What is a symbol? Translations which take the “first tent” in verse 8 to be the outer tent of the earthly sanctuary will take This to be the outer tent too; for example, Phillips has “For this outer tent we see a picture of the present time.” Translations which take “the first tent” to mean “the former tent” or “sanctuary” will understand This in verse 9 in a more general sense. Grammatically This is the tent, but all these arrangements connected with worship are included too.

In view of the fact that so much is potentially included in the symbolism of the sanctuary, it may be legitimate to translate the first sentence of verse 9 as “All of this is a symbol which points to the present time,” “All this shows us something about the present time,” or “All of this is a picture about what is important now.”

In place of It means it may be legitimate to repeat the subject of the first sentence; for example, “All this means” or “All this shows.”

Offerings and animal sacrifices: animal is implied since the reference is only to Old Testament worship, not as in 8.3. Animal sacrifices are contrasted with the sacrifice of Christ, to be mentioned in verses 11-14. The animal sacrifices were also offerings; one might translate “animal sacrifices and other offerings.”

Cannot make may be expressed as “cannot cause to be” or “cannot cause to become.”

Worshiper is “one who shares in the public worship” mentioned in verse 1.

Heart in Greek is literally “conscience,” as in verse 14; 10.2, 22; 13.18; compare Wisdom 17.10. Heart and make … perfect are keywords for describing the purpose of sacrifice, and thus of what Christ has done. See comments on 2.10 and 5.9.

The word usually translated “conscience” in the New Testament sometimes has the general meaning “consciousness,” especially consciousness of having done right or wrong. The function of the conscience is to cause inward pain when one has done wrong. However, sin often makes the conscience function badly, so that someone may not be conscious of the wrong he has done (a possibility suggested in 1 Cor 4.4), or he may suffer the pain of conscience over matters which should not trouble a Christian at all, because Christ has set him free (see 1 Cor 10.25-29). In Hebrews, except in 13.18, the situation is as follows: those who do not have faith in Christ suffer the pain of conscience because of the wrong they have done. The Old Testament sacrifices can do nothing to put this right. Christ’s sacrifice of himself on the cross makes believers clean from their sins, and thus their consciences cease to give them pain. The thought of this verse is developed in 9.14, and more fully in 8.10-11. In all these passages, the “conscience,” like the heart, is an aspect of a human being’s whole nature, and of his relationship to God.

In some languages the focal element of the feelings, will, and personality may not be the heart or even the conscience, but the liver, or the abdomen, or even the throat.

In speaking about the perfection of the heart or the conscience, one may talk about the way in which something “ought to be.” Therefore, cannot make the worshiper’s heart perfect may be rendered as “cannot cause the worshiper’s heart to be as it ought to be” or “… as good as it ought to be.”

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .