Hebrews 3:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Moses was a servant, but Christ is Son. The former cared for those who were another's, but the latter for His own. "For a testimony of those things which would be spoken." What are you saying? Does God receive testimony from a man? Certainly He does. If He calls heaven, earth, and hills as witnesses when He says through the prophet, "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord has spoken" (Isa 1:2), and again, "Hear, O mountains, the judgment of the Lord, and you strong foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a judgment with His people" (Mic 6:2), then much more does He call men. What does "for a testimony" mean? So that he might bear witness when they become shameless.

Here he shows another superiority. Moses was faithful as a servant, appointed to transmit the Lord's commands to the other servants and to be a witness before God in judgment concerning what had been said to them. For if He calls heaven and earth as witnesses, as in, "Give ear, O heavens, and hear, O earth" (Deut 32:1; cf. Isa 1:2), and valleys, as in, "Hear, you strong foundations of the earth" (Mic 6:2), then much more can He call a man.

From the names and the effects of their actions he forms a comparison of superiority. He shows the difference in the essential quality, so to speak, which Christ has in comparison with Moses, and through him with all created beings.

For his argument presses toward this conclusion. If one is "as a servant," and the other "as Son," one a faithful servant, οἰκέτης, in the house, and the other an heir, not in the house but over His own house, how can One so different be of the same kind as Moses?

He who is not akin to Moses, who has a created nature, and is not his fellow servant, cannot be compared with anyone else according to the logos of nature as one of the same nature.

And Moses was indeed faithful, but as a servant he was faithful in all the house, for a testimony to what was then being spoken.

The Apostle used names from the Old Testament Scripture. For God called Moses a servant: "Moses My servant," He says, "is dead" (Josh 1:2). Again He says, "Not so with My servant Moses" (Num 12:7).

But the Old Testament Scripture calls the Master Christ Himself Son: "What is His name, or what is His Son's name?" (Prov 30:4). And again: "You are My Son; today I have begotten You" (Ps 2:7).

And again: "From the womb, before the morning star, I have begotten You" (Ps 109:3). From this, says the Apostle, the difference between the two is known.

One is a servant, the other a Son. One is called faithful to prove that he is a trustworthy lawgiver, as the Apostle says: "for a testimony of the things that were to be spoken." Christ, however, is called faithful as Son.

"And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house, as a servant." Moses too was called faithful, according to what was said above, as a servant. "For a testimony of those things which would be spoken." This means for the assurance and confirmation of what Moses would have to speak to the people, so that those to whom he spoke would believe him.

The apostles were sent to preach the Gospel to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was sent by God. Christ was sent by God, and the apostles by Christ. Both were according to the order and will of God.

Therefore, having received the command, the apostles were fully assured through the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Established in faith by the word of God, and filled with the Holy Spirit, they went forth proclaiming the coming kingdom of God.

Preaching through various countries and cities, they appointed the firstfruits of believers, after spiritual testing, as bishops and deacons for those who would believe thereafter.

"For a testimony of those things which would be spoken." Moses was a faithful mediator between God and the people, and he could accurately testify before all to the truth of what he had to proclaim to Israel. Thus no one else could have fulfilled God's embassy to Israel better than he.

Here the Apostle considers a new aspect of the matter, namely the difference between the ministry of Christ and that of Moses in the house of God, apart from its construction.

It appears that Moses was only what faithful and diligent servants of a house usually are. He was a truthful witness and an exact herald of the will of the Lord for the people of Israel.

Thus his significance was only ministerial and executive. But Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, appointed by the Father heir of all things (above, Heb 3:1-2), is the full master and sovereign steward in the Church of God, which is His own house.

"Whose house we are," that is, the house of Christ, the Son of God, "if we hold fast the boldness and the boast of hope," in Russian, "the hope in which we boast," "firmly to the end."

By these words the holy Apostle wishes to support the failing courage of some Christians from among the Hebrews. Under the pressure of Jewish fanaticism, they had begun to waver in spirit and incline again toward Judaism.

But what advantage does Jesus have over Moses as mediator of the Covenant, if He has been deemed worthy of greater honor than Moses?

In the exact fulfillment of His task, Christ is like Moses. Yet the task itself, the very calling of Jesus Christ, is higher than that of Moses.

Moses was only a faithful minister in the house of God. Christ, however, was faithful to God not as a servant, but as Son, ὡς υἱός, cf. 1:1.

He was set over the house, ἐπί τὸν οἶκον, and over all who are in it. Therefore He is above Moses, who was one of the servants of the house.