Hebrews 9 16

Hebrews 9:16 kjv

For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

Hebrews 9:16 nkjv

For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

Hebrews 9:16 niv

In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it,

Hebrews 9:16 esv

For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.

Hebrews 9:16 nlt

Now when someone leaves a will, it is necessary to prove that the person who made it is dead.

Hebrews 9 verses

Hebrews 9 16 Meaning

This verse establishes a crucial legal principle: for a testament (or will) to be valid and executed, the death of the one who made the testament (the testator) is absolutely necessary. The author of Hebrews uses this universally understood legal concept to illuminate the profound necessity and efficacy of Christ’s death in establishing the New Covenant, presenting it not merely as a contract but also as a divine will through which an inheritance is bestowed.

Hebrews 9 16 Context

Hebrews 9, where verse 16 is found, focuses on contrasting the Old Covenant's tabernacle, priesthood, and sacrificial system with the New Covenant brought by Jesus Christ. The preceding verses detail the deficiencies and symbolic nature of the earthly sanctuary and its rituals, highlighting that they could not truly cleanse consciences or bring perfection. Verse 15 introduces Jesus as the mediator of a new covenant (διαθήκη, diathēkē), emphasizing that His death secures eternal inheritance for those called. Verse 16 then elaborates on why this death was indispensable. It uses a legal analogy familiar to its first-century audience, many of whom were Hellenistic Jews knowledgeable in both Jewish covenant traditions and Roman law concerning wills. The verse stands as a logical bridge, explaining the mechanism by which Christ's mediating work, secured by His death, effects the new dispensation and grants the promised inheritance. The broader purpose of Hebrews is to assert Christ's superiority and to encourage Jewish Christians not to revert to the obsolete shadows of the Old Covenant, but to press on in faith, embracing the finished work of Christ.

Hebrews 9 16 Word analysis

• For where: Greek "Ὅπου γὰρ" (Hopou gar). Introduces a logical premise, setting forth a universal truth or an accepted legal principle that will be applied to the current theological argument.
• a testament: Greek "διαθήκη" (diathēkē). This is the pivotal word in the verse. Its unique significance lies in its deliberate double meaning. In the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), it translates the Hebrew berit, meaning "covenant" (a solemn agreement or pact, often between God and humans). However, in common Greek legal usage, diathēkē also means "last will and testament" – a document bequeathing property that becomes effective only upon the death of the one who made it. The author masterfully plays on this ambiguity to argue that the New Covenant is both a divine pact and a divine will, requiring the Testator's death for its provisions (the promised inheritance) to be accessed.
• is: Greek "φέρεται" (pheretai), from pherō. Here, it signifies "is borne," "is brought forth," "is brought into effect," or "comes into force." It indicates the activation or coming-into-being of the testament's power.
• there must also of necessity: Greek "ἀνάγκη φέρεσθαι" (anankē pheresthai). "Ἀνάγκη" (anankē) means "necessity," "compulsion," or "that which must be." It stresses the absolute, inescapable, and inherent requirement of the following condition. It's not optional but foundational to the very nature of a testament. The phrase emphasizes the unavoidable truth of the legal principle being stated.
• the death: Greek "θάνατος" (thanatos). Refers to physical demise. In the context of the New Covenant, this refers to Christ's literal death on the cross, which validated and inaugurated the New Covenant.
• of the testator: Greek "τοῦ διαθεμένου" (tou diathemenou). This is the active participle of diatithēmi, which means "to put in order, dispose, arrange," and in a legal sense, "to make a will" or "to make a covenant." It refers to the one who makes or institutes the diathēkē. In the immediate context, the "testator" is Jesus Christ Himself, highlighting His unique role as both the giver of the inheritance and the one whose death secured it.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be": This sets up an undeniable logical truth, a prerequisite. The very existence or coming into force of a "testament" necessitates a specific condition.
• "the death of the testator": This specifies the absolute condition. The testator's demise is the foundational act that renders the testament legally binding and releases its promised benefits or provisions. It underscores the profound cost and commitment required for the New Covenant to take effect for humanity.

Hebrews 9 16 Bonus section

This verse implies that Christ serves not only as the sacrifice and high priest but also uniquely as the divine "Testator." Unlike human testators, who merely distribute their assets, Christ, as the Testator of the New Covenant, actively procured the very inheritance—redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life—through His own blood and death. This positions Him as the central figure, both the object of faith and the source of all blessings under the new arrangement. The argument of the book shifts from comparing the old and new covenants to establishing the new covenant as a binding will. The Mosaic Covenant, for instance, was sealed with blood, signifying atonement and commitment (Ex 24:6-8), but the "covenant maker" (God) did not die. In contrast, for the New Covenant, the divine "Testator" Himself underwent death, lending unparalleled gravity, permanence, and certainty to its promises and provisions. This demonstrates God's profound commitment and the full extent of the grace extended to humanity through His Son.

Hebrews 9 16 Commentary

Hebrews 9:16 concisely articulates a fundamental principle underlying the New Covenant. The author uses the word diathēkē (testament/covenant) with brilliant intentionality, playing on its dual meaning to argue for the absolute necessity of Christ's death. Just as a human will (testament) is utterly powerless until the testator dies, so too the divine New Covenant, with its promises of eternal inheritance, could not become operative until its Divine Testator, Jesus Christ, offered up His life. This verse makes it clear that the New Covenant is not just a promise but a divinely guaranteed inheritance activated by a substitutionary death. Christ's death was not incidental but intrinsically tied to the legal and spiritual efficacy of the new dispensation, providing remission of sins and enabling believers to receive the promised inheritance. It underscores the depth of Christ's sacrifice, securing benefits that could only be distributed through His demise.