John Gill Commentary Hebrews 9:22

"And according to the law, I may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission." — Hebrews 9:22 (ASV)

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.