The Epistle to the Hebrews

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- 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)

(Exodus 40:1–33; Acts 7:44–47)

Now indeed even the first (a) covenant had ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary.

For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread, which is called the Holy Place.

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

having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;

and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, of which things we can’t speak now in detail.

Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services,

but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people.

The Holy Spirit is indicating this, that the way into the Holy Place wasn’t yet revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing.

This is a symbol of the present age, where gifts and sacrifices are offered that are incapable, concerning the conscience, of making the worshiper perfect,

being only (with foods and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.

Redemption through His Blood

But Christ having come as a high priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,

nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption.

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh,

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

For where a last will and testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him who made it.

For a will is in force where there has been death, for it is never in force while he who made it lives.

Therefore even the first covenant has not been dedicated without blood.

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

saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.”(b)

He sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry in the same way with the blood.

According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.

It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For Christ hasn’t entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;

nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place year by year with blood not his own,

or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,

so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Footnotes

(a)9:1 TR adds “tabernacle”

(b)9:20 ℘ Exodus 24:8