Homily 15 — Hebrews 9, verses 1 to 14

“Then indeed even the first covenant had regulations for divine worship, and a worldly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was set up: the first, in which were the lampstand, and the table, and the consecrated bread; this is called the Sanctuary. And behind the second veil was the tabernacle called the Holiest of all, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid all around with gold, in which were the golden jar that held the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.” [a]

He has shown from the priest, from the priesthood, and from the covenant that the old covenant was to come to an end. From here on he shows it from the design of the tabernacle itself. How? There was, he says, the “Holy Place” and the “Holy of Holies.” The Holy Place, then, is a symbol of the former age, for there everything is done by means of sacrifices; but the Holy of Holies is a symbol of the age that is now present. By the Holy of Holies he means heaven. By the veil he means heaven, and also the flesh: “entering into that which is within the veil” (Hebrews 6, verse 19), that is, “through the veil of his flesh” (Hebrews 10, verse 20).

It would be good to speak about this passage, taking it up from the beginning. What, then, does he say? “Then indeed even the first had” — the first what? The covenant — “regulations for divine worship.” What are “regulations”? Symbols, or rites. “Then”: it does not have them now, he means. He shows that it had already given way, for, he says, it had them at that time; so that now, even though it still stood, it no longer exists.

“And a worldly sanctuary.” He calls it “worldly” because everyone was allowed to set foot in it. In the same house the places were plainly marked out where the priests stood, and where the Jews, the converts, the Greeks, and the Nazirites stood. So because even Gentiles were allowed to set foot in it, he calls it “worldly.” For surely the Jews were not “the world.”

“For a tabernacle was set up,” he says, “the first, which is called holy, in which were the lampstand, and the table, and the consecrated bread.” These things are symbols of the world. “And behind the second veil” — so there was not just one veil; there was an outer veil as well — “the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies.” Notice how everywhere he calls it a tabernacle, because God pitched his tent there.

“Which had,” he says, “a golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid all around with gold, in which were the golden jar that held the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.” All these things were solemn and conspicuous reminders of the Jews’ stubbornness. “And the tablets of the covenant”: for they broke them. “And the manna”: for they grumbled, and that is why he commanded it to be stored in a golden jar, handing the memory of it down to later generations. “And Aaron’s rod that budded. And above it the cherubim of glory.” What is “the cherubim of glory”? He means either “the glorious cherubim,” or those that are beneath God. “Overshadowing the mercy seat.”

But he also praises these things in his words for another reason: to show that what comes after them is greater. “Of these things,” he says, “we cannot now speak in detail.” With these words he hints that they were not merely what could be seen, but were riddles of a sort. “Of these things,” he says, “we cannot now speak in detail” — perhaps because they would have needed a long discussion.

Verse 6: “Now when these things had been arranged in this way, the priests always went into the first tabernacle, carrying out the service of God.” That is, these things were there, but the Jews did not enjoy them; they did not see them. So they belonged no more to them than to us, for whose sake they were prophecies. [f]

Verse 7: “But into the second the high priest alone went, once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people.” Do you see that the types had already been laid down beforehand? So that they would not say, “How can there be only one sacrifice?” he shows that this was so from the beginning, since at any rate the holier and more awe-inspiring sacrifice was only one. And how did the high priest offer once for all? This was their custom from the beginning; for then too, he says, “the high priest” offered “once for all.”

And he did well to say “not without blood.” Not without blood, indeed, and yet not this blood, for the matter was not so great. He is indicating that there will be a sacrifice not consumed by fire, but marked out instead by blood. For since he had called the cross a sacrifice, though it had neither fire nor firewood and was not offered many times, but had been offered in blood once for all, he shows that the ancient sacrifice too was of this kind: it was offered “once for all” in blood.

“Which he offers for himself”: again “for himself, and for the errors of the people.” He did not say “sins” but “errors,” so that they would not be proud. For even if you have not sinned on purpose, you have still gone wrong without meaning to, and no one is clean of this.

And everywhere he adds the words “for himself,” showing that Christ is much greater. For if he is set apart from our sins, how did he “offer for himself”? “Why, then, did you say these things?” Because this is the mark of one who is superior.

Up to this point there is no speculation. But from here on he begins to reason more deeply, and says (verse 8): “The Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of all had not yet been revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing.” For this reason, he says, these things were “arranged” in this way: so that we might learn that “the Holy of Holies,” that is, heaven, is still closed to us. So let us not think, he says, that because we do not enter these places, they do not exist; for neither did we enter the Most Holy Place. [g]

Verse 9: “Which,” he says, “was established as a figure for the time then present.” What does he mean by “the time present”? The time before the coming of Christ. For after the coming of Christ it is no longer a time present. How could it be, when it has arrived and is ended?

There is also something else he points to when he says, “which was a figure for the time then present”: that is, it became the type. “In which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make the one who performed the service perfect as regards the conscience.” Now you see what is meant by “The law made nothing perfect” (Hebrews 7, verse 19), and “If that first covenant had been faultless” (Hebrews 8, verse 7). How? “As regards the conscience.” For the sacrifices did not take away the defilement from the soul, but were still concerned with the body: “according to the law of a fleshly commandment” (Hebrews 7, verse 16). Certainly they could not take away adultery, or murder, or sacrilege.

Do you see? “You have eaten this; you have not eaten that” — matters that make no difference. “Which consisted only in foods and drinks and various washings.” “You have drunk this,” he says; and yet nothing had been laid down about drink. But he said it treating these things as trifles. Verse 10: “And in various washings, and fleshly regulations imposed until the time of setting things right.” For this is the righteousness of the flesh. Here he belittles the sacrifices, showing that they had no power, and that they existed “until the time of setting things right,” that is, they were waiting for the time that sets all things right.

Verse 11: “But Christ, having come as high priest of the good things that have come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands.” Here he means the flesh. And he did well to say “greater and more perfect,” since God the Word and all the power of the Spirit dwell in it; “for God does not give the Spirit to him by measure” (John 3, verse 34). And “more perfect,” as being both blameless and setting greater things right. [h]

“That is, not of this creation.” See how it was “greater.” For it would not have been “of the Spirit” (Matthew 1, verse 20) if a human being had built it. Nor is it “of this creation”; that is, not of these created things, but spiritual, of the Holy Spirit.

Do you see how he calls the body a tabernacle, and a veil, and heaven? “Through the greater and more perfect tabernacle.” “Through the veil, that is, his flesh” (Hebrews 10, verse 20). And again, “into that which is within the veil” (Hebrews 6, verse 19). And again, “entering into the Holy of Holies, to appear before the face of God” (Hebrews 9, verse 24). Why, then, does he do this? Because now one thing is meant and now another. I mean, for example: heaven is a veil, for like a veil it walls off the Holy of Holies; the flesh is a veil, hiding that he is God, and it is likewise a tabernacle, holding God within it. Again, heaven is a tabernacle, for the Priest is there within.

“But Christ,” he says, “having come as high priest.” He did not say “having become,” but “having come,” that is, having come for this very purpose, not having succeeded another. He did not come first and then become high priest, but came and became it at the same time. And he did not say “having come as high priest” of things that are sacrificed, but “of the good things that have come,” as though his words did not have the power to set the whole of it before us.

Verse 12: “Not through the blood,” he says, “of goats and calves” — everything is changed — “but through his own blood,” he says, “he entered once for all into the Holy Place.” See: this is what he called heaven. “Once for all,” he says, “he entered into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption.” And this expression, “having obtained,” was used of things that are very hard and beyond all expectation: how by entering once he “obtained eternal redemption.”

Next comes the argument meant to persuade. Verses 13 and 14: “For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, make holy for the purifying of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the Holy Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God!” [k]

For if, he says, “the blood of bulls” can purify the flesh, much more will the blood of Christ wipe away the defilement of the soul. So that you will not suppose, when you hear the words “make holy,” that it is some great thing, he marks out and shows the difference between these two purifications, how the one is high and the other low. And he says it is so with good reason, since that is “the blood of bulls,” and this “the blood of Christ.”

Nor was he content with the name; he also sets out the manner of the offering. “Who,” he says, “through the Holy Spirit offered himself without blemish to God” — that is, the victim was without blemish, pure from sins. For this is what “through the Holy Spirit” means: not through fire, nor through any other things.

“Will cleanse your conscience,” he says, “from dead works.” And he did well to say “from dead works.” If anyone touched a dead body, he was defiled; and here, if anyone touches a “dead work,” he is defiled through his conscience. “To serve,” he says, “the living and true God.” Here he declares that it is not possible, while one has “dead works,” to serve “the living and true God,” for those works are both dead and false. And he has good reason to say so.

So let no one come in here with “dead works.” For if it was not right for someone who had touched a dead body to come in, much less someone who has “dead works”; for this is the most grievous defilement of all. And “dead works” are all those that have no life in them, that give off a foul smell. For just as a dead body is of use to none of the senses, but is even offensive to those who come near it, so sin too strikes at once at the reasoning mind, and does not let the understanding itself be calm, but disturbs and troubles it.

They also say that a plague, at its very beginning, corrupts living bodies. Sin is like that too. It differs in nothing from a plague, except that it does not corrupt the air first and then bodies, but darts straight into the soul. Do you not see how people with the plague burn with fever, how they writhe, how foul they smell, how disfigured their faces are, how utterly unclean they are? Such are those who sin as well, though they do not see it. For tell me, is not the man possessed by the desire for riches or by the craving of the flesh worse off than anyone in a fever? Is he not more unclean than all of these, when he does and submits to every shameless thing?

For what is more shameful than a man in love with money? Whatever prostitutes and women of the stage will not refuse to do, he does not refuse either. Indeed, they would probably refuse to do a thing sooner than he would. He even stoops to things fit for slaves, flattering those he ought not to flatter; and again he is overbearing where he ought not to be, inconsistent in every respect. He will sit flattering wicked people, and often depraved old men of far poorer and meaner standing than himself; and he will be insolent and overbearing to others who are good and virtuous in every way. You see the baseness and the shamelessness on both sides: he is both humble beyond measure and boastful. [l]

Prostitutes, however, stand in front of their house, and the charge against them is that they sell their body for money. Yet someone may say: “Poverty and hunger drive them to it.” Though at most this is no sufficient excuse, for they could earn a living by working. But the greedy man stands, not in front of his house, but in the middle of the city, handing over to the devil not his body but his soul; so that the devil keeps company with him and goes in to him, just as to a prostitute, and having satisfied all his cravings, goes away. And the whole city sees it, not just two or three people.

This again is the mark of prostitutes: they belong to whoever gives the gold. Even if he is a slave or a gladiator or anyone at all, if he offers their fee, they take him in. But free men, even if they are nobler than everyone, they will not accept without the money. These men do the same. They turn away right thoughts when those thoughts bring no money; but they keep company with the vilest people, even with those who fight wild beasts, for the sake of the gold, and they associate with them shamelessly and destroy the beauty of the soul. For just as those women are by nature hateful to look at, dark, awkward and coarse, shapeless and ill-formed, and disgusting in every way, such do the souls of these men become; and they cannot hide their ugliness with outward paint. For when the ugliness is extreme, whatever they may devise, they cannot carry off the pretense.

To learn that shamelessness is what makes a prostitute, listen to the prophet saying, “You were shameless toward all; you had a prostitute’s face” (Jeremiah 3, verse 3). This may be said to the greedy too: “You were shameless toward all” — not toward these or those, but “toward all.” How? Such a man respects neither father, nor son, nor wife, nor friend, nor brother, nor benefactor, nor anyone at all. And why do I say friend and brother and father? He does not respect God himself; everything we believe seems a fable to him, and he laughs, drunk with his great craving, and does not even let into his ears anything that might do him good.

But oh, their absurdity! And then the things they say! “Woe to you, Mammon, and to the one who does not have you.” At this I am torn apart with indignation; for woe to those who say these things, even though they say them in jest. For tell me, has God not spoken such a threat as this: “You cannot serve two masters” (Matthew 6, verse 24)? And do you make light of the threat? Does Paul not say that it is idolatry, and does he not call “the greedy man an idolater” (Ephesians 5, verse 5)?

And you stand there laughing, raising a laugh the way worldly women do on the stage. This has overthrown everything; this has thrown everything down. All our affairs, our business and our courtesies alike, are turned into laughing; there is nothing steady, nothing serious. I do not say these things only to those living in the world; I know the ones I am hinting at. For the church has been filled with laughter. Whatever clever thing someone says, at once there is laughter among those present; and the astonishing thing is that many do not stop laughing even during the very time of the prayer. [n]

Everywhere the devil leads the dance. He has entered into everyone; he is master of all. Christ is dishonored and pushed aside; the church counts for nothing. Do you not hear Paul saying, Let “filthiness and foolish talk and joking” (Ephesians 5, verse 4) be put away from you? He sets “joking” alongside “filthiness,” and do you laugh? What is “foolish talk”? Talk with nothing profitable in it. And do you, one who lives alone, laugh at everything and let your face go slack? You who are crucified? You who are a mourner? Tell me, do you laugh? Where do you hear of Christ doing this? Nowhere; but that he was sad, yes, often. For even when he looked on Jerusalem, he wept; and when he thought of the traitor, he was troubled; and when he was about to raise Lazarus, he wept. And do you laugh?

If the one who does not grieve over the sins of others deserves to be accused, what will he deserve who feels no sorrow for his own sins, and even laughs at them? This is the season of grief and distress, of bruising the body and bringing it into subjection, of contests and sweat; and do you laugh? Do you not see how Sarah was rebuked? Do you not hear Christ saying, “Woe to you who laugh, for you will weep” (Luke 6, verse 25)? You chant these things every day. For tell me, what do you say? “I have laughed”? Not at all. What, then? “I labored in my groaning” (Psalm 6, verse 6).

But perhaps there are some so dissolute and silly that they laugh even during this very rebuke, because, if you please, we are speaking this way about laughter. For such is their derangement, such their madness, that it does not even feel the rebuke.

The priest of God is standing, offering up the prayer of all; and are you laughing, with no fear? While he offers up the prayers trembling for you, do you despise everything? Do you not hear the Scripture saying, “Woe, you despisers!” (compare Acts 13, verse 41, which quotes Habakkuk 1, verse 5)? Do you not shudder? Do you not humble yourself? Even when you go into a royal palace, you put yourself in order in dress and look and walk and every other respect; and here, where the true palace is, and things like those of heaven, do you laugh? You do not see them, I know. But hear this: angels are present everywhere, and in the house of God above all they stand beside the King, and the whole place is filled with those bodiless powers.

What I say is meant for the women too. In front of their husbands they hardly dare to do this, and even if they do, it is not all the time, but at a season of relaxation; but here they do it always. Tell me, woman, do you cover your head and laugh, sitting in the church? Did you come in here to confess your sins, to fall down before God, to plead and beg for the wrongs you have wretchedly committed, and do you do it with laughter? How, then, will you be able to win his favor?

But someone says: “What harm is there in laughter?” There is no harm in laughter; the harm is when it is beyond measure and out of season. Laughter has been planted in us so that when we see our friends after a long time, we may laugh; so that when we see people downcast and afraid, we may cheer them with our smile; not so that we should burst out violently and be laughing all the time. Laughter has been planted in our soul so that the soul may sometimes be refreshed, not so that it may go wholly slack. For the desire of the flesh is planted in us too; yet it by no means follows that, because it is planted in us, we must use it, or use it without limit. We must keep it in subjection, and not say, “Since it is planted in us, let us use it.” [s]

Serve God with tears, so that you may be able to wash away your sins. I know that many mock us, saying, “Tears already!” That is why it is a time for tears. I know too that those who say, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (First Corinthians 15, verse 32), are disgusted. “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1, verse 2). It is not I who say it, but the one who had tried everything says this: “I built myself houses, I planted vineyards, I made myself pools of water; I had male and female servants” (Ecclesiastes 2, verses 4, 6, and 7). And what, after all these things? “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 12, verse 8).

So let us mourn, beloved; let us mourn so that we may laugh in truth, so that we may rejoice in truth in the time of unmixed joy. For with the joy we have here grief is always mingled, and it is never possible to find it pure. But that joy is simple and does not deceive; it has nothing treacherous in it, and nothing mixed with it. In that joy let us delight; after that let us strive. And it is not possible to gain it in any other way than by choosing here not what is pleasant but what is profitable, by being willing to suffer a little, and by bearing everything with thanksgiving. For in this way we will be able to reach the kingdom of heaven as well. May we all be counted worthy of it, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father be glory, together with the Holy Spirit, now and always, forever and ever. Amen.