How is the earthly sanctuary "a copy"?

Explanation:

The author of Hebrews is clear that the tabernacle, established as a sanctuary for God on earth, was a copy of the heavenly sanctuary. He also explains that the pattern Moses used to construct the earthly sanctuary was revealed to him by God. We will look at both of these points in turn.

First, the context confirms that the tabernacle was a copy of the heavenly sanctuary. In Hebrews 8:1 we read that Jesus is the high priest who sits at the right hand of God in heaven. This means that, unlike the earthly priests (Hebrews 8:4), Jesus ministers in the true tent, which is to say that Jesus is in heaven, or the holy places (Hebrews 8:2). The author is establishing that because Jesus resides and ministers in the actual presence of God, his ministry is superior to the ministry of the earthly priests (Hebrews 8:4). Next, he expands on this by explaining that the earthly priests minister in a copy or shadow of the heavenly realms. He uses a Greek term that denotes something like the heavenly dimensions. The point is, Jesus ministers at the right hand of the Majesty (Hebrews 8:1), while the priests established by God through Moses minister in an earthly tabernacle that is nothing but a shadow and a copy of the heavenly realms.

Next, the author of Hebrews reveals that the earthly tabernacle, which was a shadow and copy of the heavenly dimensions where God dwells, was patterned off something that God revealed to Moses (Hebrews 8:5). Does this mean that there is a tabernacle in the heavenly realms and the earthly copy represents it? On this matter, Scripture is silent.⁷ What we know from the book of Exodus is that Moses was instructed to construct the tabernacle and all of its furnishings after the pattern (תַּבְנִית) revealed to him by God (Exodus 25:9). There is no indication whether this pattern reflected something in heaven or was simply in the mind of God. All we know for sure is that Christ ministers from the heavenly sanctuary and the Hebrew priests ministered in its earthly counterpart.⁸

Counterargument:

It is entirely possible that there is a heavenly sanctuary built by God in heaven, and that God somehow revealed what this sanctuary looks like, and Moses constructed the earthly tabernacle after this pattern.⁹ If this is the case, then there is a literal sanctuary in heaven where God dwells, and the earthly tabernacle mimics this sanctuary.

Response to counterargument:

The is no indication from the text that the tabernacle built by the Israelites was modelled after a heavenly tabernacle built by God. The books of Hebrews and Exodus reveal that God had Moses construct a tabernacle based on a model presented to him by God, but these do not state that this model was an actual heavenly tabernacle. We must let Scripture speak for itself, and where it is silent, we must respect that silence.¹⁰

Explanation:

The author of Hebrews is convincing his readers that the ministry of Jesus is perfect and complete because it brings us into a true relationship with God. He does this by contrasting both the heavenly location and the effectiveness of Jesus’ ministry with the earthly location and the ineffectiveness of the priestly ministry that was established by God through Moses.

He begins by explaining that the earthly ministry of the tabernacle is a copy of the heavenly realms (Hebrews 8:4–5) before asserting that Jesus’ ministry is more excellent than this. Then, in Hebrews 9:1–28 he goes on to explain the precise differences between the old earthly ministry and the new heavenly ministry of Jesus.¹¹ First, he explains that the Hebrew priestly ministry was comprised of a tabernacle that contained two rooms, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies (Hebrews 9:2–3). The Holy Place contained some articles including the lampstand, the table, and the showbread. It was separated from the Holy of Holies by a curtain and contained the golden altar and the golden ark (Hebrews 9:2–4). Duties and rituals were to be performed in the Holy Place on a daily basis, while only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies once per year in order to offer blood as atonement for the sins of himself and the people (Hebrews 9:7). The author concludes his description of what he calls the old covenant by stating that the way into the sanctuary is not open as long as the outer tent still stands. What he means is that the old tabernacle and sacrificial system could never actually clean the consciences of the worshippers, and so they could never enter the real presence of God (Hebrews 9:10).

Contrast this with Jesus’ ministry, the great high priest, who entered through what the author calls, the greater and more perfect tent/tabernacle which is not of this creation (Hebrews 9:11). In other words, Jesus enters the heavenly realms of which the earthly tabernacle was only a copy and shadow (Hebrews 8:5). There, Jesus offers his own blood, and because of his perfect stature as high priest, his work secures eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12). Thus, the earthly ministry of the priests conducted in the tabernacle is but a copy of the heavenly ministry of Jesus Christ, who strands in the presence of God, and purifies the consciences of the worshippers (Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 9:24).¹²

Counterargument:

The purpose of the author is to show not that Jesus’ ministry is spatially superior but only effectually superior. Hebrews 9:1–11 goes to some length describing the tabernacle construction and practice before concluding that the priests’ sacrifices were simply not effective because they could not make perfect the conscience of the worshipper (Hebrews 9:9). On the other hand, Jesus’ sacrifice is effective because he is sinless and so God accepts his offering once and for all. The emphasis is clearly on the effectiveness of Jesus’ sacrifice, not his location. In other words, the problem with the earthly tabernacle is not that God was not fully present there, but that it was an earthly copy of the heavenly tabernacle.

Response to counterargument:

This understanding of the passage will not do. While it is the case that God is fully present everywhere, there is a sense in which his presence is not enjoyed in full measure by the priests who enter the tabernacle, which is a copy of the heavenly realm. This means not only that the earthly tabernacle was a copy based on a pattern that came from God, but also that, although God is fully present everywhere, there is a sense in which the priests in the tabernacle did not stand in the full measure of God’s presence. On the other hand, Jesus ministers in the full presence of God. The notion that God is all-present is made clear by passages such as 1 Kings 8:27 where Solomon states, Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! And yet there is a sense in which God is somehow more present in heaven. This is brought out with some force in Hebrews 9:24. There the author states, Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. It is not only that Christ’s sacrifice is more effective, which it is on an ultimate scale, but also that Christ’s location at the right hand of the Father is a superior position than that of the earthly tabernacle, which was a copy of the heavenly realms.

Possible weakness:

When the passage is taken in isolation it seems to suggest that Moses constructed the earthly tabernacle after a pattern that was somehow inherently superior. The author says that the priestly minister was a shadow and copy (Hebrews 8:5) in the sense that it was patterned off something that was revealed to Moses. In other words, Moses patterned his tabernacle after an original that was more perfect. Still, the general argument of the author of Hebrews seems less to do with the original pattern that the tabernacle was constructed after and more to do with its location. The ministers of the earthly tabernacle were located on earth, while Jesus ministers in the full presence of God. Even though God is all-present, there is a sense in which God’s presence is even fuller in the heavenly realms.

Explanation:

The author of Hebrews quotes the Septuagint in order to remind his reader that the tabernacle built by Moses was modelled after something shown to Moses by God. The passage the author quotes is Exodus 25:40, and in the original Hebrew the author uses the term תַּבְנִית (pattern/plan) to denote that God has shown Moses a pattern after which he is to עָשָׂה (make/fashion) the tabernacle. When the Septuagint translates the Hebrew Bible into Greek, it uses the term τύπος (type/pattern) to denote תַּבְנִית (pattern/plan). The term τύπος is often used by Platonic thinkers to denote the archetype or pattern, after which the things of this world are mere copies or shadows. The notion is that the ideal realm holds the τύπος after which the various aspects of the physical world are modelled.¹⁴

It is most likely that the author of Hebrews has picked up on the Platonic language and means to suggest that the true presence of God is the archetypal sanctuary. In other words, God showed Moses something of the divine realm, and the tabernacle is a mere copy and shadow of God’s heavenly presence.¹⁵

Counterargument:

This interpretation will not do for several reasons. First, the Old Testament Bible available to the writer of the Hebrews was likely the Septuagint, so at most, the use of τύπος (type/pattern) to denote תַּבְנִית (pattern/plan) says something about the authors of the Septuagint, not the author of Hebrews. The Septuagint was simply the translation of the Old Testament that the author of Hebrews had to work with, and obviously he has no control over the language the translators of the Septuagint used to denote certain Hebrew nouns.

Second, while it might be that Platonic philosophers used the term τύπος (type/pattern) to postulate a realm of forms after which the material universe is supposed to be modelled, the term is regularly used to denote other meanings. For example, John puts the noun on the lips of Thomas to describe the mark (τύπος) of the nails on Jesus' hands (John 20:25). Paul uses it to describe Adam, who was a type of the one to come (Rom Hebrews 5:14). He also uses it to denote the standard (τύπος) of teaching to which the Roman Christians committed themselves (Romans 6:17). Further, Paul uses it in the sense of following an example (Philippians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Timothy 4:12), as does Peter (1 Peter 5:3). The fact is, the term τύπος carries at least six meanings and each has subtle nuances, so the context should help us decide which meaning to adopt.¹⁶

Finally, the context seems to rule out taking τύπος (pattern/type) in a Platonic sense. The doctrines of Platonism are philosophical, and concern metaphysical postulates that might explain certain features of reality. The archetypal forms of Platonism are not temporal, although they are posited to try and explain temporal objects. On the other hand, the author of Hebrews seems to be stressing the temporal and historical aspects of the old tabernacle system, which is transformed, in real time, by Jesus’ ministry. The point is that the old system could not bring the worshippers into the presence of God, and therefore, these were not an effective means to reconciliation with God. Jesus’ ministry is superior, and replaces the old tabernacle system, because Jesus stands in the actual presence of God.¹⁷ The author of Hebrews wants his readers to see that the historical tabernacle system has been replaced by the ministry of Jesus.

Possible weakness:

The weakness of this view is that it assumes the author of Hebrews has incorporated Platonic categories without evidence from the text. The problem with a Platonic interpretation is that it downplays the significance of Jesus’ ministry. The purpose of the passage is not to show that this reality is but a shadow of the heavenly realm. Rather, the purpose is that the priestly ministry conducted in the tabernacle is a shadow of Jesus’ ministry because Jesus’ offering was perfect, and he stands in the actual presence of God.