I know that there have been those who argued against HILASTERION as
"propitiation" (ie. Socinus, Ritschl, Dodd). But the very fact that Paul
introduces the concept HILASTERION after an exposition on man's sin and
God's wrath against man's sin calls for the introduction of Christ as
PROPITIATION. Since the Mercy Seat was the place of propitiation in the
OT, and because HILASTERION is the "mercy seat" in Hebrews 9:5, it has
been considered an option in Romans 3:25.
Yet, I don't know that we can say Christ fulfilled the concept of the
"mercy seat." In my opinion, it is better to say He fulfilled the concept
of "the sacrifce" whose blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat. He was
"openly set forth" (PROEQETO) as HILASTERION "through faith in His blood."
The "mercy seat" did not have blood to offer; the sacrifice did.
His By Grace,
Michael Williams
Ph.D. Student
MABTS, Memphis, TN
----------
>
> On Mon, 28 Apr 97 07:30:19 PDT Michael Williams <ichthus@gmi.net> writes:
>
> -----snip
>
> Such a translation, however, has been questioned on the following
> >grounds:
> >
> >1. Romans does not move in the sphere of the Levitical system as does
> >the
> >book of Hebrews. Morris, NTS (September 1955):41.
> >2. Though Christ is presented in the New Testament as both priest and
> >victim, He is never presented as the place of sprinkling . Sanday &
> >Headlam, ICC, 87.
> >3. Only the high priest saw the mercy-seat as he represented the
> >people of
> >Israel. Paul uses PROEQETO Romans 3:25 to indicate that God "publicly
> >set
> >forth Christ as a propitiation." Morris, ibid.
> >Perhaps this will be of some help in deciding what you will do with
> >HILASTERION in Romans 3:25.
>
> Thanks for the cites. I'll look them up when I can.
>
> I was meaning, really, that the LXX concept of Mercy seat was fulfilled
> in Christ. That is, the intention of the mercy seat was satisfaction of
> God's wrath. It seems that the NT writers were making Hilasterion to
> refer to Christ to say that he was that satisfaction.
>
> Thanks for writing.
>
> Mike Porter
>