“whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed” (Romans 3:25).
Much like a mine-worker who discovers a rich vein of precious metal, Romans 3:25 presents us with a rich vein of spiritual insight ready to be explored. The opening words of this verse prepare us for those insights in speaking of the One “whom God set forth…” This tells us that the truths we’re about to read are not hidden from view. Instead, God has “set them forth” for all to see.
One of those insights is this: “God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood…” (HCSB). “Propitiation” is an important theological term that conveys two primary ideas:
- The satisfaction of God’s justice.
- The appeasement of His righteous anger towards those who have broken His laws.
This word also possesses a colorful history that traces back to the idolatrous practices of antiquity. For instance, “propitiation” once referred to a sacrificial offering that one might present to a pagan deity. That offering sought to appease the wrath of an idolatrous god and avert any form of divine retribution. It also allowed for the restoration of a positive relationship with the offended deity.
However, these concepts underwent a significant transformation within the spiritual framework of Old Testament Israel. When ancient Jewish scholars translated the Old Testament Scriptures into Greek, they chose the phrase hilasterion, or “mercy seat,” to convey this image. This referenced the Jewish tabernacle and a crucial portion of the Old Testament sacrificial system.
The tabernacle of that era featured two veiled entrances, one exterior and one interior. The first veil separated the interior portion of the Tabernacle (known as the Holy Place) from the exterior courtyard. The second veil divided the Holy Place from another interior area known as the Most Holy Place, or Holy of Holies. At the heart of the Holy Place stood the Ark of the Covenant.
The ark was a wooden chest overlaid with gold. The top (or lid) of the Ark was known as the mercy seat. This communicated the image of a sovereign authority who pardoned the sins of His people under the terms of the Old Covenant. Two angelic beings (known as cherubim) were positioned above the ark at each end. These cherubim faced one another with their wings stretched above the mercy seat. It was there that God manifested His divine presence (see Exodus 25).
Once a year, the high priest would enter beyond this inner veil to sprinkle the blood of a sacrificial animal upon the mercy seat as an act of atonement. We’ll tie these images together in the context of Romans 3:25 next.