Hebrews 9:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

That is, although this existed, the Jews did not partake of it, because they did not see it. Therefore it was not so much for them as for those for whom it served as a type.

Although this existed, he says, the Jews did not partake of it, because the veil held them back. It was preserved for us, for whom it was a type.

Look at the types appointed beforehand in the Old Testament, lest anyone should say, "How could the single sacrifice of Christ be sufficient?" The Apostle shows that this was ordained from above.

For there also, in ancient times, there was only one most holy and most fearful sacrifice each year, with the shedding of one blood. This served as a type of the blood of Christ, who was also the High Priest.

Likewise, the whole year gives a hidden indication of this entire earthly life.

"Which he offers for himself and for the ignorances of the people." He offers "for himself" because he too is beset with weakness.

Above the ark there was something like a four-cornered table, which was called the golden mercy seat. It symbolized Christ, who is called our propitiation (1 Jn 2:2) and redemption (1 Cor 1:30).

In the relevant passages of Exodus it is said that the high priest entered the Holy of Holies twice a day to offer incense.

For it is written: "Aaron shall burn on it," that is, on the golden censer that was in the Holy of Holies, "fragrant incense. Every morning, when he prepares the lamps, he shall burn it.

"And when Aaron lights the lamps in the evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense" (Ex 30:7-8).

How, then, does holy Paul say here that only the high priest entered once a year? To this we shall say that once a year the high priest entered with blood.

The Apostle figuratively lifts the same veil when he clearly explains to the Hebrews, and fittingly according to the custom of allegorical understanding, why the priests always entered the first tabernacle to perform divine service.

Into the second, however, only the high priest entered, once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins of ignorance of the people.

This veil is interpreted as heaven (Heb 9:24). By the high priest who once a year enters the Holy of Holies with sacrificial blood, the Apostle here means the High Priest Himself, to whom it was said: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Heb 7:21).

He is the One who was once offered for our sins. He Himself is both priest and sacrifice. By His own blood He ascended into heaven itself, "now to appear in the presence of God for us" (Heb 9:24).

The very structure of the tabernacle, and the priestly rites performed in it, were meant to suggest both their insufficiency and their temporary significance (Heb 9:1-7).

When describing the tabernacle, to what does the Apostle chiefly direct attention? He points to the inaccessibility of the Holy of Holies, not only for the people, but even for the priests in the human or earthly sanctuary, as the Apostle calls it.

That is, it had significance only for temporal and earthly life. Only the great high priest could pass beyond the veil that concealed the Holy of Holies.

Yet even he did so only once a year, with great fear and trembling, and not without blood, "which he offered for himself and for the ignorances of the people" (Heb 9:7).

He is properly seeking to indicate the typical and shadow-like character of the divine service performed in the tabernacle.

With this aim in view, he first sets forth the limited rights enjoyed by the Old Testament ministers in performing divine service.

The priests could not enter the Holy of Holies at all, while the high priest was permitted to do this only once a year.

By this very fact, according to the Apostle, the divinely inspired Scripture clearly indicated that the way to true holiness, to the throne of God, had not yet been opened to men while the front part of the tabernacle still stood (vv. 6-8; cf. είσοδος των άγιων in Heb 10:19 ff.).