Hebrews 9:11–14

9:11–12 The conjunction “But” signals the contrast between the old covenant era, with its restrictive regulations and superficial cleansing rituals, and the “time of reformation” (v. 10) that has arrived with the coming of Christ. The old covenant’s earthly sanctuary was “but a shadow of the good things to come” (10:1), and with Christ’s appearance “the good things”—the new covenant’s better promises (8:6)—“have come” (9:11). Here a number of Greek manuscripts read “good things to come” (mellontōn), as in 10:1. Fewer but more reliable manuscripts read “good things that have come” (genomenōn; so ESV). This reading better fits the transition from the “not yet” OT situation (9:8–10) to the new era inaugurated by Christ’s appearance.

Christ’s ministry as High Priest is similar to but better than that of the OT high priest on the Day of Atonement (v. 9). As the high priest entered the Most Holy Place “once a year” (v. 7), so Christ entered the heavenly holy places “once for all” (v. 12). Of course, “once a year” imperfectly previewed “once for all,” since the OT high priest did so “repeatedly . . . every year” (9:25), and the sacrifices he offered were “a reminder of sins every year” (10:3). The ancient high priest passed through the first section of the tabernacle/temple (Holy Place) in order to enter the second (Most Holy Place). So also Christ “through the greater and more perfect tent [“section,” consistent with the sense of skēnē in 9:2, 3, 6, 7, 8] . . . entered . . . into the holy places.” As the high priest brought blood for his own and others’ sins, so Christ brought blood—not that of goats and calves but his own—to secure for others “eternal redemption.”

Our author uses a chiasm¹ to stress the contrasts:

1. Christ
   1. (A)through the greater and more perfect tent
      1. (B)not made with hands, that is, not of this creation
      2. (B')not by means of the blood of goats and calves
   2. (A')but by means of his own blood
2. entered once for all into the holy places, thus securing an eternal redemption

God’s heavenly sanctuary is envisioned as consisting of two chambers, like its earthly copy (8:5). Christ passed through the “greater and more perfect tent”—through the heavens (4:14)—to enter “the holy places,” the heavenly Most Holy Place. Since the entryway into Christ’s heavenly sanctuary was not made by human hands (unlike the tabernacle; Ex. 31:1–11), it is exempt from the mutability that besets the created universe (Heb. 1:10–12; 12:26–28; cf. Mark 14:58; Acts 7:48). By contrast, Judaism’s second temple would lie in ruins, dismantled by Roman soldiers, only a few years after this sermon-letter of Hebrews was penned.

The superiority of Christ’s sacrificial offering fits the sanctuary he has entered. “His own blood” surpasses the blood of goats and calves not only because animal deaths cannot atone for human sin (Heb. 10:4) but also because Christ’s blood represents the suffering he personally endured as God incarnate in order to lead to glory God’s many sons (2:10–12). Ancient Israel’s high priest entered the Most Holy Place annually “with blood not his own” (9:25). Jesus suffered “to sanctify the people through his own blood” (13:12; cf. Acts 20:28).

Christ’s ministry surpasses that of OT high priests with respect to its result as well: it secured “eternal redemption.” Both “eternal” and “redemption” set Christ’s ministry apart from that of previous high priests. Since his “once-for-all” sacrifice completely cleanses consciences, its purifying effectiveness is “eternal” (Heb. 10:3, 10–12). The Greek word behind “eternal” (aiōnios) refers not only to endless duration but also to participation in the “age to come,” which will be better than the present age not merely quantitatively but also qualitatively (Heb. 6:5; cf. 2:5; 13:14; Matt. 12:32; Mark 10:30; Rom. 8:18; Eph. 1:21).

“Redemption” (lytrōsis) includes both forgiveness of sins and deliverance from sin’s penalty, death, as shown in the appearance of a cognate term (apolytrōsis) in verse 15: “a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed.” Sin not only disqualifies people from approaching God but also places them under his wrath. Redemption further includes liberation from enslavement (Luke 1:68–71; 2:38; 24:21; Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 1:18). Christ achieved “age to come” redemption by dying to defeat the death-inflicting Devil and free the Devil’s slaves (Heb. 2:14–15).

9:13–14 The superior achievement of Christ’s sacrifice is now supported by another “lesser-to-greater” argument (cf. comment on 2:2–4): If slain animals’ blood and ashes effected ceremonial purification of the flesh (9:9–10), how much more effective is Christ’s blood for purifying worshipers’ consciences, qualifying them to serve in God’s presence! In addition to the shedding of goats’ and bulls’ blood for regular sin offerings (Leviticus 4) and the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16), our preacher mentions a purification ceremony involving “sprinkling . . . with the ashes of a heifer,” a rite to cleanse those ceremonially defiled by contact with a human corpse (Numbers 19). All these sacrificial animals were to be physically “without blemish” (amōmon) (Lev. 4:3, 23, 28, 32; Num. 19:2).

Christ “offered himself” as one not merely physically but also spiritually and morally “without blemish” (amōmon). Because he was “without sin” (Heb. 4:15), “holy, innocent, unstained” (7:26), he needed no sacrifice for his own sins (unlike the Levitical high priest; 5:2–3; 7:27) and could serve as the flawless substitute for others. He offered himself in death “through the eternal Spirit,” as God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit (1:8–9; Acts 10:38) for his redeeming task as royal Messiah and suffering servant (Luke 3:21, alluding to Ps. 2:7 and Isa. 42:1). The Spirit is “eternal” (aiōnios) not only because he is divine but also because his presence characterizes the age (aiōn) to come, manifested already in displays of new creation power (Heb. 2:4; 6:4–5).

Christ’s greater sacrifice accomplishes deeper purification—not merely of the flesh but also of the conscience. “Purify” (katharizō) appears in another expression of Jeremiah’s new covenant prophecy: “I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me” (Jer. 33:8 = LXX 40:8). For our preacher, “dead works” are violations of God’s law, which deserve death (Heb. 6:1; cf. 2:14–15; 10:26–31). Cleansing from sin’s pollution and penalty opens access to God’s presence, so that those who trust Christ may draw near to God with confidence (10:2, 9–14, 22). That we can now “serve the living God” in his Most Holy Place is implied by our author’s use of the worship-related verb “serve” (latreuō), related to the noun (latreia) used to describe the priests’ activities in the tabernacle (9:1, 6). He will apply the same term to our thankful worship (12:28). This is the second of four texts in which our preacher points out that we worship “the living God” (3:12; 10:31; 12:22; cf. 1 Thess. 1:9).