εἰς ἔνδειξιν … διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν … πρὸς τὴν ἔνδειξιν (3:25–26)
Says God presented Christ εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν τῶν προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτων ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ, πρὸς τὴν ἔνδειξιν … εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν δίκαιον καὶ δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ. Abbott-Smith: πάρεσις (paresis) "a letting go, dismissal … passing by (of debt or sin)" (synonym ἄφεσις).
Implies πάρεσις is forbearance, a passing over of former sins, not their forgiveness. Grounds: ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ (2:4); the needed demonstration of justice; Paul's word for forgiveness is ἄφεσις (Eph 1:7; Col 1:14). The alternative is "remission, forgiveness," the Vulgate's remissionem (Tischendorf, p. 378).
Uncertain διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν. This note leans to "because of": διά + accusative is regularly causal, and the clause gives the reason for the demonstration. The main alternative, "through," treats the passing over as means (compare διὰ πίστεως), but that sense is rare in the NT.
Uncertain One demonstration or two. This note leans to one, restated "at the present time," since the article in πρὸς τὴν ἔνδειξιν points back. The alternative is two: past and present.
Uncertain ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι. This note leans to taking it with προέθετο … ἱλαστήριον: Paul seldom marks faith's object with ἐν, and "His blood" belongs with the sacrifice (5:9). The main alternative, "faith in His blood," follows the word order; Abbott-Smith lists Rom 3:25 under πίστις with ἐν.
Implies Penal substitution: God is "just" in justifying because the penalty of the sins he passed over was borne in Christ's death (3:24–26; 4:25; 5:9; 8:3).
Claims
- SaysGod presented Christ for a demonstration of his righteousness, διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν of former sins in his forbearance, so as to be just and the justifier of τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ (3:25–26; BSB 'the one who has faith in Jesus').
- Impliesπάρεσις is forbearance, a passing over of former sins, not their forgiveness (ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ; the need for a demonstration; ἄφεσις is Paul's word for forgiveness); the alternative is 'remission' (Vulgate).
- UncertainWhether διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν means 'because of' (lean: διά + accusative is regularly causal; the clause gives the reason for the demonstration) or 'through' (main alternative: the passing over as means, parallel to διὰ πίστεως; rare for διά + accusative).
- UncertainWhether there is one demonstration, restated (lean: the article in πρὸς τὴν ἔνδειξιν), or two, past and present (alternative).
- UncertainWhether ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι goes with προέθετο/ἱλαστήριον (lean: Paul seldom marks faith's object with ἐν; 'his blood' belongs with the sacrifice, 5:9) or with διὰ πίστεως (main alternative: word order; Abbott-Smith lists Rom 3:25 under πίστις with ἐν).
- ImpliesGod is just in justifying because the penalty of the sins he passed over was borne in Christ's death (3:24–26; 4:25; 5:9; 8:3).
Citations
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. πάρεσις (Ro 3:25; SYN. ἄφεσις) —
a letting go, dismissal
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. πάρεσις (Ro 3:25) —
passing by (of debt or sin)
- Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. πίστις (c. prep., ἐν, Ro 3:25, Ga 3:26, Eph 1:15)
- Tischendorf⁸ public domain vol. 2 (1872), p. 378 (on πάρεσιν: Latin witnesses with propositum against the Vulgate's remissionem), leaf n385, read on the page image 2026-10-29
- BSB public domain Rom 3:25–26
2026-10-29
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