Hebrews 3:1 This verse deserves a closer look. The writer calls Jesus an Apostle. When we hear that word, we usually think of the men Jesus chose and sent out to preach. But here we have Jesus Himself being called an Apostle. Why? What does the writer mean by using that word for God’s Son?
“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.”
The word Apostle (ἀπόστολος) (apostolos) comes from the Greek word meaning to send someone out. It can refer to a messenger or representative sent to carry out a commission. So, before we decide what the writer means, let’s ask a simple question: Was Jesus sent by His Father?
Jesus Himself answers that question many times.
In John 17:3, Jesus speaks of the Father as the One Who sent Him into the world. In John 17:18, He says to His Father, “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” Then, in John 20:21, after His resurrection, He tells His disciples, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
Notice what Jesus is saying. The Father sent Him, and He sent His disciples. The sending of Jesus came from the Father; the sending of the disciples came from Jesus. They are not the same sending, and Jesus is not placing Himself among the men He commissioned.
This is important because we don’t want to read a word into a verse and make it mean something the verse does not say. Jesus being called an Apostle does not mean He was one of the Twelve. The word can describe someone who is sent on a mission, and Jesus plainly said that His Father sent Him.
But why would the writer of Hebrews choose this particular title? We need to look at the words surrounding it.
Why Apostle and High Priest?
The writer doesn’t call Jesus an Apostle and leave it there. He calls Him THE Apostle and High Priest of our confession.
The word High Priest(ἀρχιερεύς) (archiereus) points us toward the priestly work of Jesus. And the writer has already been explaining that work before we ever reach Hebrews 3:1.
Hebrews 2:17 tells us that Jesus had to become like His brothers and sisters so that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in matters concerning God. The next verse explains that, because He suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. And then there’s this too:
Hebrews 4:15! “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
And there’s a related verse in Hebrews 2:18: “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.”
Now think about the two titles together. Jesus was sent by His Father, and He serves as our High Priest. The first points us toward His mission from the Father; the second points us toward His work on behalf of humanity. The writer joins them as he tells us to consider Jesus.
And what does he mean when he says to consider (κατανοέω) (katanoeō) Jesus? He is asking us to look carefully at Him and give Him our attention. We are not being asked to glance at the verse and move on. The writer wants us to understand exactly Who Jesus is and what all has been entrusted to Him.
That is why we need to take the word Apostle seriously without letting it confuse us about His identity as God’s Son.
What Does Moses Have to Do With This?
The next verse gives us another piece of the picture.
Hebrews 3:2 says that Jesus was faithful to the One Who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.
Why bring Moses into the discussion? Because Moses, too, was sent by God to carry out a particular work.
In Exodus 3:10, God tells Moses that He is sending him to Pharaoh to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses had a commission from God. He was to go where God sent him and do what God told him to do.
But the writer of Hebrews is careful to show us that Jesus and Moses do not hold the same position. Hebrews 3:5 describes Moses as a faithful servant in God’s house, while verse 6 describes Christ as a Son over God’s house.
That distinction matters. Moses was a servant entrusted with a work. Jesus is the Son. The writer is not reducing Jesus to the position of another servant simply because He calls Him an Apostle.
Could the comparison with Moses help explain why the writer uses this title? It certainly gives us something to consider. Both were sent to carry out work given by God, but the passage itself makes clear that Jesus holds a greater position than Moses. We should not claim that the comparison explains every reason the writer chose the word, but it does help us understand the setting in which he uses it.
Let’s Look at What Jesus Said About His Mission
There is another Scripture that helps us understand why being sent does not diminish Who Jesus is.
In John 8:42, Jesus says, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own; God sent Me.”
Jesus makes two points here. He came from God, and He did not come on His own initiative. He was sent by His Father.
The Greek word translated sent in this verse is ἀποστέλλω (apostellō), a verb from the same word family as apostolos. The noun in Hebrews 3:1 describes the One sent; the verb in John 8:42 describes the act of sending Him.
That gives us a direct connection between the title in Hebrews and Jesus’ own words. We do not have to guess whether Jesus understood Himself to have been sent by His Father. He said so.
But let’s be careful here. The fact that two words belong to the same word family helps us see their connection; it does not mean every occurrence has exactly the same emphasis. We still need to pay attention to each passage. In John 8:42, Jesus is explaining where He came from and why He is here. In Hebrews 3:1, the writer calls Him the Apostle and High Priest and asks us to consider Him.
Together, these passages help us understand the language without making the title mean more, or less, than the Scriptures show.
What Are We to Understand From Hebrews 3:1?
We began with a question: Why does the writer call Jesus an Apostle when He is God’s Son?
The Scriptures give us a clear starting point. Jesus said that His Father sent Him. Hebrews calls Him an Apostle and High Priest. The following verses compare Him with Moses, while making a distinction between Moses as a servant and Christ as the Son over God’s house.
We do not have to make Jesus one of the Twelve to understand the word. Nor should we set aside His identity as God’s Son. The title speaks of His being sent, while the surrounding passage directs our attention to His unique place and the work He was given to do.
And perhaps that is why the writer begins by telling us to consider Jesus. Before we decide what a title means, we need to look at the words, read them in their setting, and compare them with what Jesus said about Himself. That is how we allow Scripture to help us understand Scripture.
This helps us understand why Jesus is called an Apostle: He was sent by His Father to carry out the work His Father had given Him
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Prayer
Holy Father, we praise You for Your wisdom and for the truth You have given us in Your Word. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to carry out Your will and make Your heart known to us. Help us to understand Hebrews 3:1 with honest hearts, carefully considering what Your Word says and not adding to it or taking away from it. Give us wisdom as we study, humility to receive correction, and the courage to follow the truth wherever it leads us. May our understanding of Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, deepen our reverence for Him and strengthen our faithfulness to You. We give You the glory and praise, in the precious name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.
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Don’t take my word for it. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, search the Scriptures daily to see whether these things are so. Open your Bible, study God’s Word for yourself, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. Don’t simply accept my conclusions. If what I’ve written agrees with Scripture, hold fast to it. If it doesn’t, let God’s Word be your final authority.
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