The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

23 before, however, the author's ultimate goal is not simply to assert the superiority of the person, but rather the relative importance of the revelation given. 37 This is a valid under– standing of the author's meaning, not only because of the pattern set in the introduction (1: 1- 4), and in the first major section (1 :5-2: 18), but also because of several components within this passage. The first six verses of chapter three compare Jesus and Moses through the apparently innocuous figure of a house. Moses was faithful as a servant and Jesus was faithful as a son. The illustration is not original with the author, however, as he draws upon an Old Testament story rich with meaning. The Old Testament source for this figure is most likely Numbers 12: 1-8. 38 Miriam and Aaron had complained about Moses and God rebuked them. of God, let us hold firmly the confession. Lane, Hebrews, 68-69. 36 "Moses is not merely one of the figures compared unfavorably to Jesus. In tead Moses and Jesus are yoked throughout the entirety of the Epistle . In truth, the Mosaic era or covenant is contrasted extensively with the Jesus era or covenant. Compari ons of Jesu to angels, to Joshua, to Aaron, for example do not go outside but rather remain snugly in ide the mosaic era. The angels are, after all, those who mediated the Mosaic covenant. " P . R . Jone , "The Figure of Moses as a Heuristic Device for Understanding the Pa toral Intent of Hebrews , " Review and Expositor 76 (1979): 95. 37 Cf. M.R. D'Angelo, Moses in the Letter to the Hebrews , Society of Biblical Literature Di sertation Series 42 (Mis oula, MT: Scholars, 1979), 66 . The fir t two hapt r (1.4- 2 :18) declare Christ' message superior to and therefore more demanding than that of th angel (i .e . the law) .... Chapter 3 and 4 appear to make up a econd and parallel treatment of the uperiority of the me sage of Chri t to the Law." t m nt and 1 u ed :7 . In add tt t n, th hronicle 17:14 and 1 amu I 2:3 ar al i ba d It