Hebrews 3:5
in Hebrews 3Now Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be spoken later.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken;
KJV
And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
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This verse in Hebrews 3
Commentary
13 notes on this verseAnd Moses himself, being a man of God, was indeed given as a god before Pharaoh; but he is not properly termed Lord, nor is called God by the prophets, but is spoken of by the Spirit as "Moses, the faithful minister and servant of God," which also he was.
This site's exposition
Moses was faithful as a servant
on Hebrews 3:5-6
Moses was faithful as a servant, therapon, an honored attendant, testifying to what would be spoken later. Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house, and the readers are that house on a condition, if we hold firmly to our confidence.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
"And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house." Then Paul speaks of another distinction between Christ and Moses, that Moses was faithful as a servant, while the Christ was a genuine Son and of the same essence. For since he called Christ faithful above, …
The apostles received the gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Christ, was sent from God. Thus Christ is from God and the apostles from Christ. In both instances the orderly procedure depends on God's will. And so the apostles, after receiving their orders and being fully convinced by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and assured by God's Word, went out in the confidence of the Holy Spirit to preach the good news that God's kingdom was about to come. They preached in country and city and appointed their first converts, after testing them by the Spirit, to be the bishops and deacons of future believers. Nor was this any novelty, for Scripture had mentioned bishops and deacons long before. For this is what Scripture says somewhere: "I will appoint their bishops in righteousness and their deacons in faith." And is it any wonder that those Christians whom God had entrusted with such a duty should have appointed the officers mentioned? For the blessed Moses too, "who was a faithful servant in all God's house," recorded in the sacred books all the orders given to him, and the rest of the prophets followed in his train by testifying with him to his legislation. Now, when rivalry for the priesthood arose and the tribes started quarreling as to which of them should be honored with this glorious privilege, Moses asked the twelve tribal chiefs to bring him rods, on each of which was written the name of one of the tribes. These he took and bound, sealing them with the rings of the tribal leaders; and he put them in the tent of the testimony on God's table. Then he shut the tent and put seals on the keys, just as he had on the rods. […]
"And Moses verily was faithful in all His house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken." See also another point of superiority, that which is derived from the Son and the servants. You see again that by the appellation of The Son, he intimates true relationship.
"For a testimony of those things which shall be spoken." What meanest thou? Doth God receive the witness of man? Yes, certainly. For if He call to witness heaven and earth and hills (saying by the prophet, "Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken" - and "Hear ye ravines, foundations of the earth, for the Lord hath a controversy with His people"), much more men; that is, that they may be witnesses, when themselves the Jews are shameless.
The Medieval Church1 voice
165. – Then (v. 5) he prefers Christ to Moses in regard to their state. In regard to this he does two things: first, he states his reason; secondly, he explains it (v. 6b). 166. – His reasoning is this: It is obvious that the …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Behold, he shows yet another superiority: Moses was faithful as a servant, appointed to convey the Lord's commands to the other servants and to be a witness before God at the judgment concerning what was told to them. For if he calls heaven and earth …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Christ is the maker of this house of the church in all ages: Moses was a minister in the house, he was instrumental under Christ in governing and edifying the house, but Christ is the maker of all things; for he is God, and no one less than God could build the church, either lay the foundation or carry on the superstructure.
Moses was only a typical governor, for a testimony of all those things relating to the church which would be more clearly, completely, and comfortably revealed in the gospel by the Spirit of Christ; and therefore Christ is worthy of more glory than Moses, and of greater regard and consideration.
And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Moses was faithful ...as a servant - Not as the head of the dispensation; not as having originated it; but as in the employ and under the direction of its great Founder and Author - the Messiah. As such a servant he deserves all the honor for fidelity which has ever been claimed for him, but it cannot be the honor which is due to him who is at the head of the family or house.
As a servant - The fidelity of Moses was the fidelity of a servant; he was not the framer of that Church or house; he was employed, under God, to arrange and order it: he was steward to the Builder and Owner. For a testimony of those things - Every ordinance under the law was typical; every thing bore a testimony to the things which were to be spoken after; i.e. to Jesus Christ, his suffering, death, and the glory which should follow; and to his Gospel in all its parts. The faithfulness of Moses consisted in his scrupulous attention to every ordinance of God; his framing every thing according to the pattern showed him by the Lord; and his referring all to that Christ of whom he spoke as the prophet who should come after him, and should be raised up from among themselves; whom they should attentively hear and obey, on pain of being cut off from being the people of the Lord. Hence our Lord told the Jews, Joh 5:46: If ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me; “namely;” says Dr. Macknight, “in the figures, but especially in the prophecies, of the law, where the Gospel dispensation, the coming of its Author, and his character as Messiah, are all described with a precision which adds the greatest lustre of evidence to Jesus and to his Gospel.”
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Μωϋσῆς | mouses | Moses | G3475 → | 78 times |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| πιστὸς | pistos | [was] faithful | G4103 → | 67 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ὅλῳ | holo | all | G3650 → | |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἴκῳ | oiko | house | G3624 → | 112 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| θεράπων | therapon | a servant | G2324 → | |
| εἰς | eis | unto | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| μαρτύριον | marturion | a testimony | G3142 → | |
| τῶν | ton | of the [things] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαληθησομένων, | lalethesomenon | to be spoken, | G2980 → | 294 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ΜωϋσῆςMoses
mousesG3475 →78 times
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
πιστὸς[was] faithful
pistosG4103 →67 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ὅλῳall
holoG3650 →
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
οἴκῳhouse
oikoG3624 →112 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
θεράπωνa servant
theraponG2324 →
εἰςunto
eisG1519 →1755 times
μαρτύριονa testimony
marturionG3142 →
τῶνof the [things]
tonG3588 →19766 times
λαληθησομένων,to be spoken,
lalethesomenonG2980 →294 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 14:31When Israel saw the great power that the LORD had exercised over the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and believed in Him and in His servant Moses.
it leads to
- John 2:11
Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
- John 11:45
Therefore many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in Him.
- John 2:23–25
While He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the signs He was doing and believed in His name.
- John 8:30–32
As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him.
- John 2:11
Through
Numbers 12:7But this is not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house.
it leads to
- Hebrews 3:2–6
He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.
- Hebrews 3:2–6
Through
Hebrews 3:2He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.
it leads to
- Numbers 12:7
But this is not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house.
- 1 Timothy 3:15
in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
- Numbers 12:7
Through
Psalms 105:26He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron, whom He had chosen.
it leads to
- Exodus 3:10
Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
- Exodus 3:10
Where this verse is studied
About Hebrews
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Clement of Rome, 1 CLEMENT 42-44; Irenaeus, Irenaeus Against Heresies Book 3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 5; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.