Heb 9:11-14 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Heb 9:11-10:18: 9:11–10:18 The author now contrasts the old system (9:1-10 ) with the superior sacrifice made by Christ as High Priest: The blood of Christ’s offering was his own blood, not the blood of animals (9:13-22 ; cp. 9:7 ); Christ’s offering was made in the heavenly Tabernacle, not the earthly one (9:23-24 ; cp. 9:1-5 ); and Christ’s offering, rather than being made continually, was made just one time (9:25–10:18 ; cp. 7:27 ; 9:6-7 ). 9:11 Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things of the new covenant. He was appointed by God in accord with Ps 110:4 (Heb 5:1-10 ; 7:1-28 ) and offered a superior offering. • that have come: Some manuscripts read that are about to come, either from the perspective of the old covenant era or looking forward to the culmination of God’s plan in the future. • Christ’s sacrifice is superior because of where it was made: in that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven rather than the earthly Tabernacle (see 8:5 and corresponding study note).

Summary for Heb 9:11-10:18: 9:11–10:18 ^a The author now contrasts the old system (9:1-10 ^b) with the superior sacrifice made by Christ as High Priest: The blood of Christ’s offering was his own blood, not the blood of animals (9:13-22 ^c; cp. 9:7 ^d); Christ’s offering was made in the heavenly Tabernacle, not the earthly one (9:23-24 ^e; cp. 9:1-5 ^f); and Christ’s offering, rather than being made continually, was made just one time (9:25–10:18 ^g; cp. 7:27 ^h; 9:6-7 ⁱ). 9:11 ^j Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things of the new covenant. He was appointed by God in accord with Ps 110:4 ^k (Heb 5:1-10 ^l; 7:1-28 ^m) and offered a superior offering.

• that have come: Some manuscripts read that are about to come, either from the perspective of the old covenant era or looking forward to the culmination of God’s plan in the future.

• Christ’s sacrifice is superior because of where it was made: in that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven rather than the earthly Tabernacle (see 8:5 ⁿ and corresponding study note).
9:12 ^o Christ’s offering is superior because it was made with his own blood rather than the blood of goats and calves (e.g., cp. Lev 16:3-5 ^p).

• Christ’s offering is superior because he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time. Unlike the sacrifices in the old covenant, which had to be made year after year (Heb 10:1 ^q), Jesus’ sacrificial death only had to be made once and was decisive in securing our redemption forever.
9:13 ^r The ashes of a heifer were used with water to cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity (see Num 19 ^s).
9:14 ^t how much more: This is an argument from lesser to greater, a traditional Jewish rhetorical strategy; the logic is that if something is true in a lesser situation, it will be even more true in a greater situation (see also 2:1-4 ^u; 12:25-29 ^v). If the blood of animals had some effect in cleansing, the blood of Christ will be much more effective.

• will purify our consciences: Christ’s sacrifice, unlike the sacrifices of the old covenant, removes the paralyzing guilt that keeps us from God by decisively cleansing us from sinful deeds.