the ground or reason of the exhibition of the righteousness of God. It became necessary that there should be this exhibition, because God had overlooked and pardoned sin from the beginning. This is the most na- tural and satisfactory interpretation of the passage. The word rendered remission more strictly means pretermission^ a passing bi/, or overlooking, Paul repeatedly uses the proper term for remission, as in Eph. 1 : 7. Heb. 9 : 22, &c., but the word here used occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. Many, therefore, consider the selection of this parti- cular term as designed to express the idea that sins committed before the advent of Christ might more properly be said to be overlooked, than ac- tually pardoned, until the sacrifice of the Redeemer had been completed. Reference is made to Acts 17 : 30, where God is said to have overlooked the times of ignorance. But as the word used by the apostle is actually used to express the idea of remission in Greek writers, the majority of commentators adopt that meaning here.
The words that are past seem distinctly to refer to the times before the advent of Christ. This is plain from their opposition to the expression, at this time, in the next verse, and from a comparision with the parallel passage in Heb. 9 : 15, " He is the Mediator for the redemption of sins that were under the first testament." The words rendered through the forbearance of God may be variously connected and explained. 1. They may be connected with the words just mentioned, and the meaning be, ' Sins that are past, or, which were committed during the forbearance of God ;' see Acts 17 : 30, where the times before the advent are described in much the same manner. 2. Or they may be taken, as by our transla- tors, as giving the cause of the remission of these sins, ' They were remitted, or overlooked through the divine forbearance or mercy.' The former interpretation is better suited to the context. The meaning of the whole verse, therefore, is, ' God has set forth Jesus Christ as a propitia- tory sacrifice, to vindicate his righteousness or justice, on account of the remission of the sins committed under the former dispensation,' and not under the former dispensation only, but which are committed at the pre sent time, as the apostle immediately adds.
(26) To declare, I say, at this time, his righteousness, &c. This verse is an amplification and explanation of the preceding. The words there and here rendered to declare, properly mean for the manifestation. This clause is evidently co-ordinat^ with the second member of the preceding verse. ' Christ was set forth as a sacrifice for the exhibition of the righteousness of God, on account of the remission of the sins of old; for the exhibition of his righteousness at this time,' &c. There are two pur- poses to be answered by this sacrifice, the vindication of the character of God in passing by former sins, and in passing by them now. At this time, therefore, as opposed to the time ' of forbearance,' is the gospel dispensation.
That he might he just, and the justifer of him which believeth in Jesus, This clause is, as before remarked, the explanation and definition of the