(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
The earthly temple
- So indeed, even the first covenant had both regulations for sacred service and an earthly Holy Place.
- For a tabernacle was constructed, in which the first room had both the lampstand and the table, and also the consecrated bread; that room is called the ‘Holy Place‘
- Then behind the second veil was a tabernacle room, being called the ‘Holy of Holies’,
- having the golden altar of incense and the Ark of the Covenant *covered with gold on all sides, in which was the golden jar holding the manna, and the staff of Aaron which budded, and the tablets of the covenant.
- And above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, about which now isn’t the time to speak in detail.
- And with these things *constructed this way, the priests indeed enter into the first tabernacle room all through the year when performing the sacred services.
- But into the second, only the high priest enters once a year and not without bringing blood, which he offers for himself and the sins of the people committed in ignorance.
- By this, the Holy Spirit is revealing that the way into the Holy of Holies hasn’t yet been made known while the tabernacle’s first room still has standing,
- which is a parable for the *present season in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, though not being able to perfect the conscience of the man ministering.
- It’s only in foods, and drinks, and various washings, and fleshly ordinances until the season of reformation being put into place.
- But the Anointed appeared as high priest of the good things which came through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands. It’s not of this creation,
- nor through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood He entered once for all into the Holy of Holies, having obtained the repurchase price1“repurchase price” is one word in Greek, referring to paying the price needed to release someone from prison or debt, and especially the price paid to free a slave. of ages.
- For if sprinkling the blood of goats, and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer on the men who have been defiled makes them holy for the purification of the flesh,
- how much more will the blood of the Anointed – who through the Spirit of ages offered Himself to God unblemished – purify our conscience from dead works in order to serve the living God?
- And because of this, He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that by His death which happened for a repurchase payment2“repurchase payment” is one word in Greek, typically translated “redemption”. It properly refers to the price paid to “buy back” something that had been lost. from missteps3“missteps”. The Greek word used here doesn’t quite mean “sin”. It’s the word “παράπτωμα” (paraptóma) which is also used in Ephesians 2:1 in the phrase: “dead in your ‘paraptóma’ and sins”. It carries the connotation of a “slip-up” with the strong implication – but not certainty – that it was unintentional. under the first covenant, so the men who have been called might receive the promise of the inheritance of ages.
- For where there’s a covenant, it’s necessary to establish the death of the man who made it.
- For a covenant is upheld after death, since it isn’t ever in force while the man who made it lives.
- Therefore, not even the first covenant was *inaugurated without blood.
- For when every commandment according to the law was spoken by Moses to all the people, then having taken the blood of calves and goats with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, he sprinkled it on both the book itself and all the people,
- saying: “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded for you.”4quotation/allusion to Exodus 24:8
- And he likewise sprinkled the tabernacle, and also all the vessels of the ministry with blood.
- And according to the law, you could almost say that5“you could almost say that” this sense is implied by the single word “almost”. all things are purified by blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
- Therefore, it’s indeed necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves were purified with better sacrifices than those.
- For the Anointed didn’t enter into the Holy Places made by hands (which are copies of the true ones) but into heaven itself; to appear now in the presence of God for our sake.
- And not so He might offer Himself frequently, just as the high priest enters into the Holy of Holies every year with the blood of another.
- Otherwise, it would be necessary for Him to suffer frequently from the foundation of the world. But now, once at the culmination of the ages, He has been revealed for the annulment of sin through His sacrifice.
- And insomuch as it’s appointed to men once to die and after this is judgement,
- so also the Anointed – having been offered once to bear the sins of many – will appear for a second time without sin for salvation to the men eagerly awaiting Him.
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