Hebrewschapter 9

A.The First Tent and Its Unfinished Workvv. 1-10

1 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. 6 When everything had been prepared in this way, the priests entered regularly into the first room to perform their sacred duties. 7 But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 By this arrangement the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.

B.Better Blood: A Conscience Made Cleanvv. 11-14

11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!

C.A Testament Takes Force Only by Deathvv. 15-22

15 Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to establish the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will does not take effect until the one who made it has died; it cannot be executed while he is still alive. 18 That is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 For when Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with blood the tabernacle and all the vessels used in worship. 22 According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

D.Once for All — and Once Again to Appearvv. 23-28

23 So it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God. 25 Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

The old sanctuary is walked through room by room, candlestick, table and showbread; behind the second veil the ark, the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat, entered once a year 'not without blood.' But Christ came as high priest of the good things to come, entering once for all 'through his own blood… having obtained eternal redemption' (9:12), for 'apart from shedding of blood there is no remission' (9:22).

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Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Epistle · Unknown — Hebrews overview

A. 1–10 The First Tent and Its Unfinished Work
B. 11–14 Better Blood: A Conscience Made Clean
C. 15–22 A Testament Takes Force Only by Death
D. 23–28 Once for All — and Once Again to Appear

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Hebrews 97 verses
- Hebrews 9:7But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
- Hebrews 9:10They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.
- Hebrews 9:11But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation.
- Hebrews 9:12He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.
- Hebrews 9:14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
- Hebrews 9:15Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
- Read Hebrews 9: 1 more there →
1 Peter 13 verses
- 1 Peter 1:18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,
- 1 Peter 1:19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.
- 1 Peter 1:20He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
- Read 1 Peter 1 →
Leviticus 163 verses
- Leviticus 16:2And the LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to enter freely into the Most Holy Place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.
- Leviticus 16:14And he is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the east side of the mercy seat; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the mercy seat.
- Leviticus 16:34This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement once a year for the Israelites because of all their sins.” And all this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Read Leviticus 16 →
Exodus 243 verses
- Exodus 24:3When Moses came and told the people all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all responded with one voice: “All the words that the LORD has spoken, we will do.”
- Exodus 24:5Then he sent out some young men of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.
- Exodus 24:8So Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
- Read Exodus 24 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Hebrews 102 verses
- Hebrews 10:4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
- Hebrews 10:22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
- Read Hebrews 10 →
Exodus 402 verses
- Exodus 40:3Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil.
- Exodus 40:4Then bring in the table and set out its arrangement; bring in the lampstand as well, and set up its lamps.
- Read Exodus 40 →
2 Corinthians 52 verses
- 2 Corinthians 5:1Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
- Read 2 Corinthians 5 →
Numbers 192 verses
- Numbers 19:2“This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded: Instruct the Israelites to bring you an unblemished red heifer that has no defect and has never been placed under a yoke.
- Numbers 19:18Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle the tent, all the furnishings, and the people who were there. He is also to sprinkle the one who touched a bone, a grave, or a person who has died or been slain.
- Read Numbers 19 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.