Connecting Point: An Honor Above

Have you ever complimented someone for being a great person? What about speaking to others highly about another individual? We all have a certain person we admire, which is fairly standard. Dating back for centuries the Jewish people have looked up to Moses as one of the greatest leaders of all time. “Moshe Rabbeinu,” Moses, our teacher is their title for him. Known for standing up to Pharaoh and demanding he let the Jewish people go, he is revered for parting the Red Sea and securing their escape. Is there anyone greater? The author of Hebrews provides some very lofty credentials about Jesus to an audience who too revered Moses; he was, and is still, the Jews's “go-to man.”

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews contrasts Jesus to Moses. 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,” (Hebrews 3 1-6).

To most Americans, we are familiar with Charlton Heston’s acting Moses in the iconic 1956 production of The Ten Commandments. Moses is like many other ordinary individuals in the Bible who had flaws but served God to the best of his ability.

One prominent lesson can be drawn from the text above; a Christian’s affection needs to be properly focused on Jesus, no one else. There lies a tendency for each of us to place other humans on a pedestal, this has occurred for centuries. We are followers of Jesus! Honor and respect is due regarding others but within proper proportion.

Paul made an appeal to the Corinthian church to follow Christ, not Apollos, not Cephas, or even himself (1 Corinthians 1:12). It was Jesus who was crucified for our sins. In his name, believers are baptized. Mary the mother of Jesus is to be respected but never to be worshiped. Luke records some of Mary’s own words, “And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation,’” (Luke 1:46-50). Mary’s adoration is directed toward Jesus, not toward herself. The latest celebrity preacher or evangelist should never capture our sole attention, that honor is reserved for Jesus.

Hebrew Christians in the first century came to a realization. Moses served God faithfully and was a spokesperson for God but, Jesus was far greater. Jesus is our hope and glory as we hold firmly to him.