Letter to the Hebrews Volume 87

 The Heavenly Sanctuary Part 2

Hebrews 9:13-14 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the Blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? KJV

During the days of the earthly Levitical priesthood, the Hebrew people were required to offer up sacrifices to God for the ceremonial cleansing of themselves from sin. The sacrifices that were required were the best bulls, goats, and heifers from their live stock. This process would re-admit the offending person or persons back into the Hebrew/Jewish Tabernacle or Temple to participate in worship with the rest of the congregation. However, these sacrifices only cleansed the person or persons flesh from uncleaness, as it is written here by the writer of Hebrews, "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:" (Hebrews 9:13) (KJV). According to Hebrew/Jewish law during that time, any person who had come into physical contact with a dead body was considered to be 'unclean' and no longer were allowed entrance or access into the Tabernacle or Temple to participate in worship. This English word 'unclean' is translated by the Greek word koinoō which means to make (or consider) profane (ceremonially): - call common, defile, pollute, unclean. Therefore, we find that the only way a person back then could render themselves clean would be to sacrifice a heifer and then sprinkle themselves with the ashes of that heifer to purify their flesh from the defilement of coming into physical contact with a dead body. We find the complete detailing of the requirement documented for us by Moses with these words, "And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even." (Numbers 19:16-19) (KJV).

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of Hebrews 9:13, "Referring still to the great day of atonement, when the offering made was the sacrifice of a bullock and a goat. For an account of this, see Numbers 19:2-10. In verse 9, it is said that the ashes of the heifer, after it was burnt, should be kept 'for a water of separation; it is a purification for sin.' That is, the ashes were to be carefully preserved, and being mixed with water were sprinkled on those who were from any cause ceremonially impure. The 'reason' for this appears to have been that the heifer was considered as a sacrifice whose blood has been offered, and the application of the ashes to which she had been burnt was regarded as an evidence of participation in that sacrifice. It was needful, where the laws were so numerous respecting external pollutions, or where the members of the Jewish community were regarded as so frequently 'unclean' by contact with dead bodies, and in various other ways, that there should be some method in which they could be declared to be cleansed from their 'uncleanness.' The nature of these institutions also required that this should be in connection with 'sacrifice,' and in order to this, it was arranged that there should be this 'permanent sacrifice' - the ashes of the heifer that had been sacrificed - of which they could avail themselves at any time, without the expense and delay of making a bloody offering specifically for the occasion. It was, therefore, a provision of convenience, and at the same time was designed to keep up the idea, that all purification was somehow connected with the shedding of blood. Mingled with water, and sprinkled on the unclean. The word 'unclean' here refers to such as had been defiled by contact with dead bodies, or when one had died in the family, etc.; see Numbers 19:11-22.  Makes holy so far as the flesh or body is concerned. The uncleanness here referred to related to the body only, and of course the means of cleansing extended only to that. It was not designed to give peace to the conscience, or to expiate moral offences. The offering thus made removed the obstructions to the worship of God so far as to allow him who had been defiled to approach him in a regular manner. Thus, much the Apostle allows was accomplished by the Jewish rites. They had an efficacy in removing ceremonial uncleanness, and in rendering it proper that he who had been polluted should be permitted again to approach and worship God. The Apostle goes on to argue that if they had such an efficacy, it was fair to presume that the Blood of Christ would have far greater efficacy, and would reach to the conscience itself, and make that pure."

The writer of Hebrews now contrast those ritual and ceremonial sacrifices to God for the outward cleansing from defilement to the once and for all willing sacrifice of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ for the sins of all humanity with these next words written here, "How much more shall the Blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14) (KJV). The English word 'offered' is translated by the Greek word prospherō meaning to bear towards, that is, lead to, tender (especially to God), treat: - bring (to, unto), deal with, do, offer (unto, up), present unto, put to. The English phrase 'without spot' is translated by the Greek word amōmos which means unblemished (literally or figuratively): - without blame (blemish, fault, spot), faultless, unblameable. So then, we find that Jesus Christ sacrifice to God the Father was willingly and without spot or blemish, meaning that He alone satisfied the requirement for humanity to be able to approach God the Father by living a perfectly sinless life, having not sinned ever (during His 33 years on earth) in word, thought, or deed, as we are once again reminded by this very same writer of Hebrews with these words, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) (KJV). When the writer of Hebrews declares these words 'who through the eternal Spirit', he means not the Holy Spirit who is the third (3) person of the Trinity, but Christ own Spirit which is Eternal as He Himself is Eternal, therefore, we find the supernatural quality in the Blood of Jesus Christ that no animal sacrifice could ever contain. Therefore, also the contact with His Blood by any of us human sinners gives us not only an outward cleansing from sin, but an internal cleansing in our souls or inner man or inner woman that enables, energizes, and empowers our soul to want to serve Him and to love to serve Him and to love to give to Him only all the glory for anything done in His Name, as it is so elequently written by the Apostle Paul in His first letter to brother Timothy with these words, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17) (KJV). The English word 'purge' is translated by the Greek word katharizō which means to cleanse (literally or figuratively): - (make) clean, purge, purify. The English word 'conscience' is translated by the Greek word suneidēsis which means co-perception, that is, moral consciousness: - conscience. The little English phrase 'to serve' is translated by the Greek word latreuō which means to minister (to God), that is, render religious homage: - serve, do the service, worship. In other words, it is the Blood Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ that alone can purify the inner man or inner woman and give to the soul the desire to worship God, to reverance God, to love God, and to serve God by praying, writing, ministering, pastoring, teaching, witnessing, and many other things done for the Glory of God alone.

Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of Hebrews 9:14, "This expression is understood two ways: 1. Of the Holy Ghost Himself. As Christ's miraculous conception was by the Holy Spirit, and He wrought all His miracles by the Spirit of God, so His death or final offering was made through or by the Eternal Spirit; and by that Spirit He was raised from the dead, 1 Peter 3:18. Indeed, through the whole of His life He was justified by the Spirit; and we find that in this great work of human redemption, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were continually employed: therefore the words may be understood of the Holy Spirit properly. 2. Of the eternal Logos or Deity which dwelt in the Man Christ Jesus, through the energy of which the offering of His humanity became an infinitely meritorious victim; therefore the Deity of Christ is here intended. But we cannot well consider one of these distinct from the other; and hence probably arose the various readings in the MSS. and versions on this article. Instead of by the Eternal Spirit, by the Holy Spirit, is the reading of D*, and more than twenty others of good note, besides the Coptic, Slavonic, Vulgate, two copies of the Itala, Cyril, Athanasius sometimes, Damascenus, Chrysostom, and some others. But the common reading is supported by ABD**, and others, besides the Syriac, all the Arabic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Athanasius generally, Theodoret, Theophylact, and Ambrosius. This, therefore, is the reading that should be preferred, as it is probable that the Holy Ghost, not the Logos, is what the Apostle had more immediately in view. But still we must say, that the Holy Spirit, with the Eternal Logos, and the Almighty Father, equally concurred in offering up the sacrifice of the human nature of Christ, in order to make atonement for the sin of the world. Purify your conscience. The term purify should be everywhere, both in the translation of the Scriptures, and in preaching the Gospel, preferred to the word purge, which, at present, is scarcely ever used in the sense in which our translators have employed it. Sin in general, or acts to which the penalty of death is annexed by the law."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…