Hello Beloved,

As we continue our study of the names and titles for Jesus, we have moved to the New Testament. Last month, we considered the title of Jesus as “The Lamb of God.” This month we will consider Jesus as “The Propitiation.” A few Sunday nights ago we studied Romans 3:21-25, which details the sacrifice of Christ as a propitiation by which God’s righteousness was manifested. The text states,

21  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22  the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25  whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:21-26 (ESV)

The text clearly connects the redemption payment of a ransom to God through the blood of Jesus by the term “propitiation.” Please note that verse twenty-five describes Christ’s sacrifice that brought redemption as “a propitiation by his blood.” In 1 John 4:10, the beloved disciple, John, writes of God’s love, “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10 (ESV)

The word for propitiation (hilaskomai) is also used in the Greek Old Testament called the Septuagint (LXX) to describe the mercy seat. This was the cover on the Ark of the Covenant where the Ten Commandments were housed. Every year on the Day of Atonement, the blood of a goat that had been sacrificed for the people of Israel was sprinkled on the mercy sea, the place where reconciliation occurred between God and man. We see the concept of propitiation translated this way in Hebrews as the author writes of that which was above the tablets in the Ark of the Covenant, “Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat (hilasterion). Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.” Hebrews 9:5 (ESV)

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus portrayed the tax collector in the so-called sinner’s prayer as beating his breast and using this term (hilaskomai) as he called on God to show him mercy. Jesus contrasted the prideful prayer of a tax collector with that of a Pharisee, communicating, “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful (hilaskomai) to me, a sinner!’ Luke 18:13 (ESV) interestingly, it has been stated of Jesus that he was the priest, the sacrifice, and the mercy seat in that which brought us reconciliation with God.

The term, propitiation, has been debated over the last half century, as it conveys the idea that Christ’s sacrifice provided full satisfaction to appease the wrath of God toward sin. Some interpreters do not like the idea that Christ’s death on the cross appeased God’s wrath and prefer the term “expiation,” which conveys more of a covering and forgiveness of sin because they think the idea of propitiation has pagan roots in the appeasement of anger for the gods and goddesses of the Greek pantheon. However, these gods are obviously different in their personal whims and petty humanoid interests as compared with that of the pure holiness of the just and righteous one true God.

The attributes of God’s holiness and justice must reveal wrath toward sin, but this wrath was appeased at the cross where God displayed His attributes of love and mercy. Consider this final thought.

The geographical heart of London is Charing Cross. All distances are measured from it. This spot is referred to simply as “the cross.” A lost child was one day picked up by a London “bobby.” The child was unable to tell where he lived. Finally, in response to the repeated questions of the bobby, and amid sobs and tears, the little fellow said, “If you will take me to the cross I think I can find my way from there.” (Jessie Brown Pounds in Encyclopedia of 15,000 illustrations).

Until next time, this is Pastor Daniel writing, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”