John Calvin Commentary Hebrews 3

Therefore, holy brethren, ... He concludes the preceding doctrine with a necessary exhortation: that the Jews should attentively consider what kind of being and how great Christ is. As he had previously, by naming him a teacher and a priest, briefly compared him with Moses and Aaron, so he now includes both aspects. For he adorns him with two titles, as he sustains a twofold character in the Church of God. Moses was a prophet and a teacher, and Aaron was a priest; but the two offices belong to Christ. If, then, we seek to know him rightly, we must inquire what kind of being he is. Indeed, he must be clothed with his own power, so that we do not grasp an empty shadow and not him.

First, the word consider, is important, for it indicates that special attention is required, since he cannot be disregarded without consequence, and that at the same time the true knowledge of Christ is sufficient to dispel the darkness of all errors.

To encourage them further to pursue this study, he reminds them of their calling; as if he had said, “God favored you with no ordinary grace when He called you into his kingdom; it now remains for you to keep your eyes fixed on Christ as your leader on the path.”

For the calling of the godly can only be confirmed by a thorough surrender of themselves to Christ.

Therefore, we ought not to regard this as said only to the Jews, but as a general truth addressed to all who desire to come into the kingdom of God.

They ought diligently to attend to Christ, for he is the sole instructor of our faith and has confirmed it by the sacrifice of himself.

For confession, or profession, is to be understood here as faith, as if he had said that the faith we profess is vain and futile unless Christ is its object.

Who was, or is faithful, etc. This is a commendation of the apostleship of Christ, so that the faithful may securely trust in him. He commends it on two grounds: because the Father has set him to be over us as our teacher, and because Christ himself has faithfully performed the office committed to him.

These two things are always necessary to secure authority for a doctrine. For God alone ought to be heeded, as the whole Scripture testifies. Therefore, Christ declares that the doctrine which he delivered was not his own, but the Father’s (John 7:16); and in another place he says, “He who received me, receiveth him who has sent me.” (Luke 9:48). For we say of Christ that, as he is clothed with our flesh, he is the Father’s minister to carry out his commands.

To the calling of God is added Christ's faithful and upright performance of duty; and this is required of true ministers, so that they may obtain credence in the Church. Since these two things are found in Christ, undoubtedly he cannot be disregarded without despising God in him.

As also Moses, etc. Omitting the priesthood for a while, he speaks here of Christ's apostleship.

For as there are two parts in God’s covenant—the promulgation of the truth and, so to speak, its real confirmation—the full perfection of the covenant would not appear in Christ if both parts were not found in him. Therefore, the writer of the epistle, after mentioning both, roused attention with a brief exhortation. But he now enters into a longer discussion and begins with the office of a teacher; therefore, he now compares Christ only with Moses.

The words in all his house, may be applied to Moses, but I prefer to apply them to Christ, as Christ may be said to be faithful to his Father in ruling his whole house. It therefore follows that none belong to the Church of God except those who acknowledge Christ.

For this man (or, he) was counted worthy of more glory. So that he might not appear to make Moses equal to Christ, he reminds us of Christ's superior excellence; and this he proves by two arguments: Moses so ruled the Church that he was still a part and member of it, while Christ, being the builder, is superior to the whole building — and Moses, while ruling others, was also ruled himself as a servant, while Christ, being a Son, possesses supreme power.

It is a frequent and well-known metaphor used in Scripture to call the Church the house of God (1 Timothy 3:15). Since the Church is composed of the faithful, each of them is called a living stone (1 Peter 2:5). They are also sometimes called the vessels with which the house is furnished (2 Timothy 2:20). Therefore, there is no one so eminent that he is not a member and included in the universal body. God, being the builder, alone is to be set above His own work; but God dwells in Christ, so that whatever is said of God is applicable to Him.

If anyone objects, saying that Christ is also a part of the building because He is the foundation, because He is our brother, because He has a union with us, and then that He is not the master-builder because He Himself was formed by God—in reply to these things, we say the following. Our faith is so founded on Him that He still rules over us. He is our brother in such a way that He is yet our Lord. He was so formed by God as man that He nevertheless, by His Spirit, revives and restores all things as the eternal God.

Scripture employs various metaphors to set forth Christ's grace towards us, but none of them derogate from His honor as mentioned here by the Apostle. For what is stated here is this: all people must recognize their proper place, because they ought to be in subjection to the Head. Christ alone is exempt from this submission, because He is the Head.

If it is again objected that Moses was no less a master-builder than Paul, who gloried in this title; to this I reply as follows. This name is applied to prophets and teachers, but not with strict correctness, for they are only instruments—indeed, dead instruments—unless the Lord from heaven gives efficacy to what they do. Then, they labor in building the Church in such a way that they themselves form a part of the structure. But the case is wholly different with Christ, for He always builds up the Church by the power of His own Spirit. Besides, He stands far above the rest, for He is in such a way the true temple of God that He is at the same time the God who inhabits it.

He that built, etc. Though these words may be extended to the creation of the whole world, yet I confine them to the present subject. We are then to understand that nothing is done in the Church which ought not to be ascribed to God's power; for he alone has founded it by his own hand, (Psalms 87:5), and Paul says of Christ that he is the head, from whom the whole body, joined together and connected by every subservient juncture, makes an increase according to what is done proportionally by every member. (Ephesians 4:16.) Hence he often declares that the success of his ministry was God's work. In a word, if we take a right view of things, it will appear that however much God may use the labors of people in building his Church, yet he himself performs everything — the instrument derogates nothing from the worker.

And Moses truly was faithful in all his house, as a servant. The second difference is that a doctrine was committed to Moses to which he, in common with others, was to submit. But Christ, though he took on the form of a servant, is still Master and Lord, to whom all ought to be subject. For, as we found in Hebrews 1:2, he has been made heir of all things.

For a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after, or which were afterwards to be said or declared. I explain this simply in this way—that Moses, while a herald of that doctrine which was to be published for a time to the ancient people, at the same time gave testimony to the Gospel, the publication of which was not yet to be made. For it is undoubtedly clear that the end and completion of the Law is that perfection of wisdom contained in the Gospel. This explanation seems to be consistent with the future tense of the participle. The meaning indeed is that Moses faithfully delivered to the people what the Lord had committed to him, but limits were prescribed to him which he was not permitted to pass. God formerly spoke at different times and in various ways by the prophets, but he deferred the complete revelation of the Gospel to the fullness of time.