11But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
Since the Old Testament anticipated a better or New Covenant (He 8:7-–13), we see in verses 11–15 the superiority of Christ, Mediator of the New Covenant, as our High Priest. The sacrificial death of Christ marked the beginning of the New Covenant, of which He is the Mediator.
But
The “but” here makes a contrast to Old Testament rituals that could not make the believer’s conscience “perfect” (He 9:9). Christ’s finished work on the cross as our High Priest resolved that problem. Now the author deals with what is real rather than what is symbolically anticipated.
Christ [the Messiah] came as High Priest
The name “Christ” is a title for the Messiah. He “came” or arrived in the presence of God to minister as our High Priest. This refers to His ministry in heaven. We now have access to our Priest-King in glory.
of the good things to come,
The “good things” refer to the new privileges whereby the believer can relate to God through Jesus’ death and resurrection. They are the redemption privileges we have in Christ.
with [in connection with] the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands,
This “tabernacle” is heaven itself. It is where Christ went into the presence of God as High Priest. No mere human being could construct a tabernacle like this. God constructed this tabernacle; it was no human building.
that is, not of this creation.
Christ’s role as High Priest links with the heavenly tabernacle, not the earthly material order. The place where our Lord conducts His work as High Priest shows the nature of His work. He did not function in the type but in the antitype of heaven itself.
PRINCIPLE:
Our perfect High Priest serves in a perfect heaven to make perfect those who believe.
APPLICATION:
Christians today can function within the realm of the new dimension Christ created for us. We operate in this dimension in the realm of our spirits (Jn 4:24; Eph 2:6; 1 Co 6:17). One day, we will live in a body “not made with human hands” (2 Co 5:1); that is, the resurrection body.
Christ’s sacrifice was effective in paying for sins. Israel’s sacrifices were only ceremonial; the atonement sacrifice only covered sins and did not remove them like Christ did. Christ’s ministry was superior because it was spiritual, not material.
