Hebrews 9:11

It ought to be observed that the priest uses certain clothes while he is in the ministry of sacrifices and other clothes when he goes out to the people. Paul, the wisest of the high priests and the most knowledgeable of the priests, used to do this. When he was in the assembly of the perfect or, as it were, placed in the "Holy of Holies," having put on the robe of perfection, he used to say, "Among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God.… None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." But nevertheless, after all these things, "going out to the people," he changes his robe and puts on another one, greatly inferior to that one. And what does he say? "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." You see, therefore, how this most learned priest, when he is among the perfect ones as in "the Holy of Holies," uses one robe of doctrine. But when "he goes out" to those who are not capable, he changes the robe of the word and teaches lesser things. And he gives to some "milk" to drink as "children," to others he gives "solid food," of course, for those who, insofar as they are able, "have their faculties trained to distinguish good from evil." Thus, Paul knew how to change robes and to use one with the people, another in the ministry of the sanctuary.But the high priest of high priests, and the priest of priests, is our Lord and Savior, about whom the apostle said, "He is a high priest of the good things that have come." Hear how first he did these things and so left them for his disciples to imitate. The Gospel refers to this, saying, "In parables he spoke to the crowds, and without parables he did not speak to them. […]

Concerning Christ it is written, "He was to us the first-fruits of the good things which are to come," and Christ the first-fruits hath an affinity with us, and with the good things which are to come unto us, for He became man, and with …

All these things, as I have said, were performed according to rules by infirm priests up to the time when God made a correction. From that time "Christ" came "as a high priest" not of sacrifices but of "good things." And he entered "the tent"—not …

Here he referred to human nature, which Christ the Lord assumed. It was not made in accordance with the law of marriage: the all-holy Spirit was responsible for the tabernacle.

And then when explaining the second Tabernacle he speaks thus: But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through …

In order that, having again drawn back the veil of the word, we may with unveiled face behold the festival of the divine Passover, appealing thus to Jesus: Where wilt thou that we prepare to eat the Passover with thee? On receiving his reply that …

Wherefore the Apostle Paul says that Christ having come as high priest of the heavens, entered into the higher place with his own blood, just as the earthly high priest entered into the inner tabernacle with the blood of others; and just as the Tabernacle …

"But Christ being come an High Priest of good things that are come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands." Here he means the flesh. And well did he say, "greater and more perfect," since God The Word and all the power of The Spirit dwells therein; "For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him." And "more perfect," as being both unblamable, and setting right greater things. "That is, not of this creation." See how it was "greater." For it would not have been "of the Spirit", if man had constructed it. Nor yet is it "of this creation"; that is, not of these created things, but spiritual, of the Holy Ghost. Seest thou how he calls the body tabernacle and veil and heaven. "By a greater and more perfect tabernacle. Through the veil, that is, His flesh." And again, "into that within the veil." And again, "entering into the Holy of Holies, to appear before the face of God." Why then doth he this? According as one thing or a different one is signified. I mean for instance, the Heaven is a veil, for as a veil it walls off the Holy of Holies; the flesh is a veil hiding the Godhead; and the tabernacle likewise holding the Godhead. Again, Heaven is a tabernacle: for the Priest is there within. "But Christ" (he says) "being come an High Priest": he did not say, "become," but "being come," that is, having come for this very purpose, not having been successor to another. He did not come first and then become High Priest, but came and became at the same time. And he did not say "being come an High Priest" of things which are sacrificed, but "of good things that are come," as if his discourse had not power to put the whole before us.

For we now affirm: This is lawful to the Lord alone: may the power of His indulgence be operative at the present day! At those times, however, in which He lived on earth we lay this down definitively, that it is no prejudgment against us if pardon used to be conferred on sinners-even Jewish ones. For Christian discipline dates from the renewing of the Testament, and (as we have premised) from the redemption of flesh-that is, the Lord's passion.

The Old Testament worship, he says, did not lead to heaven. But Christ, "having come," entered once into the Holy Place, for that is where the thought is directed. He did not say "having become" a high priest, but "a High Priest... having come," that …

435. – Having shown the signification of things pertaining to the Old Testament and the first tabernacle, the Apostle now describes the condition of things pertaining to the second tabernacle, which represented the New Testament. Here he does two things: first, he sets forth that …

"The Jews said, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?' " They answered as they understood. But lest we too should perceive our Lord's spiritual word in a carnal way, the Evangelist subsequently explained …

The Old Testament set forth in shadows what was to come; the New Testament is the accomplishment of the Old. (2.) All the good things yet to come and to be enjoyed in a gospel state, when the promises and prophecies made to the gospel church in the latter days shall be accomplished; all these depend upon Christ and his priesthood, and shall be fulfilled.

But Christ being come an high priest,....

The Holy Ghost further signified and showed what was the efficacy of the blood of the Old-Testament sacrifices, and thence is inferred the much greater efficacy of the blood of Christ.

Just as on the day of atonement, no work was done, no sacrifice was offered, or priest was allowed to be in the tabernacle while the high priest went into the holiest place to make atonement (Le 16:17, 29).

But Christ being come a high priest of good things - I think this and the succeeding verses not happily translated: indeed, the division of them has led to a wrong translation; therefore they must be taken together, thus: But the Christ, the high priest of those good things (or services) which were to come, through a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of the same workmanship, entered once for all into the sanctuary; having obtained eternal redemption for us, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, Heb 9:13. For if the blood of Goats, and bulls, and calves, and a heifer’s ashes, sprinkled on the unclean, sanctifieth to the cleansing of the flesh, (Heb 9:14), how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your consciences from dead works, in order to worship (or that ye may worship) the living God? In the above translation I have added, in Heb 9:13, τραγων, of goats, on the authority of ABDE, three others, the Syriac, the Arabic of Erpen, Coptic, Vulgate, two copies of the Itala, and Theodoret. And I have rendered εις το λατρευειν, (Heb 9:14), In Order to worship, or That Ye May worship; for this is the meaning of these particles εις το in many parts of the New Testament. I shall now make a few observations on some of the principal expressions. High priest of good things - Or services, to come, των μελλοντων αγαθων. He is the High Priest of Christianity; he officiates in the behalf of all mankind; for by him are all the prayers, praises, and services of mankind offered to God; and he ever appears in the presence of God for us. A greater and more perfect tabernacle - This appears to mean our Lord’s human nature. […]