In this season of my life, I have more time for prayer and the study of God’s Word. I would like to explore the meaning of a fascinating word which has edified and encouraged me for over a year. It is propitiation. It only appears a handful of times in the New Testament but it wonderfully reveals the perfect atoning sacrifice of Jesus for us. Interestingly it appears many more times in the Old Testament, which we will see as we examine the Greek and Hebrew roots of this multifaceted word.
Propitiation in the New Testament
Twice John mentions this word in his first epistle as a noun. The Greek word is ἱλασμός (pronounced hilasmos) which means an offering to appease, or an atoning sacrifice. Jesus is the offering which appeases or assuages God’s just wrath which we have incurred because of our sin.
“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)
“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)
A similar Greek word is ἱλάσκομαι (hilaskomai) which is a verb, and is translated, to make propitiation, to appease, to atone for. It appears in Hebrews 2:17 “Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”
Another noun in the Greek is ἱλαστήριον (hilastérion) which is rendered propitiation, atonement cover, or mercy seat. Note that this definition now includes the atonement cover or mercy seat, which will be covered in more detail below.
In this longer passage from Romans 3 we see more of the richness of the meaning for propitiation not only atones for our sins, but it also reveals God as just, and the justifier. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 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. 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 3:23-25)
Propitiation in the Old Testament
Hebrews directly connects propitiation to the atonement cover or mercy seat covering the ark of the covenant in the Tabernacle.
“The Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the atonement cover (mercy).” (Hebrews 9:3-5)
“Place inside the Ark the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you. Then put the atonement cover on top of the Ark. I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant.” (Exodus 25:21-22)
The Hebrew word for atonement cover, often rendered mercy seat, is Kapporeth. The root word of Kapporeth is Kaphar which means, to cover, to atone, to make reconciliation. If you would like to explore this word it is #3727 in the Strong’s Concordance. I have two podcasts which teach more about the Mercy Seat, #327 and the Propitiation, #401.
Two other Hebrew words with the same root, which help us to grasp the full meaning of the atonement cover, are Kippur, which you will recognize from Yom Kippur which means Day of Atonement, and Kopher which means ransom or a life sacrifice. God beautifully reveals His Son in the Holy of Holies as the life ransom which atones for our sins and covers them.
What we can Glean
God is righteous, and when we sin, we deserve to die. Nevertheless God, in His great love, sent His Son to take our place. The breadth of the word propitiation teaches us that not only did Jesus assuage the just wrath of God - He reconciled us to His favor. As we embrace and trust in Jesus, the unique and perfect sacrifice for our sin, we are fully forgiven and completely restored. No longer are we enemies of God, but because of Jesus, we have been reunited with our Father and brought near to Him!
Blessed Nearness
“Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to Him through the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)
“God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault.” (Colossians 1:19-22)
Truths to Wash over your Heart, Mind, and Spirit
Now that we have examined this amazing multi-faceted word, I hope these passages bless and edify you as much as they encourage me. Many of us are familiar with these verses and they may have lost their meaning, so I have chosen the New Living Translation to help us see them with new eyes.
‘God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” (Romans 5:8-11, NLT)
“Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins.” (Ephesians 1:4-7, NLT)
Reading through the Old Testament in 2026
If you have been following previous email missives, you know that together we are reading through the Old Testament this year. If you would like to jump in, here is the schedule we are following. This “OT Schedule” is found on the Building Faith Families website under Bible Resources. We are reading approximately 400 verses each week, then Scott and I discuss what we have read during our weekly podcast.
We have been experiencing that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) Our studies have proven to be rich and meaningful. Join us if you haven’t begun already. For those of you who have begun this journey, keep going!
2026 Podcasts
477 Genesis 1-19 Posted January 7
478 Genesis 20-30 Posted January 14
479 Genesis 31-42 Posted January 21
480 Genesis 43-Exodus 5 Posted January 28
481 Exodus 6-20 Posted February 4
482 Exodus 21-32 Posted February 11
Thank you for reading this far. If you have been moved by our study on propitiation, consider singing this wonderful hymn which magnifies the atoning sacrifice of our amazing Savior Who appeases God’s righteous wrath, and restores us to a state of friendship with our adopted and forever Dad.
Reveling in the Bleeding Sacrifice,
Steve
Arise my soul arise, shake off your guilty fears;
The bleeding Sacrifice, in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my Surety stands, before the throne my Surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.
Five bleeding wounds He bears, received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers, they strongly plead for me.
"Forgive him, O forgive," they cry, "Forgive him, O forgive," they cry,
"Nor let that ransomed sinner die!"
The Father hears Him pray, His dear Anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son
His Spirit answers to the blood, His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.
I have been reconciled; His pard'ning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child, I can no longer fear;
With confidence I now draw nigh, with confidence I now draw nigh,
And "Father, Abba, Father!" cry.
He ever lives above, for me to intercede,
His all-redeeming love, His precious blood to plead;
His blood atoned for all our race, His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.