Bible Dictionaries
Sanctuary

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

the neuter of the adjective hagios, "holy," is used of those structures which are set apart to God, (a) of "the tabernacle" in the wilderness, Hebrews 9:1 , RV, "its sanctuary, a sanctuary of this world" (AV, "a worldly sanctuary"); in Hebrews 9:2 the outer part is called "the Holy place," RV (AV, "the sanctuary"); here the neuter plural hagia is used, as in Hebrews 9:3 .

Speaking of the absence of the article, Westcott says "The anarthrous form Hagia (literally Holies) in this sense appears to be unique, as also below, if indeed the reading is correct. Perhaps it is chosen to fix attention on the character of the sanctuary as in other cases. The plural suggests the idea of the sanctuary with all its parts: cp. Moulton-Winer, p. 220." In their margin, Westcott and Hort prefix the article ta to hagia in vv. 2 and 3. In ver. 3 the inner part is called "the Holy of holies," RV (AV, "the holest of all"); in Hebrews 9:8 , "the holy place" (AV, "the holiest of all"), lit., "(the way) of the holiest;" in Hebrews 9:24 "a holy place," RV (AV, "the holy places"), neuter plural; so in Hebrews 9:25 , "the holy place" (AV and RV), and in Hebrews 13:11 , RV, "the holy place" (AV, "the sanctuary"); in all these there is no separate word topos, "place," as of the Temple in Matthew 24:15; (b) of "Heaven itself," i.e., the immediate presence of God and His throne, Hebrews 8:2 , "the sanctuary" (RV, marg., "holy things"); the neut. plur. with the article points to the text as being right, in view of Hebrews 9:24,25; 13:11 (see above), exegetically designated "the true tabernacle;" neut. plur. in Hebrews 9:12 , "the holy place;" so Hebrews 10:19 , RV (AV, "the holiest;" there are no separate compartments in the antitypical and heavenly sanctuary), into which believers have "boldness to enter" by faith.

is used of the inner part of the Temple in Jerusalem, in Matthew 23:35 , RV, "sanctuary." See TEMPLE.