From: Ron Henzel (rhenzel@wheaton.edu)
Date: Wed Sep 04 1996 - 10:01:24 EDT
> I am presently studying Koine Greek and am at present studying the
> word = iJlasthvrion found only twice in the New Testament (Romans 3:25
> and = Hebrews 9:5) and in the Septuigent (Lev. and Exodus).
Actually, a word related to <hilasterion>, <hilasmos>, occurs in 1 
John 2:1, and is rendered "propitiation" in the KJV and NASB.
The most comprehensive treatment on this whole subject of which I am 
aware (not to slight entries in Kittel or Brown) is found in what is 
now an old work: _The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross_, by Leon 
Morris (Eerdmans, late '50s I believe).  Morris goes heavily into the 
LXX background of the wordgroup, comparing it to the Hebrew 
words that it translates, etc.  I don't know if anything has replaced 
it, although I don't think Morris represents the majority opinion in 
his conclusion: namely, that "propitiation" is a proper translation 
and that other alternatives tend to water down the meaning.
Morris's primary concern seems to be that other alternatives (at that 
time the "expiation" of the RSV was the primary one) do not carry the 
necessary implications of "turning away wrath" that he found inherent 
in <hilasmos>/<hilasterion>.  At the same time, Morris argued against 
the idea that the words carried the pagan notions of capricious and 
vengeful deities when used in the LXX and NT.
I think that Morris was responding to C.H. Dodd and others back then 
who influenced the RSV's translation.  I myself would be interested 
in knowing if anything major has been done with this topic since 
Morris.
sola (scriptura + gratia + fide) = solus Christus,
-- Ron Henzel
   Ronald.M.Henzel@wheaton.edu
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