Hebrews 9 23

Hebrews 9:23 kjv

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 9:23 nkjv

Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Hebrews 9:23 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.

Hebrews 9:23 esv

Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Hebrews 9:23 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.

Hebrews 9 verses

Hebrews 9 23 Meaning

Hebrews 9:23 declares the divine necessity of purification. It first states that the earthly copies of heavenly realities, such as the tabernacle and its ceremonial objects, needed purification through animal blood, as prescribed by the Old Covenant. Crucially, it then asserts that the heavenly realities themselves, which these earthly patterns represented, also required cleansing. However, this purification of the true heavenly things could not be accomplished by mere animal sacrifices, but by something immeasurably superior: the ultimate, perfect, and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ Himself. This highlights the foundational truth that the removal of sin's defiling power impacts not only earth but also our access to God's heavenly presence, made possible solely through Christ.

Hebrews 9 23 Context

Hebrews chapter 9 serves as a theological bridge, illustrating the limitations and symbolic nature of the Old Covenant's sacrificial system and contrasting it with the efficacy and superiority of Christ's once-for-all sacrifice under the New Covenant. The preceding verses (Heb 9:1-10) meticulously describe the earthly tabernacle, its sacred objects, and the priestly services, highlighting their symbolic nature and inability to fully purify the conscience or provide true access to God. Verses 9:11-14 then introduce Christ as the High Priest of "good things to come," who entered a greater and more perfect tabernacle—heaven itself—not with animal blood, but with His own precious blood. This established His cleansing power over our consciences. Verses 9:15-22 detail the necessity of blood for the establishment of any covenant, reinforcing the principle "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins."

Hebrews 9:23 logically extends this argument by affirming that if the earthly patterns (shadows) required purification by blood, then the heavenly realities (substance) that they mirrored also required an ultimate purification, one beyond animal sacrifices. The historical context involves an audience, primarily Jewish Christians, who were likely tempted to revert to the familiar, visible, and ritualistic Old Covenant practices amidst persecution or theological misunderstanding. The author skillfully employs typological interpretation to demonstrate that the old system was always a temporary shadow pointing to the enduring reality and ultimate fulfillment found only in Christ's completed work. The verse thus counters any lingering notion that the Levitical system had ultimate cleansing power for either earthly rituals or heavenly access.

Hebrews 9 23 Word analysis

• It was therefore necessary (Ἀνάγκη οὖν): Expresses a divine and moral imperative. This necessity is not optional but a foundational truth for atonement and covenant establishment, rooted in God's holy character and justice.
• that the patterns (ὑποδείγματα - hypodeigmata): Refers to the earthly objects and rituals of the tabernacle/temple. These were not the heavenly realities themselves, but physical representations, copies, or illustrations. They were "lesser" things, shadows (Heb 8:5).
• of things in the heavens (τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς - tōn en tois ouranois): Specifies that the patterns were earthly reflections of heavenly archetypes or realities. These "things in the heavens" are the true, eternal spiritual counterparts of the earthly sanctuary and its services, often interpreted as God's presence, the divine court, or the realm where God dwells and operates.
• should be purified (καθαρίζεσθαι - katharizesthai): To cleanse, purify, make ceremonially or ritually clean. In the Old Covenant, this was often symbolic, setting things apart for God or removing ceremonial defilement. Here, for heavenly things, it signifies removing the impact of sin on humanity's access to God's presence and holy realm, or the cleansing of the relationship between God's perfect sanctuary and fallen humanity. It does not imply that heaven itself is morally stained.
• with these (τούτοις - toutois): Refers to the various applications of animal blood used in the Old Covenant sacrificial system, as described in Heb 9:19-22, emphasizing its ceremonial use for purification.
• but the heavenly things themselves (αὐτὰ τὰ ἐπουράνια - auta ta epourania): This contrasts directly with "the patterns." It refers to the true, ultimate, divine realities in God's dwelling place. These are not mere copies but the ultimate, archetypal, and spiritual sphere.
• with better sacrifices (κρείττοσι θυσίαις - kreittosi thysiais): "Better" indicates superiority in every way (in nature, efficacy, and permanence). The plural "sacrifices" here, even referring to Christ's singular offering, emphasizes the comprehensive, multi-faceted, and perfectly complete nature of His atonement that fulfills all aspects of genuine purification. It encompasses the propitiation, expiation, and sanctification that His single sacrifice achieves.
• than these (παρὰ ταύτας - para tautas): Explicitly contrasts the effectiveness of Christ's sacrifice with the limited efficacy of the Old Covenant animal sacrifices.

Hebrews 9 23 Bonus section

The concept of "heavenly things needing purification" has led to various interpretations among theologians. While the passage clearly states it, it does not imply moral defilement within heaven itself or the divine essence. Instead, the most coherent understanding centers on:

1. Access and Relationship: Sin fundamentally altered the relationship between humanity and a holy God. Before Christ, humanity's sin defiled their standing before a holy God, effectively blocking access to His heavenly sanctuary. Christ's sacrifice removes this barrier, "purifying" the way for believers to enter God's presence.
2. Cosmic Impact of Sin: Some interpretations consider that sin had a cosmic impact, defiling aspects of creation, even angelic realms (though debated). Christ's redemptive work, including His death and ascension, comprehensively purifies all creation and re-establishes God's sovereignty, as reflected in passages like Col 1:20 ("reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven").
3. Typological Archetypes: Another view suggests that the "heavenly things" refer to the ideal, true forms of the Old Covenant rituals and objects, which were conceptually impacted by sin in terms of their effectiveness for humanity, and therefore needed cleansing by Christ's reality.
4. Figurative Language: The author of Hebrews often uses the earthly tabernacle as an extended metaphor for understanding spiritual realities. The "purification" of heavenly things might metaphorically signify that for the Old Covenant types to truly point to something effective, the archetype had to be made accessible and clean for humanity by Christ's sacrifice, removing the ultimate sin-barrier.

Ultimately, Hebrews 9:23 asserts the all-encompassing, pervasive, and utterly superior nature of Christ's work in cleansing and making reconciliation possible, not only for the earthly and human but also in relation to the very dwelling place of God and humanity's ability to approach it.

Hebrews 9 23 Commentary

Hebrews 9:23 provides a profound theological truth about the necessity and nature of atonement. The verse operates on a principle of escalation: if the earthly "shadows" (patterns) of God's dwelling and service required purification through animal blood, then the "heavenly things themselves"—the ultimate spiritual realities—required a far more substantial and superior cleansing. The "heavenly things" can be understood as the true sanctuary where God dwells, the spiritual realm that sin's presence fundamentally disrupted, and the cosmic order of creation. Sin introduced defilement not just on earth but established a barrier to God's holy presence for fallen humanity. Therefore, purification was necessary not because heaven itself was sinful, but because sin's pervasive nature affected humanity's relationship with, and access to, the divine, holy realm.

The contrast between "these" (animal sacrifices) and "better sacrifices" (Christ's unique offering) underscores the central theme of Hebrews: the absolute superiority of Christ. Animal blood could only ceremonially cleanse the copies for a time, preparing for access to an earthly representation of God. It could never genuinely remove sin or truly open the way to God's heavenly presence. Christ, through His own sinless life and ultimate, once-for-for-all death, offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice. His blood possesses intrinsic worth, eternal power, and absolute purity, sufficient to cleanse both our consciences (Heb 9:14) and to address the cosmic defilement caused by sin, thereby purifying our access to the very throne room of God in heaven. His single sacrifice fulfilled and superseded all the temporary sacrifices of the Old Covenant, establishing a new and eternal access to God for believers.