Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
One of the greatest treasures of all time is more valuable than the gold in King Tut's pyramid tomb, and for most Christian people it remains unexcavated: the Book of Hebrews. The reason its message is almost unknown is that sincere translators have unwittingly twisted one of its central truths that in effect cover up its message to modern readers.
Chapter 1 proves Christ is divine, eternally pre-existent; His name is "God" (vs. 8). Chapter 2 proves Christ is fully human, "in all things ... made like His brethren," "partaken of flesh and blood" as are all the fallen children of Adam, so that by means of this education He might be fitted to be "a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God" (2:17, 14; 4:15; 5:8, 9).
So far, good; all is clear. Chapters 7-10 emphasize how the Levitical priesthood and sanctuary ministry failed miserably in that they could not "continually year by year, make those who approach perfect." But the useless ritual went on continually for centuries! (10:1, 2). Therefore there must be an entirely new priesthood, that of Christ Himself, and the old must cease for its failure. But the old was a type, a pattern, a kindergarten lesson, to illustrate the nature of the new priesthood, that resembled the new as a shadow represents the object that created it.
And here is where the translation difficulties begin. Chapter 9:1-10 details a significant feature of the "shadow" Levitical ministry: there were two phases to the high priest's ancient ministry. Every day in the year he would go into the first apartment where the seven golden candlesticks were and the table where twelve freshly baked loaves of bread were displayed every Sabbath morning, there to minister forgiveness to repentant sinners (but they kept on sinning!). But once a year he would enter into the second apartment where the golden ark was with the two tables of stone with the Ten Commandments written thereon by the finger of God. That second-apartment ministry was to "cleanse" the sanctuary and put an end to on-going sinning. But it never worked!
So, says Hebrews, there must be a second apartment ministry of the great High Priest in the true heavenly sanctuary, to solve forever this on-going sin in the lives of His people. The problem: most translations confuse the two apartments, which in Greek are ta hagiaand hagia hagion. At His ascension, Christ entered ta hagia; at a period before His second coming, He leaves ta hagiaand enters hagiahagion, there to complete His work of preparing a people for His second coming. Read Hebrews with this in mind: it will come alive for you.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 4, 2003.
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