ον 3739 R-ASM προεθετο 4388 5639 V-2AMI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM θεος 2316 N-NSM ιλαστηριον 2435 N-ASN δια 1223 PREP της 3588 T-GSF πιστεως 4102 N-GSF εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSN αυτου 846 P-GSM αιματι 129 N-DSN εις 1519 PREP ενδειξιν 1732 N-ASF της 3588 T-GSF δικαιοσυνης 1343 N-GSF αυτου 846 P-GSM δια 1223 PREP την 3588 T-ASF παρεσιν 3929 N-ASF των 3588 T-GPN προγεγονοτων 4266 5761 V-RAP-GPN αμαρτηματων 265 N-GPN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
25. Set forth (proeqeto). Publicly, openly (pro); correlated with to declare. He brought Him forth and put Him before the public. Bengel, "placed before the eyes of all;" unlike the ark of the covenant which was veiled and approached only by the high-priest. The word is used by Herodotus of exposing corpses (v. 8); by Thucydides of exposing the bones of the dead (ii. 34). Compare the shew-bread, the loaves of the setting-forth (thv proqesewv). See on Mark ii. 26. Paul refers not to preaching, but to the work of atonement itself, in which God's righteousness is displayed. Some render purposed or determined, as Rom. i. 13; Eph. i. 9, and according to the usual meaning of proqesiv purpose, in the New Testament. But the meaning adopted here is fixed by to declare.Propitiation (ilasthrion). This word is most important, since it is the key to the conception of Christ's atoning work.
In the New Testament it occurs only here and Heb. ix. 5; and must be studied in connection with the following kindred words: iJlaskomai which occurs in the New Testament only Luke xviii. 13, God be merciful, and Heb. ii. 17, to make reconciliation. Ilasmov twice, 1 John ii. 2; iv. 10; in both cases rendered propitiation. The compound ejxilaskomai, which is not found in the New Testament, but is frequent in the Septuagint and is rendered purge, cleanse, reconcile, make atonement. Septuagint usage. These words mostly represent the Hebrew verb kaphar to cover or conceal, and its derivatives. With only seven exceptions, out of about sixty or seventy passages in the Old Testament, where the Hebrew is translated by atone or atonement, the Septuagint employs some part or derivative of iJlaskomai or ejxilaskomai or Ilasmov or ejxilasmov is the usual Septuagint translation for kippurim covering for sin, A.V., atonement. Thus sin-offerings of atonement; day of atonement; ram of the atonement. See Exod. xxix. 36; xxx. 10; Lev. xxiii. 27; Num. v. 8, etc. They are also used for chattath sin-offering, Ezek. xliv. 27; xlv. 19; and for selichah forgiveness. Psalm cxxix. 4; Dan. ix. 9.
These words are always used absolutely, without anything to mark the offense or the person propitiated.
Ilaskomai, which is comparatively rare, occurs as a translation of kipher to cover sin, Psalm lxiv. 3; lxxvii. 38; lxxviii. 9; A.V., purge away, forgive, pardon. Of salach, to bear away as a burden, 2 Kings v. 18; Psalm xxiv. 11: A.V., forgive, pardon. It is used with the accusative (direct objective) case, marking the sin, or with the dative (indirect objective), as be conciliated to our sins.
Exilaskomai mostly represents kipher to cover, and is more common than the simple verb. Thus, purge the altar, Ezek. xliii. 26; cleanse the sanctuary, Ezek. xlv. 20; reconcile the house, Dan. ix. 24. It is found with the accusative case of that which is cleansed; with the preposition peri concerning, as "for your sin," Exod. xxxii. 30; with the preposition uJper on behalf of A.V., for, Ezek. xlv. 17; absolutely, to make an atonement, Lev. xvi. 17; with the preposition ajpo from, as "cleansed from the blood," Num. xxxv. 33. There are but two instances of the accusative of the person propitiated: appease him, Gen. xxxii. 20; pray before (propitiate) the Lord, Zech. vii. 2.
Ilasthrion, A.V., propitiation, is almost always used in the Old Testament of the mercy-seat or golden cover of the ark, and this is its meaning in Heb. ix. 5, the only other passage of the New Testament in which it is found. In Ezek. xliii. 14, 17, 20, it means a ledge round a large altar, and is rendered settle in A.V.; Rev., ledge, in margin.
This term has been unduly pressed into the sense of explanatory sacrifice. In the case of the kindred verbs, the dominant Old-Testament sense is not propitiation in the sense of something offered to placate or appease anger; but atonement or reconciliation, through the covering, and so getting rid of the sin which stands between God and man. The thrust of the idea is upon the sin or uncleanness, not upon the offended party. Hence the frequent interchange with ajgiazw to sanctify, and kaqarizw to cleanse. See Ezekiel xliii. 26, where ejxilasontai shall purge, and kaqariousin shall purify, are used coordinately. See also Exod. xxx. 10, of the altar of incense: "Aaron shall make an atonement (exilasetai) upon the horns of it - with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement" (kaqarismou purification). Compare Lev. xvi. 20. The Hebrew terms are also used coordinately.
Our translators frequently render the verb kaphar by reconcile, Leviticus vi. 30; xvi. 20; Ezek. xlv. 20. In Lev. viii. 15, Moses put blood upon the horns of the altar and cleansed (ekaqarise) the altar, and sanctified (hgiasen) it, to make reconciliation (tou exilasasqai) upon it. Compare Ezek. xlv. 15, 17; Dan. ix. 24.
The verb and its derivatives occur where the ordinary idea of expiation is excluded. As applied to an altar or to the walls of a house (Leviticus xiv. 48-53), this idea could have no force, because these inanimate things, though ceremonially unclean, could have no sin to be expiated. Moses, when he went up to make atonement for the idolatry at Sinai, offered no sacrifice, but only intercession. See also the case of Korah, Numbers xvi. 46; the cleansing of leprosy and of mothers after childbirth, Leviticus xiv. 1-20; xii. 7; xv. 30; the reformation of Josiah, 2 Chronicles 34; the fasting and confession of Ezra, Ezra x. 1-15; the offering of the Israelite army after the defeat of Midian. They brought bracelets, rings, etc., to make an atonement (exilasasqai) before the Lord; not expiatory, but a memorial, Num. xxxi. 50-54. The Passover was in no sense expiatory; but Paul says, "Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us; therefore purge out (ekkaqarate) the old leaven. Let us keep the feast with sincerity and truth;" 1 Cor. v. 7, 8.
In the Old Testament the idea of sacrifice as in itself a propitiation continually recedes before that of the personal character lying back of sacrifice, and which alone gives virtue to it. See 1 Sam. xv. 22; Psalm xl. 6-10; l. 8-14, 23; li. 16, 17; Isa. i. 11-18; Jer. vii. 21-23; Amos v. 21-24; Micah vi. 6-8. This idea does not recede in the Old Testament to be reemphasized in the New. On the contrary, the New Testament emphasizes the recession, and lays the stress upon the cleansing and life-giving effect of the sacrifice of Christ. See John i. 29; Colossians i. 20-22; Heb. ix. 14; x. 19-21; 1 Pet. ii. 24; 1 John i. 7; iv. 10-13. The true meaning of the offering of Christ concentrates, therefore, not upon divine justice, but upon human character; not upon the remission of penalty for a consideration, but upon the deliverance from penalty through moral transformation; not upon satisfying divine justice, but upon bringing estranged man into harmony with God. As Canon Westcott remarks: "The scripture conception of iJlaskesqai is not that of appeasing one who is angry with a personal feeling against the offender, but of altering the character of that which, from without, occasions a necessary alienation, and interposes an inevitable obstacle to fellowship "(Commentary on St. John's Epistles, p. 85).
In the light of this conception we are brought back to that rendering of iJlasthrion which prevails in the Septuagint, and which it has in the only other New-Testament passage where it occurs (Heb. ix. 5) - mercy-seat; a rendering, maintained by a large number of the earlier expositors, and by some of the ablest of the moderns. That it is the sole instance of its occurrence in this sense is a fact which has its parallel in the terms Passover, Door, Rock, Amen, Day-spring, and others, applied to Christ. To say that the metaphor is awkward counts for nothing in the light of other metaphors of Paul. To say that the concealment of the ark is inconsistent with set forth is to adduce the strongest argument in favor of this rendering. The contrast with set forth falls in perfectly with the general conception. That mercy-seat which was veiled, and which the Jew could approach only once a fear, and then through the medium of the High-Priest, is now brought out where all can draw nigh and experience its reconciling power (Heb. x. 19, 22; compare Heb. ix. 8). "The word became flesh and dwelt among us. We beheld His glory. We saw and handled" (John i. 14; 1 John i. 1-3). The mercy-seat was the meetingplace of God and man (Exod. xxv. 17-22; Lev. xvi. 2; Num. vii. 89); the place of mediation and manifestation. Through Christ, the antitype of the mercy-seat, the Mediator, man has access to the Father (Eph. ii. 18). As the golden surface covered the tables of the law, so Christ stands over the law, vindicating
