Hebrews 9: Through His Own Blood
Unlike priests entering an earthly tabernacle with the blood of animals, Christ entered heaven once for all by his own blood, obtaining eternal redemption.
Hebrews 9 (WEB)
1 Now indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service, and an earthly sanctuary.
2 For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread; which is called the Holy Place.
3 After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,
4 having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;
5 and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, of which things we can’t speak now in detail.
6 Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services,
7 but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself, and for the errors of the people.
8 The Holy Spirit is indicating this, that the way into the Holy Place wasn’t yet revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing;
9 which is a symbol of the present age, where gifts and sacrifices are offered that are incapable, concerning the conscience, of making the worshiper perfect;
10 being only (with meats and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.
11 But Christ having come as a high priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,
12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh:
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
16 For where a last will and testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him who made it.
17 For a will is in force where there has been death, for it is never in force while he who made it lives.
18 Therefore even the first covenant has not been dedicated without blood.
19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.”
21 Moreover he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry in the same way with the blood.
22 According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.
23 It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ hasn’t entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
25 nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place year by year with blood not his own,
26 or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,
28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him for salvation.
Hebrews 9 (KJV)
1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
8 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:
9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to 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, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Hebrews 9 (ASV)
1 Now even the firstcovenanthad ordinances of divine service, and its sanctuary, a sanctuary of this world.
2 For there was a tabernacle prepared, the first, wherein were the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the Holy place.
3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holy of holies;
4 having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
5 and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat; of which things we cannot now speak severally.
6 Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services;
7 but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the errors of the people:
8 the Holy Spirit this signifying, that the way into the holy place hath not yet been made manifest, while the first tabernacle is yet standing;
9 which is a figure for the time present; according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshipper perfect,
10 being only (with meats and drinks and divers washings) carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.
11 But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,
12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh:
14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
16 For where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him that made it.
17 For a testament is of force where there hath been death: for it doth never avail while he that made it liveth.
18 Wherefore even the first covenant hath not been dedicated without blood.
19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses unto all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded to you-ward.
21 Moreover the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry he sprinkled in like manner with the blood.
22 And according to the law, I may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.
23 It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us:
25 nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not his own;
26 else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment;
28 so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.
Summary
The writer describes the first covenant's worship: an earthly sanctuary with an outer room holding the lampstand and the bread, and behind the second veil the Holy of Holies, with the golden altar of incense and the ark containing the manna, Aaron's budded rod, and the tablets, overshadowed by the cherubim of glory above the mercy seat. The priests entered the outer room continually, but only the high priest entered the inner room, once a year, never without blood offered for himself and the people's sins. By this the Holy Spirit showed that the way into the Most Holy Place was not yet open while the first tabernacle stood—a symbol of the present age, in which the gifts and sacrifices offered could not perfect the worshiper's conscience but only regulate outward, fleshly matters until the time of reformation. But Christ came as high priest of the good things now here, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands; he entered the Most Holy Place once for all, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, securing eternal redemption. If animal blood could outwardly cleanse, how much more will the blood of Christ, who offered himself unblemished to God through the eternal Spirit, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God. He is therefore the mediator of a new covenant, and as a will takes effect only at the death of the one who made it, even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. Since nearly everything is cleansed with blood and there is no forgiveness without it, the heavenly things required better sacrifices. Christ did not enter a man-made copy but heaven itself, to appear before God for us, and not to offer himself repeatedly; rather, once at the end of the ages he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. As people die once and then face judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, and will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly wait for him.
Key Figures
- Christ our redeemer — The high priest who entered heaven itself once for all by his own blood, obtaining eternal redemption and cleansing the conscience to serve the living God.
- The Levitical high priest — The one who entered the Holy of Holies only once a year with the blood of animals, for himself and the people, in a service that could never perfect the conscience.
- The Holy Spirit — The one who, through the arrangement of the tabernacle, revealed that the way into God's presence was not yet open under the first covenant.
Key Verse
Hebrews 9:12 (WEB)
nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption.
Lessons Learned
- The old sacrifices could regulate outward matters but never cleanse the conscience.
- Christ entered heaven itself once for all by offering his own blood.
- Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
- Christ will appear a second time to bring full salvation to those who wait for him.
- The old way kept God's presence closed. The Spirit showed “the way into the Holy Place wasn't yet revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing” (Hebrews 9:8, WEB). Access awaited a better sacrifice.
- Christ's blood cleanses the conscience. His blood will “cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14, WEB), reaching where animal blood never could.
- Forgiveness costs blood. “Apart from shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22, WEB). Sin is dealt with not by mere words but by a costly, substitutionary death.
- One offering ends the cycle. “Once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26, WEB). His sacrifice is unrepeatable and complete.
- What does the layout of the tabernacle, with its veil and yearly entry, teach about access to God under the old covenant (9:6-8)?
- Why could the old sacrifices not perfect the worshiper's conscience (9:9-10)?
- What is the significance of Christ entering heaven “once for all” with “his own blood” (9:12)?
- Why does the writer insist that “without shedding of blood there is no remission” (9:22)?
- How does the promise that Christ will “appear a second time… for salvation” (9:28) shape the way you wait?
- The barriers—the veil, the once-a-year entry, the blood required—all signaled that the way into God's presence was not yet open (9:6-8). Ordinary worshipers could never enter the Most Holy Place. The whole design taught Israel that something better was needed to bring them near.
- Those sacrifices addressed ceremonial, outward defilement but could not reach the inner reality of guilt (9:9-10). They reminded people of sin without removing it. This sets up the contrast with Christ, whose sacrifice cleanses the conscience itself.
- “Once for all” means Christ's sacrifice need never be repeated, and “his own blood” means he gave himself, not a substitute animal (9:12). The result is eternal redemption, fully and finally accomplished. There is nothing left to add and nothing left to fear.
- Throughout Scripture, atonement for sin requires a life given in death, pictured by sacrificial blood (9:22). This underscores both the seriousness of sin and the costliness of forgiveness. It prepares us to marvel that Christ paid that cost with his own blood.
- His first coming dealt fully with sin; his second coming will bring complete salvation, with no more sin to bear (9:28). This turns our waiting into eager hope rather than dread. This is a personal-application question; invite members to consider how confident expectation reshapes their daily living.