Definition: 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;
Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from Hebrews 9:11. It's a really interesting and somewhat complex passage about the nature of sacrifice in the Old Testament. Here’s a simplified explanation: The Basic Idea: This verse describes how Jesus Christ fulfills the role of a high priest – a representative of God – for a much better purpose than the old sacrifices that were made to appease God. Let's unpack it piece by piece: “Christ being come…” - This tells us we’re talking about the coming of Jesus. It’s not just any Christ, but the special, divine Christ who came to earth. “…an high priest of good things to come…” – A high priest is a leader and representative of God in the Old Testament. This verse says that Jesus is now a high priest, but not one who works directly with God. He's acting as an intermediary. “by a greater and more perfect tabernacle…” - This is the key part! The “tabernacle” was a special structure built by Moses in the wilderness for seven days to give God a place to dwell and interact with his people. It was a physical space – a tent made of skins. But this verse says Jesus’ tabernacle is far better . “not of this building…” - This is where it gets really interesting. The old tabernacle was built out of materials . It was made from animal hides, wood, and other things. Jesus' tabernacle isn’t made of these earthly materials. It's made of divine elements – that means it’s created by God himself. So, what does this mean? Jesus Christ is fulfilling the role of a high priest for a much better purpose than the old sacrifices. He doesn’t participate in the offering of blood and animals. Instead, he offers a symbolic sacrifice – a sacrifice of his own life – that represents the ultimate sacrifice for humanity's sins. It’s a permanent record of God’s forgiveness and relationship with us. In essence, it means Jesus’ role as a high priest was more profound - it was designed to be a constant, unbreakable connection between God and humanity. Why is this important? This verse helps us understand that Christ's sacrifice wasn’t just about atonement (making things right). It was also about establishing a lasting relationship with God. It points towards the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan for salvation. --- Do you want me to: Explain this verse in more detail? Connect it to another biblical passage? Answer any specific questions you have about it?