V. 15.— And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament.— The word διαθημκη is uniformly rendered by our translators Covenant, except in the account of the institution of the Supper, and in 2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrews 7:22, and in this passage, verses 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, where, following the Vulgate, they have rendered it Testament. But certainly this is improper. The Hebrew word Berith is always rendered covenant by the translators of the Old Testament, and there ought to have been no deviation from this practice in the New Testament. The first covenant was ordained of angels in the hand of a mediator, Galatians 3:19. But there is no room for a mediator in a testament, or last will. On this passage a commentator inquires, “ Was it ever known, in the practice of any nation, that a testament needed a mediator? Or that the testator was the mediator of his own testament? Or that it was necessary the testator of a new testament should die to redeem the transgressions of a former testament? Or that any testament was made by sprinkling the legatees with blood? These things, however, were usual in covenants. They had mediators who assisted at the making of them, and were sureties for the performance of them; [Hence, when Israel broke the Sinai Covenant, Moses, the Mediator, offered to die in their room.] they were commonly ratified with sacrifices, the blood of which was sprinkled on the parties. We know that if a former covenant was infringed by the parties, satisfaction was given by making a second covenant. By calling Christ the mediator of the new testament our thoughts are turned away entirely from the view which the Scriptures give at His death as a sacrifice for sin. Whereas if he is called the Mediator of the new covenant, which is the true translation of διαθημκηςκαινῆςμεσιμτης, that appellation directly suggests to us that the new covenant was procured and ratified by his death as a sacrifice for sin. For this cause he is the Mediator of the new covenant, that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they who were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. The sacrifices prescribed by the law could not take away sin, and therefore, and as God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, neither can evil dwell with Him, in order that those who had sinned might receive the promise of an eternal inheritance, it was necessary that their sins should be expiated by the death of the Mediator of the new covenant. So that, under every dispensation, sin has been pardoned only through the blood-shedding of Christ. To the same purpose, the Apostle having stated that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and are only justified by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, proceeds, “ Whom God hath set forth as a propitiation,” (or mercy seat, [The word here used is that translated mercy seat in the law of Moses.]) " through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” Romans 3:25. Here we have a plain intimation that the sins which are past, namely those committed under the first covenant, are remitted only through faith in the blood of Christ. The forbearance of God had waited during that dispensation, although no sacrifice had been provided that could expiate sin, Romans 9:23-24, or through which the people of God could receive the promise of eternal inheritance.