Hebrews 9 (NIV)
The apostle Paul , having declared the Old-Testament dispensation antiquated and gone away, proceeds to show the Hebrew people the correspondence between the Old Testament and the New; and that whatever was excellent in the Old was representative of the New, which therefore must as far exceed the Old; as the substance of the New over shadows the Old. He tells them that the Old Testament was never intended to be rested in, but was to prepare for the institutions of the gospel. Here Paul shows them: the tabernacle, the place of worship; the worship and services performed in the tabernacle; and he delivers the spiritual sense and the main design.
Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle
9 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
In these first 5 verses Paul gives the Hebrew people an account of the earthly tabernacle. This tabernacle ordained by the old covenant was planned by God for an earthly service. He calls it an earthly tabernacle because it was created by earthly means and materials. It was made in the style of a court and palace for a king; the King of Israel. As God was their king and therefore had His court and place of residence as represented by the set up of the tabernacle; a model for which can be found in Exodus 25 – 27.
The tabernacle prepared: it was a tent built according to God’s dimensions. It had two rooms: the larger was the “Holy Place”; behind the veil was a smaller room called the “Holiest of All” or the “Holy of Holies”.
The Lampstand had a middle stem and six branches, made of gold, and stood in the Holy Place. It provided the only light for the tabernacle.
The Table stood, also, in the Holy Place and was made of acacia wood and covered in gold. It held the twelve loaves of showbread, representing God’s fellowship with the twelve tribes of Israel.
The sanctuary refers to the Holy Place. A veil separated the Holy Place from the Holiest of All, also known as the Holy of Holies.
The Golden Altar of Incense, also made of acacia wood and covered with gold, stood at the veil before the Holy of Holies and was used to burn incense.
The Ark of the Covenant stood inside the Holy of Holies. It was a chest made of acacia wood, covered in gold, with rings on each side for carrying. Inside the ark was the golden pot that held the manna (reminding Israel of God’s provision and their ungratefulness), Aaron’s rod, that budded (reminding them of their rebellion against God’s authority) , and the tablets of the covenant (reminding them of their failure to keep the 10 Commandments and the rest of the law).
The Mercy Seat ( the lid of the Ark of the Covenant) had cherubim on it and the blood of sacrifice was sprinkled on it for the forgiveness of Israel’s sin on the Day of Atonement.
6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
After the description of the Tabernacle Paul proceeds to tell them of the priestly service in the tabernacle under the old covenant. After the tabernacle had been properly prepared the priests performed services in the sanctuary or Holy Place; tending the lampstand and changing the showbread daily.
However, the appointed high priest only entered the Holy of Holies once a year and only with blood, not his own, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance. This day, once a year, is the Day of Atonement. The high priest’s entrance was not for true fellowship with God, but only for atonement. Access was severely restricted.
“The people’s sins committed in ignorance”: sins of ignorance were the specific aim of the Day of Atonement; it was assumed that known sin would be taken care of by way of the regular sin offerings and daily sacrifices. The Day of Atonement was to protect them from sins they didn’t know they had committed.
In this telling Paul is able to show that Jesus’ work on the cross is far greater than the work done on the Day of Atonement. Jesus’ work on the cross is sufficient to atone for both sins of ignorance and those sins known.
8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.
Paul, in these 3 verses, shows them the Holy Spirit giving understanding as to the priestly service under the old covenant.
The Holy Spirit indicated this, that the Most Holy place was not yet made manifest because the first tabernacle still stood. It was illustrated, or symbolized in some texts, in which both gifts and sacrifices offered could not make the priest who performed the service perfect in regard to conscience, as they were concerned only with food, drink, ceremonial washing – external regulations imposed until the time of the new order. Paul was pointing out that if the cleansing is incomplete for the high priest, how much more for the person the priest worked on behalf of?! Paul pointed out that the weakness of the priestly service under the old covenant was it’s inability to address the need for inner transformation in man; therefore it was only required until the coming of the New Covenant.
Illustration, or symbolic, used in verse 9 is from the Greek word “parabole” – the tabernacle and all the the old covenant represented suggested deeper truths; parables of the New Covenant.
The Blood of Christ
Now Paul begins to show the Hebrew people the New Covenant in all it’s parts.
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,[a] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation.
Paul begins with the superior sanctuary of the New Covenant. Jesus, as our High Priest, ministers in a superior sanctuary, the throne room of God. A place greater than anything made with human hands.
12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining[b] eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God!
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
Paul now moves on to the superior sacrifice of the New Covenant. Explaining that the blood of goats and calves was a temporary covering of sin, but only Jesus’ sacrifice, which was perfect, voluntary and motivated by love, could obtain eternal redemption. He pointed out that if Israel found the imperfect sacrifices sufficient, how much more should they regard Jesus’ ultimate sufficiency of His perfect sacrifice? The sacrifice of Jesus is sufficient even to restore their damaged consciences.
Jesus’ work as a mediator is accomplished upon His death. His heavenly work of mediation is an extension of His perfect sacrifice. Paul emphasizes that Jesus’ payment, on the cross, bought the redemption for all those under the first covenant. He paid the debt , at the cross, for every sin made under the law.
16 In the case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”[e] 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Paul continues on to explain the necessity of Jesus’ death.
To make the New Covenant effectual Jesus’ death was necessary. Christ’s true legacies could only be received through His “last will and testament”. Where a testament is there must be proven a death of the testator. Therefore Jesus had to die for the testament – the covenant – to take effect.
Remember that the word covenant, in these verses, is actually the word testament. The idea is essentially the same as a covenant, except that it is dictated by one party, not negotiated by two parties.
Paul explains that death was necessary to the old covenant. That virtually all sacrifice, under the law, required blood. Without the shedding of blood there was no remission of sin for the people. Here Paul points to Jesus and makes clear that there is no perfect forgiveness of sin without a perfect sacrifice, that is Jesus.
23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Paul reiterates here that the Earthly Tabernacle was but a copy of the Heavenly Tabernacle. And as the earthly tabernacle were purified by earthly and imperfect means, the Heavenly Tabernacle needed to be purified with a perfect offering. Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by the hands of man, that was a copy. He entered heaven itself. Jesus’ sacrifice was made on earth, but it was the the basis for His continuing work as High Priest in heaven. Paul stresses “now to appear for us in God’s presence” – showing them the wonder of the fact that Jesus appears before God for them! Jesus’ ministry continues in heaven, but not in the sense of continual atonement for our sins. His sacrifice was once for all.
Paul continues to explain that Jesus died once for all. He points out the obvious, that men die once and face judgement, so then Jesus only had to die once to bear their sins.
Paul ends with a focus that Jesus’ first coming was to deal with the sin of the people through His atoning sacrifice. Now, having dealt with sin, perfectly, He comes again for the Salvation of “those who are waiting for him”, some versions say “eagerly waiting …”. Paul optimistically encourages them to expectantly “wait” for Jesus’ return.
Footnotes:
a Hebrews 9:11 Some early manuscripts are to come
b Hebrews 9:12 Or blood, having obtained
c Hebrews 9:14 Or from useless rituals
d Hebrews 9:16 Same Greek word as covenant; also in verse 17
e Hebrews 9:20 Exodus 24:8
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