Kapporet and ἱλαστήριον: Exod 25 and Lev 16 behind Rom 3:25
Says Exod 25:17 (LXX 25:16) commands וְעָשִׂיתָ כַפֹּרֶת זָהָב טָהוֹר (ve'asita khapporet zahav tahor, "you shall make a kapporet of pure gold") for the ark. God meets Moses מֵעַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת (me'al hakkapporet, "from above the kapporet," 25:22). On the Day of Atonement the high priest sprinkles blood עַל־פְּנֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת ('al-pene hakkapporet, Lev 16:14–15). God appears בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה עַל־הַכַּפֹּרֶת (be'anan era'eh 'al-hakkapporet, "in the cloud I appear over the kapporet," 16:2).
BDB (p. 498) glosses the word "propitiatory" and calls the older explanation "cover, lid" unsupported by usage.
Says Swete's LXX renders kapporet with ἱλαστήριον: ἱλαστήριον ἐπίθεμα χρυσίου (Exod 25:16), εἰς πρόσωπον τοῦ ἱλαστηρίου (Lev 16:2), and ῥανεῖ τῷ δακτύλῳ ἐπὶ τὸ ἱλαστήριον (16:14). Heb 9:5 uses τὸ ἱλαστήριον for it. Rom 3:25 has ἱλαστήριον with ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι.
Implies God set Christ forth as a propitiation. In his blood God's wrath (1:18; 2:5) is turned away, and God is shown to be righteous (3:25–26). The named alternative, expiation only (the removal of sin with no wrath in view), is in note.language.Rom.3.25.hilasterion.
Uncertain A kapporet allusion in 3:25 is probable, not established: the Greek Pentateuch uses ἱλαστήριον for the kapporet, its only other NT use (Heb 9:5) is for the mercy seat, and "in his blood" fits the Day of Atonement. Moo argues for the allusion (cited by reference). The alternative is a general "means of propitiation," since ἱλαστήριον has no article and the mercy-seat reading would make Christ both the place and the victim. Either reading leaves propitiation standing.
Claims
- SaysExod 25:17 (כַפֹּרֶת) and Lev 16:2, 14–15: the gold kapporet on the ark, where God meets Moses and appears, and on which the Day of Atonement blood is sprinkled.
- SaysSwete's LXX renders kapporet ἱλαστήριον (Exod 25:16; Lev 16:2, 14); Heb 9:5 τὸ ἱλαστήριον; Rom 3:25 ἱλαστήριον with ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι.
- Impliesἱλαστήριον in Rom 3:25 is propitiation: in Christ's blood God's wrath is turned away and God is shown righteous (3:25–26); the named alternative, expiation only (the removal of sin with no wrath in view), is in note.language.Rom.3.25.hilasterion.
- UncertainWhether Rom 3:25 alludes to the kapporet (lean: probable, not established, on LXX ἱλαστήριον for the kapporet, Heb 9:5, and 'in his blood' fitting the Day of Atonement; Moo) or uses ἱλαστήριον generally as a means of propitiation (alternative: no article; the mercy-seat reading would make Christ both the place and the victim).
Citations
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Exod 25:17, 22; Lev 16:2, 13–15
- BDB CC BY 4.0 s.v. kapporet (H3727), p. 498, entry k.ct.ae
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Exod 25:16 (Swete; MT 25:17); Lev 16:2, 13–14 (16:15 also has ἱλαστήριον, not quoted). LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 1 (1909), pp. 153, 222.
- SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 1:18; 2:5; 3:24–26; Heb 9:5
- TVTMS CC BY 4.0 Exod 25:17 = LXX 25:16
- 🔒︎ Moo, Romans (NICNT) Copyrighted on Rom 3:25 (mercy-seat reading; reference only, not quoted; 1996 ed.)
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-10-29
Open in Reader All notes on this passage