These verses introduce the first point of contrast between Moses and Jesus. Good News Translation makes the comparison clearer by reversing the two halves of verse 3, so that the general statement of principle comes first, and the application to Moses and Jesus afterward. This order is more logical and also makes the sentence easier to follow, as a comparison with Revised Standard Version shows. Verse 4, which several translations put in round brackets (parentheses), explains the background of the argument in verse 3, and so it is possible to adopt the order 4, 3b, 3a. Verse 4 in Good News Bible would follow smoothly after verse 2, and it would only be necessary to add a “now,” corresponding to RSV’s “For,” at the beginning of verse 3, to mark the transition. Verse 5 in any case marks a new beginning. The result would be to reverse TEV’s verses 4 and 3. In the following discussion, however, the order of Good News Bible will be followed.
In one sense, Moses could be considered as the “founder” of the nation of Israel. However, this does not fit the context here. As Numbers 12.7 implies, Moses is part of the house, that is, the people, that God has made. Jesus, on the other hand, is closely associated with God in building the house.
The word for builds, repeated three times in verses 3-4, may also include the meaning “equip, fit out.” This meaning is probably present in 9.6 (arranged), and possibly in 9.2 (put up) as well as in 11.7 (built). Here, however, building rather than equipping is suggested by the context.
After having introduced a more or less literal translation of A man who builds a house, it may be important to introduce a marginal note indicating clearly that the term house at this point is the same Greek term which has been translated as “household” or “family” or even “people” in the preceding verse.
Honor in verse 3a and 3b translates two different Greek words, usually translated “glory” and “honor,” but they have a similar meaning. Earlier editions of Good News Translation had more glory than Moses. The writer uses the word for honor in 5.4 in speaking about men, and the word for glory in 1.3 and 13.21 in speaking of God or Christ. However, the two words are used together in 2.7 (quoting Psa 8.5) and 2.9, and there is no sharp distinction between them there or here in verse 3. He probably uses another word for the sake of variety. In its latest edition, Good News Bible is therefore justified in using the same word honor in both sentences. In English, “glory” is more often used in church language than in common language.
Receives more honor is a kind of substitute passive and may be translated “is more honored.” If an active expression is required, one may say “people honor more a man who builds a house than they honor the house itself.” In some languages a term such as honor must be expressed in the form of direct discourse; for example, receives more honor may be rendered as “they say of him, ‘He is greater.’ ”
The transitional phrase In the same way may be rendered in some languages as “Therefore.” In other instances, one may use a clause such as “Since this is true.”
Jesus is understood; the Greek text is literally “this one” (masculine), referring back to Jesus in verse 1. Yet Jesus is preferable to Phillips “this Man,” since at the moment the writer is not emphasizing that Jesus is a man, but as in 1.2, that he cooperated closely with God in the founding of God’s people.
As “has been counted worthy” in Revised Standard Version shows, is worthy translates a passive verb. The writer probably suggests that God has counted Jesus worthy of much greater honor than Moses. Jerusalem Bible expresses this by saying “he has been found to deserve a greater glory than Moses”; similarly Moffatt. “Even greater honor” would be a possible translation. This verse presupposes that Moses has some glory; Numbers 12 narrates a glorious appearance of God to Moses in the pillar of cloud, and it is clear that God has set Moses apart from all other human beings.
Jesus is worthy of much greater honor may be expressed as “people ought to honor Jesus even more.” One of the most difficult terms to render satisfactorily in some languages is the expression of “worthiness” or “that which is deserved.” All such expressions, however, imply some kind of obligation of the basis of what is right and fitting, and therefore the meaning may be frequently conveyed by a modal verb or adverb meaning “ought to,” “deserves,” or “should.”
In some languages this expression of comparison is particularly difficult, and instead of using an expression such as “more … than” (Revised Standard Version), a positive-negative is employed; for example, “they should honor Jesus, they should not honor Moses.” However, this kind of positive-negative construction does not mean literally what it says. It does not refer to a positive in contrast with a completely negative statement as to what should or should not take place, but to a comparative degree. In a number of other languages, comparison is often expressed by a verb meaning “to surpass”; for example, “in honoring Jesus they should surpass the way they honor Moses.”
Every house, of course, is built by someone must be expressed in some languages as an active construction, and this may be done by saying “There is, of course, always someone to build every house” or “If there is a house, then certainly someone has built it.” If, however, a translator can employ a word meaning “household” or “family,” it would be possible to say “There is always someone who has caused a family to be what it is.” In a similar manner the final clause of verse 4 may be rendered as “and God is the one who has called all things to be what they are.”
Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .