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For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh:
Verse Takeaways
1
External vs. Internal Cleansing
Commentators unanimously explain that the Old Testament rituals mentioned—the blood of animals and the ashes of a heifer—were effective only for external, ceremonial purification. They could remove ritual defilement, allowing a person to re-enter community worship, but they could not cleanse a person's conscience from the inner guilt of sin.
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Hebrews
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11
18th Century
Presbyterian
For if the blood of bulls and of goats. Referring still to the great day of atonement, when the offering made was the sacrifice of a bullo…
Ashes (σποδος). Old word, in N. T. only here, Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:13. Common in LXX.
Of a …
19th Century
Anglican
For if the blood of bulls and of goats.—This verse connects itself with the last words of Hebrews 9:12, “having won e…
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Baptist
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh: how much m…
The author turns again to the Levitical sacrifices. In them he finds the power to effect an external purification, a cleansing from ritual defileme…
16th Century
Protestant
For if the blood of bulls, etc. This passage has caused many to go astray, because they did not consider that it speaks of sacram…
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17th Century
Reformed Baptist
For if the blood of bulls and of goats Shed either on the day of atonement, or at any other time: the former of thes…
All good things, past, present, and to come, were and are founded upon the priestly office of Christ, and come to us from there. Our High Priest en…
13th Century
Catholic
Having shown the significance of things related to the Old Testament and the first tabernacle, the Apostle now describes the condition of things re…