Hebrews 10:20 — A New and Living Way

“New” here is prosphatos (G4372), a rare word that means freshly slain. The way is newly slain and yet living. “Consecrated” is enkainizo (G1457), to dedicate, the same word used in 9:18 for the first covenant “dedicated” with blood. The veil is his flesh, and when his flesh was torn at the tree the veil of the temple was torn with it (Matthew 27:51). That was the veil of the Holy Place, the outer veil.

Verse 19 in the KJV says “the holiest,” but the Greek is ton hagion, “the holy places,” the same plural used in 9:24. Only the High Priest goes into the Most Holy, once a year in the type (9:7) and once for all in the fulfillment (9:12). What the torn outer veil opens is the Holy Place, where the priests served daily: the lampstand for light, the table for bread, the altar of incense for prayer. That is where the believer-priest now serves, in the heavenly sanctuary, by the blood.