And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
propitiation: to appease
propitiation - Greek root word meaning: an appeasing, propitiating; the means of appeasing, a propitiation
This word propitiation brings out the fact an appeasing is needed because an offence has taken place and consequences need to be put in place. Punishment is due. But propitiation means the offence can be appeased through the work of Jesus on the cross and there has been consequences, but Jesus has borne them on the cross. Praise God forever! It has got me pondering that if consequences to sin is important to God then consequences should be important to us, especially those of us who are parenting and in the laws of our land. Consequences to wrong actions is a Godly principle. Praise God forgiveness can be found, for we would all be lost.
But He has made a means for appeasing the judgment of our sin for all mankind, if only mankind had a revelation of this, wouldn't we come running in?
Adam Clarke brings out an important point of the significance that He is the propitiation of our sins for ALL the world: And he is the propitiation
'ιλασμος· The atoning sacrifice for our sins. This is the proper sense of the word as used in the Septuagint, where it often occurs; and is the translation of asham, an oblation for sin, 8:14\\. chattath, a sacrifice for sin, Ezekiel 44:27. kippur, an atonement, Numbers 5:8. And not for ours only
It is not for us apostles that he has died, nor exclusively for the Jewish people, but \~peri olou tou\~ κοσμου, for the whole world, Gentiles as well as Jews, all the descendants of Adam. The apostle does not say that he died for any select part of the inhabitants of the earth, or for \@some out of every nation, tribe, or kindred\@; but for ALL MANKIND; and the attempt to limit this is a violent outrage against God and his word.
Barnes Study Notes commentary on this verse may seem long but he explains and breaks down the verse so well I encourage you to read it. I have highlighted a very good picture he has bought out with regard to the fact God has taken away the punishment due us but there is a condition and the picture Barnes Study notes gives (highlighted in green) understanding to this:
The proper meaning of the word is that of reconciling, appeasing, turning away anger, rendering propitious or favourable. The idea is, that there is anger or wrath, or that something has been done to offend, and that it is needful to turn away that wrath, or to appease. This may be done by a sacrifice, by songs, by services rendered, or by bloody offerings. So the word is often used in Homer.--Passow. We have similar words in common use, as when we say of one that he has been offended, and that something must be done to appease him, or to turn away his wrath. This is commonly done with us by making restitution; or by an acknowledgment; or by yielding the point in controversy; or by an expression of regret; or by different conduct in time to come. But this idea must not be applied too literally to God; nor should it be explained away. The essential thoughts in regard to him, as implied in this word, are,
(1,) that his will has been disregarded, and his law violated, and that he has reason to be offended with us;
(2,) that in that condition he cannot, consistently with his perfections, and the good of the universe, treat us as if we had not done it;
(3,) that it is proper that, in some way, he should show his displeasure at our conduct, either by punishing us, or by something that shall answer the same purpose; and,
(4,) that the means of propitiation come in here, and accomplish this end, and make it proper that he should treat us as if we had not sinned; that is, he is reconciled, or appeased, and his anger is turned away. This is done, it is supposed, by, the death of the Lord Jesus, accomplishing, in most important respects, what would be accomplished by the punishment of the offender himself. In regard to this, in order to a proper understanding of what is accomplished, it is necessary to observe two things--what is not done, and what is.
I. There are certain things which do not enter into the idea of propitiation. They are such as these:
(a.) That it does not change the fact that the wrong was done. That is a fact which cannot be denied, and he who undertakes to make a propitiation for sin does not deny it.
(b.) It does not change God; it does not make him a different being from what he was before; it does not buy him over to a willingness to show mercy; it does not change an inexorable being to one who is compassionate and kind.
And not for our's only. Not only for the sins of us who are Christians, for the apostle was writing to such. The idea which he intends to convey seems to be, that when we come before God we should take the most liberal and large views of the atonement; we should feel that the most ample provision has been made for our pardon, and that in no respect is there any limit as to the sufficiency of that work to remove all sin. It is sufficient for us; sufficient for all the world.
But also for the sins of the whole world. The phrase "the sins of" is not in the original, but is not improperly supplied, for the connexion demands it. This is one of the expressions occurring in the New Testament which demonstrate that the atonement was made for all men, and which cannot be reconciled with any other opinion, if he had died only for a part of the race, this language could not have been used. The phrase, "the whole world," is one which naturally embraces all men; is such as would be used if it be supposed that the apostle meant to teach that Christ died for all men; and is such as cannot be explained on any other supposition. If he died only for the elect, it is not true that he is the "propitiation for the sins of the whole world" in any proper sense, nor would it be possible then to assign a sense in which it could be true. This passage, interpreted in its plain and obvious meaning, teaches the following things:
(1.) That the atonement in its own nature is adapted to all men, or that it is as much fitted to one individual, or One class, as another;
(2,) that it is sufficient in merit for all; that is, that if any more should be saved than actually will be, there would be no need of any additional suffering in order to save them;
(3,) that it has no special adaptedness to one person or class more than another; that is, that in its own nature it did not render the salvation of one more easy than that of another. It so magnified the law, so honoured God, so fully expressed the Divine sense of the evil of sin in respect to all men, that the offer of salvation might be made as freely to one as to another, and that any and all might take shelter under it and be safe. Whether, however, God might not, for wise reasons, resolve that its benefits should be applied to a part only, is another question, and one which does not affect the inquiry about the intrinsic nature of the atonement. On the evidence that the atonement was made for all, See Barnes "2 Corinthians 5:14", and See Barnes "Hebrews 2:9".
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