The Earthly Tabernacle and Its Limitations
Study note
The author describes the layout of the old covenant tabernacle: the Holy Place with its lampstand, table, and bread of the Presence, and the Most Holy Place behind the second curtain with the golden altar of incense, the ark of the covenant, the jar of manna, Aaron's budding rod, and the stone tablets. While regular priests entered the first room daily, only the high priest entered the Most Holy Place -- and only once a year, never without blood offered for his own sins and the people's. The Holy Spirit was signaling through this arrangement that the way into God's true presence had not yet been opened. These external regulations were temporary, applying only until the time of the new order.
1 Now, the first agreement came with its own set of rules for worship and its own special place on earth to carry them out. Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
2 A tent was set up with two rooms. In the first room stood a lampstand, a table, and the special bread offered to God. This room was called the Holy Place. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
3 Behind a second curtain was another room called the Most Holy Place. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
4 That room held the golden incense altar and the ark of the covenant. The ark was covered all over with gold. Inside it were a golden jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had sprouted buds, and the stone tablets with the covenant on them. Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
5 On top of the ark were the golden angel figures with outstretched wings, overshadowing the place where mercy was given. But this is not the time to go into all those details. And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
6 With everything arranged this way, the regular priests went in and out of the first room every day to do their work. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
7 But only the high priest could enter the second room, and he could only do it once a year. He always had to bring blood with him, which he offered for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed without realizing it. 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 Through all of this, the Holy Spirit was making a point. The way into the Most Holy Place had not been opened up yet. It stayed closed as long as the first room and its whole system were still in use. 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. 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 Those rules were only about external things like food, drinks, and ceremonial washings. They were just temporary, meant to be in place until God brought in his new plan. Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
Christ Enters the Heavenly Sanctuary with His Own Blood
Study note
When Christ appeared as high priest, he entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by human hands. He did not use the blood of goats and calves but entered the sanctuary once for all with his own blood, obtaining eternal redemption. The argument moves from lesser to greater: if animal blood could ceremonially purify the body, how much more will Christ's blood -- offered through the eternal Spirit without blemish -- cleanse the conscience from dead works to serve the living God. He is therefore the mediator of a new covenant, and his death redeems those under the first covenant so they may receive the promised eternal inheritance.
11 But then Christ arrived as the high priest of all the wonderful things that have now come. He passed through a greater and more perfect tent -- one that was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 He did not use the blood of goats and calves to enter the sanctuary. He went in with his own blood, and he only needed to do it once. That one time bought our freedom forever. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could be sprinkled on people who were unclean. This would make their bodies clean on the outside. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 But think about how much more powerful the blood of Christ must be! Through the eternal Spirit, he offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice, with nothing wrong in him at all. His blood can wash your conscience clean from useless, dead works so you can truly serve the living God. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 Therefore Christ stands between God and people as the mediator of a new agreement. He died to pay the price for the sins that piled up under the old agreement. Now, everyone God has called can receive the eternal inheritance he promised them. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
The Necessity of Blood for the Covenant
Study note
The author draws an analogy between a covenant and a will: a will only takes effect after the death of the one who made it. Even the first covenant required blood for its inauguration, as Moses sprinkled blood on both the scroll and the people, declaring it 'the blood of the covenant.' Under the law, nearly everything was purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. This principle establishes that Christ's death was not incidental but necessary for the new covenant to take effect.
16 It works like a will: for a will to go into effect, there has to be proof that the person who wrote it has died. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 A will only kicks in after the person dies. It means nothing while the person who wrote it is still alive. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
18 Therefore even the first agreement was not put into action without blood being shed. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
19 First, Moses read every command of the law to all the people. Then he took the blood of calves and goats along with water, red wool, and a branch of hyssop. He sprinkled it on the scroll and on the whole crowd. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
20 He declared, "This is the blood that seals the agreement God is making with you." Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
21 He sprinkled blood on the tent and on all the tools used in worship the same way. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
22 In fact, the law says that almost everything has to be made clean using blood. And if blood is not poured out, sins cannot be forgiven. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Christ's Once-for-All Sacrifice
Study note
The heavenly realities required better sacrifices than the copies needed. Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands but heaven itself, appearing now in God's presence on our behalf. Unlike the earthly high priest who entered the sanctuary yearly with blood not his own, Christ appeared once at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as each person dies once and then faces judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. He will appear a second time -- not for sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
23 So the earthly copies of heavenly things needed to be made clean with animal sacrifices. But the heavenly things themselves needed something far better. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 Christ did not walk into a man-made sanctuary that was just a copy of the real thing. He walked into heaven itself and now stands before God, speaking up for us. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
25 And he did not go there to offer himself over and over. That is what the high priest does when he enters the earthly sanctuary every year with blood that is not his own. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26 If he had to do that, he would have had to suffer and die over and over since the world began. But no -- he appeared once, at the perfect moment in history, to wipe out sin by offering up himself. For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 Every person dies once, and after that, they face God's judgment. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28 In the same way, Christ was offered up once to carry the weight of many people's sins. When he appears a second time, it will not be to deal with sin again. He will come to bring final salvation to everyone who is watching and waiting for him. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.