Hebrews 9:22

22 and almost all things are purified with blood according to the law, and without blood-shedding there is no remission.

Hebrews 9:22 Meaning and Commentary

Hebrews 9:22

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood,
&c.] All "except a few things", as the Arabic version renders it; for some things were cleansed by water, and others purged by fire, ( Numbers 31:23 ) . Some join the word almost with the word purged, as if the sense was, that all things were purged by blood, but not perfectly, only almost; but the former sense is best.

And without shedding of blood is no remission;
that is, of sin; there was no typical remission without it; and there can be no real remission but by, the blood of Christ; no instance can be given of pardon without it; if it could have been otherwise, the blood of Christ had not been shed; for so it would seem to be shed in vain, and his satisfaction to be unnecessary; nor is it agreeable to the justice of God to forgive sin without satisfaction; nor is it consistent with his veracity, and faithfulness to his word, ( Genesis 2:17 ) . It is a common saying with the Jews, and often to be met with in their writings, (Mdb ala hrpk Nya) , "there is no atonement but by blood" ^F11; by the shedding of blood; not by the shedding of it, as it flows out of the body of the sacrifice, but as it is poured out on the altar; for the pouring of the blood at the four corners, and at the bottom of the altar, were the chief rites required in sacrifices; nor did they reckon expiation to be expiation, unless the altar was moistened by the blood of the sacrifice ^F12.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 5. 1. Zebachim, fol. 6. 1. & Menachot, fol. 93. 2.
F12 Reland. Heb. Antiqu. par. 3. c. 2. sect. 8.

Hebrews 9:22 In-Context

20 saying, This [is] the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined to you.

21 And the tabernacle too and all the vessels of service he sprinkled in like manner with blood;

22 and almost all things are purified with blood according to the law, and without blood-shedding there is no remission.

23 [It was] necessary then that the figurative representations of the things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with sacrifices better than these.

24 For the Christ is not entered into holy places made with hand, figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us: