Expiation and Propitiation
Does the cross cleanse our sin, turn away God's wrath, or both? The Greek leaves room
These twin terms describe what Christ's death accomplishes: expiation cleanses sin, while propitiation turns away divine wrath. They rest on texts like Romans 3:25 and 1 John 2:2. The traditions and scholars differ over the underlying Greek words: some read them as implying propitiation, the turning aside of wrath, while others render them as expiation, the cleansing or covering of sin. The debate shapes how Christians describe the meaning of the atonement.
How it traveled
- HebrewsRome · c. 67 CEexplains
- RomansCorinth · c. 67 CEexplains
- 1 JohnEphesus · c. 100 CEexplains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the HebrewsConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- Expositions on the Book of PsalmsHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. JohnHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59)Paris · c. 1274 CEexplains
- Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90)Paris · c. 1274 CEexplains
- Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic ChurchGeneva · c. 1564 CEexplains
- Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the GospelGeneva · c. 1564 CEexplains
- Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from ItGeneva · c. 1564 CEexplains
- XIV Five discourses on the soul's eternal salvationNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
- Seventeen Occasional SermonsNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
- The Wisdom of God Displayed in the Way of SalvationNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
Key passages(20)
Each passage is tagged by what it does with the idea: explains it, applies it in practice, redefines it with a new meaning, or challenges it. Relevance shows how directly the passage is about this idea.
And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
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Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
CHRIST RIGHTLY AND PROPERLY SAID TO HAVE MERITED GRACE AND SALVATION FOR US. The three leading divisions of this chapter are,—I. A proof from reason and from Scripture that the grace of God and the m
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Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
4. When we say, that grace was obtained for us by the merit of Christ, our meaning is, that we were cleansed by his blood, that his death was an expiation for sin, “His blood cleanses us from all sin.
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Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo
Psalm CXXX. Lat. CXXIX. A song of degrees. A sermon to the people. 1. “Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice” (ver. 1). Jonas cried from the deep; from the whale’s bel
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whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;
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Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
6. With regard to his Priesthood, we must briefly hold its end and use to be, that as a Mediator, free from all taint, he may by his own holiness procure the favour of God for us. But because a deserv
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Exposition of the Christian Faith · Ambrose of Milan
Particeps noster—our partner, companion, sharing all our labours (and taking the lion’s share, too). Isa. liii. 4. 1 Cor. xv. 54, 55. 85. Let us see what follows: “For He did not indeed [straightway
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Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the peopl
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In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
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Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
1. All that we have hitherto said of Christ leads to this one result, that condemned, dead, and lost in ourselves, we must in him seek righteousness, deliverance, life and salvation, as we are taught
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Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from It · John Calvin
See Lombard, Sent. Lib. 4 Dist 10, c. 4. C. Non suffcit. de Pœnit. C. (middle of same Dist.) C. Nullus (same Dist). See also on the subject of satisfaction, infra, s. 29, and chap. 16 sec. 4. The Fre
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Ephraim Syrus: The Nisibene Hymns · Ephrem the Syrian
Hymn XVIII. 1. O thou who art made priest after thy master, the illustrious after the excellent, the chaste after the grave, the watchful after the abstinent, thy master from thee has not departed; i
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Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenæus · Irenaeus of Lyons
It is indeed proper to God, and befitting His character, to show mercy and pity, and to bring salvation to His creatures, even though they be brought under danger of destruction. “For with Him,” says
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According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
4. Those who come to Christ, need not be afraid of God’s wrath for their sins; for God’s honour will not suffer by their escaping punishment and being made happy. The wounded soul is sensible that he
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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
On the contrary, The Apostle says (Eph. 5:2): "Christ hath loved us, and hath delivered Himself for us, an oblation and a victim [Douay: 'sacrifice'] to God for an odor of sweetness." I answer that,
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The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans · John Chrysostom
ἡ φύσις, here used probably for the particular nature or kind in question, viz. the human. Somewhat in the same manner it is used of individual beings. For the several uses of the term, see Arist. Met
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The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews · John Chrysostom
Homily XVII. Hebrews ix. 24–26 “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figuresof the true, but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.
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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
Reply to Objection 2: As stated above (A[1], ad 4,5), in order to secure the effects of Christ's Passion, we must be likened unto Him. Now we are likened unto Him sacramentally in Baptism, according t
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XIV Five discourses on the soul's eternal salvation · Jonathan Edwards
It is true that Christ’s willingly undergoing those sufferings which he endured, is a great part of that obedience of righteousness by which we are justified. The sufferings of Christ are respected in
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