Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 9:6
Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service [of God.]
6. Now when these things were thus ordained ] Rather, “since then these things have been thus arranged.”
went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God ] Rather, “into the outer tabernacle the priests enter continually in performance of their ministrations.” Their ordinary ministrations were to offer sacrifice, burn incense, and light the lamps, and in the performance of these they certainly entered the Holy Place twice daily, and apparently might do so as often as they saw fit.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
When these things were thus ordained – Thus arranged or appointed. Having shown what the tabernacle was, the apostle proceeds to show what was done in it. The priests went always into the first tabernacle. The outer tabernacle called the holy place. They were not permitted to enter the Holy of Holies, that being entered only once in a year by the High Priest. The holy place was entered every day to make the morning and evening oblation.
Accomplishing the service of God – Performing the acts of worship which God had appointed – burning incense, etc.; Luk 1:9.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. When these thing were thus ordained] When the tabernacle was made, and its furniture placed in it, according to the Divine direction.
The priests went always into the first Tabernacle] That is, into the first part of the tabernacle, or holy place, into which he went every day twice, accomplishing the services, , which included his burning the incense at the morning and evening sacrifice, dressing the lamps, removing the old show-bread and laying on the new, and sprinkling the blood of the sin-offerings before the veil Le 4:6: and for these works he must have constant access to the place.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The Spirit now proceeds to the second adjunct of the Mosaical administration, having stated the places of them, even the Aaronical priests services in them.
Now when these things were thus ordained; when the tabernacles were made and reared, and the utensils rightly disposed in them, and all things set in Gods own order, now
the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God; into the holy place or sanctuary within the first veil, described, Heb 9:2. Not only the high priest, but all the common priests, consecrated by Gods order to their work; every one in his daily course, constantly performing, and completely acting, all the services enjoined on them by God to be done there, as to put on the shew-bread, and to eat what they took off, Exo 25:30; Lev 24:5-9; to keep the lights in the candlestick, supplying it with oil, and clearing the lights, Exo 25:37,38; Exo 27:20,21; 30:1,8; Num 8:2,3; to burn incense on the golden altar before the ark: the priests took a censer, and filled it with fire from the altar of burnt sacrifice, and then came to the altar of incense before the veil, and there put the incense on the fire in the censer; during the evaporating of which, the people in the court were pouring out their prayers for pardon, each person by himself; see Exo 30:1-9,34-36; 40:26,27; Lu 1:9,10; even all the ordinances of worship commanded by God, did the priests perform in it. All which services in the holy place do but typify the true services in the gospel church, of all made priests by the blood of Christ, 1Pe 2:5,9; Re 1:5,6; 5:9,10; offering prayers and praises to God continually in the name of Christ, perfumed with the incense of his merits, Mal 1:11; compare Rev 8:3; obtaining thereby the light of his grace through his Spirit, and the bread of life, till they are perfected by their great High Priest, and carried into the holy of holiest, there to be praising and enjoying God in him for ever, as he hath prayed for them, and promised to them, Joh 14:2,3; 17:20,21.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. The use made of the sanctuaryso furnished by the high priest on the anniversary of atonement.
ordainedarranged.
alwaystwice at theleast every day, for the morning and evening care of the lamps, andoffering of incense (Exo 30:7;Exo 30:8).
wentGreek,“enter”: present tense.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now when these things were thus ordained,…. Or prepared and got ready; that is, when the tabernacle was finished, and set up, and provided with all its vessels and furniture:
the priests went always into the first tabernacle; the first part of the tabernacle, which was called the holy place, Heb 9:2 here the common priests went continually every day, morning and evening; the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read, “the outward tabernacle”, in distinction from the innermost part of the tabernacle, or the most holy place:
accomplishing the service of God; by offering sacrifices, burning incense, and trimming the lamps, which they did every day: the priests entered into the holy place every day for service; but they might not go in at any other time but the time of service l the phrase, “of God”, is not in the text, but is a supplement; and it was usual with the Jews to call the worship of the temple, and especially that part of it which lay in sacrifices, , “the service”: Simeon the just used to say, the world stands upon three things; upon the law, , “and upon the service”, and upon beneficence m; by “the service”, the commentators n on the passage understand sacrifices; and again it is said o, no man enters into the court , “for service”, though he is clean, until he has dipped himself: the word here used in the Greek text is in the plural number, and may be rendered the services, because there were several sorts of services performed every day, as before observed, and several sacrifices offered; and the Vulgate Latin version renders it, “the offices of sacrifices”; and the Ethiopic version, “their offerings”; and the Arabic version, “offices”: and the service which the high priest performed in the holiest of all once a year, was divers, which is mentioned in the following verses, and is called “service”, Heb 9:8 it is said, that on the day of atonement there were five , “services” of the morning daily sacrifice p, in which the high priest ministered in his golden garments: but here the service of the common priests is meant, which was every day; and it becomes such who are employed in sacred service; both to be constant in it, and to do it fully and completely.
l Maimon. Biath Hamikdash, c. 2. sect. 1, 2. m Pirke Abot, c. 1. sect. 2. n Maimon & Bartenora in ib. o Misn. Yoma, c. 3. sect. 3. p T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 32. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
These things having been thus prepared ( ). Genitive absolute with the perfect passive participle of for which verb see verse 2. A mere summary has been made of the furniture.
Go in (). Present active indicative of , to go in, old verb, in N.T. only here, Acts 3:3; Acts 21:18; Acts 21:26.
Accomplishing (). Present active participle of for which see 8:5.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The inferiority of the ancient system was proved by the old tabernacle itself : by its division into two parts, both of which were inaccessible to the people.
Always [ ] . Rend. continually. The phrase is usually found in connection with matters involving relations to God – worship, sacrifice, etc. See Mt 18:10; Luk 24:53; Act 2:25; Act 10:2; 2Th 3:16; Heb 13:5.
Accomplishing [] . See on ch. Heb 8:5, and Gal 3:3. The verb is used of performing religious services by Herodotus. See Heb 1:167; Heb 2:63, 122; Heb 4:186.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Now when these things were thus ordained,” (touton de houtos kaeskeuasmenon) “Now when these things had been particularly prepared, arranged, after this manner;” as a Divine order or pattern for approaching an Holy God in seeking forgiveness for sins and earthly blessings.
2) “The priests went always into the first tabernacle,” (eis men to proten skene dia pantos eisiasin hoi hiereis) “The priests always went into the first tabernacle;” the outer tabernacle, repeatedly, day after day, Num 28:1-6; Dan 8:11.
3) “Accomplishing the service of God, Accomplishing or completing the Divine order of services; keeping the lamps burning, the incense burning, and caring for the shew-bread, as well as the offering of a morning and evening sacrifice of a lamb daily, including the Sabbath day, Num 28:3-10.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
6. Now, when these things were thus ordained, etc. Omitting other things, he undertakes to handle the chief point in dispute: he says that the priests who performed sacred rites were wont to enter the first tabernacle daily, but that the chief priest entered the holy of holies only yearly with the appointed sacrifice. He hence concludes, that while the tabernacle under the Law was standing, the sanctuary was closed up, and that only through that being removed could the way be open for us to the kingdom of God. We see that the very form of the ancient tabernacle reminded the Jews that they were to look for something else. Then foolishly did they act who, by retaining the shadows of the Law, willfully obstructed their own way.
He mentions πρώτην σκηνὴν the first tabernacle, in Heb 9:2, in a different sense from what it has here, for here it means the first sanctuary, but there the whole tabernacle; for he sets it in opposition to the spiritual sanctuary of Christ, which he presently mentions. He contends that this had fallen for our great benefit, for through its fall a more familiar access to God has been obtained for us.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES
Heb. 9:6. Thus ordained.Prepared, or adapted to their several purposes. Went always.Regularly, systematically. Service.Public religious services; . These included morning and evening oblations, sacrifices for special occasions, and private offerings of individuals.
Heb. 9:7. Second.Inner chamber. There was a graduated sanctity in the tabernacle and in the Temple. In the Temple any one may go into the outer court, or court of the Gentiles; Jews into the second court; men only into the third; priests only in their robes into the Holy Place; and only the high priest into the inmost shrine. Once every year.On the tenth day of the seventh month, Tisri, the Day of Atonement. The several times of entrance on that day are treated as one. He went in
(1) with the incense;
(2) with the blood of the bullock offered for his own sins;
(3) with the blood of the goat offered for the sins of the people; and it is probable that he also went in again to fetch out the censer (Lev. 16:12-16). Not without blood.The type of self-surrender, full consecration. The blood was sprinkled seven times on and before the mercy-seat. Errors.Ceremonial mistakes, involving ceremonial uncleanness; sins of ignorance and frailty.
Heb. 9:8. Made manifest.Not yet laid open. It was obstructed by numerous ceremonial rites, and limited as to times and persons. Hence the deep significance of the rending of the veil from the top to the bottom at the Crucifixion (Mat. 27:51).
Heb. 9:9. Figure., symbolical presentation: compare . To the conscience.This was not their sphere. The old economy did not deal with the inward sense of sin; only with disturbed outward relations caused by sin, in the sense of infringement of formal rules. Stuart thus paraphrases: The Jewish ritual, from the commencement of it down to the present moment, has never been, and still is not, anything more than a type of the Christian dispensation, which has already commenced. All its oblations and sacrifices were ineffectual, as to removing the penalty due to sin in the sight of Heaven, or procuring real peace of conscience.
Heb. 9:10. Carnal ordinances.Omit and. R.V. being only carnal ordinances, i.e. ordinances of flesh; which relate to the outward state of things only; closely connected with the maintenance of external privileges and relations, but (in themselves) nothing more. Outward, transitory, superficial. Imposed.Compare Act. 15:10; Act. 15:28; Gal. 5:1.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Heb. 9:6-10
The Limitations of the Symbolical.Since the Jewish Christians were tempted to exaggerate the value and importance of the Mosaic ceremonial system, because it had been unquestionably given directly by God, the writer does them good service by pointing out that it was essentially a symbolical system, illustrative of spiritual things by its suggestive and symbolical rites and ceremonies. But the symbolical is always limited. It is never a thing itself; it is always the representation of a thing, or the suggestion of a thing. When once this is gripped, the Old Testament economy is readily recognised as limited in sphere, and limited in time. This may be opened up somewhat fully and with present applications, because a symbolic system has been allowed to grow up in association with Christianity, which threatens to absorb mens attention, and take them back from the elevations of spiritual religion to the old formal Jewish ideas and standpoints. Our attention will be confined to a general consideration of the limited nature of a symbolical religion.
I. The symbolical is temporary.The symbols must be in precise adaptation to the thoughts, ideas, mental and circumstantial associations of a nation at a particular time. Another nation, with other associations, can do nothing with the symbols. The nation itself will soon grow out of them, look on them as ancient relics, and replace them with new ones. The temporary character of the Old Testament symbols is seen in the fact
1. That much of the ceremonial system we are now unable effectively to explain, because we cannot recover the early associations;
2. That much of prophetical and apocalyptic Scripture, being based on the early symbols, is closed to us, so that we can only with uncertainty guess its meaning, and oftentimes have to manufacture a meaning of our own. The truths taught by the symbols remain as the heritage of the nation and the race for ever, but the forms which at a given time illustrated the truths pass away, as do our nursery books when we have gained the power to deal with moral principles in plain statements.
II. The symbolical is materialistic.It is essentially in the range of the senses. It is the sight of sacrifice and ceremony; it is the smell of incense; it is the work of hands; it is the movement of body; it is change of garments; it is solemn service. It is altogether outward. But the material is not the real; it is only the seeming, the showing, of the real which is spiritual. The things which are not seen are eternal. True, man is a dual being,a spirit clothed upon with a body, in order that he might come into relations with a material world; but the spirit is the man, not the body. And we must take care not to press the interests of the bodywhich wants symbolical religionso as to stifle the cry of the man himself, which is for a spiritual religion. So long as man finds he needs the help of religious symbols, he is in a low spiritual range. Or to speak in the manner of the passage before us he is having no direct access to God in the Most Holy Place of His spiritual presence; he is only in outer courts, getting some sort of access through priests, and sacrifices, and representative rites.
III. The symbolical is preparatory.It has no value in itself. Its value lies in what it leads to. It has a stage, and a necessary stage, in an educative process. It is the kinder-garten stage of the worlds training in religion. It may be likened to the parabolic form in which so much of our Lords teaching was given. The educative value of the parabolical, and of the symbolical, are not sufficiently recognised. Both start and culture the power of religious, spiritual thinking. The parabolical wraps something up, and half hides it, in a word-picture; the symbolical wraps something up, and half hides it, in some acted rite. In both cases the little show of something hidden arouses attention, wakens thought, inquiry, research, and so both parabolical and symbolical become distinctly educative of spiritual discernment. It is no fatal objection to this fact, that so often the symbolical is allowed to satisfy us, and then our moral education ends with it. The wrong use of a thing affords no proof that it was never intended to be used aright. The symbolical is only used aright when it is treated as a preparatory stage. To come back on it when spiritual levels have been reached is altogether to mistake its mission.
IV. The symbolical is suggestive.But it is manifestly limited if it points to something beyond, and better than itself. In this passage certain things are recalled to mind.
1. The people might not go into the Holy Place. That was suggestive. Because they were sinful, even their worship could only be presented to God through mediators, and by appointed ceremonies.
2. The priests might not go into the Holy of Holies. That was suggestive. So far from the people having direct access to God, their representatives, the priests, had none. They dared not go into the immediate presence; they dared not take aside the veil.
3. Only the high priest might go into the Holy of Holies; and he only once a year, and only on the most solemn conditions. That was suggestive; those conditions represented the spiritual conditions which were to be met, not for a nation, but for humanity, in the infinitely acceptable sacrifice, and the living mediation, of the Son of God.
But the limitation of the symbolical is seen in the fact that its suggestiveness is dependent on
1. Capacity to deal with it. We have seen that one nation cannot do with the symbolism of another, and one age cannot do with the symbolism of another; but it is also true, that within a nation it may be but a select few who can get at the meanings of the symbolsthe many simply take them as they are. Heathen customs are kept by the thousands without their attaching any meaning to them: the few keep them with understanding of their inner significance. We have to awaken in mens minds the interest in truth-symbols, for the sake of the truth they symbolise.
2. Sensitive moods. The poet sees meanings in prosaic things, because of his poetic moods. The artist sees beauty in prosaic forms, because of his artistic moods. And similarly the spiritual mind finds and feels the truth in symbols, according to his sensitive spiritual moods. Then the highest ministerial work is cultivating the spiritual faculties of men.
SUGGESTIVE NOTES AND SERMON SKETCHES
Heb. 9:6. Faithfulness required in the Usual.The priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services. There is the constant danger of supreme interest in the unusual taking off mens interest from the usual and the commonplace. Attention is fixed on the sublime ceremonies in which, occasionally, the high priest officiated; and so attention is taken from the importance, and the significance, of those daily ministries which bore so close a relation to the daily religious life and thought and feeling of the people. And so it always is with frail man. He delights in the astonishing, but wearies with the ordinary. But the ordinary, and not the astonishing, is mans real life, for which he needs upholding grace. Illustrate from
1. Our effort to meet times of great affliction, our failure to meet daily worries.
2. Our response to the sacredness of Sunday, our failure to respond to the sacredness of the Christian weekday.
3. Our close attention in times of missions and revival services, our easy neglect of the usual means of grace.
4. Our concern to culture graces that make a show, and indifference to the every-day sweetness of common relations.
Heb. 9:7. The Condition of the Sprinkled Blood.The significance of the sprinkling of the blood is not generally apprehended. Attention is so exclusively given to the sacrifice, as the burning of the victim, or parts of the victim, that attention is diverted from what was the very essence of the sacrifice, which was taking the victims blood, which was its life, and offering that life to God, by the sprinkling of the blood upon the altar. To burn a sacrifice was to give a body to God, and it typified mans devotion of his body and powers and relations to God. But to sprinkle the blood was to give a life to God, and it typified mans soul-surrender, the gift of himself to God. When this is rightly apprehended, the sprinkling of the blood is seen to be the very essence of the old sacrifice, and to carry its deepest meaning. Ewald suggests fresh lines of thought in relation to this intensely interesting, but unfamiliar, subject. In the spiritual antitype of the sprinkled blood may be found the most satisfactory settings of our spiritual Redeemers atonement work. Ewald says: Under any circumstances the sacerdotal function commenced with the slaughter, in so far that the priest caught the fresh blood with the sacrificial bowls, in order to employ it, while it was yet warm, in that usage which formed the essential kernel of the whole sacred rite. In later times, as we know for certain, the inferior priests caught the blood, and handed it over to a sacrificial priest to sprinkle it. The sprinkling of the blood was itself the most solemn moment: in ordinary cases the priest sprinkled it only on the corners, and the sides, and the foot of the altar, but all round the latter; just as in general the ancient custom required on the most solemn occasions the party to go round the altar, in a circle, praying, singing, and otherwise fervently soliciting the divinity. What the priest said while going round the altar to sprinkle it with the most sacred element of the sacrifice, how he supplicated thereby the Divine grace for the sacrificer, and how he announced it, we no longer can tell in detail, but that it did take place in this way there can be no doubt. A stalk of the shrub hyssp (tsop) was, in accordance with ancient custom, used for the sprinkling, one end of it being dipped in the blood. This wood must once in early times have passed for pure and cleansing, just as among the Hindoos and Persians the sma (hma) alone is used as a sacrificial drink; and only by means of this instrument did it seem possible to complete properly the cleansing atonement. It was in the sprinkling of the blood, the proper sacrament of sacrifice, that the distinction between the guilt-offering, and the expiatory offering in the narrow sense, came most clearly to the front; and it is easy to understand why it would reveal itself most plainly there. As it was right that the blood of an expiatory offering for public transgression (as we may term it for the sake of brevity) should be made far more conspicuous to eyes and sense, so it was sprinkled on an elevated place, or even on one which was extraordinarily sacred. The way, too, in which this was done was marked by three stages. If the atonement was made for an ordinary man or for a prince, the priest sprinkled the blood against the high-towering horns of the outer altar, and poured the remainder as usual out at its base; if it was made for the community or for the high priest, some of the blood was seven times sprinkled against the veil of the Holy of Holies, then some more against the horns of the inner altar, and only what was then left was poured out as usual at the base of the outer altar. The third and highest stage of the expiation was adopted on the yearly Day of Atonement. On the other hand, in the case of guilt-offering, no reason existed for adopting any unusual mode of sprinkling the blood. It was sprinkled just as in other cases round the sides and foot of the outer altar. But as soon as this most sacred ceremony of the sprinkling of the blood was completed, then, according to the ancient belief, the impurity and guilt were already shaken off from the object to which they had clung. It seemed as though the drops of blood, sprinkled by the mighty hand of One who was pure, had called them up, and irresistibly drawn them forth; for thus we must plainly interpret this procedure in accordance with the feeling of antiquity. Yet shaken off as they were, they only passed in the first instance, according to the same view, into that body whose blood had so irresistibly driven them forth (as well as into the officiating priest). The rest of this body, therefore, was now deemed to have become in its turn unclean, and was regarded with all the dread with which anything that was unclean before God was looked upon, nay, even with yet stronger dread; it was just here that the dark side of this whole order of sacrifices was felt most keenly. Consequently all the remainder of the body, just as it was, together with the dung, was burned far away from the sanctuary at some common, but in other respects clean, spot (outside of the camp or city), as though it was an object of horror, which could only be disposed of and annihilated in this way.
Heb. 9:8. For a While no Open Way to God.The way into the Holy Place hath not yet been made manifest. The old tabernacle and its limitations were picture-teachings of spiritual conditions and relations. They taught the people Gods nearness to them, but made them feel that there was something which prevented the nearness from being closeness; which necessitated the raising of a thin and slight, but effective, barrier; which made impossible that sort of free access to God which Adam enjoyed in Paradise, and which should have been mans birthright. That hindrance was not something placed by God, in the exercise of His Divine sovereignty. It was a gracious and necessary response of God to the condition in which man had placed himself. It could be no kindness in an earthly father to keep smiling on a child while that child was wayward and wilful. The cherubim were put at the gates of Eden in considerate love. The veils hid from the people the Holy Place, and from the priests the Holy of Holies, in considerate love. God must make His relation to mans wilfulness apparent; and man must be made symbolically and representatively right, as a beginning of his becoming really right, before an open way to God could be made.
Heb. 9:9. Conscience under the Old Covenant.Cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshipper perfect. If we speak precisely concerning conscience, we keep its sphere to that which belongs to GodGods will, Gods standard, Gods revelation. It is not perhaps strictly correct to state it in this way, but it helps by suggesting an important distinctionConscience is concerned only with our idea of what is absolutely right, or with laws, not with rules. Men make a slavery of the moral life when they bring conscience into the spheres of rule, and custom, and rite, and etiquette. It follows from this, that any amount of attention to rules and rites will fail to satisfy the conscience as the witness in us to what is absolutely rightright in the sight of God. But in moral education it seems that conscience of the eternally right is trained through cultivating conscience in relation to formal rules. It is so in the case of the Jews; it is so in the case of our children The Jews conscience of the clean and unclean was educating him to a conscience of absolute right before God.
Heb. 9:10. Divers Washings.The religious rites of the Mosaic ceremonial must have involved the use of enormous quantities of water; and it has always been found difficult to explain how the water necessary for ablutions could have been obtained during the forty years wandering in the wilderness. It is just possible that, as the following facts suggest, their ablutions were performed during the journey by other means than that of water. An old traveller relates that the Arabs, if they cannot come by any water, then they must wipe [themselves] as clean as they can, till water may conveniently be had; or else it suffices to take Abdees [purification] upon a stone, which I call an imaginary Abdees, i.e. to smooth their hands over a stone two or three times, and rub them one with the other, as if they were washing with waterthe like Abdees sufficeth when any are sickly, so that water might endanger their lifeand after they have so wiped, it is guise, i.e. lawful, for them to do as they would had their purification been really done by water. In a Mohammedan treatise on prayer it is said, In case water is not to be had, that defect may be supplied by earth, a stone, or any product of the earth. It has been asserted that sand was frequently used for the same purpose, and even poured over the hands like water. It is possible that thus, or in some similar way, the Israelites in the desert purified themselves when water was scarce. It has also been suggested that it might have been for a similar purpose that Naaman the Syrian took two mules loads of earth back with him from Palestine. He might have taken Jordan water, but that would not last. The earth, however, would serve the same purpose for many years (2Ki. 5:17). In the old tabernacle the lowest grade of purification demanded a washing of the body and changing of the clothes, as well as the removal of any objects of heathen superstition which might be about. For the priests on duty purifications wholly special to themselves were necessary; they must, e.g., bathe with hands and feet, i.e. with the whole body, in the fore-court of the sanctuary, when they desired to enter the sanctuary, or approach the altar.
Religion an Imposition, and Religion a Willing Service.Imposed until a time of reformation. Two kinds of religion are possible to the moral beings which God has made. And the two kinds are represented in every age and every landjust as truly represented in our day as in any other. Mans religion may be the obedience of rules imposed by a competent and recognised authority. Mans religion may be the natural and free expression of his own good will, swayed by the persuasions of the Divine love. It is manifest that the second form of religion is altogether a higher form than the first. It is the religion of a cultured being, who has gained control of himself, and is, in a sense, become an independent beinga man indeed. But the second form of religion can never come first in the case of man. First that which is natural, afterward that which is spiritual, is the ever-working and all-round law for humanity. A moral education begins with rules imposed. A mans religion begins with things to be done in response to authority. Only in an advanced time, a time of reformation, can a man manage his own religion. The mistake is made when men are content to stop with a religion of impositions.
1. This the Jewish Christians were tempted to do, in the first Christian age. They could not quite give up, indeed they were sorely tempted to fall back upon, the impositional religion of Judaism, and even upon that religion as exaggerated by Rabbinism.
2. This ritual religions, in all the Christian ages, have tempted men to do. For the satisfaction of undeveloped spiritual men and women, claims of authority to impose opinions, duties, and rites have been made on behalf of a Church, or of particular orders of men; and many have been, and are to-day, kept in the first and child stages of religion. They belong to Judaism; they are not lifted into the free life of Christianity.
3. But it is necessary to add that, since our modern Time of the Reformation, Protestant Christians have been subject to the same peril. Careful thinking will reveal the fact, that the verbal inspiration theory of the Bible has made it, practically, to thousands of Christians the text-book of a merely impositional religion.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(6) Now when these thing were thus ordained . . .Better, And when these things have been thus prepared, into the first tabernacle the priests enter continually, accomplishing the services. As has been already observed (Heb. 9:2), the present tense is used throughout these verses (Heb. 9:6-10), not because the writer refers to the services as still continuing, but because he is still tracing the ordinance of Scripture. It is of the Tabernacle alone that he speaks. The words of Heb. 9:4 would have been entirely incorrect in regard to the temple of his day, in which the Most Holy Place was empty.
The service.Comp. Exo. 30:7-8; Lev. 24:1-8.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Went The present tense in the Greek, the priests go into, etc. From the time of the tabernacle, through the times of the temples, down to our apostle’s own day, the daily entrance was actually or virtually continued.
Always Continuously, daily, and not only yearly.
First tabernacle The front apartment, which was first to one entering.
Service The daily performance of caring for the lamps and burning the incense.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services.’
And the things in the Holy Place having been ‘prepared’ according to God’s instructions to Moses, the priests ‘go in continually’ to fulfil their responsibilities and fulfil the many services required of them. This busy activity is in deliberate contrast with the next verse. All their efforts are expended outside the Holy of Holies. They cannot come into the direct presence of God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The ministry of the Old Testament priests imperfect:
v. 6. Now, when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
v. 7. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people;
v. 8. the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet standing;
v. 9. which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
v. 10. which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. The sacred writer now refers to the form of worship in these two parts of the Tabernacle: These matters having been thus arranged, into the fore tent, indeed, the priests enter continually, accomplishing their ministrations, but into the inner the high priest alone once a year, not without blood. When the Tabernacle had been constructed according to God’s directions and all the equipment put into place as He had ordered, the priests took up their work, performing all the acts of their ministerial office as the Law prescribed. Their work took them into the outer tent every day, regularly, since the offering of incense had to be done both morning and evening, Exo 30:7-9. The lamp also, with its everlasting light, had to be trimmed with the same regularity. But so far as the inner tabernacle was concerned, the daily use and entrance of the Most Holy Place was forbidden. Only once every year, on the tenth day of the seventh month, the high priest, and he alone, entered into this shrine, performing the special work which was laid upon him by the precepts of the Day of Atonement. At least three times he put aside the heavy curtain which veiled the Most Holy Place, taking with him first the incense, then the blood of the bullock, which atoned for his own sins and those of his house, and finally the blood of the goat for the sins of the people. The offering of blood, therefore, the sprinkling of blood against the mercy-seat, was the essential part of the high priest’s ministry on that day. See Lev 16:1-34. That was the divine rule for the performance of the priestly functions in the Tabernacle and, to some extent, in the Temple.
But all this was typical and prophetical for the time of the New Testament: The Holy Spirit signifying this, that the way into the Holiest was not yet manifest as long as the first tent still was in place. While the worship of the Jews was still being carried on in Tabernacle and Temple, in a so-called Most Holy Place, while the veil still separated even the priests from the shrine, the inner sanctuary, during the entire time of the Old Testament, in fact, the Holy Spirit intimated that the true access to God had not yet been furnished, that the restoration of perfect fellowship between God and man had not yet taken place. “The very object of the division of the Tabernacle into two rooms, an outer and an inner, was to impress men with the fact that the way of access had not actually been disclosed. ” (Dods.) Now that the veil has been rent, matters have reached a different stage, Mat 27:50-51. There is no more need of a Levitical priesthood; we have unhindered access to the Throne of Grace.
But so far as the Tabernacle and its appointments were concerned, the writer again emphasizes: Which is a figure for the time present, according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot possibly make him that renders the service perfect as pertaining to conscience, relating only to food and drink and a variety of washings, ordinances of the flesh imposed until the time of correction. The fact that there was a first part of the Tabernacle distinct from the Most Holy Place was a continual lesson for the time being, for the time and the people of the Old Testament; whenever they looked at the double tent and remembered its significance, they were to think of the more perfect way of salvation which was to be revealed in the Messianic period. It was in accordance with the purpose of the Tabernacle that men brought gifts and sacrifices; these offerings were required of them at that time. But all these sacrifices in themselves could not possibly render the conscience of any worshiper perfect and clean. They were of no real value in themselves, but only inasmuch as they were types of the perfect offering to be made by Christ. These gifts and sacrifices were connected only with matters of food and drink, Lev 11:1-47; Num 6:2-4; Lev 10:8-11; Lev 11:34, with various washings, religious ablutions for the purpose of ceremonial purification, Exo 29:4; Lev 11:1-47; Lev 14:2-9; Lev 15:5-13; Lev 16:4; Lev 16:24-28; Num 8:7; Num 19:17-21. All these were merely external ordinances pertaining to the flesh, to the consecration of the body, and they were supposed to remain in force only until the time of emendation, or correction, until the better covenant would be inaugurated and be in force. Thus it was evident that the entire Old Testament was imperfect and could not produce perfection, could put no man into such a state as would make him acceptable before God.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Heb 9:6. Now when, &c. The common priests went every day into the outward tabernacle, to light the lamps, to burn the incense, or to put, at the appointed times, the shew-bread upon the table: the doing these, and such like acts, is called accomplishing the service of God. The lamps were to be lighted every evening, and the priest was to burn incense every morning and evening: see Exo 30:7-8
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Heb 9:6-7 . After the collective expression , Heb 9:1 , has been analyzed into its single constituent parts, Heb 9:2-5 , and a recapitulatory reference has been made to the total result of this given analysis by means of , the opposition to , Heb 9:1 , being formally introduced by , and then receiving its more precise material defining by means of the statement, Heb 9:8 , which is attached in a grammatical respect as a subsidiary clause, the discourse advances to the development of the further general idea, which is placed in the forefront, Heb 9:1 , but has hitherto remained unnoticed, the twofold expression .
From the present , as from , Heb 9:7 (comp. also Heb 9:8 f.), it follows that the Mosaic cultus was still continuing at the time when the author wrote. The participle perfect , , however, denotes that which is extending out of the past into the present, and is still enduring in the present (see Winer, Gramm. , 7 Aufl. p. 254). The present hereby indicated can, of course, only be that in which the author himself is living and writing. The endeavour to explain it of a present into which the author only mentally places himself, is as little warranted grammatically as is the asserting, with Hofmann, that the present in which the discourse here moves is “not a past, nor actual, nor something still continuing, but that set forth in the word of God, where it is to be read how the sanctuary erected by Moses was constituted, and what priests and high priests do in the same;” or with Mangold (in Bleek’s Einleit. in das N. T. p. 617), to find the Scripture picture of the tabernacle drawn in our passage as a “purely ideal magnitude, which by no means guarantees the actual continued existence of the temple worship.” For, in order to render possible suppositions of this kind, the conjoining of the presents with a participle aorist would have been indispensably necessary. From the form of discourse chosen: (“in that these objects have been in such wise regulated”), in union with the present tenses and , it therefore follows of necessity that the author, although here entering only upon the presentation of the typical significance of the two main divisions of the Mosaic sanctuary, nevertheless thinks of these two main divisions, together with all that appertains to them, which he has just now enumerated, as still preserved in being, thus also as still present in the Jewish temple of his day; by which supposition, it is true, he becomes involved in contradiction with the historic reality, inasmuch as alike the ark of the covenant as the vessel of manna and Aaron’s rod were wanting in the second temple. Vid. supra ad Heb 9:4 . With very little reflection does Riehm ( Lehrbegr. des Hebrerbr . p. 491, Obs .) object to this conclusion, that “with just the same right one might infer from the present in Heb 13:11 that the author supposed the Israelites of his time to be still dwelling in a camp.” The passage Heb 13:11 has nothing whatever in common with ours, since it is here a question of the combination of a participle perfect with verbs in the present. That, too, which Delitzsch sets against it, that the , pointing back to , Heb 9:2 , certainly shows that the author has the Mosaic period before his mind, utterly collapses, inasmuch as the participle perfect , and not the participle aorist , has been employed. Phrases, however, like those met with in Delitzsch: that the author was writing for just such readers as would not have given him credit for an ignorance like this, are peremptory decisions, for which the result is already fixed before the investigation, and consequently intimidations of the grammatical conscience.
] as Heb 9:2 , the fore-tent or Holy Place .
] continually, i.e. day by day. Opposite , Heb 9:7 .
] opposite , Heb 9:7 .
] performing the religious actions . Daily, morning and evening, an offering of incense was presented, and daily were the lamps of the sacred candlestick placed in readiness and kindled. Comp. Exo 30:7 ff.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
(6) Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. (7) But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: (8) The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: (9) Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; (10) Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
I very earnestly beg the Reader to indulge me, with calling his attention to what is here said of God the Holy Ghost, which, in my view, most decidedly shews, and to a demonstration, both the Person, Godhead, and Ministry of the Holy Ghost; and that it is He, who all along, from the beginning, had been the Almighty Minister in the Church of God; and now is the whole, and every part, both in the ordination, and the efficiency of it, being from, and by Him. And, as nothing can be equally important to the child of God, to be always waiting on the Lord the Spirit’s ministry, in an age when He is so little known, and regarded, I crave permission to state what is here said, with all that attention it so loudly demands. The Lord make the statement profitable, if it be strictly consistent with his truth, to his people.
And, first. I desire the Reader to remark with me, the name by which the Lord the Spirit is here mentioned, namely, the Holy Ghost. And let it be shewn, if it can, by any common sense argument whatever, wherefore a name, so defining personality, should be given to anyone, but under the idea of a Person? The Holy Ghost is here said to have a meaning in a certain appointment, and that appointment is fully confirming a will, design, and pleasure. The Holy Ghost this signifying.
Secondly. The signification here spoken of, being in allusion to the ordinances in the sanctuary service, could have been in the appointment of none but God. The services must imply that they were God’s services. The priests and servants ministering in them, God’s priests and servants; and consequently, the Lord the Spirit, here called by his special personal name, the Holy Ghost, could be no other than God.
Thirdly. The Holy Ghost thus manifesting both his Person and Godhead; the former by actions which could belong only to personality, and the latter in appointments of holy services, which belonged to none but God to appoint: so by those actions, and appointments during the Old Testament dispensation, which began with the Church, and shadowing events, which reached to the New Testament dispensation in the days of the Gospel, and to extend to the latest Period of time most plainly, and decidedly proved, that the personal ministry of God the Holy Ghost, hath been all along exercised, and that he hath uniformly presided over the Church, in all ages. So that here is, in this blessed Scripture, the most full, and ample testimony, to the Person, Godhead, and Ministry, of the Lord the Spirit.
I stay not in this place to enquire into what is here said of the Holy Ghost’s signifying by those services his divine intention. This meets us in all the shadows of his appointment, under the law, when we discover them ministering to Christ, who is the substance of all. But I will in this place, with the Reader’s indulgence, take one moment longer, just to add to what has been said a short observation, and which I hope will not be unsuited to the former, on the particular name, and title of God the Holy Ghost.
Wherefore is God the Spirit specially, and personally, called the Holy Ghost? I have often pondered the expression. It cannot be, with the most distant intention, of implying, anything more holy in his nature, and essence than in the other Persons of the Godhead. The whole three Persons are One, in nature, essence, and perfections. And hence it hath been supposed, and with good reason, that the ascription of Holy, is trebled, in the hymns of Angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, on this account, when they cry out Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts! Isa 6:3 ; Rev 4:8 . But it should seem, that this name is specially, and personally given to the Holy Ghost, in reference to his office-character, in the special work of redemption. His office by regeneration is to quicken the redeemed, and chosen, of the Lord, from the death of sin, to a life, of holiness in Christ. And if so, what an endearedness of character, doth it give to the souls of God’s people, concerning God the Holy Ghost? How precious doth the Lord the Spirit appear on this account? And what sanctity of conduct ought it to induce in our spirits, when we call to mind, that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in us? 1Co 6:19 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God .
Ver. 6. Were thus ordained ] Gr. , prepared, fitted, finished by the hand of the artificer, and therefore called worldly in a good sense, Heb 9:1 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
6, 7 .] We now have that whereunto the above details have been tending, viz. the use made of the sanctuary by the high priest on the day of atonement .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
6 .] But (transitional) these things being thus arranged (it is impossible in English to give the force of the perfect participle as connected with the present which follows. To say ‘having been arranged,’ and follow it by ‘enter,’ would be a solcism: which shews, that our participle ‘having been’ is not so much a perfect as an aorist. Resolved, the sentence would be: ‘ these things have been thus arranged (i. e. were thus arranged and continue so), and the priests enter .’ In taking our present-perfect participle, ‘being,’ we lose the historical past involved in the perfect, pointing to the time when they were so arranged. To carry the sense of ‘abiding even now,’ in the perfect, so far, as to suppose the Writer to imagine that the ark &c. were still , at the time he was writing, in the Sanctuary (Bl., Lnem., De W.), is quite unnecessary, and indeed unreasonable: he clearly conceives of the whole system and arrangement as subsisting, but not in every minute detail. The arrangement was essential to the system: the failure of some of its parts, accidental to it. . in allusion to the same word Heb 9:2 ), into the first (foremost) tabernacle (indeed) continually (i. e. day by day, at any time, without limits prescribed by the law: certainly, twice at least in every day, see Exo 30:7 ff.) enter (on the present , see above. It must not, as in vulg., be rendered by an imperfect, “introibant;” D-lat., “intrabant:” Luther, gingen : and E. V., “went,” which is remarkable, as Beza’s version has “ingrediuntur”) the priests (the ordinary priests) accomplishing the services (so Herod., : he uses likewise of , ii. 63; iv. 26: , ii. 63: , iv. 186. See other examples in Bl. The services meant are the morning and evening care of the lamps, the morning and evening offering of incense, and the weekly change of the shewbread),
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Heb 9:6-10 . Significance of these arrangements.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Heb 9:6 . “And after these things had been thus furnished, into the fore-tent, indeed, the priests enter continually in the performance of their services, but into the inner the High Priest alone once a year not without blood.” This is the particular . (Heb 9:1 ) to which he wishes to direct attention, the inaccessible sacredness of the inner chamber, as revealed in the constant openness of the outer-tent, the mysterious closeness of the inner. perfect; the arrangements were made with a view to the abiding service of the first covenant. , continuously, opposed to . Heb 9:7 . present tense, as in Homer, Aristoph., Plato, Xenophon. It is not easy to determine whether this present implies the contemporaneous continuance of the services referred to. Tholuck thinks Bleek very “unreasonable” in concluding that it involves that the ark and the services connected with it were extant; but Bleek after reconsideration, finds himself unable to yield the point to “Freund Tholuck”. Davidson says, “The present ‘go in’ does not imply that the Levitical service still continued when this was written; the present is that of the record in Scripture.” The Vulgate shows its preference by tendering “introibant”. The truth seems to be that although the temple services were yet upheld, the use of the present tense here and in Heb 9:7 ; Heb 9:11 , etc., does not involve that. , not, as Vulg., “sacrificiorum officia consummantes,” for these rather belonged to the court of the priests; but “performing their services” of trimming the lamp and offering incense; see Edersheim, The Temple; Its ministry, etc. , p. 130 140. is used in Herod. and in Diod. Sic., and in Philo, for the accomplishing of religious services but it is not so used in the LXX.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Heb 9:6-10
6Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, 7but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, 9which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.
Heb 9:6 “continually entering the outer tabernacle” The priests were to fill the containers on the menorah with oil (cf. Exo 27:20-21), replace the bread weekly (cf. Lev 24:8-9), and place small amounts of incense on the incense altar (cf. Exo 30:7-8).
Heb 9:7 “the high priest. . .once a year” He entered only on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16). “Kipper” means “to cover”; the Akkadian cognate means “to wipe away.” Hebrews 9 focuses on the rituals of the Day of Atonement more than any other chapter in the NT.
“in ignorance” Only sins that were not pre-meditated could be dealt with by the sacrificial system. Intentional sins, or “sins of the high hand” (KJV) could not be atoned for (cf. Lev 4:2; Num 15:24; Num 15:27; Num 15:30-31; Psa 51:17). The Day of Atonement primarily dealt with the ceremonial impurity of the nation.
Heb 9:8-10 These verses show (1) the preliminary nature of the Mosaic covenant and (2) the superiority of the new covenant. How is the new covenant in Christ better?
1. in the old only the high priest entered the inner shrine once a year for his sins and the unintentional sins of Israel (limited access and limited forgiveness).
2. in the new covenant all believers are brought near to God because of Jesus’ sinlessness and the removal of the distinction between intentional and unintentional sins (full access and full forgiveness).
The new covenant (cf. Jer 31:31-34), based on faith in the finished work of Christ, not meritorial human performance of an external code, has given worshipers confidence (a new heart, a new spirit, cf. Eze 36:20-27) to approach a holy God, not through ritual procedures or liturgy (cf. Heb 6:1-2), but through the gospel.
Heb 9:8
NASB”the outer tabernacle”
NKJV”the first tabernacle”
NRSV”the first tent”
TEV”the outer tent”
NJB”the old tent”
The author of Hebrews calls the outer part of the tent “the first tabernacle,” referring to “the holy place.”This would represent Mosaic covenant worship, which did not allow full access to God. The veil of Herod’s Temple being torn from top to bottom when Jesus died (cf. Mat 27:51) symbolized this new access through Christ.
Heb 9:9 “which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience” The old covenant was not able to purge the guilt of sin from mankind’s conscience (cf. Heb 9:14). The conscience in the NT (not the OT) is a moral guide (cf. 1Pe 3:21). The danger is that it can be culturally conditioned or abused into silence (cf. Mat 23:25-26). It is the NT counterpoint to the “sound of gentle blowing” or “the still small voice” of 1Ki 19:12.
A very interesting discussion of this term’s use in Hebrews is found in Robert B. Girdlestone’s Synonyms of The Old Testament
“The passages in the epistle to the Hebrews in which the word occurs are very interesting and important. From Heb 9:9, we gather that the offerings under the O.T. could not make man ‘perfect as pertaining to the conscience’ i.e., could not take away the sense of sin which hinders man from oneness with God. They did not take away sin, as a matter of fact, and they could not, from the nature of things; for if the effect of the Levitical dispensation had been to make men perfect, i.e., at one with God , the offerings would not have needed repetition. If the worshipers had been purged once for all, they would have had no more consciousness of sins (Heb 10:2). But ‘the blood of Christ’ cleanses a man’s consciousness from dead works, and enables him to serve the living God (Heb 9:14); and the heart is thus ‘sprinkled from an evil conscience’ (10.22). In other words, the faithful acceptance of the sacrifice of Christ takes away that sense of sin which had been a bar between man and God, and enables a man to live no longer as a servant, but as a son” (p. 73).
“perfect” See Special Topic at Heb 7:11.
Heb 9:10
NASB”a time of reformation”
NKJV”the time of reformation”
NRSV”the time comes to set things right”
TEV”the time when God will establish the new order”
NJB”the time come to set things right”
This refers to the new covenant inaugurated in Jesus. This phrase was used by the rabbis of the last “Jubilee” when the Messiah would come. It is used in the moral sense in Jer 7:3; Jer 7:5.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
when, &c. = these things having been thus prepared.
went = go.
always. Greek. diapantos.
accomplishing. Greek. epiteleo. App-125.
service. As Heb 9:1.
of God. Omit.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
6, 7.] We now have that whereunto the above details have been tending, viz. the use made of the sanctuary by the high priest on the day of atonement.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Heb 9:6. ) enter, in the present. So Heb 9:7; Heb 9:13; Heb 9:22; Heb 9:25, ch. Heb 10:1.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Heb 9:6-10
SYMBOLICAL SERVICES OF THE
TABERNACLE INDICATING THE
COMPARATIVE DARKNESS OF
THE JEWISH AGE, AND THE
INSUFFICIENCY OF ITS CARNAL
RITES AND ORDINANCES
Heb 9:6-10
Heb 9:6 —Now when these things were thus ordained,-The Apostle having described the Tabernacle with sufficient minuteness, proceeds now to show what was done in it. These things, he says, being thus arranged, the Priests enter constantly [every day] into the first tabernacle [the Holy Place] accomplishing [there] the services [of their order]. These services consisted in dressing the lamps and offering the incense every morning and evening; and of the change of the presence-bread on every Sabbath. The present tense (eisiasin) may be used here as the historical present, indicating merely what was customary; or it may denote that these services were still performed in the Temple when this Epistle was written in A.D. 63.
Heb 9:7 —But into the second went the high priest alone, once every year,-That is, into the second apartment, the Most Holy Place, of the Tabernacle. Into this, none but the High Priest was allowed to enter; and he only once a year, on the tenth day of the seventh month. But on that day he entered the Most Holy Place at least three times, perhaps four. This will be best explained by indicating briefly the varied services of that most solemn of all the days of the year, as given in the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus. After the usual morning services and the offering of the sacrifices prescribed in Num 29:7-11, the High Priest was required (1) tokill the bullock which he has provided for a sin-offering for himself and for his house (Lev 16:11) ; (2) to carry a pan of coals from the Brazen Altar and also a portion of sweet-incense into the Most Holy Place, and there to burn the incense before the Lord (verses 12, 13) ; (3) to enter the second time with the blood of the bullock, and to sprinkle it seven times on and before the Mercy Seat (verse 14) ; (4) to slay the goat of the sin-offering for the people (verse 15) ; (5) to go the third time within the Vail, with the blood of this goat, and to do with it as he had done with the blood of the bullock; (6) to make an atonement for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of the congregation, as he had done for the Most Holy, by smearing with the blood of the two victims the horns of the Golden Altar (Exo 30:10), and also most likely by sprinkling the blood seven times with his finger on and before the Altar, as he had before sprinkled it on and before the Mercy seat (verse 16, compare Josephus Ant. iii. 10, 3) ; (7) to make an atonement for the altar of burnt-offerings, by smearing its horns with the mingled blood of the two victims, and by sprinkling of the mixture seven times on it, as he had on the Altar of Incense (verses 18, 19). The Rabbis say that for this purpose the blood of the two victims was mingled in a basin. (8) After this the High Priest was required to send away the live goat to asasel, which means a state of complete separation (verses 20-22) ; (9) to bathe himself and put on his golden garments, which he had put off before entering the Most Holy Place (verses 23, 24) ; and (10) to offer the burnt-offerings for himself and the people, and the fat of the sin-offerings; and then to cause their flesh to be burned without the camp (verses 24, 25). After this, according to the Mishna (Yoma v. 1; viii. 4), he again put off his golden garments, and entering the Most Holy Place the fourth time, he brought out the bowl and the censer.
When, therefore, the Apostle says that the high priest went into the Most Holy Place, not without blood, he does not mean that he was required to carry blood with him every time that he entered it; but only that he had to do this on the day on which he went in to make an atonement for himself and for the errors of the people. The word rendered errors (agnoemata) means ignorance, involuntary error, etc. But it here includes all sins, save those only which were committed with a high hand, and in open defiance and contempt of Gods law. For such sins, no sacrifice was to be offered. (Num 15:30-31; Heb 10:28.) See notes on Heb 5:2.
Heb 9:8 —The Holy Spirit this signifying,-The Holy Spirit is here acknowledged to be the designer, as well as the interpreter of the Old Economy. It not only moved the ancient prophets to speak to the people the words and thoughts of God (see references), but it also breathed into the inanimate types of the Old Covenant a language which shows that they are all of God, and are designed to shadow forth and illustrate the sublime mysteries of redemption. And not only so,-not only were these types made shadows of good things to come, but they were moreover so framed as to indicate also in various ways the comparative darkness of the Jewish age. The fact, for instance, that none but the high priest was allowed to go behind the Vail, and that even he was allowed to do this but once a year, and then not without blood which he was required to offer for his own sins and for the sins of the people,-all this served to demonstrate that the way into Heaven, the antitype of the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle (verses 12, 24), was still a mystery, a matter that was not fully understood by anyone but God himself while the Tabernacle and Temple worship was continued. That God did, in anticipation of the shedding of Christs blood, justify and save believers, under both the Patriarchal and the Jewish age, is of course conceded. See Exo 3:6; 2Ki 2:1 2Ki 2:11; Dan 12:13; Luk 16:22 Luk 23:43; Rom 3:25-26; Heb 6:15 Heb 11:13-16, etc. But the ground on which they were so justified and made happy, was yet a mystery to men and angels; for none, it seems, but the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit yet understood that Christ must suffer and rise from the dead, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached to all nations through him, as the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life. See references under.2 But when Christs body was broken for our sins according to the Scriptures, then also was the Vail of the Temple rent in twain from the top to the bottom (Mat 27:51) ; and henceforth the way into Heaven, through the torn flesh of Jesus, was made manifest. Then also the Old Tabernacle, with all that pertained to it fell to the ground; and on its ruins was erected the true Tabernacle of which Christ has become the prime Minister. (Heb 8:2 Heb 9:11.)
Heb 9:8 —While as the first tabernacle was standing:-First in what respect? Does the Apostle mean first in time, or first in place? First in place or position say Ebrard, Delitzsch, Alford, Moll, and others. These able critics insist that the word first is used here, as in verse sixth, to denote simply the Holy Place, standing as it did in front of the Most Holy. So long as it stood in that position, it served of course to obscure the way leading through the Vail into the Most Holy Place, which in the second verse is called the second tabernacle. All this is of course conceded as a matter of fact. But is this the meaning of the passage? I think not. It seems to me that the Apostle has reference here to the entire Jewish Tabernacle, which however, he uses symbolically for the whole system of Jewish worship, begun in the Tabernacle and continued in the Temple; and that the second Tabernacle, with which the first is contrasted, is the greater and more perfect Tabernacle of the eleventh verse, together perhaps with the heavenly Sanctuary into which Christ has for us entered. Previous to Christs entry, the way into the Holiest of all was not made manifest to anyone. Until the vail of Christs flesh was rent (Heb 10:20), no man, and perhaps no angel (1Pe 1:12), understood how God could be just in justifying any of Adams race, and receiving them into glory. But when Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, then all was made manifest. (Rom 3:25-26.) Henceforth Jesus was everywhere proclaimed as the way into the Holiest of all. See references.
Heb 9:9===Which was a figure for the time then present,-Or rather, Which [tabernacle] was a figure [reaching down] to the present time. The idea of the Apostle seems to be this: that the Jewish Tabernacle with all its rites was made a symbol (parabole) of the good things of the kingdom of heaven; and that as the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (Gal 3:24), even so the symbolic worship of the Tabernacle was designed to continue until the beginning of the new dispensation under the reign of Christ. But no longer; for since the coming of Christ, we are no longer under the schoolmaster. (Gal 3:25.)
Heb 9:9 —In which were offered-(kathen) according to which [figure] are offered both gifts and sacrifices. The present tense (prospherontai) seems to denote that the Levitical sacrifices were still offered by the Jews, according to the laws and ordinances of the ancient Tabernacle.
Heb 9:9 —That could not, etc.-These bloody sacrifices procured for those who offered them a good relative standing with respect to the honors, rights, and privileges of the Old Covenant; but nothing more. They had no power to perfect anyone with respect to his own moral consciousness. They were, in fact, but shadows of the sacrifice of Christ (10: 1), and could therefore procure for neither priest nor people anything more than a mere symbolical pardon of sins.
Heb 9:10 —Which stood only in meats, etc.-The construction of this sentence is somewhat obscure; and hence several different renderings have been proposed. The main trouble is to determine the proper antecedent member of the relation expressed by the preposition epi, the usual meaning of which is on, upon, or in addition to. What was on, upon, or in addition to meats, and drinks, and divers washings? Gifts and sacrifices, say Delitzsch, Alford, etc.; The service, say Luther and some of the more ancient commentators; Carnal ordinances representing gifts and sacrifices, say Green and Liinemann; Perfect, say Ebrard and some of the Christian fathers: that is, they say, the gifts and sacrifices offered could not perfect anyone with respect to his conscience, but only with respect to meats, and drinks, and divers washings. On the whole, I agree in the main with Alford and Delitzsch. The object of the Apostle seems to be to connect the offering of sacrifices with certain other matters relating to meats, and drinks, and divers washings,-all of which he characterizes as carnal ordinances, imposed on the people till the coming of Christ.
Heb 9:10 —And divers washings:-(diaphorois baptisinois) washings which were performed by immersing in water whatever was to be cleansed. These had reference (1) to the washing of the whole body (louo) ; as, for instance, the body of every Priest at the time of his consecration (Exo 29:4) ; of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:4 Lev 16:24) ; of a Priest defiled with any uncleanness (Lev 22:6) ; of the Priest who officiated at the services of the red heifer (Num 19:7) ; of the man who burned the red heifer (Num 19:8) ; of the person cleansed with the water of purification (Num 19:19) ; of the healed leper (Lev 14:8-9) ; of any one who had eaten the flesh of an animal dead of disease (Lev 17:15) ; of the conductor of the scape-goat (Lev 16:26) ; of the man who burned the sin-offering without the camp on the day of atonement (Lev 16:28) ; of a person unclean from a running issue (Lev 15:13) ; of a person rendered unclean by coming in contact with anything defiled by a running issue (Lev 15:8) ; of a person defiled by semen virile (Lev 15:16 Lev 15:18) ; of a person defiled by female uncleanness (Lev 15:22 Lev 15:27) : (2) to the washing of the hands and feet (nipto) ; as of the Priests (Exo 30:19-20) ; of the Elders of the congregation (Deu 21:6): (3) to the washing of garments (pluno) ; as of the Levites at the time of their consecration (Num 8:7) ; of the Priest who officiated at the sacrifice of the red heifer (Num 19:7) ; of the man who burned the red heifer (Num 19:8): (4) to the washing of the inwards and legs of the burnt-offerings (pluno); see, for instance, Exo 29:7; Lev 1:9 Lev 1:13 : (5) to the washing of wooden vessels (nipto) ; see Lev 15:12 : and (6) to such spoils of war as could not be made to pass through the fire (Num 31:21-23). These washings were all but carnal ordinances, and had in themselves no efficacy beyond the purifying of the flesh; but in that age of types and shadows, these were all necessary to indicate and illustrate the moral purity that is required of all who would enjoy the benefits of the New Covenant.
Heb 9:10 —Until the time of reformation.-That is, until the coming of Christ and the inauguration of the New Covenant. Then old things were to pass away, and all things become new. And hence the new era is called the period of the regeneration. (Mat 19:28.)
Commentary on Heb 9:6-10 by Donald E. Boatman
Heb 9:6 –Now these things having been thus prepared the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle accomplishing the services
The priest went into the Holy Place twice daily.
a.There was the incense to burn in the morning.
b. There was the evening sacrifice.
c. There was a continued task, Lev 4:6.
Observe the contrasts that can be made:
a. The high priest of Israel dared not go in at all times. Lev 16:2.
b. He went in only once a year. Lev 16:12-15.
c. He went in with blood; blood of animals, not his own.
d. He had to repeat the sacrifice yearly, It was never finished.
e. He had to pass through a veil that shut out all the people.
f. He was subject to death, and his office passed to another, Heb 7:23. Christs priesthood is forever. Heb 7:24.
g. The sacrifices of the priest made a remembrance of sins. Christ takes them away.
Heb 9:7 –but into the second the high priest alone
Only the high priest entered, and once a year, but he could enter several times on that day. Leviticus 16. He alone had this privilege.
Heb 9:7 –once in the year
This was a day prescribed by law. It was the tenth of the month Tisri, perhaps the 1st of October, for Tisri corresponds to our September and October. Some say Lev 16:12-15 shows he went in three times on that day, Jewish tradition says four times. One time may be for the purpose of bringing out the golden censer.
He brought in the incense and some say he placed it on the golden censer. Some say it was brought in too.
a. if it were placed just inside, it could be reached from beneath the veil.
b. Wherever the censer was placed, it was a part of the Holy of Holies.
Heb 9:7 –not without blood
He brought the blood of a bullock.
a. He sprinkled some portion of it seven times before the ark and the veil. Lev 16:14.
b. The blood was sprinkled in the inward tabernacle before the symbol of the divine presence.
Milligan says that this doesnt mean that he took blood all four times.
Heb 9:7 –which he offereth for himself
Offered animal blood for himself since he was a sinner. It was not his own blood. See Heb 9:25. Christ offered His own blood for all, but there was no need for offering blood for His sin, since He had none. Heb 4:15.
Heb 9:7 –and for the errors of the people
Clarke says, For the sins of which they were not conscious-sins done in ignorance. See Num 15:28-29. Of course no sacrifice existed for sin of high hand, in open defiance, contempt. See Num 15:30-31. By this the people were absolved of all sin of the past year and now had access to the mercy seat.
Heb 9:8 –the Holy Spirit this signifying
The Holy Spirit designed, but also served as an interpreter.
a. We see in Heb 10:14-22 the lesson that entrance has been made into heaven.
b. While the old covenant was in existence, entrance had not been made.
The Holy Spirit could signify a new message after the temple veil was ripped at the time of Christs crucifixion.
Heb 9:8 –that the way into the Holy Place hath not yet been made manifest
The fact that the priest could go in only once a year and then only if he had blood demonstrated that the way into heaven was not yet revealed,
a. They in a sense had salvation.
1. Exo 3:6.
2. 2Ki 2:1; 2Ki 2:11.
3. Dan 12:13.
But all of it looked forward to Christ, which they did not understand. This suggests that it all was temporary; something better was in the future.
Heb 9:8 –while the first tabernacle is yet standing
The Old Testament is a closed way; the heavens were not opened by it, The New Testament is an open way.
a. Open veil-The old one was rent in twain.
b. Open tomb.
c. Open church.
d. Open heavens.
Heb 9:9 –which is a figure for the time present; according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshipper perfect
Even when the sacrifices were done and performed perfectly, yet now man knew he was a sinner.
It took the torn flesh of Christ to reveal the mercy seat of God.
a. The temple veil being torn (Mat 27:51) shows that God had now opened the Holy of Holies for man.
b. These sacrifices reminded men of sin, but could not cleanse the conscience.
As touching the conscience:
a. The law was to point out sin and to make men conscious of sin.
b. These caused the sinner to be concerned. Heb 10:3 : But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year.
c. We can have a cleansed conscience.
1. Heb 9:14 : Cleanse your conscience from dead works.
2. Heb 10:22 : . . . having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.
3. 1Ti 3:9 : . . . holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
4. 1Pe 3:21 : . . . but the answer of a good conscience toward God.
Heb 9:10 –being only with meats
Commentators have practically nothing to say here except Milligan, who feels the language is difficult. The point is that all of this is carnal, and Milligan feels that mans conscience was clear only in respect to meats and drinks and washings. The gifts and sacrifices could not clear his conscience, says Milligan. It seems to me that Hebrews says mans conscience could not be cleared with gifts and sacrifices, since it was done only with meats, drinks, etc.
Heb 9:10 –and drinks
This refers to the drink offerings that accompanied the other offerings. See Exo 29:40-41.
a. According to Peloubet, this was excluded from the sin and trespass offering.
b. At all set feasts the drink offering was presented. Lev 23:13; Lev 23:18; Lev 23:37.
Other verses are: Num 15:4-7; Numbers 10-21 : Num 28:7-8; Numbers 9-10; Numbers 14-31; and Num 29:6-39. We see in Lev 10:9 that Aaron was forbidden the right to drink wine throughout his generations.
Heb 9:10 –and divers washings
The washings were immersion in type. Here are some of them:
a. Whole body was washed.
1. The priests whole body was washed at the time of his consecration. Lev 16:4.
2. High priest on day of Atonement. Lev 16:4; Lev 16:24.
3. Priest defiled with uncleanness. Lev 22:6.
4. Priest who officiated at the services of the red heifer. Num 19:7.
5. Man who burned the red heifer. Num 19:8.
b. Washing of hands and feet.
c. Washing of garments.
d. Washing of inwards and legs of burnt offerings.
e. Washing of wooden vessels.
f. Washing of spoils of war as could not pass through fire. Num 31:21-23.
Heb 9:10 –carnal ordinances
a. Some would depend upon them today.
1. 1Ti 4:1-3 : Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats.
b. These things made the flesh clean, not the spirit righteous.
Heb 9:10 –imposed until a time of reformation
This may refer to the prophecy of Jer 31:37, says one commentator. It is also translated time of rectifying. This refers to the coming of Christ and the new covenant.
Study Questions
1505. What is meant by the expression that the priest go in continually?
1506. How many times daily did they go in, and what did they do?
1507. What continual task did they have? Lev 4:6.
1508. Where was this done?
1509. Was the author of Hebrews speaking of the temple in Jerusalem, or the original tabernacle?
1510. What is meant by the word second?
1511. Contrast the work of the priest with that of the high priest.
1512. Contrast his work with that of Christ.
1513. What day was it that allowed the high priest to go into the Holy of Holies?
1514. Did he go in more than once on this day? Cf. Lev 16:12-15.
1515. What did he have to possess when he went in?
1516. Does this mean he took blood all four times, if he went in that many?
1517. What persons were in need of the blood?
1518. Compare Heb 9:25 here.
1519. Does Heb 4:15 tell why Jesus didnt offer blood for Himself?
1520. What does the errors of the people refer to?
1521. Was it for sins of which they were ignorant? Cf. Num 15:28-29.
1522. Was there a sacrifice for deliberate sin? Cf. Num 15:30-31.
1523. What fringe was worn as a memorial to the breaking of one of the ten commandments? Cf. Num 15:37-41.
1524. What did the Holy Spirit signify?
1525. Did these old covenant people realize that heaven was not open yet to man?
1526. How long was heaven closed?
1527. What did God do to show that heaven was open and that the old covenant no longer had a closed Holy of Holies?
1528. What is meant by the word figure?
1529. What did it prefigure?
1530. What is meant by both gifts and sacrifices?
1531. What effect did the sacrifices have on the conscience?
1532. Could they make the conscience clear?
1533. Read Heb 10:3 for a discussion of the cleansing of sin.
1534. Can the Christian have a clear conscience? Cf. Heb 9:14; Heb 10:22; 1Ti 3:9; 1Pe 3:21.
1535. What kinds of attempts at reconciliation are mentioned in Heb 9:10?
1536. What does meats refer to?
1537. What is referred to by drinks?
1538. Was it an offering? Cf. Exo 29:40-41.
1539. What material was used in the drink offering? Lev 23:13; Lev 23:18; Lev 23:37.
1540. Does it accompany all the offerings?
1541. Were all the priests allowed to drink wine in the drink offerings? Cf. Lev 10:9.
1542. What is meant by divers washings?
1543. What things and persons were washed?
1544. Were the priests washed after each sacrifice?
1545. Were all sacrifices washed?
1546. Define the meaning of carnal ordinances.
1547. Do people depend upon carnal ordinances today for salvation? Cf. 1Ti 4:1-3.
1548. How long were these things to last?
1549. What is meant by the word reformation?
1550. Is this Luthers reformation or Campbells restoration?
1551. What other word is used by translators?
1552. How do we know what is meant?
1553. Are these commandments ordained this side of the cross?
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Having given an account of the structure or fabric of the tabernacle in the two parts of it, and the furniture of those several parts distinctly, to complete his argument the apostle adds in these verses the consideration of the uses they were designed unto in the service of God. For in the application of these things unto his purpose and the argument he designeth from them, both of these in conjunction, namely, the structure of the tabernacle with its furniture, and the services performed therein, were to be made use of.
Heb 9:6-7. , , , .[3]
[3] TRANSLATION. Instead of the past tense, went, it seems agreed that enter, and entereth should be substituted; as also, verse 9, can instead of could; and Heb 10:1, offer instead of offered. The tense sheds light on the date of the epistle, as written before the destruction of the temple. ED.
. Vulg. Lat., his vero ita compositis; so composed, so framed and put together. Syr., , quae ira disposita erant, which things were so disposed; altering the absolute construction of the words, and carrying on the sense of the former [verse] thus far. Others, his vero ita ordinatis, ita praeparatis; thus ordered, thus prepared, thus ordained. Ornatis, adorned. Beza, constructis. is the ordering, placing, or fixing of vessels, or any materials prepared for use.
. Vulg. Lat., in priori tabernaculo; for in prius tabernaculum. Syr., , into the outward tabernacle; that is, of those parts mentioned by the apostle.
. Vulg. Lat., semper, always. Syr., , in omni ternpore; others generally, quovis tempore; at every season, at any time, as occasion required.
. Vulg. Lat., sacrificiorum officia consummantes, perfecting to this part or offices of the sacrifices; but the sacrifices belonged not at all unto the duties of the tabernacle. Syr., , and they were perfecting their ministry. Ritus obeuntes, cultus obeuntes; Beza, ritus cultus obeuntes; performing the rites of sacred worship.
. Vulg. Lat., in secundo autem. Syr., , and into the tabernacle that was within it, or within the other. In secundum autem, sed in alterum; but into the second, or the other.
. Syr., ; which Boderus renders substantively, unum est, that inward tabernacle was one. But the reference is unto what follows, and is better rendered adverbially, semel, once.
, non sine sanguine. Syr., cum sanguine illo, with that blood.
. Vulg. Lat., Eras., quem offert; Syr., which he was offering, which he offereth. . Vulg. Lat., pro sua et populi ignorantia; very corruptly. Syr., for his own soul, and the errors of the people; rightly.
Heb 9:6-7. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service [of God.] But into the second [went] the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and [for] the errors of the people.
I follow the common translation, but shall take notice of what it seems defective in. And there is in the words,
First, A supposition of what was before declared, as the foundation of what he was now further to assert: Now when these things were thus ordained. And there is therein,
1. The manner of the inference;
2. The subject spoken of;
3. What is spoken of it:
1. The manner of the inference is the particle , which we ponder now when; vero, but. Now when is included in the tense of the participle,
2. The subject spoken of, , these things; that is, the things spoken of in the precedent verses, namely, the two parts of the tabernacle, and the sacred furniture of them.
3. That which is affirmed of them is, that they were ordained. And the manner thereof is also added, that they were thus ordained, . Beza once rendered it by ordinatis; whom I suppose ours follow, rendering it by ordained. But ordinatis is rather
orderedthan ordained. To be ordained, signifies the appointment and designation of them; and so they were ordained of God: but that which is here expressed is their building, framing, finishing, and disposition into their actual order. So the word is used for the making of the tabernacle, verse 2: A tabernacle was made. These things being prepared, made, and finished.The preparation, structure, and finishing of the tabernacle, and all its utensils, with their disposition into their sacred order, are respected in this word. They were disposed , thus; that is, in the manner declared, that the tabernacle should consist of two parts, that the one should contain such and such holy utensils, and the other those of another sort.
Secondly, When these things were thus prepared and ordered, they stood not for a magnificent show, but were designed unto constant use in the service of God. This the apostle declares, in the same order wherein he had described the parts of the tabernacle in their distribution into the first and the second, the outward and inward tabernacle.
As to the first tabernacle, wherein were the candlestick, and the table, and the shew-bread, he declares the use of it,
1. With respect unto the persons for whose ministry it was ordained;
2. Of that ministry itself;
3. Of the time and season of its performance.
1. The persons who administered therein were the priests. They, and they alone, entered into the sanctuary. All others were forbidden to approach unto it, on pain of excision. These priests, who had this privilege, were all the posterity of Aaron, unless they fell under exception by some legal incapacitating blemish. For a long time, that is, from the preparing of the tabernacle unto the building of the temple, they administered in this sanctuary promiscuously, under the care of God and directions of the high priest. For the inspection of the whole was committed in an especial manner unto the high priest, Num 4:16; Zec 3:7; yea, the actual performance of the daily service of this part of the sanctuary was in the first place charged on him, Exo 27:21. But the other priests being designed to help and assist him on all occasions, this service in process of time was wholly devolved on them. And if the high priest did at any time minister in this part of the sanctuary, he did it not as the high priest, but as a priest only, for all his peculiar service belonged unto the most holy place.
In process of time, when the priests of the posterity of Aaron were multiplied, and the services of the sanctuary were to be increased by the building of the temple, wherein instead of one candlestick there were ten, David, by Gods direction, cast all the priests into twenty-four courses or orders, that should serve in their turns, two courses in a month; which rule continued unto the destruction of the second temple, 1 Chronicles 24; Luk 1:5. And he did it for sundry ends:
(1.) That none of the priests of the posterity of Aaron might be utterly excluded from this privilege of approaching unto God in the sanctuary; and if they had been, it is likely they would have disposed of themselves into other ways and callings, and so have both neglected and defiled the priesthood.
(2.) That there might be no neglect at any time in the solemn ministry, seeing that which lies on all promiscuously is too often neglected by all. For although the high priest was to keep the charge, to judge the house, and to keep the courts, Zec 3:7, and so take care for the due attendance unto the daily ministration; yet was the provision more certain, when, being ordained by law, or by divine institution, all persons concerned herein knew the times and seasons wherein they might and wherein they ought to attend on the altar. These were the officers that belonged unto the sanctuary, the persons who alone might enter into it on a sacred account. And when the structure of the whole was to be taken down, that it might be removed from one place to another, as it was frequently in the wilderness, the whole was to be done by the priests, and all the holy utensils covered, before the Levites were admitted to draw nigh to carry them, so as they might not touch them at all, Num 4:15. Yet must it be observed, that although this was the peculiar service of the priests, yet was it not their only service. Their whole sacred employment was not confined unto this their entrance into the sanctuary. There was a work committed unto them, whereon their whole service in the sanctuary did depend. This was the offering of sacrifices; which was accomplished in the court without, on the brazen altar before the door of the tabernacle: which belonged not unto the purpose of the apostle in this place.
This was the great privilege of the priests under the old testament, that they alone might and did enter into the sanctuary, and make an approach unto God. And this privilege they had as they were types of Christ, and no otherwise. But withal it was a great part and a great means of that state of servitude and fear wherein the people or the body of the church was kept. They might not so much as come nigh the pledges of Gods presence; it was forbidden them under the penalty of death and being cut off; whereof they sadly complained, Num 17:12-13.
This state of things is now changed under the gospel. It is one of the principal privileges of believers, that, being made kings and priests unto God by Jesus Christ, this distinction as unto especial gracious access unto God is taken away, Rev 1:5-6; Eph 2:18; Rom 5:2. Neither doth this hinder but that yet there are and ought to be officers and ministers in the house of God, to dispense the holy things of it, and to minister in the name of Christ, For in their so doing they do not hinder, but promote, the approach of the church into the presence of God; which is the principal end of their office. And as this is their peculiar honor, for which they must be accountable, Heb 13:17; so the church of believers itself ought always to consider how they may duly improve and walk worthy of this privilege, purchased for them by the blood of Christ.
2. The general foundation of the service of these priests in the sanctuary was, that they went or entered into it, . This also itself was a divine ordinance. For this entrance both asserted their privilege, all others being excluded on pain of death, and gave hounds unto it. Hereinto they were to enter; but they were to go no farther: they were not to go into or look into the most holy place, nor to abide in the sanctuary when the high priest entered into it; which the apostle here hath an especial regard unto. They entered into the first tabernacle, but they went no farther. Hereinto they entered through the first veil, or the covering of the door of the tabernacle, Exo 26:36-37. Through that veil, by turning it aside, so as that it closed immediately on their entrance, the priests entered into the sanctuary. And this they were to do with an especial reverence of the presence of God; which is the principal design of that command, Ye shall reverence my sanctuary, Lev 19:30 : which is now supplied by the holy reverence of the presence of God in Christ which is in all believers. But moreover, the equity of the command extends itself unto that especial reverence of God which we ought to have in all holy services. And although this be not confined unto any postures or gestures of the body, yet those that naturally express a reverential frame of spirit are necessary unto this duty.
3. The time of this their entrance into the sanctuary to discharge their service is expressed. They entered it : that is, , quovis tempore; always, say we; jugiter, that is, every day. There was no divine prohibition as unto any days or times wherein they might not enter into the sanctuary, as there was with respect unto the entrance of the high priest into the most holy place, which was allowed only once a year. And the services that were required of them made it necessary that they should enter into it every day. But the word doth not absolutely signify every day, seeing there was a special service for which they entered only once a- week; but always, is at all times, as occasion did require. There was also an especial service, when the high priest entered into the sanctuary, which was neither daily nor weekly, but occasional; which is mentioned, Lev 4:6-7. For when the anointed priest was to offer a sacrifice for his own sins, he was to carry some of the blood of it into the sanctuary, and sprinkle it towards the veil that was before the most holy place. This he was to do seven times; which is a mystical number, denoting that perfect atonement and expiation of sin which was to be made by the blood of Christ. But this being an occasional service, the apostle seems to have had no respect unto it.
4. The service itself performed by them is expressed: , Accomplishing the services. The expression is sacred, respecting mystical rites and ceremonies, such as were the things here intended: Officiating in the ministry of the sacred ceremonies.For is not perfecting or accomplishing only, but sacredly ministering: In discharge of the priestly office, accomplishing the sacred services committed unto them.And these services were of two sorts: (1.) Daily. (2.) Weekly.
(1.) Their daily services were two:
[1.] The dressing of the lamps of the candlestick, supplying them with the holy oil, and taking care of all things necessary unto the cleansing of them, that their light might be preserved. This was done morning and evening, a continual service in all generations, the service of the candlestick, .
[2.] The service of the golden altar, the altar of incense in the midst of the sanctuary, at the entrance of the most holy place, before or over against the ark of the testimony. Hereon the priests burned incense every day, with fire taken from the altar of burnt-offerings, that was in the court before the door of the tabernacle. This service was performed evening and morning, immediately after the offering of the daily sacrifice on the altar of burnt- offerings. And whilst this service was performed the people gave themselves to prayer without, with respect unto the sacrifices offered, Luk 1:10. For this offering of incense on the sacrifice, and that fired with a coal from the altar whereon the sacrifice was burned, was a type, as we have declared, of the intercession of Christ. For although they understood it not clearly in the notion, yet were true believers guided to express it in their practice. The time of the priests offering incense they made the time of their own solemn prayers, as believing that the efficacy and acceptance of their prayers depended on what was typified by that incense, Psa 141:2. These were the daily services. It is uncertain whether they were all performed at the same time or no; namely, those of the candlestick and the altar of incense. If they were, it should seem that they were done by no more but one priest at one time; that is, every morning and evening. For of Zacharias it is said, that it was his lot to burn incense in the temple; and no other was with him there when he saw the vision, Luk 1:8-9; Luk 1:21-22. Wherefore, whereas it is said in the institution of these things, Aaron and his sons shall do this service, it is intended that some one of them should do it at any one time.
(2.) The weekly service of the sanctuary was the change of the bread on the table of shew-bread. This was performed every Sabbath-day in the morning, and not else. Now all this daily service was typical. And that which it did represent was the continual application of the benefits of the sacrifice and whole mediation of Christ unto the church here in this world. That the tabernacle itself with the inhabitation of God therein was a type of the incarnation of the Son of God, we have showed before; and have also declared that all the utensils of it were but representations of his grace in the discharge of his office. He is the light and life of the church, the lamp and the bread thereof. The incense of his intercession renders all their obedience acceptable unto God. And therefore there was a continual application made unto these things without intermission every day. And we may thence observe, that,
Obs. A continual application unto God by Christ, and a continual application of the benefits of the mediation of Christ by faith, are the springs of the light, life, and comfort of the church.
Heb 9:7. But into the second [went] the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and [for] the errors of the people.
The use and service of the second part of the tabernacle, or the most holy place, which the apostle designeth principally to apply unto his present argument, are declared in this present verse. And he describes them,
1. By the person who alone might perform the service which belonged unto this part of the sanctuary; and this was the high priest.
2. By that which in general was required unto the other part of it; he went into it. This is not here expressed, but the sense of it is traduced from the foregoing verse. The other priests entered into the sanctuary, and the high priest into this; that is, he entered or went into it.
3. From the time and season of this his entrance, which was once a-year only; in opposition unto the entrance of the priests into the other part, which was at all times, every day.
4. By the manner of his entrance, or what he carried with him to administer or perform the holy service of the place, expressed negatively; not without blood, that is, with blood.
5. From the use of the blood which he so carried in with him; it was that which he offered for himself and the errors of the people. That which the apostle here respects and describes was the great anniversary sacrifice of expiation, whose institution, rites, and solemnities are at large declared, Leviticus 16. And herein,
1. The person designed unto this service was the high priest alone, and no other person, Lev 16:2; Lev 16:32. And he was to be so alone as that none were to attend, assist, or accompany him, in any part of the service. Yea, it was so far from it, that any person entered with him into the most holy place, that no one was allowed to be in the other part of the sanctuary, where he might so much as see the veil opened, or look in after him whilst he performed his service, verse 17. As all the people were kept out of the sanctuary and waited at the door whilst the priests entered daily into it; so all the priests were kept without the sanctuary whilst the high priest entered into the most holy place. Hence there was one always provided, who was next in succession unto that office, to perform this office in case of sickness or occasional pollutions of him who was actually high priest. And he was called the second priest, 2Ki 25:18. From whence, in times of disorder and confusion, they had afterwards two high priests at once, Joh 18:13; Joh 18:24. Thus sacredly was the presence of God in the holy place made inaccessible, not only to all the people, but even unto all the priests themselves.
Some say that indeed the high priest went alone into the most holy place once a-year only, but with other priests and on other occasions he might enter oftener. But this is weak beneath consideration; for the express institution was, that he should go alone, and go but once. And this was that great truth which in this ordinance God stated unto the church, namely, that there is no entrance into the gracious presence of God but by the high priest. That the true high priest should take along all believers with him, and give them admission with boldness unto the throne of grace, was, as the apostle declares in the next verse, not as yet made known.
2. The way whereby he engaged into this service was, that he went into this holy place. This, as we observed before, is not here expressed, but is necessarily traduced from the foregoing verse. And it is his entrance through the veil that is intended; which also was a part of his service. For it was a type both of the entrance of Christ into heaven, and of our entrance by him unto the throne of grace, Heb 9:24, Heb 10:19-20. This was that veil which in the temple was rent from the top to the bottom upon the death of our Savior, Mat 27:51. For hereby the way was laid open into the holy place, and the gracious presence of God discovered unto all that come unto him by Christ.
3. The time of this service is expressed, that it was only once every year. The first order unto this purpose was a prohibition or negative precept, that the high priest should not come at all times into the holy place, Lev 16:2; that is, not every day, as he did into the sanctuary, not at any time of his own choice. He might not choose, he might not appoint a time for the service of this holy place, whatever occasion he apprehended of it or necessity for it. Times of sacred worship are the Lords, no less than the things of it. Our own stated times are no less disapproved by him than any other parts of sacred worship of our own finding out, 1Ki 12:32-33. And as this time of the entrance of the high priest into the most holy place was limited unto once every year, which our apostle observes; so the precise day of the year was determined by the law. It was fixed unto the tenth day of the seventh month, or Tisri; which, reckoning from Nisan, the beginning of their ecclesiastical year, answers unto our September. This was the great day of atonement, which with the fast of it ensued thereon, Lev 16:29.
But whereas it is said that he entered once every year, the meaning is, that upon one day in the year only he did so, and had liberty so to do: for it is evident that on that day he went twice into it; yea, it is most probable that he did so four times. He had three offerings or sacrifices to offer on the day of expiation.
The First was of a bullock and a ram, for himself and his household, Lev 16:3. This the apostle notes distinctly, which he offered for himself.
Secondly, a goat, for a sin-offering, which he offered for the people, for the errors of the people, Lev 16:9.
Thirdly, the service of the scape-goat, which also had the nature of a sacrifice, Lev 16:10. Of the first two, whose blood was offered on the altar, it is said distinctly that he carried of the blood into the most holy place. He did so, first that of the bullock and the ram, before he offered the goat for the sins of the people. He killed not the goat until he came out of the holy place, after he had carried in the blood of the sacrifice for himself, Lev 16:11-14. After this he carried in the blood of the goat that was offered for the sins of the people, Lev 16:15. So that of necessity he must enter twice distinctly on that one day into the most holy place.
Yea, it is most probable and almost very certain, that he entered into it four times on that day. For before he carried in the blood, he was to go in with the incense to make a cloud over the mercy-seat. And it is evident that he could not carry in the incense and the blood at the same time: for when he went in with the incense, he had in one hand a censer full of burning coals from the altar, and he so carried it, that besides both his hands were filled with incense, Lev 16:12; so that he could carry no blood with him at that time. And when he carried in the blood also, both his hands were in like manner employed. For with the finger of one he was to sprinkle the blood upon and before the mercy-seat: whence it is of necessity that he must have had the blood which he sprinkled in his other hand; for he was to sprinkle it seven times, which could not be done with the blood that was at once upon the finger wherewith he sprinkled it. Wherefore this once every year is on one day only; for that day he entered four times into the holy place within the veil, as is plain in the order of the service according unto its institution.
When all this was done, that there might be a full representation of the atonement to be made by the Lord Christ, and of the plenary remission of sins by his blood, the high priest laid all the sins of the people on the head of the scape-goat, which carried them away into the wilderness of everlasting oblivion, Lev 16:20-22.
As these institutions were multiplied to typify the one single sacrifice and oblation of the body of Christ, because of the imperfection inseparable from the nature of earthly things, whereby no one of them could absolutely represent it; so in this distinction and distribution of them, the condescension, love, and grace of God, were adorable and glorious. For in the shedding of the blood of the sacrifice, and offering it by fire on the altar, he plainly declared the imputation of the guilt of their sins unto the sacrifice, its bearing of them, and the expiation of their guilt thereby. By carrying of the blood into the holy place, he testified his acceptance of the atonement made, and his reconciliation unto the people. And hereon the full remission and pardon of all their sins, no more to be had in remembrance, was manifested, in the sending away of the scape-goat into the wilderness. Hence the Jews have a saying, that on the day of expiation all Israel were made as innocent as in the day of creation. How all this was accomplished in and by the sacrifice of Christ must be afterwards declared.
4. As to the nature of this service, the apostle tells us that it was not without blood. tie so expresseth it to show the impossibility of entering into the holy place any otherwise. And from hence he takes his ensuing argument of the necessity of the death and blood-shedding of the mediator or high priest of the new testament. Not without blood; as he might not do it otherwise, so he did it by blood. And this was the manner of the service: After the high priest had filled the most holy place with a cloud of incense, he returned to the altar of burnt-offerings without the tabernacle, where the sacrifice had been newly slain; and whilst the blood of the beast was fresh, and as it were living, Heb 10:20, he took of it in his hand, and entering again into the holy place, he sprinkled it seven times with his finger towards the mercy-seat, Lev 16:11-14. And there is, as was said, an emphasis in the expression, Not without blood, to manifest how impossible it was that there should be an entrance into the gracious presence of God without the blood of the sacrifice of Christ. The only propitiation for sins is made by the blood of Christ; and it is by faith alone that we are made partakers thereof, Rom 3:25-26.
5. This blood is further described by the use of it; which he offered. Where or when he offered it, is not expressed. In the most holy place there was no use of this blood, but only the sprinkling of it; but the sprinkling of blood was always consequential unto the offering or oblation properly so called. For the oblation consisted principally in the atonement made by the blood at the altar of burnt-offerings. It was given and appointed for that end, to make atonement with it at that altar, as is expressly affirmed, Lev 17:11. After this, it was sprinkled for purification. Wherefore, by , the apostle here renders the Hebrew , used in the institution, Lev 16:15; which is only to bring, and not to offer properly. Or he hath respect unto the offering of it that was made at the altar without the sanctuary. The blood which was there offered he brought a part of it with him into the most holy place, to sprinkle it, according unto the institution.
6. The apostle declares for whom this blood was offered. And this was for himself and the people; first for himself, and then for the people. For he hath respect unto the distinct sacrifices that were to be offered on that day. The first was of a bullock and a ram; which was for himself. And this argued, as the apostle observes, the great imperfection of that church-state. They could have no priest to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people, but he must first offer for himself, and that the blood of other creatures. But the true high priest was to offer his own blood; and that not for himself at all, but for others only.
(1.) He offered for himself; that is, for his own sins, Lev 16:6. Wherefore the Vulg. Lat. reads the words, pro sua et populi ignorantia, very corruptly, changing the number of the substantive; but very truly applying to the priest as well as unto the people. Others would supply the words by adding before , and so repeat . But the apostle expresseth the words of the institution, , which for himself, leaving the application unto the series of the context and the nature of the service: For himself; that is, his own sins.
(2.) The blood was offered also for the people; that is, the people of Israel, the people of God, the church, the whole congregation. And as the high priest herein bore the person of Christ, so did this people of all the elect of God, who were represented in them and by them. It was that people, and not the whole world, that the high priest offered for; and it is the elect people alone for whom our great high priest did offer and doth intercede.
7. That which he offered for. It was their errors, or their sins. The Socinians, some of them, not for want of under standing, but out of hatred unto the true sacrifice of Christ, contend from hence that the anniversary sacrifice on the great day of expiation, the principal representation of it, was only for sins of ignorance, of imbecility and weakness. But it is a fond imagination; at least the argument from these words for it is so. For besides that the Scripture calls all sins by the name of errors, Psa 19:12; Psa 25:7; and the worst, the most provoking of all sins, is expressed by erring in heart, Psa 95:10; and the LXX. frequently render to sin by , 2Ch 16:9; 1Sa 26:21; Hos 4:16, etc; besides, I say, this application of the word elsewhere unto all sorts of sins, in the enumeration of those errors of the people which the high priest offered for they are said to be all their iniquities, and all their transgressions in all their sins, Lev 16:21. Wherefore to offer for the errors of the people, is to offer for all their sins, of what nature soever they were. And they are thus called, because indeed there is no such predominancy of malice in any sin in this world as wherein there is not a mixture of error, either notional or practical, of the mind or of the heart, which is the cause or a great occasion of it. See 1Ti 1:13; Mat 12:31-32. Here, indeed, lies the original of all sin. The mind being filled with darkness and ignorance, alienates the whole soul from the life of God. And as it hath superadded prejudices, which it receives from corrupt affections, it yet neither directs nor judgeth aright, as unto particular acts and duties, under all present circumstances. And what notions of good and evil it cannot but retain, it gives up in particular instances unto the occasions of sin. Wherefore,
Obs. 1. Spiritual illumination of the mind is indispensably necessary unto our walking with God.
Obs. 2. Those who would be preserved from sin, must take care that spiritual light do always bear sway in their minds. And therefore,
Obs. 3. Constantly to watch against the prevalency of corrupt prejudices and affections in their mind. And,
Obs. 4. When the light of the mind is solicited by temptations to suspend its conduct and determination on present circumstances, to know that sin lies at the door; this is its last address for admission. And,
Obs. 5. If error grow strong in the heart through the love of sin, truth will grow weak in the mind as to the preservation of the soul from it. And,
Obs. 6. Nothing ought to influence the soul more unto repentance, sorrow, and humiliation for sin, than a due apprehension of the shameful error and mistake that is in it.
Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews
the priests: Exo 27:21, Exo 30:7, Exo 30:8, Num 28:3, 2Ch 26:16-19, Dan 8:11, Luk 1:8-11
Reciprocal: Exo 40:33 – up the court Luk 1:9 – his
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Heb 9:6. Ordained signifies to be prepared or made ready, and refers to the articles in the two rooms of the tabernacle. The priests went always is said in the sense of going daily or frequently, in contrast with “once a year” as in the next verse. First tabernacle refers to the first room or the tabernacle, and the common priests might enter this place any time it was necessary, and they were the ones who did most of the service of that room.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Heb 9:6. Meanwhile he notes the weakness of the old covenant and its fitness for this world only (Heb 9:9-10). And now all these thingsthe apartments and their contentshaving been thus prepared or arranged, into the first tabernacle the priests go in continually, accomplishing (performing) the services. The ordinary priests are entering continually, i.e without limits prescribed by law, twice at least every day (Exo 30:7), to do the appointed service, sprinkling the blood of the sin-offering before the veil, dressing the lamps, burning incense on the golden altar, and once a-week changing the shewbread.
Heb 9:7. But into the second tabernacle, the holy of holies, the high priest alone once in the year. Into this second part none of the priests were allowed to enter or even to look; but the high priest alone, and he only on one daythe tenth day of the seventh month (Lev 16:29). On that day he entered within the veil at least three timesfirst with the censer of burning coals and the incense, that the cloud might cover the mercy-seat and intercept the Divine glory (Lev 16:12-13); then with the blood of the bullock, which he sprinkled seven times before the mercy-seat (Heb 9:14); and then with the blood of the goat, which also he sprinkled on and before the mercy-seat (Heb 9:15), so that not without blood which he offereth for himself and for the errors of the people. It was his business to make atonement for sin, and this could not be done without blood. Nor was it enough that the blood should be shed at the door of the tabernacle; the high priest had to carry with him a portion of it within the veil, and there offer it by sprinkling it on and before the mercy-seat. And this atonement was made for himself and his house, i.e the priests generally, and then for the sins of the people (Lev 16:6; Lev 16:14). Within the holy place the blood was sprinkled once upwards; seven times backwards before and on the mercy seat. The horns of the altar were anointed with the blood of the two sacrifices, and the same mingled blood was sprinkled seven times before it, and then the remainder of the blood was poured out at the foot of the altar of burnt-offering. This offering of the blood is said to have cleansed the people once a year from all their sins (chap. Heb 6:16-20). Here the statement of the Law is restricted to sins of ignoranceerrors, a term describing offences committed in no defiance of the Law, or with only a partial knowledge of their turpitude. They are thus marked off from those capital offences and presumptuous sins for which no provisions of mercy was made; in which, therefore, the sinner died without mercy (Num 15:27-31; sec also Heb 10:28).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Our apostle having given an account, in the preceding verses, of the structure or fabric of the tabernacle, in the two parts of it which belonged to the priest; namely, the holy place, and the holy of holies, (for the first court, the court of the people, he says nothing); he comes now to discourse of this service, which, by the appointment of God, the priests were to perform in this maginificient structure.
Where observe, 1. The persons administering, the Priests only, and they of the posterity of Aaron: All others were forbidden upon pain of excision.
Observe, 2. The general foundation of the services of these priests in the sanctuary. They entered into it, but were to go no farther; they must not so much as look into the holy of holies; no, nor yet abide in the sanctuary when the high priest entered into the most holy place.
Observe, 3. The time of this their entrance into the sanctuary to discharge their service, always; that is, every day, and at all times, as occasion did require.
Observe, 4. The service itself, accomplishing the service of God; these services were either daily or weekly: Daily, were dressing the lamps, supplying them with holy oil, morning and evening; also the service of the golden altar, on which the priests burnt incense every day. The weekly service of the sanctuary was the changing of the shew-bread every sabbath in the morning.
All the service was typical, representing the continual application of the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice unto his church to the end of the world. The tabernacle itself, and the inhabitation of God in it, was a type of the incarnation of the son of God. All the utensils of it were representations of his grace. He is the light and life of the church, the lamp and the bread thereof.
The incense of his intercession renders all our obedience acceptable unto God; and accordingly, there was continual application unto these things without intermission, every day: Signifying unto us that a continual application unto God by Christ, and a continual application of the mediation of Christ by faith, are the springs of light, life, and comfort of the church. Having thus described the priest’s service in the first part of the temple, Heb 9:6, he comes now to declare the service and administration of the high priest in the second part of the temple, or holy of holies, Heb 9:7.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Lessons from the Service in the Tabernacle
The sacrifices of the tabernacle were symbolic. It would seem that the tabernacle and worship system of the Jewish people is compared to the Holy Place of the tabernacle. The world had to go through this period of Jewish history in order to reach the Christian age and the way to heaven, represented by theMost Holy Place. So, the old law leads to the new and not until the old law is gone can one reach the new. Sacrifices and gifts were offered under that system, but perfection could not be obtained until the new went into effect. “The Levitical code contained many instructions with reference to clean and unclean foods. ( Lev 11:1-47 ; Deu 14:3-21 ). There were also laws as to drink ( Lev 10:9 ; Num 6:2-3 ). There were numerous laws on washings. There were washings for the high priest ( Lev 16:4 ; Lev 16:24 ), washings for the priests ( Exo 30:18-21 ; Lev 8:6 ), washing for the Levites ( Num 8:6-7 ), washings for lepers and unclean persons ( Lev 14:8-9 ; Num 19:1-22 ), and washings of garments and vessels ( Lev 6:27-28 )” (Lightfoot, p. 168). Despite all these outward washings, no one was made inwardly clean. These external laws were in effect until the “time of reformation.” Jesus said there would be a new age and He would bring about a regeneration, which I believe would mark the time spoken of previously. Thus, we are forgiven of our sins when we are regenerated ( Heb 9:9-10 ; Col 1:13-14 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Heb 9:6. Now when these things were thus ordained , prepared. Having given an account of the structure of the tabernacle in the two parts of it, and the furniture of those several parts distinctly, to complete his argument, the apostle adds the consideration of their sacred use; the priests went always Every day; into the first tabernacle Termed the holy place; accomplishing the service of God Performing what was there to be done, namely, burning the incense at the morning and evening sacrifice, dressing the lamps and supplying them with oil, changing the show-bread every sabbath morning. Added to this, as the principal part of the service of this tabernacle, the priests brought into it the blood of the sin-offerings, and sprinkled it before the veil, Lev 4:6. At all other times they entered into it without blood, for the blood of the burnt-offerings was sprinkled about the altar, Lev 1:11.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 6
Thus ordained; thus arranged by divine appointment.–The priests; common priests, in contradistinction from the high priest, mentioned in the Hebrews 9:7.–The first tabernacle; the outer tabernacle.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
9:6 {2} Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service [of God].
(2) Now he comes to the sacrifices which he divides into those daily sacrifices and that yearly and solemn sacrifice with which the high priest only but once every year entering into the Holiest of all with blood, offered for himself and the people.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
He passed on to the "regulations of divine service" (Heb 9:1) in the Old Covenant to show its inferiority further. The "outer tabernacle" is the holy place (Heb 9:6), and "the second" is the holy of holies (Heb 9:7). The high priest entered the holy of holies only once a year on the Day of Atonement to offer the special sacrifices for that day (Lev 16:2). His offering then covered those sins of the people that they committed ignorantly as opposed to those they committed in deliberate apostasy (cf. Lev 4:1-2; Lev 5:17-19). Some ignorance is culpable (blameworthy); sins of this kind do matter. In Israel the punishment for deliberate rebellion against the Mosaic Covenant was death. It is about this apostasy that the writer warned his audience. He also comforted them with the assurance that their High Priest would deal gently with the misguided who sin ignorantly (Heb 5:2).
The writer clarified that the Holy Spirit intended to communicate the fact that the Levitical system did not provide access into God’s presence for the ordinary believer. The "holy place" is God’s throne-room in heaven, and the "outer [lit. first] tabernacle" refers to the earthly tabernacle and its successors, namely, the temples in Israel (Heb 9:8).
"The ’front compartment’ (he prote skene) becomes a spatial metaphor for the time when the ’first covenant’ (he prote diatheke) was in force. As an illustration for the old age, which is now in process of dissolution (Heb 8:13), it symbolizes the total first covenant order with its daily and annual cultic ritual (Heb 9:6-7). Once the first has been invalidated, the second becomes operative (see Heb 10:9). In the figurative language of the writer, the front compartment of the tabernacle was symbolic of the present age (ton kaipon ton enestekota), which through the intrusion of the kairos diorthoseos, ’the time of correction’ (Heb 9:10), has been superseded . . ." [Note: Lane, Hebrews 9-13, p. 224.]
The Old Covenant system of worship did not meet the deepest need of God’s people, namely, intimate personal relationship with God. Its rites and ceremonies extended mainly to external matters until God would provide a better system at "a time of reformation" (Heb 9:10).
This comparison helps us keep externals in their proper perspective as secondary to inward reality with God. Relationship with God purifies the conscience. It is possible to fulfill all the outward obligations of religion and still have a conscience that is not right with God (Heb 9:9). This is one of the tragic inadequacies of religion that does not involve relationship with God.
"The necessity of a cleansed conscience is insisted upon throughout the letter [Heb 9:9; Heb 9:14; Heb 10:2; Heb 10:22; Heb 13:18]. A conscience stained with sin is the one effective barrier to man’s fellowship with God . . ." [Note: F. F. Bruce, "The Kerygma of Hebrews," Interpretation 23:1 (January 1969):12. See also Guthrie, p. 184.]
"The reason for detailing the arrangement of the tabernacle and its furnishings in Heb 9:2-5 is manifestly to show the lack of access to God under the old cultus. This, in turn, provides a framework for the development of certain deficiencies in the cultic regulations that had been imposed under the terms of the Sinaitic covenant in Heb 9:6-10." [Note: Lane, Hebrews 9-13, p. 226.]
"The greatest festival of the Jewish year paradoxically shows most clearly the limitations of the old dispensation and its high priesthood." [Note: Ellingworth, p. 434.]
The Old Covenant sanctuary was inferior for five reasons. It was an earthly sanctuary (Heb 9:1), it was a type of something greater (its antitype; Heb 9:2-5), and it was inaccessible to the people (Heb 9:6-7). Furthermore it was only temporary (Heb 9:8) and its ministry was external rather than internal (Heb 9:9-10). [Note: Wiersbe, 2:308-10.] A type is a divinely intended illustration of something else, the antitype. A type may be a person (cf. Rom 5:14), a thing (cf. Heb 10:19-20), an event (cf. 1Co 10:11), a ceremony (cf. 1Co 5:7), or an institution, as here.