For the remission of sins that are past (61a ryv mdpecw TOV TpoyeyovoTav auaptnudtwv). Rev., correctly, because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime. Passing over, practermission, differs from remission (deus). In remession
48 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. (Cu. III.
guilt and punishment are sent away ; in practermission they are wholly or partially undealt with. Compare Acts xiv. 16; xvii. 30. “Audprnua sin, is the separate and particular deed of disobedience, while dwapria includes sin in the abstract—sin regarded as sinfulness. Sins done aforetime are the collective sins of the world before Christ.
Through the forbearance of God (év 1H dvoyf# tov Qcod). Rev., zm the forbearance. Construe with the passing by. The word avoyy forbearance, from dvéyw to hold up, occurs in the New Testament only here and Rom ii. 4. It is not found in the Septuagint proper, and is not frequent in classical Greek, where it is used of a holding back or stopping of hos- tilities ; a truce ; in later Greek, a permission.
The passage has given much trouble to expositors, largely, I think, through their insisting on the sense of forbearance with reference to sins—the toleration or refraining from punish- ment of sins done aforetime. But it is a fair construction of the term to apply it, in its primary sense of holding back, to the divine method of dealing with sin. It cannot be said that God passed over the sins of the world before Christ without penalty, for that is plainly contradicted by Rom. i. 18-32; but He did pass them over in the sense that He did not apply, but held back the redeeming agency of God manifest in the flesh until the “fulness of time.” The sacrifices were a homage rendered to God’s righteousness, but they did not touch sin with the power and depth which attached to Christ’s sacrifice. No demonstration of God’s righteousness and consequent hatred of sin, could be given equal to that of the life and death of Jesus. Hence Paul, as I take it, says: God set forth Christ as the world’s mercy-seat, for the showing forth of His righteous- ness, because previously He had given no such manifestation of His righteousness, but had held it back, passing over, with the temporary institution of sacrifices, the sin at the roots of which He finally struck in the sacrifice of Christ.
26. At this time (év 76 viv xaipd). Lit., in the now season. Rev., at this present season. See on Matt. xii. 1. The con- trast is with the past, not with the future.
Cu. IIL] THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 49
Just and the justifier (Stcavov Kal Scxavodvra). The sense and yet, often imported into al and, is purely gratuitous. It is introduced on dogmatic grounds, and implies a problem in the divine nature itself, namely, to bring God’s essential justice into consistency with His merciful restoration of the sinner. On the contrary, the words are codrdinate—righteous and mak- ing believers righteous. It is of the essence of divine right- eousness to bring men into perfect sympathy with itself. Paul’s object is not to show how God is vindicated, but how man is made right with the righteous God. Theology may safely leave God to take care for the adjustment of the different sides of His own character. The very highest and strongest reason why God should make men right lies in His own righteousness. Because He is righteous He must hate sin, and the antagonism can be removed only by removing the sin, not by compounding it.
Him which believeth in Jesus (Tov 逫 mlotews ’Inaod). Lit., hom which is of faith in Jesus. See on ver. 29. Some texts omit of Jesus. The expression “of faith” indicates the distinguishing peculiarity of the justified as derived Srom faith in Christ. For the force of é« out of, see on Luke xvi. 31; John viii. 23; xii. 49; 1 John v. 19.