What is the meaning of Hebrews 9:17? Because a Will – The writer compares God’s new covenant to a human will, reminding us that a “will” (or testament) only has legal force after death (Galatians 3:15). – This picture helps us grasp why Jesus spoke of “the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20). Like any written will, the promises are real but not yet delivered while the testator lives. – Old-covenant worship hinted at this principle: every sacrifice underscored that access to God comes through death and shed blood (Exodus 24:8; Hebrews 9:18-21). Does Not Take Effect Until the One Who Made It Has Died – The verse continues, “does not take effect until the one who made it has died.” Jesus’ death is therefore the turning point of redemption history. • On Calvary, He “offered Himself without blemish to God” (Hebrews 9:14). • Only then could the blessings He secured—full forgiveness, a cleansed conscience, eternal inheritance—be transferred to us (Hebrews 9:22; 1 Peter 3:18). – Until that moment, the old covenant remained in force, serving as a “guardian” until Christ came (Galatians 3:24-25). It Cannot Be Executed While He Is Still Alive – “It cannot be executed while he is still alive.” A will stays in the drawer until a death certificate is issued; likewise, the benefits of Christ’s covenant were inaccessible until His crucifixion. • His miracles, teachings, and perfect life validated His identity, yet the new-covenant blessings flowed only after He declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30). • Once risen, He applied those benefits to believers, sealing them with the promised Spirit (John 20:22; Ephesians 1:13-14). – The resurrection doesn’t nullify the necessity of death; it proves the will’s execution was accepted, guaranteeing our inheritance (Romans 5:10; Hebrews 7:25). summary Hebrews 9:17 uses the everyday reality of a last will and testament to explain why Jesus had to die: a covenant’s promises cannot be distributed until the covenant-maker’s death. His shed blood enacted the new covenant, releasing forgiveness, cleansing, and eternal inheritance to all who trust Him. |
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