Hebrews 3:1-6 | Jesus is Greater Than Moses
Jesus is Greater Than Moses: Why the Builder is Better Than the Best Servant (Hebrews 3:1-6)
For the first-century Jewish Christian, naming anyone greater than Moses was shocking. Moses was synonymous with the Law, the foundational structure of their identity. But in Hebrews 3:1-6, the writer makes a bold, game-changing claim: Jesus is greater than Moses.
This isn't a competition where Moses fails; it's a comparison where Jesus transcends. Moses was the greatest leader Israel ever had, but Jesus is the Son and the Builder of all things.
The Struggle: Law vs. Grace
We are naturally tempted, just like those first Christians, to crave the security of the Law. The Law gives us structure, telling us what to do to be "good enough" for God. However, this same Law that gives structure also condemns us when we inevitably fail.
The big idea of this passage is: We can trust Jesus to both build and sustain God's house. We must stop trying to earn God’s affection through self-righteous effort and look only to Jesus, who fulfilled the Law on our behalf.
Moses: The GOAT Servant of God’s House
Moses’s résumé is incredible: miraculous birth, elite Egyptian education, leader of the greatest rescue mission in history (the Exodus), and the one who spoke with God face-to-face. He was faithful in all God’s house (v. 2) as a world-class manager of the structure and people of Israel.
The parallels between Moses and Jesus are striking—both were spared death as infants, renounced royalty, and mediated a covenant. Moses was God's preview.
However, the differences are everything: | Moses (The Servant) | Jesus (The Son) | | :--- | :--- | | Fell short of God's glory | Sinless, fully atoned for sin | | Died outside the Promised Land | Died and rose again | | Could only point the way | Completed the journey to eternal life |
Argument 1: Jesus Built the House, Moses Was Part of It
The writer uses the metaphor of the house (v. 3). Moses was the best employee, the world-class building manager of "God's house" (the people of Israel). But Jesus?
"For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself." (Hebrews 3:3)
Jesus is the Architect. He poured the foundation and framed the walls. The writer then drops a "parenthetical bomb" (v. 4): "For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God." The logic is simple: If Jesus is the Builder of all things, Jesus is God. The Creator came down to give Himself up for you.
Argument 2: Moses Was a Servant, Jesus Is the Son
In verse 5, the house metaphor shifts to a family. Moses was called a servant—even by God Himself—faithful in all the family's business. Everyone in Israel was a servant under the old covenant, bound by strict protocol.
But Jesus is faithful over God's house as a Son (v. 6). He is the heir. This changes everything for us:
We are His house: We are brought into the same intimate relationship Jesus has with the Father.
Direct Access: We are no longer servants needing priests (the veil was torn). We don't need to check off the Law's requirements. We approach God as a son or daughter approaching a loving father.
Eternal Hope: Jesus, the Builder, is also the foundation and the cornerstone. He is building something new—a new heaven and a new earth where there is no more mourning, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4).
The Takeaway
We must choose where we look for righteousness: to Moses (our own self-righteous effort to keep the Law), or to Jesus (accepting His sinless life and death on our behalf). Our hope is not in our ability to hold the Law, but in our ability to hold fast our confidence and our boasting in Jesus—the Builder of all time.