Definition and Etymology:
Propitiation refers to the act of appeasing or satisfying the wrath of God, thereby restoring a harmonious relationship between God and humanity. The term is derived from the Latin "propitiatio," which means "appeasement" or "atonement." In the context of Christian theology, propitiation is closely associated with the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, which is seen as the means by which God's justice is satisfied and His mercy is extended to sinners.

Biblical References:
The concept of propitiation is primarily found in the New Testament, where it is used to describe the atoning work of Jesus Christ. Key passages include:

1. Romans 3:25 : "God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand."

2. 1 John 2:2 : "He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."

3. 1 John 4:10 : "And this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins."

4. Hebrews 2:17 : "For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people."

Theological Significance:
In Christian theology, propitiation is a central element of the doctrine of atonement. It underscores the seriousness of sin and the necessity of divine justice. God's holiness and righteousness demand that sin be punished, yet His love and mercy provide a means of reconciliation through the sacrifice of His Son. Jesus Christ, as the propitiatory sacrifice, absorbs the wrath of God that was rightly directed toward sinners, thus satisfying divine justice and allowing for the forgiveness of sins.

Old Testament Foreshadowing:
The concept of propitiation is foreshadowed in the Old Testament sacrificial system, particularly in the Day of Atonement rituals described in Leviticus 16. The high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of a sacrificial animal on the mercy seat (the "propitiatory" in the Septuagint), symbolizing the covering of the people's sins and the appeasement of God's wrath.

Christ as the Propitiatory:
In the New Testament, Jesus is portrayed as the ultimate fulfillment of the Old Testament sacrificial system. His death on the cross is the definitive propitiatory act, rendering the repeated sacrifices of the Old Covenant obsolete. As the perfect and sinless Lamb of God, Jesus' sacrifice is sufficient to atone for the sins of the entire world, offering redemption and reconciliation to all who believe.

Implications for Believers:
The doctrine of propitiation has profound implications for believers. It assures them of God's love and the certainty of their salvation, as their sins have been fully atoned for by Christ's sacrifice. It also calls believers to live in gratitude and obedience, recognizing the immense cost of their redemption and the holiness of the God who has reconciled them to Himself through His Son.Hebrews 9:5
And over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
Nave's Topical Index

2435. hilasterion -- propitiatory
... See also 2434 (). Word Origin from hilasterios; from hilaskomai Definition propitiatory
NASB Word Usage mercy seat (1), propitiation (1). mercy seat. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2435.htm - 7k

"And He is the Propitiation,"
... and the priest is the sacrifice, and such efficacy this sacrifice hath, that the
propitiatory sacrifice may be called the very propitiation and pacification ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxvii and he is.htm

Whether Sufficient Reason Can be Assigned for the Ceremonies ...
... For this reason it was called the "propitiatory," as though the people received
propitiation thence at the prayers of the high-priest. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether sufficient reason can be.htm

Elucidations.
... liturgies "do not regard the Eucharist as being itself a propitiatory offering,"
but it is the perpetual pleading of the blood of propitiation once offered. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/various/early liturgies/elucidations.htm

Detailed Contents
... Jesus Christ set forth in propitiatory power in His blood is the demonstration ... deduces
all Christianity from Christ set forth in His blood as a propitiation,. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/denney/the death of christ/detailed contents.htm

Scriptural Types.
... But if we take the connection as given in our version, the propitiation is still
through Christ's blood, and is thus a propitiatory or expiatory sacrifice. ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxvii scriptural types.htm

Summary.
... (1) He is crowned with glory as Son, that His propitiation may prove effectual,
and His humiliation involves a propitiatory death. ...
/.../edwards/the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/summary.htm

The Epistles of St. Paul
... Paul in the words: Jesus Christ whom God set forth a propitiation (or, in propitiatory
power) in His blood.' In Jesus Christ so set forth there is the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/denney/the death of christ/chapter 3 the epistles of.htm

First Epistle of St John, Ch. Ii. Part of the 1St and 2D Verses.
... of the Value of the propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ, and the Merits of his Sufferings,
as that in the Text. BECAUSE He is declared to be a Propitiation for our ...
/.../sermon xii first epistle of.htm

The Son and the Angels.
... 1. Christ's humiliation involved a propitiatory death for every man, and He is crowned
with glory and honour that His propitiation may prove effectual: "that ...
/.../the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/chapter ii the son and.htm

What a Sacrifice Is, and what are the Species of Sacrifice.
... For the Levitical propitiatory sacrifices were so called only to signify a future ...
was promised for this very reason, namely, to set forth a propitiation. ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 30 what a sacrifice.htm

What is propitiation? | GotQuestions.org

What is the mercy seat? | GotQuestions.org

Why would the aroma of a sacrifice be important to God? | GotQuestions.org

Propitiation: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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