Jesus as the Mercy Seat : the semantics and theology of Paul's use of Hilasterion in Romans 3:25
Paul's predication of the term 'hilasterion' of Jesus combined with his mention of Jesus' own blood leads modern interpreters to speculate that 'hilasterion' was a term that could denote a sacrificial victim-hence: ~whom God put forward as a 'sacrifice of atonement' by his blood~ (Rom 3:25, NRSV). But this is unsupported by the Greek sources. This dissertation examines all the known occurrences of 'hilasterion' outside biblical and Byzantine Christian sources, of which there are about eight-half of them new to this study. All can be glossed by ~(sc. 'anathema) propitiatory gift or offering'~ (LSJ). Since 'hilasterion' never designates a sacrificial victim, the NRSV lacks support. Its meaning would rather be expressed by 'hon prosenengken' (not: proetheto) 'ho theos hilasterion thusian' (cf. P. Fay. 337). The tendency to parallel Rom 3:25 and 4 Mace 17:22 (codex S) is also misguided. Obviously the phrase 'to hilasterion tou thanatou autwn' (referring to the martyrs) cannot mean ~the victim of their death.~ The background is rather to be sought in the normal Greek practice of offering durable propitiatory gifts (not victims) to the deity-hence: ~their death as a 'propitiatory votive offering'.~ Paul's use of
Bailey, Daniel Peter
Epistles
Jesus as the Mercy Seat : the semantics and theology of Paul's use of Hilasterion in Romans 3:25. Paul's predication of the term 'hilasterion' of Jesus combined with his mention of Jesus' own blood leads modern interpreters to speculate that 'hilasterion' was a term that could denote a sacrificial victim-hence: ~whom God put forward as a 'sacrifice of atonement' by his blood~ (Rom 3:25, NRSV). But this is unsupported by the Greek sources. This dissertation examines all the known occurrences of 'hilasterion' outside biblical and Byzantine Christian sources, of which there are about eight-half of them new to this study. All can be glossed by ~(sc. 'anathema) propitiatory gift or offering'~ (LSJ). Since 'hilasterion' never designates a sacrificial victim, the NRSV lacks support. Its meaning would rather be expressed by 'hon prosenengken' (not: proetheto) 'ho theos hilasterion thusian' (cf. P. Fay. 337). The tendency to parallel Rom 3:25 and 4 Mace 17:22 (codex S) is also misguided. Obviously the phrase 'to hilasterion tou thanatou autwn' (referring to the martyrs) cannot mean ~the victim of their death.~ The background is rather to be sought in the normal Greek practice of offering durable propitiatory gifts (not victims) to the deity-hence: ~their death as a 'propitiatory votive offering'.~ Paul's use of
jesus mercy seat semantics theology paul_use paul predication term jesus combine mention jesus blood lead modern interpreter term could denote sacrificial victim hence god put_forward sacrifice atonement blood rom greek_source examines know occurrence outside biblical byzantine christian source half new study gloss gift offering since never designate sacrificial victim lack support mean would rather express tendency parallel rom codex also misguide obviously phrase refer martyr mean the victim death background rather seek normal greek practice offer durable gift victim deity hence death votive_offering paul_use