Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Hebrews 9:13

εἰ γὰρ τὸ αἷμα … “For if the blood of goats and bulls and an heifer's ashes sprinkling the unclean purify as regards the cleanness of the flesh, how much rather shall the blood of the Christ, who through eternal spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” The writer thus justifies the affirmation of Hebrews 9:12 that by offering His own blood Christ obtained eternal redemption. σποδὸς δαμάλεως, the law of purification with the ashes of the δάμαλις πυῤῥὰ ἄμωμος is given in Numbers 19, where we find the characteristic words of this verse, σποδός, ἄμωμος, ἁγνίζω, ῥαντισμός, καθαρός, but κοινοῦν (not used in LXX) is replaced by ἀκάθαρτος. κεκοινωμένους, “made common,” i.e., profane, ceremonially unclean. Defilement was contracted by touching a dead body, or entering into a house in which a corpse was lying, or touching a bone or a tomb; and to enter the Tabernacle while thus defiled was to incur the penalty of being cut off from Israel. The water in which lay the ashes of the burned heifer was therefore provided for purification (ὕδωρ ῥαντισμοῦ) and by using it the worshipper was again rendered fit for entrance to the worship of God. ῥαντίζουσα governs κεκοιν. and is not to be translated as if it were a passive; so Vulg., “aspersus inquinatos sanctificat” (cf. Calvin and Bengel). ἁγιάζει, the meaning is determined by its use in Numbers 19, where it signifies the removal of ceremonial defilement: the taking away of that which rendered the person “common” or “profane,” and the qualifying him for again worshipping God. This ἁγιασμός extended πρὸς τὴν τῆν σαρκὸς καθαρότητα, “in the direction of” (Hebrews 6:11) or “in relation to” (Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 5:1) (cf. Weiss). The flesh is here opposed to “the conscience” of Hebrews 9:14. It was only the flesh that was defiled by attending to the dead; and only the flesh that was cleansed by the prescribed sprinkling. Defilement and cleansing were alike symbolic. It was within a well-defined ceremonial limit these sacrifices and washings availed. What kind of water, no matter how mixed with heifer's ashes, could reach and wash the soul?

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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Hebrews 9:13

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