Hebrews 9:1-28

The New Covenant and the Sacrifice of Christ

Hebrews 9:1 to Hebrews 10:39. The writer now proceeds to elaborate in greater detail the contrast between the old covenant and the new. The old covenant had its tabernacle with furniture and elaborate ceremonial and continual series of sacrifices, culminating in the annual visit of the high priest to the inner chamber of the tabernacle with sacrificial blood. But these very ceremonies implied the impossibility of communion with God, and were unable to make the worshipper 'perfect,' i.e. fit to participate in the mysteries (Hebrews 9:1). But now, what these mere animal sacrifices, the ineffectiveness of which was signified by the necessity of their repetition, failed to do, Jesus accomplished when He entered the heavenly tabernacle with His own blood, i.e. when He presented Himself in the presence of God after His crucifixion, having obtained eternal redemption. As Mediator of a new covenant He does this by His death. For a covenant, or will, only comes into effect through the death of the testator. Similarly, the new covenant becomes valid through the death of Christ, which, being a voluntary surrender of His life, as a free act of His Spirit, is of real value in the sight of God (Hebrews 9:11). It is enough for such a sacrifice to be offered once for all (Hebrews 9:23). Thus over against the failure of the old, proved by the necessity of repetition, is the success of the new. This is illustrated by a passage from Psalms 40, which shows that the essence of sacrifice is obedience to the will of God (Hebrews 10:1). On the ground of the cleansing thus accomplished by Christ follow exhortations (Hebrews 10:19), admonitions (Hebrews 10:26), and encouragements (Hebrews 10:32).

1-10. The Tabernacle Ministry.