By his own blood he entered in once

Service and sanctuary are the first themes we meet in this chapter. For the latter we are given a description of the tabernacle, vv. 1-5, and for the first we have a description of the service of high priest and priests, vv. 6-8. The sanctuary is ‘of this world’, v. 1 RV in contrast with the heavenly sanctuary, v. 12. What the Jewish high priests offered is contrasted with the offering that the Lord Jesus made, as is also their entrance into the holiest. Israel’s high priests offered the blood of goats and calves, v. 12, and bulls and goats, v. 13. The two examples selected in verse 13 cover the entire legal provision for removing uncleanness, whether contracted by sin, or contact with the dead. The first is found described in Leviticus chapter 16, and the second in Numbers chapter 19. The Levitical law required two remedies; the Christian gospel furnishes one for all types of defilement.

The superiority of the offering of Christ is framed in a question, vv. 13, 14. Israel’s sacrifices sanctified ‘to the purifying of the flesh’. They expiated ceremonial guilt, but were inadequate in regard to moral guilt. Only the blood of Christ could remove the guilt of sin and provide moral cleansing. The other contrast, that of entrance into the holiest, is marked by the word ‘once’, ‘once every year’, v. 7, and ‘entered in once’, v. 12. The first indicates the limitations of Israel’s priesthood. Only the high priest could enter the holiest but once a year. There was no free access to God. Under law, the way was not open to the people, and the high priest’s service was transitional and transitory, v. 8.

The contrast comes in verse 11. Jesus entered by His own blood, v. 12, a once-for-all entrance, the great High Priest for all who trust Him, securing for them access to and acceptance in God’s presence. He did not make a double entrance like Israel’s high priest, ‘first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people’, 7. 27 RV. Because He was sinless the first was not necessary, neither did He need to repeat the entrance due to the finality of His sacrifice. One entrance left the way open for ever. The veil was rent. There was no longer any obstacle between worshipper and God. Redemption frees from defilement and the guilt of sin.