19. The statement of verse 18 historically confirmed by the story of the establishment of the law-covenant, Ex. xxiv.
Of calves and goats (Trav pdoyor cal rdv tpdywv). Not mentioned in the O. T. account. The goat was always for a sin-offering, and the sacrifices on this occasion were oxen, and are described as burnt offerings and sacrifices of peace, Ex. xxiv. 5. In the original covenant with Abraham a she-goat and a heifer are specially mentioned, Gen. xy. 9.
Water, scarlet wool, hyssop — sprinkled the book (#Saros, éplov KoKKlvou, tacwrou avTd te Td BiBrLov épdvricev). None of these are mentioned in the O. T. account, which the writer appears to have filled up from the details of subsequent usage. Comp. the additions in vv. 5,10. It will also be observed that the sacrifices on the occasion of establishing the law-
Ca. IX.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 489
covenant were not made according to the Mosaic ritual. They were offered, not by the priests, but by the young men, Ex. xxiv. 5. For «éxxwos scarlet, see on Matt. Xxvil. 6. “Lcowros hyssop appears in Ex. xii. 22; Lev. xiv. 4, 6,49; Num. xix. 6,18; Ps. li. 9; J. xix. 29. Mostly in connection with lustral ceremonies. The vexed question of the precise botanical character of the plant has never been decisively settled.*
_ 22. The historical facts are summed up, emphasising one point—cleansing by blood.
Almost all things (cyeddv—dvra). The A, V. is wrong. Zxedov almost or nearly is prefixed to the entire clause, and applies to both its members. Rend. “and I may almost say, it is in blood,” etc. Almost provides for such exceptions as Ex. xix. 10; xxxii. 80-32; v. 11-13; Lev. xv. 5; xvi. 26-28; xxii. 6; Num. xvi. 46-48; xxxi. 238, 24; Ps. li. 117; ExKi 12.
And without shedding of blood is no remission («at xopis aipatexxvalas ov yiverat apeois). This sentence also is covered by “I may almost say.” It does not state that without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins, which “would be in conflict with the history and literature of the Old Testament.” + See exceptions above. ‘Atuatexyvala shedding of blood, N. T.°, °LXX, °Class. Ov yiverar ddeais, lit. remission does not take place or ensue. For deots see on Jas. v. 15; most frequent in Luke and Acts. In Hebrews only here and ch. x. 18. Commonly with a genitive, in the phrase remission of sins: but sometimes absolutely as here, Mk. iii. 29; L. iv. 18.
* Those who are curious about the matter will find it discussed in Riehm’s Handwirterbuch des biblischen Alterthums, and in the article in Hastings’s Dictionary of the Bible, by Dr. George E. Post of Beyrout, than whom there is no more competent authority.
t Dr. Briggs, Messiah of the Apostles, p. 266.
490 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. (Cu. IX.
23. The heavenly sanctuary required a better purification | than the Levitical.
The patterns of things in the heavens. The earthly tabernacle and its furniture. See on ch. viii. 5.
With these (rovros). Things specified in ver. 19.
With better sacrifices (xpe(rroct Ovcias). How can it be said that the heavenly things needed cleansing? It is not easy to answer. Various explanations have been proposed, which the student will find collected in Alford’s note on this passage. The expression is rhetorical and figurative, and appears to be founded on that feature of the Levitical ritual according to which the high priest was required, on the Great Day of Atonement, to make an atonement for the sanctuary, “because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel.” He was to do this also for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the great altar. See Lev. xvi. 16 ff. The rite implied that even the holy of holies had contracted defile- ment from the people’s sin. Similarly, the atoning blood of Christ is conceived as purifying the things of the heavenly sanctuary which had been defiled by the sins of men. “If the heavenly city of God, with its Holy Place, is, conform- ably with the promise, destined for the covenant-people, that they may there attain to perfect fellowship with God, then their guilt has defiled these holy things as well as the earthly, and they must be purified in the same way as the typical law appointed for the latter, only not by the blood of an imper- fect, but of a perfect sacrifice” (Delitzsch).*