pivstin ejkavlesen (so Theophlct., Prim., OEcum.).
jIhsou'n ] The human name of the Lord is chosen as presenting in brief the thoughts developed at the end of ch. 2. The name Christ appears first in Heb. 3:6.
The use of the name is characteristic of the Epistle; see 2:9 note, and Addit. Note on 1:4. It is of interest to notice that the usage in the Epistle of Barnabas is similar (Rendall on Barn. Ep. 2.6). The difficulty of the Hebrews and their consolation turned on the Lord's humanity.
Heb. 3:2.
pisto;n o[nta tw'/ poihvs. auj
.]
faithful
in His perfect humanity
to Him who appointed Him
to His authoritative and mediatorial office. Comp. 1 Cor. 4:2.
tw'/ poihvsanti
] Old Lat.
creatori suo
(
qui creavit eum
). Vulg.
ei qui fecit illum.
The phrase is capable of two distinct interpretations. It may be understood (1) of the Lord's humanity, or (2) of the Lord's office.
The language of Heb. 1:3 absolutely excludes the idea that the writer speaks of Christ Himself personally as poivhma , or ktivsma .
In favour of the first view it is urged that the phrase is commonly used of the Creator in reference to men: e.g., Is. 17:7 ( tw'/ p. aujtovn ); Ps. 94:6 (95:6); Ps. 149:2.
And the fathers constantly speak of the Lord's humanity in these terms, as, for example, Athanasius de sent. Dion. (i. p. 496 Migne), though he appears to interpret this passage of the Lord's office as well as of His humanity: c. Ar. 2.7.
In itself this interpretation is admissible, but such a reference to the Lord's human nature apart from His office seems to be out of place.
It is better therefore to adopt the second interpretation and refer the making to the Lord's office: who invested Him with His office, who appointed Him, who made Him Apostle and High Priest comp. Acts 2:36). This sense is perfectly natural (comp. 1 Sam. 12:6; Mark 3:14).
So Theodoret: tw'/ poihvsanti aujtovn, toutevstin ajpovstolon kai; ajrciereva :... poivhsin de; ouj th;n dhmiourgivan ajlla; th;n ceirotonivan kevklhken . And Chrysostom: oujde;n ejntau'qa peri; oujsiva" fhsivn, oujde; peri; th'" qeovthto", ajlla; tevw" peri; ajxiwmavtwn ajnqrwpivnwn .
Primasius refers the word to the Lord's humanity, being led astray by the Latin rendering of Rom. 1:3:
qui fecit illum
, juxta quod alibi dicitur
qui factus est ei ex semine David secundum carnem.
wJ" kai; Mwush'"
] The former discussion has prepared the way for this comparison of Jesus with the founder of the Old Theocracy.
ejn o{lw/ tw'/ oi[kw/
] The point of comparison lies in the fact that Moses and Christ were both engaged, not as other divine messengers with a part, but with the whole of the divine economy. The prophets dealt severally with this or that aspect of Truth, the Kings with another region of life, the Priests with another. But Moses and Christ dealt with the whole house of God.
The words, taken from Num. 12:7, may go either with Moses or with Jesus. In either case the sense is the same. Perhaps the reference of aujtou' to God, and the emphasis which is naturally laid on the fact that the office of Christ was as wide as that of Moses, favours the connexion of the words with Jesus.
In their original reference to Moses the words were much discussed by