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VERSE 3.

For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house.

$1. The apostle's reasoning stated. $2, 3. (1.) He supposeth Moses worthy of glory. $4, 5. (II.) Christ worthy of more glory, with the proof of it. §6. (III.) Observations, 1. Every faithful servant of God is worthy of honor. $7. The unfaithful not so. 8. 2. Christ is worthy of all glory on account of his building the church. §9---11. (1.) What this glory, and its formal reason. §12---14, (2.) What the great motive for ascribing to him this glory.

§1. THE apostle proceeds in this verse and the three following, with his design of evidencing the excellency and preference of Christ above Moses, as he had done before in reference to angels, and all other revealers of the will of God to the church. The first word (yup) "for," denotes the connexion of the discourse; consider him, saith he, "for he is worthy of more glory than Moses." The church being called the "house of God," and that by God himself; the apostle takes advantage of the metaphor to express the dignity of Christ. He that buildeth the house, hath more honor than the house. The assumption included is this, But Christ built the house, and Moses was only a servant of the house, or a part of it, and therefore he had more glory than Moses. In confirmation of the first argument the 4th verse is inserted; "for every house is builded by some, but he that built all things is God." "For this (man) was counted worthy of more glory than Moses." Here lies the proposition wherein two things occur:

1. A supposition that Moses was counted worthy. 2. An assertion, that the Lord Jesus Christ was much more worthy of glory.

§2. (I.) The apostle grants and supposeth that Moses was (biç dons) "counted worthy of glory," or truly glorious and honorable. "Glory," is (excellentis

virtutis fama cum laude,) "the illustrious fame of an excellency with praise;" and in this "glory" there are two things, an excellency deserving honor, and the reputation of that excellency.

1. The excellency of Moses consisted principally in his work, and his fidelity. In his work; this was glorious, and rendered him so as being employed in it. So our apostle declares, 2 Cor. iii, 7, "The ministration of death written and engraven in stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his coun tenance " And one part of his ministration is called the “glory," Rom. ix, 4. The giving of the law, the erection of the visible church state in the posterity of Abraham, attended with all that glorious worship which was instituted therein, was a work of exceeding glory. In this work was Moses employed in so honorable a manner as to be the sole mediator therein between God and the people, Gal. iii, 19. As himself speaketh, Deut. v, 5, "I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to shew you the word of the Lord." This was his peculiar glory, that singled him out from amongst all the posterity of Abraham, to be thus employed. But this excellency farther consisted in his fidelity; this, added to the former, makes his dignity complete. It is no glory for a man to be employed in a glorious work and to miscarry therein; it will rather end in his dishonor and reproach. Such may not improperly be compared to Phaeton the son of Apollo, in the fable, who, though dissuaded from it, would needs drive the chariot of the sun; but the rash attempt ended in his ruin. Better never be employed in the work of God, than deal unfaithfully in it. But a glorious trust connected with skill and great faithfulness render a condition really excellent.

So was it with Moses. However he might fail personally, he failed not ministerially, as the internuntius, between God and his people; for every personal failing in faith doth not impeach a man's faithfulness in his office. In these things was he excellent, O what a glorious thing is it to be faithful in any office or trust committed to us by our Divine master!

§3. (2.) He had the fame and reputation of that excellency, by the verdict of God, and the esteem of the church. His reputation was founded on the infallible testimony of God: this God gave him during his life, and sundry times after his death: this is the great foundation of all his renown. And what greater honor could be done to any creature, than to be adorned with such an illustrious testimony by God himself? Greater honor had none, but he with whom he is compared. And even thus we may say God "gives grace and glory." Grace to be faithful, and a glory upon men's being so. Besides, his reputation sprung from the esteem of the church. Until the Son himself came, the whole church of God was precisely bound to observe the laws and ordinances appointed by him, on which all their happiness depended. That was the condition of their temporal and eternal welfare; the neglect hereof exposed them to all misery from God and man. This was the charge that God left them throughout all their generations; "Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judg ments," Mal. iv, 4. This made his name and remembrance honorable to the church, and the sinful abuse of it turned afterwards to the snare and disadvantage of the incredulous Jews; according to the prophetical imprecation of the psalmist, "Let their table (or their ta

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ble shall) become a snare before them, and that which should have been for their welfare become a trap," Psalm lxix, 22, which our apostle declares to have befallen them on their rejecting the gospel, through an obstinate adherence to the letter of the law of Moses, Rom. ix, 18, 19. Yet we may observe, that in all the honor which God gave Moses in the church, he never commanded, he never allowed, that any should worship him or pray to him. Should we add hereunto some other particulars, they will make this glory still more conspicuous. Such, for instance,was the care of God over him in his infancy, his miraculous call to his office, the honor he had in the world, the miracles which he wrought, and the signal testimony given him from God in all the contests about his ministry; and many things of the like nature might be added. But they are the things which appertain to his office and the discharge of it, which are principally intended.

This, therefore, the apostle fully grants, not giving the least suspicion to the Hebrews, that he meant to detract from the due praises and honor of Moses, as he was commonly traduced. The unbelieving part of them, indeed, boasted of Moses to the contempt of Christ, John ix, 29, “We know that God spake unto Moses; as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is." And they generally thought the prevalency of the gospel was derogatory to his honor and law, Acts xiii, 45-50. But these things did not move him to deal partially in the truth. He allows Moses his due honor and glory, and yet asserts the excellency of Christ above him, shewing evidently the consistency of these things, as there neither is nor can be any opposition or contrariety between any ordinances or institutions of God. Let us now proceed to consider,

§4. (II.) What is positively affirmed in this assertion, with the proof of it; that the Lord Jesus Christ was much more worthy of glory than Moses.

The demonstrative pronoun (los) "this," is rendered this man; but it respects him not merely as man, but directs to his person, God and man.

"Was counted worthy of more glory than Moses," (δοξης πλειονος παρά Μεσην) of much more glory than Moses. The expression intimates the glory of Christ to be so far above that of Moses, that in comparison thereof it might even seem to be no glory, see 2 Cor. iii, 10.

"Accounted worthy" (a) was more honored, had more glory from God, was more glorious in the church.

This glory, though attendant on the person of Christ, is that which directly belongs to him in his office, wherein alone he is now compared with Moses. Having made the assertion, the apostle proceeds to the proof of it in the next words:

"He who builds an house, is more honorable than the house built;" but Christ built the house, whereas Moses was only a part of it.

The intended glory of Christ, the apostle sets forth under the metaphorical terms of an house, its building, and its builder. The church of God, with all the ordinances of worship in it, are an house, as appears in the foregoing testimony; now this is the condition of an house, that he who builds it is much more honorable than the house itself. But this house of God was built by Jesus Christ, whereas Moses was only a part of the house itself, and so no way to be compared with him in honor and glory. When one builds an house by his own authority, for his own use, whereby it becomes his own house, and wholly at his own disposal,. there he is always more honorable than the house.

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