Hebrews 9:11-14

Hebrews 9:11-14 (NRSV)

¹¹ But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), ¹² he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. ¹³ For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!

                        Hebrews 9:11-14 compares the sacrifice and cleansing offered by Christ to the earthly system. It occurs in a context of 5:1-10:39 is Jesus as the High Priest. In the immediate context of Chapters 8 and 9, the author contrasts old worship with new worship. 

The notion of type and antitype may reflect the idea of Platonic forms. Plato had theorized the existence of two worlds: a material world (the world of becoming) and a non-material world (the world of being). In this system of thought, the only objects that are perceptible to humanity are those in the material world of becoming which only poorly mirror their true corresponding forms in the non-material world. While it is difficult to tell whether the author of Hebrews was intentionally drawing upon this Platonic notion (or was even familiar with it, for that matter), the concepts are quite similar. Although the design of the Mosaic tabernacle was to serve as a dwelling place for the divine presence on Earth, the author of Hebrews suggests in 9:24 that the true presence of God is not on Earth but in heaven. Thus, Christ transcends the realm of the earthly to enter the heavenly realm in the role of a true high priest.

Hence, the author continues his theological and philosophical assault on the Jewish priestly tradition by presenting Jesus as the ultimate High Priest. Everything that comes from the Jewish tradition, be it the tent that covered the ark, or the Holy of Holies in the innermost part of the temple in Jerusalem, is trumped by the perfection of Jesus Christ and his blood sacrifice. The author describes the new sacrifice of Christ. Its contrast is with 9:1-10, describing temple functions of the holy place, the holy of holies, the Ark of the Covenant, winged creatures, rules of outward life, and bodily purity. In contrast, Christ offered himself and purity is a matter of conscience.  “Christ” forms a textual inclusion in verses 11 and 14.

¹¹ However, when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), ¹² he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. Groups in Israel who believed the Jerusalem temple was corrupt would refer to it as a temple made with hands, contrasting it to the heavenly temple.  The point is that Jewish ceremony of expiation, mentioned in verse 7 and Leviticus 16, is what the death of Jesus replaced. Thus, while the priest offered blood of animals, Christ offered his own blood, a superior sacrifice. 

¹³ For if the blood of goats and bulls,[1] with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer,[2] sanctifies those who have defiled themselves so that their flesh receives purification, a reference to the limited and external cleansing under the old covenant. Clearly, the author does not dismiss the historical efficacy of the Jewish sacrificial tradition. In fact, he stresses that the sacrifices sanctifies and purifies the sinner.  However, the problem is that there is no finality to it. To the writer of Hebrews, it seems so obvious: Why would anyone wish to remain in the incomplete sacrifice of the Jewish rite when Christ made the perfect and final sacrifice? Therefore, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who is the agent of the accomplishment of the saving will of God, offered himself without blemish(sin) to God, purify our conscience (συνείδησιν) from dead works to worship the living God! This is the point of the text.  If such weak things could cleanse people, how much more the blood of Christ. First, the emphasis on the agency of the Spirit in the life of Jesus is consistent with Luke 4:18-19, where Jesus refers to the Spirit of the Lord being upon him. The eternal Spirit at work in the Son is the power of indestructible life in the man Jesus. In early Christianity, the Spirit of God’s presence in humanity is the emphasis. He did not have the power of an indestructible life in himself, but in fellowship with God.[3] Second, Christ is the one accused, condemned, and judged in the place of us sinners. We can also say that Christ gave himself as an offering or sacrifice to take away our sins. [4] Third, even though Christ has made the final sacrifice for all, human conscience fails to accept the fact. Humans continue to live under the false reality of the old sacrificial system, even though it no longer has any authority; faith in Jesus Christ has replaced it. John Chrysostom discusses the cleansing of conscience, especially focusing on the love of money, and contrasting it with harlotry. In his view, harlotry is bad enough, but the love of money is far more public and spreads its influence to everyone. As he quite memorably puts it, “Everywhere the devil leads the dance, he has entered into all, is master of all. Christ is dishonored, is thrust aside…” Fourth, the goal is worship of the living God. 

            The Jewish priests descended from priestly families. Jesus is a direct descendant (through Mary and Joseph, of course, although the author of Hebrews does not stress it) from God. Because priests descended from the offspring of Adam’s first sin, they are sinful. The priestly sacrifice offers the blood of animals. Jesus’ sacrifice is an offering of his very self. Jesus, who is without sin, makes, therefore, the ultimate and perfect sacrifice. The Jewish atonement offering is a recurring event; there is no final resolution to the conundrum of sin and repentance. Christ, however, being the pure and spotless perfect sacrifice, having direct access to God, cuts the Gordian knot of sin and grace and completely purifies the sinner.

Jesus was a man on a mission, a mission that would cost him significant bodily pain and emotional hardship. Jesus played the role of a high priest, a person who had the job of performing temple sacrifices to bring people forgiveness of their sins. However, unlike an earthly high priest, Jesus offered his own blood — not the blood of calves and goats. Killed on the cross, the Roman soldiers slaughtered him in an unbelievably humiliating, excruciating, and bloody sacrifice designed to bring us back into a right relationship with God for all time. His death on the cross gives us a place in the saving plan of God for humanity. We become among those sanctified and purified for a life offered in worship to God.

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[1] 15 He shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the curtain, and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. 16 Thus he shall make atonement for the sanctuary, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel, and because of their transgressions, all their sins; and so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which remains with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. (Leviticus 16:15-16)

[2] 9 Then someone who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the Israelites for the water for cleansing. It is a purification offering….17 For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt purification offering, and running water shall be added in a vessel; 18 then a clean person shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the furnishings, on the persons who were there, and on whoever touched the bone, the slain, the corpse, or the grave. 19 The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean ones on the third day and on the seventh day, thus purifying them on the seventh day. Then they shall wash their clothes and bathe themselves in water, and at evening they shall be clean.  (Numbers 19:9, 17-19)

[3] Buchsel (TDNT, Volume 4, 339)

[4] Barth Church Dogmatics IV.1 [59.2], 277.