Heb 9:19-23 | TNotes

9:20 ^a “This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you” (Exod 24:8 ^b): Jesus used similar language at the Lord’s Supper, referring to his own death (Matt 26:28 ^c; Mark 14:24 ^d; 1 Cor 11:25 ^e).
9:21 ^f he sprinkled blood: See Exod 24:3-8 ^g; Lev 16:14-19 ^h.
9:22 ⁱ Many of the rituals of cleansing in the law of Moses involved the death of a sacrificial animal; blood was involved both in the rites of cleansing (see Exod 29:12 ^j; 30:10 ^k; Lev 4:6 ^l, 17 ^m; 16:14-19 ⁿ; Num 19:4 ^o) and in making atonement (see Lev 16 ^p). The shedding of Christ’s blood established the new covenant, providing permanent purification and complete forgiveness of sins (Heb 8:12 ^q; 10:15-18 ^r; Matt 26:28 ^s; Eph 1:7 ^t).
9:23 ^u This verse argues from lesser to greater (see study note on 9:14). Just as heaven is greater than the earthly Tabernacle, so Christ’s sacrifice had to be . . . far better than the earthly sacrifices.

• That is why: See 9:16-22 ^v; Lev 16:14-19 ^w.

• copies of things in heaven: See study note on Heb 8:5.

• in heaven, had to be purified: Just as the Tabernacle had to be cleansed because of the sin of the Israelites (Lev 16:16-19 ^x), the heavenly Tabernacle required that the uncleanness be removed from those who would enter heaven under the new covenant.