Propitiation

Today’s $5 Word: Propitiation 

This may be the quintessential $5 word (you like how I used a five dollar word to introduce today's $5 word?!). When I told Mary I was planning a series on $5 Words in the Bible, her immediate response was, “Will propitiation be one of them?” As you can see, the answer is, Yes!

I can still hear Dr. Crichton (President of Mid-South Bible College, where I went to school) explaining how to judge a new translation, “Open it up to 1 John 2:2. If you see the word propitiation, chances are it’s a good translation; if not, don’t use it.” I still think that’s good advice.

Propitiation means, “appeasing”, “appeasement of wrath”. That sounds great, and I used that for a long time, but what does that mean? A while back (remember, I’m old!) I became convinced God had provided his own definition, which we find in Isaiah 53:11, He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. The entire chapter is a prophecy of Messiah and in this one verse we see the cross (travail of his soul), propitiation (shall be satisfied), and justification through Christ (shall justify many). This is how I explain it today, “When you read propitiation think satisfaction."

Let’s check it out!

Since I’ve already mentioned 1 John 2, we’ll begin there

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

He is the propitiation for our sins. He is the satisfaction for our sins. Christ suffered for our sins on the cross and God was satisfied. This truth, when grasped, will be the death of depending on my good works, my trying to be good enough. If God is satisfied, what is there for me to offer? Once I believe this, oh what peace there is!

for our sins – the sins of those who believe. Jesus died for believers. He is the propitiation for our sins. The Father saw the travail of his soul for my sins and was satisfied.

And not for ours only, but also the whole world – Jesus died, not only for those who would believe, but for the whole world, for us all. He is the propitiation for the whole world. This means anyone and everyone who will believe in Jesus will be saved!

1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

God made the plan. God took the initiative. God sent His Son. He sent him to be the propitiation for our sins. Why did he do this? Because he loved us: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. This is love!

Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood…

This is a different form of the Greek word. Actually, this word is used 27 times in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament). 27 times! It is used for the mercy seat, the pure gold cover of the ark of the covenant in the holy of holies (in the tabernacle/temple). How intriguing! Once a year, on the day of atonement, the high priest would enter into the holy of holies and sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat. Why? Inside the ark were the two tablets with the 10 commandments; the blood of the sacrifice covered the commandments and thus atoned for their sins. What is all this? They had sinned during the previous year, broken the commandments, and when sin is not dealt with it separates us from God; by sprinkling the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat their transgressions were covered, their sins forgiven, and fellowship with God was restored.

How perfect then that Paul spoke of the mercy seat and blood, what a picture he paints!

William Tyndale captured this in his translation: whom God hath made a seat of mercy through faith in his blood.

God has set Christ as the mercy seat through faith in his blood. Jesus died for us on the cross, shedding his blood as a sacrifice for our sins; when we believe Jesus died for us, trusting him as Savior, he is our mercy seat, his blood covers our sins, God forgives us our sins, and fellowship with God is restored. John Wycliffe captured this idea in his translation, Whom God ordained forgiver, by faith in his blood. Which is it? mercy seat or forgiver? Yes! Christ is the mercy seat, and through faith in his blood he is forgiver.

What a beautiful and powerful picture Paul painted! This is the foundation of our salvation: Jesus died for us on the cross, God was satisfied with this sacrifice of love, and forgives all who trust in Jesus!

Jesus is the propitiation for our sins. He is the mercy seat through faith in his blood. God has declared that he is satisfied this sacrifice. Are you resting in Jesus?