Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 9:7

"but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the errors of the people:" — Hebrews 9:7 (ASV)

“But” marks the contrast. We move from the priests to the high priest and from ministry in the Holy Place to that in the Most Holy Place. Into “the inner room” (i.e., “second tent,” v.3) only the high priest might go and he “only once a year.” The reference is to the ceremonies of the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). We should understand “once” to mean “on one day,” because the high priest made two and perhaps even three entrances into the room beyond the curtain .

To go into the Most Holy Place was dangerous; so the high priest had to safeguard himself by offering blood in the prescribed manner. His offering was “for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” Being a sinner himself, he had to atone for himself before he could minister on behalf of others. The sins “committed in ignorance” point to the truth that ignorance can be culpable. Sins of this kind do matter, and we should be on our guard against minimizing their seriousness.