I published this Random Bible Verse comment for the first time on another blog on August 25, 2012.
“. . . 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.”
—Hebrews 3:6
This verse stands at the end of a paragraph in which we are asked to “consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1). In the intervening four verses, the author of Hebrews, probably ultimately the apostle Paul, makes a comparison between Christ and Moses in terms of their faithfulness. Jesus is, of course, superior to Moses in many ways, but in the area of faithfulness, He is far greater because He is no mere servant, as Moses was, but the Son and Heir of His own house, the house of God.
A second distinction that the author makes is that, while Moses functioned as a faithful servant or steward of the house, Christ built the house. In other words, while Moses dutifully followed orders concerning the running of the house during his time of service, Christ gets all the credit for planning, designing, building, and maintaining the house, as He is its Creator. The author makes this plain in verse 4: “He who built all things is God.”
So the author makes two major points: 1) Jesus Christ is the faithful Son of God and Heir of all things, and 2) He Himself is the Creator God, the One who made everything (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16). For these reasons, He is worthy of all glory and honor.
In verse 6, the object of our comments, the author brings Christians, the church, into the argument. We are the house of God that Jesus has been building and that Moses faithfully served. The Son of God has been faithfully working on us both individually and collectively since the beginning to fit us into His house—whether we wish to look at it as a building or a family—in the place that most suits us and where we will function the best for His purpose.
The emphasis here needs to be on the fact that He, appointed by the Father to this task, has executed His responsibilities faithfully in every respect. He never shirks a job, never does shoddy work, and never fails to finish what He starts. Jesus Christ always does perfect work.
So, as the verse implies, we should have perfect confidence and joy in our Creator in bringing us to salvation and eternal life. We have no reason to doubt! Our responsibility, then, is to “hold fast,” to stand firm, to endure to the end, through whatever assails us in the meantime.
There is nothing that can stop Christ from finishing His work perfectly—except us. We can fail Him (see Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:26-31); we can prove unfaithful, which is why the author’s next section is an exhortation to be faithful and a warning not to follow the unfaithful, unbelieving example of the Israelites in the wilderness.
To this end, he repeats his encouraging remarks in Hebrews 3:14, “For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.” We have to keep hanging on, faithful and trusting that God, in His perfect work, has everything under control. So Jesus Himself tells us in Matthew 24:13, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
Quite right Richard, and I did review the many translations on this. Was just fascinated by the use of two possessives together “His own” when it could have just as easily been stated “His house”.
Quite emphatic, isn’t it? The wording elevates His possession of the house to an unmistakable height, drawing attention to the vast difference between owner and servant. So, he writes to the Hebrews, which of these two, Jesus or Moses, receives your first allegiance?
Ironic, I was just studying Hebrew 3 before coming online and reading your post today.
Moses’ “his house” and Christ’s “own house” is an interesting delineation. Both have one author whose ultimate work is being fulfilled, that work is the Father’s will. But each is administrating over a house of their own. The possessive use of “his” (Moses’) and “own” (Christ’s) really stand out against the backdrop of the overall plan. Very interesting read indeed.
You may want to check a few different Bible translations and/or commentaries on that. Most of the ones I’ve looked into (just a quick check of a handful) take the “his house” as, not a separate house, but God’s, since Moses is a servant in that house. Christ, being the Creator and Head of the Church, is building only one house. The real distinction that Paul is making here is not different houses but the vast superiority of Christ over Moses, as a son is to a servant.