Hebrews 3:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later,

NIV: Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house,' bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future.

NASB: Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later;

CSB: Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future.

NLT: Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later.

KJV: And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

NKJV: And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,

Here, as in prior verses, the author of Hebrews supports the idea that Jesus is a "better" example than that of Moses. While Moses was created, Jesus is the Creator (Hebrews 3:3). While Moses was faithful, as a servant in God's house, Jesus is faithful as God's Son (Hebrews 3:6). Moses gave previews of what was to come, Jesus actually fulfilled those promises.

Some of the aspects where Moses "testified" to the future include the tabernacle itself. Much of the tabernacle's construction was meant to be symbolic. The actions of the priests and high priests were also meant to foreshadow the ministry of Jesus.

This falls in line with the "big picture" message of this passage. For the Jewish Christian enduring persecution and doubt, this is both a comforting and challenging idea. If Moses is meant to be an example, but his actions point forward to Jesus, who is a greater example, and whose works are complete, it stands to reason that Jesus is the "better" One to follow. Prior to this verse, the focus has been on the importance of following the example of Christ.

In the next verses, this point will shift to point out a prior example of what happens when we fail to trust in God's promises: Israel's forty-year wandering in the desert.

Hebrews 3:1–6 explains how Moses, while a powerful and faithful servant of God, is not the ultimate example for us to follow. Jesus is not a servant, but the Son of God. He is not the created thing, He is the Creator. He did not come to predict God's plan, He came to fulfill it. For these reasons, the Jewish Christians reading this letter should have every confidence in following Christ. This passage ends with a condition: that believers ''hold fast.'' This is not a reference to losing salvation; however, it does introduce the warning beginning in verse 7, which discusses what happens when a believer fails to trust in God.

Hebrews chapter 3 uses a reference to Israel's wandering in the desert from the story of the Exodus. In this incident, the nation of Israel came to the border of the Promised Land and then lost confidence in God. Rather than trusting Him, most of the people gave up hope. As a result, only a tiny remnant of the nation was allowed to enter into Canaan. This chapter explains that Jesus Christ is superior to Moses and all of Moses' accomplishments. Christians, therefore, need to encourage each other to fully trust in God, in order to see fulfillment of His promises.

In chapters 1 and 2, the author of Hebrews showed that Jesus was not an angel. In fact, Jesus' role as Messiah required Him to be fully human. Starting in chapter 3, the author will explain how Jesus is also superior to various Old Testament characters such as Moses. This will help to set the stage for later references to Christ's superiority. Part of the warning in this chapter extends into chapter 4. Namely, that Christians who doubt God's promises risk missing out on the victories He has in store for us.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.