Mercy seat: Difference between revisions

Though the term ''mercy seat'' usually appears as the English translation for the Greek term ''hilasterion'' in the [[Epistle to the Hebrews]], most translations are usually inconsistent as they instead generally translate ''hilasterion'' as ''propitiation'' where it occurs in the [[Epistle to the Romans]]. The Epistle to the Hebrews recounts the description of the Ark, Holy of Holies, and ''mercy seat'', and then goes on to portray the role of the ''mercy seat'' during Yom Kippur as a prefiguration of the [[Passion (Christianity)|Passion of Christ]], which it argues was a greater [[atonement]], and formed a [[New Covenant]];<ref>Hebrews 9:3-15</ref> the text continues by stating that the Yom Kippur ritual was merely a ''shadow of things to come'',<ref>Hebrews 10:1</ref> which in [[Christian theology]] is taken as meaning that the ritual became [[Supersessionism|obsolete]] once Jesus had died.<ref>This is the whole thrust of Hebrews ch 10, but is especially clearly stated in v11-12</ref> The Epistle to the Romans states that Jesus was sent by God as a [[propitiation]],<ref>Romans 3:25</ref> while, perhaps in a reflection on Ezekiel's atonement ceremony, the [[II Corinthians|Second Epistle to the Corinthians]] argues that Jesus had become a sin offering.<ref>2 Corinthians 5:21; many translations render this as ''sin'' rather than ''a sin offering''</ref>