Can you give me a clear, concise, understandable definition for the word, "propitiation"?

Question

A modern day analogy might be helpful as well.

Answer 1

These definitions were gathered from various sources.

1. Propitiation: This means the turning away of wrath by an offering. It is similar to expiation but expiation does not carry the nuances involving wrath. For the Christian the propitiation was the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. It turned away the wrath of God so that He could pass "over the sins previously committed" (Romans. 3:25). It was the Father who sent the Son to be the propitiation (1 John 4:10) for all (1 John 2:2).

2. Propitiation is a theological term describing an atoning sacrifice. Generally, Christian belief is that the death of Jesus on the cross appeased the justice of God and effected a reconciliation between God and mankind. Christian theology relates this to the 'mercy seat' or propitiatory in the Holy of Holies, in the Jewish temple.

3. Romans 3:25 - "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;...."

"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation...." -- that is a big word that throws a curve at a lot of people, and the best way I can define 'propitiation' is, that everything that is pictured in that Tabernacle experience (all the material that went in to the building of it, all the furniture, the Ark of the Covenant, the Candlestick, the Altar of Incense, the Table of Shewbread, the Laver of Cleansing, the Brazen Altar, and all of those furnishings) is a picture of Christ in His work of redemption. So, that's really what propitiation is...that complete overall work that Christ accomplished by His death, burial and resurrection. Reading on: "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (how?) through faith (through our believing and trusting) in his blood, to declare his righteousness (not ours, but His) for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God."

I recommend as a good resource for studies like this, the book entitled: "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Moody Press

Answer 2

Courtesy of www.dictionary.com:
Propitiation

that by which God is rendered propitious, i.e., by which it becomes consistent with his character and government to pardon and bless the sinner. The propitiation does not procure his love or make him loving; it only renders it consistent for him to exercise his love towards sinners. In Rom. 3:25 and Heb. 9:5 (A.V. [Authorized Version, or King James Version], "mercy-seat") the Greek word _hilasterion_ is used. It is the word employed by the LXX (the Septuagent, or Latin translation of the Bible, a major source for all Bible translators). translators in Ex. 25:17 and elsewhere as the equivalent for the Hebrew _kapporeth_, which means "covering," and is used of the lid of the ark of the covenant (Ex. 25:21; 30:6). This Greek word (hilasterion) came to denote not only the mercy-seat or lid of the ark, but also propitation or reconciliation by blood. On the great day of atonement the high priest carried the blood of the sacrifice he offered for all the people within the veil and sprinkled with it the "mercy-seat," and so made propitiation. In 1 John 2:2; 4:10, Christ is called the "propitiation for our sins." Here a different Greek word is used (hilasmos). Christ is "the propitiation," because by his becoming our substitute and assuming our obligations he expiated our guilt, covered it, by the vicarious punishment which he endured. (Comp. Heb. 2:17, where the expression "make reconciliation" of the A.V. is more correctly in the R.V. [Revised Version] "make propitiation.")
---Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

Answer 3

Propitiation can be the place where mercy is granted, and it also can be the conclusion of making a sacrifice that is acceptable to God.

In Christianity, Jesus is our propitiation. He stood in for us, even though He was sinless and did nothing to deserve God's wrath, to take the wrath of God; a sacrifice acceptable to God to obtain mercy for us who are trusting God for it.

With the ongoing and continuous unfolding of time, where men live and die as the age progresses, anyone who claims Jesus as our propitiation is granted the 'covering' for sins. The 'covering' was typified in the Old Testament by the 'kappareth' on the Ark of the Covenant. The covering provided grace to those who saw the Ark in that there is grace provided as long as the covering was between the sinner and God. If the covering was lifted there would no longer be protection from God, who will not tolerate sin.

And that happened here:
1 Samuel 6
19 But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had dealt them, 20 and the men of Beth Shemesh asked, "Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?"

So Christ is our propitiation. God accepted the sacrifice otherwise we wouldn't have grace. And any who claim that sacrifice have a defense and are able to escape the wrath of God.

Answer 4

propitiation

noun
1. the act of placating and overcoming distrust and animosity [syn: placation]
2. the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing (especially appeasing a deity)

Answer 5

no