Propitiation

By Mark Mayberry 4/24/2011

Introduction

In this lesson, we consider the Biblical doctrine of propitiation. Both English and Greek languages contain a family of words related to this concept.

Relevant English Words

Webster defines propitiate as “to gain or regain the favor or goodwill of [another]: appease, conciliate.” Propitiation refers to “(1) the act of propitiating; (2) something that propitiates; specifically: an atoning sacrifice.” Propitiatory describes that which is “(1) intended to propitiate: expiatory; (2) of or relating to propitiation.” The word propitious means “(1) favorably disposed: benevolent; (2) being of good omen: auspicious; (3) tending to favor: advantageous.”

George Washington provides a notable example of this usage in his 1789 Inaugural address: ―The propitious smiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregard the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.‖

Relevant Greek Words

The Greek noun hilasmos, translated “propitiation,” refers to either the appeasement necessitated by sin (i.e., expiation), or the instrument used to achieve such (i.e., a sin-offering).

 Thomas defines [hilasmos] as from hilaskomai, meaning “propitiation” [2434].  BDAG say refers to “(1) appeasement necessitated by sin, expiation; (2) instrument for appeasing, sacrifice to atone, sin-offering.”  This word occurs twice in the NT (1 John 2:2; 4:10).

1 John 2:2 (NASB95) — 2 and He Himself is the *propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

1 John 4:10 (NASB95) — 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the *propitiation for our sins.

The Greek noun hilastērion refers to the means by which propitiation or expiation is achieved. In the Old Testament, such was connected with the mercy seat; in the New, it relates to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

 Thomas defines [hilastērion] as from hilastērios, from hilaskomai, meaning “propitiatory” [2435].  BDAG say (subst. neut. of ) in Greco-Roman literature refers to “that which serves as an instrument for regaining the goodwill of a deity; concretely a „means of propitiation or expiation, gift to procure expiation;‟ (1) means of expiation, of Christ whom God set forth as a means of expiation; (2) place of propitiation, the lid on the ark of the covenant, which was sprinkled with the blood of the sin-offering on the Day of Atonement.”  This word occurs twice in the NT (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 9:5).

Romans 3:25 (NASB95) — 25 whom God displayed publicly as a *propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

Hebrews 9:5 (NASB95) — 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the *mercy *seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

The Greek verb hilaskomai generally means to cause someone to be favorably inclined to another. Specifically, it relates to the restoration of fellowship between God and man.

 Thomas defines [hilaskomai] as from the same as hileōs, meaning “to be propitious, make propitiation for” [2433].  BDAG say means “(1) to cause to be favorably inclined or disposed, propitiate, conciliate; (2) to eliminate impediments that alienate the deity, expiate, wipe out, of Christ as high priest…”  This word occurs twice in the NT (Luke 18:13; Heb. 2:17).

Luke 18:13 (NASB95) — 13 ―But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‗God, be *merciful to me, the sinner!‘

Hebrews 2:17 (NASB95) — 17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to *make *propitiation for the sins of the people.

The Greek adverb hileōs generally suggests a favorable disposition of one toward another. Specifically, it relates to God‟s grace and mercy, and the overcoming of obstacles that are unfavorable to our relationship with the Father.

 Thomas defines [hileōs] as another spelling of hilaos [propitious, gracious], meaning “propitious” [2436].  BDAG say “pertains to being favorably disposed, with implication of overcoming obstacles that are unfavorable to a relationship, gracious, merciful, in the wider literature mostly — in our literature and in LXX always — of God.”  This word occurs twice in the NT (Matt. 16:22; Heb. 8:12).

Matthew 16:22 (NASB95) — 22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ―*God *forbid it, Lord! [Lit., God be merciful to You] This shall never happen to You.‖

Hebrews 8:12 (NASB95) — 12 ―For I will be *merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.‖

Communicates The Concept of Mercy

These Greek words communicate the concept of divine mercy. Peter mistakenly responded to Jesus‟ revelation of the cross, by saying, “God forbid it, Lord! [Lit., God be merciful to You] This shall never happen to You” (Matt. 16:21-23, esp. vs. 22). In contrast, the parable of the publican and the Pharisee powerfully portrays sinful man‟s need for divine mercy (Luke 18:9-14, esp. vs. 13). Such mercy is extended to every citizen of the New Covenant (Heb. 8:10-13, esp. vs. 12).

Matthew 16:21–23 (NASB95) — 21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. 22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ―*God *forbid it, Lord! [hileōs, Lit., God be merciful to You] This shall never happen to You.‖ 23 But He turned and said to Peter, ―Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God‘s interests, but man‘s.‖

Luke 18:9–14 (NASB95) — 9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 ―Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 ―The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‗God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 ‗I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.‘ 13 ―But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‗God, *be *merciful [hilaskomai] to me, the sinner!‘ 14 ―I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.‖

Hebrews 8:10–13 (NASB95) — 10 ―For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people. 11 ―And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, ‗Know the Lord,‘ For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them. 12 ―For I will *be *merciful [hileōs] to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.‖ 13 When He said, ―A new covenant,‖ He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

Communicates The Concept of Intercession

These Greek terms communicate the concept of intercession. Through His death on the cross, and the shedding of His blood, Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins (Rom. 3:21-26, esp. vs. 25; 1 John 2:1-2; 4:7-12, esp. vs. 10). Being made like His brethren in all things, He serves as faithful and merciful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people (Heb. 2:14-18, esp. vs. 17). In this regard, He fulfills the Old Testament symbol of the High Priest who, on the Day of Atonement, sprinkled blood on the mercy seat (Heb. 9:1-14, esp. vs. 5; Exod. 25:17-22; 26:34; Lev. 16:1-10; 23:26-32).

Romans 3:21–26 (NASB95) — 21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a *propitiation [hilastērion] in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

1 John 2:1–2 (NASB95) — 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the *propitiation [hilasmos] for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

1 John 4:7–12 (NASB95) — 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the *propitiation [hilasmos] for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

Hebrews 2:14–18 (NASB95) — 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. 17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to *make *propitiation [hilaskomai] for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

Hebrews 9:1–14 (NASB95) — 1 Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy

4 place. 3 Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron‘s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the *mercy *seat [hilastērion]; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. 6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, 7 but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation. 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Exodus 25:17–22 (NASB95) — 17 ―You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 18 ―You shall make two cherubim of gold, make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 ―Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. 20 ―The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat. 21 ―You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. 22 ―There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

Exodus 26:34 (NASB95) — 34 ―You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies.

Leviticus 16:1–10 (NASB95) — 1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they had approached the presence of the Lord and died. 2 The Lord said to Moses: ―Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. 3 ―Aaron shall enter the holy place with this: with a bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 ―He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarments shall be next to his body, and he shall be girded with the linen sash and attired with the linen turban (these are holy garments). Then he shall bathe his body in water and put them on. 5 ―He shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. 6

―Then Aaron shall offer the bull for the sin offering which is for himself, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household. 7 ―He shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 8 ―Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 ―Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the Lord fell, and make it a sin offering. 10 ―But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.

Leviticus 23:26–32 (NASB95) — 26 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27 ―On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the Lord. 28 ―You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the Lord your God. 29 ―If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. 30 ―As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 ―You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 32 ―It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.‖

Conclusion

Have you come to Jesus for mercy? Is He your intercessory High Priest? Are you willing to go unto Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach (Heb. 12:22-24; 13:10-14)?

Hebrews 12:22–24 (NASB95) — 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

Hebrews 13:10–14 (NASB95) — 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.