John Calvin Commentary Hebrews 9:24

"For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us:" — Hebrews 9:24 (ASV)

For Christ is not entered, etc. This is a confirmation of the previous verse. He had spoken of the true sanctuary, even the heavenly; he now adds that Christ entered there. Therefore, it follows that a suitable confirmation is required. He takes the holy places to mean the sanctuary; he says that it is not made with hands, because it should not be classed with created things that are subject to decay. For he does not mean here the heaven we see, in which the stars shine, but the glorious kingdom of God, which is above all the heavens.

He calls the old sanctuary the ἀντίτυπον, the antitype of the true—that is, of the spiritual—for all the external figures represented, as in a mirror, what would otherwise have been beyond our physical senses. Greek writers sometimes use the same word when speaking of our sacraments, wisely and suitably too, for every sacrament is a visible image of what is invisible.

Now to appear, etc. So previously, the Levitical priest stood before God in the name of the people, but typically; for in Christ is found the reality and the full accomplishment of what was typified. The ark was indeed a symbol of the divine presence. But it is Christ who truly presents Himself before God and stands there to obtain favor for us. Consequently, there is now no reason why we should flee from God’s tribunal, since we have such a kind advocate, through whose faithfulness and protection we are made secure and safe.

Christ was indeed our advocate when He was on earth; but it was a further concession made to our infirmity that He ascended into heaven to undertake the office of an advocate there. So, whenever His ascension into heaven is mentioned, this benefit should always come to our minds: that He appears there before God to defend us by His advocacy.

Foolishly and unreasonably, then, some ask: Has He not always appeared there? For the Apostle speaks here only of His intercession, for which He entered the heavenly sanctuary.