Exegesis of 1 John 2:2
By Pastor Dave Farmer
Exegesis in support of Expanded Translation
Numbers in brackets [ ] refer to Strong's numbering system whereby Greek words are assigned a number for easy lookup. Those who study the Scripture from the original languages are familiar with this type of lexicon.
The Third False Claim: The Amazing Cure - Part 2
1 John 2:2
and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours alone [believers], but also for the sins of the whole world [unbelieving humanity].
2a] καὶ αὐτὸς ἱλασμός ἐστιν περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins."
Christ is The Atoning Sacrifice For Sin
The sentence begins with the continuative use of the conjunction KAI [καὶ] meaning AND. This continues with the unique ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. We move from His Work in heaven to His Work on the cross. Next, the emphatic use of the subject nominative singular masculine form of the intensive pronoun AUTOS [αὐτὸς - #846], translated HE HIMSELF (the One and only One). The antecedent of the personal pronoun is "Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." He alone is uniquely qualified to propitiate sin.
Following the English word order, we take up the verb, the present active indicative third-person singular of EIMI [ἐστιν - #2076] meaning TO BE, and we translate it IS. The present tense is the perfective present, which regards a fact that has come to be in the past but emphasizes the existing results. Christ's work on the cross is the fact in the past, and when the Lord Jesus Christ said, "It is finished," the work of propitiation was accomplished forever. Jesus Christ produces the action by going to the cross and being judged for our sins. This was His unique charge from the Father, and in obedience, He came to earth. He went on a mission that no one in the entire universe could fulfill. He completed His work on the cross when He was judged for our sins.
Next, we have the masculine singular predicative nominative from the noun HILASMOS [ἱλασμός -#2434] meaning PROPITIATION. Usually, a predicate nominative would follow the verb, but it proceeds the verb in this instance . When a word is thrust forward, it adds special emphasis to it, and the way we show this in the English is to add the article, “He himself is [the] propitiation.” Wallace says that the vast majority of definite predicative nominatives are monadic. This work of Christ is the unique, one-of-a-kind, propitiation for our sins. 1
Vocabulary Study
A. The Nouns
HILASMOS [#2434] The Greek word is found only in 1 John 2:2; 4:10. It is translated as a propitiation in NASB, ESV, NKJV, and atoning sacrifice NIV, NRV, NLT. It refers to the unique sacrifice that satisfies, that is, propitiates God.
HILASTERION [#2435] is found in two passages, Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:5. The key to the meaning of this word is revealed in Hebrews 9:5. It refers to the lid on the Ark of the Covenant, which was sprinkled with blood on the Day of Atonement. It draws a clear picture of the place of propitiation, called the mercy seat. On the Day of Atonement, the nation's sins were covered by the sacrificial victim's blood. It portrays the work of Christ in salvation. This is the day in the sacred calendar when the high priest must face God, who is in the Holy of Holies hovering over the mercy seat. God sees the mercy seat covered with the blood from the sacrificial animal and accepts that offering. This is the Godward side of salvation.
B. The Verb:
HILASKOMAI [#3433] is found in Hebrews 2:17 and Luke 18:13 and means to make an atonement or to make propitiation.
C. Caution:
The Classical Greek meaning of this word is “to appease by the giving of a gift.” Dr. Wuest notes:
Herodotus says, “The Parians, having propitiated Themistocles with gifts, escaped the visits of the army.” However, when the word comes over into New Testament usage, its meaning is radically changed. Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 13, p. 110). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
It is used in a religious context to describe an individual giving an offering to a god to placate their wrath or bargain for a favor. This sense is never found in the Bible. For one thing, that will be made more evident; propitiation is the Work of God and not the work of man. For this reason, some theologians and the newer version of the Bible have not used propitiation in their translation but an atoning sacrifice or to make an atonement. Dr. Wuest’s says frankly:
The English word “propitiate” has the meaning of the Greek word as used in classical Greek, namely, to appease and rendered favorable. It is therefore not the correct word to use when translating the New Testament meaning of this word which it has accrued by its usage in the contexts in which it is found. Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 2, pp. 60–61). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
The argument is well stated, but we will retain the translation of hilasmos as propitiation because of the clear difference between the secular use and the Scriptural use. In the secular use, the individual congregant brings a gift. In the Biblical use, God Himself is the offering that satisfies or propitiates The Father’s divine righteousness and justice. The magnitude of this difference only highlights this special word; it does not detract from it.
We finish this sentence with a prepositional phrase περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν. The preposition is PERI [περὶ - #4012] plus the articular genitive plural of HAMARTIA [τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν - #266], meaning FOR THE SINS. We also have the possessive genitive of the first-person plural pronoun EGO [ἡμῶν - #2257], connoting OF US. There are four major ways possession is constructed in the Koine; this is the second way, using the genitive of possession of the personal pronoun. The SINS OF US become OUR SINS.2
Christ's Saving Work is Unlimited
2b] οὐ περὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων δὲ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ ὅλου τοῦ κόσμου "but not for ours alone [believers], but also for the sins of the 3 entire world [unbelieving humanity]."
Next, we have two prepositional phrases that further amplifies and explains the persons for whom this propitiation is made. We start with the postpositive adversative conjunction DE [δὲ - #1161] translated BUT plus the negative OUK [ οὐ] meaning BUT NOT. Then the preposition PERI [περὶ - #4012] plus the genitive possessive 4 pronoun HEMETEROS [τῶν ἡμετέρων - #2251] translated FOR OURS [as believers]. Next, we have the adjective MONOS [μόνον - #3440] meaning ALONE, "BUT NOT FOR OURS [believers] ALONE."
The final phrase begins with the postpositive transitional use of the conjunction ALLA [ἀλλὰ -#235] plus the adjunctive use of KAI [καὶ] rendered, BUT ALSO. Next is the prepositional phrase beginning with the preposition PERI [περὶ - #4012], meaning FOR. Then the adjective HOLOS [ὅλου - #3650] plus the articular genitive singular noun COSMOS [τοῦ κόσμου - #2889] together means, "BUT FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD." This word is technical and refers to Cosmos Diabolicus 5, the world under Satan's rule (1 John 5:19), a world made up of unbelieving humanity. John uses this word 22 times in 1 John, indicating its importance. The work of propitiation extends to all the sins of unbelieving humanity. This is the Doctrine of Unlimited Atonement, which will be our next study, “Topic #26, The Doctrine of Unlimited Atonement.” In the translation of this text, most modern translations add in the ellipsis of the object “of the sins” NASB, ESV, NIV, RSV. The last phrase then reads, “but also for the sins of the entire world.”
ENDNOTES
1 Translating anarthrous predicate nominatives:
1. A predicate nominative comes after the copula. So, we would expect HILASMOS to follow EIMI.
2. When the predicate nominative is thrown forward, it emphasizes the word, and by so doing, causes it to become definite.
3. In English, we show definiteness by adding the article, The Propitiation, not a propitiation.
Other Notes
The vast majority of definite anarthrous pre-verbal predicate nominatives are monadic. Wallace, D. B. p. 268.
A general rule about the construction can now be stated: An anarthrous pre-verbal PN is normally qualitative, sometimes definite, and only rarely indefinite, Wallace, D.B. p. 262.
Regarding the qualitative aspect, Wallace says, “the largest proportion of pre-verbal anarthrous predicate nominatives fall into this category, Wallace, D.B. p. 269.
2 Four major ways possession is formed in the Greek. Found in Exegesis of 1 John 1:3, footnote #1.
3 The articular noun world. The use of the article in this phrase rather than identification is used in a generic sense. The proceeding phrase indicates that the category is the believer, so corresponding to that is another category, the unbeliever; the saved and the unsaved; the believer and the unbeliever.
4 See footnote #2 above, for the first major way possession is formed in the Greek.
5 There is one word which is repeatedly used to reveal the existence of a plan that is in opposition to God and which seeks to dethrone Him as the God of creation, it is the Greek word "Cosmos." It is found 187 times in the New Testament and is translated in every instance but one, "world." It means order, arrangement, system, government, as the numerous passages in the New testament attests. Dr. Chafer explains the word:
The cosmos is a vast order or system that Satan has promoted, which conforms to his ideals, aims, and methods. It is civilization now functioning apart from God-a civilization in which none of its promoters really expect God to share, who assign to God no consideration in respect to their projects; nor do they ascribe any causatively to Him. This system embraces its godless governments, conflicts, armaments, jealousies, its education, culture, religions of morality, and pride. It is that sphere in which man lives. It is what he sees, what he employs. To the uncounted multitude it is all they ever know so long as they live on this earth. It is properly styled the satanic system, which phrase is in many instances a justified interpretation of the so-meaningful word, cosmos. It is literally a cosmos diabolicus. Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology (Dallas: Dallas Seminary Press, 1947), 2:77-78.