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There can be no purpose served by this statement unless the writer intends the
Hebrews to understand that Christ was God. Verse 3 demands this meaning, and the
fitness of verse 4 is only preserved if we believe it to refer to the Person of Christ. In
Heb. 1:, after having spoken of the high dignity of the Son, he leads on to the same point:
"Unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever . . . . . Thou, Lord, in
the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth" (1: 8-10).
Whether the "all things" of 3: 4 be taken to refer to the creation at large, or in a more
restricted sense to all the dispensations, including the Mosaic and the Gospel, Christ is
the Builder.
The Apostle now proceeds to another feature. Moses was faithful as a SERVANT in
all his house, but Christ as a SON over His own house. Not only is there the contrast
between Servant and Son, but between Moses IN, and Christ OVER, the house. Further,
the added words "Over His own house" confirm the interpretation of verse 4 of Christ.
The reason for this carefully debated point is revealed in verse 6. This house over
which Christ as the Son presides has infinitely more glory than Moses in the house of
which he formed a part, and it represents a special people who are now to be named and
described. "Whose house are WE", the "we" being the holy brethren, partakers of the
heavenly calling of 3: 1, and the many sons who are being brought to glory (cf. 2: 10).
Their peculiar characteristic is now added, and enforced by historical example.
"Whose house are we, IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope
firm unto the end" (3: 6).
This finds its echo in verse 14:
"For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence
stedfast unto the end."
These two passages are followed by almost identical words, which is a more forcible
reason why we should compare them together. Following verse 6 we read:
"Wherefore, (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your
hearts, AS IN THE PROVOCATION . . . . . forty years . . . . . I was grieved . . . . . I sware
. . . . . They shall not enter into My rest). Take heed, brethren, LEST . . . . ." (3: 7-12).
Following verse 14, we read:
"While it is said, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, AS IN THE
PROVOCATION . . . . . with whom was He grieved forty years? . . . . . to whom sware
He that they should not enter into His rest? . . . . . Let us therefore fear, LEST . . . . ."
(3: 15 - 4: 1).
The whole context of chapters 3: and 4: makes it impossible that that "house" of
3: 6 can mean "the church" as we know it. In the case of the church, there can be no
"if", and the figure of Israel in the wilderness can by no system of interpretation set forth
that church whose standing is in pure grace. So also the parallel expression "partakers of