TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Hebrews 9:15–22. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
In these verses the apostle considers the gospel under the notion of a will or testament, the new or last will and testament of Christ, and shows the necessity and efficacy of the blood of Christ to make this testament valid and effectual.
I.The gospel is here considered as a testament, the new and last will and testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
It is observable that the solemn transactions that pass between God and man are sometimes called a covenant, here a testament. A covenant is an agreement between two or more parties about things that are in their own power, or may be so, and this either with or without a mediator; this agreement takes effect at such time and in such manner as therein declared. A testament is a voluntary act and deed of a single person, duly executed and witnessed, bestowing legacies on such legatees as are described and characterized by the testator, and which can only take effect upon his death. Now observe, Christ is the Mediator of a New Testament (Heb 9:15); and he is so for several ends and purposes here mentioned.
1.To redeem persons from their transgressions committed against the law or first testament, which makes every transgression a forfeiture of liberty, and makes men debtors, and slaves or prisoners, who need to be redeemed.
2.To qualify all those that are effectually called to receive the promise of an eternal inheritance. These are the great legacies that Christ by his last will and testament has bequeathed to the truly characterized legatees.
II.To make this New Testament effectual, it was necessary that Christ should die; the legacies accrue by means of death.
This he proves by two arguments: - 1. From the general nature of every will or testamentary disposition, Heb 9:16. Where a testament is, where it acts and operates, there must of necessity by the death of the testator; till then the property is still in the testator's hand, and he has power to revoke, cancel, or alter, his will as he pleases; so that no estate, no right, is conveyed by will, till the testator's death has made it unalterable and effectual. 2. From the particular method that was taken by Moses in the ratification of the first testament, which was not done without blood, Heb 9:18, Heb 9:19, etc. All men by sin had become guilty before God, had forfeited their inheritance, their liberties, and their very lives, into the hands of divine justice; but God, being willing to show the greatness of his mercy, proclaimed a covenant of grace, and ordered it to be typically administered under the Old Testament, but not without the blood and life of the creature; and God accepted the blood of bulls and goats, as typifying the blood of Christ; and by these means the covenant of grace was ratified under the former dispensation. The method taken by Moses, according to the direction he had received from God, is here particularly related (1.) Moses spoke every precept to all the people, according to the law, Heb 9:19. He published to them the tenour of the covenant, the duties required, the rewards promised to those who did their duty, and the punishment threatened against the transgressors, and he called for their consent to the terms of the covenant; and this in an express manner. (2.) Then he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and applied this blood by sprinkling it. This blood and water signified the blood and water that came out of our Saviour's pierced side, for justification and sanctification, and also shadowed forth the two sacraments of the New Testament, baptism and the Lord's supper, with scarlet wool, signifying the righteousness of Christ with which we must be clothed, the hyssop signifying that faith by which we must apply all. Now with these Moses sprinkled, [1.] The book of the law and covenant, to show that the covenant of grace is confirmed by the blood of Christ and made effectual to our good. [2.] The people, intimating that the shedding of the blood of Christ will be no advantage to us if it be not applied to us. And the sprinkling of both the book and the people signified the mutual consent of both parties, God and man, and their mutual engagements to each other in this covenant through Christ, Moses at the same time using these words, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. This blood, typifying the blood of Christ, is the ratification of the covenant of grace to all true believers. [3.] He sprinkled the tabernacle and all the utensils of it, intimating that all the sacrifices offered up and services performed there were accepted only through the blood of Christ, which procures the remission of that iniquity that cleaves to our holy things, which could not have been remitted but by that atoning blood.
Historical interpretation
Six Centuries of Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
It was probable that many of those who were more weakly would especially distrust the promises of Christ because He had died. Paul accordingly out of a superabundance introduced this illustration, deriving it from common custom. Of what kind is it? He says, "indeed, on this very account we ought to be of good courage." On what account? Because testaments are established and obtain their force when those who have made them are not living, but dead. "And for this cause," he says, "He is the Mediator of the New Testament." A Testament is made towards the last day, [the day] of death.
And a testament is of this character: It makes some heirs, and some disinherited. So in this case also: "I will that where I am," Christ says, "they also may be." And again of the disinherited, hear Him saying, "I pray not for" all, "but for them that believe on Me through their word." Again, a testament has relation both to the testator, and to the legatees; so that they have some things to receive, and some to do, So also in this case. For after having made promises innumerable, He demands also something from them, saying, "a new commandment I give unto you." Again, a testament ought to have witnesses. Hear Him again saying, "I am one that bear witness of Myself, and He that sent Me beareth witness of Me." And again, "He shall testify of Me," speaking of the Comforter. The twelve Apostles too He sent, saying, "Bear ye witness before God."
Since the death of Christ troubled many of the weaker ones (for they said, "If He died, how will He give what He promised?"), Paul now, healing this, shows that it is because this remains that His covenant is sure; for He died— for a covenant is not called valid while the one who made it is alive. Therefore, he says, "He died to cleanse us, and in the covenant He left us forgiveness and the enjoyment of the ancestral goods, becoming a mediator of the Father and us." The Father willed that we become heirs of the promises, but we could not, being enemies and having been at war with Him. What then? The Son interceded and reconciled us to the Father. But since it was necessary to also provide retribution for those on earth for what we had transgressed (for God is both loving and just), the Son himself endured this for us and made us worthy of the covenant, and henceforth the covenant became sure through the death of the Son, so that it did not send the inheritance to the unworthy.
“called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”For if the death of Christ did not deliver us from sins, through which we once fought against the Father, how would we receive the heavenly inheritance? But the term "called" shows this: that at first, God was related to us as a father to children, and we were called to the inheritance; but afterward, through our sins, we made ourselves unworthy of it.
"that by means of death," for the covenant is confirmed by death. Therefore, Christ died so that His covenant with us might be confirmed. This is set forth, since especially the death of Christ troubled the weak.
"for the redemption." Do you see that the death of Christ has become for our redemption? How then do you think this is weakness, Him who was so powerful as to heal even the transgressions under the law? How then do you run to the law, which is so powerless that it cannot even correct the transgressions against it? Not that it was evil, but that it was weak.
"there must also of necessity be the death of the one who made it," This is what disturbs them, the death of Christ. For how, he says, can the one who has died give us the promises? Therefore, he turns and shows that we can only receive the inheritance and the promise if Christ has died. For if he had not died, he would not have made a will, so that we might inherit; (for it is indisputable that a will is in force only after death;) nor would we be worthy of an inheritance at all, as long as the enmity remains unresolved.
"for it does not take effect while the one who made it lives." Read according to the question.
"even the first was not." And thus, he says, by death, the covenant is confirmed, for the first had the blood as a symbol of death; but the new has the actual death. As those were types, the truth is in the new.
"not dedicated without blood." As if he were saying: The blood has not ceased or been interrupted for a short time, but immediately as the covenant was dedicated, it also had successive blood.
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Summary
Hebrews 9:17 serves as a foundational legal and theological declaration, asserting that a "testament" or "will" becomes legally binding and effective only upon the death of the one who established it. This verse reinforces the preceding statement in Hebrews 9:16, providing the crucial rationale for why the death of Jesus Christ was an absolute prerequisite for the New Covenant to be fully ratified, activated, and to confer its promised blessings and inheritance upon believers.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is deeply embedded within the author's intricate argument for the superiority of Christ's priesthood and the New Covenant over the Old Covenant's Levitical system. Leading up to Hebrews 9:17, the author has meticulously detailed the limitations of the earthly tabernacle and its rituals (Hebrews 9:1-10), emphasizing their inability to truly cleanse the conscience or provide ultimate access to God. He then introduces Christ as the High Priest of a "better covenant" (Hebrews 8:6), who entered the heavenly sanctuary not with the blood of animals, but with His own blood, securing "eternal redemption" (Hebrews 9:11-12). The immediate preceding verse, Hebrews 9:16, explicitly states the legal principle that "where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator." Verse 17 then serves as the logical and emphatic conclusion to this legal premise, solidifying the necessity of death for the testament's validity, thereby providing the theological framework for understanding Christ's sacrifice.
Historical & Cultural Context
The concept of a "testament" (Greek: diathḗkē) in the ancient world, particularly under Roman law which influenced the Greco-Roman world, was a well-understood legal instrument. A will or testament was a formal declaration by which a person designated the disposition of their property after death. Crucially, such a document had no legal force or effect while the testator was alive; it only became active and binding upon their demise. The author of Hebrews skillfully employs this common legal understanding to explain a profound theological truth. While diathḗkē can also mean "covenant" (a binding agreement between two or more parties), its usage here in conjunction with a "testator" and "death" clearly leans into the legal sense of a will. This dual meaning allows the author to bridge the familiar concept of a divine covenant (like God's covenant with Abraham or Moses) with the legal principle of a will, highlighting that God's new covenant with humanity, through Christ, required a death to become effective, much like a human will.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Hebrews. Firstly, it underscores The Necessity of Christ's Death for the establishment and activation of the New Covenant. Without His death, the new agreement, with its promises of eternal redemption and forgiveness, would remain inert, much like an unratified will. Secondly, it highlights The Superiority and Permanence of the New Covenant over the Old. Unlike the Old Covenant, which involved repeated animal sacrifices that could not perfect the worshiper (Hebrews 10:1-4), the New Covenant is sealed by Christ's once-for-all, perfect sacrifice, making it eternally effective and unchangeable. This permanence ensures the believer's access to God and the security of their inheritance. Lastly, it emphasizes The Concept of Spiritual Inheritance, where believers are heirs to the promises of God, receiving blessings such as forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22) and eternal life, all made possible because the "testator," Jesus Christ, has died, thereby activating the "testament" in full force.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term (G1242) is crucial. While often translated as "covenant" in other contexts (referring to a divine agreement), here, in conjunction with "testator" and "dead," it specifically takes on the legal meaning of a "will" or "disposition" of property that becomes effective upon death. The author's genius lies in using a term that bridges both concepts, showing how God's new covenant functions like a will that grants an inheritance upon the testator's death.
This word (G949) means "stable," "firm," "stedfast," or "sure." When applied to a testament, it conveys the idea of legal validity, binding power, and effectiveness. The testament is not merely written; it is legally enforceable and its provisions are guaranteed to be carried out.
This term (G3498) refers to a corpse or someone who is literally dead. Its inclusion here is pivotal, emphasizing the absolute and physical requirement of the testator's death for the testament to become active. This is not a metaphorical death but a literal one, underscoring the reality of Christ's sacrifice.
This word (G1303) is the middle voice of a verb meaning "to put apart," or figuratively, "to dispose (by assignment, compact, or bequest)." In this context, it refers to the one who makes a will or testament, the one whose death is necessary for the will to take effect.
Verse Breakdown
"For a testament is of force after men are dead"
This clause establishes the fundamental legal principle that forms the bedrock of the author's argument. A testament, understood as a last will and testament, possesses no legal authority or binding power while the person who made it (the testator) is still alive. Its provisions, including the distribution of inheritance or the fulfillment of conditions, only become legally effective and enforceable subsequent to the testator's physical demise. This is a universally recognized legal truth, serving as an undeniable premise for the theological conclusion that follows.
"otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth."
This second clause reiterates and emphatically reinforces the principle stated in the first, using a negative formulation to highlight the absolute necessity of death. It clarifies that in any other scenario—specifically, as long as the testator remains alive—the testament is utterly devoid of legal "strength" or "force." It is an inert document, a mere declaration of intent with no immediate or binding power. This repetition underscores the critical nature of the testator's death for the testament's activation, setting the stage for the profound implications for Christ's role in the New Covenant.
Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed in Hebrews 9:17 is a powerful Legal Metaphor. The author draws a direct parallel between a human will or testament and God's New Covenant. By using the term diathḗkē (which can mean both "covenant" and "will"), he skillfully merges these concepts, allowing the familiar legal principle of a will becoming effective only upon the testator's death to illuminate the theological necessity of Christ's death for the New Covenant's ratification. This metaphor is foundational to the argument, providing a relatable framework for understanding the profound significance of Christ's sacrifice. Furthermore, the verse utilizes Logical Argumentation, presenting a clear premise ("a testament is of force after men are dead") followed by a logical consequence ("otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth"). This deductive reasoning strengthens the author's point, making the necessity of Christ's death an undeniable conclusion.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hebrews 9:17 profoundly articulates the theological necessity of Christ's death, revealing it not as a mere tragic event, but as the divinely ordained act that legally ratified the New Covenant. Just as a will's provisions are activated only by the testator's death, so the promises, blessings, and eternal inheritance of the New Covenant—forgiveness of sins, access to God, and everlasting life—were made legally binding and accessible to humanity through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. This verse underscores God's faithfulness to His promises, demonstrating that the New Covenant is a secure and unchangeable agreement, sealed by the ultimate sacrifice. It highlights the unique nature of Christ's mediation, where His very lifeblood became the means by which humanity could enter into a new, living relationship with God.
Reflection and Application
Hebrews 9:17 offers profound assurance and a deeper understanding of the Christian faith. For believers, this verse solidifies the certainty of our salvation and the promises of God. Just as a legally binding will guarantees its provisions after the testator's death, so the New Covenant, ratified by Christ's death, guarantees all its spiritual provisions to those who believe. Our forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and eternal inheritance are not based on our fleeting efforts or merits, but on a divinely sealed, unchangeable agreement made effective by the ultimate sacrifice. This truth should fill us with unwavering confidence in God's faithfulness and the efficacy of Christ's work. It compels us to live in gratitude for the immeasurable cost of our redemption and to embrace our identity as heirs of God's promises, living out the reality of this new covenant in our daily lives.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does the KJV use "testament" instead of "covenant" in Hebrews 9:17, and what is the significance?
The KJV's use of "testament" (Greek: diathḗkē) in Hebrews 9:17 is highly significant because the Greek word diathḗkē carries a dual meaning: it can refer to a "covenant" (a solemn agreement, often between God and humanity) or a "will" (a legal document for the disposition of property upon death). In this specific context, the author of Hebrews is intentionally exploiting the legal sense of a "will" or "testament" because he immediately connects it to the "death of the testator." This allows him to argue that, just as a human will only becomes legally binding and effective upon the death of the one who made it, so too the New Covenant, with its promises of eternal redemption and inheritance, could only be activated and made "of force" through the death of Jesus Christ, the divine Testator. This choice of translation highlights the legal and sacrificial necessity of Christ's death for the New Covenant to be fully established and its blessings distributed.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hebrews 9:17 finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the divine "Testator" of the New Covenant, and His voluntary, sacrificial death on the cross was the singular, necessary act that brought this "testament" into full and eternal "force." Unlike any human will, which is a disposition of earthly goods, Christ's testament bequeaths spiritual realities: eternal life, forgiveness of sins, direct access to God, and the promise of an imperishable inheritance (1 Peter 1:3-4). His death was not merely a tragic end but the legal ratification of God's perfect plan of redemption, making available the blessings of a covenant "founded on better promises" (Hebrews 8:6). Through His death, Christ became the mediator of this New Covenant, ensuring that all its provisions are eternally secure for those who believe (Hebrews 12:24). His resurrection further confirms the validity and power of this testament, demonstrating that the Testator lives again, securing the inheritance for His heirs forever (Romans 4:25).