العبادة في الخيمة الأرضية

حَقّاً كَانَ الْعَهْدُ الْعَتِيقُ يَتَضَمَّنُ طُقُوساً وَقَوَانِينَ تُنَظِّمُ عِبَادَةَ اللهِ فِي خَيْمَةٍ مُقَدَّسَةٍ مَنْصُوبَةٍ عَلَى هذِهِ الأَرْضِ. وَكَانَتْ هَذِهِ الْخَيْمَةُ الْكَبِيرَةُ تَحْتَوِي عَلَى قِسْمَيْنِ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمَا الْحِجَابُ. الْقِسْمُ الأَوَّلُ، وَاسْمُهُ «الْقُدْسُ»، كَانَ يَحْتَوِي عَلَى مَنَارَةٍ ذَهَبِيَّةٍ، وَمَائِدَةٍ يُوضَعُ عَلَيْهَا خُبْزٌ مُقَرَّبٌ لِلهِ. أَمَّا الْقِسْمُ الثَّانِي، الْوَاقِعُ وَرَاءَ الْحِجَابِ، فَكَانَ يُسَمَّى «قُدْسَ الأَقْدَاسِ»، وَيَحْتَوِي عَلى مَوْقِدٍ لِلْبَخُورِ مَصْنُوعٍ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ، وَتَابُوتٍ مُغَشّىً بِالذَّهَبِ مِنْ كُلِّ جِهَةٍ، يُدْعَى «تَابُوتَ الْعَهْدِ». وَكَانَ فِي دَاخِلِ التَّابُوتِ إِنَاءٌ مَصْنُوعٌ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ يَحْتَوِي عَلَى بَعْضِ الْمَنِّ؛ وَعَصَا هَرُونَ الَّتِي أَنْبَتَتْ وَرَقاً أَخْضَرَ؛ وَاللَّوْحَانِ الْمَنْقُوشَةُ عَلَيْهِمَا وَصَايَا الْعَهْدِ. أَمَّا فَوْقَ التَّابُوتِ، فَكَانَ يُوْجَدُ كَرُوبَا الْمَجْدِ (تِمْثَالانِ لِمَلاكَيْنِ)، يُخَيِّمَانِ بِأَجْنِحَتِهِمَا عَلَى غِطَاءِ الصُّنْدُوقِ الَّذِي كَانَ يُدْعَى «كُرْسِيَّ الرَّحْمَةِ»، وَهُنَا، نَكْتَفِي بِهَذَا الْمِقْدَارِ مِنَ التَّفَاصِيلِ. فَالْمَجَالُ لَا يَتَّسِعُ لِلْمَزِيدِ. وَبِمَا أَنَّ هَذِهِ الأُمُورَ كَانَتْ مُرَتَّبَةً هَكَذَا، كَانَ الْكَهَنَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ دَائِماً إِلَى الْقِسْمِ الأَوَّلِ، حَيْثُ يَقُومُونَ بِوَاجِبَاتِ خِدْمَتِهِمْ. أَمَّا الْقِسْمُ الثَّانِي، فَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَدْخُلُهُ إِلّا رَئِيسُ الْكَهَنَةِ وَحْدَهُ، مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً كُلَّ سَنَةٍ. وَكَانَ مِنَ الْوَاجِبِ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَحْمِلَ دَماً يَرُشُّهُ عَلَى «كُرْسِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ» تَكْفِيراً عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَعَنِ الْخَطَايَا الَّتِي ارْتَكَبَهَا الشَّعْبُ عَنْ جَهْلٍ. وَبِهَذَا، يُشِيرُ الرُّوحُ الْقُدُسُ إِلَى أَنَّ الطَّرِيقَ الْمُؤَدِّيَةَ إِلَى «قُدْسِ الأَقْدَاسِ» الْحَقِيقِيِّ فِي السَّمَاءِ، كَانَتْ غَيْرَ مَفْتُوحَةٍ بَعْدُ. ذَلِكَ لأَنَّ الْمَسْكَنَ الأَوَّلَ مَازَالَ قَائِماً. وَمَا هَذَا إِلّا صُورَةٌ لِلْوَقْتِ الْحَاضِرِ الَّذِي فِيهِ مَازَالَتِ التَّقْدِمَاتُ وَالذَّبَائِحُ تُقَرَّبُ وَفْقاً لِنِظَامِ الْعَهْدِ الْعَتِيقِ. وَلكِنَّهَا لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تُطَهِّرَ ضَمَائِرَ الَّذِينَ يَتَقَرَّبُونَ بِها إِلَى اللهِ، وَلا أَنْ تُوصِلَهُمْ إِلَى الْكَمَالِ فَتُرِيحَ ضَمَائِرَهُمْ. 10 إِذْ إِنَّ نِظَامَ الْعَهْدِ السَّابِقِ قَدِ اقْتَصَرَ عَلَى تَحْرِيمِ بَعْضِ الْمَأْكُولاتِ وَالْمَشْرُوبَاتِ وَتَحْلِيلِ غَيْرِهَا، وَعَلَى وَضْعِ النُّظُمِ الْمُخْتَصَّةِ بِطُقُوسِ الاغْتِسَالِ الْمُخْتَلِفَةِ. بَلْ إِنَّ كُلَّ مَا ضَمَّهُ ذَلِكَ النِّظَامُ كَانَ قَوَانِينَ جَسَدِيَّةً يَنْتَهِي عَمَلُهَا حِينَ يَأْتِي وَقْتُ الإِصْلاحِ.

دم المسيح

11 ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْبَرَكَاتِ السَّمَاوِيَّةَ قَدْ تَحَقَّقَتْ فِي الْمَسِيحِ. فَهُوَ الآنَ كَاهِنُنَا الأَعْلَى الَّذِي يُؤَدِّي مُهِمَّتَهُ فِي الْخَيْمَةِ الْحَقِيقِيَّةِ، وَهِيَ أَعْظَمُ وَأَكْمَلُ مِنَ الْخَيْمَةِ الأَرْضِيَّةِ. إِنَّهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ. لَمْ تَصْنَعْهَا يَدٌ بَشَرِيَّةٌ، وَلَيْسَتْ مِنْ هَذَا الْعَالَمِ الْمَادِّيِّ. 12 فَإِلَى «قُدْسِ الأَقْدَاسِ» فِي هَذِهِ الْخَيْمَةِ، دَخَلَ الْمَسِيحُ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً، حَامِلاً دَمَ نَفْسِهِ، لَا دَمَ تُيُوسٍ وَعُجُولٍ. وَذَلِكَ بَعْدَمَا سَفَكَ دَمَهُ عِوَضاً عَنَّا. فَحَقَّقَ فِدَاءً أَبَدِيًّا. 13 وَلا عَجَبَ! فَوَفْقاً لِلنِّظَامِ السَّابِقِ، كَانَ دَمُ الثِّيرَانِ وَالتُّيُوسِ يُرَشُّ عَلَى الْمُنَجَّسِينَ، مَعَ رَمَادِ عِجْلَةٍ مَحْرُوقَةٍ، فَيَصِيرُونَ طَاهِرِينَ طَهَارَةً جَسَدِيَّةً. 14 فَكَمْ بِالأَحْرَى دَمُ الْمَسِيحِ الَّذِي قَدَّمَ نَفْسَهُ لِلهِ بِرُوحٍ أَزَلِيٍّ ذَبِيحَةً لَا عَيْبَ فِيهَا، يُطَهِّرُ ضَمَائِرَنَا مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ الْمَيِّتَةِ لِنَعْبُدَ اللهَ الْحَيَّ.

15 وَلِذَلِكَ، فَالْمَسِيحُ هُوَ الْوَسِيطُ لِهَذَا الْعَهْدِ الْجَدِيدِ. فَبِمَا أَنَّهُ قَدْ تَّمَ الْمَوْتُ فِدَاءً لِلْمُخَالَفَاتِ الْحَاصِلَةِ تَحْتَ الْعَهْدِ الأَوَّلِ، يَنَالُ الْمَدْعُوُّونَ الْوَعْدَ بِالإِرْثِ الأَبَدِيِّ. 16 فَعِنْدَمَا يَمُوتُ أَحَدٌ وَيَتْرُكُ وَصِيَّةً، لابُدَّ مِنْ إِثْبَاتِ مَوْتِهِ لِلاسْتِفَادَةِ مِنْ وَصِيَّتِهِ. 17 إِذْ لَا قُوَّةَ لِلْوَصِيَّةِ عَلَى الإِطْلاقِ مَادَامَ صَاحِبُهَا حَيًّا. فَلا تَثْبُتُ الْوَصِيَّةُ إِلّا بِمَوْتِ صَاحِبِهَا.

18 وَهَكَذَا، فَحَتَّى الْعَهْدُ الْعَتِيقُ لَمْ يَبْدَأْ تَنْفِيذُهُ إِلّا بِرَشِّ الدَّمِ. 19 فَمَعْلُومٌ أَنَّ مُوسَى، بَعْدَ تِلاوَةِ وَصَايَا الشَّرِيعَةِ كُلِّهَا عَلَى الشَّعْبِ، أَخَذَ دَمَ الْعُجُولِ وَالتُّيُوسِ مَعَ بَعْضِ الْمَاءِ، وَرَشَّهُ عَلَى كِتَابِ الشَّرِيعَةِ، وَعَلَى أَفْرَادِ الشَّعْبِ، بِبَاقَةٍ مِنْ نَبَاتِ الزُّوفَا وَصُوفٍ أَحْمَرِ اللَّوْنِ. 20 وَقَالَ: هَذَا دَمُ الْعَهْدِ الَّذِي أَوْصَاكُمُ اللهُ بِحِفْظِهِ. 21 وَقَدْ رَشَّ مُوسَى الدَّمَ أَيْضاً عَلَى خَيْمَةِ الْعِبَادَةِ، وَعَلَى أَدَوَاتِ الْخِدْمَةِ الَّتِي فِيهَا. 22 فَالشَّرِيعَةُ تُوصِي بِأَنْ يَتَطَهَّرَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ تَقْرِيباً بِالدَّمِ. وَلا غُفْرَانَ إِلّا بِسَفْكِ الدَّمِ!

23 وَبِمَا أَنَّ تَطْهِيرَ الْخَيْمَةِ الأَرْضِيَّةِ كَانَ يَتَطَلَّبُ رَشَّ دَمِ الذَّبَائِحِ الْحَيَوَانِيَّةِ، فَإِنَّ الْخَيْمَةَ الْحَقِيقِيَّةَ لابُدَّ أَنْ تَتَطَلَّبَ دَمَ ذَبِيحَةٍ أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الذَّبَائِحِ الأُخْرَى. 24 فَالْمَسِيحُ، رَئِيسُ كَهَنَتِنَا، لَمْ يَدْخُلْ إِلَى «قُدْسِ الأَقْدَاسِ» الأَرْضِيِّ، الَّذِي صَنَعَتْهُ يَدٌ بَشَرِيَّةٌ وَمَا هُوَ إِلّا ظِلٌّ لِلْحَقِيقَةِ، بَلْ دَخَلَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ عَيْنِهَا، حَيْثُ يَقُومُ الآنَ بِتَمْثِيلِنَا فِي حَضْرَةِ اللهِ بِالذَّاتِ. 25 وَهُوَ لَمْ يَدْخُلْ لِيُقَدِّمَ نَفْسَهُ ذَبِيحَةً مَرَّةً بَعْدَ مَرَّةٍ، كَمَا كَانَ الْكَاهِنُ الأَعْلَى عَلَى الأَرْضِ يَدْخُلُ مَرَّةً كُلَّ سَنَةٍ إِلَى «قُدْسِ الأَقْدَاسِ» بِدَمٍ غَيْرِ دَمِهِ. 26 وَإلَّا لَكَانَ يَجِبُ أَنْ يَمُوتَ الْمَسِيحُ مُتَأَلِّماً مَرَّاتٍ كَثِيرَةً مُنْذُ تَأْسِيسِ الْعَالَمِ! وَلَكِنَّهُ الآنَ، عِنْدَ انْتِهَاءِ الأَزْمِنَةِ، ظَهَرَ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً لِيُبْطِلَ قُوَّةَ الْخَطِيئَةِ بِتَقْدِيمِ نَفْسِهِ ذَبِيحَةً لِلهِ. 27 فَكَمَا أَنَّ مَصِيرَ النَّاسِ الْمَحْتُومَ، هُوَ أَنْ يَمُوتُوا مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً ثُمَّ تَأْتِي الدَّيْنُونَةُ، 28 كَذَلِكَ الْمَسِيحُ أَيْضاً: مَاتَ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً حَامِلاً خَطَايَا كَثِيرِينَ، مُقَدِّماً نَفْسَهُ عِوَضاً عَنْهُمْ. وَلابُدَّ أَنْ يَعُودَ إِلَى الظُّهُورِ. لَا لِيُعَالِجَ الْخَطَايَا، بَلْ لِيُحَقِّقَ الْخَلاصَ النِّهَائِيَّ لِجَمِيعِ مُنْتَظِرِيهِ!

Certamente anche il primo patto ebbe degli ordinamenti per il servizio divino e per il santuario terreno.

Infatti fu costruito un primo tabernacolo in cui vi erano il candelabro la tavola e i pani della presentazione; esso è chiamato: "Il luogo santo".

Dietro il secondo velo c'era il tabernacolo, detto: "Il luogo santissimo",

che conteneva un turibolo d'oro e l'arca del patto tutta ricoperta d'oro, nella quale si trovava un vaso d'oro contenente la manna, la verga di Aaronne che era germogliata e le tavole del patto.

E sopra l'arca vi erano i cherubini della gloria che adombravano il propiziatorio; di queste cose non possiamo parlarne ora dettagliatamente.

Or essendo queste cose disposte cosí, i sacerdoti entravano continuamente nel primo tabernacolo, per compiere il servizio divino;

ma nel secondo entrava soltanto il sommo sacerdote una volta all'anno, non senza sangue, che egli offriva per se stesso, e per i peccati d'ignoranza del popolo.

Lo Spirito Santo voleva cosí dimostrare che la via del santuario non era ancora resa manifesta, mentre sussisteva ancora il primo tabernacolo,

il quale è una figura per il tempo presente, e voleva indicare che i doni e i sacrifici offerti non potevano rendere perfetto nella coscienza colui che faceva il servizio divino,

10 trattandosi solo di cibi, di bevande, di varie abluzioni e di ordinamenti carnali, imposti fino al tempo del cambiamento.

11 Ma Cristo, essendo venuto come sommo sacerdote dei beni futuri, attraverso un tabernacolo piú grande e piú perfetto non fatto da mano d'uomo, cioè non di questa creazione,

12 entrò una volta per sempre nel santuario, non con sangue di capri e di vitelli, ma col proprio sangue, avendo acquistato una redenzione eterna.

13 Infatti, se il sangue dei tori e dei capri e la cenere di una giovenca aspersi sopra i contaminati li santifica, purificandoli nella carne,

14 quanto piú il sangue di Cristo, che mediante lo Spirito eterno offerse se stesso puro di ogni colpa a Dio, purificherà la vostra coscienza dalle opere morte per servire il Dio vivente!

15 E perciò egli è il mediatore del nuovo patto affinché, essendo intervenuta la morte per il riscatto dalle trasgressioni commesse sotto il primo patto, i chiamati ricevano la promessa dell'eterna eredità.

16 Poiché dove c'è un testamento, ci deve essere necessariamente anche la morte del testatore.

17 Il testamento infatti è valido solo dopo la morte di qualcuno, perché non ha alcuna forza mentre vive ancora il testatore.

18 Per questo neppure il primo fu inaugurato senza sangue.

19 Infatti, quando tutti i comandamenti secondo la legge furono proclamati da Mosè a tutto il popolo, egli, preso il sangue dei vitelli e dei capri, con acqua, lana scarlatta e issopo, asperse il libro stesso e tutto il popolo,

20 dicendo «Questo è il sangue del patto che Dio ha ordinato per voi».

21 Parimenti con quel sangue egli asperse pure il tabernacolo e tutti gli arredi del servizio divino.

22 E, secondo la legge, quasi tutte le cose sono purificate col sangue; e senza spargimento di sangue non c'è perdono dei peccati.

23 Era dunque necessario che i modelli delle cose celesti fossero purificati con queste cose; ma le cose celesti stesse lo dovevano essere con sacrifici piú eccellenti di questi.

24 Cristo infatti non è entrato in un santuario fatto da mani d'uomo, figura delle cose vere, ma nel cielo stesso per comparire ora davanti alla presenza di Dio per noi,

25 e non per offrire se stesso piú volte, come il sommo sacerdote che entra ogni anno nel santuario con sangue, non suo.

26 altrimenti egli avrebbe dovuto soffrire piú volte dalla fondazione del mondo; ma ora, una sola volta, alla fine delle età, Cristo è stato manifestato per annullare il peccato mediante il sacrificio di se stesso.

27 E come è stabilito che gli uomini muoiano una sola volta, e dopo ciò viene il giudizio,

28 cosí anche Cristo, dopo essere stato offerto una sola volta per prendere su di sé i peccati di molti, apparirà una seconda volta senza peccato a coloro che lo aspettano per la salvezza.

Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.(A) A tabernacle(B) was set up. In its first room were the lampstand(C) and the table(D) with its consecrated bread;(E) this was called the Holy Place.(F) Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,(G) which had the golden altar of incense(H) and the gold-covered ark of the covenant.(I) This ark contained the gold jar of manna,(J) Aaron’s staff that had budded,(K) and the stone tablets of the covenant.(L) Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory,(M) overshadowing the atonement cover.(N) But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly(O) into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered(P) the inner room,(Q) and that only once a year,(R) and never without blood,(S) which he offered for himself(T) and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.(U) The Holy Spirit was showing(V) by this that the way(W) into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. This is an illustration(X) for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered(Y) were not able to clear the conscience(Z) of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food(AA) and drink(AB) and various ceremonial washings(AC)—external regulations(AD) applying until the time of the new order.

The Blood of Christ

11 But when Christ came as high priest(AE) of the good things that are now already here,[a](AF) he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle(AG) that is not made with human hands,(AH) that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;(AI) but he entered the Most Holy Place(AJ) once for all(AK) by his own blood,(AL) thus obtaining[b] eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls(AM) and the ashes of a heifer(AN) sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit(AO) offered himself(AP) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences(AQ) from acts that lead to death,[c](AR) so that we may serve the living God!(AS)

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator(AT) of a new covenant,(AU) that those who are called(AV) may receive the promised(AW) eternal inheritance(AX)—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.(AY)

16 In the case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.(AZ) 19 When Moses had proclaimed(BA) every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves,(BB) together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.(BC) 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”[e](BD) 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,(BE) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.(BF)

23 It was necessary, then, for the copies(BG) of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one;(BH) he entered heaven itself,(BI) now to appear for us in God’s presence.(BJ) 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place(BK) every year with blood that is not his own.(BL) 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.(BM) But he has appeared(BN) once for all(BO) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.(BP) 27 Just as people are destined to die once,(BQ) and after that to face judgment,(BR) 28 so Christ was sacrificed once(BS) to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,(BT) not to bear sin,(BU) but to bring salvation(BV) to those who are waiting for him.(BW)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 9:11 Some early manuscripts are to come
  2. Hebrews 9:12 Or blood, having obtained
  3. Hebrews 9:14 Or from useless rituals
  4. Hebrews 9:16 Same Greek word as covenant; also in verse 17
  5. Hebrews 9:20 Exodus 24:8

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

11 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;

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

23 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.

24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.