The Builder Greater Than the House

She rather fulfills the sacred rite, exalted and placed above according to her nature, while he is more closely united with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Thus God, having become flesh, would reasonably consider: we who confess that flesh came to be, the Word remained, and has overcome the power of death on our behalf—life by nature existing as from the Father’s life—are justified. For he who is truly God by nature and the Son Emmanuel will no less convince us, as the blessed Paul declares, that he became our apostle and high priest of confession, faithful in this role just as Moses was faithful in God’s house, yet having been deemed worthy of greater glory than Moses, because the builder of the house possesses greater honor than the house itself.

Again I am amazed by this in the mystagogue’s handling: he subtly undermines Israel, not merely turning them away from the sixth hour but also inclining them toward opposing Christ. He takes hold of the words and praises directed toward Moses, declaring them faithful while introducing them with wit, thereby exalting the surpassing greatness of our Savior. For he said Christ became an apostle and high priest and faithful in this, just as Moses himself had become, easily bearing the name of Moses and the praises upon him—having first set them before the Word—he immediately demonstrated that these things exist afterward in the glory of Christ. For he said Christ is to be honored more greatly, precisely because the builder of the house has greater honor than the house itself.

You see how the Word of God, having become flesh and taken the form of a servant, still orders the measures of our humanity and sets beyond the bounds of servitude, declaring himself the begetter of all things and, plainly, Moses, and crowning these works with the glory of his natural lordship.

For if it is true that none of the works share the same substance as their maker, how could anyone suppose that the maker would not be altogether and certainly superior in glory? The apostle and high priest of our confession bears witness that he was faithful to the one who made him, just as he himself was Moses the high priest, and has been counted worthy of greater glory by him, in proportion as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.

He adds to this, pointing to show that Jesus is God: every house is built by someone, but the one who built all things is God.

Therefore, if Christ were merely one of us, a man, it would be necessary to judge all things concerning him only by the time of his birth in the flesh.

But since he who is also among them the eldest of the ages, the Only-begotten Son, became a man in the good pleasure of God and Father, and this one has been named Christ Jesus, for this is a new name to him and to those who share in the times of the economy, and again it belongs to him, and if he became flesh who was before all time to be, it is necessary to confess to us that he is of all things.