Doctrine of Propitiation

From the standpoint of Romans 3:25,26

Paul introduces the subject of propitiation, then follows it up with nine prepositional phrases that further explain the doctrine.

Romans 3:25

Whom [Christ Jesus] God the Father has publicly displayed for Himself as a propitiation by means of His blood, through faith for the purpose of demonstrating that He is righteous, because of the passing over of previously committed sins, because of the delay in judgment from God.

Romans 3:26

For the purpose of demonstrating that He is righteous, at this present time, so that He keeps on being Just even when He justifies him, by believing in Jesus.

OUTLINE

I. The Main Sentence

“Whom [Christ Jesus] God the Father has publicly displayed for Himself as a propitiation.”

II. The Nine Prepositional Phrases

1. The Means of Propitiation: by means of His blood

2. The Way of Propitiation: through faith

3. The Character of God in Propitiation: for the purpose of demonstrating that He is righteous

4. Ceremonial Propitiation: because of the passing over of previously committed sins

5. The Gracious Delay in Judgment: because of the delay in judgment from God

6. The Reaffirmation of God’s Purpose: for the purpose of demonstrating that He is righteous

7. The Reality of Propitiation: at this present time

8. The Result of Propitiation: so that He keeps on being Just even when He justifies him

9. The Appropriation of Propitiation: by believing in Jesus

INTRODUCTION TO PROPITIATION

25a] ὃν προέθετο ὁ θεὸς ἱλαστήριον–whom [Christ Jesus] God the Father has publicly displayed for Himself as a propitiation by means of His blood, through faith.

We begin the sentence with the accusative singular relative pronoun HOS [ ὃν - #3739]. The antecedent of the pronoun is the Lord Jesus Christ, see verse 24. The translation is WHOM [Christ Jesus]. Next is the articular nominative singular subject THEOS [ ὁ θεὸς - #2319], signifying GOD THE FATHER. It has the article, but it is not translated. It points to someone familiar to the readers, THE GOD, or here GOD THE FATHER. Next is the main verb, the aorist middle indicative of PROTITHEMI [προέθετο - #4388] meaning TO DISPLAY PUBLICLY. It is a compound verb made up of a preposition PRO meaning BEFORE and TITHEMI meaning TO PLACE, literally TO PLACE BEFORE. In the active voice, it comes to means “to set before someone as a task or a duty,” but in the middle voice, it means “to display publicly.” The public display is Christ hanging on the cross. The aorist tense is a constative aorist summarizing His work on the cross, especially the last three hours when He was being judged for our sins. The indirect middle places greater emphasis on the subject, God the Father, whose plan called for the Lord Jesus Christ to bear the sins of the world. The Father decided to display Christ publically as the one and only means of propitiation. The indicative mood is declarative for a dogmatic statement of fact. Our Lord Jesus Christ propitiated the Father, literally “Whom [Christ Jesus] God the Father has publicly displayed for Himself.”

Next is the accusative singular direct object HILASTERION [ἱλαστήριον - #2435] meaning PROPITIATION. This noun is also found in Hebrews 9:5, where it is translated “mercy seat.” It ties the doctrine of propitiation to the shadow Christological ritual found on the Day of Atonement. On that day, the high priest sprinkled the blood of the sacrificial animal on the mercy seat. The mercy seat was a solid gold throne representing the propitiatory work of Christ on the cross.

II. NINE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

Following this are nine prepositional phrases that further explain and present amazing detail about Christ Work on the cross in propitiation. In a brilliant staccato-like fashion, doctrine is built upon doctrine extending right through verse 26. We will take up these nine prepositional phrases that add additional doctrinal content to the main verb. In the Greek word order, “though faith” is in the emphatic position, it is first. Then “by means of His blood” is second. The second phrase, “by His blood,” goes with propitiation, and so in translation, we placed it first. We will exegete this passage in the English word order.

25b] ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι - “by means of His blood.”

THE MEANS OF PROPITIATION

The first prepositional phrase is EN [ἐν - #1722] plus the articular singular instrumental of means of HIAIMA [τῷ αἵματι - #129], BY MEANS OF THE BLOOD. With this is the genitive singular third person personal pronoun AUTOS [αὐτοῦ - #846] used as a possessive pronoun, HIS BLOOD. ¹ This is a reference to the work of Christ on the cross in the shadow doctrine that was being displayed as the blood of the sacrificial animal was sprinkled on the seat of propitiation, the mercy seat. The means for satisfying the righteousness and Justice of God was the spiritual death of Christ on the cross.

25c] διὰ [τῆς] πίστεως – “though faith.”

THE WAY OF PROPITIATION

The second prepositional phrase is DIA [διὰ - #1223] plus the genitive singular of PISTIS [πίστεως - #4102] meaning THROUGH FAITH. The lack of the definite article indicates quality rather than an act of faith. It is true that when we believe in Jesus Christ, the full value of the death of Christ in salvation is applied to us. However, this prepositional phrase emphasizes that faith, in contrast to works, is how we are saved. It is a grace procedure, not by any good work that we can do.

25d] εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ - “for the purpose of demonstrating that He is righteous.”

THE CHARACTER OF GOD IN PROPITIATION

We have another prepositional phrase which states a purpose for the public display of Christ’s Work on the Cross. The preposition EIS [εἰς - #1519] states the purpose, FOR THE PURPOSE OF. Next is the object of the preposition, the accusative singular noun ENDEIXZIS [ἔνδειξιν -#1732] meaning A DEMONSTRATION. With this, we have the objective genitive of the articular singular of DIKIASUNE [τῆς δικαιοσύνης - #1343] meaning RIGHTEOUSNESS. An objective genitive is formed when the head noun [ENDEIXZIS] in which the genitive is related is turned into a verbal form [demonstrating], and the genitive [τῆς δικαιοσύνης] serves as its direct object. In this case, we have “FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEMONSTRATING HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. With this, we also have the possessive genitive third-person singular of intensive pronoun AUTOS [αὐτοῦ - #846]. The possessive genitive indicates something that God possesses (see footnote #1). This is a reference to God’s righteousness. The completed translation is “FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEMONSTRATING HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS or THAT HE IS RIGHTEOUS.

25e] διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν τῶν προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτων - “because of the passing over of previously committed sins.”

CEREMONIAL PROPITIATION

We now have our fourth prepositional phrase. It begins with DIA [διὰ - #1223] plus the accusative singular of the noun PARESIS [τὴν πάρεσιν - #3929], means TO PASS OVER. BECAUSE OF THE PASSING OVER. Next, we have the articular perfect active participle from the verb PROGINOMAI [τῶν προγεγονότων - #4266] meaning PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED. The participle is used as an adjective modifying the genitive plural from the noun HAMARTEMA [ἁμαρτημάτων - #265] meaning SINS, BECAUSE OF THE PASSING OVER OF PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED SINS.

Romans 3:26

because of the delay in judgment from God, for the purpose of demonstrating that He is righteous, at this present time, so that He keeps on being Just even when He justifies him by believing in Jesus.

26f] ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ - “because of the delay in judgment from the God.”

THE GRACIOUS DELAY IN JUDGMENT

Our fifth prepositional phrase begins with EN [ ἐν - #1722] plus the articular instrumental of cause, from the noun ANOCHE [τῇ ἀνοχῇ - #463], which means CLEMENCY, TO HOLD BACK, A DELAY IN JUDGMENT. We also have the ablative of source from the articular noun THEOS [τοῦ θεοῦ - #2316] meaning FROM THE GOD. Putting it all together, it reads BECAUSE OF THE DELAY IN JUDGEMENT FROM THE GOD.

26g] πρὸς τὴν ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ

THE REAFFIRMATION OF GOD’S PURPOSE

Our sixth prepositional phase is a repeat of the third with the preposition PROS instead of EN. We start with the preposition PROS [πρὸς - #4314], which in the accusative case connotes purpose, striving for a goal, FOR THE PURPOSE. Also, the object of the preposition is the articular accusative singular from the noun ENDEIXZIS [ἔνδειξιν - #1732], meaning THE DEMONSTRATION. Next is the objective genitive of the articular singular of DIKIASUNE [τῆς δικαιοσύνης - #1343] meaning OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. But this is an objective genitive which is formed when the head noun in which the genitive is related [τὴν ἔνδειξιν] is turned into a verbal form “demonstrating.” The word in the genitive serves as its direct object [τῆς δικαιοσύνης], meaning “FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEMONSTRATING HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Also, the possessive genitive third-person singular of intensive pronoun AUTOS [αὐτοῦ - #846] indicating something that God possesses.

26h] ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ

THE REALITY OF PROPITIATION

Our seventh prepositional phase is EN [ἐν - # 1722] plus the locative singular of the article acting as a demonstrative pronoun [τῷ], THIS. Also, the temporal adverb NUN [νῦν - #3568] meaning PRESENT. Then the object of the preposition the locative singular of the noun KAIRO [καιρῷ - #2540 ] meaning TIME, AT THIS PRESENT TIME. The time is the Church Age, where the shadows have been fulfilled by the reality of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

26i] εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν δίκαιον καὶ δικαιοῦντα τὸν – “so that He keeps on being Just even when He justifies him.”

RESULT OF PROPITIATION - JUSTIFICATION

The eighth prepositional phrase begins with EIS [εἰς - #1519] connoting result, SO THAT. This is followed by the articular present active infinitive of the verb TO BE, EIMI [τὸ εἶναι - #1511]. The present tense is a static present describing the verbal action as perpetually existing. The active voice indicates that God is producing the action. We also have the accusative singular of general reference from the intensive pronoun AUTOS [αὐτὸν - #846]. This is a reference to God, who is the subject of the verbal action, SO THAT HE KEEPS ON BEING. Next is the accusative singular of the predicate adjective DIKAIOS [δίκαιον - #1342] used for the justice of God, SO THAT HE KEEPS ON BEING JUST. Then we have the ascensive use of the conjunction of KAI [καὶ - #2532], meaning EVEN. Next is the present active participle of the verb DIKIOO [δικαιοῦντα - #1344] meaning TO VINDICATE, TO JUSTIFY, TO DECLARE RIGHTEOUS. The present tense is the customary present denoting what habitually occurs when anyone believes in Christ. He never varies. He is always the same. God does not change. In the active voice, He produces the action. The participle is temporal, “EVEN WHEN HE DECLARES RIGHTEOUS OR EVEN WHEN HE JUSTIFIES. Next is the accusative masculine singular article used as the direct object [τὸν]. Here it is being used as a personal pronoun meaning HIM.

26j] ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ - “by believing in Jesus.”

THE APPROPRIATION METHOD

Our ninth and final prepositional phrase is EK [ἐκ - #1537] plus the ablative of means of PISTIS [πίστεως - # 4102] BY MEANS OF FAITH. Then the objective genitive of IESOUS [Ἰησοῦ - #2424] changes the translation to, “BY MEANS OF BELIEVING IN JESUS.” An objective genitive is formed when the head noun [PISTIS] in which the genitive is related is turned into a verbal form [BELIEVING], and the genitive [Ἰησοῦ] serves as its direct object

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ENDNOTES

¹ The second way possession is formed, See “Exegesis of 1 John 1:3 footnote #1.”

² The genitive substantive functions semantically as the direct object of the verbal idea implicit in the head noun. This is common in the NT. When an objective genitive is suspected, attempt to convert the verbal noun to which the genitive is related into a verbal form and turn the genitive into its direct object. Thus, for example, “a demonstration of his righteousness” in Rom 3:25 becomes “demonstrating his righteousness.” Wallace, D. B. (1996). Greek Grammar beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (pp. 116–117). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.