Propitiation signifies the appeasement of wrath by the offering of a sacrifice. There can be no true love without wrath. As God’s love approves that which is good so his wrath abides upon that which is evil. Wrath is the reflex of love. Unless satisfaction is made for sinners there can be no reconciliation. Propitiation is that satisfaction. Those who shun the idea of God’s wrath would take the word propitiation away from us and substitute expiation because the latter can be used without raising the question of wrath.
As gold is the first among metals so propitiation is the richest of all Biblical words. The cherubims gazed upon the golden mercyseat (propitiation is the literal meaning of the word ‘mercy-seat’ used in Heb. 9:5)—the place where the law was satisfied by the sprinkling of blood. The example of the cherubim was to be followed by the entire host of Hebrews who witnessed the bearing of the ark of God. They were to look to the place of propitiation. We are to do the same. The place of reconciliation is Calvary where the Lamb was slain ; where Christ’s blood was shed. Every communion service with the table spread with bread and wine focuses our attention on propitiation. Propitiation is central in the Old Testament as well as the New. The mercy seat or propitiatory was the most sacred spot in the camp of the Hebrews. Propitiation is the recurring theme through Israel’s history. Abel’s Lamb, Abraham’s Isaac, the Levitical offerings, and Isaiah’s man of sorrows all point to the propitiation essential for salvation.
Propitiation is central to justification by faith
God’s righteousness is imputed to believers on the grounds that sins have been remitted by virtue of the propitiation—‘Christ Jesus, whom 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’ (Rom. 3:25, K.J.V.).
Propitiation is central to the work of Christ
Christ himself as a high priest, the one representing us before God has made reconciliation (the Greek is propitiation) for the sins of the people (Heb. 2:17). This was the main work for which Christ came into the world and is the theme of the Hebrews epistle from ch. 2:17 to ch. 10:23.
Propitiation is central to our experience of salvation
Terrible are the convictions of the sinner who is awakened by the Holy Spirit. He sees the enormity of the guilt of sin he has committed before an infinitely Holy God. There is no adequate or satisfactory refuge for him other than propitiation. Thus the publican cries out in the agony of his soul, ‘God be propitiated to me the sinner!’ Every sinner who looks in faith to the Lamb and cries to God with the prayer of the publican will surely find salvation. Alternatively he who has never looked to the propitiation provided by Christ as the only source of mercy—how can he be saved?
Propitiation is central in the proclamation of the Gospel
‘And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world’ (I John 2:2). The propitiation of Christ will infallibly save those for whom it was made, no more, no less. But in preaching the propitiation—which is the heart of the gospel, we must in no way feel restricted. We proclaim forgiveness to all the world, not rich only, not adults only, but men everywhere, of every class and description—they must all hear about the propitiation. There is nothing in all the universe more important than this! There is forgiveness of sin for every one who will repent and believe. By ‘believe’ we mean to place all faith and trust in Christ’s perfect work of propitiation. This faith also means to trust in Christ’s ability now as reigning Lord to save all who come to him, and that to the uttermost.
The Etymology of the word Propitiation
The word is so apt for description of the work of Christ that it is not surprising to find the earliest translators of the Bible into English use it. 1. The Action or Act of Propitiating. For instance in 1388, Wyclif translated Leviticus 25:9 as ‘In the tyme of propiciacioun’. This usage appears not only in sacred writings. In 1750 Johnson in the ‘Rambler’ wrote ‘By what propitiation, therefore, may I atone for my former gravity?’ 2. A propitiationary gift or sacrifice. The 1552 Book of Common Prayer thus quoted 1 John 2:2 saying ‘He is the propiciation for our synnes.’
Other instances of related words being used in sacred and secular writings may be brought forward to show that they are a legitimate part of our linguistic heritage.
‘Propitiate’ means to render favourable or appease (one offended). So in 1645 Waller wrote a poem ‘To Mistris Broughton’, with these lines ‘You (her priest) declare what offerings may propitiate the Faire.’ In 1759, Johnson wrote ‘That the supreme Being may be more easily propitiated in one place than in another is the dream of idle superstition’ (‘Rassealas’ XI). The famous translation of Plato by Jowett of 1876 also used the word: ‘That they (the Gods) can be propitiated . . . is not to be allowed or admitted for an instant’ (Plato ed. 2 V 153).
The Propitiator is clearly one who propitiates, and several instances of reference to Christ as the Propitiator can be quoted. Knox, Darcie and Bossuet are examples given in The Oxford English Dictionary (1909, Vol. VII).