a figure of that expiation from sins which was effected by Christ.

It is therefore evident that under the state of the Old Law the
ceremonies had no power of justification.

Reply Obj. 1: That sanctification of priests and their sons, and of
their apparel or of anything else belonging to them, by sprinkling
them with blood, had no other effect but to appoint them to the
divine worship, and to remove impediments from them, "to the
cleansing of the flesh," as the Apostle states (Heb. 9:13) in token
of that sanctification whereby "Jesus" sanctified "the people by His
own blood" (Heb. 13:12). Moreover, the expiation must be understood
as referring to the removal of these bodily uncleannesses, not to the
forgiveness of sin. Hence even the sanctuary which could not be the
subject of sin is stated to be expiated.

Reply Obj. 2: The priests pleased God in the ceremonies by their
obedience and devotion, and by their faith in the reality
foreshadowed; not by reason of the things considered in themselves.

Reply Obj. 3: Those ceremonies which were prescribed in the cleansing
of a leper, were not ordained for the purpose of taking away the
defilement of leprosy. This is clear from the fact that these
ceremonies were not applied to a man until he was already healed:
hence it is written (Lev. 14:3, 4) that the priest, "going out of the
camp, when he shall find that the leprosy is cleansed, shall command
him that is to be purified to offer," etc.; whence it is evident that
the priest was appointed the judge of leprosy, not before, but after
cleansing. But these ceremonies were employed for the purpose of
taking away the uncleanness of irregularity. They do say, however,
that if a priest were to err in his judgment, the leper would be
cleansed miraculously by the power of God, but not in virtue of the
sacrifice. Thus also it was by miracle that the thigh of the
adulterous woman rotted, when she had drunk the water "on which" the
priest had "heaped curses," as stated in Num. 5:19-27.
________________________

THIRD ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 103, Art. 3]

Whether the Ceremonies of the Old Law Ceased at the Coming of Christ?

Objection 1: It would seem that the ceremonies of the Old Law did not
cease at the coming of Christ. For it is written (Bar. 4:1): "This is
the book of the commandments of God, and the law that is for ever."
But the legal ceremonies were part of the Law. Therefore the legal
ceremonies were to last for ever.

Obj.