Hebrews 9:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing

NIV: The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning.

NASB: The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing,

CSB: The Holy Spirit was making it clear that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle was still standing.

NLT: By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.

KJV: The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

NKJV: the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.

Prior verses explained how the old covenant included two rooms, one inside the other, within the temple. The first curtain designated a line which only the priests could cross. Inside that same room was another curtain, walling off an area where only the high priest could go, and only once per year, and only when bearing the proper sacrifice.

As explained here, this was meant to symbolize an inherent weakness of the old covenant. The writer of Hebrews has been careful to point out that the old covenant is not "wrong," it is merely "imperfect" (Hebrews 7:11; 8:7). More to the point, this letter has gone to great lengths to show how this new covenant, through Jesus Christ, has always been God's ultimate plan. The two-room arrangement described in this passage is part of the symbolism God intended with the old covenant. In that arrangement, man is separated from God, and the rituals of the priesthood can only temporarily satisfy the requirements of God's justice.

This symbolism is key to a unique event during the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. According to Matthew 27:50–51, when Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was complete, the curtain separating God and men was torn—from top to bottom. At that point, both symbolically and literally, there was no longer a barrier separating the Creator from His creation.

However, just because the barrier has been removed by God does not mean man is incapable of creating one of his own, acting as if that barrier still exists. As the writer of Hebrews points out, those who still try to seek God under the old covenant are denying themselves the benefit of the new covenant, which includes access to "the holy places."

Hebrews 9:1–10 explains how the rooms and artifacts of the temple were only meant as symbols. In fact, those items were specifically intended to show how the old covenant could not remove the barrier between God and man. The use of external rituals can only assuage feelings of guilt, it cannot actually remove sin or change a person's nature. The existence of the curtains, separating men from the holy places, is also symbolic of how the old covenant leaves us apart from God. This sets up a comparison, in the following passage, showing how Christ's sacrifice fulfills those symbols and achieves a perfection of our relationship with God.

Hebrews chapter 9 explains how the old covenant included various physical locations and physical rituals. These, according to the writer of Hebrews, were always intended as symbols. Their details, and the drawbacks which they suffered from, were meant to point towards the ''true'' means of our redemption, which is Christ. Unlike animal sacrifices, which must be repeated, and which cannot change man on the inside, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is a once for all, permanent, and completely effective solution to sin. The fact that Christ died for sin only once also means that His next arrival, in the future, will not be as a sacrifice, but as the final fulfillment of God's plan.

Chapter 9 continues the writer's explanation of the superiority of Christ. In chapter 8, this focused on the idea that God had promised a new covenant, even as the old covenant was still in effect. This not only means that the new covenant must be different, but that the old covenant must be flawed. Here in chapter 9, the writer focuses on the fact that the old covenant featured aspects which were meant only as symbols of the ''true'' high priesthood of Christ. Since Christ's sacrifice is more powerful, and performed in a better place, it is more effective in securing our salvation than the sacrifices of animals. Chapter 10 will continue this discussion by wrapping up these various ideas about the superiority of the new covenant.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.