Hebrews 3:2
in Hebrews 3He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house.
KJV
Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
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This verse in Hebrews 3
Commentary
14 notes on this verseWho was faithful to him that appointed him,.... Or "made him"; Christ, as man, was made, but not as God; nor is the apostle speaking of the divine nature of Christ, but of his offices: wherefore this phrase designs the constitution and settlement of him in office; which may take in the eternal appointment of him as Mediator; the open promise of him in time; his mission, unction, and attestation from God; and his manifestation and declaration as such, at his ascension and session at God's right hand, when he was made Lord and Christ.
This site's exposition
the apostle and high priest
on Hebrews 3:1-2
The command to set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess gathers up chapters 1 and 2. Numbers 12:7 stands behind Moses was faithful in all God’s house.
This site's exposition
faithful to the One who appointed Him
The Greek behind He was faithful is a present participle, being faithful, so his faithfulness to the One who appointed Him continues. The comparison just as Moses was faithful recalls Deuteronomy 18:15, where Moses foretold a prophet like himself.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
"just as Moses;" so that it is in vain that those who are in rebellion against me say to you that he teaches from Moses, and that he is hostile towards him. But this is introduced secretly and not according to the previous discourse, in …
But when Paul has once taken in hand the flesh, he proceeds to utter all the lowly things, without any fear: for see what he says next: "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as also Moses was faithful in all His house." Being about to place Him before Moses in comparison, he led his discourse to the law of the high-priesthood; for they all had a high esteem for Moses: moreover, he is already beforehand casting down the seeds of the superiority. Therefore he begins from the flesh, and goes up to the Godhead, where there was no longer any comparison. He began from the flesh, from His Human nature, by assuming for a time the equality, and says, "as also Moses in all His house": nor does he at first show His superiority lest the hearer should start away, and straightway stop his ears. For although they were believers, yet nevertheless they still had strong feeling of conscience as to Moses. "Who was faithful," he says, "to Him that made Him" - made Him what? "Apostle and High Priest." He is not speaking at all in this place of His Essence, nor of His Godhead; but so far concerning human dignities. "As also Moses in all His house," that is, either among the people, or in the temple. But here he uses the expression "in His house," just as one might say, concerning those in the household; even as some guardian and steward of a household, so was Moses to the people. For that by "house" he means the people, he added, "whose house we are"; that is, we are in His creation.
"The Apostle and High Priest." Coming into the administration [οἰκονομίαν], he speaks all the humble things freely. He calls him an Apostle because he is sent by the Father as a man. And of the confession of faith, "was faithful." He says that he has …
"Whence holy brethren" (he says "whence" instead of "for this cause"), "partakers of an heavenly calling" - seek nothing here, if ye have been called yonder - yonder is the reward, yonder the recompense. What then? "Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as also Moses was faithful in all His house." What is "who was faithful to Him that appointed Him?" It is, well disposed, protecting what belongs to Him, not allowing them to be lightly carried away, "as also Moses in all His house"; that is, know who your High Priest is, and what He is, and ye will need no other consolation nor encouragement. Now he calls Him "Apostle," on account of His having been "sent," and "high priest of our profession," that is of the Faith. This One also was entrusted with a people, as the other with the leadership of a people, but a greater one and upon higher grounds.
The Medieval Church1 voice
158. – Then (v. 2) he compares Christ to Moses; first, he mentions that in which they agree; secondly, that in which Christ excels Moses (v. 3). 159. – What is common to Christ and Moses is fidelity to God; hence he says, He was …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Intending to depict the advantages of Christ over Moses, the apostle speaks about the high priesthood and says that both the one and the other were entrusted with the people, but Christ to a greater degree. At first he does not show the superiority of …
The Reformation1 voice
Who was, or is faithful, etc. This is a commendation of the apostleship of Christ, in order that the faithful may securely acquiesce in him; and 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.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
(3.) That he is as faithful to him that appointed him as Moses was in all his house. Moses was faithful in the discharge of his office to the Jewish church in the Old Testament, and so is Christ under the New; this was a proper argument to urge upon the Jews, who had so high an opinion of the faithfulness of Moses, and yet his faithfulness was but typical of Christ's.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Who was faithful to him - In Num 12:7, God gives this testimony to Moses: My servant Moses - is faithful in all my house; and to this testimony the apostle alludes. House not only means the place where a family dwells, but also the family itself.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Who was faithful--The Greek implies also that He still is faithful, namely, as our mediating High Priest, faithful to the trust God has assigned Him (Heb 2:17). So Moses in God's house (Nu 12:7). appointed him--"made Him" HIGH PRIEST; to be supplied from the preceding context. Greek, "made"; so in Heb 5:5;
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Who was faithful - see the note, Heb 2:17. He performed with fidelity all the functions entrusted to him. To him that appointed him - Margin, “made.” The word “made,” however, is used in the sense of constituted, or appointed. The meaning is, that he was faithful to God. Perhaps Paul urges on them the necessity of considering “his fidelity” in order to keep “them” from the danger of apostasy. A leading object of this Epistle was to preserve those whom he had addressed from apostatizing from God amidst the temptations and trials to which they were exposed. In doing this, what could be a more powerful argument than to direct their attention to the unwavering constancy and fidelity of the Lord Jesus? The “importance” of such a virtue in the Saviour is manifest. It is seen everywhere; and all the great interests of the world depend on it. A husband should maintain inviolate fidelity toward a wife, and a wife toward her husband; a child should be faithful to a parent, a clerk and apprentice to his employer, a lawyer to his client, a physician to his patient, an ambassador to the government that commissions him. No matter what may be the temptations in the way, in all these, and in all other relations, there should be inviolate fidelity. The welfare of the world depended on the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus. Had he failed in that, all would have been lost. His fidelity was worthy of the more attentive consideration from the numerous temptations which beset his path, and the attempts which were made to turn him aside from his devotedness to God. Amidst all the temptations of the adversary, and all the trials through which he passed, he never for a moment swerved from fidelity to the great trust which had been committed to his hands. What better example to preserve them from the temptations to apostasy could the apostle propose to the Christians whom he addressed? […]
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| πιστὸν | piston | faithful | G4103 → | 67 times |
| ὄντα | onta | being | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τῷ | to | to the [One] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ποιήσαντι | poiesanti | having appointed | G4160 → | 569 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Μωϋσῆς | mouses | Moses | G3475 → | 78 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 |
πιστὸνfaithful
pistonG4103 →67 times
ὄνταbeing
ontaG1510 →2333 times
τῷto the [One]
toG3588 →19766 times
ποιήσαντιhaving appointed
poiesantiG4160 →569 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ΜωϋσῆςMoses
mousesG3475 →78 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ὅλῳall
holoG3650 →
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
οἴκῳhouse
oikoG3624 →112 times
αὐτοῦ.of Him.
autouG846 →5565 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
Ephesians 2:22And in Him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:4–5
As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight,
- 1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
- 1 John 4:16
And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
- John 17:21–23
that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
- John 14:17–23
the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.
- 1 Peter 2:4–5
Through
1 Timothy 3:15in 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.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:5
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- Ephesians 2:21–22
In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
- 1 Peter 2:5
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
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 5; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of 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.
