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“The Veil” in the Epistle to the Hebrews

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 28, 1909

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 43.

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“The Veil” in the Epistle to the Hebrews

By William Warren Prescott

A PYRAMID is a very stable structure when it is built up in the natural way and is allowed to stand upon its base. If, however, an attempt is made to build a pyramid with the apex resting upon the ground, the whole structure is likely to come to grief, and at best can be kept in place only by constant effort.
A parallel to this experience is found when a doctrine or system of belief is made to rest upon a single text, or upon the interpretation given to a single word. If such a system of doctrine is maintained at all, it must be by the most skilful manipulation, but it is only a question of time when it will fall because of its inherent instability.
These thoughts are suggested by the fact that an effort is being made to set aside some of the essential features of the third angel’s message by insisting upon an unwarranted interpretation of a single text. It therefore seems to be an opportune time to examine anew some of the teachings which are being called in question. In this article we shall consider briefly the use made of
the word “veil” in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
The word is used three times—in Heb. 6:19; 9:3; and 10:20. In the first instance there is no qualifying word connected with it; in the second instance a qualifying word is appended; and in the third case an explanation of the meaning of the word is added.
To avoid repetition we will examine these texts in reverse order, using the American Revised Version. We quote: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a great priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water, let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised.” Heb. 10:19-23.
This epistle is the divine commentary upon the typical sanctuary and its services, and presents therefore the gospel of salvation through Christ. In these verses we are exhorted to draw near to God with assurance, because of the privilege granted to us of entering into the heavenly sanctuary, into the presence of God, by “a new and living way” in the person of Jesus our High Priest, who identified himself with humanity in order that humanity might share with him in the blessings of heaven. This union of divinity with humanity—without which the true gospel of the sanctuary would be impossible—and its purposes have been previously declared in this epistle in these words: “Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to naught him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham. Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” Heb. 2:14-17. A wonderful truth is here revealed. In order that the Son of God as high priest might make propitiation for sin, it was necessary for him to become the Son of man, in order that God and man might be reconciled in him. In this way only could fallen humanity, separated from God, be restored to fellowship with God and be admitted to his immediate presence.
In order that the glory of God might be revealed among sinful men and all flesh see it and thus find the salvation of God, it was necessary that divinity should be veiled in humanity. This was the fulfilment of the type in which the glory of God was revealed and yet hidden behind veils and curtains, and so we read: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt [margin, “tabernacled”] among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.” John 1:14. Here the ladder which Jacob saw in vision was let down from heaven to earth. Thus in himself Jesus became the “new and living way” to God. Thus was humanity blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
In the typical service, the priest represented the people and pleaded in their behalf by appearing before God for the people. In the true service of the heavenly sanctuary our great High Priest, as the second Adam, the head of the new creation, has so identified himself with humanity that every believer is found in him, and in his very person Christ is the way to God. Thus, by his taking the flesh, paying the penalty for sin, and appearing in the presence of God as the Son of man, Jesus has provided a way of access to God. His flesh, which served as a veil to hide the glory of the Father, became the way of access to the Father, and so there was opened up “a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.” This is a vital feature of the gospel of the sanctuary.
In the first part of the ninth chapter of this epistle the writer describes the typical sanctuary, with its apartments, and defines the curtain which separated them as “the second veil.” His use of the term in this connection is very significant, as it indicates that in the Epistle to the Hebrews the word veil, by itself, would not be sufficient to designate clearly the hanging which separated the holy from the most holy place. There was a hanging at the entrance of the outer court of the tabernacle, another hanging at the entrance of the holy place, each of which is called a veil in the description of the typical sanctuary. But when the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews wishes to mention the hanging, or veil, which separated the two apartments of the sanctuary, he uses the definite expression “the second veil.” It is therefore unwarrantable to assume that when he uses the word veil in the same epistle without a qualifying word, he necessarily means the second veil.
This brings us to the third instance in this epistle where the word veil is used. Referring to the hope set before us, the writer says: “Which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast, and entering into that which is within the veil; whither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” The evident meaning of this scripture is that our hope of salvation is based upon the work of Christ in our behalf—that work which is accomplished in the heavenly sanctuary. This work is carried forward in both apartments of the sanctuary, and can not be divided into independent sections. The service in the first apartment is just as essential in its place as the service in the second apartment, and our hope can not be placed upon either apart from the other.
On the face of it, it appears to be a far-fetched and strained interpretation of this passage which insists that reference is here made to the work in either apartment exclusively, and this is emphatically true when such an interpretation is entirely out of harmony with the plain teaching of the whole epistle.
We have already seen that in this epistle the word veil is used in two other places and in both instances with a definite meaning which is clearly indicated. In one instance (chapter 9:3) it refers to the hanging which divided the holy place from the most holy place, and this application of the term is made clear by calling it “the second veil.” In the third instance (chapter 10:20) the word veil is used in an altogether different sense, and is defined as referring to the flesh of Christ. Now it is manifestly a violation of any proper rule of interpretation to maintain that the word veil in this epistle, without any qualifying word, must necessarily, and without any question whatever, mean the same as when the same writer in the same epistle uses the term with the qualifying word “second” applied to it. If “the veil” necessarily means “the second veil” when first used in this epistle, why does the writer add the unnecessary word “second” when he speaks of the veil the next time, if he is referring to the same veil?
It ought to be clear to any candid reader of the Epistle to the Hebrews that when the writer wished to make a distinction between the different veils, or hangings, which closed the entrances to the court, the holy place, and the most holy place of the sanctuary, he used language which would make the distinction perfectly clear. When, therefore, he does not make such distinction clear, it is plain that he is not using the word veil with any specific application. The evident meaning then of the passage under consideration is that the hope of our salvation, “sure and steadfast,” is anchored in the heavenly sanctuary. To give it any other meaning is to read into it our own ideas rather than to draw out the ideas given by Inspiration, and is a wresting of the Scriptures.
Some further claims concerning the interpretation of this passage will be considered in another article.
W. W. P.