Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Romans: Chapter 3]
3:23 {Sinned} (\h•rmarton\). Constative second aorist active
indicative of \hamartan•\ as in 5:12. This tense gathers up the
whole race into one statement (a timeless aorist). {And fall
short} (\kai husterountai\). Present middle indicative of
\hustere•\, to be \husteros\ (comparative) too late, continued
action, still fall short. It is followed by the ablative case as
here, the case of separation.
3:24 {Being justified} (\dikaioumenoi\). Present passive
participle of \dikaio•\, to set right, repeated action in each
case, each being set right. {Freely} (\d•rean\). As in Ga 2:21.
{By his grace} (\t•i autou chariti\). Instrumental case of this
wonderful word \charis\ which so richly expresses Paul's idea of
salvation as God's free gift. {Through the redemption} (\dia t•s
apolutr•se•s\). A releasing by ransom (\apo, lutr•sis\ from
\lutro•\ and that from \lutron\, ransom). God did not set men
right out of hand with nothing done about men's sins. We have the
words of Jesus that he came to give his life a ransom (\lutron\)
for many (Mr 10:45; Mt 20:28). \Lutron\ is common in the papyri
as the purchase-money in freeing slaves (Deissmann, _Light from
the Ancient East_, pp. 327f.). {That is in Christ Jesus} (\t•i en
Christ•i I•sou\). There can be no mistake about this redemption.
It is like Joh 3:16.
3:25 {Set forth} (\proetheto\). Second aorist middle indicative.
See on ¯1:13 for this word. Also in Eph 1:9, but nowhere else
in N.T. God set before himself (purposed) and did it publicly
before (\pro\) the whole world. {A propitiation} (\hilast•rion\).
The only other N.T. example of this word is in Heb 9:5 where we
have the "cherubim overshadowing the mercy seat" (\to
hilast•rion\). In Hebrews the adjective is used as a substantive
or as "the propitiatory place " But that idea does not suit here.
Deissmann (_Bible Studies_, pp. 124-35) has produced examples
from inscriptions where it is used as an adjective and as meaning
"a votive offering" or "propitiatory gift." Hence he concludes
about Ro 3:25: "The crucified Christ is the votive gift of the
Divine Love for the salvation of men." God gave his Son as the
means of propitiation (1Jo 2:2). \Hilast•rion\ is an adjective
(\hilast•rios\) from \hilaskomai\, to make propitiation (Heb
2:17) and is kin in meaning to \hilasmos\, propitiation (1Jo
2:2; 4:10). There is no longer room for doubting its meaning in
Ro 3:25. {Through faith, by his blood} (\dia piste•s en t•i
autou haimati\). So probably, connecting \en toi haimati\ (in his
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