Hebrews 9:11

But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

But {G1161} Christ {G5547} being come {G3854} an high priest {G749} of good things {G18} to come {G3195}, by {G1223} a greater {G3187} and {G2532} more perfect {G5046} tabernacle {G4633}, not {G3756} made with hands {G5499}, that is to say {G5123}, not {G3756} of this {G5026} building {G2937};

But when the Messiah appeared as cohen gadol of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world),

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation.

But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,

Hebrews 9:11 marks a pivotal transition in the Epistle to the Hebrews, shifting from the limitations of the Old Covenant system to the superiority of Christ's ministry. This verse introduces Jesus as the ultimate High Priest, whose work far surpasses that of the Levitical priests and their earthly sanctuary.

Context

The preceding verses in Hebrews 9 describe the earthly tabernacle and its rituals, including the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, and the sacrifices offered by the Levitical high priest. These were a shadow, a temporary arrangement, pointing forward to a greater reality. Hebrews 9:11 directly contrasts Christ's ministry with these Old Covenant practices, asserting His role as a superior High Priest.

Key Themes

  • The Superiority of Christ's Priesthood: Jesus is presented not merely as an high priest, but the high priest of "good things to come." This signifies His unique and eternal role, unlike the temporary and imperfect Levitical priesthood.
  • The Heavenly Tabernacle: The verse introduces a "greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands." This refers to the heavenly sanctuary, God's true dwelling place, into which Christ entered. Unlike the earthly tabernacle (Hebrews 9:2), which was a copy or shadow, this heavenly tabernacle is the divine reality.
  • Fulfillment and Reality: The "good things to come" are the realities of the New Covenant, which Christ inaugurated. The Old Covenant rituals merely foreshadowed these blessings, such as eternal redemption and true access to God.

Linguistic Insights

  • The phrase "not made with hands" (Greek: ou cheiropoiētou) is significant. It emphasizes the divine, non-human origin of this "greater and more perfect tabernacle," contrasting it sharply with the earthly temple or tabernacle that was constructed by human hands. This term is often used in the New Testament to distinguish between the physical and the spiritual, or the human and the divine.
  • "Good things to come" (Greek: mellontōn agathōn) highlights the future-oriented and superior nature of the blessings brought by Christ's ministry – blessings that are not merely earthly or temporary but eternal and spiritual.

Related Scriptures

  • For Christ as our High Priest, see also Hebrews 4:14 and Hebrews 8:1-2, which further describe His heavenly ministry.
  • The concept of the New Covenant and its superiority is elaborated in Hebrews 8:6.
  • The earthly tabernacle as a "figure" or "pattern" of heavenly things is mentioned in Hebrews 9:24.

Practical Application

Hebrews 9:11 offers immense comfort and assurance. It affirms that through Christ, believers have access to a superior, eternal salvation, not dependent on human rituals or earthly structures. We have a High Priest who has entered the very presence of God on our behalf, securing "good things to come" – including forgiveness, peace with God, and eternal life. This verse encourages us to place our faith fully in Christ's completed work and to approach God with confidence, knowing our great High Priest intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25).

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 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.

  • Hebrews 9:24

    For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

  • 2 Corinthians 5:1

    ¶ For we know that if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

  • Hebrews 8:1

    ¶ Now of the things which we have spoken [this is] the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

  • Hebrews 8:2

    A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

  • Acts 17:24

    God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

  • Acts 17:25

    Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

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