Jesus Christ: Apostle and High Priest
The theme “Jesus is Better” continues to extend into the book of Hebrews, unveiling more and more about the character of God. In fact, Hebrews 3 introduces two new titles given to Jesus for the first and only time: Apostle and High Priest. In the simplest terms, an apostle is a “Sent One”. The angels and prophets were sent, and therefore apostles, but Christ is the ultimate “Sent One”. We will explore this role as well as the role of the High Priest as we continue through this series.
Better than Moses
Moses was a faithful man of God, greatly praised by the Jews, and yet Hebrews 3 ultimately shows that Jesus Christ is better. While Moses was a servant faithful in the Father’s house, Jesus was the Son faithful over the Father’s house. Being faithful, this passage is not a criticism of Moses, but rather a reminder that Christ is greater still. Moses was greatly honored by the Jewish people, however, he still fell short. He ultimately failed and because of his failure, was unable to go into the Promised Land.
Better than Joshua
The same is true of Joshua, another great man of God. However, instead of focusing on his own failure, the author of Hebrews focuses on the failure of the Jewish people under the authority of Joshua. The Israelites had an immense lack of faith. Their lack of faith was so great that even Joshua, their courageous leader, could not convince them at the time to trust the LORD and enter into the Promised Land. As great as he was, Joshua was not able to deliver final rest to the people of Israel–there still remains ultimate rest for the people of God.
A Call to Faith and Perseverance
Not only does the example of Joshua show the reader how “Jesus is Better”, but it also serves as a reminder on how to live in light of that truth. At the time of this epistle, the Hebrews had begun their walk with the LORD, but were already beginning to falter. The author of Hebrews exhorts them to stay strong in the faith, not becoming like the ten men who saw the Promised Land and yet still faltered. Chapter 4 finishes with a declaration of the power of the Word of God. The Word of God is a powerful tool the LORD has given to help those who follow Him not to falter or fall in their faith, but rather to remain steadfast and obedient. Join us next session as we look at the next “Better Than” statement: that He is better than Aaron and the priests.
This blog post captures the essence of Dr. William Varner’s study series on Hebrews. You may click on the video above to hear more insightful details about the preeminence of Christ in Hebrews. Dr. Varner is the chair of TMU Online Master of Arts in Biblical Studies and professor of Biblical Languages and Bible Exposition for The Master’s University traditional on-campus program.
