Hebrews 9:23
Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that while the earthly copies of heavenly things needed ritual cleansing because of human sin, the "heavenly things themselves" weren't defiled but required a better sacrifice because we needed cleansing to access them. This isn't about the heavenly realm being dirty, but about God's provision for our access to it through Christ's superior sacrifice.
The author has just explained how the old covenant, like everything else related to sinful humanity's relationship with God, was inaugurated with blood, highlighting the necessity of sacrifice. Now, the argument shifts to the earthly tabernacle, described as a mere "copy" or "pattern" of heavenly realities, and how it too required purification with blood. This sets up the crucial contrast: if even these earthly "patterns" needed cleansing, then the true heavenly realities themselves must be purified by something far superior.
The earthly temple and its rituals were a 'copy' of something greater. But did these copies need cleansing?
Hebrews 9:23 highlights a crucial distinction: the earthly 'patterns' or 'copies' of heavenly things required purification. Think of the earthly tabernacle, its furniture, and the entire Levitical system. These were tangible representations of God's presence and the way He related to His people.
Even though they were symbols pointing to something heavenly, these earthly elements had to be ritually cleansed. Why? Not because they were inherently sinful, but because they were associated with sinful humanity. The dust of sin from the people's lives could 'contaminate' the holy space and objects, requiring regular purification through the prescribed sacrifices and rites.
This cleansing wasn't about making the objects holy in themselves, but about making them fit for God's use and accessible for His people to approach Him.
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If earthly copies needed cleansing, what about the 'heavenly things' themselves? Did they also need purging?
The profound truth here is that while the earthly sanctuary and its rituals were purified by animal sacrifices, the heavenly things themselves required 'better sacrifices'. This isn't to say the heavenly realm was defiled in the same way the earthly one was. Instead, it points to the incredible superiority and sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice.
Jesus, our High Priest, entered not into a man-made sanctuary but into heaven itself. To make the heavenly reality accessible and to establish the new covenant in its fullness, a sacrifice infinitely greater than any animal offering was needed. This 'better sacrifice' is Christ's own atoning death.
This one, perfect sacrifice doesn't just ceremonially cleanse; it brings about true reconciliation, eternal redemption, and opens the way for sinful humanity to have direct, unhindered access to God's holy presence. The plurality of 'better sacrifices' can highlight the multifaceted perfection and all-encompassing efficacy of Christ's singular, ultimate offering.
Understand the original words
antitypon · Greek Noun
An earthly or symbolic representation that mirrors a greater, eternal reality found in the spiritual or heavenly realm.
thysia · Greek Noun
A religious act or ritual established by God, particularly those relating to atonement and service in the sanctuary.
This verse directly addresses the transition from the Old Covenant's earthly tabernacle and its ritual purifications, which were necessary 'copies' of heavenly realities, to the New Covenant's heavenly sanctuary and its superior sacrifice – Christ Himself.
c. 1446 BC
Construction of the Tabernacle
Following their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites were given detailed instructions by God to construct a portable sanctuary, the Tabernacle, which served as the central place of worship and a symbolic dwelling for God among them.
c. 1446-586 BC
The Levitical Priesthood and Sacrificial System
For over a thousand years, the Levitical priests, descended from Aaron, mediated between God and the Israelites through a complex system of daily, weekly, and annual sacrifices and purification rites as prescribed in the Law of Moses.
c. 1446 BC
Dedication of the First Covenant
Moses ratified the old covenant with blood, sprinkling both the people and the tabernacle and its vessels. This act symbolized the need for purification and atonement for all aspects of worship and the community.
Leviticus 16
The Day of Atonement Ritual
On the annual Day of Atonement, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the people, the sanctuary, and the altar, highlighting the perceived need for even the most sacred earthly structures to be cleansed from defilement.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
The Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus Christ, the ultimate High Priest, offered Himself as a sacrifice on the cross, fulfilling the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant and providing a perfect atonement for the sins of humanity.
c. AD 33
Christ's Ascension to Heavenly Sanctuary
After His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven, not to a man-made sanctuary, but to the very presence of God, where He now ministers as our High Priest with His own perfect sacrifice.
This passage from the Old Testament ritual describes the Day of Atonement, where the High Priest had to make atonement for the sanctuary itself because of the uncleanness of the Israelites, showing that even sacred spaces were symbolically 'cleansed' in relation to human sin.
John 1:29This verse introduces Jesus as the 'Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,' directly paralleling the concept of a superior sacrifice needed to cleanse something that earthly sacrifices could not fully address.
Hebrews 10:11-12This passage explicitly contrasts the daily, repeated sacrifices of the Old Covenant with Christ's single, perfect sacrifice, reinforcing the idea of 'better sacrifices' for a more complete and eternal purification.
Exodus 24:6-8This Old Testament account details the original covenant's ratification with blood, illustrating the 'purification' of the covenant itself and the people through animal sacrifice, setting the stage for the New Covenant's superior blood.
Revelation 21:27This future-oriented vision states that nothing unclean will ever enter heaven, underscoring the necessity for a perfect cleansing ('better sacrifices') to make the 'heavenly things' accessible to sinful humanity.
ellicottHebrews 9:23: "It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these."
(23) The patterns of things in the heavens. —Rather, the tokens ( Hebrews 8:5 ) of the things in the heavens. In the first part of the verse a conclusion is drawn from the sacred history, which related the accomplishment of the divine will, and showed therefore what was “necessary.” But the real stress lies on…
vincentHebrews 9:23: "It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these."
The heavenly sanctuary required a better purification than the Levitical.The patterns of things in the heavensThe earthly tabernacle and its furniture. See on Hebrews 8:5.With these (τούτοις)Things specified in Hebrews 9:19.With better sacrifices (κρείττοσι θυσίαις)How can it be said that the heavenly things…
The verse highlights that while the earthly copies of heavenly things needed ritual cleansing because of human sin, the "heavenly things themselves" weren't defiled but required a better sacrifice because we needed cleansing to access them. This isn't about the heavenly realm being dirty, but about God's provision for our access to it through Christ's superior sacrifice.
The author has just explained how the old covenant, like everything else related to sinful humanity's relationship with God, was inaugurated with blood, highlighting the necessity of sacrifice. Now, the argument shifts to the earthly tabernacle, described as a mere "copy" or "pattern" of heavenly realities, and how it too required purification with blood. This sets up the crucial contrast: if even these earthly "patterns" needed cleansing, then the true heavenly realities themselves must be purified by something far superior.
The author has just explained how the old covenant, like everything else related to sinful humanity's relationship with God, was inaugurated with blood, highlighting the necessity of sacrifice. Now, the argument shifts to the earthly tabernacle, described as a mere "copy" or "pattern" of heavenly realities, and how it too required purification with blood. This sets up the crucial contrast: if even these earthly "patterns" needed cleansing, then the true heavenly realities themselves must be purified by something far superior.
"Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these." — The verse highlights that while the earthly copies of heavenly things needed ritual cleansing because of human sin, the "heavenly things themselves" weren't defiled but required a better sacrific…
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