To set the context, let’s remember in 9:1-10, the author talks about a superior sanctuary. Now this superior sanctuary is kind of backwards and forwards. This sanctuary discussion points back to what we talked about in chapter 9:1-10 and even earlier, but we are not done with this topic. Certain aspects of the superior sanctuary will also kind of bleed its way through the section ahead of us.
Honestly, a number of things in chapter 9 are very repetitive in a number of ways. The writer is going to hammer this thing home that Jesus is a superior sacrifice. Jesus is in a superior sanctuary, under the auspices of the New Covenant, a better covenant. The writer will emphasize these things, sometimes very obviously, sometimes more subtly but they will do that. So the superior sanctuary that we talked about last time will continue to pick up threads of that as we go through there. So the idea points back to what we have already studied but also points us forward.
The main thrust of these verses is the eternal redemption secured by Christ Jesus. In this paragraph the climactic verse is Hebrews 9:14. Four superiorities of Christ are set forth here: (1) Christ offered (active voice) Himself; animals were offered in the O.T (v. 12). (2) The Lord Jesus Christ was without blemish inwardly as well as externally; animals were without blemish only externally (v. 12). (3) Christ offered Himself through His eternal spirit; animals could not do this (v. 13). (4) Jesus cleanses our consciences (v. 14; cf. v. 9).
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things having come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands, that is, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Jesus offered Himself without blemish for the purpose of cleansing our sins and conscience from the dead works and to serve the living God.
- The sacrifice of the animals cleansed the flesh, but the sacrifice of Christ and His blood cleanse both the external and internal. If the ashes of the old covenant could provide ritual cleansing, how much more will the blood of Christ cleanse the believer.
- Christ, who was without blemish, offered Himself and paid the ransom price for human redemption, and because it need not be paid again (this sacrificial act was “once for all”) that redemption is an “eternal” one
CLOSER LOOK:
Verses 11–12: The author then brought the discussion which began in 8:7 to a fitting conclusion. The writer had shown that the Old Testament anticipated a better New Covenant (8:7–13) and that the ritual of the Old Covenant, carried on in an “earthly sanctuary,” pointed to its own inadequacy (9:1–10). Now the writer set forth the superiority of Christ’s service as Mediator of the New Covenant (vv. 11–15).
Christ came as a high priest and accomplished good things for His people. The good things were the blessings Christ won for believers by His sacrificial death.
The NIV rendering of verse 11 could be improved. It is not likely the writer meant to say that “Christ … went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle,” since this cannot be distinguished from “the Most Holy Place” (NIV) which He entered according to verse 12. It is probably better to take the original word translated “through” (dia) and connect it with “came as High Priest of the good things that are already here” (you can see from above the NASB is different).[1] In that case, instead of “through” the word can be translated “in connection with” and the total statement expresses the idea that Christ’s high-priesthood is linked with “the greater and more perfect tabernacle” rather than the “earthly” one previously described (vv. 1–5).
One extra translation point. In the NASB 95, it translates the first phrase in a future tense “as a high priest of the good things to come.” The NASB team updated that in the 20 version to read “having come.” This is a better translation as the writer is talking about the good things already here. The point is that Christ has appeared as a High Priest not for the future but it is now. (Side note: both readings are supported by good manuscript evidence and support either reading. The future verb tense may even have better and broader manuscript support).
One of the arguments the author of Hebrews is going to use is if there is a superior sanctuary, the old sacrifices for the old sanctuary are inadequate. If we are going to have a superior sanctuary, we have to have a superior sacrifice to go with it. And if we have a superior sacrifice to go with it, sacrifices and ritual are tied to the Law. That is what gives the sacrifices and rituals legitimacy. So if there is a superior sanctuary with a superior sacrifice, then we need to have a different law. That’s going to be the New Covenant because these things are all intimately tied together. They are separate to a certain degree but also tied together. It is suggested they are part of part of an unbreakable cloth, meaning you cannot just swap components out. You have to take it as a whole and this seems to be part of the writer’s argument as we trace that there. And probably something that you have already started to trace through in your study up to this point in Hebrews.
We see more of this in the phrase “entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle.” The writer has already discussed the superior sanctuary, but they do not completely leave it behind because they re-introduce it again here. Which means by implication there is a lesser and possibly less perfect tabernacle. To make a comparison means there has to be a lesser tabernacle. While it is more emphasized and more explicit in 9:1-10, it is implicit here.
Also, this tabernacle is made with human hands. Typically this phase of made with human hands is not used in a positive sense. We see that with idols made of human hands. Again, the author brought this up previously but is able to succinctly show in this phrase why the new tabernacle is better and perfect.
When Christ, “through His own blood … entered the holy place once for all time” (v. 12; cf. Christ’s blood in v. 14; 10:19, 29; 13:20) rather than by animal blood, He likewise demonstrated the superiority of His service because His blood had “obtained eternal redemption.” Thus, the value of His sacrifice is immeasurably greater than the animal offerings of the Levitical arrangements. The animal was chosen and then sacrificed. Whereas Jesus was a voluntary sacrifice where He chose to do it and it is superior in that sense as well. A perfect ransom price had been paid for human “redemption,” and because it need not be paid again (this sacrificial act was “once for all,” ephapax; cf. 7:27; 10:10) that redemption is an “eternal” one.[2] Thinking back to your Old Testament knowledge, there was not an acceptable sacrifice stipulated under the Mosaic law for the high priest offering themselves for the sins of the people, let alone the sins of the world.
Verses 13–14: This “eternal redemption” through which the blessings of the New Covenant (cf. 8:10–12) have reached all believers, should affect the way believers serve God. Old-Covenant rituals served for the “defiled” (or ceremonially unclean) and only made them externally clean (“cleansing of the flesh”). But the blood of Christ can do much more. His was a sacrifice of infinite value because “through the eternal Spirit” He “offered Himself without blemish to God.” Some say the noun “Spirit” here in verse 13 refers to the Holy Spirit, which also means the writer of Hebrews involved all three Persons of the Godhead in the sacrifice of Christ, which magnifies the greatness of His redemptive offering.[3] However, some others would say the noun “spirit” probably is Jesus’ own human spirit rather than the Holy Spirit. They would say it seems best because the emphasis is on Christ’s voluntary sacrifice. “Without blemish” (amōmon) fittingly describes Christ’s perfection (cf. 4:15; 7:26) for it is also used of spotless (absence of defects) animals brought for sacrifice.
Jesus purifies believers for service. He supplied the action which lay behind the symbols of the tabernacle and its ritual. Jesus death secured divine blessings for His people. Such a great accomplishment ought to “cleanse your conscience from dead works.” The expression “dead works” (may see “acts that lead to death”) in this context seems to refer to the Levitical rituals that, in contrast with the work of Christ, can never impart spiritual life. As also in Hebrews 6:1, where such “dead works” are referred to, the writer wished the readers would give up all thoughts of returning to Old-Covenant rituals. (“Dead works” could also be related to works of the flesh like how Paul uses the term.)Their consciences ought to be perfectly free from any need to engage in such things and, retaining their confidence in the perfect efficacy of the Cross, they should hold fast their profession and “serve the living God” within the New-Covenant arrangements.
[1] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 801.
[2] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 801.
[3] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 801.