`Now when these things were thus ordained' kataskeuazo (Heb. 9:6).

In Exodus 27:19 and 36:7 kataskeue is used in the LXX for the `vessels' and the `stuff' of the Tabernacle. We

have no need to range the universe to discover what `house' it is that is thus built in Hebrews 3:2,3 and 4; the house

that Moses built, which is incomparably less in glory than the house that Christ built, refers particularly to the

Tabernacle made after the pattern in the mount, which is what Moses erected, as contrasted with the `true tabernacle,

which the Lord pitched, and not man' (Heb. 8:2). The avoidance by the apostle of any use of the word oikodomeo

`to build' is significant. Those to whom Hebrews is written are visualized as pilgrims. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

are spoken of as `tent dwellers'; here they have `no continuing city'; they look for one to come.

`He that built all things is God' (Heb. 3:4).

`This verse has been a kind of offendiculum criticorum in past ages, and has never yet, in any commentary which I have

seen, been satisfactorily illustrated ... if the verse be entirely omitted, and the third verse be immediately

connected with the fifth, there seems to be nothing wanting, nothing omitted that is at all requisite to finish the

comparison which the writer is making ... The amount then of the reasoning seems to be: `Consider that Christ,

as Theos and the former of all things, must be the Author too of the Jewish and Christian dispensations, which

glory belongs to Him, not only in His mediatorial office, and as being the Head of a new dispensation, but also

as the Founder both of this and the Jewish dispensation in His divine character; while Moses is to be honoured

only as the head of the Jewish dispensation, in the quality of a commissioned superintendent, but not as author

and founder' (Moses Stuart).

Kataskeuazo is not used in the New Testament Scriptures of creation, and it is beside the mark to bring heaven

and earth as the `all things' of Hebrews 3:4 into the argument. The divine command to Moses was `See ... that thou

make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount' (Heb. 8:5) where the words `all things' must

be limited to the Tabernacle which Moses was about to erect. In two passages in Hebrews the A.V. leads the reader

to think of the creation of `the world', where the original speaks of `the ages': Hebrews 1:2 and 11:3. The reader

should be aware of this tendency on the part of the A.V., and for the sake of clearness we indicate the several words

that are thus translated `world', and hope that the survey of the examples will fully justify the diversion.

World - kosmos

`From the foundation of the world'

(Heb. 4:3; cf. 9:26).

`He condemned the world' (Heb. 11:7).

`Of Whom the world was not worthy'

(Heb. 11:38).

World - aion (age)

`By Whom also He made the worlds'

(Heb. 1:2).

`The powers of the world to come' (Heb. 6:5).

`Once in the end of the world' (Heb. 9:26).

`The worlds were framed' (Heb. 11:3).

World - oikoumene

`When He bringeth in the First begotten into

(habitable world,

the world' (Heb. 1:6).

prophetic earth).

`For unto the angels hath He not put into subjection the world to come, whereof we speak'

(Heb. 2:5).

In Hebrews 9:26 it will be observed that both kosmos and aion are translated `world', which is misleading,

coming as they do in the same verse. Hebrews 1:10 has made it abundantly clear WHO it was that created heaven

and earth, there is no need to bring that subject into the argument of Hebrews 3:1-6. The contrast is between Moses,

as a servant, and Christ as a Son, for the Son has already been addressed as Lord and God. Again there seems to be

an intended selection of the word used for servant here. It is therapon. This word is taken from Numbers 12:7,8

where the Lord's dealing with Moses is contrasted with His dealings with lesser prophets.

`My servant (LXX therapon) Moses is not so, who is faithful in all Mine house. With him will I speak mouth to