Art Toombs Ministries
Online Bible Commentary
The Superiority of Christ’s Sacrifice
Hebrews 9:11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (NKJV)
The early Eastern Church (Dionysius and Clement, both of Alexandria), from the very beginning, claimed the apostle Paul was the writer of Hebrews. The Western Church later agreed.
Luke translated the letter to the Hebrews into Greek, according to Clement in the second century. Luke was with Paul during his second Roman imprisonment and was his amanuensis during Paul’s final days (2 Timothy 4:11).
It is logical to assume that Luke was also Paul’s amanuensis for this letter. My conclusion is that this was Paul’s last writing, written in late 67-early 68 A.D.
In the first section of the book of Hebrews, through 10:18, Paul is continually proclaiming the superiority of Christianity to Judaism, the New Covenant to the Old Covenant. He is encouraging the Hebrews to whom he is writing to hold fast to Christianity and not to return to Judaism.
Paul is proclaiming that all things of Christ are superior to all things of Judaism. In this chapter, he is proclaiming that the sacrifice of Christ is superior to the sacrifice of Judaism.
Paul begins by comparing Christ to the Jewish high priest. He writes “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come” (v. 11a).
The Greek word used here is from the verb “ginomai” which means “to come”, not “already here” as in some translations, like the NIV. The phrase “good things to come”, points to the future rule of Christ and eternal security for the believer. Paul continues by writing “with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation” (v. 11b). The “greater and more perfect tabernacle” refers to the sanctuary of Christ in comparison to the sanctuary of the earthly high priest, the tabernacle.
The sanctuary of Christ is far superior. It is Heaven itself. It is not man-made like the tabernacle. It is not a part of this creation.
Next, Paul writes “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place” (v. 12a), Christ, the high priest did not enter the “Most Holy Place”, the Holy of Holies, “with the blood of goats and calves” like the earthly high priest.
The phrase “with the blood of goats and calves” is a figure of speech called a “meiosis”. It is defined as the be-littleing of one thing in order to magnify another.
In this case it is a be-littleing of the animal sacrificial system in order to magnify the much superior sacrifice of Christ. Animal sacrifice obtained only a ritual cleansing to allow the people to worship God.
Paul continues with “once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (v. 12b). Christ’s sacrifice did not need to be constantly repeated. His sacrifice was “once for all” who believe in Him. His sacrifice obtained eternal redemption for all Christians.
Paul writes “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh” (v. 13). Verse thirteen describes a method in which animal sacrifice would provide “ceremonially” cleansing.
Under the law, if an Israelite touched a dead body he was ceremonially unclean. The remedy was to mix the ashes of a red heifer with spring water and to sprinkle that mixture on the unclean person on the third and seventh day after. This would ceremonially cleanse the person.
Paul continues with “how much more shall the blood of Christ” (v. 14a). If this ceremonial cleansing was deemed effective in cleansing, how much more, then, will the blood of Christ cleanse us.
Paul continues “who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God” (v. 14b). Christ “through the eternal Spirit” (the Holy Spirit) offered himself unblemished to God. He was unblemished, sinless, the perfect sacrifice. Paul completes this verse with “cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (v. 14c). Christ cleansed our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God.
Christ’s sacrifice was superior because it had the power of cleansing our consciences and saving us from spiritual death, eternal separation from God. We are saved so that we may serve God.
Next, Paul writes “And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant” (v. 15a). Because of this Christ is the mediator of a new covenant. The New Covenant based on the blood of Christ replaced, and is far superior to, the Old Covenant based on animal sacrifice.
Paul concludes this passage with “by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (v. 15b). “Those who are called” (Christians) will receive eternal life with Christ.
Christ died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed “under the first covenant”. The first covenant, the law, defines sin but has no power over sin. The grace of Christ has replaced the punishment for sin dictated by the law.
This passage establishes the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice to the animal sacrificial system. His sacrifice paid the penalty for our sin.
We Christians are the redeemed in Christ, the chosen ones. He chose us, meaning that He had foreknowledge that we would accept His call.
As such, Christians are assured of eternal life with Christ. We need never worry about our future. Our future is with Him.
We are just passing through this life. Nothing of this life will stick. So why worry.