Hebrews Chapter 9 — The Day of Atonement Surpassed

by J. C. Gibson (Scotland)

Paper 1

The Epistle to the Hebrews was written to Jewish converts who were tempted to go back to the dead and obsolete ritual of the Jewish religion. The writer's main argument of persuasion is the superiority of the Lord Jesus Christ over everything contained in that religious system. This reasoning can be seen in this chapter with such phrases as: ‘a greater and more perfect tabernacle,’ v11, ‘how much more,’ v14 and ‘better sacrifices,’ v23. On occasions many believers are tempted to return to their old way of living before salvation; we must never forget that what we have in Christ is so much better than the best the world has to offer.

Chapter 9 can be divided into two main sections:-

  1. THE CEREMONY, v1-10:
  2. THE CROSS, v11-28.

a) THE CEREMONY, v1-10:

These verses speak about the religious service that took place in the typical tabernacle with a particular emphasis on the Day of Atonement, Lev.16. This special emphasis on the Day of Atonement is alluded to in v3-4 where we read that the position of the golden censer is the holiest of all. Under normal circumstances it was placed in the first tabernacle often called the holy place, Ex.30.1-6. However, on the Day of Atonement it was especially associated with the holiest of all, Lev.16.12-13, as Aaron had to burn incense and in so doing produce a cloud that would cover the mercy seat when he went into God's presence so as not to die. Verse 7 also indicates the Day of Atonement when it speaks of entering the holiest of all, which took place on that day.

We have here a summary of the whole sacrificial system. It was marked by regulation, v1 — ‘ordinances of divine service.’ As a God given religion it was to be obeyed in its smallest detail. It was characterised by:

a) REPETITION, v6 — ‘always.’ Every day the priests went into the first tabernacle, their work never finished. Every year without exception on the Day of Atonement the high priest had to go into the holiest of all, v7. An item of furniture we might at first glance feel is missing from the tabernacle is a chair. But of course there was no place for one because the work was never completed, and so there could be no provision for rest. The painting of the Forth Rail Bridge, in Scotland illustrates this well. Once the team has finished painting the entire structure it is time to start all over again. So the sacrificial system never ceased.

b) RESTRICTION, v7-8. It was not that the ceremony prevented men from coming into the presence of God. Rather, the purpose of its design was to reveal the great distance between men and God and that the way into the holiest of all was barred as a result of their sins. Written over the whole of the Old Testament is the phrase, no entry yet.

b) THE CROSS, v11-28

The Day of Atonement was central to Israel's national religious life but what took place at Calvary is so much better. The shadows must give place to the substance. Although that day appeared so important in its time, this chapter teaches us that it only anticipated Calvary and therefore is no longer necessary.

There are two main considerations in this chapter, the consequences and the characteristics of the cross.

1. ITS CONSEQUENCES:

The Old Testament taught, ‘not yet,’ v8. The veil acted as a barrier into the holiest of all. Through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ access has been achieved, and this barrier has been removed, Matt.27.51. The temple veil was rent from the top, signalling to us that it was the work of God rather than man; otherwise it would have been rent from the bottom. The Old Testament system was laborious, it was ‘imposed on them,’ v10. The Greek word used here is ‘epikeimai’ meaning to lie on, suggesting a burden. It is used literally in Jn.11.38 of the stone lying on the grave of Lazarus, no doubt a hefty weight. Despite the bright colours of the priest's garments and the intricate details to be performed, the whole system, far from being a joy to men's hearts, became a wearisome burden. In Act.15.10 Peter describes it as a yoke which they were unable to bear. This burden was removed at Calvary, Col.2.14. The Old Testament system announced its own demise, for it only continued ‘until,’ v10. Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has come the ceremony is no longer necessary, and Judaism has been rendered obsolete, for He has put a finish to it, Heb.8.13. Built into the whole system was a ‘best before’ date, that date being the cross. When Jehovah gave Moses, at mount Sinai, instructions concerning the sacrifices they were only meant to be for a certain predetermined period of time. The words ‘the time of reformation,’ v10, indicate that wrongs have been put straight. ‘Diorthosis’ is the word used here, meaning to make straight or to set things right. It is used in the Septuagint in Jer.7.3 of Israel amending her ways, and is the word from which we get the medical term orthopaedics. We might well ask ourselves, if the cross put matters straight, what was the purpose of the law? It acted in much the same way as a modern X-ray. It showed up the fact that things were not right but had no power in itself to rectify the situation, just as an X-ray cannot fix or straighten a broken bone.

A more detailed outline of the consequences of the cross will be presented in the next paper (DV).

—to be concluded (D.V.)