HeBrews: A Better Blend
Here at The Point we are studying the book of Hebrews in a slow, deliberate way. We are calling our study, HeBrews: A Better Blend because the book of Hebrews is all about BETTER things. Thus far, in chapters one and two of Hebrews, we have learned that Jesus is better than angels. Today we consider six short verses from chapter three that contain a unique reference to Jesus.
Read Hebrews 3: 1-6.
Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
The reference to Jesus as ‘Apostle’ occurs only in this verse in Hebrews and may strike us as odd, however, let’s think it through for a moment. We are most familiar with the use of the word apostle in reference to the twelve men chosen by Jesus to walk alongside Him in ministry.
The word apostle comes from the Greek apostolos and it means to send forth; envoy, ambassador, commissioned agent. Jesus intended for His apostles to go forth in His name, and under His commissioning, to spread the gospel to the world. As we think about Jesus being called ‘Apostle’ in Hebrews 3, we can understand this word being used by God because He sent Jesus forth, commissioned to bring salvation and restoration to fallen man. Jesus truly was the ultimate apostle.
MEDITATION MOMENT: Ponder the fact that you and I, as Christ followers, are envoys, ambassadors, commissioned agents of Jesus. We are to go forth under the name of Jesus to spread the word about what He has done in our lives. When was the last time you lived out our commissioning as an ambassador of Jesus?
