You should not honor men more than truth. —Plato
If someone wanted to come along and replicate one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s 532 buildings, they could attend one of two design schools dedicated to training apprentices in the style of Wright.
But a Frank Lloyd Wright replica is just that—a replica. Those schools exist in honor of the architect’s creativity, not the address of a particular home. Sure, the homes are incredible, but the real honor is given to the one who conceived the house. Both are great, but one is greater.
This was the argument put forward by the author of Hebrews. Yes, Moses had been faithful. Yes, Jesus had been faithful. But one was worthy of more honor than the other.
He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. (Hebrews 3:2-3)
But why? Why is it better to follow Jesus rather than a hero of the faith?
In Exodus we see that Moses and the tabernacle were inextricably bound. Not only did God give Moses the blueprints for the tabernacle, but Moses spent the next 15 chapters following those instructions. As general contractor, Moses oversaw all the details until one day, “Moses finished the work” (Exodus 40:33b). The place where the sins of the people would be temporarily dealt with by blood was complete.
Jesus was faithful too. But Jesus was sent by God rather than instructed by God. The day Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He had not created a space for offering, nor had He overseen an offering, but He became the offering, once and for all. He dealt with sin through His own blood.
Truly, Jesus is worthy of greater honor.
Why should we choose Jesus over anything we left behind? Because He is better. Why settle for the house when we can know the Builder? Once we know Jesus, everything and everyone else is second best.
Sovereign Father, how humbling to know I’m drawn into Your blueprints for humanity. When I’m tempted with feelings of insignificance, may Your Spirit remind me that the Builder cherishes me. Thank You. Amen.