Topical Encyclopedia
Expiation is a theological term that refers to the act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing, particularly in the context of sin against God. In the biblical narrative, expiation is closely associated with the concepts of atonement, sacrifice, and forgiveness. It is a central theme in both the Old and New Testaments, reflecting God's provision for reconciling humanity to Himself.
Old Testament ContextIn the Old Testament, the concept of expiation is primarily linked to the sacrificial system established by God for the Israelites. The Hebrew word often translated as "expiation" is "kaphar," which means to cover, purge, or make atonement. The sacrificial system, detailed in the book of Leviticus, was instituted to provide a means for the Israelites to atone for their sins and restore their relationship with God.
Leviticus 16 describes the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), a significant annual event where the high priest would make expiation for the sins of the people. The high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to offer sacrifices, including the blood of a bull and a goat, to atone for the sins of the nation.
Leviticus 16:30 states, "For on this day atonement will be made for you to cleanse you, and you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD."
The sacrificial system underscored the seriousness of sin and the necessity of bloodshed for atonement, as expressed in
Leviticus 17:11 : "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life."
New Testament FulfillmentIn the New Testament, the concept of expiation reaches its fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The sacrificial system of the Old Testament is seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice made by Christ on the cross. Jesus is portrayed as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (
John 1:29).
The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, explains the expiatory work of Christ.
Romans 3:25 states, "God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand." Here, the term "atoning sacrifice" is often translated from the Greek word "hilasterion," which conveys the idea of expiation and propitiation.
The author of Hebrews further elaborates on the superiority of Christ's sacrifice over the Old Testament sacrifices.
Hebrews 9:12 declares, "He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption." This passage emphasizes that Christ's sacrifice was once and for all, providing complete expiation for sin.
Theological SignificanceExpiation is integral to understanding the doctrine of salvation. It highlights the gravity of sin and the necessity of a divine remedy. Through the expiatory work of Christ, believers are cleansed from sin and reconciled to God. This act of divine grace underscores God's holiness, justice, and love, as He provides a means for humanity to be restored to fellowship with Him.
The concept of expiation also calls believers to a life of holiness and gratitude, recognizing the immense cost of their redemption. As recipients of God's grace, Christians are encouraged to live in a manner worthy of the calling they have received, reflecting the transformative power of Christ's atoning work in their lives.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Expiation[SACRIFICE]
ATS Bible Dictionary
ExpiationAn act by which satisfaction is made for a crime and the liability to punishment for it is cancelled. It supposes penitence and faith on the sinner's part. Among the Jews, expiation was effected by a divinely appointed and typical system of sacrifices, all pointing to Christ. The New Testament shows Him to be the true sin-offering for mankind, "the Lamb of God," "our Passover," offering "his own blood," and putting away "sin by the sacrifice of himself,"John 1:2911 Corinthians 5:7Ephesians 1:7Hebrews 9:26.
THE DAY OF EXPIATION, OR ATONEMENT, was a yearly solemnity, observed with rest and fasting on the tenth day of Tisri, five days before the feast of tabernacles, Le 23:7 25:9. The ceremonies of this all-important day are minutely described in Le 16:1-34. On this day alone the high priest entered the Most Holy Place,Hebrews 9:7; but the various rites of the day required him to enter several times. First with the golden censer and a vessel filled with incense. Then with the blood of the bullock, which he had offered for his own sins and those of all the priests, in which he dipped his finger, and sprinkled towards the veil of the tabernacle eight times; and having mixed it with the blood of the bullock, he sprinkled again towards horns of the altar of incense seven times, and once above it towards the east; after which, having again left the sanctuary and taken with him the basins of blood, he poured out the whole on the floor of the altar of burnt-offering. The fourth time he entered to bring out the censer and vessel of incense; and having returned, he washed his hands and performed the other services of the day. The ceremony of the scapegoat also took place on this day. Two goats were set apart, one of which was sacrificed to the Lord, while the other, called the azazel or scapegoat, which was determined by lot to be set at liberty, was sent into the desert burdened with the sins of the people. All these solemn rites pointed to Christ, and in every age there were many believers who had spiritual discernment of their sacred meaning,Hebrews 9:1-11:40. They looked unto Him whom they had pierced, and mourned. As this day of expiation was the great fast day of the Jewish church, so godly sorrow for sin characterizes the Christian's looking unto the Lamb of God, and "the rapture of pardon" is mingled with "penitent tears."
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Guilt is said to be expiated when it is visited with punishment falling on a substitute. Expiation is made for our sins when they are punished not in ourselves but in another who consents to stand in our room. It is that by which reconciliation is effected. Sin is thus said to be "covered" by vicarious satisfaction.
The cover or lid of the ark is termed in the LXX. hilasterion, that which covered or shut out the claims and demands of the law against the sins of God's people, whereby he became "propitious" to them.
The idea of vicarious expiation runs through the whole Old Testament system of sacrifices. (seePROPITIATION.)
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The act of making satisfaction or atonement for any crime or fault; the extinguishing of guilt by suffering or penalty.
2. (n.) The means by which reparation or atonement for crimes or sins is made; an expiatory sacrifice or offering; an atonement.
3. (n.) An act by which the treats of prodigies were averted among the ancient heathen.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
EXPIATIONeks-pi-a'-shun:
This word represents no Hebrew or Greek word not rendered also by "atonement." InNumbers 8:7 it is employed in the Revised Version (British and American) to translate chaTath and inDeuteronomy 32:43, kipper. This version also employs "expiate" in the margin of several passages, eg.Psalm 65:3;Psalm 79:9. Always its use in English Versions of the Bible is somewhat more narrow and specific than "atonement" and has especial reference to specific uncleanness or sin.
It will be sufficient to refer to ATONEMENT; SACRIFICE; PROPITIATION.
Greek
3083. lutron -- a ransom... ransom. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: lutron Phonetic Spelling:
(loo'-tron) Short Definition: a ransom, an offering of
expiation Definition: the
...2512. katharismos -- a cleansing
... ar-is-mos') Short Definition: cleansing, purifying, purification Definition: cleansing,
purifying, purification, literal, ceremonial, or moral; met:expiation....
5050. teleiosis -- completion, perfection
... perfection. From phusioo; (the act) completion, ie (of prophecy) verification, or
(ofexpiation) absolution -- perfection, performance. see GREEK phusioo....
Strong's Hebrew
3725. kippur -- atonement... Word Origin from the same as kopher Definition atonement NASB Word Usage atonement
(8).
expiation. From kaphar;
expiation (only in plural): see HEBREW kaphar.
...3722a. kaphar -- to cover over, pacify, make propitiation
... appease* (1), atone (3), atoned (2), atonement is made (1), atonement shall be made
(1), atonement was made (1), atoning (1), canceled (1),expiation can be...
2409. chattaya -- sin offering
... sin offering. (Aramaic) from the same as chatiy; anexpiation -- sin offering. see
HEBREW chatiy. 2408, 2409. chattaya. 2410 . Strong's Numbers.
2403. chatta'ah -- sinful thing, sin
... Or chattacth {khat-tawth'}; from chata'; an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness),
and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, orexpiation; also (concretely) an...
5137. nazah -- to spurt, spatter, sprinkle
... sprinkle A primitive root; to spirt, ie Besprinkle (especially inexpiation) --
sprinkle. 5136, 5137. nazah. 5137a . Strong's Numbers.
Library
Expiation
...Expiation. A Sermon (No.561). By the. Rev. CH SPURGEON,. At the Metropolitan Tabernacle,
Newington. "Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin.""Isaiah 53:10...
The Passover: anExpiation and a Feast, a Memorial and a Prophecy
... THE BOOK OF EXODUS THE PASSOVER: ANEXPIATION AND A FEAST, A MEMORIAL AND
A PROPHECY. 'And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in...
Whether the Effect of Christ's Priesthood is theExpiation of Sins...
... OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST (SIX ARTICLES) Whether the effect of Christ's
priesthood is theexpiation of sins? Objection 1: It would...
Concerning the Festivals; and How Each Day of Such Festival is to...
... new moon, they both perform the daily sacrifices, and slay two bulls, with seven
lambs of the first year, and a kid of the goats also, for theexpiation of sins...
Whether, at the Time of the Law, the Ceremonies of the Old Law had...
... justification at the time of the Law. Becauseexpiation from sin and
consecration pertains to justification. But it is written (Ex.39...
'The Scapegoat'
... As that could not be done, an ideal unity was established between the two: the one
sacrificed represented the fact ofexpiation, the one driven away...
The Day of Atonement
... II. The first part of the ritual proper (vs.11-14) is theexpiation for the sins
of Aaron and the priesthood, and his entrance into the most holy place....
The Burnt Offering a Picture and a Prophecy
... Now, if we inquire into the significance of the offering, it turns on two
points"expiation and burning. The former it has in common...
What a Sacrifice Is, and what are the Species of Sacrifice.
... And Isaiah interprets the Law, in order that we may know that the death of Christ
is truly a satisfaction for our sins, orexpiation, and that the ceremonies...
Christ, to Perform the Office of Mediator, Behoved to Become Man.
... as man only could not overcome death, he united the human nature with the divine,
that he might subject the weakness of the one to death as anexpiation of sin...
Thesaurus
Expiation (9 Occurrences)...Expiation is made for our sins when they are punished not in ourselves but in another
who consents to stand in our room.
... Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
EXPIATION.
...Atonement (112 Occurrences)
... justice to manifest his love to transgressors.Expiation has been made for
sin, ie, it is covered. The means by which it is covered...
Ransom (46 Occurrences)
... in Greek classical literature, constantly bearing the sense of "ransom price," and
was frequently connected with ritual usage, with sacrifice andexpiation....
Expiated (6 Occurrences)
Monthly (11 Occurrences)
... Kautzsch 10. VicariousExpiation Theory; Objections 11. Typology of Sacrifice
LITERATURE I. Terms and Definitions. zebhach, "sacrifice...
Offices (14 Occurrences)
... with God was expressed, was expanded into acts regularly performed by officials,
in which worship, thanksgiving, covenant and priestlyexpiation and atonement...
Christ (573 Occurrences)
... with God was expressed, was expanded into acts regularly performed by officials,
in which worship, thanksgiving, covenant and priestlyexpiation and atonement...
Offering (850 Occurrences)
... in divine service; that which is presented as anexpiation or atonement for sin,
or as a free gift; a sacrifice; an oblation; as, sin offering....
Greece (15 Occurrences)
... THE FUTURE LIFE 1. Funeral Rites 2. Future Life in the Homeric Poems 3. Later Beliefs
in Immortality V. SIN,EXPIATION, AND THE RELIGIOUS LIFE 1. Greek Idea of...
Goel
... Ransom cannot be given for the life of a murderer; noexpiation can be made for
a murder but by the blood of the murderer (Deuteronomy 19:4 Joshua 20 2 Samuel...
Resources
What is expiation? | GotQuestions.orgAre apparitions of Mary, such as Lady Fatima, true messages from God? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)? | GotQuestions.orgExpiation: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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