Jesus is compared with Moses; or rather Jesus is being elevated by comparing with Moses. Jesus is surely more faithful than Moses (v2) and more glory than Moses (v3). It is because Jesus is the builder of the house which Moses was in (v2-4).
The Greek word of house is called ‘oikos’, the same name I have given to the fellowship group of young families. Of course this word is not strictly and particularly used for Christian, it is just a normal common Greek. But in today’s text, the author is particularly referring the family of God’s people as ‘oikos’ and refers Jesus as the builder of this ‘oikos’. And Jesus is faithful and gloried by this ‘oikos’.
As I ponder and pray, my heart is drawn to the faithfulness and the glory of Jesus, for the sake of the ‘oikos’. I am in this ‘oikos’, you are also in this ‘oikos’, and we are together in this ‘oikos’. And Jesus is faithful to us, not because He is one of us like Moses (v2), but rather He is the builder of this ‘oikos’; He is the builder of my life and yours too. And Jesus receives more glory than Moses, not because of the ‘oikos’, but rather He is the builder of this ‘oikos’ (v3). He builds us up from scratch. He builds us up by His faithfulness, and shares with us His glory when the ‘oikos’ is completed, if we hold fast until the end (v6).
Do you belong to this ‘oikos’ too? If you are in this ‘oikos’, do you have doubt at times whereby the exterior is being bombarded by financial crisis and people having terminal diseases? Do you have doubt at times whereby the interior is full of hypocrites and strives among church people? Do you have doubt at times whereby the foundation is shaken by strange doctrines and practices? Remember that Jesus is faithful, His glory with prevail.
As a pastor, I have seen how this ‘oikos’ can be affected by the financial crisis whereby we have to cut down expenses and be shrewd in our management of funds, rather than trusting God to provide if we are doing God’s work. I also see how internal strives and misunderstanding has split churches and hinder the advancement of ministry. And I also see how careless we can be by neglecting our foundation by neglecting the study of the Word of God to seek the will of God for the church and go after popular theology or practices or programs in hope to grow the church. But Jesus is faithful.
Again, in this season of Lent, I am being drawn back to Christ and His Cross. Christ’s work on the Cross is not a point event, but rather a continuous process of His complete work for us until the end. And because of Christ faithfulness to the ‘oikos’, I can have hope that this ‘oikos’ will be built up in the way whereby Christ will be glorified.
If you have any frustration about the ‘oikos’, remember Jesus is faithful, He has not done with us who make up the ‘oikos’. He is not done with me yet, He is surely not done with you too. You plus me equals to the ‘oikos’.
Let’s keep building each other up as Christ builds us up.
HHS…
Abel…
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