Heb 9:1-10 Describe the “regulations of divine worship” under the first covenant. What was the outer (lit. “first”) sanctuary called, and what articles relating to the divine worship were found in it? See Heb 9:2. What was the spiritual significance of each in pointing the worshipers to Christ? Cf. Jn 8:12; 2 Sam 9:6-11, Prov 9:1-6, Lk 22:29-30. What was the inner (“second” in Heb 9:7) sanctuary called, and what articles relating to the divine worship were found in it? See Heb 9:3-4? What was the spiritual significance of each of those in pointing the worshipers to Christ? Cf. Heb 7:25, Rev 5:8, 8:3-4; Ex 25:16-22; Dt 8:3, Jn 6:48-50, Rev 2:17. What was the special significance of Aaron’s rod that budded in pointing men to Christ as their only mediator for salvation? See Heb 5:1-6, Acts 4:12, and cf. the rebellion of the people in Num 16-17 against Aaron’s priesthood; see esp. Num 16:1-3, 8-11, 39-40, 17:10-13. How did the divine worship carried on by the priests differ in regard to the two sanctuaries? See Heb 9:6-7. What was the significance of the different worship that took place in the two sanctuaries? See Heb 9:8-9. What would the author have us understand in Heb 9:8 to be the antitype of the “outer” tabernacle that while still standing prevented access to the holy place? See Heb 9:9-10 and recall that “outer” is literally “first”; cf. Heb 8:13. What does it mean to be “perfect in conscience” (Heb 9:9)? See Heb 9:13-14, 10:1-4, 11, 21-22. Why couldn’t the gifts and sacrifices offered by Aaron’s priesthood in the earthly sanctuary make the worshipers perfect in conscience? See Heb 9:10; cf. Col 2:16-17, 20-23. When was the time of reformation referred to by the author in Heb 9:10? See Heb 9:11, 7:12.
Heb 9:11-28 With what words does the author in Heb 9:11 describe the better sanctuary in which Christ ministers as High Priest? Why is it “greater” and “more perfect”? See Heb 9:11, 23-24. What was the better sacrifice offered by Christ? See Heb 9:12. In what two ways was His sacrifice superior to those offered by Aaron’s priesthood? See Heb 9:13-14, 25-26. What does the author mean that the blood of Christ cleanses our conscience “from dead works to serve the living God”? See again Col 2:20-23. How is that different from what the blood sacrifices under the old covenant were able to cleanse? See Heb 9:13 and cf. Heb 9:9-10. Notice in Heb 9:15-17 that the word for a covenant is the same as that for a will or testament; what do these verses teach us about the relationship between a covenant and a will or testament? See esp. Heb 9:16. By what means only is a covenant enacted? See Heb 9:18. By what means only does one receive an inheritance? Think: can one receive an inheritance unless it is willed to him? Can one receive an inheritance without the death of the one who willed it? See Heb 9:17. What did the blood of the bulls and goats that inaugurated the Mosaic covenant point to, and for what two reasons ought the temporal, fleshly, “of this world” nature of that covenant have been clear to the people? See Heb 10:1-4, Gal 3:15-18. Why is it that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness”? See Lev 17:11, Rom 6:23. What do Heb 9:25-26, 28 teach us about the Roman Catholic doctrine of the Mass? See also Heb 10:11-12. What do Heb 9:27-28 teach us about the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory and other “second chance” theologies? Why would this truth be especially important to the original recipients of this letter? To whom shall Christ appear a second time with respect to salvation? Should those who have fallen away eagerly await Christ’s second coming, perhaps supposing He may yet bear away their sin? See also Heb 10:26-27, 37-38.