Outline of John Murray's analysis of the nature of the atonement, pt. 3/5 (Propitiation)

Continued from part 2 ...

(Links to all five posts in this series)

• Propitiation
• Romans 3:25, Hebrews 2:17, I John 2:2, and 4:10, [1] clearly apply “propitiation” to the work of Christ
• Propitiation presupposes that the person propitiated is angry, and it means “to pacify, to conciliate, to make propitious”
• Some say that God would not be angry or be propitiated
• With God, as with humans, “the unique object of love may at the same time be the unique object of holy wrath and displeasure,” as sin must evoke His wrath in terms of His holiness
• Ephesians 2:3 [2] says that those whom God loves were children of wrath
• “The doctrine of the propitiation is precisely this that God loved the objects of His wrath so much that He gave His own Son to the end that He by His blood should make provision for the removal of this wrath.”
• Isaiah 53:5 [3] shows that Christ bore our sins and the punishment of judgment, and Romans 5:12 and 6:23 [4] show that death is the penalty for sin
• Christ endured the epitome of God’s judgment against sin, His wrath
• God’s love for Christ and His wrath poured out on Him in judgment for the sins He bore, are perfectly compatible, in terms of John 10:17 [5]
• Love and wrath are not contradictory; rather, love and hate are
• God the Father forsook Christ, showing that Christ bore the “full stroke of judicial wrath” (see Psalm 22:1, Matthew 27:46, and Mark 15:34 [6])
• I John 4:10 [7] highlights the propitiation as the essence of God’s love at Calvary, as Christ propitiated God’s wrath against sin

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[1] 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;

Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

I John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

I John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

[2] Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

[3] Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

[4] Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

[5] John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

[6] Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

[7] I John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

[See John Murray's article and Part 4 of the outline]