The theme of Hebrews 9:24-28 is the new heavenly ministry of Christ, in heaven the presence of God, offering Himself only once. This ministry is a contrast to the old way of earthly ministry in 8:1-6 in which priests made offerings. The purpose of 8:1-9:28 is to show that Jesus is superior to old covenant worship. At this point in the sermon-letter, the author is in the thick of his argument about the relationship of Christ’s work to Israel’s sacrificial system. These verses reiterate several key features that make Christ’s priesthood superior to all others by describing his past, present, and future activity as the mediator of the author and his audience.
The author began a comparison between Christ and other high priests several chapters previous at the conclusion of chapter 4 (vv. 14-16). By chapter 9, he has shown that they are all called by God (5:4-6), yet they were called to two different priestly orders. God called Jesus to the order of Melchizedek, and God called all other priests to the order of Levi. From these two different orders, critical differences spring. These critical differences lead to the realization of two different covenants, an old and a new (8:6, 13).
In chapter 9, the author turns his attention to the sacred spaces of the two covenants. He describes the articles present in the first tent (vv. 2-5), the activity that takes place in the inner tent once a year (vv. 6-7), and the results of the activities that take place in that tent (vv. 9-10). In contrast, Christ serves in a different tent with his own blood with different results (vv. 11-14). Because of this, he is mediator of the new covenant, which, like the first covenant, he ratified with blood (vv. 15-18).
This leads into another comparison where the author recounts the events of Exodus 24. There, Moses proclaimed God’s covenant to the people of Israel, and upon their verbal agreement to it, sealed the covenant by sprinkling blood on the people. The author of Hebrews moves past this event to remind readers that the sprinkling of blood continued when the tent was erected and the vessels of service were created (v. 21). For him, this shows the importance of blood — that it nearly results in the forgiveness of sins by itself (v. 22).
Therefore, it makes sense in this view of the world that if the earthly tent and implements were cleansed with the blood of animals, the heavenly correspondents should also be cleansed with sacrifices, albeit better ones (v. 23). It certainly seems problematic that things in heaven would need cleansing. Although the problems with this verse are not avoidable, it might be helpful to think of the “things” mentioned here as including the people. Just as the people who made a covenant with God on earth became clean with blood, so, too, the people who now reside on his heavenly mountain and make a covenant with God are also cleansed with blood (12:22, 24). The necessity of this heavenly cleansing provides the motivation for the author’s retelling of Jesus’ priestly act in the heavenly tabernacle.
24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands (repeating 9:11), a mere copy or antitype of the true one. The author shows a concern with God as a builder or constructor (Hebrews 1:2; 2:10; 3:4; 11:10, 16), and this could fit with that emphasis. Rather, he entered into heaven itself, which contained the pattern God showed Moses (Hebrews 8:5). This is one of the strongest examples of the Platonic influences upon the author. The true form resides in heaven, and that which exists on earth is only the copy. 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. Christ transcends the realm of the earthly to enter the heavenly realm in the role of a true high priest. In this heavenly place, Christ now appears in the presence of God on our behalf. The author could be drawing a contrast between the outer tent, which he earlier referred to as agia (v. 2), and the very presence of God. Christ proceeded past the outer tent (agia, v. 24) unto God’s very face. This is an allusion to Christ’s role as an eternal intercessor (7:25). We might want to consider the implication of this passage for the notion of the holiness of place. The Messiah has appeared. Israel has rejected him. Yet, God has shown him to be the savior, the holy mountain, city or land, which no one can locate on a map. Prophecy now finds its fulfillment in Christ. The holiness of God is Jesus of Nazareth. Christ is present in the world in a form in which he is also from heaven and the throne of God. He is present in a way that calls people to faith in God by the Word and Spirit. In Christ are Sinai, Zion, Bethel, and Jerusalem.[1]
The author will now offer key differences between Christ and Jewish high priests. As early as 2:17, the author describes Christ as a high priest, and he reiterates this characterization frequently throughout the book (e.g., 3:1; 4:14−5:10; 6:20; 7:26-28). While he does not use the term “high priest” (ἀρχιερεὺς) in this passage, the imagery of a priest and priestly duties is difficult to miss. While he envisions Christ as serving a priestly role, the author is careful to be clear that the duties of this priesthood are markedly different from those of the temple priests. He may envision the relationship like the Platonic notion of forms where one would see Christ’s sacrifice as the form that all other cultic sacrifices can only attempt to emulate. First, Christ’s offering is singular, whereas the offering of the other high priests takes place on a yearly basis. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again (πολλάκις), as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then, offering a reductio ad absurdum argument, he would have had to suffer again and again (πολλάκις) since the foundation of the world. The notion of trapping Christ in a constant cycle of suffering should make us see the absurdity of it. The offering/suffering of Christ takes place as the culmination of the ages. The connection between Christ and the foundation of the world appears across an impressively diverse swath of New Testament texts: John 17:24, Ephesians 1:4, 1 Peter 1:20 and Revelation 13:8, among others. The pervasiveness of this connection suggests that Hebrews may draw upon a common tradition that upheld the preexistence of Christ. Second, Christ offers himself, whereas the other priests bring in the blood of another. However, as it is, he has appeared once (ἅπαξ) for all at the end of the age to remove sin, as Jeremiah 31:34 (Hebrews 8:12) prophesied the forgiveness of sin, by the sacrifice of himself. Thus, the author is bringing the apocalyptic emphasis of early Christianity into his teaching. The action of God in Christ is a sign of the last days. The repeated sacrifice contrasts with the once for all character sacrifice of Christ. 27 Further, just as God appointed for mortals to die once (ἅπαξ) (Hebrews 3:4; 6:16; 7:7), a notion grounded in the creation account (Genesis 3:19). Rejecting any notion of reincarnation, the author argues that Christ’s offering is similarly unique. The author also stresses the humanity of Christ, even in a passage that emphasizes the pre-existence of Christ. After that the judgment, showing that death is not itself judgment. Further, judgment will come at some point after death, which, if one does not pass, will be the “second death.”[2] 28 In a similar fashion, Christ, whom God has offered(προσενεχθεὶς) once (ἅπαξ) to bear (ἀνενεγκεῖν) the sins of many, or all, including the sins of the author and his audience (9:14), in addition to those of the earlier generations (v. 15), will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. The shared root between “offered” and “bear” may serve to highlight the close relationship between Christ’s dual role as both high priest and sacrificial victim. Isaiah 53:12 says the suffering servant dies among sinners while bearing the sins of “many,” clearly meaning “all,” and intercedes in prayer for the transgressors. The Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for many, clearly meaning all (Mark 10:45). The obedience of one man, Jesus, will make “the many” righteous, clearly meaning all (Romans 5:18-19). This is another instance of a consistent theological and Christological approach to the offering of Christ. It was an act of Christ orchestrated by God (Hebrews 2:10; 10:5-10). The Son offers himself for the reconciliation of the world. In this passage, we can speak of the saving work of Christ only as Christ offered himself as the high priest who makes atonement for the sins of the people. Such statements anticipate the actual process of setting aside the sins of humanity. True, the author stresses the definitiveness of the sacrificial death of Jesus in verse 26, but also the ongoing intercession of the risen Lord before God in verse 24. The reconciling office of Christ extends beyond the crucifixion.[3] Thus, having sketched out Christ’s work in the past (the offering of himself) and the present (his appearance before the face of God on people’s behalf), this chapter closes with this letter’s sole reference to the second coming of Christ. In this future work, Christ will appear to those who eagerly await him bringing salvation. Salvation is what the audience is looking forward to as their inheritance from God (1:14). The return of Christ will reap the benefit of work already accomplished.
For this letter’s recipients, these verses make clear the benefits of aligning themselves with this Priest. Only Christ presented an offering that can remove their sins. Only he intercedes for them before God’s very face. Finally, only he will appear again, having defeated death (2:14), to bring their long-awaited salvation. Of course, the death of Christ bears a direct relationship to sin and final salvation.
For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, (Romans 8:3)
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (II Corinthians 5:21)
20 so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, 21 who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets. (Acts 3:20-21)
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. (Philippians 3:20-21)
I charge you 14 to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, (I Timothy 6:13-14)
Of course, the whole business of temple sacrifices is extremely far from our lives. In fact, if the preacher of Hebrews were writing today to us who do not have a Jewish background, he would certainly use some other metaphor. As it is, we need to start where he did.
From the time of Moses onward, Israel had observed a special ritual once a year called Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement. While people were to repent and offer sacrifices for their personal sins individually throughout the year, the Day of Atonement was a special time of repentance when the whole community sought to return to a right relationship with God. In the wilderness, the centerpiece of Israel’s worship was the tabernacle, a portable worship center. Later, when the Israelites established themselves in Canaan, they replaced the tabernacle by the temple, but both structures had their basis on the same layout. At the very center of these structures were two rooms, separated by a curtain. They called the first of these rooms the Holy Place, and the Law allowed only the priests in there to perform certain religious duties.
The second room, which one could enter only through the first, was the Holy of Holies. It contained the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the very presence of God. Only the high priest was permitted in there, and he only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to seek the clearing away of the people’s sins.
However, because the high priest himself was not sinless, he first had to go through a complex ritual where he offered a blood sacrifice of a bull for his own sins and the sins of the priesthood. Then he could finally offer the sacrifice of a goat for the transgressions of the people as a whole.
All that ritual, along with other observances and the keeping of the Mosaic Law, the people of God understood to be the way that Israel were to live by the covenant God had made with the people. As Jews understood it that was how they pleased God.
Notice the concern they had for sin and its remedy in forgiveness. This message is not for people, and it is quite possible they are in the majority, who believe that they can be good without God, or, at the very least, that God has never had a serious quarrel with them. If we do not have a self-awareness of the serious nature of our sin, this passage will be difficult to discover a connection. We may not think of sin in the same way as the ancients did. Yet, we know shame, guilt, and the need to give and receive forgiveness. We know the destructive power of resentment.
Martin Luther wrote in a letter to his colleague Philip Melanchthon in the 16th century. That comment is “Be a sinner and sin boldly.” People usually quote it out of context. It has not helped the reputation of Luther with some non-Lutherans. It led some to suggest he was more a child of Satan than of God. The full sentence Luther wrote is, “Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly, for he is victorious over sin, death and the world.” We can see the tendency of Luther to use strong hyperbole to make his points. In this case, the point Luther is making has nothing to do with the idea of going out and committing multiple amounts of gleeful sin every day. Some readers might like it and even wish Luther meant it that way! Rather, as believers, we rejoice in Christ even more boldly, despite the sin in our lives. God continues to take sin seriously. The remedy for sin, the death of Christ, will not allow our sin to overwhelm us. We rightly agonize over our sin. Yet, our sin rests upon Christ. No matter what we have done, the grace of Christ is greater. God sees us in the light of Christ.
I would also like us to consider the notion of sacrifice and the holiness of place from a unique perspective. Jesus came to show us what the fullness of love like in action. It looks like healing people who are hurt. It looks like feeding hungry people. It looks like loving shunned people. It looks like defending the overwhelmed. It looks like friends sharing food together. It looks like grieving over the loss of a friend. It looks like conversation over a cool drink on a hot day. It looks like helping the lost find their way.
Maybe sacrifice and holiness of place are on a bloody hill outside Jerusalem in 30 AD. Yes, he died due to the sin of Jewish and Roman leadership, as they shamefully executed an innocent man. Yet, Jesus, as the Son of God, suffered for you and for me. He experienced rejection and separation from other human beings, but more importantly, from God, for the sake of you and I.[4] He was the only human being who could legitimately say, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” None of us is separate from the love of God, regardless of how we might feel. Christ died for us.
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