Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the
heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our
apostle and high priest. 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. “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing
witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But
Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed
we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. (Hebrews 3:1-6)
Keep in mind that Hebrews was written to people whose heritage was Jewish. If the writer had been writing to people who used to be Muslims (I know that Islam had not been invented yet), he might have written about how Jesus was and is greater than Mohammed. If it were written to Christians of Socialistic heritage, he’d have written about how Jesus was better than Karl Marx, Frederick Engle, Che Guevara, and Bernie Sanders. If written to people of Buddhist extraction, Jesus would be proclaimed greater than the Buddha. If to Roman Catholics, Jesus would be proclaimed better than Augustine, Aquinas, Pope John Paul II, Mother Theresa, and all the “Saints.” (And any Saint who was a saint would agree.) In writing to me, he would have told how Jesus is better than C.S. Lewis, Dallas Willard, G.K. Chesterton, Ravi Zacharias, and a whole host of other thinkers. No matter what beliefs you have, the best of the best doesn’t measure up to Jesus.
Just as God called Cyrus, “My servant,” God might call each and every one of the people I’ve listed His servants. Whether or not they were (or are) Christians, God has undoubtedly used them to accomplish His will. But Jesus stands alone. He’s not a servant. He built the house that these servants worked in. He created the universe they try to describe and try to make over in their own images. The fault that the Jews had with Him, and that many today may have with Him is that He didn’t accomplish everything according to their preferred vision or time table. They look at their watches and say, “Is it soup yet?” while God continues to add ingredients.
When all of those others died, they stayed dead. Their work was done. Jesus rose again, not only because His work continues, but because He rose again, His work can continue.
Keep in mind that Hebrews was written to people whose heritage was Jewish. If the writer had been writing to people who used to be Muslims (I know that Islam had not been invented yet), he might have written about how Jesus was and is greater than Mohammed. If it were written to Christians of Socialistic heritage, he’d have written about how Jesus was better than Karl Marx, Frederick Engle, Che Guevara, and Bernie Sanders. If written to people of Buddhist extraction, Jesus would be proclaimed greater than the Buddha. If to Roman Catholics, Jesus would be proclaimed better than Augustine, Aquinas, Pope John Paul II, Mother Theresa, and all the “Saints.” (And any Saint who was a saint would agree.) In writing to me, he would have told how Jesus is better than C.S. Lewis, Dallas Willard, G.K. Chesterton, Ravi Zacharias, and a whole host of other thinkers. No matter what beliefs you have, the best of the best doesn’t measure up to Jesus.
Just as God called Cyrus, “My servant,” God might call each and every one of the people I’ve listed His servants. Whether or not they were (or are) Christians, God has undoubtedly used them to accomplish His will. But Jesus stands alone. He’s not a servant. He built the house that these servants worked in. He created the universe they try to describe and try to make over in their own images. The fault that the Jews had with Him, and that many today may have with Him is that He didn’t accomplish everything according to their preferred vision or time table. They look at their watches and say, “Is it soup yet?” while God continues to add ingredients.
When all of those others died, they stayed dead. Their work was done. Jesus rose again, not only because His work continues, but because He rose again, His work can continue.
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