Clean on the Outside and the Inside

The temple was very, very holy. “Holy” means dedicated to God. It was completely separate from the world outside, and a priest couldn’t go in and perform his temple service just as he was. First, he had to wash his hands to become ritually pure, cleansing himself from any contamination from things that were unholy. The cleansing wasn’t so much about physical cleanliness as being spiritually holy and able to connect with God on behalf of the people. In the outer temple area, large basins or fountains were set up where the priests could wash themselves.

Part of the priests’ service was bringing various sacrifices, such as thank offerings and sin offerings. Offerings for sin involved sacrificing an animal, and the blood was then offered to God to atone for (pay for) the damage sin had caused, which was ultimately damage to the relationship between God and people. Forgiveness could be obtained, but not without the blood of the sacrifice (Hebrews 9:22), and a priest couldn’t perform this service unless he was ritually pure.

In the New Covenant, Jesus has become our High Priest. Since Jesus’ life was holy and pure from start to finish, no sin offering needed to be brought for Him, but the sacrifice He brought was His own life and blood. This ultimate sacrifice was enough to atone for the sins of all people. Now, all those who believe in Him are saved and receive forgiveness and everlasting life (John 3:16-17).

Jesus did make it clear that outer cleansing is of no use if sin and self-seeking remain in the heart. Holding on to this while also trying to serve God is double-mindedness—unholiness that hinders us from having a relationship with God. But if the inside is cleansed, the outside will also be clean (Matthew 15:18–20; Matthew 23:25–28).

Jesus is the High Priest, and all true believers are “priests” in God’s service. They have purified their hearts, turned away from sin, and turned to God. They draw near to Him, and He draws near to them, forgiving their sins and lifting them up to live holy lives to His glory (1 Peter 2:9–10; James 4:7–10). This pure, spiritual life is a thank offering, well-pleasing and acceptable to God.

In this video short, you can experience coming across one of these washing basins in the temple court. Watch the film and read the Bible verses, thinking about how this applies to you, personally.