Then comes the contrast:
“But Christ is faithful over God’s house as a Son.”
This is the heart of the passage.
- Moses: faithful servant in the house
- Jesus: faithful Son over the house
This is not a matter of degree—it is a difference in kind. Servants belong to the household; sons inherit and rule the household.
“We Are His House” — With a Warning
Hebrews closes this section with a sober reminder:
“And we are His house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in hope.”
This is not teaching salvation by endurance. It is teaching that perseverance reveals genuine participation in God’s household.
The author is preparing readers for the warning that follows in Hebrews 3–4: just as Israel fell in the wilderness after Moses, it is possible to hear God’s voice and still fail to trust Him.
If turning away from Moses’ leadership had consequences, how much more serious would it be to turn away from the Son?
What the Author Wants Us to See
Hebrews 3:1–6 is doing three things at once:
- Re-centering faith on Jesus: Believers are called to fix their attention on Christ, not retreat to familiar structures.
- Honoring Moses without making him ultimate: Moses was faithful, but he was never meant to be final.
- Issuing a gentle but serious warning: To drift away from Christ is not harmless nostalgia—it is a rejection of the Son.
Final Thought
Moses was a faithful servant.
Jesus is the faithful Son.
Moses belonged to the house.
Jesus rules the house.
And the message of Hebrews is clear:
If God spoke through servants in the past, how much more must we listen now that He has spoken through His Son?
That is why the author says, “Consider Jesus.”
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