EXPIATION

An 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," Joh 1:29 1Co 5:7 Eph 1:7 Heb 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, Heb 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, Heb 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."

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expiation. expiation, pacifying with satisfaction, purging by sacrifice

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Expiation. Expiation
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. (See PROPITIATION.)

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EXPIATION. → See ATONEMENT

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expiation. Expiation, n. an atonement, a satisfaction

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Ex′pi‐a″tion (?), n. [[L. expiatio: cf.F. expiation]] 1. 1. The act of making satisfaction or atonement for any crime or fault; the extinguishing of guilt by suffering or penalty.
His liberality seemed to have something in it of self-abasement and expiation. W. Irving. 2. 2. The means by which reparation or atonement for crimes or sins is made; an expiatory sacrifice or offering; an atonement.
Those shadowy expiations weak, The blood of bulls and goats. Milton. 3. 3. An act by which the threats of prodigies were averted among the ancient heathen. Hayward.