Hebrews 9:23

Hebrews 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.

a. NLT: That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals.

b. NIV: It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

c. YLT: It is necessary, therefore, the pattern indeed of the things in the heavens to be purified with these, and the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these;

d. Amplified Bible: By such means, therefore, it was necessary for the [earthly] copies of the heavenly things to be purified, but the actual heavenly things themselves [required far] better and nobler sacrifices than these.

e. Worrell Translation: There was, therefore, a necessity that the copies of the things in Heaven should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves, with better sacrifices than these.

f. Wuest Translation: It was therefore necessary on the one hand that the representations of the things in the heavens [the earthly tent] should be cleansed constantly with these [animal sacrifices], but on the other hand, the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these [the blood of the Lord Jesus.]

1. “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these…”

a. It was therefore [Strong: 3767 oun oon; apparently a primary word; (adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly:--and (so, truly), but, now (then), so (likewise then), then, therefore, verily, wherefore.]

b. necessary [Strong: 318 anagke an-ang-kay'; from 303 and the base of 43; constraint (literally or figuratively); by implication, distress:--distress, must needs, (of) necessity(-sary), needeth, needful.]

c. that the patterns [Strong: 5262 hupodeigma hoop-od'-igue-mah; from 5263; an exhibit for imitation or warning (figuratively, specimen, adumbration):--en-(ex-)ample, pattern.]

d. of things [Strong: 3303 men, men; a primary particle; properly, indicative of affirmation or concession (in fact); usually followed by a contrasted clause with 1161 (this one, the former, etc.):--even, indeed, so, some, truly, verily. Often compounded with other particles in an intensive or asseverative sense.]

e. in [Strong: 1722 en, en; a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

f. heavens [Strong: 3772 ouranos oo-ran-os'; perhaps from the same as 3735 (through the idea of elevation); the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity):--air, heaven(-ly), sky.]

g. should be purified [Strong:2511 katharizo kath-ar-id'-zo; perhaps from the same as 3735 (through the idea of elevation); the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity):--air, heaven(-ly), sky.]

h. with these [Strong: 5125 toutois too'-toice; dative case plural masculine or neuter of 3778; to (for, in, with or by) these (persons or things):--such, them, there(-in, -with), these, this, those.]

1). This is referring to the purification of the first Tabernacle which was a “pattern” of the tings in the heavens. The writer of Hebrews had just mentioned it.

a). Hebrews 9:18-22 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

2. “…but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”

a. but [Strong: 1161 de, deh; a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. the heavenly things [Strong: 2032 epouranios ep-oo-ran'-ee-os; from 1909 and 3772; above the sky:--celestial, (in) heaven(-ly), high.]

c. themselves [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos'; from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

d. with better [Strong: 2909 kreitton krite'-tohn; comparative of a derivative of 2904; stronger, i.e. (figuratively) better, i.e. nobler:--best, better.]

e. sacrifices [Strong: 2378 thusia thoo-see'-ah; from 2380; sacrifice (the act or the victim, literally or figuratively):--sacrifice.]

1). The blood of bulls and goats had the ability to purify the earthly utensils, but just as the blood of those animals could not forgive sin it also could not purify the heavenly things. It required the sacrifice of Christ.   

f. than [Strong: 3844  para par-ah'; a primary preposition; properly, near; i.e. (with genitive case) from beside (literally or figuratively), (with dative case) at (or in) the vicinity of (objectively or subjectively), (with accusative case) to the proximity with (local (especially beyond or opposed to) or causal (on account of):--above, against, among, at, before, by, contrary to, X friend, from, + give (such things as they), + that (she) had, X his, in, more than, nigh unto, (out) of, past, save, side...by, in the sight of, than, (there-)fore, with. In compounds it retains the same variety of application.]

e. these [Strong: 5025 tautais tow'-taheece, and tautas tow'-tas; dative case and accusative case feminine plural respectively of 3778; (to or with or by, etc.) these:--hence, that, then, these, those.]

1). This verse has always intrigued me. It clearly says “the heavenly things themselves” meaning the sanctuary in heaven. Why would the sanctuary in heaven need to be purified?     The reason has to be because of the fall of Lucifer, that in his fall and the subsequent corruption and leading astray of one third of the angels, heavens sanctuaries were defiled and made impure and needing purification. In the following passage the LORD is speaking to the spirit behind the king of Tyrus, who is none other than Lucifer.

a). Ezekiel 28:12-18  Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

28:14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

28:16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

28:17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

29:18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

b). These verses in Ezekiel need to be revisited in deeper study, but what we can see is that Lucifer, during his fall and during his leading one third of the angels astray, defiled his sanctuaries by the multitude of his iniquities and the traffic of his iniquity. Lucifer spread his iniquity among the other angels. The usage of “thy sanctuaries” probably means the regular appointed places of his ministry that were in his holy responsibility. And it looks like the heavenly things, perhaps the “sanctuaries” “defiled” by Lucifer were purified by the blood of Christ.