L’Église primitive
Christ as High Priest and the New Covenant
A comparison between the earthly sanctuary, with the high priest's annual entry into the Most Holy Place, and Christ's once-for-all entry into the heavenly sanctuary with his own blood. In this way, a new covenant is established that cleanses the conscience from dead works and grants eternal redemption.
Hébreux 9,1-28
1Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary.
Εἶχε μὲν ⸀οὖν ἡ πρώτη δικαιώματα λατρείας τό τε ἅγιον κοσμικόν.
2A tent was set up, and in its first room stood the lampstand, the table, and the bread of the Presence; this is called the Holy Place.
σκηνὴ γὰρ κατεσκευάσθη ἡ πρώτη ἐν ᾗ ἥ τε λυχνία καὶ ἡ τράπεζα καὶ ἡ πρόθεσις τῶν ἄρτων, ἥτις λέγεται Ἅγια·
3Behind the second curtain was the room called the Most Holy Place,
μετὰ δὲ τὸ δεύτερον καταπέτασμα σκηνὴ ἡ λεγομένη ⸂Ἅγια Ἁγίων⸃,
4which held the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant, overlaid all around with gold. In the ark were the golden jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the tablets of the covenant,
χρυσοῦν ἔχουσα θυμιατήριον καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης περικεκαλυμμένην πάντοθεν χρυσίῳ, ἐν ᾗ στάμνος χρυσῆ ἔχουσα τὸ μάννα καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος Ἀαρὼν ἡ βλαστήσασα καὶ αἱ πλάκες τῆς διαθήκης,
5and above it the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But of these things I cannot now speak in detail.
ὑπεράνω δὲ αὐτῆς Χερουβὶν δόξης κατασκιάζοντα τὸ ἱλαστήριον· περὶ ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν νῦν λέγειν κατὰ μέρος.
6With everything arranged this way, the priests enter the first room continually to carry out their duties of worship.
Τούτων δὲ οὕτως κατεσκευασμένων, εἰς μὲν τὴν πρώτην σκηνὴν διὰ παντὸς εἰσίασιν οἱ ἱερεῖς τὰς λατρείας ἐπιτελοῦντες,
7But into the second room only the high priest goes, once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins the people committed in ignorance.
εἰς δὲ τὴν δευτέραν ἅπαξ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ μόνος ὁ ἀρχιερεύς, οὐ χωρὶς αἵματος, ὃ προσφέρει ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ ἀγνοημάτων,
8By this the Holy Spirit shows that the way into the sanctuary had not yet been revealed while the first tent was still standing.
τοῦτο δηλοῦντος τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου, μήπω πεφανερῶσθαι τὴν τῶν ἁγίων ὁδὸν ἔτι τῆς πρώτης σκηνῆς ἐχούσης στάσιν,
9This is a symbol for the present time, for the gifts and sacrifices offered under it cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper.
ἥτις παραβολὴ εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τὸν ἐνεστηκότα, καθʼ ⸀ἣν δῶρά τε καὶ θυσίαι προσφέρονται μὴ δυνάμεναι κατὰ συνείδησιν τελειῶσαι τὸν λατρεύοντα,
10They deal only with food and drink and various washings—outward regulations for the body, imposed until the time of the new order.
μόνον ἐπὶ βρώμασιν καὶ πόμασιν καὶ διαφόροις βαπτισμοῖς, ⸀δικαιώματα σαρκὸς μέχρι καιροῦ διορθώσεως ἐπικείμενα.
11But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have now arrived, he went through the greater and more perfect tent, one not made by human hands, that is, not part of this creation.
Χριστὸς δὲ παραγενόμενος ἀρχιερεὺς τῶν ⸀γενομένων ἀγαθῶν διὰ τῆς μείζονος καὶ τελειοτέρας σκηνῆς οὐ χειροποιήτου, τοῦτʼ ἔστιν οὐ ταύτης τῆς κτίσεως,
12He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood, and so obtained eternal redemption.
οὐδὲ διʼ αἵματος τράγων καὶ μόσχων διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἰδίου αἵματος, εἰσῆλθεν ἐφάπαξ εἰς τὰ ἅγια, αἰωνίαν λύτρωσιν εὑράμενος.
13For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkled on those who are defiled, sanctify them so that their bodies are clean,
εἰ γὰρ τὸ αἷμα ⸂τράγων καὶ ταύρων⸃ καὶ σποδὸς δαμάλεως ῥαντίζουσα τοὺς κεκοινωμένους ἁγιάζει πρὸς τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς καθαρότητα,
14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God!
πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὸ αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃς διὰ πνεύματος αἰωνίου ἑαυτὸν προσήνεγκεν ἄμωμον τῷ θεῷ, καθαριεῖ τὴν συνείδησιν ⸀ἡμῶν ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων εἰς τὸ λατρεύειν θεῷ ζῶντι.
15For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant: now that a death has taken place to redeem us from the transgressions committed under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.
Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο διαθήκης καινῆς μεσίτης ἐστίν, ὅπως θανάτου γενομένου εἰς ἀπολύτρωσιν τῶν ἐπὶ τῇ πρώτῃ διαθήκῃ παραβάσεων τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν λάβωσιν οἱ κεκλημένοι τῆς αἰωνίου κληρονομίας.
16For where there is a will, the death of the one who made it must be established.
ὅπου γὰρ διαθήκη, θάνατον ἀνάγκη φέρεσθαι τοῦ διαθεμένου·
17A will takes effect only at death; it has no force while the one who made it is still alive.
διαθήκη γὰρ ἐπὶ νεκροῖς βεβαία, ἐπεὶ ⸀μήποτε ἰσχύει ὅτε ζῇ ὁ διαθέμενος.
18That is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.
ὅθεν οὐδὲ ἡ πρώτη χωρὶς αἵματος ἐγκεκαίνισται·
19When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people,
λαληθείσης γὰρ πάσης ἐντολῆς κατὰ ⸀τὸν νόμον ὑπὸ Μωϋσέως παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, λαβὼν τὸ αἷμα τῶν ⸀μόσχων μετὰ ὕδατος καὶ ἐρίου κοκκίνου καὶ ὑσσώπου αὐτό τε τὸ βιβλίον καὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν ἐράντισεν,
20saying, "This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded for you."
λέγων· Τοῦτο τὸ αἷμα τῆς διαθήκης ἧς ἐνετείλατο πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὁ θεός·
21In the same way he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its service.
καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν δὲ καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη τῆς λειτουργίας τῷ αἵματι ὁμοίως ἐράντισεν.
22Indeed, under the law nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
καὶ σχεδὸν ἐν αἵματι πάντα καθαρίζεται κατὰ τὸν νόμον, καὶ χωρὶς αἱματεκχυσίας οὐ γίνεται ἄφεσις.
23So it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be cleansed with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Ἀνάγκη οὖν τὰ μὲν ὑποδείγματα τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς τούτοις καθαρίζεσθαι, αὐτὰ δὲ τὰ ἐπουράνια κρείττοσι θυσίαις παρὰ ταύτας.
24For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear before God on our behalf.
οὐ γὰρ εἰς χειροποίητα ⸂εἰσῆλθεν ἅγια⸃ Χριστός, ἀντίτυπα τῶν ἀληθινῶν, ἀλλʼ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν, νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν·
25Nor did he enter to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own.
οὐδʼ ἵνα πολλάκις προσφέρῃ ἑαυτόν, ὥσπερ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἰσέρχεται εἰς τὰ ἅγια κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν ἐν αἵματι ἀλλοτρίῳ,
26Otherwise he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
ἐπεὶ ἔδει αὐτὸν πολλάκις παθεῖν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου· ⸀νυνὶ δὲ ἅπαξ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων εἰς ἀθέτησιν ⸀ἁμαρτίας διὰ τῆς θυσίας αὐτοῦ πεφανέρωται.
27And just as it is appointed for people to die once, and after that to face judgment,
καὶ καθʼ ὅσον ἀπόκειται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἅπαξ ἀποθανεῖν, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο κρίσις,
28so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
οὕτως καὶ ὁ Χριστός, ἅπαξ προσενεχθεὶς εἰς τὸ πολλῶν ἀνενεγκεῖν ἁμαρτίας, ἐκ δευτέρου χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας ὀφθήσεται τοῖς αὐτὸν ἀπεκδεχομένοις εἰς σωτηρίαν.