In Hebrews 3, the first verse instructed readers (including us) to focus upon Jesus. Continuing with the next few verses, we learn more about Jesus. I suspect that this is building upon verse 1, to explain exactly why we should focus upon Him.
He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
Hebrews 3:2-4 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.3.2-4.NIV
While we might expect more about Jesus as our High Priest here, the author of Hebrews saves that for later. Still writing to those with a Jewish background, the author pivots to another significant leader from the Hebrews’ history: none other than Moses.
Now, remember that Moses was not a high priest under the law that Moses delivered to the people. Those high priests were descended from Moses’ brother, Aaron. As a result, Moses didn’t fit that particular requirement for bringing a sacrifice into the Holy of Holies. However, Moses did speak with God, and Moses was instrumental in something else that was important to the Jewish nation: Moses was instrumental in the construction of the tabernacle.
Now, I think of Moses as the “project manager” for the construction of the tabernacle. He didn’t do all the work by himself. Being the adopted son of an Egyptian princess, I’m not sure how much labor he even had to do for his first 40 years. Then, for his next 40 years, he was a shepherd. He doesn’t seem to have been a weaver or jeweler or engraver, or anything like that; yet, those skills were needed for the tabernacle’s construction. We could read how God gave Moses instructions for the design of the tabernacle in chapters 34-35 of the book of Exodus, but even in Exodus 35:30-35, for instance, Moses himself explained how God had equipped a couple of other skilled workmen to do some of the craftsmanship.
Having said that, Moses is still credited for setting up the tabernacle and participating in its commissioning [see Exodus 40, Leviticus 8, Numbers 7, 1 Chronicles 21:29]. I also think that Moses, being the leader of the Israelites as they became a special people of God and entered into a covenant with God at Mount Sinai, was key to God’s house in another way: in the respect that God’s people are also God’s house, whether that’s a “house” in the terms of a dynasty or lineage (like we might think about British royal houses), or a “house” in the terms of something that God is building for a purpose. Per Girdwood & Verkruyse (cited below), in the past, multiple generations and relatives of the same family sometimes lived in the same physical structure, making these two definitions even more overlapping.
Note that this passage doesn’t take away glory from Moses, though. For devout Jewish people who had great respect for Moses, the point here is not that Moses needed to be moved down on the “ladder of respect”. No, the point is that, even as great as the honor that Moses rightly earned, the honor that God deserves is that much greater:
- Moses performed miracles to show Pharaoh that God was greater than the false gods of the Egyptians, but God gave Moses both the instructions and the power to do so.
- Moses led the people out of Israel, but God led Moses: not just out of the wilderness at the burning bush, but throughout Moses’ entire life.
- Moses took the people to the promised land, but God provided (and maybe was?) the pillars of smoke and fire to show them the way, as well as Him providing food and water for them.
- Moses directed the building of a tabernacle, but God was directing the building of a people whose line would bring the very Christ of salvation to earth.
- Moses’ faithfulness is put on display in this passage (not his human imperfections), but Jesus is 100% faithful and 100% perfect (so there would be no faults to even bring up).
In a small way, this is a little bit like the writing pens that my sons got for me one Christmas that say, “World’s #2 Dad (After God)”. This reminder that God must be more important than me doesn’t take away from my role as their dad. Instead, it adds to the glory and honor that God deserves, even above my role in their lives.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for January 18, 2026
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Hebrews, by Jim Girdwood and Peter Verkruyse. © 1997 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 