Entering the Holy of Holies

There is a popular song that goes: I enter the Holy of Holies, I enter with the blood if the lamb…. While I have enjoyed that song in the past, I have often been troubled by the biblical accuracy of the lyrics. The song clearly relates to Hebrews chapters 8-10 where the author talks about boldly approaching or entering the Holy of Holies. It is in fact a very common teaching that, because the Temple curtain tore during the crucifixion of Jesus, we are now free to enter the Holy of Holies. I believe this is not the case at all and I will lay out my reasoning for you here.

First, let me share a little background. The original tabernacle (and the subsequent temples created to duplicate the tabernacle) was divided into two sections: there was the Holy Place, which contained the Altar of Incense, the Table of Shewbread, and the Golden Lampstand; and there was the Holy of Holies or The Most Holy Place, which contained the Ark of the Covenant. It was in the Holy Place where the priests would perform daily routines that included burning incense, changing the shewbread, and taking care of the lampstand. The Holy of Holies (where God dwelt) was entered only once per year, and only by the High Priest. He would enter once a year on the Day of Atonement to make atonement for the entire congregation before God. If anyone else entered the Holy of Holies (or if the High Priest entered on any other day), he would be struck dead by God.

According to historical documents, at the time of Jesus there were very large curtains at the entrance of both the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. These curtains separated the Holy Place from the courtyard and The Most Holy Place from the Holy Place. They also prevented seeing into the Holy Place from the courtyard and seeing into the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place. It has been written that these curtains were a hand span thick and as much as seventy feet high. This is significant because the curtain or veil that is described in the first three gospels as tearing from top to bottom could not have been the inner curtain. If the inner curtain had torn, you would not be able to see it from outside the temple. However, if the outer curtain had torn it would be clearly visible from outside the temple.

Symbolically it makes more sense for the outside curtain to have torn. The outside curtain was in a sense, God’s outer garments, and it was a very Hebraic thing for a father to tear his outer garments at the death of a son.

It is said that the tearing of the curtain was God’s way of showing us that we can now enter into a place that was once forbidden to us. However, it makes more sense that this place is the Holy Place, not the Most Holy Place. Remember that the Holy Place that was hidden by the outer curtain was where any priest was allowed to enter. The Most Holy Place that was hidden by the inner curtain was where only the High Priest could enter. We are called to be a kingdom of priests, not High Priests. Our High Priest is now Yeshua/Jesus.

Now from a historical and Old Testament point of view the previous arguments make sense. However, Hebrews chapters 8-10 clearly seem to indicate that we can now enter the Holy of Holies. The problem with the book of Hebrews is that the translations may not be exactly accurate. I will demonstrate using the ten verses from Hebrews chapters 8-10 that talk about the Holy Place or the Holy of Holies Place.

I have used the King James Version with Strong’s numbers to make my point. Strong’s number 39 is the Greek word hagion, which means a sacred thing or holy place. In order to have "Holy of Holies or Most Holy Place" you would use the word hagion twice. In other words, you would say Holy Holy or "Holy of Holies". So let’s look at what the King James does:

Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary(39), and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. This verse uses just one Holy (39 ) and is translated sanctuary, but could also be translated Holy Place.

Heb 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary(39).
This verse also uses only one Holy and is clearly not referring to the Holy of Holies.

Heb 9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein, was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary(39).
Heb 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all(39,39); These two verses clearly show the differences. The first is called sanctuary or Holy and the second is called the Holiest of all or Holy Holy. Please notice there are two Strong number 39's. We know that the first is the Holy Place because the candlestick, shewbread, etc. are located in the Holy Place. Therefore the second must be the Holy of Holies. Also please note that the author of Hebrews makes reference to the second veil.

Heb 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all(39) was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Translating this verse Holiest of all is clearly wrong because there is only one Holy 39.

Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place(39), having obtained eternal redemption for us.
This verse has some discrepancies. The one Holy would be rendered Holy Place, but this verse seems to describe the role of the High Priest who would enter only once into the Holy of Holies. One of the earliest manuscripts (S1) does in fact have the second Holy, which would be more accurate given the context.

Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places(39) made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: This is a single Holy, however it is translated as the plural "Holy Places," which are likened to "figures of the true," so it is probably referring to both areas the sanctuary, not just one of the two Holy places.

Heb 9:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place(39) every year, with blood of others;
According to the oldest Greek manuscripts, this should have two Holies and be translated Holy of Holies. This is logical because it is describing the High Priest entering the Holy of Holies once every year.

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into, the holiest(39) by the blood of Jesus,
This is where the translation gets important. Both the King James Version with Strong’s numbers and the oldest Greek manuscripts have only one Holy (please note only one 39). Therefore, this verse is talking about the Holy Place, not the Holy of Holies. Unfortunately many translations like NIV, King James, NLT, and others, translate it Holy of Holies. However, the NRSV and the NASB do not. The author of Hebrews is telling us that we can boldly enter the Holy Place because we are now priests, but as priests we would not enter the Holy of Holies. That is reserved for our High Priest Yeshua/Jesus.

Heb 13:11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary(39) by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
This verse is accurate because there is only one Holy and the actions of the High Priest that are described would take place in the Holy Place, not the Holy of Holies.

Every one of these verses shows that the author of Hebrews is being true to the original concepts of just Who is allowed to enter the Holy Place and Who is allowed to enter the Holy of Holies. To state that anyone can now enter the Holy of Holies not only goes against the Old Testament teaching, but clearly goes against the understanding of the author of Hebrews as well.

Here is another way of looking at this issue. At the time of Yeshua/Jesus, Paul (and virtually every book of the bible) the Holy of Holies was restricted to the High Priest once a year. If something as momentous as allowing everyone to enter the Holy of Holies had taken place, wouldn’t someone have spoken of it or written of it? Only one verse in the entire bible seems to change the rules of the tabernacle that were instituted by God; and the translation of that verse is clearly not without controversy.

Changing from the traditional teachings of this issue does not weaken the Christian faith. In fact, if anything, it strengthens it, by showing just how grafted in we are to God’s chosen people. And it also serves to give us a clear understanding of what it means when Paul writes, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5)