Hebrews 9:11

{6} But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, {7} by a {h} greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (6) Now he enters into the declaration of the types, and first of all comparing the Levitical high priest with Christ, (that is to say, the figure with the thing itself) he attributes to Christ the administration of good things to come, that is, everlasting, which those carnal things had respect to. (7) Another comparison of the first corrupt tabernacle with the latter, (that is to say, with the human nature of Christ) which is the true incorruptible temple of God, into which the Son of God entered, as the Levitical high priests into the other which was frail and transitory. (h) By a more excellent and better.

The time of reformation introduces a higher sanctuary, a better offering, a more radical salvation. Having come (παραγενόμενος) Having appeared in the world. Only here in Hebrews, and only once in Paul. 1 Corinthians 16:3. Most frequent in Luke and Acts. Of good things to come (τῶν γενομένων ἀγαθῶν) According to this reading the A.V. is wrong. It should be "of the good things realized," or that have come to pass. The A.V. follows the reading μελλόντων about to be. So Tischendorf and Rev. T. Weiss with Westcott and Hort read γενομένων. Blessings not merely prophetic or objects of hope, but actually attained; free approach to God, the better covenant, personal communion with God, the purging of the conscience. Through a greater and more perfect tabernacle (διὰ) The preposition is instrumental. Comp. Hebrews 9:12. Const. with ἀρχιερεὺς high priest, and as qualifying it. "A high priest with a greater and more perfect tabernacle." It has been shown that the new high priest must have a sanctuary and an offering (Hebrews 8:2-8). Accordingly, as the Levitical priests were attached to (were priests with) an inferior tabernacle, so Christ appears with a greater and more perfect tabernacle. For this use of διὰ see Romans 2:27; Romans 14:20; 2 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Corinthians 3:11. Note the article with tabernacle, his greater, etc. That is to say not of this building (τοῦτ' ἔστιν οὐ ταύτης τῆς κτίσεως) For building rend. creation.

Hebrews 9:11 . Χριστὸς δὲ παραγενόμενος … “But Christ having arrived a High Priest of the good things that were to be, He, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, nor yet through blood of he-goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered once for all into the Holy of Holies, and obtained eternal redemption.” The main thought of the verse is that Christ has obtained eternal redemption; the δὲ , therefore, which introduces it, refers to the inability of the Levitical gifts and sacrifices to perfect the worshipper. The greater efficiency of Christ’s ministry results from its being exercised in a more perfect tabernacle and with a truer sacrifice. παραγενόμενος , scarcely, as Vulg. “assistens” rather “having arrived,” as in Matthew 2:1 ; Matthew 3:1 ; Matthew 3:13 ; and frequently in Luke and Acts. Cf. Isaiah 62:11 . Ἰδού σοι ὁ σωτὴρ παραγίνεται … Here it is in fulfilment of the expectation aroused by μέχρι . ἀρχιερεὺς τῶν μελ . “The genitive gives the subject of the high priestly action. High Priest, concerned about, ministering in, securing and applying by His ministry τὰ πέλλ . ἀγαθά . The genitive here is nearly equivalent to the accusative τὰ μρὸς τὸν Θεόν in Hebrews 2:17 ” (Vaughan). The good things that were to be under the new covenant are specified in Hebrews 8:10-12 ; they surpassed all expectation, however. “The High Priest” of the good things coming, is a notable title.

Possibly it is only equivalent to “High Priest of the new covenant,” the contents being used to stand for the whole dispensation, but more probably the writer has in view the slender benefits obtained by the Levitical High Priest, and contrasts them with the illimitable good mediated by Christ. διὰ τῆς … σκηνῆς … οὐ ταύτης τῆς κτἰσεως . The meaning of διὰ in Hebrews 9:11 favours the understanding of it here not in a local (Weiss, etc.) but an instrumental sense, “by means of”. It was because He was High Priest not in the earthly but the heavenly tabernacle that He was able to secure these great results. No doubt διὰ in a similar connection in Hebrews 4:14 and Hebrews 10:20 is used locally. But this sense is not so applicable here. Christ is represented here as the High Priest ministering in the tabernacle, not passing through it ( Cf. Davidson and Westcott). τῆς μείζονος καὶ τελ . σκηνῆς , the tabernacle greater and more perfect than that which has been described in the preceding verses, and which has itself been mentioned as the scene of Christ’s ministry, Hebrews 8:2 . This tabernacle is “not made with hands” οὐχειροποιήτου , as in Hebrews 9:24 ; equivalent to ἣν ἔπηξεν ὁ Κύριος οὐκ ἄνθρωπος , Hebrews 8:2 . Our Lord characterised the temple as χειροποίητον , Mark 14:58 . Being of human manufacture, Hebrews 8:2 , it could be only a symbolic dwelling for God and a symbolic worship was appropriate.

Hebrews 9:11-12 . But Christ being come — As if he had said, Though the types and legal ceremonies could not make the worshippers perfect, yet Christ, the antitype and truth, can. Here he comes to interpret and show the end of the typical services he had spoke of; a high-priest of good things to come — Described Hebrews 9:15 ; that is, a dispenser of those benefits and advantages which were prefigured by the Mosaic institutions, but could only be obtained for us, and bestowed upon us, by the Messiah. By a greater and more perfect tabernacle — That is, not by the service of the Jewish tabernacle, ( Hebrews 9:23 ,) but by a service performed in a greater and more perfect tabernacle above; not made with hands, that is, not of this building — Namely, the building of this worldly sanctuary, or not making any part of this lower creation. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, &c., did he procure a right to enter and minister in that tabernacle, but by his own blood — By the merit of his death; he entered in once into the holy place above — That is, once for all: not once, or one day every year, as the Jewish high-priest into the holy place of the emblematical tabernacle: having obtained — By his one perfect sacrifice; eternal redemption and salvation for us — Of which all the remissions, and all the benefits procured by the ministration of the Aaronical priesthood, were but very imperfect figures.

Beza, Pierce, and many others, by the greater and more perfect tabernacle, understand our Lord’s human nature. In support of which notion Beza says, that his human nature may as properly be called a tabernacle as his flesh is called a veil, Hebrews 10:24 . “But, not to dispute about the propriety of the figure, it appears an absurdity to say that Christ entered into the holy place through his own human nature, as through a tabernacle. He entered into heaven clothed with his human nature, and not through it, as through a place: for, on that supposition, he did not carry his human nature with him into heaven.” — Macknight.

Hebrews 9:11 . Χριστὸς — ἀρχιερεὺς , Christ—High Priest ) So Leviticus 4:5 , ὁ ἱερεὺς ὁ χριστός , the priest that is anointed . Paul also here has respect to Christ as the Priest, but with Moses χριστὸς , anointed , is an epithet.— παραγενόμενος , being made present, being come ) He then said suddenly, Withdraw, ye sons of Levi , ch. Hebrews 10:5 ; Hebrews 10:7 .— τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν , of good things to come ) So ch. Hebrews 10:1 . Those good things are described at the end of Hebrews 9:15 .— διὰ , by ) Construed with εἰσῆλθεν , entered , Hebrews 9:12 .— μείζονος ) which was greater and more noble. So, πλείονα , a more excellent , ch. Hebrews 11:4 .— σκηνῆς , tabernacle ) That was His own Body, ch. Hebrews 10:5 ; Hebrews 10:20 ; comp. John 2:21 . His body is opposed to the tabernacle, as His blood to the blood of goats, etc., Hebrews 9:12 . Schomerus says correctly, in exig. on this passage, p. 33, the tabernacle is here taken for the way to the inner sanctuary . For the subsequent appellation, κτίσεως , of this institution or building , proves an abstract notion of that sort; so that, not the Tabernacle itself is denoted, but the building or institution, die Anstalt ( establishment or arrangement ). Therefore the Body , or Flesh (for flesh is inseparable from the body), is the veil, and the sanctuary is Heaven. Thus, as I hope, the matter is distinctly explained.— οὐ χειροποιήτου , not made with hands ) Therefore this was greater, Hebrews 9:24 .

11–14 . Assurance of Conscience, the condition of access to God, was secured through Christ alone 11 . being come ] “Being come among us.” a high priest of good things to come ] Another and perhaps better reading is “of the good things that have come” ( γενομένων B, D, not μελλόντων ). The writer here transfers himself from the Jewish to the Christian standpoint. The “good things” of which the Law was only “the shadow” ( Hebrews 10:1 ) were still future to the Jew, but to the Christian they had already come. by a greater and more perfect tabernacle ] The preposition dia rendered “by” may mean either “ through ”—in which case “the greater and better tabernacle” means the outer heavens through which Christ (anthropomorphically speaking) passed (see Hebrews 9:24 and Hebrews 4:14 ); or “ by means of ”—in which case “the better tabernacle” is left undefined, and may here mean either the human nature in which for the time “He tabernacled” ( Hebrews 10:20 ; John 1:14 ; John 2:19 ; Colossians 2:9 ; 2 Corinthians 5:1 ), or as in Hebrews 8:2 , the Ideal Church of the firstborn in heaven (comp. Ephesians 1:3 ). not made with hands ] Because whatever tabernacle is specifically meant it is one which “the Lord pitched, not man.” not of this building ] The word ktisis may mean either” building “or “creation.” If the latter, then the meaning is that the better tabernacle, through which Christ entered, does not belong to the material world.