Hebrews 9 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
First century AD, temple still standing
Location
Written to Jewish believers familiar with temple worship
Audience
Jewish Christians who understand Levitical sacrificial system
Situation
Detailed comparison of earthly tabernacle/temple worship versus Christ's once-for-all sacrifice in the heavenly sanctuary
Key Background
Deep knowledge of Day of Atonement, blood sacrifices, the Most Holy Place, and the old covenant's inability to cleanse conscience
Now even the first had regulations for worship and an earthly
A was up — the first section. In it were the the table, and the out for This section was called the
Behind the second was a section called the Most
It had the golden and the of the completely covered in gold. Inside the were a golden jar holding the that had sprouted, and the of the
Above the chest were the of overshadowing the of But we can't get into the details of all this right now.
With things arranged like this, the regularly went into the first section of the tent to carry out their duties.
But only the went into the second section, and only once a year — and never without which he offered for himself and for the the had
The of was making this clear: the way into the true of had not yet been opened as long as the first section of the tent was still standing.
This is an pointing to the present time. It shows that the gifts and sacrifices being offered could not clear the of the worshiper.
They were only about food, drinks, and various — external regulations that applied until the time when God would
But when The arrived as of the good things that have now come, he went through the greater and more complete — one not made by human hands, meaning not part of this created world.
He didn't enter by means of the blood of goats and calves. Instead, he entered the Most and for all by means of his own blood, securing an for us.
After all, if the blood of goats and bulls and the of a sprinkled on people who were could make them outwardly acceptable again,
how much more will the blood of The — who through the of offered himself to — clear our consciences from the of so we can serve the living
That's why he's the of a new covenant — so that those who are called can receive the promise of a His death was the that set people free from the committed under the first covenant.
In the case of a the death of the person who made it has to be established.
A will only takes effect after a death. It has no power while the person who made it is still alive.
That's why even the first covenant wasn't put into effect without
After Moses had announced every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats along with water, scarlet wool, and a branch of and sprinkled both the itself and all the people.
He said, "This is the blood that the God has commanded you to keep."
In the same way, he sprinkled blood on the and on everything used in worship.
In fact, under the law, nearly everything is through blood. And without blood being poured out, there is no from
So the of heavenly things had to be made acceptable through these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves required far better sacrifices than these.
Because The didn't enter a by — a mere copy of the real thing. He entered heaven itself, and now in on our behalf.
He didn't enter heaven to offer himself over and over, the way the high priest enters the Most every year with blood that isn't his own.
If that were necessary, he would have had to suffer over and over since the foundation of the world. But instead, he has appeared and for all at the of to do with through the sacrifice of himself.
And just as it's the human pattern to die once and after that face
so also The was offered once to the of the of many people. And he will appear a second time — not to deal with failure, but to bring to those who are eagerly waiting for him.