Hebrews
9
[Author's note: this is a very long blog. If you want to break it into several readings, it can be easily done by stopping after verse 7, 15, and 23 and then picking up later where you stopped.]
The writer
of Hebrews began this chapter reminding us, the readers, of the things of old,
the worship regulations, the tabernacle preparation, the tabernacle formation,
and the priestly function. He spent the first seven verses of chapter 9,
reminding the Jews and later readers of the regulations God set forth in Exodus
and Leviticus. There were revelations regarding divine worship referred to in
verses 1 and 10. These regulations concerned food, drink, and bodily washings.
These were set out in Leviticus 11:2, 25, and Numbers 6:3, 19:13. The washings
spoken of in verse 10 and referred to in verse 1 are the Greek word baptismos, which means purification
through water as prescribed by Moses. Each of these are laws/rules concerns the
outer person; none affects the inner person.
The writer
also reminds us of the earthly sanctuary as set up by the first covenant
(Exodus 25:8-9, 26:1-30) and how it was to be ordered in regards to what and
where each item would go, i.e. the lampstand, table, and loaves of presentation
to be in the outer (Greek word protos, meaning
first in place) tabernacle. The Lord in Exodus 25:30 and Leviticus 24:5-9
required the loaves as an offering for the Levitical priests to eat in the holy
place. He reminds the readers about the temple formation, which area priests
and high priests could enter, holy place (former) and holy of holies
latter).Where the bread was presented to God was called the holy place, the
tabernacle/room before the holy of holies. The holy place was between the outer
altar where most sacrifices were performed and the holy of holies where the
high priest entered to offer blood sacrifices for himself and the people.
Between the
holy place and the holy of holies was a second veil or curtain. Moses spoke of
this in Exodus 26:31-33. This curtain was the place through which only the high
priest could pass. Behind this curtain was a golden altar of incense. This
golden altar is a censer in which incense burned (Exodus 30:1-5). Also in the
holy of holies was the Ark of the Covenant. This ark is the manifestation of
God’s presence on earth. It led the people into the Promised Land and into
battle. When the Israelites moved the Ark into the tabernacle (sacred tent)
and, later, into the temple, it was accessible once a year on Yom Kippur when
the high priest would enter to ask forgiveness for himself and the people. The
writer stated that the cherubim of glory overshadowed the mercy seat (Exodus
25). It is from these outstretched cherubim arms over the ark that God renders
His judgment.
The writer
reminded us of the formation and purpose of the tabernacle, priests, and
regulations. He continued with the duties of the priests. In verses 6 and 7,
the writer reminded the readers of who is to perform the worship duties and
what the Law required to be done. His first statement, which is very important,
is that “the priests are continually entering the outer (first) tabernacle
(sacred tent) performing the divine worship” [Hebrews 9:6] according to the
Levitical law (Numbers 18:1-6, Exodus 27:21, and Leviticus 24:3). The writer
reminds us only the high priest (Numbers 18) can enter the second tabernacle
(holy of holies) once a year (Leviticus 16:34 and Exodus 30:10). The high priest
must take blood (haima) from the
sacrifice to offer for the sins of himself and the people, sins (agnoema) committed in ignorance. This
blood is the blood of animals or man and is the seat of life (Leviticus 16:15)
for without blood, we would not be alive. The sins that this offered blood
covers are sins of ignorance or thoughtlessness. The Greek text states it
literally as “the ignorance of the people.” The writer of Hebrews spoke of this
ignorance and misguidance in Hebrews 5:2. He used the Greek words agnoeo, which means to not know or
understand, and planao, led away from
the right way. To the writer, Jesus could deal gently with the ignorant and
misguided since He also had weaknesses. Paul equated this ignorance as darkness
and a hardened heart (Ephesians 4:18).
After
reminding the readers of the laws and regulations establishing the old
covenant, the writer of Hebrews compares the old and new covenants in verses 8
- 23. He begins in verse 8 with the fact that the Holy Spirit is signifying (deloo – making known or declaring) that
the way into the holy place for everyone has not been disclosed, made actual
and visible (realized) while the outer (protos
– first) tabernacle is still standing. God was inaccessible by people by
themselves while the outer tabernacle was separate from the inner tabernacle by
the curtain/veil. This outer tabernacle is a symbol (parabole – a comparison for the time of the writer). Thus, the
priests offered both gifts and sacrifices according to the Law as noted in
Hebrews 5:1. These gifts and sacrifices cannot make the worshipper perfect,
have complete cleansing (teleioo –
complete, brought to the fulfillment as per the prophecies, complete cleansing)
in conscience (sunedesis – soul
distinguishing what is morally good and bad). The Law made nothing perfect (Hebrews
7:19, 10:1; Acts 13:39; Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16) since it only related to
food and drink and various washings [Hebrews 9:10]. Remember
"washings" is baptismos,
purification effected by means of water as prescribed by the Mosaic Law. The
Hebrews author compared the washings of the Mosaic Law and the Christian
baptism. The Law provided regulations for the body (flesh) imposed until a time
of reformation. This reformation is diothorsis
in Greek and means to make straight or restore to its natural and normal
condition. It is a re-forming. So, the ceremonies of the Law only deal with
clean and unclean meats and drinks and with washings, which are external rules
for the body imposed until the re-forming when Christ comes to establish the
better covenant.
The chapter continues
with verses 11 and 12 stating:
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands. That is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through
His own blood, He entered the holy
place once
for all, having obtained
eternal redemption.
Christ became the High Priest when He offered
Himself as the sacrifice. Since He is from God and is of the Godhead, He is
from heaven (the “true tabernacle” spoken of in Hebrews 9:24). His sacrifice
came through a greater and more perfect tabernacle (as compared to the plan of
the sacred tent God gave Moses). This greater tabernacle was not manmade like
the one whose plan God gave to Moses. This tabernacle, made by God, is perfect
and is heaven, God’s home. Fallible humans did not build the true tabernacle.
The “once for all” spoken of in verse 12 is ephapax
in Greek and means all at once. See Romans 6:10; 1 Corinthians 15:6; Hebrews
7:27 and 10:10). Therefore, Jesus entered the holy place not made with human
hands through His sacrifice of Himself once for all and obtained eternal
redemption.
This eternal redemption is lutrosis
in Greek and means ransoming, redeeming and delivering from the penalty of sin
(Hebrews 5:9 and 9:15). Thus, humans did not offer the sacrifice from created
beings to gain the more perfect sacrifice for sins. Creature cannot gain us
spiritual and eternal salvation. The created, fallen as it is, could not offer
creatures (goats and calves) from a fallen creation as a perfect sacrifice.
Nothing in the created universe is perfect, but is corrupted by sin. God
provided something outside the created universe to be the perfect sacrifice for
the sins of humankind. The perfect sacrifice had to come from God, the only
perfect being and Creator of all. The sacrifice to re-form created beings into
the image He created them originally had to be from Himself. This is why His
Son, Jesus the Christ, had to be the sacrifice. Jesus’ sacrifice made the
reconciliation of God and humankind secure. This reconciliation is His
mediation, how He is called the Mediator. With the Son’s spilling of His own
blood, as High Priest from heaven, to re-form/redeem people from their sins and
broken relationship with God, there was no longer a need for a curtain to be
between the people and God. Hence, the veil between the people and the holy
place was torn in two, from top to bottom (Mark 15:38). We now have access to
God for ourselves because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the High Priest and
was the perfect sacrifice, once for all, for the sins of humankind for
eternity.
The writer of Hebrews returns to his
comparisons in verses 13 and 14. If the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes
of a heifer sprinkled on those who have been defiled sanctifies the flesh, how
much more will the blood of Christ, who is without blemish, offered to God
cleanse your conscience from dead works? The blood and ashes of one created
body cannot affect the inside conscience of a person. It can only touch the
outside of those who are unclean according to the Law. These cannot sanctify (hagiazo – render hallow and dedicated to
God) and cleanse the inside, only the outside. The blood of Christ, the seat of
life for Himself and all created beings, is faultless and unblameable to God. Thus,
He can cleanse your conscience (soul) from dead works. These dead works the
writer of Hebrews defines in Hebrews 6:1 as those things we do hoping to redeem
ourselves. They are actions to appease God for our sin, to make ourselves clean
and free from sin. Only the blood of Christ as a sacrifice can cleanse us
inside and out so that we can serve the living God.
The culmination of the writer’s
reasoning so far is in verse 15. He said, “For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so
that, since a death
has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” Breaking it down it says this. Because Jesus Christ
justified (made right with God) us through His gift of redemption (Romans 3:24),
He is the mediator (mesites - the one
who restores peace and friendship, ratifies a covenant, creates a medium of
communication, 1 Timothy 2:5) of a new covenant as I said in last week’s Bible
study, “The New Greater Covenant” (Hebrews 8:8) and as promised by God in
Jeremiah 31:31, Luke 22:20, and 2 Corinthians 3:6. Since a death has taken
place for the redemption/ransom of the transgressions that were committed under
the first covenant, those who have been called (kaleo – invited and given an name; see Matthew 22:3, 14; and Romans
8:28) may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance (kleronomia – possession of eternal blessedness in the kingdom of
God after Christ’s visible return). Jesus’ death was the ransom to pay
for the sins committed while people were under the Mosaic covenant. The Mosaic
covenant could not cleanse the soul/conscience, only the flesh. Remember, too, the
Law (Mosaic covenant) pointed out a person’s sins, but did not have the power
to remove sins completely since it was an invalid covenant. Humankind did not
keep their promises in the covenant. Therefore, God had to enact the new
covenant, which only He had to fulfill. The new covenant does not rely on
anything humans had to do. Humans are unable to keep their promises since they
are sinful. Since God enacted the new covenant, the High Priest would be
perfect and not a creature, the sacrifice would be perfect to remove all sin
forever from the flesh and conscience, and sacrifice would be sufficient
performed once unlike the inadequate sacrifices the Levitical priests
performed. Since God is greater than humankind is and infallible, His High
Priest is greater than humans are and sinless. His sacrifice was greater since
it came through the blood of His perfect holy Son. The new covenant is greater
than any other covenant and no other covenant need to occur to bring humankind
into a renewed relationship with our God and Creator.
Verses 16 and 17 give a legal
argument about covenant and its validity. The writer spoke of covenant and
death in the same breath. We must understand two important things in regards to
this. First, the word translated as covenant comes from the Greek word diatheke, which means a testament, will,
compact or covenant. This then shows us that the Old Testament and New
Testament of the Bible can read old covenant and new covenant. So, let us keep
in mind that covenant means testament. Second, a will or testament is not valid
until the death of the person making the testament. Thus, the covenant is not
valid until blood, the seat of life, is shed. The practice of covenant- making
between God and humankind also required blood in the Old Testament. When God was
a party of this kind of covenant, He was the superior party and He took the
initiative. However, both sides of the party make promises/oaths and promise to
keep the commands. The promises are valid only when humans keep their promise
of obedience to the commands in the covenant. God made signs and pledges to
humankind for obedience by humans. There were penalties for disobedience. So
the covenant between God and humankind was a command, an obligation imposed by
a superior upon an inferior. When God made these kinds of covenants, the priest
sprinkled blood from sacrificial animals upon the person making the covenant
with God and upon Yahweh’s altar, as in Exodus 24:4-8. People also made blood
oaths between themselves. The two pledging to each other would drink blood
together or something symbolizing blood. Hence, covenants in the Old Testament period
were very often accompanied with blood as the seal of the covenant.
With this in mind, let us look at verses
16 and 17: “For
where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the
death of the one who made it. 17 For a covenant is valid only
when men are dead, for it is never in force while
the one who made it lives.” Understanding the current common meaning of last
will and testaments as well as the Bible times meaning, we can now see what the
writer meant. Without death, the new covenant/testament of God to humankind
would have been invalid. Hence, His Son’s death validated the new covenant as
God’s pledge to humanity. His Son’s blood sealed it as active. Considering
this, then, the writer led the readers to consider the first covenant again. He
said even the first covenant made with Moses was not inaugurated/initiated
without blood. When Moses spoke every commandment by God (the Law), he
sprinkled the book and the people with water and the blood of calves and goats
using wool and hyssop (Exodus 24:1-10; Leviticus 14:4; Numbers 19:6). While
doing this, Moses proclaimed to the people, “This is the blood of the covenant
which God commanded you” (Hebrews 9:20; Exodus 24:8; Matthew 26:28 – This is
what Jesus said at the Lord’s Supper, too). Moses then sprinkled the tabernacle
(sacred tent) and the vessels used in the ministry (Exodus 24:6, 40:9;
Leviticus 8:15, 19, 16:14-16). By doing this, he bound the people to God’s
command and sanctified the tabernacle, vessels and people to God.
The writer segued from the Old
Testament and Jewish purpose of using blood to the current times in verse 22.
He said, “And according to the Law, one may almost say,
all things are cleansed with
blood, and
without shedding of blood
there is no forgiveness.” This
can also be read, according to the Law, almost all things are cleansed with
blood. The writer made this addendum because a proviso is in Leviticus 5:11 for
the poor who could not afford an animal sacrifice. God allowed them to offer
flour as a sin offering. The significance of blood as the seal of a covenant
and for religious cleansing came about because blood is the life of the
flesh/body. Therefore, when a person offered a blood sacrifice via a calf or
goat, the animal's blood spilled out represents the person’s blood offered upon
the altar from the atonement of their souls. Without life given (blood spilled
out) there is no forgiveness. Forgiveness is the Greek word aphesis, which means release from
bondage and pardon of sins as if they had never been committed. It is a
remission of the penalty for sins/wrong actions. Continuing from this, since
the tabernacle and the things in it are merely copies of the things in heaven
and humankind made them, they, too, had to be cleansed with blood.
The
writer ends verse 23 with the thought that moves the rest of the chapter
towards its main point. The earthly tabernacle, a copy (imitation) of the true
tabernacle (heaven, where God dwells), had to be cleansed with the blood of a
created being. How much more do the heavenly things (Hebrews 8:5) require the
blood from a better (kreitton – more useful, advantageous, and excellent) sacrifice
than those used in the earthly tabernacle? The writer continued, “For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in
the presence of God for
us” (vs. 24). Christ was not the High Priest who entered the holy place made by
the hands of finite, sinful humankind, but into heaven itself (Ephesians 4:10;
Hebrews 4:14, 9:12) to be in the presence of God for us. Humankind cannot be in
the presence of God and see His face. This is why God told Moses to go into the
cave and cover his face. This is, also, why the priests burned incense in the
holy of holies. It created a smoke so that the high priest who entered there
once a year could not see God’s face. This is why Christ makes intercession for
us with God (Hebrews 7:25) while He sits on the right hand of the throne of
God. His glory is too much for humans to see.
Another
point to be made here, is that the writer of Hebrews stated, He (Jesus Christ)
would not offer Himself often like the earthly high priest who enters the holy
of holies every year (Leviticus 16:12; Hebrews 9:2, 7, 24-25) with blood that
is not his own. The writer compared Christ’s priesthood and sacrifice with that
of the Levitical high priest who was a priest by Law and who offered animal
sacrifices prescribed by the Law. Christ offered Himself on the altar as the
sacrifice. If Christ had offered the sacrifice as the high priest did, He would
have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world. However, since
He is the High Priest who became so by the oath of Yahweh and by His own blood,
which is perfect and holy, His sacrifice needed offering only once at the
consummation of the ages. The blood of animals was from created beings and was
not powerful to remove all sin for all time, whereas the blood of Christ, who
is the Son of God, pure and perfect, and not created, is great enough to cover
and cleanse all sin for all time. The consummation of the ages means the
completion or end of time. The New Testament believers believed that Jesus
Christ’s death and resurrection heralded the immanent second coming of Christ.
They believed He would return very soon and so they believe that His sacrifice
would bring the end of time as the world knew. Verse 26 continues that Jesus
has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Manifested
means to make known what has been hidden or unknown. He manifested to the world
God’s plan for everyone’s redemption from the penalty of sin. God’s plan was to
offer the perfect sacrifice, unlike any that created beings could offer. God
offered from Himself His Son, Jesus Christ as the pure and perfect sacrifice,
Creator for the created. The blood of creatures is of a different nature than
the blood of Christ – creature vs. Creator. The priest was of a different
nature – created being vs. Creator. The blood of animals was a small thing and
came from created beings, as was the person who administered the blood
according to the Law. The blood of the Son of God has infinite value and God administered
it Himself, the Creator and greater than all created things. Weighing the
balance, the blood and priesthood of Christ is greater than the blood and
priesthood of the created. Christ’s sacrifice and priesthood is adequate to
remove and cleanse all sin from the outside of the flesh and from the
conscience.
In
verses 27 and 28, the writer concluded his points. He stated, “And
inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once
and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without
reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” All men die
once. God stated it in Genesis 3:19. After death, God judges humankind. Paul
stated this in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body,
according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” John also spoke of this
judgment in 1 John 4:17. We can know our final judgment before judgment day
according to Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of
works, so that no one may boast.” Paul spoke of faith salvation, not works
salvation, in Romans 3:28 and 2 Timothy 1:9 also.
The
writer continued with the main purpose of this chapter, Christ was offered as
the sacrifice once to bear the sins of many. This offering is prosphero, giving to a person who is to
judge or to hand something to a person. We have seen the Greek word for once
before. It is hapax meaning once for
all. Bearing is to place on oneself anything as a load to be carried. The
prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 53:12 used it when he referred to the coming Messiah.
It is also used by Peter in 1 Peter 2:24 when he spoke of Christ taking upon Himself
our sins in His body on the cross so that we would die to sin and live to
righteousness. The writer also speaks of Christ appearing a second time for
salvation without reference to sin. Christ will appear and we will see Him with
our eyes. He will take those who believe in Him to salvation. He will not come
a second time to sacrifice for sin; He already did that. The second time He
comes, He will take His children, those who believe in Him and eagerly awaited
Him, to heaven.
From
this chapter, we can know all men die, but God provided a way to re-form each
person into the original state in which He created human beings. Through the
only sacrifice that was perfect, His Son, Jesus Christ, and by His holy
priesthood, God has provided the way for us to have our sins removed from our
flesh and consciences/souls. The Law provided by the first covenant is unable
to provide the perfect sacrifice or priesthood because it is a covenant that
relies on human obedience as well as God’s promise. The new covenant is greater
because God fulfills all the promises without corresponding obedience from
humankind. Therefore, by believing in faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
and accepting Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins, offered once forever, God provided
a way for us to be redeemed, re-formed, given eternal life with Him in heaven,
His kingdom and the true tabernacle.
Jesus
Christ provided the better and greater way for us to know before judgment day
at the end of time what our judgment by God will be – redeemed and saved. This
redemption does not rely upon anything we do or say. It relies solely upon our
faith and acceptance of Him as the Son of God who died for our sins and Lord of
our lives from here forward. You do not have to do anything; God has done
everything. He provided the perfect promise (the new covenant), the perfect place
(the true tabernacle), the perfect priest (Jesus Christ, His Son), and the perfect
payment (Jesus’ death and blood). You only have to believe, have faith, and
that is a gift God will give you if you ask Him with a genuine heart. It is
that simple on our part. This decision will affect the rest of your earthly and
eternal life. What will you decide?
