The Epistle to the Hebrews

⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑

- Chapter 9 -

(Exodus 40:1–33; Acts 7:44–47)

Certainly, the former also had the justifications of worship and a holy place for that age.

For a tabernacle was made at first, in which were the lampstand, and the table, and the bread of the Presence, which is called Holy.

Then, beyond the second veil, was the tabernacle, which is called the Holy of Holies,

having a golden censer, and the ark of the testament, covered all around and on every part with gold, in which was a golden urn containing manna, and the rod of Aaron which had blossomed, and the tablets of the testament.

And over the ark were the Cherubim of glory, overshadowing the propitiatory. There is not enough time to speak about each of these things.(a)

Yet truly, once such things were placed together, in the first part of the tabernacle, the priests were, indeed, continually entering, so as to carry out the duties of the sacrifices.

But into the second part, once a year, the high priest alone entered, not without blood, which he offered on behalf of the neglectful offenses of himself and of the people.(b)

In this way, the Holy Spirit is signifying that the way to what is most holy was not yet made manifest, not while the first tabernacle was still standing.

And this is a parable for the present time. Accordingly, those gifts and sacrifices that are offered are not able, as concerns the conscience, to make perfect those things that serve only as food and drink,

as well as the various washings and justices of the flesh, which were imposed upon them until the time of correction.(c)

Redemption through His Blood

But Christ, standing as the High Priest of future good things, through a greater and more perfect tabernacle, one not made by hand, that is, not of this creation,

entered once into the Holy of Holies, having obtained eternal redemption, neither by the blood of goats, nor of calves, but by his own blood.(d)

For if the blood of goats and oxen, and the ashes of a calf, when these are sprinkled, sanctify those who have been defiled, in order to cleanse the flesh,

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the Holy Spirit has offered himself, immaculate, to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, in order to serve the living God?

And thus he is the Mediator of the new testament, so that, by his death, he intercedes for the redemption of those transgressions which were under the former testament, so that those who have been called may receive the promise of an eternal inheritance.

For where there is a testament, it is necessary for the death of the one who testifies to intervene.

For a testament is confirmed by death. Otherwise, it as yet has no force, as long as the one who testifies lives.

Therefore, indeed, the first was not dedicated without blood.

For when every commandment of the law had been read by Moses to the entire people, he took up the blood of calves and goats, with water and with scarlet wool and hyssop, and he sprinkled both the book itself and the entire people,

saying: “This is the blood of the testament which God has commanded for you.”

And even the tabernacle, and all the vessels for the ministry, he similarly sprinkled with blood.

And nearly everything, according to the law, is to be cleansed with blood. And without the shedding of blood, there is no remission.

Therefore, it is necessary for the examples of heavenly things to be cleansed, just as, indeed, these things were. Yet the heavenly things are themselves better sacrifices than these.

For Jesus did not enter by means of holy things made with hands, mere examples of the true things, but he entered into Heaven itself, so that he may appear now before the face of God for us.

And he did not enter so as to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters into the Holy of Holies each year, with the blood of another.(e)

Otherwise, he would need to have suffered repeatedly since the beginning of the world. But now, one time, at the consummation of the ages, he has appeared in order to destroy sin though his own sacrifice.

And in the same manner as it has been appointed for men to die one time, and after this, to be judged,

so also Christ was offered, one time, in order to empty the sins of so many. He shall appear a second time without sin, for those who await him, unto salvation.(f)

Footnotes

(a)9:5 The word ‘modo’ in this context refers to the limits of time or writing space which prevent the author from going into detail about all the items in the Tabernacle of the Old Testament.(Conte)

(b)9:7 See Numbers 15:22 and following, where sacrifices such as this one are prescribed for offenses whereby the people sin out of neglect or ignorance of the precepts of the Law. Thus, ‘ignorantia’ refers more to ‘offenses done out of ignorance or neglect,’ rather than merely a lack of knowledge.(Conte)

(d)9:12 Eternal redemption:By that one sacrifice of his blood, once offered on the cross, Christ our Lord paid and exhibited, once for all, the general price and ransom of all mankind: which no other priest could do.(Challoner)

(e)9:25 Offer himself often:Christ shall never more offer himself in sacrifice, in that violent, painful, and bloody manner, nor can there be any occasion for it: since by that one sacrifice upon the cross, he has furnished the full ransom, redemption, and remedy for all the sins of the world. But this hinders not that he may offer himself daily in the sacred mysteries in an unbloody manner, for the daily application of that one sacrifice of redemption to our souls.(Challoner)

(f)9:28 To exhaust:That is, to empty, or draw out to the very bottom, by a plentiful and perfect redemption.(Challoner)