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Heb_9:15. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο διαθήκης καινῆς μεσίτης ἐστίν ] and just for this cause is He the Mediator of a New Covenant. By means of καί , Heb_9:15 attaches itself closely to the preceding context, and διὰ τοῦτο points back to the main thought contained in Heb_9:9-14; just for this reason, that the sacrifice of Christ accomplishes that which the Levitical sacrifices are unable to accomplish; namely, that, presented by virtue of eternal spirit, brings in an eternal redemption, these, on the other hand, as ordinances of the flesh, are able to effect only purity of the flesh. Not specially to τὸ αἱμα , Heb_9:14 (Sykes, Chr. Fr. Schmid, Maier), does διὰ τοῦτο glance back. For in this case διʼ αὐτό , or rather διὰ τοῦ αἵματος , would more naturally have been written. Nor is διὰ τοῦτο to be taken together with ὅπως , as a mere preparation thereto (so Schlichting, Schulz, Böhme, Bleek, Stengel, Ebrard, and many). For thereby Heb_9:15 would be torn from its connection with that which precedes.
Upon καινῆς there does not rest an emphasis, as is supposed by Bleek and Delitzsch. For otherwise the adjectives must have been prefixed to the substantive. On the contrary, what is to be specially emphasized is διαθήκης . For just the inner nexus of the N. T. διαθήκης , with the redemptive death of Christ as its mediating cause, is to be brought out; whereas the adjective καινῆς could be presupposed as familiar from the disquisition Heb_8:8 ff., in that there the perfect covenant promised by God was sufficiently characterized as a new one.
ὅπως ] in order that. False the interpretation of Heinrichs: “unde sequitur.” The final clause ὅπως κ . τ . λ . is not designed to develop more nearly the διὰ τοῦτο ; it depends upon διαθήκης καινῆς μεσίτης ἐστίν , and indicates the goal to which, in accordance with the decree of God, the διαθήκη καινή should lead, and at the same time the way and means by which the attainment of this goal should be accomplished.
θανάτου γενομένου ] a death having ensued. The death of Christ is that which is meant. The author, however, expresses himself generically, because he has already in mind that which is to be observed, Heb_9:16-17.
Εἰς ἀπολύτρωσιν τῶν ἐπὶ τῇ πρώτῃ διαθήκῃ παραβάσεων ] for redemption from the transgressions (or sins) committed under the first covenant (or at the time of the first covenant). Note of design to θανάτου γενομένου , not to λάβωσιν .
τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν ] the promise, i.e. the promised blessing itself. With τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν we have to combine τῆς αἰωνίου κληρονομίας , as a declaration wherein the promised blessing consists (genitive of apposition). By the separation of the two closely connected words, τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν is brought out more emphatically, and the discourse gains in point of rhythm. Less suitably, although free from objection on linguistic grounds, did the Peshito, Faber Stapulensis, Braun, Chr. Fr. Schmid, Stein, Stengel, Tholuck, Ebrard, Riehm (Lehrbegr. des Hebräerbr. p. 594), Moll, Ewald, and others take τῆς αἰωνίου κληρονομίας with οἱ κεκλημένοι : those who are called to the eternal inheritance.
οἱ κεκλημένοι ] Comp. κλήσεως ἐπουρανίου μέτοχοι , Heb_3:1. The expression is here used absolutely, and is not to be referred exclusively to the Christians. For, according to Heb_9:26; Heb_11:39-40, the power of the redemptive death of Christ extends retroactively likewise to the generations of the past. And just for this reason the participle perfect is written, and not the participle aorist. For not to the historic act of the temporal vocation, but to the being called, as a fact in the decree of God already completed and extending into the present, is attention to be drawn.