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It is possible that Moses had the promised Messiah in view when he said to the Lord,
"Send, I pray Thee, by the hand of Him Whom Thou wilt send" (Exod. 4: 13). The
immediate result of this continued hesitancy on the part of Moses is the mention of
Aaron, destined to be the High Priest. Moses apparently forfeited this office, and instead
of holding the office both of apostle and High Priest, this was now to be shared with his
brother. Great as Moses was, and great as every Jew held him to be, all must confess
who know the truth that He who combined the two offices in His one Person was greater.
Thus it is that Moses is introduced in chapter 3: Christ has already been seen as greater
than angels.
He is now seen as greater than Moses: then greater than Joshua, greater than Aaron,
and greater than all the offerings of the law.
Christ is here called the Apostle and High Priest of our "profession". What is the idea
contained in the word "profession" (homologia)? Hebrews uses the word three times:
"The Apostle and High Priest of our profession" (3: 1).
"Let us hold fast our profession" (4: 14).
"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith" (10: 23).
Seeing that it is the profession of faith, the word indicates something which is
subsequent to faith, parallel with "the things which accompany salvation". We view
Christ here not as Redeemer, but as Apostle and High Priest of our profession. This
profession is further illustrated by use of the cognate homologeo.
"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar
off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and CONFESSED that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. 11: 13).
"Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach. For here
have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By Him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving praise
(CONFESSING) to His name" (Heb. 13: 13-15).
Here the two references emphasize the stranger and pilgrim character of this
profession of which Christ was Apostle and High Priest. For this other-worldly character
see I Tim. 6: 12, 13:
"Fight the good fight of faith (fight is the same word `race' as in Heb. 12: 1) . . . . .
and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses (witnesses, same word as
Heb. 12: 1) . . . . . Christ Jesus, Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession."
It is evident by the balance of the words that the "good fight" is parallel with the
"good confession"; and seeing that the "fight" is the same as the "race" of Heb. 12:, the
titles "Apostle and High Priest of our profession", and "The Captain and Perfecter of
faith", have much in common. As the Captain, He was the Apostle, the Sent One. As the
Perfecter, He was the High Priest, Who went back to God. The "profession" being the
profession of "faith", is another view of the particular aspect of faith exhibited in
Heb. 11:; in other words the whole theme revolves around the idea of pilgrim walk and
perfecting. The holy brethren are exhorted to "consider" Christ as the Apostle and