Within His Household

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By Dr. Sam Smith|Published Date: July 22, 2010

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses was also faithful in all God’s house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
-Hebrews 3:1-6

Abiding ideas of relationship
The Christian worldview is not only understood by the key moments of the Bible’s grand narrative, but also by the various relational concepts established in the creational design.

In an earlier installment I wrote about the scepter of Christ from Hebrews 1:8 as part of the King/Kingdom set of metaphorical elements. This monarchial concept stands in contrast to the American culture’s less hierarchical view. Hebrews 3 introduces a second role and realm portrayal, the patriarchal household/homestead concept, and this idea offers a challenge to our culture’s increasing individualism.

The concepts of kingdom and household are widely dismissed as relics of medieval times. To speak as if we hoped to reclaim them appears odd, if not plain silly, to many of our contemporaries. Moreover, since sin has made these creationally-embedded relational ideals conduits for evil, their very design is thought to be inherently flawed.

But because of their creational origins, their fundamental goodness remains. They can give us timeless insight into how God’s people are to function relationally. We must learn to see ourselves as living within God’s Kingdom and functioning as part of His household (Eph. 2:19; 1 Tim. 3:15; 2 Tim. 2:20-21; Heb. 3:6, 10-21). For those who hold a teaching office, these abiding concepts can be invaluable tools for equipping your congregation to understand their mission and identity.

Let’s consider Hebrews 3:1-6 where two senses of “House”—the household (3:20) and building (3:3-4)—bring to mind the broader creational picture, this household/homestead concept.

the household idea fits within this context as a timeless and transcultural arrangement...

Household/homestead relationships
Understanding this concept would be simple enough were it not for the reductionist influence of contemporary culture on our thinking. While understanding this ancient Near East background gives us interpretative insight – it facilitates our understanding of Scripture texts where the idea occurs – we miss the point if we treat this concept only as a hermeneutical window. Like several other concepts found in Genesis—such as the nature of marriage, procreation and dominion—the household idea fits within this context as a timeless and transcultural arrangement.

The household/homestead arrangement is perhaps more recognizable in agrarian cultures, before the industrial revolution. An extended family and their servants lived and worked within the homestead complex, which was a collection of buildings set upon a parcel, working together to accomplish various tasks (cultivate a vineyard, raise livestock, or grow grain). Ancient cities had their own versions of the homestead suited for specialty trades of urban living such as bakeries, textile, and metal work. The household/homestead concept is differed in many ways from the single-family house suburban and city-dwellers inhabit today. Rather than a mobile society where we are free to travel to work and shop elsewhere, this way of life wedded generations to a specific place and livelihood necessitating a community of workers.

This interrelated working and living arrangement did not arise haphazardly. A master plan must first be envisioned and then brought into existence carefully over time. Heads of homesteads had to plan for the right utilization of the land as well as the various types and divisions of labor the fruit of the land would require. The patriarch’s wife would oversee a team for the domestic jobs, while the day-to-day tasks would be delegated to a steward (an administrator who had authority to command on his behalf). The head of the household would bear the responsibility for the overall direction and productivity of the household/homestead.

Generational succession, to insure continuity of leadership over both the household and the homestead, offers yet another contrast with the modern way of life. In former times, a season would come for the patriarch to make way for the next generation. In the ancient Near East, this head of household role would ideally be passed to the first-born son. He would become the estates’ governing heir, extending the family dynasty one more generation.

With this much of an introduction, let’s consider how this picture relates to Hebrews 3:1-6.

God highly honored Moses by assigning him to be the chief steward...

Household in Hebrews 3
Both the steward over the house and the first-born son, as each is faithful to his calling, fulfills an honorable role. As Lord of His “house”, God highly honored Moses by assigning him to be the chief steward of sorts, giving him instructions for implementing His plans (law, governance, and worship). The Lord did so with a view to the time when He would bestow upon the future Heir of His kingdom, Jesus His Son, His own Lordship. By comparison, Moses is subordinate to Jesus, to whom belongs the greater honor.

From the perspective of a Biblical worldview, the inhabitants of the created realm constitute the household/homestead over which God is the Head. He is the Lord who assigns roles to superintend His domain according to His grand objectives. The household/homestead metaphor fills out the meaning of the more narrow building metaphor as the writer of Hebrews intertwines references to roles in the covenant relationship context.

Together, the Kingdom and Household concepts speak of the wisdom of God’s design to us today. How?

For one, they are pictures of how the mission of God is moving toward the consummation. They map out a trajectory of how the Lord will restore His fully-acknowledged reign over His realm, progressively throughout the ages and finally at Jesus’ coming. For the believer, there is great joy and purpose in knowing that we have a place in His story when we embrace our assigned identity.

As members of the household of God our challenge is to discern our specific calling and fulfill our Biblical duties whether in marriage, church life, or vocation. In the Kingdom of God, under the scepter of the Lord of glory, we are working the Father’s homestead as stewards – not unlike Moses – until the day when the Son and Heir comes to claim all His Kingdom/Household and, having made all things new, offer it back to the Father of glory.

So let us preserve these discarded relational ideas – Kingdom, Household – and allow them to bring meaning and direction to our own labors as children of the heavenly Father and joint heirs with His Son.