A New House

The Readings for Dedication of the Church
of the Anastasis in Jerusalem (13 Sept 23)

• Hebrews 3:1-4 (Liturgy)
• Matthew 16:13-18 (Liturgy)

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NI KA

Yet Jesus has been counted worthy of as much more glory than Moses as the builder of a house has more honor than the house.

Hebrews 3:3

THIS IS ONE OF Those arguments that gets lost in translation. Because – in the Gospels – Jesus refers to his own body as the Temple. And Moses was the builder of the Tabernacle, so, if the builder is more important than the house, how did things get flipped around? What is the author of the letter to the Hebrews saying? For convenience’s sake, let’s call him something like Paul. What is Paul saying here?

Elsewhere in Hebrews, the author points out that Moses did all things according to the pattern he was shown (Hebrews 8:5) so that Moses is only copying what he has been shown. The traditional Christian reading of that text is that the content of the showing was Jesus, the pre-incarnation vision of the divine plan of salvation. So that seeing Jesus in Heaven, Moses built a prefigurement. Paul’s punchline in chapter 3 is that the builder of all things is God – that is, Jesus.

This is the timey wimey argument again. In traditional icons of the transfiguration, Jesus is shown talking to an elder Elijah and a very young-looking Moses. Jesus is talking to Moses on Mt Tabor, but Moses is talking to Jesus in the Burning Bush. Jesus is on Tabor, but Elijah is listening to the Still Small Voice. It’s all one action of God’s will, all one time point in eternity. Forever. The Lamb was slain from before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8).

This has always been the plan. This has always been the revelation of God. Nothing new to see… move along.

Why are we hearing about this today, as we celebrate the dedication of what is probably one of the holiest pieces of real estate in Christendom? Because there is no such thing…

Christians fought among themselves over the Holy Sepulcher for so long and so hard that to keep the peace the keys to the property are held in trust by a Muslim family. On top of that, add the drive of zealots today to purify Jerusalem of the taint of anything non-Kosher. The spot is risky, to say the least. What would happen if we lost the holy sites in Jerusalem, Bethleham, in Rome to the violence of a violent spot on the globe?

What happened when Notre Dame burnt down? Did the Catholic Church close up shop in Paris? It can seem like it. But no. They continue to have Mass, and God continues to be worshiped. The Holiest Spot in Christendom is not in real estate.

It’s in the heart.

The Builder of the House (that is, God) is not building a physical temple, but rather a new, living Temple in your heart.

If you will let him.

Today’s celebration – in fact, any celebration of the dedication of any church – is a call to a deeper recommitment of your heart to Christ.

Or a new commitment if you’ve never let him in.

The King of Glory will enter. Lift up your gates!