Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary
By W. W. P.
Inasmuch as far-reaching and very serious conclusions are deduced from that interpretation of Heb. 6:19 which makes the expression “within the veil” equivalent to “in the holy of holies,” it is certainly fitting that we should now inquire whether this interpretation is in harmony with the general teaching of the epistle, or whether such an interpretation would array one statement of the writer against the general trend of his whole argument. We shall, therefore, in this article enter upon a study of such portions of the epistle to the Hebrews as have a direct bearing upon the place of Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary after his ascension. In the first part of this epistle the general subject of the priesthood is presented, and it is clearly shown that Jesus, the Son of God, has become “the surety of a better covenant,” and “hath his priesthood unchangeable.” This teaching is summarized and further developed beginning with the eighth chapter, from which we quote:— “Now in the things which we are saying the chief point is this: We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that this high priest also have somewhat to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve that which is a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses was warned of God when he is about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises.” Verses 1-6. Without discussing this scripture at length, we wish to point out several plain facts: 1. Christ is here spoken of as “a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle,” and not as a minister in the holy of holies. 2. In harmony with the type, the minister of the true tabernacle must be able to offer that which corresponds to “both gifts and sacrifices.” This would involve the general service of the sanctuary. 3. A contrast is drawn between the priests on earth “who offer the gifts according to the law,” and the ministry of Jesus, the Son of God, in which the evident meaning is that the latter offers that which is the antitype of “the gifts according to the law.” This would again involve the general service of the sanctuary. 4. The minister “of the true tabernacle” is the “mediator of a better covenant.” This would naturally mean more than that he was simply performing the service in the holy of holies. 5. The ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary is contrasted with the ministry in the earthly sanctuary. This would naturally imply the whole ministry rather than a limited portion of it. While this scripture does not directly affirm that the ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary included the services in both apartments, yet it is in perfect harmony with such a position, and certainly does not admit of the claim that Christ’s ministry after his ascension was confined exclusively to the holy of holies. In the first part of the ninth chapter the earthly sanctuary is mentioned as consisting of two apartments, “the holy place” and “the holy of holies.” The ministry in the earthly sanctuary is also here set forth as being carried forward in these two apartments. The interpretation of this typical representation is then given as follows:— “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; which is a figure for the time present; according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that can not, as touching the conscience, make the worshiper perfect, being only (with meats and drinks and divers washings) carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation. 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, 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. 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: 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?” Verses 8-14. It would seem to be contrary to sound reasoning to refer so particularly to the two apartments of the earthly sanctuary and to the services in these two apartments, and then to limit the fulfilment of these types to the ministry in one apartment only. Furthermore, the scripture is quite definite in its statements. It refers to Christ as “a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle,” not of the good things to come through the holy of holies; from which language it would be proper to infer that reference was made to the services in the heavenly tabernacle as a whole, rather than to the special work on the day of atonement. The mention in this connection of “the ashes of a heifer” would seem to be altogether inappropriate, if the work of our great High Priest was limited to the most holy place, since the sprinkling of these ashes (Numbers 19) did not take place in the second apartment. And not only so, but it expressly states that Christ entered “into the holy place.” If, now, it is proper to make the whole argument over a single expression, here would be the positive evidence that Christ on his ascension entered, not into the most holy place, but into the holy place. Yet we do not insist that the expression “the holy place” is here necessarily limited in its meaning to the first apartment of the sanctuary, but we take it rather in its general meaning as applicable to the heavenly sanctuary as a whole. As bearing out this interpretation, we will state that in the Greek text the word used in the twelfth verse and there translated “holy place” is the same as is used in the second verse of chapter eight, and there translated “the sanctuary.” In neither place can it properly be rendered “most holy place,” or the “holy of holies.” In this connection it seems necessary to say that the word rendered “the sanctuary” in chapter 8:2 is also the same word as is used in chapter 9:8, and in the Authorized Version improperly rendered “the holiest of all.” In the Revised Version this error is corrected, and the word is properly rendered “the holy place.” The simple statement of this fact utterly overthrows any argument which is based upon the rendering, “the holiest of all,” however extended and elaborate the argument may be.6 The extracts from the epistle to the Hebrews thus far examined are certainly not in accord with the claim that when Christ commenced his ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, he entered directly into the most holy place. Other texts which bear similar testimony will be considered later. W. W. P.