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Verse Takeaways
1
Covenant or Will? It's Both.
Scholars highlight a brilliant wordplay in the original Greek. The word used, 'diathēkē,' can mean both 'covenant' and 'last will and testament.' The author uses this dual meaning to show that Christ's death both ratifies the New Covenant (like a sacrifice sealing an agreement) and activates our eternal inheritance (like a will taking effect after the testator's death).
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Book Overview
Hebrews
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Commentaries
10
Albert Barnes
On Hebrews 9:16
18th Century
Theologian
For where a testament is. This is the same word, diayhkh, which in Hebrews 8:6 is rendered covenant. For the general meaning of t…
AT Robertson
On Hebrews 9:16
A testament (διαθηκη). The same word occurs for covenant (verse 15) and will (verse 16). This double sense of the word is played u…
Charles Ellicott
On Hebrews 9:16
19th Century
Bishop
Testament.—As has already been pointed out, the greatest difference of opinion has existed regarding the meaning of the Greek word…
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Charles Spurgeon
On Hebrews 9:16–17
19th Century
Preacher
For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise …
Expositor's Bible Commentary
On Hebrews 9:16
The argument is not easy to follow in English because we have no single word that is the precise equivalent of diatheke (GK 1347). This Greek word …
John Calvin
On Hebrews 9:16
16th Century
Theologian
For where a testament is, etc. Even this one passage is a sufficient proof that this Epistle was not written in Hebrew; for ברית …
John Gill
On Hebrews 9:16
17th Century
Pastor
For where a testament is
The covenant of grace, as administered under the Gospel dispensation, is a testament or wil…
Matthew Henry
On Hebrews 9:15–22
17th Century
Minister
The solemn transactions between God and humankind are sometimes called a covenant; in this specific context, it is a testament. A testament is a pe…