Hebrews 3:6
in Hebrews 3But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end.
KJV
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
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This verse in Hebrews 3
Commentary
13 notes on this verseBut Christ as a Son over his own house - Moses was faithful as a servant In the house; Jesus was faithful, as the first-born Son, Over the house of which he is the Heir and Governor. Here, then, is the conclusion of the argument in reference to Christ’s superiority over Moses.
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.
This site's exposition
the hope of which we boast
The readers are God's house on one condition, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast. The hope is held openly and with joy, as if it were already fulfilled.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
— "But Christ as a Son." For even if he is called faithful, Paul says, it is as a genuine Son that he is faithful, fulfilling the will of the Father, rather the common will of the holy Trinity. "whose house we are."Here we are …
"But Christ as a Son over His own house." Perceivest thou how he separates the thing made and the maker, the servant and the son? Moreover He indeed enters into His Father's property as a master, but the other as a servant. "Whose" (i.e. God's) "house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." Here again he encourages them to press forward nobly, and not to fall: for we shall be the "house" of God (he says), as Moses was, "if we hold fast our confidence and our rejoicing firm unto the end." He however (he would say) that is distressed in his trials, and who falls, doth not glory: he that is ashamed, he that hideth himself, has no confidence, he that is perplexed doth not glory. And then he also commends them, saying, "if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end," implying that they had even made a beginning; but that there is need of the end, and not simply to stand, but to have their hope firm "in full assurance of faith," without being shaken by their trials.
"But Christ as a Son." The one takes care of the property of others, but this One of His own. "And the rejoicing of the hope." Well said he "of the hope." For since the good things were all in hope, and yet we ought so "to hold it fast," as even now to glory as for things which had already come to pass: for this cause he says, "the rejoicing of the hope." And adds, "let us hold it firm unto the end." For "by hope we are saved"; if therefore "we are saved by hope," and "are waiting with patience," let us not be grieved at present things, nor seek now those that have been promised afterwards; "For" (he says) "hope which is seen is not hope." For since the good things are great, we cannot receive them here in this transitory life. With what object then did He even tell us of them beforehand, when He was not about to give them here? In order that by the promise He might refresh our souls, that by the engagement He might strengthen our zeal, that He might anoint, preparing us for our contests, and stir up our mind. For this cause then all these things were done.
The Medieval Church2 voices
But Christ is faithful as a true Son and heir, fulfilling the works of the Father according to His will. Truly, the difference between such a Master and a servant is beyond comparison. The house of Moses was the people, of which he himself was …
168. – Then (v. 6), But Christ was faithful over God's house as a son, he shows what belongs to Christ, namely, that Christ is not as a servant but as a Son in His Father's house and, consequently, in His own, because He is …
5 more voices on this verse
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.
But Christ as a Son over his own house,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But Christ--was and is faithful (Heb 3:2). as a son over his own house--rather, "over His (GOD'S, Heb 3:4) house"; and therefore, as the inference from His being one with God, over His own house. So Heb 10:21, "having an High Priest over the house of God." Christ enters His Father's house as the Master [OVER it], but Moses as a servant [IN it, Heb 3:2, 5] [CHRYSOSTOM].
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But Christ as a Son over his own house - He is not a servant. To the whole household or family of God he sustains the same relation which a son and heir in a family does to the household. That relation is far different from that of a servant. Moses was the latter; Christ was the former. To God he sustained the relation of a Son, and recognized Him as his Father, and sought in all things to do his will; but over the whole family of God - the entire Church of all dispensations - he was like a son over the affairs of a family. Compared with the condition of a servant, Christ is as much superior to Moses as a son and heir is to the condition of a servant. A servant owns nothing; is heir to nothing; has no authority, and no right to control anything, and is himself wholly at the will of another. A son is the heir of all; has a prospective right to all; and is looked up to by all with respect. But the idea here is not merely that Christ is a son; it is that as a son he is placed over the whole arrangements of the household, and is one to whom all is entrusted as if it were His own. Whose house we are - Of whose family we are a part, or to which we belong. That is, we belong to the family over which Christ is placed, and not to what was subject to Moses. If we hold fast - A leading object of this Epistle is to guard those to whom it was addressed against the danger of apostasy. Hence, this is introduced on all suitable occasions, and the apostle here says, that the only evidence which they could have that they belonged to the family of Christ, would be that they held fast the confidence which they had unto the end. […]
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Χριστὸς | christos | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| υἱὸς | huios | [the] Son | G5207 → | 377 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | over | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἶκον | oikon | house | G3624 → | 112 times |
| αὐτοῦ, | autou | of Him, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| οὗ | hou | whose | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| οἶκός | oikos | house | G3624 → | 112 times |
| ἐσμεν | esmen | are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἡμεῖς | hemeis | we ourselves | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐάνπερ | eanper | if indeed | G1437 →G4007 → | 9 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παρρησίαν | parresian | [our] confidence | G3954 → | 31 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καύχημα | kauchema | boast | G2745 → | |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐλπίδος | elpidos | of [our] hope | G1680 → | 52 times |
| κατάσχωμεν.¶ | kataschomen | we may hold. | G2722 → | 17 times |
ΧριστὸςChrist
christosG5547 →523 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
υἱὸς[the] Son
huiosG5207 →377 times
ἐπὶover
epiG1909 →883 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
οἶκονhouse
oikonG3624 →112 times
αὐτοῦ,of Him,
autouG846 →5565 times
οὗwhose
houG3739 →1405 times
οἶκόςhouse
oikosG3624 →112 times
ἐσμενare
esmenG1510 →2333 times
ἡμεῖςwe ourselves
hemeisG3165 →1936 times
ἐάνπερif indeed
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
παρρησίαν[our] confidence
parresianG3954 →31 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
καύχημαboast
kauchemaG2745 →
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἐλπίδοςof [our] hope
elpidosG1680 →52 times
κατάσχωμεν.¶we may hold.
kataschomenG2722 →17 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
2 Corinthians 6:16What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and…
it leads to
- Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will…
- Exodus 29:45
Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.
- Hebrews 8:10
For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And…
- Leviticus 26:12
I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.
- Ezekiel 37:26–27
And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary among them forever.
- Revelation 21:3
Through
1 Corinthians 6:19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 6:16
What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ephesians 2:21–22
In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 6:16
Through
1 Corinthians 3:16Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
- 1 Corinthians 6:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Hebrews
This page draws on 11 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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; 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.