Mercy seat
1539936
222136190
2008-06-27T18:56:53Z
Carlaude
4622434
Removed category "New Testament topics"; Quick-adding category "New Testament theology" (using [[WP:HOTCAT|HotCat]])
{{otheruses2|mercy seat}}
According to the [[Bible]], the '''mercy seat''' ({{Hebrew Name 1|כפורת|Kaporet|"atonement piece"}}) was an object which rested upon the [[Ark of the Covenant]], and was connected with the rituals of [[Yom Kippur]]; the term also appears in the [[Pauline Epistles]], and has a significance in [[Christian theology]]. The phrase ''mercy seat'' is not a translation of the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] term ''kapporeth'', which appears in its place in the [[Masoretic text]], nor of the [[Greek language|Greek]] term ''hilasterion'', which takes the same place in the [[Septuagint]], but instead is the translation by [[William Tyndale]] of the [[german language|German]] term ''gnadenstuhl'', from the same narrative position in [[Martin Luther]]'s translation of the Bible into German; ''gnadenstuhl'' literally means ''seat of grace'', in the sense of ''location of grace''.
Though ''kapporeth'' is probably [[etymology|derived]] from ''kaphar'', which is often considered to mean ''cover'', the literal meaning of ''kaphar'' is ''wipe out'', implying that ''kapporeth'' means ''thing of wiping out''/''thing of cleansing''<ref>Cheyne and Black, ''Encyclopedia Biblica''</ref>; the [[cognate]] [[Arabic language|Arabic]] term ''kaffarat'' (also generally taken to mean ''cover'', but from which the word ''[[kafir]]'' also derives) is used in modern legal contexts to refer to any mechanism of rectifying illegality (ranging from rectifying the failure to fast during [[Ramadan]] to the rectification of [[murder]]), for example the freeing of slaves after the slave has suffered shocking circumstances could be considered as a ''kaffarat''<ref>ibid</ref>. Similarly ''hilasterion'' etymologically means ''thing for propitiation'', with [[Hesychius]] writing that a synonym of ''hilasterion'' was ''thing for catharsis'', while the [[vulgate]] translates it as ''propitiatorium''<ref>ibid</ref>. Thus it is unclear whether the ''kapporeth'' was the lid of the Ark, or merely sat on top of the Ark, possibly with the Ark having a cover beneath it<ref>ibid</ref>.
==In the Hebrew Bible==
According to the Biblical account, the ''mercy seat'' was manufactured from pure [[gold]], and was the same width and breadth as the Ark beneath it - 2.5 [[cubits]] long, and 1.5 cubits wide; the Ark and ''mercy seat'' were, according to this passage, kept inside the [[Holy of Holies]] - [[Temple in Jerusalem|the Temple's]] innermost [[sanctuary]], the [[sanctum sanctorum|Sanctum Sanctorum]], which was separated from the remainder of the temple by a thick curtain (''parochet''), because the ark and ''mercy seat'' were associated with the presence of [[Yahweh]]. The account also states that two golden statues of [[cherubim]] were placed at each end of the ''mercy seat'', facing one another and the ''mercy seat'', with their wings spread in order to enclose the ''mercy seat''<ref>Exodus 25:18-21</ref>; according to the [[Books of Samuel]], these cherubim together formed a seat for Yahweh<ref>1 Samuel 4:4</ref>. Although a literal interpretation of the [[Book of Exodus]] would conclude that the ''mercy seat'', along with the remainder of the Ark, was constructed according to the commands of Yahweh at the time of [[Moses]], [[textual criticism|textual scholars]] regard the passages referring to its construction as originating from the [[priestly source]], which they date to the 7th Century BCE<ref>[[Richard Elliott Friedman]], ''Who wrote the Bible?''</ref>.
According to the Biblical directions, the Holy of Holies could only be entered at [[Yom Kippur]], and even then could only be entered by the [[Kohen Gadol|Jewish High Priest]], who was covenanted to do so in order to sprinkle the blood<ref>Refer etymology of [[:wikt:blessing|blessing]]; see also [[Blessing]].</ref> of a [[korban|sacrificial bull]] onto the ''mercy seat'', as an [[atonement]] for himself and his family, the other priests, the [[tabernacle]], and the people of [[Israel]]; the directions specify that [[incense]] was first burnt in the Holy of Holies so that a cloud rose up and appeared above the ''mercy seat''. Biblical scholars regard this ritual as an evolution from the simpler [[sin offering]] for the first day of [[Tishri|the seventh month]], given in the [[book of Ezekiel]]<ref>Ezekiel 45:18-20</ref><ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia'', ''Day of Atonement''</ref>; though the [[masoretic text]] renders this as the ''seventh day of the month'', the [[Septuagint]] has ''... first day of the seventh month'', and scholars think that the sin offering on this day exchanged days with [[Rosh Hashanah]], which in Ezekiel's day appears to have been celebrated on the tenth of the month<ref>Ezekiel 40:1</ref><ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia'', ''Day of Atonement''</ref>.
==In the Pauline Epistles==
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 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>.
According to unknown sources, an unknown group of people believe that after the Ark was lost, it actually came to be buried exactly underneath the location at which Jesus was later [[crucifixion|crucified]], and thus that some of Jesus' blood trickled down into a crack in the ground, and fell on the Ark's actual ''mercy seat''; most [[Christian theologians]] argue that there is no need for Jesus' blood to have fallen on the Ark's ''mercy seat'', since the Epistle to the Hebrews states that Jesus [[Ascension of Jesus Christ|entered heaven]] with his blood, obtaining eternal ''redemption''<ref>Hebrews 9:11-12</ref> - interpreted by these theologians as meaning that God was satisfied fully{{Fact|date=June 2007}}.
==Cultural references==
* The term "mercy seat" can refer to [[misericord]]s (literally translating as ''mercy''), the small ledges in medieval European church [[pew]]s, which offered relief while standing through long [[prayer]]s.
* Hymnist [[John Newton]], writer of ''[[Amazing Grace]]'' wrote the hymn ''Approach, my Soul, the Mercy Seat''. [[Gordon Gano]] of the [[Violent Femmes]] named his 1987 [[gospel music|gospel]] side project ''The Mercy Seat''.
* [[Nick Cave]] wrote the song ''[[The Mercy Seat (Nick Cave)|The Mercy Seat]]'' for his 1988 ''[[Tender Prey]]'' album; his 'signature tune', it has been performed at nearly every concert since 1988. The song tells the story of a condemned man facing death on the [[electric chair]] seeking redemption in the afterlife. This song was later covered by [[Johnny Cash]] on his album, ''[[American III: Solitary Man]]''. The american electro-industrial band [[Stromkern]] has also covered this song in 1997 on their album ''[[Flicker Like a Candle]]''.
* [[Alternative rock]] band [[Ultra Vivid Scene]] also had a song entitled "The Mercy Seat".
* [[Neil LaBute]] wrote his 2002 play ''[[The Mercy Seat (play)|The Mercy Seat]]'' based on an [[urban myth]] of a man who escaped the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11 attacks]] because he was seeing his mistress and contemplates running off with her. The play starred [[Liev Schreiber]] and [[Sigourney Weaver]] and was both commercially and critically successful.
* The song 123 by the [[Indigo Girls]] mentions the term "mercy seat."
* [[Anders Manga]]'s 2006 album ''[[Welcome to the Horror Show]]'' features a track called "The Mercy Seat."
==References==
<references />
* Butler, Trent. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. 2003.- articles on "Ark of the Covenant.", "Day of Atonement.", "High Priest.", "Holy of Holies.", and "Mercy Seat."
* Dutch, Steve. "[http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/WestTech/xancient.htm Legacy of the Ancient World]". Steven Dutch, Natural and Applied Sciences. 21 September 1999. Accessed 10 Nov 2006.
* Henry, Matthew. ''[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc1.html Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume I (Genesis to Deuteronomy)]''. Printed 1706-1721. Christian Classic Ethereal Library. Accessed 12 Nov 2006. <!-- PD -->
* Holy Bible, The. King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989.
* Jordan, David. "[http://weber.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/arch/metallurgy.html Ancient Metallurgy]". Jordan: Ancient Metallurgy. 26 Sep 2006. David K. Jordan: Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, UCSD. Accessed 10 Nov 2006.
* Noblit, Jeff. "Reformation Has Come, Part XII." First Baptist Church, Muscle Shoals, AL. Accessed 24 Sep 2006.
==External links==
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc1.ii.xxvi.html/ Matthew Henry on Exodus Chapter 25] - [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc1.ii.xxvi.html]
* [http://weber.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/arch/metallurgy.html Methods of Ancient Metallurgy - [http://weber.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/arch/metallurgy.html]
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01721a.htm ''Catholic Encyclopedia'':] "Ark of the Covenant"
* [http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20021224.html Ask Yahoo on the Ark of the Covenant]
* [http://www.bible-history.com/tabernacle/TAB4The_Mercy_Seat.htm Bible History article on the Mercy Seat]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:w9d9kett0q7b All Music Guide to Nick Cave's The Mercy Seat]
* [http://www.arkcovenant.com Mercy Seat Replica]
* [http://www.wearethelyrics.com/2/wilt_lyrics_25683/mercy_seat_lyrics_298446.html Lyrics to ''The Mercy Seat'' by Wilt]
[[Category:Hebrew Bible topics]]
[[Category:Tabernacle and Jerusalem Temples]]
[[Category:Biblical phrases]]
[[Category:New Testament theology]]
[[he: כפורת]]
[[ja:恵の座]]
[[fi:Armonistuin]]