Charles Ellicott Commentary Hebrews 9:10

"[being] only (with meats and drinks and divers washings) carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation." — Hebrews 9:10 (ASV)

Which stood only in . . .—Better, only joined with meats and drinks and divers washings—carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation. Here again, the best authorities correct the received Greek text, omitting “and” before the word “carnal,” and so altering the next word as to make it descriptive of the “gifts and sacrifices” mentioned in Hebrews 9:9. These sacrifices—viewed in themselves as powerless to achieve the intended purpose (Hebrews 10:1; Hebrews 10:4)—are mere appendages to such regulations as deal with meats, drinks, and washings. The character of this latter class of ordinances no one could misunderstand; and what the writer states here is that these powerless sacrifices belong to the same category of things. Regarding "the washings," see the note on Hebrews 6:2.

The preceding words would most naturally refer to meats, etc., of which people were required to partake (as in Exodus 12; Leviticus 7:15, and other passages); however, they also undoubtedly include the various restrictions and distinctions of the ceremonial law (Leviticus 11; Numbers 6, and other passages).

All these are “ordinances of flesh”—ordinances that relate only to the outward state of things. These ordinances are closely connected with maintaining external privileges and relations but are, in themselves, nothing more. For the word “imposed,” compare Acts 15:10; for “reformation,” see Hebrews 8:7-12.