Chapter Nine
Heb. 9:1. And the first covenant had ordinances of divine service
Having proved from the side of the priest, the priesthood, and the covenant that the first covenant had to come to an end, the apostle now proves this also from the side of the very arrangement of the tabernacle. There were three divisions in it: one was the outer court, intended for everyone in general, both Jews and Greeks; then followed a veil, beyond which the priests entered, performing the daily services. This division was called the Holy Place. These divisions were a figure of the Old Testament, for there everything was performed with sacrifices. But the Holy of Holies was a figure of our mystery. For, he says, "the first," that is, the Old Testament, "had ordinances," that is, symbols or regulations, but "had" at that time, whereas now it has them no longer, for it has ceased.
Heb. 9:1. And an earthly sanctuary.
He calls it "worldly" because it was permitted to enter it, and in one and the same building the place was known where the Jews, Nazirites, proselytes, and Greeks stood. Since it was accessible even to the Gentiles, he calls it "worldly" (κοσμικόν – secular).
Heb. 9:2. For a tabernacle was prepared, the first, in which were the lampstand, and the table, and the showbread (cf. Ex. 10:22–25), and which is called the Holy Place.
He calls this one "first," namely, in relation to the Holy of Holies, which was in the middle. Before it stood the bronze altar, the altar for burnt offerings, set under the open sky. Then, if one lifted the veil, or rather, the covering (Ex. 40:19), it appeared as the middle section, in which were the lampstand, and the table, and the showbread.
Heb. 9:3. Behind the second veil was the tabernacle called the Holy of Holies.
Do you see that there was a first veil, which Scripture calls a curtain, since it was rolled up and drawn together — this veil separated the court, into which everyone in general entered and upon which they offered sacrifices on the bronze altar, from the tabernacle, which was accessible to the priests who performed the daily services. Furthermore, once you passed through this veil, there was yet another veil, and beyond it the tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, into which no one else entered except the high priest alone, and even he only once a year. Throughout, he calls everything a tabernacle, because God dwells in it.
Heb. 9:4. having a golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold,
The Ark of the Covenant is called so because it contained the tablets bearing the law (Exod. 40:20).
Heb. 9:4. Where were the golden vessel containing the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant,
All these things served as memorials of Jewish ingratitude. "The golden pot of manna" — in remembrance of the fact that, while being miraculously fed by it, they murmured (Exod. 16:3–10), and so that their descendants might remember both God's benevolence and their own bitterness. "Aaron's rod" — in remembrance of the rebellion that occurred against him (Num. 17). "The tablets of the covenant" — in memory of the fact that they shattered the first ones by their idolatry. You may ask how it is that in the Book of Kings it is written that there was nothing else in the ark except the tablets, yet the apostle now asserts that the golden pot and Aaron's rod were also placed in it? Since he had been educated in the best manner by Gamaliel (Acts 22:3) in Judaism, he probably derived this from tradition; for even now the Pharisaical Jews agree that this was so. However, not from the beginning, but at the time of Jeremiah, when it was necessary to hide the ark, then, they say, these things were probably also placed in the ark.
Heb. 9:5. And above it
That is, above the ark.
Heb. 9:5. Cherubim of glory, (cf. Exod. 25:18–20)
Glorious, or subject to God; but having served for His glory. And he sets this forth deliberately with the purpose of showing the superiority of that which is ours.
Heb. 9:5. Overshadowing the mercy seat;
He called the "mercy seat" the lid of the ark, as you will learn more precisely about this from Scripture itself, and, being led astray by the words of some, do not think that this is something else. Of course, by this he pointed to Christ, Who became the propitiation for our sins. He sealed everything that was in the Old Testament and confirmed it.
Heb. 9:5. "about which there is no need now to speak in detail."
Here he shows that all of this was not only visible, but also served as a sign of something else, the explanation of which requires too much time.
Heb. 9:6. Now when these things were thus prepared, the priests always enter the first tabernacle, performing the divine services;
Though this was so, he says, the Jews did not participate in it, since the veil held them back. This was preserved for us, for whom it was a foreshadowing.
Heb. 9:7. But into the second, only the high priest entered once a year,
Do you see the very prototypes, already set forth here? Lest they say: the sacrifice of Christ was offered once, how then did it sanctify all? He shows that this was so from ancient times, for even the most holy and awesome sacrifice in the Old Testament was offered by the high priest once.