The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is doing a study through the New Testament book of Hebrews. The word better is used thirteen times in the book of Hebrews as the writer shows the superiority of Christ and His salvation over the Hebrew system of religion. Another word that is repeated in this book is perfect; in the original Greek it is used fourteen times. It means a perfect standing before God. Eternal is a third word that is important to the message of Hebrews. When you combine these three words, you discover that Jesus Christ and the Christian life He gives us are better because these blessings are eternal and they give us perfect standing before God. This study is not a diet for “spiritual babes” who want to be spoon-fed and coddled. In this letter you will find “strong meat” that demands some chewing and enjoying.
In this session we look at the evidence that Jesus is superior to Moses.
These are the notes to Session 3.
Click on the YouTube link at the end of these notes for the audio recording of session 3.
Jesus Christ and the Christian life He gives us are better because these blessings are eternal and they give us perfect standing before God.
In His work, Christ is also superior to the prophets. To begin with, He is the Creator of the universe, for by Him, God “made the worlds” (Heb. 1:2). Not only did Christ create all things by His Word (John 1:1–5), but He also upholds all things by that same powerful Word (Heb. 1:3). “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist [hold together]” (Col. 1:17).
Finally, Jesus Christ reigns as King (Heb. 1:3). He has sat down, for His work is finished, and He has sat down “on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” the place of honor. This proves that He is equal with God the Father, for no mere created being could ever sit at God’s right hand.
Angels were most important in the Jewish religion, primarily because thousands of angels assisted in the giving of the law at Mount Sinai. Since the theme of Hebrews is the superiority of Christ and His salvation to the law of Moses, the writer would have to deal with the important subject of angels.
He is the Son (vv. 4–5).
Hebrews 1:4-5 NKJV having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?
He is the Firstborn who receives worship (v. 6).
Hebrews 1:6 NKJV But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
He is served by the angels.
Hebrews 1:7 NKJV And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”
He is God enthroned and anointed
Hebrews 1:8-9 NKJV But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
He is the eternal Creator
Hebrews 1:10-12 NKJV And: “You, Lord , in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.”
Jesus Christ Is Not Inferior Because of His Humanity (2:5–18)
1) His humanity enabled Him to regain man’s lost dominion.
Psalms 8:4-6 NKJV What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,
(2) His humanity enabled Him to bring many sons to glory (vv. 10–13).
Hebrews 2:10-13 NKJV For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
Christ is not only the Last Adam, but He is also the Captain of salvation. That word captain literally means “pioneer—one who opens the way for others to follow.” One phrase in Hebrews 2:10 ought to be discussed before we move on: “Make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” This statement does not suggest that Jesus Christ was imperfect when He was here on earth. The word translated “perfect” means “complete, effective, adequate.”Christ gave up His glory to become man. He regained His glory when He arose and ascended to heaven. Now He shares that glory with all who trust Him for salvation
John 17:22-24 NKJV And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
He is bringing many sons and daughters to glory! In fact we are united to Him as His brethren and sistren.
There is another Old Testament quote from a messianic psalm in which Christ refers to His church as His brethren.
Psalms 22:22 NKJV I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
This means we and the Son of God share the same nature and belong to the same family! What a marvel of God’s grace!
Not only are believers His brethren, but we are also His children: “Behold I and the children which God hath given me”
Hebrews 2:13 NKJV And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
If Jesus Christ had not come to earth and become man, He could not take us from earth to share in His glory. The incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection must go together. They all lead to glory. Jesus could not have become an adequate Savior and High Priest had He not become man and suffered and died.
(3) His humanity enabled Him to disarm Satan and deliver us from death (vv. 14–16). Angels cannot die. Jesus did not come to save angels (note Heb. 2:16); He came
Greater Than Moses
It’s not uncommon for people of an older generation to pine for the “good old days” when confronted with something new. This longing to go back to the way things were can be prompted by fear of change, or a preference for familiar comfort over having to learn something new. Our culture experiences this, but nothing to the degree that people in the first century AD did. Today, many people assume that new is always better and cooler, while old equals outmoded. But in the first century, almost everybody mistrusted anything new.
Next to Abraham, Moses was undoubtedly the man most greatly revered by the Jewish people. To go back to the law meant to go back to Moses, and the recipients of this letter to the Hebrews were sorely tempted to do just that. It was important that the writer convince his readers that Jesus Christ is greater than Moses, for the entire system of Jewish religion came through Moses. In this section, we learn that Jesus Christ is superior to Moses in at least three respects.
Christ is Greater In His Person Than Was Moses
Hebrews 3:1-2 NKJV Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.
You will remember that the writer of Hebrews is writing to Christians, to Jews who had accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior and who are now wavering in people, Judizers, were telling them that they still needed to follow the traditions of their former religion which meant they had to obey the law to remain Christians. So he addressed these people as if they were Christians. He called them “partakers of the heavenly calling.” No unconverted Jew or Gentile could ever claim that blessing! The word translated “partakers” here is translated “partners” partners” in Luke 5:7, where it describes the relationship of four men in the fishing business: they were in it together.
Luke 5:7 NKJV So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
True Christians not only share in a heavenly calling, but they also share in Jesus Christ which it says later.
Hebrews 3:14 NKJV For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
Through the Holy Spirit, we are “members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones”
Ephesians 5:30 NKJV For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
True believers are also “partakers of the Holy Ghost”
Hebrews 6:4 NKJV For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
Because these people were holy brothers and sisters, and partakers of a heavenly calling, they were able to give a “confession” of their faith in Jesus Christ. The word simply means “to say the same thing.” All true Christians “say the same thing” when it comes to their experience of salvation.
It was not Moses who did all of this for the people addressed in this epistle; it was Jesus Christ! The writer did not exhort them to consider Moses, but to consider Christ. The word means “to consider carefully, to understand fully.” This is no quick glance at Jesus Christ! It is a careful consideration of who He is and what He has done.
That Christ is superior to Moses in His person is an obvious fact. Moses was a mere man, called to be a prophet and leader, while Jesus Christ is the Son of God sent by the Father into the world.
The writer calls Jesus the Apostle that is the title for “one sent with a commission.” Moses was called and commissioned by God, but Jesus Christ was sent as God’s “last Word” to sinful man.
Hebrews 1:1-2 NKJV God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
And God sent Him which also makes Him an Apostle
John 3:34-36 NKJV For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Jesus Christ is not only the Apostle, but He is also the High Priest. Moses was a prophet who on occasion served as a priest , but he was never a high priest.
Psalms 99:6 NKJV Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called upon His name; They called upon the Lord , and He answered them.
That title belonged to his brother Aaron.
The writer says that Jesus In fact, Jesus Christ has the title of Great High Priest.
Hebrews 4:14 NKJV Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
As the Apostle, Jesus Christ represented God to men, and as the High Priest, He now represents men to God in heaven. Moses, did fulfill similar ministries, for he taught Israel God’s truth and he prayed for Israel.
Moses was primarily the prophet of law, while Jesus Christ is the messenger of God’s grace. Moses helped prepare the way for the coming of the Savior to the earth.
However, the writer of Hebrews noted that Moses and Jesus Christ were both faithful in the work God gave them to do. Moses was not sinless, as was Jesus Christ, but he was faithful and obeyed God’s will. This would be an encouragement to those first-century Jewish believers to remain faithful to Christ, even in the midst of the tough trials they were experiencing. Instead of going back to Moses, they should imitate Moses and be faithful in their calling.
Christ Is Greater In His Ministry
Hebrews 3:3-6 NKJV For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
In these four verses the word house is mentioned six times.
It refers to the people of God, not to a material building. Moses ministered to Israel, the people of God under the old covenant. Today, Christ ministers to His church, the people of God under the new covenant. The contrast between Moses and Christ is clear: Moses: was a servant in the house, while Jesus Christ is a Son over the house. Moses was a member of the household, but Jesus built the house! By the way, the truth in these verses is a powerful argument for the deity of Jesus Christ. If God built all things, and Jesus Christ built God’s house, then Jesus Christ must be God.
There is another factor in Christ’s superiority over Moses: The prophet Moses spoke about things to come, but Jesus Christ brought the fulfillment of these things
Hebrews 3:5-6 NKJV And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
Moses ministered “in the shadows, so to speak while Jesus Christ brought the full and final light of the gospel of the grace of God.
I want to clear up something at the end of verse 6 where it says “if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.”
We need to understand that in the light of the total context, which is Moses leading Israel out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. The writer is not suggesting that we, as Christians, must keep ourselves saved. Because this would contradict the major theme of the book, which is the finished work of Christ and His heavenly ministry guaranteeing our eternal salvation.
Rather, the writer was affirming that those who hold fast their confidence and hope are proving that they are truly born again.
The word confidence literally means “freedom of speech, openness.” When you are free to speak, then there is no fear and you have confidence. A believer can come with boldness (synonym of confidence) to the throne of grace
Hebrews 4:16 NKJV Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Therefore, we should not cast away our confidence, no matter what the circumstances might be. We should not have confidence in ourselves, because we are too prone to fail; but we should have confidence in Jesus Christ who never fails. Because of this confidence in Christ and this confession of Christ, we can experience joy and hope. The writer exhorted these suffering saints to enjoy their spiritual experience and not simply endure it. Jesus Christ is the beloved Son over His house, and He will care for each member of the family. He is the faithful High Priest who provides all the grace we need for each demand of life.
In other words, those who have trusted Christ prove this confession by their steadfastness, confidence, and joyful hope. They are not burdened by the past or threatened by the present, but are “living in the future tense” as they await the “blessed hope” of their Lord’s return. It is this “heavenly calling” that motivates the believers to keep on living for the Savior even when the going is tough.
Christ Is Greater In The Rest He Gives
I this next section of Hebrews which is a long one from 3:7 to 4:13,
the writer pointed out the danger of drifting from the Word because of neglect. In this exhortation, to take heed, he explained the danger of doubting and disbelieving the Word because of hardness of heart. It is important that we understand the background of this section, which is the exodus of Israel from Egypt and their experiences of unbelief in the wilderness.
It was not God’s will that Israel remain either in Egypt or in the wilderness. His desire was that the people enter their glorious inheritance in the land of Canaan. But when Israel got to the border of their inheritance, they delayed because they doubted the promise of God (Num. 13—14). “We are not able” wept the ten spies and the people. “We are able with God’s help!” said Moses, Joshua, and Caleb. Because the people went backward in unbelief instead of forward by faith, they missed their inheritance and died in the wilderness. It was the new generation that possessed the land and entered into their rest.
What does Canaan represent to us as Christians today? It represents our spiritual inheritance in Christ. Now we can understand what the wilderness wanderings represent: the experiences of believers who will not claim their spiritual inheritance in Christ, who doubt God’s Word and live in restless unbelief. To be sure, God is with them, as He was with Israel, but they do not enjoy the fullness of God’s blessing. They are “out of Egypt” but they are not yet “in Canaan.”
With this background, we can now better understand one of the key words in this section—rest.
The writer mentioned two different “rests” found in Old Testament history: (1) God’s Sabbath rest, when He ceased from His creation activities
Hebrews 4:4 NKJV For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;
(2) Israel’s rest in Canaan
Deuteronomy 12:9-10 NKJV for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety,
Hebrews 3:11 NKJV So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
But he saw in these “rests” illustrations of the spiritual experiences of believers today. The Sabbath rest is a picture of our rest in Christ through salvation
Hebrews 4:3 NKJV For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
The Canaan rest is a picture of our present rest as we claim our inheritance in Christ
Hebrews 4:11-13 NKJV Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
The first is the rest of salvation; the second is the rest of submission.
There is also a third rest that enters into the discussion, that future rest that all believers will enjoy with God.
Hebrews 4:9 NKJV There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
This word for rest in verse 9 is the Greek word sabbatismos—“a keeping of a Sabbath”—and this is the only place in the New Testament where this word is used. When the saints enter heaven, it will be like sharing God’s great Sabbath rest, with all labors and battles ended.
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