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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Heb_9:23-28
23Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
Heb_9:23 "for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed" The concept of things in heaven having been polluted by mankind's sin on earth is unusual, but not unique to this author (cf. Rom_8:18-22). The Day of Atonement, alluded to so often in this chapter, involves the yearly cleansing of the tabernacle from ceremonial defilement (cf. Exo_30:10; Lev_16:11-20). Heaven may have been polluted by
1. mankind's fall (cf. Rom_8:18-22; Col_1:20)
2. Satan's presence (cf. Job 1-2; Zechariah 3)
3. simply a concept in rabbinical tradition
Heb_9:24 "now to appear in the presence of God for us" Jesus' priestly work was done on two levels: (1) as sacrifice on earth and (2) as priest in heaven. This phrase can be understood in two ways: contextually it refers to His sacrificial death on fallen mankind's behalf, but it could be understood as a reference to His continuing intercessory ministry (cf. Heb_7:25; Rom_8:34; 1Jn_2:1).
The term "appear" is emphanizô, which means "to manifest" (cf. Mat_27:53). In Heb_9:26 the word "manifest," phaneroô, (cf. 2Co_5:10; Col_3:4; 1Pe_5:4; 1Jn_2:28; 1Jn_3:2) is used and in Heb_9:28 the word "appear," optomai (cf. Mat_17:3; Luk_1:11; Luk_9:31; Luk_22:43; Luk_24:34; Act_2:3; Act_7:2; Act_7:30; Act_7:35; Act_9:17; Act_16:9; Act_26:16).
It is surprising the author uses three synonymous terms.
Heb_9:25 This continues the theological emphasis of the book of Hebrews that Jesus gave Himself "once" (cf. Heb_7:27; Heb_9:11; Heb_9:25-28; Heb_10:10) thereby, His priesthood, sacrifice, and sanctuary are superior to their OT counterparts.
Heb_9:26
NASB "otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often"
NKJV "He then would have had to suffer often"
NRSV "for then he would have had to suffer again"
TEV "for then he would have had to suffer many times"
NJB "or else he would have had to suffer over and over again"
In his Word Pictures in the New Testament, A. T. Robertson asserts that this is an assumed second class conditional sentence (Vol. V, p. 404), which would imply a false statement resulting in a false conclusion. Jesus suffered only once, not like the regular sacrifices.
NASB "at the consummation of the ages"
NKJV "at the end of the ages"
NRSV "at the end of the age"
TEV "now when all ages of time are nearing the end"
NJB "at the end of the last age"
There are several Greek terms that relate to "time," "eternity," and "age." In chapter 9 three temporal referents are used:.
1. Heb_9:9, "present time," i.e., Old Testament
2. Heb_9:10, "time of reformation," i.e., New Testament (start of the new age,)
3. Heb_9:26, "consummation of the ages," i.e., new age of righteousness (consummation of the new age, cf. Mat_13:39-40; Mat_13:49; Mat_24:3; Mat_28:20)
The rabbis and the NT authors envisioned two ages (a horizontal dualism): (1) a current evil age characterized by human rebellion and the curse of God and (2) the age to come inaugurated by the Messiah, a day of righteousness.
The OT focuses on the majestic, powerful coming of the Messiah as Judge and Ruler, but as the NT reveals, He will come twice, once as suffering servant, the Lamb of God; and later, just the way the OT predicted. These two distinct comings have caused the overlapping of the two Jewish ages. The Kingdom of God has come with Jesus' birth but will not be consummated until His glorious return. Believers are thus citizens of two realms: the eternal Kingdom and a temporal kingdom.
Heb_9:27 This verse surely rejects any notion of the transmigration of souls, the wheel of kharma, or previous lives, which is a horrible doctrine for fallen, sinful humanaity! It is the Christian worldview of "one life, then judgment" that fuels the urgency of evangelism; that destroys the theological concept of universalism (all humans will be saved in the end); that demands the great commission (cf. Mat_28:19-20) not be turned into a good suggestion or the great option!
Heb_9:28 "to bear the sins of many" This may be an allusion to Isa_53:12 (cf. 1Pe_2:24). The term "many" is not exclusive (some), but parallel to "all" of Isa_53:6 (cf. Rom_5:18, "all"; Rom_5:19, "many").
The term "bear" may also be an allusion to Isa_53:4; Isa_53:11-12. The Hebrew verb means "to bear" or "take away" (cf. 1Pe_2:24). "Jesus paid a debt He did not owe; we owed a debt we could not pay."
▣ "will appear a second time" This probably refers to the Second Coming of Christ, a recurrent NT theme (cf. Mat_24:3; Mat_24:27; Mat_24:30; Mat_24:37; Mat_24:39; Mat_24:42; Mat_24:44; Mat_26:64; Mar_13:20; Mar_14:62; Luk_21:27; Joh_14:3; Act_1:11; 1Co_1:7; 1Co_15:23; Php_3:20-21; 1Th_2:19; 1Th_3:13; 1Th_4:15-16; 1Th_5:23; 2Th_1:7; 2Th_1:10; 2Th_2:1; 2Th_2:8; 1Ti_6:14; 2Ti_4:1; 2Ti_4:8; Tit_2:13; Heb_9:28; Jas_5:7-8; 1Pe_1:7; 1Pe_1:13; 2Pe_1:16; 2Pe_3:4; 2Pe_3:12; 1Jn_2:28). See Special Topic: Greek Verb Tenses Used for Salvation at Heb_1:14.
However, it is possible, contextually, that it refers to Christ leaving the heavenly tabernacle after His great and successful sacrifice (cf. New Testament Transline by Michael Magill, p. 846, #32 and 35). Something analogous to the OT High Priest exiting the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement.
NASB "for salvation without reference to sin"
NKJV "apart from sin, for salvation"
NRSV, TEV "not to deal with sin, but to save"
NJB "sin being no more. . .to bring salvation"
This phrase seems to imply that Christ came the first time to deal with mankind's sin problem, but He will come again to gather to Himself (cf. 1Th_4:13-18) those who have trusted in Him and long for His return (cf. Rom_8:19; Rom_8:23; 1Co_1:7; Php_3:20; Tit_2:13).
▣ "to those who eagerly await Him" This may be another allusion to the ceremony of the Day of Atonement, where the Israelites eagerly waited for the High Priest to come out of the Holy of Holies alive, which symbolized YHWH's acceptance of his intercessory ministry.
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