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6. ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους. Who also made us sufficient as ministers (R.V.). The repetition, ἱκανοί, ἱκανότης, ἱκάνωσεν, must be preserved; also the aorist, which (as in Col 1:12) points to the moment when the gift of competency was bestowed. For διάκονος comp. 2Co 11:15; Eph 3:7; Col 1:23; Col 1:25.
καινῆς διαθήκης. Of a new covenant (R.V.). The thought is suggested by πλαξὶν λιθίναις, and the phrase comes from Jeremiah 38[31]:31 (Heb 8:8). It is used of Christianity first in 1Co 11:25. The emphasis is on καινῆς, and perhaps for that reason the article is omitted. But in Heb 9:15 διαθήκης precedes, and there also the article is omitted. Here, and in all other passages where καινός occurs, the meaning is ‘fresh, not obsolete, not worn out.’ In Heb 12:24 we have διαθήκης νέας, which means a covenant that is ‘recent, not ancient.’ Comp. ‘new wine into fresh wine-skins’ (Mat 9:17; Luk 5:38). New wine may or may not be better than old: fresh skins must be better than skins that are worn out. So here, καινῆς implies that the new covenant is better than the obsolete one (Heb 8:13). It is valid and effective, with plenty of time to run. See Trench, Synonyms § LX. On the rival translations of διαθήκη, ‘covenant,’ and ‘testament,’ see Westcott’s detached note on Heb 9:16, pp. 298–302.
οὐ γράμματος ἀλλὰ πνεύματος. Jer 31:31-33 is still in his mind, with Eze 11:19. The important word καινῆς gives an abrupt, but very natural turn to the argument. He has been urging the superiority of his own claims on their affection and obedience to those of his Judaizing opponents. He now points to the boundless superiority of the dispensation of which he is a minister to that which the Judaizers represent. Even if as an individual he had nothing to urge, the claim of the Gospel which he brought to them would be paramount, and that in three particulars. This dispensation of grace is καινή, πνεύματος, ζωοποιεῖ. 1. It is not obsolete, like the Jewish Law, but of full force. 2. It is not an external legal instrument, but an indwelling power. 3. It is not a judicial enactment, putting those who transgress it to death; its spirit gives life to all who accept it. The Law simply said, ‘Thou shalt not,’ and imposed a penalty for transgression. So far from giving any power to keep its enactments, by its prohibitions it provoked men to transgress (Rom 8:5-13; Rom 5:20). The spirit of the Gospel is really the Spirit of God, entering the heart and making the recipient, not only able, but willing, to obey. Chrysostom has a fine passage in which he contrasts the Law and Grace under this third head. The Law finds a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath, and stones him. Grace finds thousands of robbers and murderers, illuminates them, and gives them life. The one turns a living man into a dead one: the other out of dead men makes living ones. Christ says, ‘Come unto Me all ye who are heavy laden,’ not ‘and I will punish you,’ but ‘and I will give you rest.’ Comp. the contrast in Joh 1:17.
It matters little whether we regard the genitives, γράμματος and πνεύματος, as characterizing διακόνος or διαθήκης: but ἡ διακονία τοῦ πνεύματος (2Co 3:8) is in favour of the former. The Apostles are ministers, not of a covenant that is literal and formal, but of one that is spiritual: therefore, as ministers, they are not of letter, but of spirit. It is perhaps safer not to insert the article in translation. For the characterizing genitive comp. Luk 4:24; Luk 16:8; Luk 18:6; Jam 1:25; Jam 2:4. Winer, p. 297; Blass, § 35. 5.
τὸ γὰρ γρὰμμα ἀποκτείνει. Eternal death, as the opposite of eternal life, is meant: that is the tendency of the letter. The prohibitions of the Law incite to sin which involves death. And, with regard to physical death, the Law gave no promise of resurrection. Origen was strangely mistaken in supposing that this passage supports his view that the literal interpretation of Scripture is harmful, and that, to be profitable, interpretation must be mystical and ‘spiritual,’ or at least moral. And, however true it may be that to keep insisting upon the letter becomes fatal to the spirit, that is not what is meant here. The point here is, that the Law is incomparably inferior to the Gospel.
The form ἀποκτέννει, which is believed to be Aeolic, is found here (אFGKP) for ἀποκτείνει (B), and is accepted by some editors here and Mat 10:28; Mar 12:5; Luk 12:4; Rev 6:11. WH. accept it Rev 6:11. None accept ἀποκτενει (ACDL).