"The Way Of The Holies"

by T.M. Hyland, Birkenhead | Category: Themes From Hebrews | Jul 1980

Discriminating expositors of the epistle to the Hebrews have commented on its distinctive character and style. In particular, they have pointed out that it differs in emphasis and scope from the great treatise on the gospel in Paul's epistle to the Romans. Sir Robert Anderson puts this cogently: "In the epistle to the Romans the scene was laid in the hall of judgement. The righteous God was on the throne. At the bar stood the sinner, guilty, condemned, and silent. The righteous sentence had gone forth, and he had not a word to offer why it should not be fulfilled. Then we see how when all hope was dead, sovereign grace could justify the guilty even as he stood, and call him from the very bar of judgement to fellowship with Christ in glory.

When we turn to the epistle to the Hebrews a new scene presents itself. The centre object is a holy shrine, not the throne of righteousness. It is surrounded, not by lost and guilty outcasts, but by a redeemed and happy people. They are in the wilderness, however, beset with infirmity and sin... Hebrews takes up the story of redemption not at the twelfth chapter of Exodus but at the twenty-fourth".

In the study of the epistle Anderson's weighty words are worthy of notice. They cast light on some of the difficult sections of the book which have perplexed many commentators. It has been the concern of former contributors to this series on "Themes from Hebrews" to relate the body of doctrine in the epistle to its primary place in the Faith once for all delivered to the saints. The exposition has been based on two main premisses:

(1)The epistle has in view a people whose standing in the present age is analogous to that of the nation of Israel, God's covenant people in the past (Exod. 19:4-6), and

(2)the persons addressed composed God's spiritual house, and their continuance as such was conditional: "Whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end" (Heb. 3:6).

If these premisses are valid, and we suggest they are beyond dispute, the teaching of the epistle should be interpreted accordingly. It follows from them that the particular facet of the doctrine of the Lord presented in Hebrews relates primarily to the duties and privileges of disciples gathered in churches of God, and not to their standing as members of the Church which is Christ's Body (Eph. 1:22,23; 5:30).

God's New Covenant people

Israel's adoption as the people of God took place at Mount Sinai. The covenant was not ratified until the assembled Israelites gave assent to its terms. This given, the people were sprinkled with the blood of the covenant and became "a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation" (Exod. 19:6). Henceforth they would be subject to divine government in every phase of their national life. We are concerned here mainly with their service in the sanctuary. Regulations governing this followed in due course. But first they must provide in their midst a tabernacle where God would dwell and where they would discharge their priestly service. Accordingly, Moses passed on to them Jehovah's momentous invitation, "And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Exod. 25:8).

All of this has its counterpart in the "better" things of Hebrews and is pertinent to our present study. Under the terms of the New Covenant, as under the Old, the house of God and its priestly service are interdependent and inseparable. In Hebrews a worshipping people are in view. Men of faith had been permitted to approach God individually from the days of Abel onwards (witness Daniel and Nehemiah in captivity). But not until there was a divine dwelling place on earth could His redeemed people offer divine service collectively. Likewise, in the present age, the collective drawing near to God of a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices (1 Pet. 2:5) is to be distinguished from the privilege of each child of God to approach his heavenly Father at all times in prayer and praise, using the offices of his Advocate (1 John 2:1).

The section of the epistle under consideration in this study is 9:1-10:25. The phrase "the way of the holies" which we use for our title, is a literal rendering of "the way into the holy place" (9:8 - see Nestle Greek text). That "way", with regulations regarding its use, is the main subject of this part of the epistle which terminates with the definitive statement: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place (holies) by the blood of Jesus, by the way which He dedicated for us, a new and living way, through ~e veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having a Great Priest over the house of God; let us draw near... (10:19-22).

The High Priest of our confession

Contributors to this series of articles in previous months have discussed the investiture of the High Priest of the New Covenant, our Lord Jesus Christ. His credentials for that office and the ministry proper to it have been reviewed in some detail. It may be relevant here to notice the orderly development of this theme in the structure of the epistle. Early reference is

made to the ministry of Melchizedek, priest of God Most High, who gave succour to Abraham in an hour of approaching temptation (Gen. 14:1824). The incident foreshadowed our High Priest's succouring ministry to God's tried and tempted people as they journey through the wilderness with its perils and discouragements. This side of His compassionate ministry as High Priest is prominent in 2:17,18; 4:14-16; 7:25. He was prepared for it in "the days of His flesh":

"He, touched with trials that attend

The weakness of our frame,

Can sympathetic succour lend,

For He has known the same".

At the beginning of chapter 8 we arrive at the chief point of the argument. All that has gone before has been leading up to this: "We have such a High Priest... a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man". Prior place is now given to His ministry in the holies on behalf of God's people. This is the first occurrence of the Greek hagia (holies), the plural of the neuter adjective hagion. Subsequently, it occurs in 9:12,24,25; 10:19; 13:11. This use is peculiar to Hebrews; no separate word "place" (topos) being added as, for example, in Matt. 24:15. The Greek noun latreia (with its cognate verb latreuo) now comes frequently into the context in this section of the epistle, leading to the conclusion that entrance into the holies by God's gathered people is for the purpose of latreia - divine worship.

Ordinances of divine service

The arrangements made by God for Israel's worship under the Sinaitic Covenant are briefly outlined in Hebrews 9:1-10. They served under a disadvantage. No priest of the Aaronic order was able to enter the sanctuary in the heavens. To overcome this disability God gave instructions for a copy of the heavenly things to be embodied in the Mosaic tabernacle. The copy was "earthly" and temporary, as also were its furnishings and ritual. But it was also parabolic. Our concern is to interpret the parable and its bearing on the worship of God's New Covenant people.

There were two compartments in the "copy"; an outer, "the first tabernacle", called the Holy place; and an inner, "the second tabernacle," called the Holy of holies. There were two beautiful hangings; the first at the entrance to the Holy place; the other, "the second veil", at the entrance to the Holy of holies. The first compartment was in daily use; the second was used once only in Israel's year - on the day of atonement. On that day the high priest passed within the second veil to carry out the prescribed ritual and then withdrew.

Having discussed the layout of the sanctuary in the Mosaic tabernacle, its way of approach into the divine presence, and the ritual necessary to it, the writer of Hebrews, makes this enlightening pronouncement - "The Holy Spirit this signifying, that the way into the holy place (holies) hath not yet been made manifest, while as the first tabernacle is yet standing" (9:8). This defining comment has a crucial bearing on the exposition of this section of the epistle. Yet it poses a problem. In 9:2,6 the term "the first tabernacle" clearly refers to the outer compartment of the sanctuary, the Holy place. Are we to conclude that this is the meaning of the term in verse 8, or does it there describe the entire structure? Commentators differ on this, by far the greater number taking the latter view (e.g. see F. F. Bruce, New International Commentary on Hebrews, p. 194). Both views are equally compatible with the overall exposition in this section of our study. But the present writer inclines to the former view. If a writer building up an intricate argument uses a term three times in close proximity, would we not conclude, in the absence of clear evidence to the contrary, that it has the same significance in each case? In the absence of proof to the contrary we will assume that the term "the first tabernacle" has one and the same meaning in each of its three uses. On this assumption we offer the following exposition:

A New and Living Way

"The way of the holies" (9:8) is the "new and living way" (10:20) by which God's New Covenant people draw near to worship in the sanctuary in the heavens. No exact copy of heavenly things could be reproduced in "holies made with hands" (9:24). In the Mosaic tabernacle the way of approach was concealed by the boards and curtains of the Holy place. The worshippers could not see their high priest passing through the veil into the Holy of holies. This defect in the type is a parable for the time now present. It signified that not until the Antitype of the veil had been "manifested in the flesh" could "the new and living way" be disclosed.

In the development of his theme the writer of Hebrews introduces various related matters. These are all necessary and relevant to his "chief point", but if they are detached from it the thrust of the argument loses some of its force. The general run of commentators widen the applicability of 10:19-22 to a degree that detracts from its primary significance. They interpret the passage as applying to all "access to God through the sacrifice of Christ". It is gloriously true, of course, that the atoning sacrifice of Christ is the basis of all acceptance with God. But, in keeping with the general tenor of the epistle, the "drawing near" in the passage under review has a more specific reference. Under the New Covenant, as under the Old, God's people are required to assemble for worship at stated times in the manner prescribed. The entrance into the holies (10:19) is that of a worshipping people who draw near to offer to God spiritual sacrifices through their great High Priest.

When the High Priest of our confession "through His own blood, entered in once for all into the holies" (9:12) He initiated the way of approach for God's New Covenant people. He is a "Forerunner" (6:20) whose arrival "within the veil" (6:19,20) guarantees the right of entrance to His redeemed people, a concept which has no parallel in tabernacle typology.

We pause here for a brief comment on the phrase, "... through the veil, that is to say, His flesh" (10:20). In Hebrews no reference is made to the rending of the veil in Herod's temple (Matt. 27:51). It is nowhere stated or implied that this event had its counterpart in the greater and more perfect tabernacle. Yet the almost unanimous view of commentators is that the veil in the Mosaic tabernacle barred the way into God's presence, and therefore, in the antitype, it must be rent asunder to secure unrestricted entrance. After pondering this theory for many years the present writer remains unconvinced of its validity. To argue the case against it in detail would require a separate paper. A few points are submitted for consideration:

(1)If the rending of the veil in the temple had typical teaching in regard to entrance into the holies, would we not expect some hint of this in Hebrews or elsewhere in the New Testament?

(2)Herod's temple was forsaken by God (Matt. 23:38) before its veil was rent asunder: the Glory had departed. Does this not pre9lude the idea that the rending of the veil opened a way into God's presence?

(3)It was a tabernacle with a veil intact that was a copy of the heavenly things.

(4)Does not the phrase "within the veil" (Heb. 6:19) imply that in the antitype the veil is not rent but in place, forming part of the "new and living way" initiated for God's people by their Forerunner?

(5)The rending of the veil in Herod's temple demonstrated that the Glory had departed, and that God no longer dwelt in a temple made with hands. Henceforth the worship of God's people would be offered in the true tabernacle in heaven.

The veil was not a barrier any more than was the screen at the door of the tabernacle; both were means of access, but entrance was permitted to certain persons only, and on specific occasions. In the new economy entrance for worship is the privilege of all God's people. The veil typified the incarnate Christ through whom they enter the holies.

As the high priest faced the Holy of holies in the tabernacle the beautifully blended colours of the veil met his gaze. These spoke of the

excellencies of the Man, Christ Jesus. So, in the "new and living way" of the heavenly sanctuary the excellencies and glories of the Christ fill the vision and ravish the hearts of the approaching worshippers.

"Let us draw near"

"Three times in a year shall thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which He shall choose... and they shall not appear before the Lord empty" (Deut. 16:16).

The standing of Israel as God's holy people depended on the strict observance of this statute. The holy convocations at the set feasts were the focus of their national unity. These feasts foreshadowed the good things to come, and they remain on record - a veritable mine of spiritual wealth to students of Old Testament typology. But in themselves they were carnal ordinances which have now been superseded by the "better" things of the New Covenant.

In the Upper Room on the night of His betrayal the Lord Jesus bequeathed to God's New Covenant people a precious remembrance ceremony: "This do", He said, "in remembrance of Me" (1 Cor. 11:23-25). This was in no sense a sacrifice or a ground of access into the holies. It was a festival of remembrance, no more and no less', to be observed when a local church assembled (in congregation, 1 Cor. 11:18, RVM) on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). Its purpose was to focus the minds and hearts of God's people on the Person of their adorable Redeemer.

From 1 Corinthians 14:26 it is clear that other spiritual exercises have their proper place at the meeting of the assembly on the first day of the week, but the main purpose of that gathering is "to break bread" (Acts 20:7). It is this ordinance that gives unique character to the meeting. Is it not clearly intended that the Remembrance should be "the focal point" (J. Drain) of the worship of God's people? This is the occasion when a holy priesthood enters in spirit into the heavenly sanctuary by the "new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh". Using the offices of the great Priest over God's house, spiritual sacrifices are offered - "the fruit of lips which make confession to His name" (13:15). What more fitting than that the precious memories of our absent but soon-coming Redeemer, thus stirred in our hearts, should unloose the flow of adoration and praise to His God and Father! May it be so in greater measure and increasing devotion, "till He come"!

"Accepted through His death are we To be a priesthood, serving Thee, What joy is ours, through saving grace, to worship in the holy place!"

T.M. Hyland, Birkenhead | Jul 1980
Themes From Hebrews