hebrews as an instructional appendix to romans 261
throne entitles them to the epithet “glorious” (δόξης), a descriptive geni-
tive used elsewhere in Hebrews with connotations of the divine grandeur.
according to Yahweh’s command in exodus, they are to cover the lid of the
ark with their wings. so here they “overshadow” (κατασκιάθοντα) the “mercy
seat” (ἱλαστήριον), the common translation of כפרת, the covering of the ark
that was the focus of the rites of the day of atonement. the emphatic final
reference to the mercy seat prepares for the discussion of the Yom Kippur
ritual that follows.82
If by “mercy seat”, in romans, paul wished to evoke pagan practices of
appealing to angry deities, while drawing on Jewish cult at the same time,
Hebrews settles decisively on the latter, eliminating obscurity for audi-
ences of romans on this point (i.e., instructional appendix). moreover,
according to Hebrews, Jesus is not “mercy seat” per se; rather he is high
priest (9:11) sprinkling his own blood as a means of purification from sin
(Heb 9:21–22). that is, as both priest and sacrifice, Jesus embodies, with
Jewett, the “place of propitiation.” As both priest and sacrifice, Jesus is the
“new institutional vehicle for atonement.” Jesus is “mercy seat” insofar
as the expression serves as synecdoche for purification of the altar, the
temple, and its sacrifices overall.
the comment in Heb 9:5 that such things cannot be pursued here κατὰ
μέρος (“in detail”) likewise emphasizes that the pertinent aspect of the
tabernacle has been introduced such that the argument may proceed. at
this point, Hebrews shifts its focus to tabernacle rituals drawing a contrast
between the repetition of regular services and Yom Kippur and highlight-
ing the annual (i.e., only once per year) aspect of the latter.83 In their
immediate context in Hebrews, these passages (Heb 9:1–10) develop the
theme stated in 8:13 of the new covenant. In the larger context of Heb
8:1–10:18, however, the passage constitutes an exegetical homily on Jesus’
sacrificial act, the topic of rom 3:25.84 In the context of the wider argu-
ment, Hebrews explicates Jesus’ sacrificial act as a means of backing its
prohibition (first presented in 6:1–4) against second repentance.85 and,
much as paul does in romans 6, Hebrews returns to rom 3:25 to make
its case. the next section attempts to explain how this is accomplished
in both texts.
In romans 6, paul makes a case for why believers must not continue
in sin that grace may abound. He does so by drawing on a few prior
82 Hebrews, 238.
83 attridge, Hebrews, 239.
84 so attridge, Hebrews, 19.
85 so attridge, i.e., 8:1–10:18 is third of four proofs in the “difficult discourse” the central
warning of which appears in 6:1–4 (Hebrews, 19).