Issues in The Book of Hebrews

Verse 11 “entered” (eiselthen).
"is creates a
redundancy, because it means that Christ
A textual variant in the first clause has
went through “the more perfect
led translators to render the participle
tabernacle” to enter the heavenly
connected with “good things” to mean
sanctuary (ta hagia). Commentators
either “good things to come” (mellontōn,
clarify this somewhat by suggesting that
like Heb 10:1) or “good things that have
the first dia-phrase should be understood
come” (genomenōn). "e la!er variant
in a locative sense (place) rather than in
makes be!er sense in the context.46 It
an instrumental sense (by means of).
underlines the fact that due to the
Consequently, the expression “through
atoning death of Christ, the “good
the greater and more perfect tabernacle”
things” have, indeed, arrived. "e two
is construed as another way of saying that
“good things” brought by the present
Christ crossed heaven to reach the throne
ministry of Christ which the old system
of God.47 However, the phrase used to
could never provide are: (1) an efficacious
describe this tabernacle—“not made with
sacrifice which can take away sin and
hands [ou cheiropoiētou], that is to say, not
cleanse the conscience, and (2) an ever
of this creation”—seems inappropriate
living high priest who provides direct
and forced if applied as a reference to
access to God.
heaven.
How to understand and translate the
A related proposal suggests that “the
three dia (“through”) passages (see
greater and more perfect tabernacle”
citation above)—especially the clause,
refers to the heaven of angels or to the
“through the greater and more perfect
heavenly throng of angels through whom
tabernacle”—has proven a more serious
Jesus passed in order to come to the
challenge to interpreters.
throne of God.48 "is innovative thesis
Some have sought a solution by
can hardly be upheld.
connecting the three dia (“through”)
Some commentators, following
phrases to the final verb,
expositions of the early Church Fathers,
46 Westco!, p. 255; Bruce, p. 199; W. G. 47 Héring, p. 76.
Johnsson, “Defilement and Purgation in the 48 P. Andriessen, “Das grössere und

Book of Hebrews” (Ph.D. Dissertation, vollkommenere Zelt (Heb. 9:11),” BZ 15 (1971):
Vanderbilt University), 1973, p. 290. 76–92.
Frank B. Holbrook, ed., Issues in the Book of Hebrews, vol. 4, Daniel and Revelation Commi!ee Series (Silver
Spring, MD: Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1989).
Exported from Logos Bible Software, 14:53 13 November 2023. 1
have equated “the greater and more should be equated with the new covenant
perfect tabernacle” with the body of arrangement by which sin is purged and
Christ.49 M. L. Andreasen took the access to God is made available.52 But an
position that the passage meant that abstract conception of the meaning of
Christ, by virtue of His perfect “the more perfect tabernacle” does not
life—having made His body a fit and seem justified. "e descriptive phrase,
clean temple for the indwelling of the “not made with hands, that is to say, not
Spirit of God—appeared before God of this creation,” seems to be an
bringing His own blood. "is gained Him unsuitable way in which to speak of the
entrance into the sanctuary above.50 new covenant.
While there may be some merit in the "ese a!empts, and others that could
patristic a!empt to solve the linguistic be mentioned, are various endeavors to
construction in this passage, it raises come to grips with the use of dia in verse
questions. "e difficulty imposes itself 11. Some are hardly more than
once more when the phrase, “not made conjectural. While a linguistic problem
with hands, that is to say, not of this (to us) appears in the passage, the broader
creation,” is applied to Christ. "is is not context provides good support for
only a strange manner in which to speak identifying “the greater and more perfect
about the Saviour, but it runs counter to tabernacle, not made with hands, that is
the author’s view that Christ is human to say, of this creation” with the heavenly
(Heb 2:14–17; 5:7) as well as divine. A sanctuary into which Christ entered at
variant of this view equates the “more His ascension. Two passages demonstrate
perfect tabernacle” with the Eucharistic this:
body of Christ.51 For Christ did not enter a holy place
A recent commentator suggests that made with hands [cheiropoiēta], a mere
“the greater and more perfect tabernacle” copy of the true one [not made with
hands, understood], but into heaven
49 Ibid., pp. 77ff. itself, now to appear in the presence of
50 M. L. Andreasen, "e Book of Hebrews God for us (9:24, NASB).
(Washington, DC, 1948), pp. 335ff. Now the main point in what has been
51 said is this: we have such a high priest,
J. Swetnam, “"e Greater and More Perfect
Tent: A Contribution to the Discussion of
Hebrews 9:11,” Bib 45 (1966), pp. 91–106. 52 Young, pp. 201ff.
who has taken His seat at the right hand He entered the holy place once for all,
of the throne of the Majesty in the having obtained eternal redemption.
heavens, a minister in the sanctuary,
and in the true tabernacle, which the
Lord pitched, not man [not made with
hands, understood] (8:1–2, NASB).
"e expressions “made with hands”

and “not made with hands” (expressed or
understood) tie 8:1–2; 9:11–12; and 9:24
together. It is evident that the author of
Hebrews is contrasting the earthly and
heavenly sanctuaries. "us, we may
safely say that in this passage (vss. 11–12)
the author of Hebrews portrays the
superiority of Christ’s high priesthood by
describing His entrance into the “true
tabernacle,” the celestial sanctuary, to
appear in the presence of God for us.
Since this seems to be the correct sense
of the context, we suggest that the
preposition dia (“through”) in this
instance (vs. 11) is carrying the nuance of
“into.” "e other two occurrences would
have an instrumental function. "e
passage would read:
But when Christ appeared as a high
priest of the good things to come, [He
entered] into the greater and more
perfect tabernacle, not made with
hands, that is to say, not of this
creation; and not through [by means of]
the blood of goats and calves, but
through [by means of] His own blood,

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Verse 11 “entered” (eiselthen).

46 Westco!, p. 255; Bruce, p. 199; W. G. 47 Héring, p. 76.

Johnsson, “Defilement and Purgation in the 48 P. Andriessen, “Das grössere und

"e expressions “made with hands”

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