Romans 3:25

Romans 3:25. Whom. The personal redeemer Christ Jesus stands immediately connected with justification; how is here declared (Romans 3:25; Romans 3:20).

G od set forth. One historical fact is spoken of. The meaning ‘purposed,' which the original word may have, is inappropriate, because the purpose is expressed in detail afterwards. ‘Publicly set forth or himself' is the full sense of the term here.

To be a propitiatory sacrifice. One word in the original, but something must be supplied in English: ‘as,' ‘for,' ‘to be,' have been suggested, the last being preferable because a fact is referred to. The Greek word is strictly an adjective, meaning ‘propitiatory,' but is used in the LXX. as a noun, usually referring to the mercy-seat (kapporeth). the lid of the ark of the covenant; in this sense it occurs in Hebrews 9:5, the only other instance of its use in the New Testament. Explanations have been suggested: (1.) ‘Mercy-seat;' but this confuses metaphors; the mercy-seat was hidden, not set forth; the article is wanting; the figure is nowhere else applied to Christ, and the mercy-seat was designed to show God's grace, not ‘His righteousness.' (2.) In consequence of these objections we prefer to render it ‘a propitiatory sacrifice,' either taking the word in that sense, or supplying the noun. This amounts to the same as the other explanation, but is not open to the same objections. (3.) ‘To be propitiatory;' but there is no instance of the adjective being applied to persons. (4.) ‘As propitiator;' this is open to the same objection. (5.) ‘As a means of propitiation;' this is too abstract.

It will be noticed that all explanations rest on the thought that Christ's death was sacrificial and expiatory; that it was a real atonement, required by something in the character of God, and not merely designed to effect moral results in man. We may not know all that this ‘propitiation' involves, but since God Himself was willing to instruct His ancient people by types of this reality, we ought to know something definite and positive respecting it. The atoning death of Christ is the ground of the ‘reconciliation' (wrongly translated ‘atonement' in chap. Romans 5:11), since it satisfies the demands of Divine justice on the one hand, and on the other draws men to God. Independently of the former, the latter could not be more than a groundless human feeling.

Through faith, in his blood. We insert a comma after ‘faith,' because the word translated ‘in' is never joined with ‘faith,' and because the important phrase ‘in his blood,' is made too subordinate by the ordinary punctuation. Further, faith in Christ is more than faith in His blood. We join ‘in His blood' with ‘set forth,' etc. This setting forth of Christ as a propitiatory sacrifice took place in the shedding of His blood. ‘By His blood' is not so exact. The entire thought is purely expiatory; the figure is that of doing away guilt by blood; the reality is the atoning death of Christ, which really removes the guilt of sin. ‘Through faith' (lit, ‘the faith,' pointing to ‘faith' already mentioned in Romans 3:22) may be connected either with ‘propitiation,' so that it indicates how this propitiation becomes effective, or with ‘set forth,' etc. The former is perhaps preferable, since the propitiation could hardly be said to be set forth through faith. The notion that ‘faith' here means Christ's faithfulness is altogether unwarranted.

To exhibit, or, ‘unto the exhibition,' or, demonstration.

His righteousness. God's judicial (or punitive) righteousness. His retributive justice is meant; the death of Christ shows how He hates sin, while He saves sinners. The rest of the verse, when fairly interpreted, opposes the various other interpretations.

Because of the passing over of sins formerly done. The E. V. is misleading. This clause gives, not the design, but the occasion of the showing of God's righteousness: ‘passing over' is not the same as ‘remission.' God had allowed the sins of the race which were committed before Christ's death (‘sins formerly done'), to pass by without full punishment. He had not forgiven them; the wrath that appeared (comp. chap. Romans 1:18) was not a sufficient punishment; His passing over these sins obscured His righteousness. The death of Christ as an atoning sacrifice showed what His righteousness demanded, while it effected pardon and justification. That this is the correct view, appears not only from Romans 3:26, but from the next clause: in the forbearance of God, which explains the ‘passing over.' Remission is a matter of ‘grace;' ‘passing over,' of forbearance. To refer the latter part of this verse to actual pardon under the Old Testament dispensation is contrary to the obvious sense of the words, however true it is that the Old Testament saints had remission of sins.