Hebrews 6:19-20a reads: 19 This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner…
What is “the interior behind the veil”? For Jews, this is the inner-most room of the Temple, the one space where God in heaven maintained a local presence on this earth, the “Holy of Holies.” Its one entrance was curtained off from “The Holy Place” which only priests could enter. But only the High Priest could enter this final room. Even he could only enter it, after much preparation, one day in a year. As the Temple was in some sense a copy of the Dwelling Place of God in Heaven, the Holy of Holies was God’s throne room. You don’t trot lightly into God’s throne room.
But why does Jesus, not a priest, not even a member of the priestly tribe of Levi, have the right to enter “the interior behind the veil”? As one person said, “Because it’s Dad’s throne room!” That is a, mmm, “non-technical” answer, let’s call it, but it can help us see how it makes sense for Christians to say that the Son sits at the right hand of the Father.
The key thing for us to reflect on is this: Jesus has entered, as verse 20 says, “on our behalf.” As miserable as we may be, “on our behalf” he intercedes for us there. Pause and ponder.