Hebrews Chap 9 (Verses 15-22)

Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by
means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first
testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of
the testator.
Heb 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no
strength at all while the testator liveth.
Heb 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according
to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool,
and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Heb 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto
you.
Heb 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the
vessels of the ministry.
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without
shedding of blood is no remission.
And for this cause - refers to Messiah's efficacious offering and cleansing from sin so
that the believer might worship the living God.
After comparing the relative merits of the blood of the First Testament and that offered
under the New Testament, and showing that the blood of Messiah cleansed from actual
sin, whereas the blood of animals could only cleanse from ceremonial defilement, the
writer arrives at his conclusion, namely, that that was the reason why Messiah became
the mediator of the New Testament.
Mediator G3316 μεσιτης mesitēs mes-ee'-tace From G3319; a go between, that is,
(simply) an internunciator, or (by implication) a reconciler (intercessor): - mediator. He is
basically a neutral and trusted person in middle (mesos), a so called "middle Man". It is
one who works to remove disagreement and thus a mediator, go-between or reconciler.
In short, Jesus is the Mediator, the One Who stands between men and God to bring
them together.
Testament G1242 (diatheke from dia = two + tithemi = to place) pictures that which is
placed between two and thus a covenant is something placed between two, an
arrangement between two parties. Diatheke speaks of an irrevocable decision which
cannot be cancelled by anyone. In reference to the divine covenants, such as the
Abrahamic covenant, diatheke is not a covenant in the sense that God came to an
agreement with fallen man as if they were signing a contract. To the contrary, when God
entered a diatheke with Abraham it involved His declaration of His unconditional promise
to make Abraham and his seed the recipients of the covenant blessings.
by means of death the writer of Hebrews proceeds to give three reasons the Messiah
had to die: (1) a testament demands death (2) forgiveness demands blood (3) judgment
demands a substitute.
redemption G629 ἀπολυτρωσις apolutrōsis ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis From a compound of G575
and G3083; (the act) ransom in full, that is, (figuratively) riddance, or (specifically)
Christian salvation: - deliverance, redemption.
transgressions G3847 (parabasis from para = beyond, aside + baino = step) means to
step on one side and thus is primarily a going aside, a stepping across a line, an
overstepping or stepping over and always implies a breach of law and especially of the
Law of Moses. It refers to the act of a person stepping beyond a fixed limit into forbidden

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territory. The point is that the law draws the line that should not be crossed or "stepped
over".
transgressions that were under the first testament – How can individuals be saved in
the OT since Christ had not yet come and died as a substitute for sinners? Gen 15:6 and
Hab 2:4. Search Bible for “just live by faith.”
they which are called – who are these? This refers to the effectual calling related to
salvation so that they can........
receive the promise of eternal inheritance
Search ‘eternal’ in Hebrew, for it was another of the keyword or concept used by the
author.
of necessity be the death of the testator ….For a testament is of force after men
are dead
In Heb 9:16, 17, the writer is explaining how the believer's inheritance is obtained. Just
as with any other inheritance, it is conveyed upon the death of the one who wrote the
will. And since Jesus has died, His will (testament, covenant) is now in force which
makes possible eternal life and all its accompanying blessings.
Whereupon or Therefore – It is by principle that a covenant must be ratified by death
(or shedding of blood). The writer of Hebrews digresses to discuss the need for Christ
death by referring to the Old Testament event in which Moses consecrated the Old
Covenant, under which his Hebrew readers had been reared, with the blood of sacrifice.
Today we ratify agreements with a signature but God has ratified His agreement with
blood, the OT blood of animals being a "shadow" of the "substance" of the precious
blood of Christ in the NT.
Blood – why blood? Lev 17:11. The life is in the blood. The blood shed is the token of
death, life taken away. Death is always and everywhere God's judgment on sin: The
sting of death is sin. The shed blood sprinkled upon the altar, or the person, is the proof
that death has been endured, that the penalty of the transgressions, for which
atonement is being made, has been borne. In some cases the hands were laid upon the
head of the sacrifice, confessing over it, and laying upon it, the sin to be atoned for. The
shed blood upon the altar was the pledge that God accepted the death of the substitute:
the sins were covered by the blood, and the guilty one restored to God's favour. Apart
from blood-shedding there is no remission; in the blood-shedding there is remission, full
and everlasting.
There can be no fellowship with God, but in the blood, in the death, of His blessed Son.
For when Moses had spoken…Ex 24:3-8
with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop Numbers 19:6-7
sprinkled – for cleansing or purification Lev 16:14-18. Check ISBE for sprinkling
Saying These are the words that Moses spoke to the Hebrews as he sprinkled the book
and the people with blood. The law as read aloud, affirmed by the people, and then
ratified by the sprinkling of the blood. The people swore to do their part, while God swore
to do His part and thus the Old Covenant was inaugurated. The point to note is that the
blood was an essential component of the Old Covenant. The blood pointed to the day
when the blood of the Lamb of God was poured out efficaciously (Matt 26:28) for sinners
of all time.
both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry The blood is sprinkled on the
book, Mercy-seat, every vessel in the Sanctuary and the people.
Purged G2511 καθαριζω katharizō kath-ar-id'-zo From G2513; to cleanse (literally or
figuratively): - (make) clean (-se), purge, purify.
Remission- Conveys the idea of remitting (laying aside or releasing from penalty of) a
debt (as in the "Lord's Prayer" - see Mt 6:12-note) which is an accurate picture because
our sins are "debts" to a holy God (Lk 11:4 where "sins" compared to "debts" - where

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indebted = opheilo = basic meaning of owing a debt or having a strong obligation - moral
obligation and personal duty).