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Propitiation

Dictionary of Biblical Words:

This word is used in Rom. 3:25²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:25), and is the same as that in Heb. 9:5⁵And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. (Hebrews 9:5), translated “mercy seat.” In 1 John 2:2²And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2), and 4:10 we get a similar word (used in these two places only, and meaning simply a propitiatory victim). In both cases the sacrifice of Christ is regarded rather as meeting God’s holy claims, than my need (SUBSTITUTION). It is God’s side of the atonement, that which in vindicating His glory against sin, gives Him a righteous ground on which He can offer mercy to the vilest, thus answering to the goat in Lev. 16:15¹⁵Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: (Leviticus 16:15), and not the goat of substitution in verse 21. It is well clearly to understand the difference between propitiation—that which satisfies the claims of a holy God and substitution—that by which my needs are met. The atonement includes both.

Concise Bible Dictionary:

The word ἱλασμός is from the verb “to be propitious.” Propitiation represents in scripture that aspect of the death of Christ in which has been vindicated the holy and righteous character of God, and in virtue of which He is enabled to be propitious, or merciful, to the whole world (1 John 2:2²And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2); 1 John 4:10¹⁰Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)). A kindred word (the verb) occurs in Hebrews 2:17¹⁷Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17), where, instead of “to make reconciliation,” should be read “‘to make propitiation’ for the sins of the people.” In Romans 3:25²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:25), “propitiation” (ἱλαστήριον) should be “mercy seat,” as the same word is, and must be, translated in Hebrews 9:5⁵And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. (Hebrews 9:5). See ATONEMENT.

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